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Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Journal # 10
Ward, Mark (2009, March, 27). When game playing is learning. BBC news, Retrieved April 12, 2009, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7965965.stm
In this article it talked about a video game console call V.smile. This is an interactive video game geared towards children 3 to 7 and helps the children become more familiar with colors, letters and numbers or tasks associated with them such as adding, spelling and sorting. The game also revolve around popular themes such as Bob the Builder or Cars. The game recently updated its old joy sticks with a motion controlled wireless controller similar to the Wii. One thing I liked about the games were that the players are only competitive with the computer, but never each other. They are essentially only competing and trying to beat themselves.
1. Is this going to just be a gate way to future video game playing?
Although the article does not touch on this subject, I don't think that is what the intent is. This console is aimed at supplementing what the students are learning at school. This is a way to connect the content with something they already know.
2. Would I use this in my household?
Although I am very much anti-video games I do think I would give them thing a chance. It is true that technology has infiltrated most households and instead of fighting against the grain it may be more beneficial to go with it.
In this article it talked about a video game console call V.smile. This is an interactive video game geared towards children 3 to 7 and helps the children become more familiar with colors, letters and numbers or tasks associated with them such as adding, spelling and sorting. The game also revolve around popular themes such as Bob the Builder or Cars. The game recently updated its old joy sticks with a motion controlled wireless controller similar to the Wii. One thing I liked about the games were that the players are only competitive with the computer, but never each other. They are essentially only competing and trying to beat themselves.
1. Is this going to just be a gate way to future video game playing?
Although the article does not touch on this subject, I don't think that is what the intent is. This console is aimed at supplementing what the students are learning at school. This is a way to connect the content with something they already know.
2. Would I use this in my household?
Although I am very much anti-video games I do think I would give them thing a chance. It is true that technology has infiltrated most households and instead of fighting against the grain it may be more beneficial to go with it.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Journal # 9
Waters, John K. "The Kids Are All Right” T.H.E. Journal, 3/29/2009, http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23872
In my 364 class we talked about a concept of cultural congruence, where a teacher uses students language or culture in the classroom to understand each other. This article reminds me of that concept. The MacAurthur Foundation did a study on today's children seeing how technology will effect children and their future learning. What they found was that children are learning much differently now because of technology. They put children in three categories ranging from casually being on-line to full on geeks! What the article suggests is that we as educators catch up on the technology and bring what they are doing into the classroom to be more on their level.
1. What is one way to do this?
Something I heard once was to get a myspace page for their class. Almost every teenager has a myspace page, and they are on their 24/7. It would be a good idea to get on their level and do what they do. Getting students the information in a way that they are used to getting information could be a good resource for the classroom.
2. What if the students are doing something you are not familiar with?
Who is a better person to teach you then them? What I would do is break students into groups and have them teach me in a presentation things that are going on on-line that would be helpful for the classroom.
In my 364 class we talked about a concept of cultural congruence, where a teacher uses students language or culture in the classroom to understand each other. This article reminds me of that concept. The MacAurthur Foundation did a study on today's children seeing how technology will effect children and their future learning. What they found was that children are learning much differently now because of technology. They put children in three categories ranging from casually being on-line to full on geeks! What the article suggests is that we as educators catch up on the technology and bring what they are doing into the classroom to be more on their level.
1. What is one way to do this?
Something I heard once was to get a myspace page for their class. Almost every teenager has a myspace page, and they are on their 24/7. It would be a good idea to get on their level and do what they do. Getting students the information in a way that they are used to getting information could be a good resource for the classroom.
2. What if the students are doing something you are not familiar with?
Who is a better person to teach you then them? What I would do is break students into groups and have them teach me in a presentation things that are going on on-line that would be helpful for the classroom.
Journal # 7
Bigenho, C. (3/2009). Mining for Gold. Learning and Leading With Technology, Retrieved March 21, 2009, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/Current_Issue/L_L_March_April.htm
The beauty of RSS is that an internet user is able to receive all the information they want from the internet without having to look for it, or go to it. A user is able to go to a single page and it will have all the information they want/need. It is like having a morning paper that is formulated to you. This is a great resource for the classroom because as a teacher you are able to subscribe to student blogs and social bookmarks because all activity comes to you.
1. Why get a RSS feed instead of just checking the blogs on a daily?
As a teacher you have at minimum 30 students, checking each of their blogs everyday would be a huge pain. The cool thing about the RSS feed is that you can go to one page and all the blogs will be there. Any activity will be shown and you can just go to one page instead of all their pages.
2. How can this be used in the classroom?
There are many different ways! A teacher could set up a page that is formulated to the classroom. Instead of a page dedicated to you, it is dedicated to the classroom. In my case I would set up a page with feeds to many different pages dedicated to the learning of the spanish language.
The beauty of RSS is that an internet user is able to receive all the information they want from the internet without having to look for it, or go to it. A user is able to go to a single page and it will have all the information they want/need. It is like having a morning paper that is formulated to you. This is a great resource for the classroom because as a teacher you are able to subscribe to student blogs and social bookmarks because all activity comes to you.
1. Why get a RSS feed instead of just checking the blogs on a daily?
As a teacher you have at minimum 30 students, checking each of their blogs everyday would be a huge pain. The cool thing about the RSS feed is that you can go to one page and all the blogs will be there. Any activity will be shown and you can just go to one page instead of all their pages.
2. How can this be used in the classroom?
There are many different ways! A teacher could set up a page that is formulated to the classroom. Instead of a page dedicated to you, it is dedicated to the classroom. In my case I would set up a page with feeds to many different pages dedicated to the learning of the spanish language.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Journal #6
Warlick, D. (March/April 2009). Grow Your Personal Learning Network. Learning & Leading, 36, Retrieved March 7, 2009, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/Current_Issue/L_L_March_April.htm
In this article David Warlick discusses PLN's, or personal learning networks. He points out that, as technology changes, people have more choices about how to connect with each other, and easier ways to access information. He list the three types of PLN's, from more traditional to more complex ways of communicating. First, he discusses personally maintained synchronous connections, such as Skype and Ichat, where the user is basically focused on one way of communicating and/or asking questions. Everything happens in real time. Next, he brings up personally and socially maintained semi- synchronous connections, which is kind of like multi-tasking communication. This means that the user has multiple sources that may answer questions, or communicate with them, but the communication doesn't necessarily happen in real time. Finally, there are dynamically maintained asynchronous connections, such as RSS. With the other two types of PLN, the user has to seek out information, but with RSS, information comes directly to the user.
1. What is a way to use the more traditional, personally maintained synchronous connections in the classroom?
In my school the teachers communicate with each other using ichat, instead of the traditional phone. We are able to give each other information about the students or changes in the day by sending a message on ichat. I have found it to be much less interruptive that a phone. I have been trying to think of a way to have the students communicate in a similar way when we are in the computer lab. A problem I have been experiencing is that while we are in the lab the students have questions for each other and it tends to get a little loud and disruptive. I think using ichat or something similar would be useful in this type of situation.
2. How can I use these PLNs in my future as a student?
As I am learning about all this different technology, especially PLNs I start to wish more and more I had known this stuff during my undergrad. These PLNs allow for me to do so much more interacting with my peers outside of the classroom. When working on a group project the personally maintained synchronous connections can allow all the group members to chat live with each other instead of meeting up. Also something like googldocs, asocially maintained semi- synchronous connection, allows us to interact with each other without having to all be there at the same time!
In this article David Warlick discusses PLN's, or personal learning networks. He points out that, as technology changes, people have more choices about how to connect with each other, and easier ways to access information. He list the three types of PLN's, from more traditional to more complex ways of communicating. First, he discusses personally maintained synchronous connections, such as Skype and Ichat, where the user is basically focused on one way of communicating and/or asking questions. Everything happens in real time. Next, he brings up personally and socially maintained semi- synchronous connections, which is kind of like multi-tasking communication. This means that the user has multiple sources that may answer questions, or communicate with them, but the communication doesn't necessarily happen in real time. Finally, there are dynamically maintained asynchronous connections, such as RSS. With the other two types of PLN, the user has to seek out information, but with RSS, information comes directly to the user.
1. What is a way to use the more traditional, personally maintained synchronous connections in the classroom?
In my school the teachers communicate with each other using ichat, instead of the traditional phone. We are able to give each other information about the students or changes in the day by sending a message on ichat. I have found it to be much less interruptive that a phone. I have been trying to think of a way to have the students communicate in a similar way when we are in the computer lab. A problem I have been experiencing is that while we are in the lab the students have questions for each other and it tends to get a little loud and disruptive. I think using ichat or something similar would be useful in this type of situation.
2. How can I use these PLNs in my future as a student?
As I am learning about all this different technology, especially PLNs I start to wish more and more I had known this stuff during my undergrad. These PLNs allow for me to do so much more interacting with my peers outside of the classroom. When working on a group project the personally maintained synchronous connections can allow all the group members to chat live with each other instead of meeting up. Also something like googldocs, asocially maintained semi- synchronous connection, allows us to interact with each other without having to all be there at the same time!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Journal 8: Social Networking NETS 3,4,5
Social Networking is, as defined by webopedia.com, is a social structure made of nodes, that are generally individuals or organizations. A social network represents relationships and flows between people, groups, organizations, animals, computers
or other information/knowledge processing entities.
With the web the possibilities for social networking are endless. There are social networking sites for friends, teachers, people with disabilities, lawyers, women, there is no end! There are so many possibilities for teachers to use social networking in the classroom. When looking through classroom 2.0 website, which in and of itself is a social networking site, I saw many examples of how people were using social networking at their school.
One woman who is a principal created a social network for the teachers at her school. People then commented to her that they had done the same thing and it was very beneficial. They teachers on the social network were able to communicate and feel a community setting within their school. Most of the time teachers are in their classrooms all day, so this allows teachers to communicate and get information without leaving their classroom. Another example of how this is being used is teachers were using social networking sites to communicate with their students. They are using it to have students post online journals, post assignments, have students communicate with each other, or with the teacher. It is a way to create a network outside the classroom to supplement what is going on in the classroom.
or other information/knowledge processing entities.
With the web the possibilities for social networking are endless. There are social networking sites for friends, teachers, people with disabilities, lawyers, women, there is no end! There are so many possibilities for teachers to use social networking in the classroom. When looking through classroom 2.0 website, which in and of itself is a social networking site, I saw many examples of how people were using social networking at their school.
One woman who is a principal created a social network for the teachers at her school. People then commented to her that they had done the same thing and it was very beneficial. They teachers on the social network were able to communicate and feel a community setting within their school. Most of the time teachers are in their classrooms all day, so this allows teachers to communicate and get information without leaving their classroom. Another example of how this is being used is teachers were using social networking sites to communicate with their students. They are using it to have students post online journals, post assignments, have students communicate with each other, or with the teacher. It is a way to create a network outside the classroom to supplement what is going on in the classroom.
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