Virtual Schools

• 1. Identify and discuss 5 pros and 5 cons of online virtual schools.

Pros

1. convenience

For some families, I could be difficult to get to a school. I know that where I lived I took a 2 hour bus ride to get to class and a lot of the families in my area opted for home school rather then taking the expedition to school everyday. For some it can just be easier and a more effective use of the day to be in a virtual school rather then be in a physical classroom.

2. Own pace

The pace of a virtual school is dictated more on the individuals students pace rather then the pace the teacher is leading the class. Not all students learn at the same pace and when a teacher is teaching a class of 25 students, some students are going to feel as if class is going slow and others will feel as if things are moving far too fast! With an online education students can use the entire day in a way that is effective for them personally.

3. self directed learner

Much like students learn at different paces, they also learn different ways. Being in an online virtual class students can direct their learning in a way that is suited for them. The only person who knows how he learns best is that person. This way of learning gives the freedom of self directed your own learning.

4. cheaper then home school

Home schooling can be expensive since families are responsible for purchasing their own books, curriculum etc. With virtual classrooms like Wava, if enrolled the program pays for all those things for you. This can be a great option for families who have decided ahead of time that they want to home school.

5. Added Bonuses

Some programs like Wava supply students who are enrolled with a laptop and high speed Internet. This can be a huge selling point for families since some may not choose the virtual classroom option because they do not have the means to participate in such a thing. Money is not a hindrance.

Cons

1. lack of motivation

Some students may have a hard time remaining focused on doing school work while in their home. I know for myself that just studying in my room can be tough, I couldn't imagine actually taking all my class and doing all my learning in my room/house too. When all a child's toys, games, and entertainment are easily accessible in the next room.

2. frustration of direction

Having a teacher to turn to when a student is lost or has questions can bring a lot of comfort. If a student doesn't have a teacher in the room to clarify questions with, he can get frustrated at the fact that he is confused on the assignment or criteria required to cover. Even if the parent is there, he or she may not have the answers the student feels like a teacher would.

3. Stigma

There has always been a negative stigma with students who are home school. We all know the stereotype, home school students are stereotype as being awkward, weird, socially awkward, etc. Even if a student is in a virtual classroom instead of being in a "home school" program, he still risks carrying the stigma.

4. heavy parent dedication

In order for the virtual classroom to be a success, there needs to be a stay at home parent for at least the younger students. The parent or guardian needs to dedicate their time to preparing and assessing their student's work. Not all parents can commit their time to this on a regular basis, and I can see parents falling behind in this process.

5. Distractions

A classroom is set up to foster learning. However if a student is taking class from home they can be distracted by family, events, friends, outside, anything that strikes the child's interest. Even if a parent has set up a room for the student to do his schooling in, he is still fully aware of where he is, in his home.

• 2. Discuss how you think virtual schools might impact your future teaching.

I think that virtual schools will become more popular in the coming years. Technology's presence in our day to day life is continually increasing. I myself am in 3 AMS classes this semseter and have taken several online courses and will need to take more in the following years. Providing virtual schools online I feel opens up educations to a larger audiance since some people live in areas where, though they attend public school, is a great hassle and provides more discomfort and frustration then pleassure. I see myself using the net a lot with my students, as far as having a website, communicating with parents and students, online projects etc. but I do not know if I see myself teaching completely online. I enjoy the precense of children too much.

Emergent Technologies

Skype

Skype is an emergent technology that allows people to communicate over the internet. Participants can simply just use audio or if one or both of the conversationalists have a webcam they my see each other too! This tool gives people the ability to speak between countries without paying a fortune in airtime. To connect with some he has to be online, much like how instant messenger works, and if he is online you many ‘call’ him. The program also has special features that allow you to be silly and distort your face or add objects. You can even make yourself a talking shark or dinosaur.

This emergent technology would be great for communicating with other classrooms locally and globally. Imagine leaving about a country in the middle east and not only researching information online but being able to connect with someone for a personal conversation over the web. Skype is not limited to a computer but rather can also be used on a mobile and playstation portables. The computer to computer is free, for a low fee a computer can call a phone, leaving little to no restriction on who a person can talk to for a very small price. Skype also allows people to instant message, share files, and make conference calls.

*** This will impact the way students learn because not only will they get to learn through text and media but they will get to learn through firsthand conversations. A student tends to own what he or she is learning when there is a personal connection. When things are personal there is usually some level of passion, which influences a deeper level of learning.

Reference

http://www.skype.com/getconnected/

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Document Camera

A document camera is new generation of overhead projectors. This movement has been taking place over the last couple years. This movement has allowed teachers to go from projecting two dimensional to three dimensional materials in the classroom. A document camera allows for more efficient sharing in the classroom which encourages higher rates of comprehension and retention or material since many student are visual learners. The document camera also allows for a more interactive environment in the classroom by easily being able to project student’s work without wasting time making transparencies. This tool makes it easy to also just magazines, newspapers, articles and other informative sources to large groups quickly and efficiently. This device is also a great money saver. By being able to project documents with easy not only are schools saving money on purchasing transparencies and markers, but they do not have to spend money on making copies. Instead of passing out slips of paper with the entry task assignment on it every day, we see teachers projecting the task on a screen through the use of a document camera. Students are also having responsibility be instilled in them from another angle by making them accountable to take down their own entry task.

The document camera brings more to the classroom than the overhead projector. An example of this would be that the document camera is actually capable of projecting things like frog dissection in a science class, or zoom in on different rock textures in geology. These are two great examples of the document camera has improved the teaching and learning setting. Being able to demonstrate drawing techniques in an art class to the whole class comfortably sitting at their seats rather than huddles around one table is also a huge benefit from the document camera. No matter the subject area or the curriculum, the document camera hands down creates a more engaging, interactive, and efficient academic environment.

*** This will impact the way students learn because it makes seeing demonstrations easier. It can be hard reading things off the board that are written with a dulling pen, or trying to squeeze in around a table. With the use of the document camera the teacher can utilize the zoom feature as well as do demonstrations on the document camera to show the entire class. Students can now participate, engage, and be involved with ease.

Reference

http://www.camcor.com/guides/Classroom_DocumentCameras.html

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Smart Board

A smart board is an interactive whiteboard that is used most commonly in the classroom setting. The smart board allows students to engage and interact with their material through touch. This emergent technology can be utilized in multiple areas of study. For science, one way that the board can be used is to explore ecosystems in a forest. Students in a classroom can take a virtual walk in the forest and study the organisms, plants, and animals they come across while on that walk. The smart board could then influence other subjects, for example after taking a virtual walk students can write about what they saw and experienced. For math, students can collect data on measurement or plant population while on in the woods and then take those number back to a math lesson.

The interactive whiteboards are also beneficial when it comes to demonstrations. Teacher can teach to all learning abilities with this tool, “Tactile learners can benefit from touching and marking at the board, audio learners can have the class discussion, visual learners can see what is taking place as it develops at the board,” and accommodate any age. The class involvement that this technology encourages is crucial for any classroom. This involvement is not only on the local classroom level but easily incorporates distance learning. The smart board is an upgrade from a whiteboard which does not promote student interacting and involvement. The interactive whiteboard is more of a presentation tool rather than a lecture tool in the classroom.

*** This will impact the way students learn by allow students to go anywhere virtually. A teacher can bring students to anywhere in the world and go on a virtual journey, places students never dreamed of seeing! The learning that comes from the smart board filters into all areas of a students education which helps further understanding of concepts.

Reference

http://teachers.net/gazette/JAN02/mabell.html

http://eduscapes.com/sessions/smartboard/

Blogs and Wikis in Education

1. Identify and describe 3 interesting/innovative ways blogs and/or wikis are being used in K-12 classrooms.

Blogs and Wikis can provide a great place for students to journal about the day. I remember in elementary school that we had daily journals that we wrote in. It would be cool if students could to be able to do this in a place where classmates could communicate with each other through this activity. This could not only help challenge and stretch their thinking through peer collaboration but even create stronger social peer bonds through finding commonalities between each other.

These could also be a great tool for teachers when it comes to communicating with students. A lot of the time I feel like most students have the same questions about homework and projects after the school day is over. If a teacher had a general area where instructions can be posted about an assignment and students can publicly ask questions about it, a teacher's response would be seen by all. This would make things easier on both the student and the teacher since this would help students work with other students who are having the same issues or see who has a grasp on the project and turn to him or her for peer support.

A third interesting way to use a blog or wiki would be to have students use these to partner with other students in different locations in the country, or even world. They could have a pen pal system to collaborate on their work or give a different perspective/angle to a project. This would most likely be the most beneficial for social study projects or assignments. If a student has geography project, or even history project, what a better way to build a report by having assistance from a student from that specific area!

1. Describe how you might use RSS readers/aggregators within a classroom setting.

An RSS reader/aggregator would be a greatly beneficial tool for a teacher in a classroom setting. If a teacher is having his or her students use blogs or wikis to post their work or to communicate with others, he or she could subscribe to each individual students site in order to be notified when new things or added. Instead of a teacher constantly monitoring each individual website to check to see if a student has sumbitted his or her work the teacher can go to a single site that says who has submitted what, then allowing a teacher to go and retrieve his or her student's info. Students could also utilize this tool by subscribing to different news sites that could update them on local and world news that they could use to pull information from for posts or assignments.

1. Describe at least 2 pros and 2 cons of using blogs and wikis in education.

Pro 1: Students could continue collaborting on assingments out side of class and build a thread of communication.
Pro 2: Teachers can answer questions for the class all at one play where it is public for all rather then answering the same questions over and over again for students individually

Con 1: If students use an online blog as a journal rather then a notebook they might be hesistant to share all the ideas and thoughts since they are public. The students could feel restricted.
Con 2: Not all students could have access to internet let along a computer, leading to some students being isolated from the class.

Engaging Concept Mapping Activities with Students

1. Post a 3-5 paragraph summary of the 3-5 ideas you explored for how you could use Concept Mapping within your future classroom. Give your specific examples.

A concept map can be used to allow students to organize anything from ideas about a story to organizing a trip the student made. Concepts are not limited to writing but can also be utilized in the areas of math, science, and social studies. Students are able to use template that give them easy access to organization. Templates can consist of mapping out ideas through the use of pictures or by organizing text. In the classroom I could use concept mapping as a way for my students to follow a book I'm reading by mapping out the characters and events. In a science unit concept mapping could be used to track plant growth and the tracking of changing variables. History can be a difficult subject for students to follow, when studying time periods using concept mapping to layout and track events in an organized fashion can help students not feel overwhelmed by dates and years.

1. Discuss what you see as the impact of the use of Concept mapping within your classroom might have on student learning? Give some details to support your statements.

Concept mapping would be an extremely beneficial tool to any classroom. I think it can be really easy for students to feel overwhelmed with all the new information they are learning. If students were given a means to organize these lessons and their thoughts together they might not only grasp concepts better and faster but would have a great reference. Concept mapping however might not work with all students' learning styles however, they can't hurt a student when making one. I dont see how it would harm any student's learning by having him or her use concept maps, granted for some students there is probably a more beneficial tool to use with them but this tool I can see easily benefit everyone, just some more then other.

1. Discuss some criteria that you would use to decide whether or not Concept Mapping activities would be part of a lesson for your students.

If there is a lesson filled with a lot of information that connects together and has to be followed (such as a story plot line or serious of historical events) this would lead me to most likely use a Concept Mapping activity. Where there are a lot of dates, events, people, to follow in a lesson it is good to track them through some sort of tool, Concept Mapping being one of them. If learning and understanding can obviously be made easier through a concept mapping activity then I'll obviously use it. If I know that it could work but I'm questioning how much benefit the students will actually get out of using one, I'd most likely wouldn't use on in that case.


Here is an example of a concept map I created as a representation of a Trip to a Zoo.

TeacherWeb Reflection 1. Describe and discuss the impacts your use of a class web site like the one we created on TeacherWeb might have

1. Describe and discuss the impacts your use of a class web site like

the one we created on TeacherWeb might have on student learning,

on student engagement, and communications with students and parents.

I think a website like TeacherWeb would have a very positive impact on a students learning, engagement and communication with students and parents. I remember at times whiles growing up in school when I'd get home and have many questions about what we learned that day or what exactly I had to do for homework. It was always frustrating when I had to call around and try to track someone down to help remind me/figure out what I was supposed to do that night. With having an informative class website I could see that reducing those 'freak out' nights for students. Also, this could help parents feel more in the loop with what their student is doing at school. A parent can look up at their own free leisure what is going on in the classroom and how their student is doing. I think that is something that gives any parent comfort with sending their child off to school.

2. Identify and discuss what you see as the two biggest advantages of designing

and using a classroom web site within your teaching activities.

Also, identify what you see as the biggest disadvantage of using a class website

for instructional activities and why.

A benefit, as touched on in the previous question, is that a classroom website would make it easier for a teacher to keep parents updated and most likely limit the amount of questions parents have about what their child is doing in school and how he or she is doing. It can also be a comfort for students cause it would be a stable and dependable point of reference while studying or doing school work.

However, students could easily be distracted by the world wide web. If a student is supposed to be on the classroom website to do their work, it could be very tempting to venture off to one of their social networks or computer game pages. Also, when relying on a website for instructional activities a teacher should take in consideration that not all students may have access to a computer let alone internet.

Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom

1) My greatest Multiple Intelligence is Intrapersonal, followed by Kinesthetic. Some of the core characteristics of a person with strengths in the area of Intrapersonal would be Affective Awareness (knowing ones feelings and viewpoint), Ethical Awareness (having set moral and principle priorities). Some of the core characteristics of a person with strengths in the area of Kinesthetics would be concrete (uses body movement to express ideas and feelings) and task orientated (learns through doing). I think that the Intrapersonal core characteristics all describe me very well (Affective Awareness, Ethical Awareness, Self-Regulation, and Metacognition). I feel like I have a good understanding of myself and who I am striving to be. This influences my learning.

2) Students who are Intrapersonal are comfortable with themselves, can be very opinionated on what they do and do not like, are able to communicate their feelings, tend to make appropriate choices, and use their sense of self to relate to others. These students enjoy expressing themselves and engaging in meaningful conversations where feelings can be expressed. They would really enjoy speaking about their passions or debating things they strongly do not believe in. In the classroom they would be the goal setters and would really enjoy and benefit from reflection time. Another activity that these students would really engage in would be a daily journal activity where they are able to freely think through and express themselves.

3) I would support this type of intelligence by providing time for students to reflect on their work or day by having students right in a journal daily, possibly at the beginning and end of the day for a short period of time. Also allow a time for students to discuss and express their feelings about the current topic being taught/learned in the classroom. Providing choices and differentiated instructions will also greatly benefit these students.

4) Technologies that stimulate this type of intelligence are ones that allow a student to freely express themselves, i.e. journals, diary, class discussions, self-assessment, etc. If the student is able to express his or her thoughts, views, opinions, beliefs, he or she will be able to benefit greatly from the classroom.

5) By being aware of the fact that students all learn differently I can be intentional about teaching in a multiple different fashions so that every student can learn to his or her fullest potential. As a teacher I need to be far on trying to teach equally to all students which means recognizing Multiple Intelligences.

Day 1 Tech Class

Welcome to my blog. I am excited to see how we can use this site in our class.