EDCI5825

Discuss the following on your blog in class:

• How your view of instructional technology has or has not changed over the course of the semester.

I have definitely come to appreciate technology much more. It is amazing to me the variety and extend to which we have resources to teach with. I feel like it is an on going process to try to keep up with technology today, but can be so useful and enhancing if we take the time to figure some of it out. I would definitely try to incorporate and find different programs to help my students learn better.

• The quality and appropriateness of what you have learned/created this semester.

I really feel like we learned a lot in this course. I almost feel like it was a bit too much. I would have liked to have time to explore a few of the programs a little more in depth and not be so all over the place. I would rather know only a couple things really well, then a bunch just a bit.

• Evaluation of your comfort moving forward with technology.

I feel a little informed with the programs we used, but like I had previously stated I feel like I only know a little about a lot. I wish I knew a lot about a little. If I knew a little more on each then I would feel a little more comfortable to use it more for future classes. I think it is very important to keep up with students engagement to learn technology. I will always be looking for different programs that could help me teach and also students learn better.

EDCI5825

• Chapter 9 (Schrum & Levin)

 
Blog Questions:

• Please use Google Reader to review your peers' blog posts throughout the semester. After reading several blog posts, provide a summary of what you read and identify one comment/idea that stood out to you. Please explain. You do NOT need to integrate readings into your response for this week. You do NOT need to make connections to your curriculum this week. Just a simple summary of using Google Reader and identifying one idea/comment from a peer will suffice.

Jun 27, 2011 9:20 PM

Web Resources in Special Education

by Marisa

Two of the websites that I would use as a future special educator (but am not limited to) are Read Write Thinkand the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (NLVM). These both use visual manipulatives to help understand and organize information. Manipulatives aid with concrete learning in order to get to more abstract, higher order thinking.

Both internet resources have different grade level materials which is important in special education as the students may not be on grade level. We must determine their instructional level and teach appropriately to that level with materials that will enhance their learning experience, such as visual aids and manipulatives.

Some of the features that I explored and enjoyed: for the NLVM I liked that there were games available to help with deduction skills and reasoning skills for older students (Utah State University, 2010). I tried out the counterfeit coin game in which you had to only use the scale 2x to test 8 coins. I used the scale 6 times, than 3, then finally understood a method to only use the scale twice.
For the Read Write Think website, I liked the use of graphic organizers to display information from novels (National Council of Teachers of English, 2011). I also enjoyed the idea of "character trading cards" used to get kids involved in delving into what is essential to each character while making it into a fun game.

In deciding what resources to use, we must understand the legal ramifications of information being sent out into the internet by children and also make sure that our students stay safe in the content they are allowed to view in the school setting (Schrum & Levin, 2009). These aspects of internet safety and privacy play a huge part in how schools decide which content and websites to block from student use in schools. This can be an effective form or limiting use so students maximize time spent on the internet and use credible resources.

National Council of Teachers of English. (2011). Read Write Think. Retrieved June 27, 2011.www.readwritethink.org

Schrum, L. & Levin, B.B. (2009). Leading 21st Century Schools: Harnessing Technology for Engagement and Achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Utah State University. (2010). National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. Retrieved June 27, 2011.http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html

I truly enjoyed using google reader to view this post by Marisa.  I found it very interesting to read about manipulatives. This might be a great resource that I should also look into being in special education.  The visual aids will be a necessity as Marisa had mentioned.  I also like how she involved the higher order of thinking when incorporating this resource.  Great idea! 

EDCI-5825

Blog/Reading Questions:

• After viewing all web sites listed in the Web Resources for Classroom link - which two web sites would you consider using in your future classroom? Please explain and provide supporting details to your response (you still need to use APA citations - but you may be citing web sites).

Explore the world in 3D from anywhere (google.2011). This would be great hands on activity to get students to really understand the world we live in.  There is no better tool than a 3D visual aid to really set home our world.  This would be great with social studies or current events areas, which with special education I very well will be giving instruction and lessons in various content areas.  You really could use this website in a variety of different content areas such as foreign languages, foods, and even science. 

The other website that I would use is teen second life.  I am very familiar with this website.  I actually had to use it for an online class.  Explore destinations inspired by real cities, such as Dublin and Tokyo. Visit new spaces unique to Second Life, such as a Renaissance-inspired Camelot or the 3D home for your alma mater. Immerse yourself in any environment you can imagine: watch the sunset from a mountaintop, dance the night away in a club or plumb the depths of the ocean on a scuba trip(second life, 2011).

It was very difficult to use at first, however it was pretty neat.  I was able to create an online avatar character.   I did make the mistake of some how swimming in the ocean and ended up standing on the table in the conference room.  This was a bit embarrassing.  It was very cool how we were able to have a live conference with a speaker in China.  You could hear everything real-time and everyone spoke through his or her avatars.  I thought it was crazy how you even need to make your avatar walk into the building and sit in a chair in the appropriate room.  A that moment I realize that school for my own children will be completely different than the school that we are all used to today.

Google, (2011). Google Earth. Retrieved from

http://www.google.com/earth/index.html

Second Life, (2011). Retrieved from http://secondlife.com/

T2P week 5

Today was a great completion of the entire semester.  We are definitely starting to make the connections between the theory and theorists and how they apply to teaching/learning.  Watching the videos about the brain and how it worked was an interesting way to try to put the “why” into our practice.  It adds a level of cognitive ability to the rational of why and how we are going to achieve that optimal level of learning.  It also allows us to try to understand how we will get our future students to achieve that optimal level of learning also. 

            The chart of the theorist was a great way to view all the learning theories and be able to compare the two.  I wish the print out version was a little easier to read.  I also think it might have helped if we had this chart idea from the beginning.  It really spent a lot of time going back through my notes to complete this chart.  I think I might have made better connections early when we were going through the readings if I had been filling this chart out at that moment.  I guess it would have helped with my visual way of learning in keeping with different learning styles.  Everyone has his or her own different ways of learning.  

T2P:

If a teacher exposes the students to a variety of learning styles during a lesson, then the students will learn better and be more self-determined, because there will be more chance one of the styles will be the best learning style for their individual needs. An example of this would be if the teacher has the students work to teach a lesson on a specific topic. The students may choose to use power point, lecture, a hands on activity or game. I think it is important to try to use a variety of styles to reach all students. An example of this would be hitting all the areas such as visual, aural, and kinesthetic needs.  This will allow students to reach that optimal learning level and ensure that the majority or the most students have achieved this optimal level.  If all this takes place then you will ensure that you are addressing the most cognitive development that the students allow.  When successfully achieved the students will be at their individual maximum for that relevant content area.

If: a teacher exposes the students to a variety of learning styles during a lesson
Then: the students will learn better and be more self-determined
Because: there will be more chance one of the styles will be the best learning style for that individual.
Event: A lesson
Moral implications: I think it is important to try to use a variety of styles to reach all students.
Evidence: and example of this would be if the teacher has the students teach a lesson on a specific topic.

"A good teacher"

A "good" teacher is someone who not only tries to do the right thing, but demonstrates caring while doing the right thing. A "good" teacher is in it not only for personal reasons, but most importantly they are in it for the students whom they will be affecting. They take the time to understand and connect with their students on a wide range of levels. They not only have the knowledge and skill set needed to teach the students but they also know how to apply that knowledge and put it into practice so that the students will learn what is being taught. The students will be able to take away knowledge and understanding in a caring, supportive environment where they receive a great deal of encouragement and are able to motivate themselves.

If students are encouraged to build on their knowledge then they will learn to an optimal level because they will use their best intelligences and styles of learning to help themselves as well as others learn. An example would be asking students to tell an experience that the students had while travel to visit a different culture. I believe it will help when students contribute how they view the culture and may help others understand that culture also.  In order for a teacher to help get a student to that level of understanding they must have the content knowledge themselves and know how to apply it.  They must also be able to understand where the student is at with their thinking and learning and challenge them to keep moving forward.  The most important qualities that a teacher can provide for their students is to encourage and motivate them to believe in themselves and have confidence.  When a student is self-confident and motivated by meaningful relavant content it will enlarge their view of the world and raise them to the optimal learning level.

If: students are encouraged to build on their knowledge

Then: they will learn to an optimal level

because: they will use their best intelligences and styles of learning to help themselves as well as others.

Event: building on the students knowledge

Moral implication: I believe it will help when students contribute how they view the culture and may help others understand that culture also.

Evidence: An example would be asking students to tell an experience that the students had while travel to visit a different culture.

EDCI5825

Blog/Reading Questions:

• Please provide specific examples of technology/tools that you would recommend for a student with...
• (1) a hearing impairment- I would see if I could maybe get closed captioning on teachertube or by going on a virtual field trip.  You could also have them use the wikibook to study and learn new info. Flash movies might also be a great tool.
• (2) low-vision- A Daisy book per education/Daisy is  a great tool to use for anyone who is having difficulties with vision.  This is a talking book which will help level the field for those that are at a disadvantage due to any kind of vision difficulty.
• (3) a broken right arm-you might want to try speech recognition- MACspeech. The use of speech recognition software allows students that have little or no motor skills in their arms and hands to be able to produce typed reports, manage software, and perform research with a computer, just like other non-disabled students per the speech recognition wikibook.
• (4) autism (non-communicative)-You could start with a web-quest which you have designed with activities which might be appropriate for this students cognitive level.

As a special education teacher I will be constantly search for new technology that might help certain students who need certain accommodations out to learn easier. It would be so useful for special educators to have a list of all the various tools that might help during certain situations.

 Assistive Technology in Education: Helping All Students Succeed. Retrieve from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/Speech_Recognition_Software

 Assistive Technology in Education: Helping All Students Succeed. Retrieved from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology_in_Education/DAISY

Schrum, L. M., & Levin, B. B. (2009). Leading 21st century schools: Harnessing technology for engagement and achievement. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin. 

T2P week 4

If students work together collaboratively as a team during the group assignments then learning will occur because it will lead to more knowledge being developed and discussed. An example of this would be if a teacher pairs a more advanced student with a student who is having difficulties, or by playing a game with teams. Students often learn more when they are grouped with their peers. I believe that students will build of each others knowledge when they feel comfortable to share ideas and knowledge in these groups.

Theorist would follow Vygotsky
If: If students work together collaboratively as a team during the group assignments
Then: learning will occur
Because:it will lead to more knowledge being developed.
Event: Pairing students or playing a game with teams, working together collaboratively as a team (group assignments)
Evidence theory:students often learn more when they are grouped with their peers.
Moral implication: I believe that students will build of each others knowledge.
Pedagogical Language: collaboratively as a team


New T2P Week 4:
If a teacher exposes the students to a variety of learning styles during a lesson, then the students will learn better and be more self-determined, because there will be more chance one of the styles will be the best learning style for their individual needs. An example of this would be if the teacher has the students work to teach a lesson on a specific topic. The students may choose to use powerpoint, lecture, a hands on activity or game. I think it is important to try to use a variety of styles to reach all students.

If: a teacher exposes the students to a variety of learning styles during a lesson
Then: the students will learn better and be more self-determined
Because: there will be more chance one of the styles will be the best learning style for that individual.
Event: A lesson
Moral implications: I think it is important to try to use a variety of styles to reach all students.
Evidence: and example of this would be if the teacher has the students teach a lesson on a specific topic.


If students are encouraged to build on their knowledge then they will learn to an optimal level because they will use their best intelligences and styles of learning to help themselves as well as others learn. An example would be asking students to tell an experience that the students had while travel to visit a different culture. I believe it will help when students contribute how they view the culture and may help others understand that culture also.


If: students are encouraged to build on their knowledge
Then: they will learn to an optimal level
because: they will use their best intelligences and styles of learning to help themselves as well as others.
Event: building on the students knowledge
Moral implication: I believe it will help when students contribute how they view the culture and may help others understand that culture also.
Evidence: An example would be asking students to tell an experience that the students had while travel to visit a different culture.


Reflection:
Today was a great day. We all really benefited from the time spent going over and breaking down the T2P statements. Silly as it is I thought it all had to be summed up in one sentence. I was having a hard time incorporating all the aspects involved in a GOOD T2P statement in only one sentence. A good lesson to take away from this is that sometimes the very basics need to be revisited in order to get everyone on the right track. The silly little things can be misunderstood. ALso that sometimes it pays to take the time to break things down in order to truly understand how to put them back together. I think my statement are much improved from where they were which was very simple and basic to a bit more involved. Hopefully they will continue to improve.

Today was also a great example of different learning or teaching styles when it came to learning the theorist.  We all educated one another through different methods.  Sometimes when students are responsible to teach each other, then everyone learns more.  It makes it so that those that are doing the teaching know the topic to a degree and understanding so that they can teach it.  Also, the learners are being instructed in a way that their peers found it useful to learn.  This may not always prove to be the best format, but it may help others.  If everyone helps one another then everyone will learn the best they can as a group based on prior knowledge and experiences.

Here is a link to my spread sheet for the theorist.
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmdMQqBqJ-wAdDJoVHNNRWFUaE9DaUNhTzA1a3c2MXc&hl=en_US&authkey=CK_w0ZYG#gid=0