The video I watched, Habitats, was a third grade lesson where students created slide shows about a specific habitat. I really like this lesson and I think it is something I can incorporate into my third grade curriculum. The students not only learn about the habitat, but also create a new animal or plant that could survive in that environment (synthesizing information). This project is great in that it moves from basic knowledge up through Bloom's to synthesis. I also like how this project requires group collaboration, which I think my students do not get enough of. This project also forces me to let go and let the students be creative and independent which is really important.
I have never seen this website and it is definitely something I will be able to use in my classroom.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Week 3
This week we are exploring spreadsheets, evaluation software, lesson plan websites, as well reading about supporting creativity and problem solving in our students through technology enhanced activities. I really like the NetTrekker website and will use this to find new lesson plans that I can tweak to fit my needs. I've already had fun looking at a few spreadsheet activities that I can use with my fourth and fifth graders. My district has no set way to buy software, so I am using the evaluation forms to help nudge them in the right direction. Hopefully the new IT Director will put in a specific procedure for purchasing software. This week was much less stressful for me because I am very familiar with spreadsheets and I always look around on the Web to find lesson plans. I love this website for lesson plans (it was also mentioned in our text).
Friday, December 4, 2009
Awesome Website to Share
Here's a website I wanted to share with everyone: http://www.wordle.net
It's really fun and I think you could incorporate this into any subject area.
It's really fun and I think you could incorporate this into any subject area.
515 Week 2
This week we are exploring online, free word processors. I use word processing every single day in my teaching. (at right is one of students word processing today, in fact) I never realized there were so many available. I took time to use the three we were linked to and liked using all of them. I can see this as a valuable classroom tool. I particularly like Zoho Writer.
Along with exploring other word processors, we got to use other search engines this week. My eyes are open! I always use Google and now know that I’ve been missing a portion of the Web! I think that knowing this will help me teach students how to search better and more efficiently.
This week made me think a lot about collaboration and having students work together. I would really like to build a new project for later this year that incorporations collaboration using an online word processing program. This would be a new and interesting experience for my fifth graders.
Along with exploring other word processors, we got to use other search engines this week. My eyes are open! I always use Google and now know that I’ve been missing a portion of the Web! I think that knowing this will help me teach students how to search better and more efficiently.
This week made me think a lot about collaboration and having students work together. I would really like to build a new project for later this year that incorporations collaboration using an online word processing program. This would be a new and interesting experience for my fifth graders.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
515 Week One Reflection
This week I learned about so many Web 2.0 tools that I never knew existed. I have always use the software that is available on the computers as school, regardless of platform. One of the biggest concerns our district has every year is the cost of software. Why are we even discussing this when there are so many free options available???! I am a technology teacher and other teachers are constantly asking me about technology. I plan to share a few of these sites with the teachers in my building so that they can use them in class. So much time is spent teaching the kids how to use the software we have, and a lot of the online tools are much simpler and streamlined. This would cut down on the time needed to teach the software and allow for more content learning.
I found it interesting, in the text, how it talks about learning with technology being more authentic and resembling how students learn outside of the classroom. This is so true. We don't sit our kids down at home and lecture to them about something they need to learn and then have them write about it. They learn from exploring and doing and technology aided learning resembles this much more than what I see in a "typical" classroom in my district that does not incorporate technology.
I found it interesting, in the text, how it talks about learning with technology being more authentic and resembling how students learn outside of the classroom. This is so true. We don't sit our kids down at home and lecture to them about something they need to learn and then have them write about it. They learn from exploring and doing and technology aided learning resembles this much more than what I see in a "typical" classroom in my district that does not incorporate technology.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Blog #4
Before taking this course I never really thought about the inside parts of the computer or disaster recovery on a business level. I really enjoyed learning about the parts of the computer and have wanted to do so for years. My husband is an IT director for Herzing University, which deals mainly in computer fields, and he’s going to bring me home a computer that has been taken apart so I can put it back together again. This is the first step before he will allow me to build my own computer. I also never thought about how much really goes into disaster recovery for a large scale business like a school district. I have had data recovered at school, and trusted in the IT staffs ability to do this, without every questioning how they do it. I am really interested to know more about how they keep our data backed up and secure. I learned so much that I can use in the future. I feel confident in helping others pick virus protection software and explaining to them how to keep their data save and secure. I feel comfortable explaining how a computer works to others. I now have the foundation to build upon if I ever did move into more of an IT role at school rather than a teaching role.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Blog #3 for 510
The Questions posed:
How important is your data.? What could you afford to lose? What could you not afford to lose?Lets take a look at it from two angles, personal and professional.
My Answer:
On a personal level, I could not afford to lose my grad school data and my personal finance information. My taxes are saved on TurboTaxes servers, so I can retrieve previous years taxes at any time. I have moved to keeping all of my grad school information (papers, assignments, etc.) on Google Docs, so again, those are pretty safe. I would be heart broken if I lost all of my music or photos but it would not be the end of the world.
On a professional level, I would be lost if I my lesson plans were lost or my student progress data was lost. I do all of my lesson planning digitally and also record all student grades and progress digitally. My data is saved on the school server which is backed up nightly, but if some catostrophic event happened that they were not prepared for happened and my data was lost, I'd be in big trouble. I think I might have to print a paper copy of everything after writing this post! I cannot afford to lose anything that I keep digitally for work.
How important is your data.? What could you afford to lose? What could you not afford to lose?Lets take a look at it from two angles, personal and professional.
My Answer:
On a personal level, I could not afford to lose my grad school data and my personal finance information. My taxes are saved on TurboTaxes servers, so I can retrieve previous years taxes at any time. I have moved to keeping all of my grad school information (papers, assignments, etc.) on Google Docs, so again, those are pretty safe. I would be heart broken if I lost all of my music or photos but it would not be the end of the world.
On a professional level, I would be lost if I my lesson plans were lost or my student progress data was lost. I do all of my lesson planning digitally and also record all student grades and progress digitally. My data is saved on the school server which is backed up nightly, but if some catostrophic event happened that they were not prepared for happened and my data was lost, I'd be in big trouble. I think I might have to print a paper copy of everything after writing this post! I cannot afford to lose anything that I keep digitally for work.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Blog #2 for 510
What is there in your computer at home and at work that you just could not manage without? How did you handle this stuff before computers? Is there a way you protect your "stuff" or do you just worry about it. Or maybe you just don't worry about it until something bad happens.
I could not manage without my internet connection. I use the internet to pay my bills, keep in touch with friends, read the news, complete work, read my emails, and as well as play games and learn about new things. I have had a computer since I was 18. Before then, I any bills I had, I paid by check through the mail. I called my friends on the phone or actually met up with them to keep in touch. I watched the nightly news and read the newspaper that came to my apartment. I played board games and had hand held games as well as a Nintendo Entertainment System (the original NES) to keep me entertained. When I wanted to learn about new things, I went to the library or the bookstore and read a book to gain new knowledge.
Right now, every month or so, I back up my files on an external hard drive. I have been using a lot of Google tools, so most of my important document, images, etc. are backed up by Google. I just started using DropBox to back up the few documents I do have on my computer and to back up the music and photos I have. I have become much more proactive in protecting my data over the years.
I could not manage without my internet connection. I use the internet to pay my bills, keep in touch with friends, read the news, complete work, read my emails, and as well as play games and learn about new things. I have had a computer since I was 18. Before then, I any bills I had, I paid by check through the mail. I called my friends on the phone or actually met up with them to keep in touch. I watched the nightly news and read the newspaper that came to my apartment. I played board games and had hand held games as well as a Nintendo Entertainment System (the original NES) to keep me entertained. When I wanted to learn about new things, I went to the library or the bookstore and read a book to gain new knowledge.
Right now, every month or so, I back up my files on an external hard drive. I have been using a lot of Google tools, so most of my important document, images, etc. are backed up by Google. I just started using DropBox to back up the few documents I do have on my computer and to back up the music and photos I have. I have become much more proactive in protecting my data over the years.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The future of computing in the classroom
What will computing in the classroom look like in the future?
I think that in the future our classrooms will be rich with technology. I think all students will have a laptop or some similar type of device for note taking, completing work, and collaborating. I think that students with special or exceptional needs will have an easier time integrating with the general classroom environment through computer technology and assistive technology. I don’t see a need for paper, as students will create and display their work on computers. I think that computers will continue to get smaller, faster, and more inexpensive making all of this economically feasible for schools.
How will this affect you and your students?
I think that more technology in the classroom will be great for learning. Students will be connected on a more global level. Students who would normally not be in the general classroom or who need to be challenged will be working together and be reaching their full potential. I see all of this as a great means to differentiate instruction and maximize student learning. Research thus far shows that students learning from computer programs learn better and perform better than traditional students on standardized tests. This research article is extremely informative and looks at all aspects of the future of computing in the classroom.
What might you be doing to prepare people for this future?
As a computer teacher, I work every day to make my students more tech savvy and independent on the computer. I help staff in the building learn new technologies as they become available. I will be teaching professional development classes in technology this year to help staff better use technology to enhance student learning. I will continue to keep myself up to date so that I can help others do the same.
I think that in the future our classrooms will be rich with technology. I think all students will have a laptop or some similar type of device for note taking, completing work, and collaborating. I think that students with special or exceptional needs will have an easier time integrating with the general classroom environment through computer technology and assistive technology. I don’t see a need for paper, as students will create and display their work on computers. I think that computers will continue to get smaller, faster, and more inexpensive making all of this economically feasible for schools.
How will this affect you and your students?
I think that more technology in the classroom will be great for learning. Students will be connected on a more global level. Students who would normally not be in the general classroom or who need to be challenged will be working together and be reaching their full potential. I see all of this as a great means to differentiate instruction and maximize student learning. Research thus far shows that students learning from computer programs learn better and perform better than traditional students on standardized tests. This research article is extremely informative and looks at all aspects of the future of computing in the classroom.
What might you be doing to prepare people for this future?
As a computer teacher, I work every day to make my students more tech savvy and independent on the computer. I help staff in the building learn new technologies as they become available. I will be teaching professional development classes in technology this year to help staff better use technology to enhance student learning. I will continue to keep myself up to date so that I can help others do the same.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Computer History for Sarah Musil
My first experience with a computer was in my third grade class(1989). We had an Apple IIe and when we were finished with our work early, we could go on the computer and play Oregon Trail. I loved that game, even though I usually died of dysentery. I remember the command line and and how, looking back and comparing it with my computer(s) now, it was so user unfriendly! I worked really hard to finish my work early every day so I could play that game!
My next memorable experience with computers was in high school, when we got a real computer lab. I came from a smaller district with little focus on technology. I took my typing class in 9th grade on a typewriter! I was really excited when we got the computer lab because I was a fast typist and could get my papers done much faster typing than writing.
I got my first computer at home in 1999 when I enrolled in the AS of Computer Programming/Analysis program at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. It changed my world. I went from computer novice to savvy in a matter of months. I started doing all of my work on the computer and found lots of game sites and began using AIM to keep in contact with friends.
My next memorable experience with computers was in high school, when we got a real computer lab. I came from a smaller district with little focus on technology. I took my typing class in 9th grade on a typewriter! I was really excited when we got the computer lab because I was a fast typist and could get my papers done much faster typing than writing.
I got my first computer at home in 1999 when I enrolled in the AS of Computer Programming/Analysis program at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. It changed my world. I went from computer novice to savvy in a matter of months. I started doing all of my work on the computer and found lots of game sites and began using AIM to keep in contact with friends.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Week 2: Web Cams, Online Storage, Social Bookmarking OH MY!
I was very interested in the topics discussed in class on Monday and researched this week. I have been using web cams since 2001, so I am pretty familiar with them. I regularly use Skype to "meet" with my future in laws so we can see each other and chat about our lives. They live in New Jersey and we only see them once a year. I have never used social bookmarking, but I am now in love with Delicious. I am going to use DropBox for my online storage, but need to set it up at home because I don't have user rights on my computer at school to do this :(.
I would really like to use web cams in my class to conduct virtual field trips. We have a small field trip budget, which we always seem to go over on, and this seems like a great solution! I read this article last night and was very intrigued.
I am using Delicious to save all my bookmarks now. This has been amazing because I can get into all the bookmarks that I have for school, grad school, and home from anywhere. I am going to create a group for my tech team and try to get them to upload all of their links so we can collaborate and share and save time!!
I don't backup my personal computer often, but am now going to use DropBox to do this. I currently use Google Docs for my documents that I need to use in multiple places. My district has given us the ability to retrieve and edit our files from home via the Internet, but this will be helpful for all other files I want to protect and retrieve from anywhere.
I would really like to use web cams in my class to conduct virtual field trips. We have a small field trip budget, which we always seem to go over on, and this seems like a great solution! I read this article last night and was very intrigued.
I am using Delicious to save all my bookmarks now. This has been amazing because I can get into all the bookmarks that I have for school, grad school, and home from anywhere. I am going to create a group for my tech team and try to get them to upload all of their links so we can collaborate and share and save time!!
I don't backup my personal computer often, but am now going to use DropBox to do this. I currently use Google Docs for my documents that I need to use in multiple places. My district has given us the ability to retrieve and edit our files from home via the Internet, but this will be helpful for all other files I want to protect and retrieve from anywhere.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Grad School
I really enjoyed my first class, but being the eager beaver that I am, I read a lot of the session material ahead of time. I am currently an avid user of Google docs, so it will be fun to collaborate with others who have not used it and see what they think.
I am hoping to learn about a lot of useful free tools that I can use in my classroom and bring back to my district, as we are trying to save money in the technology arena. We are trying out OpenOffice right now and I'm using the drawing program with my 3rd graders. If I move back to the middle school level, I would love to give all students a Google account and use the Docs for their classwork.
I'm just really excited to be back in school and am so glad that I found a program that fits my needs and will challenge my brain!
I am hoping to learn about a lot of useful free tools that I can use in my classroom and bring back to my district, as we are trying to save money in the technology arena. We are trying out OpenOffice right now and I'm using the drawing program with my 3rd graders. If I move back to the middle school level, I would love to give all students a Google account and use the Docs for their classwork.
I'm just really excited to be back in school and am so glad that I found a program that fits my needs and will challenge my brain!
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