Blog Post 7

     Bloom's taxonomy follows a hierarchy of evaluation, synthesis, analysis, application, comprehension and knowledge. With the help of powerpoint, each of these points can be met in a comprehensive way to further the learning process. In my example, I will describe Bloom's taxonomy in reference to an English literature powerpoint. In order to use evaluation in a lesson, my powerpoint  would compare the ideas and outcomes present in two different novels. Synthesis can be present in a powerpoint presentation as the slides can spark discussion that forces students to make inferences and predictions based on the novels they would have read in my class. Powerpoints create cues of analysis, as they drive discussion. In my case, I would use terms that would force students to think about different ways they could look at literature. As students meet the application requirement of Bloom's taxonomy, they use problem solving methods to learn more about the subjects they are studying. In my lit powerpoint, students will have to think about the different ways novels can be presented, and what this means in relation to its overall meaning. Comprehension requires that students understand what is going on in the lesson they are being taught, and nothing can provide a clear explanation better than a powerpoint. In my powerpoint the compilation of all the elements of the lesson and Bloom's taxonomy will allow students to comprehend what I am trying to teach them. The most basic part of Bloom's taxonomy is knowledge. Without it, I could not use my powerpoint to give my students information, just as my students would not be able to comprehend the material.
     As the podcast said, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) broke the ground for new assistive technologies to become available in the classroom. These technologies have since made the lives of people with physical, mental, and learning disabilities much easier. Some of the technologies described in chapter 4 that make the learning process easier for those with any type of disability are modified keyboards, visually adaptive monitors, braille printers, and voice input tools. These tools can help learners with either impediments properly access the tools they need to learn to their full potential. Though the list of actual adaptive technologies is exhaustive, I found these to be among the most useful. Growing up, my grandfather was blind. Because of this, I have seen the revolutions in technologies for the visually impaired in real time. As technology advances, more and more tools become available to those who need it the most. I have seen my grandfather use modified keyboards and voice input devices to communicate with his loved ones. The only problem I see stemming from adaptive technology in the classroom is the costs associated with it. In order for these technologies to be as effective as possible, they must remain up to date. With the constant budget cuts education faces, the cost of modernity may pose a problem for assistive technologies.
     I had a surprising amount of fun working on my web design. I came into the project nervous that I would not understand how to use the technology at all, but I was met with a shockingly simple approach to creating websites. I loved that I had so much creative freedom with the design of the websites. I really enjoy working with aesthetics, so this was a fun project for me. This knowledge of how to create a website is going to be so important in my future as an educator, as I will have the ability to connect with my students in a much more streamlined way. With proper design skills, I can earn the respect of my students and their parents. The only part of the project I did not like were the website generators that were not Weebly. I found the design process of these other sites to be over complicated, and I would recommend omitting them in future assignments.

My Website

Blog Post 6

     At my high school, teachers had the option of whether or not they kept class websites. In the English department at my school, most of the teachers chose to keep their students informed through the use of a blog. I am focusing on the senior English classes at Columbia High School in Lake City, Florida. In these websites, the teachers posted different tools to keep students on track as they tried to complete assignments outside of class. Every teacher that had a website, and posted their syllabus on it. Specific directions for upcoming assignments were updated in conjunction with the syllabus. Some teachers opted to post their lesson plans for the year in addition to their syllabus for the class. A couple of the teachers chose to include a brief autobiography about themselves in their websites. Contact information was provided by each teacher. Student work could be accessed through a google classroom that some teachers had a link to on their websites, but not everyone could access this information as it infringed on the privacy of students. The websites are some of the most useful ways for students to collect information from their teachers. Pictured below is an example of one of my past teacher's classroom blogs and the website where you could access classroom blogs.

     Technology use in the classroom is the best way to ensure that my responsibilities as a professional are met efficiently and effectively. According to the podcast, the Microsoft Office Suite is one of, if not the most important tools a teacher can use to manage their classroom. Word and Powerpoint would allow me to save my work and lecture notes for years, rather than have to recreate a lesson each time a topic is brought up. If I use a word processor such as ever note to save my lesson plans, I can save any information I may need for my classes. This process of saving my plans digitally would save me time and keep my resources together as I taught similar material in the future. Chapter 7 gave me the idea of using GoDocs on a mobile device. This would make my work more efficient as I could always access and edit something that I was working on, if i deemed it necessary. Technology offers a streamlined approach to education that allows teachers to work from their old ideas rather than creating entirely new plans for every situation. I think these tools will become the most important tools I use in my future career as an educator. 

     In the Web Evaluation assignment, I learned a way to do group work without having to meet with other members in person. Wikis allowed my group to work on our project on our own time and at our own pace, which is so important for making sure our work gets done in spite of our busy schedules. I liked the Wiki project because it allowed me to interact with my first online group project in a low stress environment. We all got to grow together with this new information, rather than us being thrown into a project with more experienced people. The only part of the project I did not like was the fact that the instructions for our Wiki were confusing at first. Even this small problem was resolved as I got more involved with the project, and the directions became far more clear. The directions are the only part of the assignment that need to be improved, in my opinion. I can use the tools I learned in this project in my future endeavors as an educator in two very important ways. I can show my future students an easy way to accomplish group work, and I can collaborate with other instructors on lesson plans and teaching tools. 

Blog Post 5

     As web technology continues to develop, I find that YouTube is the best way to integrate Web 2.0 into a classroom environment. Before listening to the podcast, I did not realize that YouTube was categorized as a source of "Web 2.0". According to the podcast, to be classified as Web 2.0, a site must allow for user interaction beyond just giving and receiving information. This creates a network of people commenting on media and sharing their opinions with others. This is an important addition to the classroom. Youtube epitomizes this, as scholastic channels could hold examples of both appropriate and inappropriate comments on information. Social networks such as Twitter and Facebook are other examples of Web 2.0 tools that hold great opportunity for use in the classroom. These networks allow students to connect with their teacher and with each other to make learning outside of the classroom a reality. Some social media, such as Vine and Instagram would have a much harder time being adapted to the classroom. These Web 2.0 networks, in my opinion, would be much harder to use in a scholastic setting because they provide less room for information to be taught, and allow more distracting content to be available to students. Any computer with internet access can make the use of my aforementioned Web 2.0 networks an interesting, simple process. Both wireless and wired networks allow students to access these website, but WiFi is the most common network used, as the network continues to expand and become more secure. WiFi, according to the textbook, can offer schools a cheaper internet access as it becomes more affordable and eliminates the need to change building structures to support wired connections. Though no periphery equipment is absolutely necessary to incorporate these websites and apps into the classroom, external devices such as headphones may make for a better user experience. 

     Tumblr is one of the most popular blogging networks online today. It offers information, generally written by college aged students, that can be shared among millions of people. The expanse of the website ensures that nearly every conceivable topic has been discussed on the website. While the creator of the post writes the original content, comments by other Tumblr users fuel sometimes heated debate that spreads light on different sides to every argument. This type of interaction embodies the meaning of Web 2.0. Tumblr is a platform for all types of media, including gifs, pictures, videos, links, articles, and mp3s. This melting pot of different resources makes Tumblr the perfect blog to host multi-media interactions with students. I would use Tumblr in my classroom by creating a blog for myself and for each of my students. We would then follow each other so we created a network that can comment, post, and learn together. The different platforms available from Tumblr would ensure that every student can at least find one thing interesting on the website. 

     One of Tumblr's greatest strengths doubles as its greatest weakness: the variety of its content. Because Tumblr is a blog open to anyone, inappropriate media floods the website. To be successfully used in my classroom, I would have to critically analyze any blog a student followed, reblogged, or posted. Something as innocent as an AP review for literature could turn into a graphic image accompanied by foul language. Tumblr also has the limitation of not always being the most accurate source for anything. No citations are required to post anything on the website, so users must be cautious as they try to separate fact from fiction on the blogging network. Despite its problems with accuracy and appropriateness, Tumblr remains a helpful tool in the classroom if it is properly monitored. Using Tumblr does not guarantee inappropriate media will show up on a student's computer monitor, but it is an important risk to keep in mind as teachers use Tumblr in an educational setting. 

     With the concept mapping assignment, I not only learned how to create Smart Art, I learned how to format my notes in a more efficient way. I liked that the assignment allowed for my own creative freedom as I made my concept maps. This let me be free to really experiment with the different graphics available with Word, and find ways to use them to my advantage. The only problem I had with the assignment was that the information was still in paragraph form when I had to map it. Though I would have preferred to map a set of bullet points, I understand that information is generally not presented in this format, so it was nice to be able to learn how to break down text into what I needed. Next time, I can improve my concept maps by experimenting more with colors, font, and inserting pictures into my work. In my career as a professor, I can use concept mapping to make notes easier to comprehend for my students.

 

Blog Post 4

• Lesson plans should be written with the intention to integrate technology into the classroom. For example, a teacher covering a standard focusing on WWI could use an educational game to make learning about the subject more interesting for the students. Generally, adventure games are the best ones to use in history classes.
• In a science class, a teacher could apply the Dynamic Instructional Design (DID) to their lesson plans for classes on any given week or month of class. This allows for complex plans to  be created surrounding a brief outline of steps. If a dissection week was to be planned out for several class periods, the teacher could use a frog dissection simulation to intrude their students to the lesson. This would be a seamless integration of lesson planning and applications of tech tools. 
• When creating a lesson plan using the DID model, the fourth step of this process focuses on selecting supportive technologies for the lesson plan. This step in the model provides teachers with easier opportunities to integrate the use of educational software into their classrooms. For example, 3D programs can be brought into a science teacher's classrooms to show students diagrams of planets (or anything, really) that they can manipulate and learn from. 

             For my use of technology in the classroom, I am choosing standard SC.2.E.6.1: "Recognize that earth is made up of rocks. Rocks come in many shapes and sizes." I would use the resource on http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/rockssoils.html to teach my students about the different elements of rocks. This tool is classified as an educational game, and would present the new information to the kids in a fun way. In playing the game my students would not only learn that some rocks float, while others do not, they would gain the knowledge that many differences between types of rocks exist. 

            The internet is generally a great tool for students to use in their research endeavors. Internet access allows students to find information that they would previously have had a hard time locating. The internet has revolutionized the way people can access information, and without it modern research would be far more time consuming and tedious than it is. Software has further improved the way the internet has shaped the future of research. When learning information to further research, students have the capability to access new tools as they research subjects they are unfamiliar with. The internet can become a hindrance to the educational process when students abuse the information they find on the internet. Problems with plagiarism arise from students' growing dependence on the internet for research. It is extremely easy to copy and paste another person's work and pass it off as your own. When students do this, they take away from the educational opportunities their work provides. Despite the problems that can arise from plagiarism, the internet provideed the greatest revolutions of research of all time. 

Before my experiences in EME2040, I never evaluated sources properly. I would simply Google whatever I was looking for, then choose one of the first links that showed up. I knew I probably should have been more careful with what sources I was selecting, but I did not know what tools to find better sources with. In the lessons in class, I learned that Google Scholar was a resource that existed to help students conducting research find the information they needed to be successful. When evaluating resources, they must be scaled by ABCDT, according to the evaluating internet resources podcast. The A stands for author, in which I am supposed to check the credibility of the author of the resource. The B stands for bias, as any bias present within the source must be taken into account when using it to learn or back up research. The C stands for content, as content for the resource must remain appropriate for its intended use. The D stands for design, in which the general website may need to be aesthetically pleasing and clear to be a valid source for use. Finally, the T stands for technical elements which determines how well the source works and is accessible. Generally, better resources have better technical elements. I am grateful to this podcast for giving me a scale in which I can evaluate my internet resources, as before I was simply gliding by on my "gut feelings" about the credibility of a source. 

As I worked on the web hunt assignment, I learned how to make my Google searches more precise. One of the tools I was most excited about was the fact that using brackets and periods, I could get Google to limit my search to a certain time period. I go to practice this technique on the question where I had to search for a Common Core article that was past 2010. One of the other elements of Google I used was the “-” feature that removes any unwanted results from the search.  I used this feature when I was searching for a website to create concept maps with other than inspiration. Google Scholar is one of the most useful tools provided by the search engine, as it provides peer-reviewed articles with credible sources to aid in research. There were a few surprises in the assignment as I learned some of the cool tools that Google has to offer. I found the Google print option extremely interesting and useful as it allows you to access newspapers from various dates throughout history. The unit converter and lyric finder in Google are equally useful as they provide quick and accurate ways to compare units of measure and learn the words to songs. For my "Web Hunt", I challenge everyone to:

1. Find a newspaper article from the New York Times on the day Pearl Harbor was bombed.
2. Translate "I love you" from Russian to Finnish.
3. Find a street view image of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.