WebQuests are a way of incorporating technology into a classroom to make a classroom more interesting. In a WebQuest a student must navigate their way through a band of tasks using the internet. While doing so they must use a higher level of thinking, synthesis, analysis, problem-solving, creativity and judgement (Lenz, 2010). It connects websites to one another giving students an explanation of a task then encouraging them to complete the skills that they have learnt. A WebQuest can be an excellent way to answer question seven of the LMQs and evaluate whether or not the students have learnt the content shown in class. In a primary school situation a teacher can use a WebQuest to research and find information on a topic as Linda Willert has produced for her class here. This WebQuest encourages students to find out about dinosaurs using a WebQuest. It will challenge their thinking , analysis, problem solving and creativity while also teaching students how to use technology.
As a high school mathematics teacher it will be harder to find and introduce a WebQuest into the classroom. If a teacher does their job a student should not have to search to find out what an equation is they should know how to do it off the top of their head. Workings will still need to be done online unless all the students have tablets. As there are less WebQuests out there for teachers to work off it may be hard for a teacher to create an effective WebQuest which can be used to challenge a student’s critical thinking and expand their horizons. The only time that a WebQuest would not be a waste of time in a mathematics classroom is to asses students on statistics etc. An assessment could suggest that students each pick a topic to research eg car crashes, probability of failing, etc. Students can each set out on a WebQuest which will incorporate mathematical equations into their learning. The WebQuest could then end with the students showing their working in the form of an excel spreadsheet, showing databases
08 September 2010
26 August 2010
Synopsis
Introduction
Technology has revolutionised since the initiation of the 21st century. The world is now full of cell phones, computers, the internet, global positioning systems and so own. ‘Technology has significantly altered the ways in which people experience the world (Dahl, 1998),’ and is ‘an expected skill for high school graduates (Fisher, 2001)’. Because of this it is important for theachers to incorporate ICTs into the classroom using e-Learning. E-Learning is a form of teaching which incorporates ICTs in order to support and enhance the students learning abilities. It is now embedded within the curriculum that teachers must incorporate ICTs in the classrooms as learning tools to make students workplace ready and to use as a tool to support teaching in the classroom.
E-Learning is embedded in the curriculum to ensure that when students enter the work force (click here for more information). E-Learning tools can be used in the classroom in order to support the information which the teacher is supplying to the students. For example in the case of history a teacher can have the notes on a topic in powerpoint or prezi and talk about the topic while students are copying notes. This will engage the classroom as it will be more interesting than having a teacher continually writing notes on the board. Students will be able to take notes from the powerpoint, while the teacher explains in more depth what the notes mean. The method is also more effective then the teacher giving only auditory information verbally. If a teacher were to talk for the whole lesson students would not know what the key facts are. Auditory learners and visual learners will both benefit from this strategy of teaching.
Incorporating e-Learning into the classroom shall be fairly easy in a high school situation. Many of the students would have learnt how to use the basic technologies in primary school. The main issue a teacher will be faced with in the classroom is diversity. Students from different economic backgrounds, or primary schools would have experienced different technologies (McIntyre, 2001). This can make e-Learning hard for teachers to teach. Students who already know about the technology can either help other students out or become bored and off task. In most cases for students, especially those in the lower grades of high school are more likely to become distracted. Distraction will be the only major problem teachers have to face when incorporating technologies in the classroom. Students who are currently entering high school grew up with the advancements in and learnt how to use many tools from trial and error (Snowman, 2009). In most cases the students will know more about technology then their teachers will.
Using technologies such as the internet in a high school situation can be dangerous and need to be monitored to ensure that students are not abusing the privilege of ICTs. When using websites teachers need to monitor the sites which students are searching. Many of the sites which are classified as inappropriate are blocked by Education Queensland however there have been instances when students google their name and pornographic sites come up (Lenz, 2010). Also Education Queensland has blocked the search of games in google however, students can still access games by first entering another site. It is also important that students don’t abuse internet privileges at school by logging on to sites such as facebook. Teachers can monitor all students computers and see what sites they are on from their computer. They can see whether or not students are using their computers in order to support their education or whether they are abusing their privileges of the technology. If a teacher believes a student is abusing their privileges then the teacher can choose to give the student a warning or freeze their account for a lesson. This will affect the class dramatically as the teacher will have to play spy instead of being free to walk around the room and help students with questions. However, this will differ from class and time. Some classes will be able to earn the trust of their teacher by demonstrating that they can stay on the right program at all times.
‘In the last decade the number of computers used in classes has significantly increased (Fisher, 2001)’. There are computer labs for which students can use to support their learning with research and complete assignments. Many rooms are fitted with overhead projectors allowing teachers to show powerpoints while delivering a lesson. Students also have access to a library at most schools which they can use for research at lunch times. Many classes are also fitted with televisions and DVD players so that students can watch videos in class or make videos. However schools may be limited to technology. Smaller schools will not have as many resources as larger schools. However the ratio of technology to students in large schools will also be quite different. There are not enough computers in a school so that every student can use one at once etc. Another limitation which is placed on a school is the teachers knowledge. Although teachers are allowed to access courses for personal development which is set out in the school budget, not all teachers know much about technology, and many don’t care to learn. As stated previously many students know more about technology then their teachers do and teachers may find some technologies like Prezis and Digital Videoing simply too hard to incorporate into a lesson.
Technology has become an asset to transform all types of learning in schools. ICTs make new learning possible in both of the core subjects I wish to teach. In mathematics the introduction of technologies has lead to the calculator, making mathematics easier and faster for students. In history the internet has made it possible for students to find facts on their own. They can now access journal articles of soldiers who fought in wars and read how soldiers felt about the bombing of Dresden etc. Students can also research archives in order to obtain their own opinion about matters which ensures that propaganda taught in schools does not override the truth of fact as it has done in the past. This could not be done without the introduction of technology. Students can use now use technology to access imformation, organise knowledge, transform information to develop new understandings and present knowledge to an audience.
Access information
With the advancements in technology there have been many changes which allow students to access information. Students can now use websites, wikis and e-journals to access information now instead of scanning through books and newspapers to find resources. Websites are the best way to access information click here to see why.
Organising Knowledge
Students can now use technology in order to organise the knowledge they have learn. A site that makes mind mapping easy for students is www.bubbl.us. For more information about why mind mapping is an important tool to use in schooling environments please see Why Mind Map?
Consolidate and Refine Information
Mind maps are also a good way to consolidate and refine information. As seen in (Mel's Comments) after teaching a class about a topic a teacher can take a step back and ask students to refine what was learnt in that lesson and see how everything works. This will ensure that the class has understood what has happened in the lesson. However, this is not the only tool which can be used in order to consolidate and refine information. Producing tables, charts and databases in excel can be the easiest and most effective way to consolidate and refine information to see an example in excel click here. As a math and history teacher both of these tools will be useful to me when entering the classroom. I would be able to use databases, tables and charts to help students consolidate and refine information when doing topics such as interest in Mathematics. Whereas in History students can use Mind Maps to consolidate and refine information, helping them recall what happened when.
Transform Information and Develop New Understandings
Digital technology such as animation, videoing and podcasting can be effective ways for students to transform information and develop new understanding. Once a student has learnt about a topic they can use transform the information that has been given to them by using critical thinking etc. For primary school students the easiest technology to use would be Voki as it is simple to use and students will have fun making their animation talk click here to find out how to use a Voki. High school students in history may find it interesting to record a video of what they think may have happened in a war etc. Both of these tools will ensure that the students are using ‘critical thinking, analysis evaluation and synthesis’ (Lenz, 2010).
Present Knowledge
There are two main tools a learning manager will use in the classroom in order to assist them present knowledge to an audience. The first is Powerpoint and the second is Prezis (see blog). Both tools are used to assist a learning manager when giving the class information. Prezis are more interactive but harder to use, however it is a more effective tool to use in order to engage an audience. Powerpoints are simple and easy to use (to see instructions on how to use a powerpoint click here and go to how to use a powerpoint). They are less interactive and won’t be as engaging as they are used in schools on a daily basis and students will have seen it before. Learning managers in a high school situation will be benefited by using powerpoint, click here to see why. For students in high school who do not like to stand in front of a class and talk they may find it better to us video technology (click here to see why).
Conclusion
Regardless of which tools students are using it is evident that technology is an important part of the 21st Century. Technology is evolving on a daily basis with the introduction to new applications and tools. It is essential that students learn how to use technology in school so that they will be prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation.
Bibliography
Dahl, K.L., & Farnan, N. 1998. Children’s writing: Perspectives from research. Newark: International Reading Association and National Reading Conference.
Fisher, D. 2001. Responsive Curriculum Design in Secondary Schools. London. The Scarecrow Press, Inc..
Lenz, M.. (2010, August 25). Just a refresher before you finish. [Personal Emails].
Lenz, M. (2010). Websites [Class discussion].
McIntyre, E., Rosebery, A., & Gonzalez, N., 2001. Classroom Diversity: Connecting Curriculum to Students’ Lives. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Snowman, J., Dobozy, E., Scevak, J.K, Bryer, F., Bartlett, B., & Biehler. (2002). Physchology applied to teaching. Milton: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Appendix (Comments)
Tarnah! Your creepy Voki woman is watching me everywhere I move!!!! I don't trust her - note the cobwebs in the corner and the glaring clock :S On a serious note, i agree, Voki's are a great way of using animation. Students would love these and it would be fantastic to encourage their use in orals and assessment tasks.
By Mel on Voki!!! at 6:42 PM
You can find our Powerpoint and Prezi on our wiki www.tarnah.wikispaces.com
By Tarnah on Powerpoints! at 6:00 PM
Yeah when I was teaching it I found the students liked to go on and find their own maps instead of being given information about made up classes.
By Tarnah on Google Maps and Google Earth at 5:11 PM
Thinking back to when i studied Navigation in High School, Google Maps would be a really great exercise to break up the monotony of working with a printed map.
By Mel on Google Maps and Google Earth at 5:06 PM
I forgot to mention that anybody can be added to a group wikki and once they have they can edited the page to their liking. Wikis are a way to access knowledge as all wikis attain information, but on most wikis you do not know who has written the information so do not know whether or not it is a reliable source.
By Tarnah on What is a WIKI??? on 8/25/10
Hey Tarnah :) I signed up for a Wiki but only to see what it was like to set one up. I think having a group one is a fantastic idea because it will be easier for us to be proactive as a group - only dealing with the one Wiki - rather than having several on the same topic. I will have a look at the Wiki now :) Love you, Mel
By Mel on Wikis on 7/15/10
Technology has revolutionised since the initiation of the 21st century. The world is now full of cell phones, computers, the internet, global positioning systems and so own. ‘Technology has significantly altered the ways in which people experience the world (Dahl, 1998),’ and is ‘an expected skill for high school graduates (Fisher, 2001)’. Because of this it is important for theachers to incorporate ICTs into the classroom using e-Learning. E-Learning is a form of teaching which incorporates ICTs in order to support and enhance the students learning abilities. It is now embedded within the curriculum that teachers must incorporate ICTs in the classrooms as learning tools to make students workplace ready and to use as a tool to support teaching in the classroom.
E-Learning is embedded in the curriculum to ensure that when students enter the work force (click here for more information). E-Learning tools can be used in the classroom in order to support the information which the teacher is supplying to the students. For example in the case of history a teacher can have the notes on a topic in powerpoint or prezi and talk about the topic while students are copying notes. This will engage the classroom as it will be more interesting than having a teacher continually writing notes on the board. Students will be able to take notes from the powerpoint, while the teacher explains in more depth what the notes mean. The method is also more effective then the teacher giving only auditory information verbally. If a teacher were to talk for the whole lesson students would not know what the key facts are. Auditory learners and visual learners will both benefit from this strategy of teaching.
Incorporating e-Learning into the classroom shall be fairly easy in a high school situation. Many of the students would have learnt how to use the basic technologies in primary school. The main issue a teacher will be faced with in the classroom is diversity. Students from different economic backgrounds, or primary schools would have experienced different technologies (McIntyre, 2001). This can make e-Learning hard for teachers to teach. Students who already know about the technology can either help other students out or become bored and off task. In most cases for students, especially those in the lower grades of high school are more likely to become distracted. Distraction will be the only major problem teachers have to face when incorporating technologies in the classroom. Students who are currently entering high school grew up with the advancements in and learnt how to use many tools from trial and error (Snowman, 2009). In most cases the students will know more about technology then their teachers will.
Using technologies such as the internet in a high school situation can be dangerous and need to be monitored to ensure that students are not abusing the privilege of ICTs. When using websites teachers need to monitor the sites which students are searching. Many of the sites which are classified as inappropriate are blocked by Education Queensland however there have been instances when students google their name and pornographic sites come up (Lenz, 2010). Also Education Queensland has blocked the search of games in google however, students can still access games by first entering another site. It is also important that students don’t abuse internet privileges at school by logging on to sites such as facebook. Teachers can monitor all students computers and see what sites they are on from their computer. They can see whether or not students are using their computers in order to support their education or whether they are abusing their privileges of the technology. If a teacher believes a student is abusing their privileges then the teacher can choose to give the student a warning or freeze their account for a lesson. This will affect the class dramatically as the teacher will have to play spy instead of being free to walk around the room and help students with questions. However, this will differ from class and time. Some classes will be able to earn the trust of their teacher by demonstrating that they can stay on the right program at all times.
‘In the last decade the number of computers used in classes has significantly increased (Fisher, 2001)’. There are computer labs for which students can use to support their learning with research and complete assignments. Many rooms are fitted with overhead projectors allowing teachers to show powerpoints while delivering a lesson. Students also have access to a library at most schools which they can use for research at lunch times. Many classes are also fitted with televisions and DVD players so that students can watch videos in class or make videos. However schools may be limited to technology. Smaller schools will not have as many resources as larger schools. However the ratio of technology to students in large schools will also be quite different. There are not enough computers in a school so that every student can use one at once etc. Another limitation which is placed on a school is the teachers knowledge. Although teachers are allowed to access courses for personal development which is set out in the school budget, not all teachers know much about technology, and many don’t care to learn. As stated previously many students know more about technology then their teachers do and teachers may find some technologies like Prezis and Digital Videoing simply too hard to incorporate into a lesson.
Technology has become an asset to transform all types of learning in schools. ICTs make new learning possible in both of the core subjects I wish to teach. In mathematics the introduction of technologies has lead to the calculator, making mathematics easier and faster for students. In history the internet has made it possible for students to find facts on their own. They can now access journal articles of soldiers who fought in wars and read how soldiers felt about the bombing of Dresden etc. Students can also research archives in order to obtain their own opinion about matters which ensures that propaganda taught in schools does not override the truth of fact as it has done in the past. This could not be done without the introduction of technology. Students can use now use technology to access imformation, organise knowledge, transform information to develop new understandings and present knowledge to an audience.
Access information
With the advancements in technology there have been many changes which allow students to access information. Students can now use websites, wikis and e-journals to access information now instead of scanning through books and newspapers to find resources. Websites are the best way to access information click here to see why.
Organising Knowledge
Students can now use technology in order to organise the knowledge they have learn. A site that makes mind mapping easy for students is www.bubbl.us. For more information about why mind mapping is an important tool to use in schooling environments please see Why Mind Map?
Consolidate and Refine Information
Mind maps are also a good way to consolidate and refine information. As seen in (Mel's Comments) after teaching a class about a topic a teacher can take a step back and ask students to refine what was learnt in that lesson and see how everything works. This will ensure that the class has understood what has happened in the lesson. However, this is not the only tool which can be used in order to consolidate and refine information. Producing tables, charts and databases in excel can be the easiest and most effective way to consolidate and refine information to see an example in excel click here. As a math and history teacher both of these tools will be useful to me when entering the classroom. I would be able to use databases, tables and charts to help students consolidate and refine information when doing topics such as interest in Mathematics. Whereas in History students can use Mind Maps to consolidate and refine information, helping them recall what happened when.
Transform Information and Develop New Understandings
Digital technology such as animation, videoing and podcasting can be effective ways for students to transform information and develop new understanding. Once a student has learnt about a topic they can use transform the information that has been given to them by using critical thinking etc. For primary school students the easiest technology to use would be Voki as it is simple to use and students will have fun making their animation talk click here to find out how to use a Voki. High school students in history may find it interesting to record a video of what they think may have happened in a war etc. Both of these tools will ensure that the students are using ‘critical thinking, analysis evaluation and synthesis’ (Lenz, 2010).
Present Knowledge
There are two main tools a learning manager will use in the classroom in order to assist them present knowledge to an audience. The first is Powerpoint and the second is Prezis (see blog). Both tools are used to assist a learning manager when giving the class information. Prezis are more interactive but harder to use, however it is a more effective tool to use in order to engage an audience. Powerpoints are simple and easy to use (to see instructions on how to use a powerpoint click here and go to how to use a powerpoint). They are less interactive and won’t be as engaging as they are used in schools on a daily basis and students will have seen it before. Learning managers in a high school situation will be benefited by using powerpoint, click here to see why. For students in high school who do not like to stand in front of a class and talk they may find it better to us video technology (click here to see why).
Conclusion
Regardless of which tools students are using it is evident that technology is an important part of the 21st Century. Technology is evolving on a daily basis with the introduction to new applications and tools. It is essential that students learn how to use technology in school so that they will be prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation.
Bibliography
Dahl, K.L., & Farnan, N. 1998. Children’s writing: Perspectives from research. Newark: International Reading Association and National Reading Conference.
Fisher, D. 2001. Responsive Curriculum Design in Secondary Schools. London. The Scarecrow Press, Inc..
Lenz, M.
Lenz, M. (2010). Websites [Class discussion].
McIntyre, E., Rosebery, A., & Gonzalez, N., 2001. Classroom Diversity: Connecting Curriculum to Students’ Lives. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Snowman, J., Dobozy, E., Scevak, J.K, Bryer, F., Bartlett, B., & Biehler. (2002). Physchology applied to teaching. Milton: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Appendix (Comments)
Tarnah! Your creepy Voki woman is watching me everywhere I move!!!! I don't trust her - note the cobwebs in the corner and the glaring clock :S On a serious note, i agree, Voki's are a great way of using animation. Students would love these and it would be fantastic to encourage their use in orals and assessment tasks.
By Mel on Voki!!! at 6:42 PM
You can find our Powerpoint and Prezi on our wiki www.tarnah.wikispaces.com
By Tarnah on Powerpoints! at 6:00 PM
Yeah when I was teaching it I found the students liked to go on and find their own maps instead of being given information about made up classes.
By Tarnah on Google Maps and Google Earth at 5:11 PM
Thinking back to when i studied Navigation in High School, Google Maps would be a really great exercise to break up the monotony of working with a printed map.
By Mel on Google Maps and Google Earth at 5:06 PM
I forgot to mention that anybody can be added to a group wikki and once they have they can edited the page to their liking. Wikis are a way to access knowledge as all wikis attain information, but on most wikis you do not know who has written the information so do not know whether or not it is a reliable source.
By Tarnah on What is a WIKI??? on 8/25/10
Hey Tarnah :) I signed up for a Wiki but only to see what it was like to set one up. I think having a group one is a fantastic idea because it will be easier for us to be proactive as a group - only dealing with the one Wiki - rather than having several on the same topic. I will have a look at the Wiki now :) Love you, Mel
By Mel on Wikis on 7/15/10
Technology Makes Students Workplace Ready.
Generation Y and Z are said to be born with an ipod in one hand and a blackberry in the other. They have grown up with the advancements in technology. Since the the year 2000 ICTs have evolutionised. They have become an assest in all parts of life. Technologies help people communicate, research information, organise knowlege, transform new ideas, consolidate and refine information and present knowledge. As a result it has become a requirement that when entering the work force, 'it is a requirment that employees are familiar with a variety of types of technologie (Fisher 2001).' People need to know how to use ICTs such as excel, powerpoint, word, video, podcasting, and many other tools to be capable of completing their job. Technology is an asset to any business, wheteher it be labouring and working with machines or working in an office.
Today's economy could not survive without technology. All money and stocks are recorded on computers, banking is done online, people use phones and faxes to communicate, powerpoints and charts to present information, computers used to make transactions and the list could go on for days. Without knowing how to use technology it would be impossible to survive in the workforce.
Today's economy could not survive without technology. All money and stocks are recorded on computers, banking is done online, people use phones and faxes to communicate, powerpoints and charts to present information, computers used to make transactions and the list could go on for days. Without knowing how to use technology it would be impossible to survive in the workforce.
Consolidating and Refining Information in Excel
Consolidating and Refininging Information in mathematics can be done by using excel. Excel is an easy technology to use and generally does not take long to teach a class how to use. When teaching a class how to use excel a teacher has to be prepared to let sstudents help each other and walk around the class and assist struggling students themselves. For mathematics excel will be the easiest way to consolidate and refine information as it helps organise numbers however this will not be so for all subjects. The pictures attached are examples of a database and a graph of consolidated information if this blog were to recieve the p=d^2+1 people per day when p = people and d= number of days.
Website vs Wiki, which is a better way to access information?
Due to the advancements in technology it has now become easier to access information using technology rather then scan through numerous books in search of the information that is needed. All books, e-jornals, old news articles can be found in websites on the internet. Similar information can also be found on wikis. But which is a better way to access information? Wiki sites such as wikispaces and wikipedia etc. can be created and edited by anybody. Because of this wikis are not a reliable source to quote in assignments as the author is unknown and the information can be fictional, not based on proven fact or properganda. When using websites to access information you can check the credentials of the author, see wheter the site has been reviewed and form an opinion about wheter or not the site shows bias. The best website to find credited sources is google scholar. This site will search for only credible sources. Wikis are never seen as crediable sources due to the fact that anybody can enter the site to change information, making websites the better way to access information to support a topic in class.
Learning Objects
Learning objects is defined by Rory McGreal (2004) ‘to enable and facilitate the use of educational content online.’ It ia a way for students to use online interactive sites to learn while playing learning games and viewing animation. Teaching like this will keep students engaged in the class as it is a hands on activity and is a change from the way students usually learn. For geography students an easy and fun Learning onject to use is ‘Where in the World is Carmen Sandiago?’ which was designed by Gene Portwood and Lauren Elliott at Brøderbund Software in 1985. The game was originally released as a three CD pack with two other games which helped students interact with Math and English as well. Today there have been 15 games similar to where in the World is Carmen Sadiago, which have been released and can now be used in classrooms around the world without the use of CD. The games can all be downloaded from the internet from this site.
25 August 2010
Google Maps and Google Earth
As a math teacher Google Maps and Google Earth will be slightly useful to me. I can use the programs in order to find out the distance from on town to another. By doing this I can ask students questions like how long it would take me to drive from point a to point b if I travel at the average speed of 60km/hr? This device will be useful to teach students to use especially in the higher grades as it is a tool they can use when they have completed school. When travelling they can work out an expected time of arrival based on the distance they need to travel. Google maps can also be used when students cover navigation. Maps have the North bearing on it and are to scale so students can work out how far away and in what direction they would have to trave to get from point a to point b. For example the students could use the map above, which was collected from google maps, to determine how far and in what direction is Brampton Island to mackay.
23 August 2010
Digital Videos
Digital videos can be a useful technology to use in the classroom. Assignments that are done as oral examinations can have the option of digital videos for students who face stage fright and students who want to incorporate technology into their assignments. Digital videoing can also be used by teachers in the classroom, but it will take teachers longer to create the vidoe then the lesson would take.
Podcasting
Podcasts can be useful in a schooling enviroment if ethics are maintained. It can be a vital resource for students who are studying via distance education as it will be the only way they can see work being performed. Teachers can choose to podcast their lessons for students who miss it if they wish and have permission from other students in their class.
Learning Management Systems!
Learning Management Systems become a part of life when entering university. They are used to see assignments, class information, grades and so much more. As a result students should learn how to use this technology in high school. Learning Management Systems are a way to interact with students when they aren't at school. It can be useful for students who are in high school to use LMSs to work on group assignments, have their homework on it or ask the teacher questions. Workload should also be uploaded to a LMS for students who are absent and have missed a lesson.
Prezi vs Powerpoint.
Prezi, like powerpoint, is a way of intervating technology into the classroom to make the lesson more interesting. Prezi can be used in order to give students basic information about a topic while the teacher talks. Using prezi can be useful way to grab students attention as they may not have been taught using such technology before. The only problem with prezi is that it is not easy to use unlike powerpoint. It takes time to set up each idea in the prezi and edit it to function. Powerpoint is a much simpler technology which can provide more information (notes) for the students to jot down while teaching the class and as a result it would be more effective to use powerpoint in senior schooling.
Powerpoints!
Powerpoints are a vital form of ICT tool which can be used in teaching. They can be are simple to which is easy to use and can be used in order to present notes and information to students. As a math/history teacher I will use powerpoints on a regular basis when teaching my students especially in history. Use of powerpoints in history will give students the opportunity to write the notes while I can elaborate on the information. This will make the class more interesting as I won't have my back turned writing continuous notes on the blackboard. By explaining the notes while the students are writing them and elaborating on what they mean will give students who learn auditory will have a better understanding of the information.
22 July 2010
Creating a Webpage!!!
Creating a webpage can be easy if using weebly. You create your own page and can add any content which you wish. You can change the design and add photos where needed. This can be a useful tool for teachers as they can create a website with students work on it and update it reguarly. This way students can see teachers notes and the teacher can post work from home.
What is a WIKI???
Wikis are a way for people to create and edit information on the internet. They are fairly complex to make so teachers will have to instruct students step by set how to set them up. They can be useful for students who have to do group assignments as they can write there essay online and other students can go on and edit and add the assignment. However if security precautions are not followed anybody can edit the topic. Somebody can go onto the page and change the entire content of the assignment leaving the students with nothing; or another student could print it and hand it in thinking that another group member had edited it, handing it in and failing due to plagiarism. Wikis are lots of work and will probably take more time and effort to create then to do the actual assignment. More information on wikis can be found our site
Why Mind Map?
Mind Maps are important in the education system as they are a way for children to develop ideas. By using mind maps when a student is asked to complete an assignment they can create a plan based on what they need to write. They can go onto www.bubbl.us and create a simple mind map in order to construct their ideas so it is simple to create an essay. The student would start by placing the topic in the middle of the mind map. By doing this the student can branch out with the main ideas related to the topic. For example if they were to be doing an assignment on students they could branch out to main sub topics associated with students. These could assist of adolescents, learning, sport and many more topics. From there they can go on to create ideas that relate to subtopics, for example if they were to branch off from adolescents they could add puberty, body consciousness and becoming adults. From this they can create paragraphs on each constructing the essay. Mind mapping will be an important element for students throughout their education.
I find that bubblus is an easy is an easy site to use and I believe children in Generation Z are so technologically minded that they will not have any trouble using the site. This will make it easy for students to use at school and teachers won’t have to give too much information on how to use the site. I believe that teachers will find that many students will be able to work in the program better then they can.
I find that bubblus is an easy is an easy site to use and I believe children in Generation Z are so technologically minded that they will not have any trouble using the site. This will make it easy for students to use at school and teachers won’t have to give too much information on how to use the site. I believe that teachers will find that many students will be able to work in the program better then they can.
Webpage
Hey everyone I have just created a webpage talking about this course and what it offers in the first three weeks of this course. The URL is www.s0194678.weebly.com. Go online and check it out.
15 July 2010
Wikis
To everybody in my group. I created a wiki for us to use and modify for Managing E-Learning and uploaded a logo and wrote on it. It can be found at tarnah.wikispaces.com. We can use this wiki and edit and change it as a group if you would like however it is not the best wiki as I am not advanced in technology so feel free to start a new one if you wish just let me know the site.
Students
All students are different and to be able to work with them in the classroom we must understand why they act the way which they do. The following concept map gives a breif description of students. 
11 July 2010
Why blog?
A blog is a web journal which people can access on a day to day basis. They can be informative and allow discussions on a diversity of topics, however they are often just personal opinions about life matters. Blog functionality has become important in the 21st century as technology has advanced and many people communicate using sites such as facebook, myspace, twitter and blogspotter. It is important to be able to use blogs in the field of education to keep up to date with technology; to view public opinions about the education system and to network and share innovative ideas with other teachers.
By keeping up to date with technology, we will be capable of understanding technological advancements. It is important to keep up with these advancements as students will use technological tools in assignments. By understanding these skills we can read the assignment, understand the about of work the student has put in to it and may be able to assist them if they have problems.
Using blogs to view public opinions about the education system, we can see the how society feels about the system. Opinions on changes in curriculum can be seen and many of the opinions based in blogs will be similar to the opinions of our students’ parents. By understanding what parents are thinking about the education system will give us a chance to respond when confronted by a parent in regards to a touchy subject.
We can also use blogs to network with other teachers and exchange innovative ideas which will improve the classroom. By exchanging teaching strategies with other teachers we will be able to improve the classroom and establish the best possible way to teach our subjects so that our students are benefited. We can also talk about uncomfortable situations which we are placed in, in a school environment, for example what happens if a fight breaks out in front of you.
Networking has become an important in the 21st Century as the internet has become our main source of information. By understanding technological advancement and how to blog, I believe, we will be able to better ourselves as teachers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)