Technology Project

This is the link to my DropBox Tech Project.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e8j964ka1lk2ob8/Technology%20Project.docx

Week #16- 12/11

End of Semester Reflection-

I have honestly learned so much in this class. I was so unaware of all the technology tools that can be used in education. I was really unaware about how young kids are when they know a lot about technology. I learned how to use educational technology tools I can use in my future classroom like flipsnack, vocaroo, storybird, google earth, Animoto, glogster and many more. These tools can help me have a variety in my class and also allow my students to learn in different ways and be creative. I absolutely loved when we learned about google earth because I had NO IDEA that was possible! I am definitely using that in the future and hope to use it successfully. I also enjoyed talking about digital citizenship because I didn't realize how much potential danger is out there when using technology. We have to be very careful with our students when we assign assignments using the internet and such. Overall, this course has been extremely impactful and I will never forget the things I have learned because I will apply them to my future teaching career.

Throughout the semester I have made progress in some of the NETS. Specifically, I noticed that I have worked collaboratively with classmates using digital media, reasearched certain topics and presented what I learned. I have also applied digital tools to gather information, and have complete understanding about technology concepts, systems and operations.

Reflection #12

At work, Eton school, I overheard some 3 and 4 year old students talking on the way back from recess about how excited they are to design their own apps. This reminded me of the time we learned about this in class. They were legitimately talking about the tools and how long it would take and what was crazy to me was the excitement I heard in their voice. I started to think, wow what if these 3 year olds really do design apps. Imagine when their 15 or 30 what they will be designing then?

Reflection #11

Today I heard a four year old say she wants an iphone for Christmas. I was so shocked to hear this because usually I would expect a four year old to say they want a doll house or a new bike. It is absolutely crazy how much the younger generation is changing. I guess it is so hard to grasp because I was a little girl not too long ago. I hope technology changes the younger generation for the better, instead of something bad.

Week #15- 12/4

        On education.skype.com, I found a collaborative 5th grade math lesson. This class is taught by a bilingual teacher in Irving, Texas. The math lesson is about students learning division and problem solving methods. The main idea is to collaborate with another classroom and have each of our students create word problems for the other group to solve and walk through the problem solving process. 
        I think this collaborative math lesson is a great idea. I would definitely use this in my future classroom because students can learn in a unique way with other students. Using Skype as a learning tool might excite the students a little more than usual. The Nets it would fulfill would be….

     Nets.t

2.  Design and Develop Digital Age Learning

     Experiences and Assessments

       Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and   resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS·S.

Nets.s

4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

     Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects,  solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

2. Communication and Collaboration

    Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively,  including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media

    

Reflection #10

In class on Tuesday, Monica brought up how laptops are becoming old and tablets are taking over. Personally, I love my laptop and I cant imagine writing papers on anything else other than a computer with a key board. Don't get me wrong, I think Ipads are awesome but I wonder if tablets will eventually take over and computers will become extinct. In schools, that be totally different to how I grew up. I guess as future teachers we need to adjust to the changes in technology for the better.

Comments- Part 2

Kendra Cotton - http://kendracotton.blogspot.com/2012/11/week-14.html?showComment=1354222970918#c3974934192152609626

Sigrid Thoreson- http://sigridthoreson.blogspot.com/2012/11/reflection-10-internet.html?showComment=1354223233351#c2202794736600423177

Amanda Downs- http://amdowns8.blogspot.com/2012/11/reflection-8.html?showComment=1354223443843#c7051981851612703952

Sarah Stoker- http://sarahstoker.blogspot.com/2012/11/reflection-12.html?showComment=1354223771795#c3305216248619239550

Leticia Vasquez- http://tootsievasquez06.blogspot.com/2012/11/reflection-8.html?showComment=1354224057077#c592448275111358416

Trey Botten- http://treybotten.blogspot.com/2012/12/15-skype-lesson.html?showComment=1354654503446#c3569483445307854976

Alyssa Sitzler- http://sitzleralyssa.blogspot.com/2012/12/week-16-end-of-semester-reflection.html?showComment=1354654759427#c8415570618514615748

Whitney Wright- http://wright2whitney.blogspot.com/2012/10/reflection-6.html?showComment=1354654890961#c4373644256748407484

Bethany Lowe- http://bethanylowesblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/week-10.html?showComment=1354655055885#c7024882875191592292

Heather- http://heatherkristinsadventures.blogspot.com/2012/11/reflection-11.html?showComment=1354655195436#c7909417637525390154

Week #14- 11/27

            The article I read was called, Envisioning the Future of Education Technology. In this article there were six main categories about the future of technology in education. The first one was called digitized classrooms. This would include electronic screens, tablets, interactive white boards, desk sized screens, knowledge maps and much more. The second one was called gamification which included student developed apps, educational programming tools, self-paced learning and a few more. The third one was opening of information and it had video lessons, online school communities, digitization of books and flipped classroom. The next one was called disintermediation, which included mobile learning platforms, telepresence, allocated lessons and much more. Tangible computing was the fifth one and it included reactive materials, 3D printers, digitally intermediated field trips, and reactive furniture. The last one was virtual physical audios which included eyewear/HUDs, retinal screens, holography, immersive virtual reality and a few others.

            After reading through these future plans for education and technology, I am a bit in awe. I cannot imagine having tools like holography or digital books in a classroom. I am really excited for the future because I know it holds great, new opportunities for students to learn. 

Reflection #9

Yesterday in my Instructional Design class, I taught a 20 minuet lesson. Throughout the lesson I was able to use technology, powerpoint, and I think it went very well. However, I was not prepared for what happened when the students were supposed to research on the Internet. I provided them with a reliable source but most students didn't have internet, so I was stuck. Right away my teacher, Mrs. Garrett, suggested that they go out in the hall and reach internet there. I am thankful for her help because I was not prepared for a backup plan. All students were able to use the internet and everything turned out fine. Through this experience, I realized that a backup plan is always necessary and I must be prepared for anything.

Week #13- 11/20

• I use Word on a daily basis to take notes in all of my classes. This has been very helpful because it keeps me orginized and consistant. 
• I use Power Point when ever I am making a presentation for classes. I also use it in church for the  kids choir to learn songs. 
• I use Excel only to keep track of my hours for East Side Tutors. 

In my future class students could use Word to type essays out and make tabels or charts. Power Points are very useful for students to present projects I have assigned to them in a neat and professional manner. Excel can be used to help keep track of the students money spent by making orginzed charts and finding the correct calculations.  I may assign projects where students are assigned to do this. 

Week #12- 11/13

      The article I read was about was called “How to Teach Subtraction Using Marzano Strategies.” It talked about how students can use different things, including technology to help them learn subtraction better. There was five steps he suggests but I will only mention two. I learned that the first one I liked was providing manipulative to students. This could be cubes, computer math programs, or anything you can think of. Personally, I like the computer idea because it incorporates technology. The second one was having the students provide feedback to the teacher through either the class blog or on a paper. This would help me know if my students are understanding subtraction. For my future teaching, I will try to use these steps because I believe they are important when students are learning. 

Reflection #8

Mini Ipads? Wow when I fist saw one of these, it was pretty cool. Seeing a mini ipad made me think about how soon technonlgy advances. As soon as something seems cool or is really new and everyone seems to have it, a better version is produced. This made me wonder, will technology ever stop advanceing? I think the answer is no. There will always be something that can be improved or better than before. It is just a matter of time. What are your thoughts on this?

Week #11- 11/6

My comment- http://studentchallenge.edublogs.org/2012/11/05/challenge-8-freedom-again/#comment-8346

This blog was called Challenge Yourself and I learned that it is important to share about our passions. Specifically, I read a post on a passion for gardening. It was inspiring to see how in depth this woman was about her passion. My comment was prettty simple and basic but I did ask a question that I think could help other people who are reading this blog. I asked how Challenge Yourself all began. This way, other readers can see that comment and know instead of asking again.

Technology Project Plan

For this assignment, I will be doing the Pligrim Project. This focuses on the lives of Pilgrims and how they came to America. As a class we will research information about Pilgrims and then each student will draw themselves as Pilgrims on KidPix. I will also assign a writing prompt that will be attatched to the image saying, "If I were a Pilgrim boy or girl, I would have…." The students get to use their creativity and imagination, which is what I am excited for.

Podcast- http://vocaroo.com/i/s15i1Y3Smphy

Resource Link: http://thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com/2010/11/pilgrim-projects.html

Week #10- 10/30

          http://www.techlearning.com/article.aspx?categoryid=0020&articleid=44988

            The article I read is called, "Bloom's Taxonomy, Blooms Digitally". This article briefly described what Bloom's Taxonomy was and listed the revised version. Then it talked about how some major elements in the revised version cover many of the activities and objectives but they do not address the new objectives presented by the emergence and integration of Information and Communication Technologies into the classroom and the lives of our students. The link between these two are very important. If the technology aspect is lost, students are not learning the best they can because technology is a huge part of learning now days. This article describes technology terms and verbs that students should use when learning. I agree with the article because I also believe integration needs to be done successfully so students can learn the best.

Reflection #7

I work at a private Elementary School called Eton as a child care provider. I am with 3-6 year olds for 9 hours a week. Yesterday at work while I was reading a story to the class, a 5 year old named Jaime said "Oh I have this book on my ipad." My first thought when I heard this was, wow this girl is spoiled! Then I thought about how well of reader Jaime was and maybe that's because she has apps, reading games and books she can read on her ipad. It's crazy how times are changing and how kids are learning with technology.

Week #9- 10/23

Caught on Video- By reading this article, I learned that videos in the classroom can be extremely useful. You can use a video camera to capture moments that cannot be captured with pictures or books. The author was very creative in the different ways of recording students and using the video camera in great ways. Some of my favorite ways mentioned were; filming each student on the first day of school asking them for their goals and exceptions for the year and watch it later to see if they accomplished their goals, have students watch their homework, recording lessons for absent students, allow students to create the "greatest hits" of the year for an individual digital project, and recording and emailing students work to parents. These are great ways to use a video camera because like it was said in the article, "Our students have grown up in a video world. It is a medium they are naturally drawn to and comfortable with. In this Age of YouTube we can make learning more engaging and compelling by including video in our classrooms." Also, using videos to watch homework can help the students if they missed or didn't understand it class. Recording lessons for students who are absent is awesome because the student can catch up with the class and the teacher does not have to explain what was missed. All of these ways can be so effective and and a positive impact on the students learning.

My Flipsnack

Week #8- 10/16

After reading a few educational tweets, I believe Twitter can be very useful. So many teachers post ideas for lessons, arts and crafts or anything that has to do with teaching. Twitter can be used in a positive way to learn more about education and what is happening in the technology aspect of education. I have read some tweets about views of political education and it informs me of what education will look like in the future. Personally, this is the first time I am using Twitter so I am not very familiar with it. I still have a little trouble following people but I am getting the hang of it. Hopefully, I can use some of the tips and information I have learned from Twitter in my future classroom.

Reflection #6

Today I saw someones iphone 5 and a few thoughts came to mind. I started to think about how technology keeps progressing and people never seem to be content with what they have. The new "thing" is what people are looking for, so what does that say about educational technology. Are schools going to want the new next thing too? If so, how will they afford it or will it become a problem? This is just a thought I had. Maybe schools are not this way and like Monica said, some schools wait a few years to update their technology resources.

Reflection #5

Ever since we made our stories in class, I have shared it with three people because I just love it so much. I think Storybird is AWESOME! Especially to use it in our future classes with our students. Monica is definitely giving us so many neat ideas and I am so anxious to use them in our real classrooms. I want to learn about more sites and cool things like Animoto and Storybird. I will probably browse a little more and see what I find. How is everyone liking these cool activities?

Reflection #4

     Today in class I really loved Monicas story about Kayden because it showed how different students learn. Every student has a different way of learning and it is important that as a teacher, we recognize and do everything we can to help that student. Maybe the student learns with visuals or manipulatives but whatever it is, we should try to accommodate if we can. I am glad Monica shares these real life stories with us because it prepares us and gives us a taste of the "real" teaching world.

Comments

Kendra-http://kendracotton.blogspot.com/2012/09/reflection-1.html?showComment=1350425304623#c2080345439282372433

Sigrid- http://www.sigridthoreson.blogspot.com/2012/09/demographics-write-up.html#comment-form

Whitney- http://www.wright2whitney.blogspot.com/2012/10/reflection-3.html#comment-form

Bethany- http://bethanylowesblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/reflection-5.html?showComment=1350424351858#c2047056500915251945

Alyssa- http://sitzleralyssa.blogspot.com/2012/10/reflection-5.html?showComment=1350424566853#c1513070256315364806

Amanda- http://amdowns8.blogspot.com/2012/10/reflection-6.html?showComment=1350424714686#c2746634310877806433

Trey-  http://treybotten.blogspot.com/2012/10/8-twitter.html?showComment=1350425236194#c7144047237861456886

Heather- http://www.heatherkristinsadventures.blogspot.com/2012/10/reflection-5.html#comment-form 

Sarah- http://www.sarahstoker.blogspot.com/2012/10/week-8.html#comment-form

Week #7- 10/9

Blogs for Educators

     After looking and reading about different educational blogs, I realized that using technology is helpful in so many ways when learning math. I love the idea that on a student blog, students are able to write down reflections about what they learned or what they are still confused about in math. This allows the teacher to know where her students stand or what they need to do to improve their teaching. Also, having various math problems that the students can solve for extra practice, just as Monica did on her student blog, is a great idea.I am sure that for the new generation learning and doing math on the computer is most efficient.
     I was really inspired by the Zeno group that started with the intention of making math fun and exciting because parents getting involved in students school lives is what every teacher wants. Having support and concern about learning is so helpful because teachers wont have to solely rely on themselves to reach the student. I was impressed that the group has expanded so much and glad that it has had such a positive impact.

Reflection #3

Today, I looked up an old assignment I had in one of my speech classes where I used a power point. It looked so plain and simple compared to what I am capable of doing now, after I have learned a lot about designing and using new technology. Instead of having a simple picture, I could put a Animoto video or a flipsnack instead. There are so many ways to make presentations fun, exciting and attractive. I am definitely grateful for this class because I can use what I learned in various ways.

Reflection #2

Today I went to the Apple Store in Bellevue Mall and I noticed a young boy, around the age 4,glued to an ipad. His parents were customers and I watched this boy as his parents were getting help with their phone problem. He seemed so into what he was doing that nothing around him mattered. When his parents were done,they tapped him to go but he payed no attention. The dad grabbed his shoulder and gently pulled him away from the ipad. Then the boy got mad and threw a tantrum because he did not want to let go of the ipad. As I watched this I thought of all the parents who buy their 4 year olds ipads just because they don't want to deal with the tantrum or bad behaviors. Is that really the right thing to do? I don't think so...

Angie's Collage

Try our slideshow creator at Animoto.

Reflection #1

       Recently, I have noticed that teaching a lesson on a SMART board is awesome! I have got to experience using the SMART board in this class but I have also experienced it in my other class, Instructional Design. I have realized that portraying class content is more efficient because I learn better than when the teacher writes things on the board. I have begun to notice that technology truly does affect the way a student learns. I am an example to that because I have not only been learning more but also retaining the content because the images and sounds that are used help me remember the information. Professor Garret does excellent at teaching with a SMART board and I am also learning so much about it in this class. I am excited to use it in my future and have fun doing it!

-Angie

Week #6- 10/2

Generation IM Article

            After reading this article I learned that this upcoming generation relies strongly on technology. I knew that they did but not as much as the article stated. For example, I had no idea that about 67% of preschool children use computers. I also didn’t know that schools use blogs, pod casts and social media tools to connect with other students. I heard of Pen Pal in schools but never through the Internet. My eyes were opened to several things and I will try to apply what I learned in my future classroom.

            For example, in a science class, I could use blogs to write about an experiment my students are doing. Instead of having a journal and recording their observations in there, they can have blogs where they write reflections and observations so that way other students can respond or comment. Just the way we do it in this class, I believe it is a successful way of learning. 

-Angie

Week #5- 9/25

Promethean ActivBoard and its impact on learning in the classroom

- http://www.prometheanworld.com/en-us/education/products/interactive-displays/activboard-300-pro

      I learned that the ActivBoard is a interactive whiteboard where students can engage in learning with sound, media, pictures, digital tools and many other resources. Using the ActivBoard can increase students interest in learning because they are in an integrated environment. The ActivBoard works with Promethean software and has USB power, two USB ports and simplifies the connection to your computer. It is downloaded onto your computer and is used with Windows, Mac and Linux. Studies have shown that using the ActivBoard decreases students confusion and disengagement. Also, it enhances collaboration and has two ActivPens which are used simultaneously during lessons. 

    One question that came to mind while I was reading about the ActivBoard was why do schools prefer to use this board rather than the SMART board or other interactive white boards. What is so special about the ActivBoard?  

Assignment #2

- The link to my lesson plan is 

  http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=fc508c74-dfaa-449e-a2f7-431bc9474654 

- The SMART board features I used are sound, pictures, and interactive games, activities that include pulling things, dragging words and making an insect. 

- NETS

Students: 

    3. Research and Information Fluency

    Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

    a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry

    b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media

    c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks

    d. Process data and report results

Teachers: 

   2.Design and Develop Digital Age Learning

Experiences and Assessments

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS·S.

    a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote   student learning and creativity

    b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress

    c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources

    d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching

      This lesson meets the NETS standard I have chosen because the students are going organize and evaluate the information they learned. They will also be using digital tools and record what they have learned. As for me, the teacher, I will use digital design and tools to develop the knowledge and skills about insects for the students. I have customized and personalized this lesson plan to fit the students learning and by the end, they will know all the body parts of an insect as well as some characteristics.

- Using a SMART board in my future classroom will improve their learning by providing interactive activities and grabbing their attention with technology skills. I believe students will learn better this way because technology is what they are used to working with at home and outside of school. Lots of kids favorite games now are on ipads and iphones so if I teach with a "giant ipad" (SMART board) I believe they will learn best. 

Week #4- 9/18

My experience with the SMART Board 

        I learned many things about the SMART board in class. I did not know that you could type something on the computer and it shows on the board. That is really amazing because it does not take much time to type something compared to writing it with the marker. I also learned small things like what certain buttons mean. For example, I learned  that the blue button with the screen on it means full scree or slide show. There was also cool things I learned like how to drag words onto a diagram or pull an object to reveal text or something hidden. I find the SMART board very fascinating and very useful. I know I will continue to learn more things and become familiar with the new technology. I have no questions right now but if I do I know who to ask!

-Angie Garza

Assignment #1 - Demographic Write up

Canyon View Elementary School

(Some of this information is fictitious)

1. Classroom Demographics

My 1^st grade classroom at Canyon View Elementary contains 30 students, 16 boys and 14 girls. Three of my students have special abilities, all of which have IEP’s. The parents are mostly supportive but there are a few who are not as involved as others. Almost all of them come to meetings and ask questions about how their children are doing. Some even offer to bring snack occasionally and lots of them have schedule play dates with other parents in the classroom. The resources of technology in my classroom consist of two Apple Mac computers (one for me and one for the students) a SMART board and an Elmo.

2. School Demographics

The location of Canyon View is east of Kennewick, Wa surrounded by suburban homes and mid to high income families. The school is strongly supported by parent involvement and has a good budget.

	Grade Level	Reading	Math		Writing	Science
	3rd Grade	87.3%	66.2%
	4th Grade	67.5%	49.4%		65.1%
	5th Grade	71.6%	45.1%			65.9%
Enrollment
October 2011 Student Count							509
May 2012 Student Count							504
Gender (October 2011)
Male				269			52.8%
Female				240			47.2%
Race/Ethnicity (October 2011)
American Indian/Alaskan Native				1			0.2%
Asian				1			0.2%
Pacific Islander				2			0.4%
Asian/Pacific Islander				3			0.6%
Black				9			1.8%
Hispanic				202			39.7%
White				275			54.0%
Two or More Races				19			3.7%
Special Programs
Free or Reduced-Price Meals (May 2012)				314			62.3%
Special Education (May 2012)				54			10.7%
Transitional Bilingual (May 2012)				62			12.3%
Migrant (May 2012)				35			6.9%
Section 504 (May 2012)				1			0.2%
Foster Care (May 2012)				0			0.0%
Other Information (more info)
Unexcused Absence Rate (2011-12)				120

3. Community Demographics

             Financially, this community could be doing a little better but they are not in a hole. There are lots of volunteers and people willing to help out with school events and fundraisers. One of our biggest fundraisers is through PTA and it is selling Pizzas and Pies. There is always support for new technology in this community but some of the financial departments cannot afford all that is wanted. However, this community is willing to be patient and  gather as much money is needed for new technology.

4. 1^st Grade Tech Standards

EALR 1 – Integration Students use technology within all content areas to collaborate, communicate, generate innovative ideas, investigate and solve problems. Components 1.1: Innovate: Demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge and develop innovative products and processes using technology. 1.2: Collaborate: Use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. 1.3: Investigate and Think Critically: Research, manage and evaluate information and solve problems using digital tools and resources.

EALR 2 – Digital Citizenship Students demonstrate a clear understanding of technology systems and operations and practice safe, legal and ethical behavior. Components 2.1: Practice Safety: Practice safe, legal and ethical behavior in the use of information and technology. 2.2: Operate Systems: Understand technology systems and use hardware and networks to support learning. 2.3: Select and Use Applications: Use productivity tools and common applications effectively and constructively. 2.4: Adapt to Change (Technology Fluency): Transfer current knowledge to new and emerging technologies. (Grades 6-12 only)

- Angie Garza