tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60581606029359730042024-03-05T09:00:06.158-08:00Ms. Alaura's BlogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-50392167407528341682014-03-22T07:43:00.000-07:002014-03-22T07:43:08.133-07:00First Two Weeks
<br />
Well I said I was going to try and keep this alive while student teaching
this time but so far I have been failing... miserably! It seems that time has
just been flying by. I couldn't believe that I am already done two weeks of
student teaching! <br />
<br />
Those first two weeks were very trying and telling. I learnt a lot about my
students while not having to worry about planning lessons or scrambling to get
supplies ready. My cooperating teacher and I have an understanding that I'll
help her wrap up everything she had started before spring break and after that
I'll start new with my stuff. I thought that was fair to the students as well.
There is no way I could expect them to remember any new material after a two
week break :). <br />
<br />
This time around I am taking on a science unit in simple machines. I'm most
excited about planning and executing that one! In the end I'm going to have the
students design a <em>Rube Goldberg Machine</em> in the gym. The teacher that I
am working with for this isn't actually my cooperating teacher but my students
switch with the grade 7/8 so they can have French with my cooperating teacher
(for the record my French level is more suited to grade 3/5 and not 7/8, ha
ha). Anyways the teacher I am working with for this already had the grade 7/8's
build one of those in the gym and it was AWESOME! <br />
<br />
My focus will not entirely be science this whole time but also math. In math
I will be planning a patterns unit for grade 5/6 as well as working on basic
facts. Thankfully Sandy (my math professor from BU) has well equipped me to
keep the students busy with fun basic math activities! On the other hand if
anyone has any suggestions for patterns in math I am open. I was given a stack
of textbooks but I would rather move away from those and find something hands on
or fun at least. <br />
<br />
For social studies I will be co-teaching a unit that my cooperating teacher
already has a package on. We have already started that this week and so far it
has been going really good. The focus is to get students thinking about the types
of questions that are given to them or that they ask (thin and thick questioning).
This is something I'm familiar with from another student teaching placement so
I felt comfortable jumping right in. <br />
<br />
The focus in ELA is the <em>Daily 5</em> which is something that I was
introduced to in my first year at BU (thank you Donna!). It is actually great
to finally see it in action in a real school setting. This is something that I
also had no problem jumping right into and I am already planning for after
spring break. <br />
<br />
Well that is it for now... I'll try not to let weeks pass by before I post
again! If you have any recommendations or anything of that sort please leave a
comment :)<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-36503025736241553902014-03-04T15:19:00.001-08:002014-03-04T15:28:16.757-08:00Final Week At BU Once again it is time to start my student teaching experience. I look forward to implementing a few of the things that I learnt in this class. One thing I definitely want to get my students to try is making a video. I think it will be quite a process but I feel confident in attempting it in a real classroom setting. I'm going to be in a grade 5/6 class of 18 students so I think this is something that could really work. I'm not too sure either what devices are available for our use, but it is something that I want to look into once there! <br />
<br />
Looking back on the last few weeks it is hard to believe how fast time went by. Last year at this time I was hoping to keep this blog alive and document my student teaching experience. I'm hoping to try that again this year (fingers crossed) and really use this as a place to share what worked and what didn't. I'm also hoping to hear back from people on their own experiences and possibly helpful resources. <br />
<br />
If that doesn't happen at least this will be a place I can look back fondly and remember the great times I had at BU, which were awesome! I am so glad that I had the opportunity to take Internet for Educators course last year and the ICT course this year with Mike. I felt that I was forced to step out of my comfort zone and try new things. It was great! I want to thank Mike for everything that he has shown and taught me over these past two years. I can't wait to get out in the field and implement what I have learnt :) Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-43834531611452780522014-02-25T11:05:00.002-08:002014-02-25T11:05:38.106-08:00One Sentence Story
<br />
Last week in class we participated in a fun activity known as a <em>one
sentence story</em>. Basically the one sentence is broken down and pictures are
picked to represent the broken down parts of that sentence (specifically each
word in that sentence if possible). When this was first introduced to me my
mind immediately went blank and I couldn't think of anything to write or
represent in pictures. After playing around with pictures an idea suddenly came
to me. I took pictures from a summer trip to Portugal and organized them in a
way to represent a sentence describing that trip. <br />
<br />
When I was going through the process I used a familiar tool, Photo Story 3
for Windows, which made it easy to put the final product together. The great
thing about this program that makes me continuously use it is that it easily
allows pictures to be uploaded and added to. Another feature of the program
that I really like is how easy it is to add music. In just a few simple clicks
I had music playing at the volume and location I wanted it to. One last feature
that I really like and find great is that saving and finding the document later
is easy. Later when I needed to find the video I could easily because it was
saved as something that I understood and knew where it would be. <br />
<br />
I think that using this activity in a classroom would be awesome, and I
think that students wouldn't have as much trouble as me at being creative. Also
this is an opportunity for students to try out different programs and navigate
different tools just as I have. <br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-17742113259422134022014-02-23T07:33:00.001-08:002014-02-23T07:33:43.003-08:00Video Making
<br />
This past week in class we had the opportunity to make a video in groups.
Our group had a great idea based on a popular trend in society. I don't want to
give it away yet since we haven't published it yet! We had a great time making
it and I even learned a few things along the way. <br />
<br />
When it comes to filming a video the first important thing to keep in mind
is to make sure you are not filming vertically! No one wants vertical video
syndrome!! This was something I had never thought of before but makes sense. It’s
not a picture that can easily be passed around and turned whatever way. Another
important thing to keep in mind is that there are tons of different programs
out there so if one doesn't do what you want just move on to another. When we
made our video one of the members has a macbook so we were able to make our
video with little to no problems. We were able to speed up parts, cut the
sound, add music, and even have credits at the end. <br />
<br />
This is definitely something that I would want to try with my own class in
the future. It would be a great way for them to explore creatively and use
technology efficiently. The process was a great one and I can't wait to see the
other video in class! <br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-65852298769413797142014-02-13T09:24:00.001-08:002014-02-13T09:24:07.207-08:00The Global TeacherGeorge Couros blogged recently about different types of teachers. He mentions the "classroom teacher" who is solely focused on their own room and students. They are often found to have their doors shut literally and figuratively. Next came the "school teacher" who is more open and aware of what is going on around them. They care about all students and are willing to share their expertise and experience. Last comes the "global teacher" who is a combination of both the school and classroom teacher but always has the students foremost in their thoughts. This teacher doesn't care who they are teaching because they are in this profession because they love to teach. The students could be from their own neighbourhood or miles away across the ocean. It doesn't matter who or where they are because they all present an equal opportunity to teach and share teaching strategies. <br />
<br />
That is the type of teacher I will strive to be. I think it is important to build community on all levels of life. It also sets a great model for students to learn from. Education is something to be prized and passed around. I also like the aspect of teachers sharing their knowledge across oceans. The internet makes it so much easier for this to happen and I'm sure there are many opportunities to engage in this kind of learning. <br />
<br />
Once again a really great blog post by George Couros! Check it out here: <a href="http://georgecouros.ca/blog/">http://georgecouros.ca/blog/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-60664970553967567182014-02-11T09:23:00.000-08:002014-02-11T09:23:00.153-08:00Pictures Recreated Last week in class we had the opportunity to play around with editing pictures. I am quite familiar with this process because in highschool my friends and I would do it all the time. There are so many different tools and programs available online to edit pictures (and even videos but that will be another post). <br />
<br />
One of the sites that I really liked and found easy to use is Pic Monkey (<a href="http://www.picmonkey.com/">www.picmonkey.com</a>). The layout is easy to follow and there are plenty of options. The only problem I have with this site is that there are too many options that it can be overwhelming. Before using this in a classroom I would want to play around with it a bit more and work out the kinks. <br />
<br />
I think that picture editing is a great activity for the classroom and kids would have a blast playing around with photos. A way of taking this even further is having students scrapbook any photos that they edit. A friend and I did a presentation in another class based on using scrapbooking as a creative activity in the classroom. We found that it is a great way of students reflecting back on different experiences they had during school. Also it is a more hands on activity compared to just journaling in a notebook. <br />
<br />
For class I took a picture of my brother and me from our 2008 grad;<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNlv8MQNylAVHGKO2C0tumH8wN8NnIR7mHe-W61k7czPbnGcCqtOmXuogfYRyVS24ZNTNoDh3YtWZ5Hu40Ps3tb1z79FW8mG0mMzccXlVpfvNguzNtsDTVSQWV7eyY4OUWD1rWOnaX9A/s1600/PIC2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNlv8MQNylAVHGKO2C0tumH8wN8NnIR7mHe-W61k7czPbnGcCqtOmXuogfYRyVS24ZNTNoDh3YtWZ5Hu40Ps3tb1z79FW8mG0mMzccXlVpfvNguzNtsDTVSQWV7eyY4OUWD1rWOnaX9A/s1600/PIC2.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></a></div>
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I changed the lighting of the picture as well as added a border and text. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcqeP_dnVQEP1UyME0vav-bxtfG_oaYtGCe7GqE-pba9YtH7P2hp9iOrep5GR106tzlszP_kwcsvTXB1R6DMiEsLcBW7R8I64kHckUH40a4JmVKv6JHMVmlfQQ2nHnNGX1NU2UjP1EFg/s1600/PIC1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcqeP_dnVQEP1UyME0vav-bxtfG_oaYtGCe7GqE-pba9YtH7P2hp9iOrep5GR106tzlszP_kwcsvTXB1R6DMiEsLcBW7R8I64kHckUH40a4JmVKv6JHMVmlfQQ2nHnNGX1NU2UjP1EFg/s1600/PIC1.jpg" height="320" width="251" /></a> </div>
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Overall I really like the use of photo editing in the classroom and will definitely be trying it in a future classroom. </div>
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-8660510025386201842014-02-06T05:26:00.001-08:002014-02-06T05:26:37.682-08:00A Visit from John FinchLast week our class was fortunate to have an in-person visit from John
Finch. He had many great things to say and it took me a bit of time to digest
and decide what I wanted to blog about. The one thing he said that really
caught my attention was that about 90% of grade 11 students have a laptop and
about 40% of grade 4 students have a cell phone. This has changed quite a bit
from even my time in grade 11 and, especially, grade 4. When I was in high
school probably every third student may have had a cell phone, and that was by
grade 11. Times change and I can only imagine what schools and students will
have in only a few decades time from now when I'm in the teaching seat.<br />
<br />
The fact that these students have access to these items right in their own
backpacks or pockets is great. I think it will mean a lot in the classroom
because it will empower student’s creativity and understanding. Just as John pointed out, time doesn't
need to be taken to go look in a book or boot up the computer to find specific
facts. Students can just pull out their devices and instantly have that information.
In the end it is up to us teachers to show students how to determine which information is
good and how use it in a productive way. <br />
<br />
The instant feedback really changes the way of teaching. Time can be focused
on being creative and productive and not always searching for the right
information. Students will always be engaged because they have the ability to
document and create right in their own hands wherever they are learning. So it
is also up to us teachers to show students how to document their learning and
publish it in a productive way. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-27981342829996626532014-01-29T14:20:00.001-08:002014-01-29T14:20:14.892-08:00Time to Stand Up
<br />
I have come to really enjoy my blog reader feed (I think that is what it is
called...) and I find myself checking it out daily if not twice or three times
a day. I have found that not all blogs are for me but there are lots out there
I have yet to explore (any suggestions would be appreciated). Anyways, while I
was doing my daily check this morning I came across a very awesome article
titled <em>Learning by Making is More Humane </em>through Ann S. Michaelsen's
blog<em>. </em><br />
<br />
In this article Phil Shapiro discusses this whole concept of how all
students learn differently, and by changing teaching techniques to encompass
this idea students will be more interested in school. He starts off by
expressing how important it is to teach "humanely". Phil uses this
term a lot and I think what he means by it is that teachers should realize that
students need to have high interest levels to be engaged in learning. So, a way
of raising that level is giving the students purpose and reason for what they
do. This is a more humane way of educating students compared to making them
read text after text and listen to lecture after lecture. That is something I
am familiar with, as I'm sure many of you are, and I can see where he is coming
from using the term "humane". <br />
<br />
Phil later uses the terms "standing up and sitting down" to refer
to the different teaching techniques. I totally get this! I have seen it in my
own learning and I have seen it in my student teaching placements. Students
need opportunity to get out of their chairs and make, instead of always sitting
and having their heads crammed full of stuff. I find the more independence you
give students in their learning the more they take from it. <br />
<br />
When I went to elementary school, which wasn't too long ago, we had our
assigned seating in rows. The day would start with the teacher coming in and
telling us to find our seats and sit down. We were not to move from that spot
all day because all of our learning was done from the same seated position.
Sure there were special times when we would get to leave our seat and do
something that involved more than a pencil and paper, and those are the days
that I remember best. The lasting impressions I have include putting together
projects by crowding around a computer screen with classmates, or grouping out
in the hallway as we prepare for some kind of readers theatre. <br />
<br />
At the start of the education program I was hesitant and worried about what
and how I would teacher my future students. I really don't have that feeling
anymore because there is no way I can truly plan for them. Every student is
different and will want to learn differently about different things. All I can
do is have a good base of resources that I can utilize in engaging my students
learning. <br />
<br />
Links: <br />
<br />
Ann S. Michaelsen at <a href="http://annmic.wordpress.com/" target="post"><span style="color: blue;">Teaching
using web tools</span></a><br />
<br />
Phil Shapiro at <a href="http://makezine.com/2014/01/22/learning-by-making-is-more-humane/"><span style="color: blue;">http://makezine.com/2014/01/22/learning-by-making-is-more-humane/</span></a><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-81769197440047698242014-01-22T05:34:00.001-08:002014-01-22T05:34:05.275-08:00Another Website of My Very Own
<br />
This week in class and next week Mike has us working on creating our own
class websites. This is a daunting task and not because of the technical part
but because of the creative aspect. I am a fussy person and I like things a
certain way. Designing a website poses creative challenges for me (just like
this blog did)! The whole issue of having to find pictures is tough especially
since I don’t have a keen eye for photography. Although Mike showed us this
place, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Creative Commons</i>, where people
can just go online and help themselves to creative and neat looking pictures. So,
basically it is a place where creativity and knowledge are shared through a
legal and free way. I haven’t really explored it yet but I will definitely be
checking it out once I figure out what pictures I want on my site. <br />
<br />
I remember when I was younger (probably 10 or 11) and I made my own website.
I can't remember what site I used (I think it was pic-something-or another) but
it was fun and easy to do. Since I was young I really didn't have a lot of
information to include on it and it was really only for my own fun. The front
page was an all about me section and then the tabs broke off into my interests
(mainly books that I had read and wanted to read). Since remembering about this
website earlier this week I have been trying to find it online but have had no
such luck. <br />
<br />
Since remembering about my past website I am trying to have fun with this
task but I find myself getting more frustrated than anything. There are two
reasons to this frustration, or so I think. First one is that my laptop is
ancient and needs to be replaced (I have lost my power button somewhere in my
house!) The second is that maybe it might be easier if I had an actual class to
build this for; I would feel like I had more purpose for doing this task. But,
oh well, for now I will continue to play around and figure out all the neat
features that come with building a website and try to get past my frustrations.
One very positive aspect about doing this now and working through this
frustration out is that when I do have my own classroom I should be an expert
at building websites :)<br />
<br />
Update on my ePortfolio; I think I have an outline made of what I want to
include in this and the website I will use to build it. Some of this
information will include personal information, professional development sessions,
artifacts from student teaching and my teaching philosophy. Now it is only a
matter of collecting all the information and sitting down to put it all
together cohesively in an eye-catching way. <br />
<br />
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-21627132435378500492014-01-17T12:18:00.000-08:002014-01-20T12:45:39.477-08:00The Start of New ThingsThis week in class we have been having discussions on what goes into an ePortfolio and how to go about making one. This is all brand new to me. I have little to no experience building my own website let alone one so important that will help determine the rest of my life. So far I have a notebook with a few pages of notes and this next week will be about putting it all into action. Wish me luck! <br />
<br />
The last class of this week we went over a bit of Google Docs specifically Forms. I didn't realize something like that existed. I will definitely be playing around with that before student teaching so that it is something else I can put into action! Maybe wish me luck with this too! <br />
<br />
Keep checking back for updates on my progress. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-38250092974259919622014-01-08T12:57:00.001-08:002014-01-08T12:57:56.403-08:00Back At It!
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Wow it took me a while to figure out how to navigate this
site again! I did try and give it a go while student teaching but of course
life gets in the way and this blog was pushed aside. Just to recap quickly I
had a great student teaching experience in the spring with a grade 5/6 class. I
also had a really great experience student teaching in the fall with a grade 3/4
class. Next I am looking forward to my final student teaching placement which
will be back in a grade 5/6 class. My two years at Brandon University is
certainly flying by quickly! </div>
<o:p> </o:p><br />
To be honest the main reason I am starting this blog up
again is because of the ICT course I am taking at BU (course name is actually
Using Information Communication Technology in the Classroom). I am hoping in
this course to further my understanding of ICT in the classroom and gain some
tools that will help me in my future career. I am also very excited that this
course is going to be more tailored to fellow students and my interests and
needs. <br />
<o:p> </o:p><br />
So not only am I back blogging but back at Twitter (forced
to leave twitter because of technical problems in the fall time). Follow me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">@AlauraArmstrong</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> and I'll try to follow you in return <span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></span><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-79922408931324531592013-03-18T17:36:00.002-07:002013-03-18T17:36:39.363-07:00Student Teaching... Woo!<br />
I survived my first week of student teaching (and the first day of the second week) :) that deserves a "Wooo"! For those of you who don't know I'm in a grade 5/6 split with an assortment of students. <br />
<br />My first week was spent in observation. Some of the students don't take well to change, so I spent a lot of time talking with them about their school work and interests. I think that the more comfortable the students are with me being in the classroom the better they will adapt to me teaching them. <br />
<br />Tomorrow will be my first time teaching the students a lesson I have prepared. I'm doing a science unit on properties of and changes in substances which is really awesome because majority of it is hands on. Tomorrow will just be an introduction to the unit, so nothing really exciting for the students to do. I plan on demonstrating how baking soda and vinegar mixed will create a gas, and then students will create word splashes, as title pages, for this unit. Nothing overly exciting but it is a short period time wise. I'm going to wait until after spring break to get into the fun stuff. No sense starting something that they will forget during that week away. So if anyone out there has any websites, ideas, advice, plans, assessment, ect for this unit please feel free to pass it on this way :) (Grade 5, Cluster 2).<br />
<br />Also my class does regular 'journal' time so I have prepared a writing activity for them to do tomorrow. I’m not going to share any details of that in this post because I am still unsure exactly how I'm going about it. <br />
<br />Overall I'm really excited to get lessons planned and materials gathered over spring break for the following five weeks. I have a great CT that is willing to let me just jump in and do my thing. I think it is important to do as much teaching, managing, and planning as possible every placement. May as well get the most out of it! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-26135841186178564832013-03-07T07:51:00.000-08:002013-03-07T07:51:46.929-08:00Final ProjectThis was definitely a learning experience for me! <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="421" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/17007931" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin-bottom: 5px;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="512"> </iframe> <br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 5px;">
<strong> <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/AlauraAnne777/final-project-17007931" target="_blank" title="Final project">Final project</a> </strong> from <strong><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/AlauraAnne777" target="_blank">AlauraAnne777</a></strong> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-51999431511978013902013-02-28T09:19:00.002-08:002013-02-28T09:19:24.912-08:00Class Presentations
<br />
Our class presented group projects on Tuesday this week and they were great!
I really enjoyed seeing everyone’s creative side and their thoughts on
different aspects of the internet and technology. <br />
<br />
<span lang="FR-CA" style="mso-ansi-language: FR-CA;">BYOD: Chantalle, Jocelyn,
Tiffany, Erin, Carissa, Alaura</span><br />
My group went first and we based our project on BYOD. I posted a blog about
this last week and mentioned Roy Norris in my previous blog as well. I think
this is great for classrooms. As it has been said numerous times students need
to be taught how to properly use technology. By bringing their own devices they
can take what they learn in school and, as Roy pointed out, seamlessly take it
all home. Kids are going to be using these devices in the work place so why not
start showing them how to in school. <br />
<br />
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly: Nick, Tom, Jenn, Lindsey, Micki<br />
The next group to go were the other first years who did a really great job
showing us the good, bad and ugly of the internet. One of their focuses was a
debate about Wikipedia. I like Wikipedia as a resource because it is a
secondary source for students to find information (I think it was Nick who was
arguing this point). Students just need to be taught what information is
factual and what is opinion based. <br />
<br />
How NOT to Steal from the Internet: Tyler, Lisa, Jen, Kirsten, Kelsey<br />
This group made a great video featuring Tyler the pirate! I really enjoyed
this presentation because I never really gave this topic much thought. Whenever
I take something from the internet I always copy the URL just in case I lose
what I copied. In the end it is important to pay attention to where information
is coming from and give credit where it is due. This project informed me a lot
and I plan on using their Wikispace in the future to help educate students (hotnottosteal.wikispaces.com).
As educators we need to make sure we are modelling correct behavior when it
comes to attributing items from the internet.<br />
<br />
Internet Filters: Anna, Jenn, Brooke<br />
The second last group based their project on internet filters in schools.
Just like stealing from the internet I haven't given this much thought either.
I think that after seeing the presentation and reviewing the information I am against
them. Students will find a way around any filters because they see it as a
challenge. It gives the student responsibility if things are left open and
students are expected to respect the school boundaries concerning internet use.
Also how blocked content is decided will be an issue; everyone will have a
different opinion on what is appropriate for students to use and not use. <br />
<br />
Cyber Bullying: Scott, Adrienne, Mike, Sarah, Stephanie<br />
The last group made a pretty funny video based on how media takes ideas and
makes it worse than they actually are. Basically they asked; do the media make
cyber bullying worse than it actually is in the classroom. I think that cyber
bullying is happening just as much as other bullying. Differences that I see is
through technology students are able to make their bullying permanent and
mobile. Pictures and comments can be put online at any time and are there
forever. It's just a bad imprint to leave on the internet for all involved, and
awareness needs to be brought to it just like all the other forms of bullying. <br />
<br />
I think our class did a really great job on choosing topics and creating
informative presentations. There were many different programs used like
Glogster, Today's Meet, Video, Wikispace, Wall Wisher, Poll Everywhere, and Google
Docs. Basically all are different programs that I4ED has "forced" us
to check out and try. It was great to see some of those programs in action and
realize that they aren't that hard to use. <br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-52683595393313081212013-02-26T17:57:00.001-08:002013-02-26T17:57:17.052-08:00BYTE 2013
<br />
This was a great day :), right from beginning to end! For those of you
reading this that don't know what BYTE (Build Your Teaching Experience) is, it
is a conference for educators, which was held in Neepawa this year. It was
great to meet and hear from educators across Manitoba and I really am looking forward to the next one. <br />
<br />
I attended four different sessions throughout the day and here is a little
overview of each:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">1. Safe and Caring Schools in Cyber Times:
Making Connections and Building Community by Kate Roberts.</span> I really
enjoyed this session and found it to be interesting. Kate brought a lot of
personal stories to the table that really reinforced what is being seen in
schools. Bullying is happening and it is not just localized to one type.
Bullying just happens and with the rise of technology it becomes more permanent
and, of course, mobile. Kate reiterated what has been said before in our classes,
and that bullying is a power balance where teachers have to be mindful of
mediation because it is not an equal balance. Some students also have bigger
and louder voices than others and will do what they have to do to be heard. Teachers need to be aware of and teach protective factors as much as risk
factors. I think that community and parental support is key in bringing this
awareness about. It seems that everyone needs to work together in creating an
equal power balance. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">2. They All Have Computers Now What? Teaching in
a BYOD Classroom by Roy Norris. </span><span style="color: black;">This session
was very informative and I appreciated Roy Norris' complete honesty. He didn't
have all the answers and that was ok because they were working together at his
school on figuring it out. Roy Norris is a teacher at Dakota Collegiate, a
school that has implemented BYOD in grades nine and ten. It was a long process
of trial and error and is still in process and for the most part Roy said it works
great. One feature that I really liked about his classroom is that he sits on a
rolling computer chair and just rolls from one student to another. This way he
is on their level (student and technology) and they can comfortably have a
conversation. A positive impact of BYOD that was mentioned is that the transfer
between home and school is seamless. Students can access their studies anywhere
at any time. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">3. Edmodo in Multiage by Barry Waldner. </span><span style="color: black;">This was a good presentation to supplement the information
we learned the other day in class from Don and Sophia, they talked about
Blackboard though.</span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> <span style="color: black;">Barry showed us that </span></span><span style="color: black;">Edmodo is basically Facebook for education. After looking
at it and using it a bit I`ve decided I dont like it. There is no chat
feature which I think is important for students especially if they are online
at home and want to connect with the teacher or other students. Another thing I
didn’t like about the site is that students can resubmit submitted assignments
as long as the teacher has not assigned a grade. Unless the teacher grades it
right away that aspect defeats due dates. Althought I could be overlooking a feature that locks the assignment after it is submitted, but I don’t know for
sure. One thing I did like about the site is that after tests the students
choose an emoticon representing their reaction to what they just did. There
were about seven different faces to choose from. That is an interesting aspect
because it is always good to get student feedback so teachers can readjust the
content or delivery is needed. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">4. 21st Century Learners by Sophia Palahicky. </span><span style="color: black;">It was great to hear from Sophia again and I really enjoyed
the personal touches she added to her presentation.</span> She talked again
about the 4 C`s of 21st century learning, which are Community, Create,
Collaborate, and Connect. When these are all implemented together students are
receiving the most out of their learning. I think that every classroom should focus on the 4 C`s especially when incorporating technology.This session was discussion based and
I really enjoyed hearing from teachers who have been in the field for several
years. It seems that there is a consensus that teachers need to educate
students on how to appropriately use technology and if students are using it anyway
may as well implement it in the classroom. I found that really encouraging to
hear! <br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-11998785230396235442013-02-25T12:50:00.001-08:002013-02-25T12:50:04.409-08:00The Future is on the Horizon
<br />
My thoughts on education have grown since beginning this course in
September, especially concerning technology. Before I believed that technology
had a small role in the classroom, but I have come to realize that that
role is changing and needs to be addressed in classrooms. The future of
education is one that is highly involved with technology. Students now
have never known a world with no Google let alone no computers. These students are 21st century learners and teachers need
to find a balance in their pedagogy to meet their needs. The best way is seen in integrating technology in the classroom. <br />
<br />
With the incorporation of technology in the classroom teachers need to
re-adjust how they address specific issues. One of the big factors that
teachers need to address and teach students, which was pointed out in the Horizon report, is "sense making and the ability to
assess the credibility of information". In one of my sessions at the BYTE
conference someone brought up the idea that kids have digital ability but not
digital literacy. Most kids can grab a device and automatically start using
programs on it but it is a matter of whether they are using it appropriately or
not. Students need guidance of where to go online and what sources are
credible. They need to be shown productive ways of using technology and specifically the internet. <br />
<br />
Technology also changes where and when students can learn. As we learned
last week in class students have the chance to learn online wherever and
whenever they want. The Horizon report also points out that technology makes learning mobile which is beneficial since
many activities related to learning "take place outside the walls of our
classroom". This touches on the idea of transparent walls in the classroom that
has been mentioned before. Students in Canada are able to Skype with students
from Australia. To me if technology is used appropriately the learning opportunities and experiences will grow and be endless. <br />
<br />
I think that technology is emerging in our classrooms and that it is inevitable. Time needs to be taken to properly educate teachers and students on appropriate use in the classroom and ways to maximize use in the classroom.<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-80867412682280817552013-02-23T09:55:00.001-08:002013-02-23T09:55:39.867-08:00Web Based Courses
<br />
This week in class we had a presentation by Sophia and Donald on Web Based
Courses. They had a lot of positive things to say about LMS (learning
management systems) and I agree with them. It is a great place to create an
online learning environment for students. It is not only used for distance
learning, but can be implemented in creating blended classrooms. Students want
to be using the internet so teachers should give them a productive place to be
on there. These courses are designed to be interactive because it is more than
just a place to look at content it is a place to form discussion. Students can
have a voice about what they are learning. Those students that don’t feel
comfortable speaking out in class can lead a discussion on a message board as
an alternative. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
One really good point that Sophia and Don made was that in rural areas if
there is not enough students in one spot for a class the teacher can invite
students from other areas to join the class. The important factor in making a
class like that work is communication. The teacher and student need to be in
constant contact with each other about content and assignments. Sophia also
pointed out that teachers should set short time spans for the students to
complete tasks so they won’t get forgotten. Another good point they both made
was that these programs are not replacing teachers. Teachers are still needed
to facilitate the courses and offer assistance for students. <br />
<br />
I'm a little familiar with this type of learning because I took many courses
through Distance Education at University of Manitoba. Some of the courses I
really liked and some I didn't. The ones I really liked were biology and
psychology because it was easy to read the text book/notes, watch/listen to the
lectures, and teach myself the material. Later that week I would go online and
take a quiz. It was pretty simple. The other courses I took were history and English.
Those courses were a bit harder because they involve a lot of discussion
usually and being online I missed that f2f aspect. There were chat rooms to use
but it still isn't the same as being in a class room and having a conversation
with my peers. <br />
<br />
One thing I really found annoying and frustrating about LMS overall is when
the server crashed or was down for a lengthy period of time. I experienced this
quite a bit at U of M and it annoyed me because I would schedule time to sit
and listen to an online lecture but the server would be down for 24 hours. Although
I must say that overall I really did like the courses because I could access
them wherever I wanted and work on them whenever I wanted. It made going to
university and completing courses a lot easier for me. <br />
<br />
I think that this type of learning would be great to implement in high schools.
Many students now want to work and some need to work. By having courses offered
online students are able to work during the day and do school work at night.
They can set up meeting times with their teachers to check in and get progress
reports. When I was in high school there was a paper program called
Self-Directed Learning where students would pick up packages of units and do
them at their own pace. It was still a schedule time slot on the day though so
students had to attend a class with a teacher present. <br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-52126973977412277002013-02-19T11:47:00.002-08:002013-02-19T11:47:22.151-08:00BYODOne of our projects for the I4ED class was to research a topic to do with technology and the classroom. Our topic is BYOD which is an acronym for Bring Your Own Device. This is a rising issue in schools that is being met with positive and negative feedback. In our group of first
year students we made a PowerPoint on Google Docs while incorporating different
programs like word mapping and infographics. <br />
<br />
For my part of the project I looked at the different devices available. The
list I compiled consisted of laptops, tables, cell phones, audio recorders,
cameras, and Ipods. The greatest thing about all these devices is that they are
mobile and files are easily stored and transferred. They are great
organizational tools and a way of engaging students in lessons. <br />
<br />
Two concerns that I ran into were the amount of plug points a room has. It
will be important for students to charge their devices at home during the night
so that they will be prepared for school the next day. Although some devices
are able to hold a charge all day others will have to be plugged in eventually.
The amount and location of lets would have to be dealt with if it became a
problem. A solution to this could be that the school provides power bars for
classrooms.<br />
<br />
The other concern was that there are many different devices available now
and teachers have to become technology gurus in a way. If students are bringing
devices from home then they will have an assortment of operating systems,
internet security, anti-virus programs, scanning programs, search programs, and
other such items. Teachers have to become knowledgeable so that these devices
are an aide in the classroom and not a hindrance. Students will also need an existing
knowledge of how their devices work before bringing them to school. Devices
should have similar capabilities so that students have the same access to
learning content and programs.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-67066571414011324992013-02-15T19:40:00.000-08:002013-02-15T19:40:02.216-08:00Web Apps for the Classroom Another tech task in class was to find educational web apps we would use in our classroom. I think this is a great task and one that I will put to use in my next placement. Many classrooms today are coming equipped with a few ipads and lap tops. Students spend quite a bit of time using that technology, so it is important for educators to show students how to use it productively. There are many different apps available that would be beneficial to a students learning. <br />
<br />
The first app I would suggest is <em>Dragon Dictation</em>. This is great for students who have trouble writing what they want to say. All they have to do is speak into their device and it records the information into text. Students will still need to learn how to write and type properly but <em>Dragon Dictation </em>is a good alternative when writing/typing is not the focus of the lesson.<br />
<br />
The second app I found is <em>Evernote. </em>This app is also great for students because it will help them stay organized which is very important. It had text, audio, and video features for all kinds of learners. <br />
<br />
I personally don't own or use these apps but I have seen them used in a middle year's classroom. The students liked them and some even used them daily. <br />
<br />
There are many more apps out there and I'm sure there will be even more in the future. I think when it comes to getting apps for the classroom it will be important for the teacher to consult their students since they will be the ones using them. One of the teacher's goals is to interest the students and I think that letting them help choose apps will engage them. <br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-67382884606397226042013-02-15T08:04:00.001-08:002013-02-15T08:04:33.907-08:00Always Something NewWe did not have a speaker this week in class but we did have a class discussion with some really great snacks :) . I'm really finding this class to be pushing me and my use of the internet. At first I was really frustrated with it but now I'm starting to enjoy all the new things that I'm finding out and learning about. <br />
<br />
I never realized how many functions Google had until now. Tuesday in class Mike showed us about Google+ which is a really useful tool. I like the idea of making circles and sharing. I think it would work great in a classroom for students to gain new information and connect with the world. It is also a great way for students to connect with each other (and the teacher) without having to be at school. <br />
Another cool feature on Google that I never knew existed is GoogleFight. Tyler, another student in class, shared this with us. That would definitely get the attention of any student! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-76700589936635094452013-02-13T08:50:00.000-08:002013-02-13T08:50:10.231-08:00My InfographicAn infographic is a neat way of displaying information and also a fun way of compiling information. I think that they are pleasing to look at and a great way of getting important information across. <br />
<br />
Here is the link to my infographic: <a href="http://infogr.am/Alaura-7582270631/">http://infogr.am/Alaura-7582270631/</a><br />
I used infogr.am to create it and ran into very few problems. The only issue I have is that once a graph is entered on the page I couldn't move it around. Also, I'm not a big fan of how all the graphs are one under another. I do like all the templates on infogr.am and the different features but not how they are displayed in the end. I'm sure the more I use it (like other programs) the better I will get at it. There are also a few other sites that a classmate mentioned but I haven't checked them out yet. I'm going to have to play around with them and see <br />
<br />
I would use this is a tool for teaching and learning in a class with students. I think that kids would enjoy putting their research into a visual representation online. Infographics are more than just regular posters because they can be interactive with timers and countdowns. Also videos, maps. and pictures can be uploaded as well. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-91527916870872445612013-02-12T08:51:00.001-08:002013-02-12T08:51:44.204-08:00Videos and Creative Thinking<br />
Yet again we have another tech task in class :). This time we are supposed
to go online and find "two good" videos that we could use in our
classroom. Videos are great to use as a teaching and learning tool. They
offer different perspectives for the visual and auditory learners when viewing. Also offer something for kinesthetic learners while creating a video. I see videos as a good way
of stimulating class discussions and a good reinforcement of what has already been
taught.<br />
<br />
When I do have a teaching job and the school allowed it I would put up
student videos online (YouTube or a class website). It offers the students to
create something for an authentic audience. Making videos is another outlet for
student creativity that relates to their generation. Most kids now have their
own cameras that have a video camera function and are able to take short clips
of video. Also there seems to be a few video creator programs available that
I'm sure wouldn't be too hard to figure out. <br />
<br />
Well those two videos I found come from TEDTalks, more specifically TEDEd.
The first video is called <em>Where We Get Our Fresh Water. </em>It is a three
and a half minute video that explains where fresh water comes from and how it
is consumed through the use of numbers and discussion. <a href="http://ed.ted.com/lessons/where-we-get-our-fresh-water-christiana-z-peppard"><span style="color: blue;">http://ed.ted.com/lessons/where-we-get-our-fresh-water-christiana-z-peppard</span></a>
This video would be good to use in a social studies and science class. I also
like how there are a few follow up questions after the video. That would be
good to test if the students had been paying attention or not, ha ha. <br />
<br />
The second video I found is called <em>Life of an Astronaut </em>which
follows the beginning of an astronaut’s career and all the different tasks they
have to do. Johnny Carr narrates it and makes it very personal. This video is
interesting at five minutes long and cartoon like animation. <a href="http://ed.ted.com/lessons/life-of-an-astronaut-jerry-carr"><span style="color: blue;">http://ed.ted.com/lessons/life-of-an-astronaut-jerry-carr</span></a>
This video would be good to use in a science class. It also goes with my
earlier post on podcasts; maybe I will be able to share this video during my
placement as well :).<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-3573363647238383632013-02-11T17:44:00.001-08:002013-02-11T17:44:07.906-08:00Podcast.... What's a Podcast?Another 'tech task' in class was to find a podcast that we could use in our classroom. I have never listened to or used podcasts before so I had no idea how to go about this. After a little research and button clicking on iTunes I found a podcast that I would also follow on my own which is called NASACast. <br />
<br />
There are quite a few different ones to subscribe to on iTunes. The three that I subscribed to are:<br />
-NasaCast: Solar System<br />
-NasaCast: Space Shuttle and Space Station<br />
-NasaCast: Universe<br />
<br />
I really like these because they are interesting and relevant to today. I think that it is something that students could be interested in as well. The information and the way it is presented is engaging. I also like how the videos are short, the longest one I've watched so far is about five minutes. <br />
<br />
The solar system is done in grade six science and I'm actually going to be going student teaching, for my second placement, at a grade 5/6 multi-level class. Being able to share this with them (if they haven't already seen it) would be awesome! <br />
<br />
As I read more about Podcasts and search for different ones I'm realizing how useful a tool it can be in the classroom. If a student is having trouble in class the teacher can make a podcast available for them to download and watch/listen whenever they need. Podcasts can be mobile so if a student walking to school can be studying for a test by listening to a podcast on the material.<br />
<br />
Also podcasts as projects for students are a unique way for them to express themselves and use a different form of technology. The software and materials seem easy to get and the actual making of them doesn't seem to hard either. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-39549492230371581032013-02-09T06:33:00.001-08:002013-02-09T06:33:45.123-08:00Edublogger Followed that is Inspired by Daily Five<a href="http://www.delightfuldaily5cafe.com/">http://www.delightfuldaily5cafe.com/</a><br />
<br />
I started following Laura Komos, a first grade teacher, through her blog and twitter account at the beginning of the course. I choose this edublogger to follow because her posts and resources are based around the <em>Daily 5 </em>and <em>The Cafe Book</em>. I did a study of the <em>Daily 5</em> in English Methods in the previous term. I really enjoyed the methods and routines discussed in the book so I figured I would enjoy following Laura's blog and twitter. So, far I have not been disappointed. I find what she has to say interesting and relevant to the classroom. She often talks about what worked and didn't work during class which gives me a better insight into the <em>Daily 5</em>. <br />
<br />
One of the aspects about Laura's blog that I really enjoy is how she puts up of pictures of her lessons and classroom. This gives me ideas as to how things can be arranged and presented in ways that students will understand and like. Another thing I like is through her posts Laura differentiates what is her original idea, what was adapted from the <em>Daily 5</em> and what was just lifted from the <em>Daily 5</em>. <br />
<br />
I really connected with the <em>Daily 5</em> instruction and figured if I had an earlier year's classroom I would definitely implement it. Seeing it done in a real classroom as the year progresses is good inspiration for me when I finally get my own classroom. One particular posts of Laura's that I liked is an older one but it is on expanding the <em>Daily 5</em> into the math curriculum. It opened my eyes to see that these methods can be integrated into any curriculum with a little bit of tweaking. <br />
<br />
I also really liked how easy Laura's site is to navigate. On the right side she has an area where she lists her "book shelf" and labels all her posts into categories for easy topic searching. <br />
<br />
I look forward to following and reading about Laura and her <em>Daily 5 Cafe blog</em><em>. </em><br />
<em></em><br />
(Laura Komos also has another blog that is reflective on teaching and learning. I follow this one as well but I found the information from the <em>Daily 5 Cafe </em>blog to interest me more. Here is the link to her other blog as well, <a href="http://www.ourcampreadalot.com/">http://www.ourcampreadalot.com/</a>) <br />
<em></em><br />
<em></em>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6058160602935973004.post-40145601690866836472013-02-08T08:58:00.000-08:002013-02-08T08:58:04.469-08:00Clarence Fisher Skypes In
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Yesterday in class we had the opportunity to skype with
Clarence Fisher, a grade 7/8 teacher from Snow Lake. Clarence had me typing a
mile a minute with all the information he was giving us. First I would like to
start with his opinion on how education is changing. I agree that education is
always changing. Clarence reflected back to when he first got into the industry
and recalls how it was static; unchanging and unmoving. Now he sees it as
different and that teachers are on the edge of globalization. Education is not
just isolated to a classroom now. This is what Alex Couros was talking about
when breaking down the walls and making classrooms transparent. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Another point Clarence touched on was that it is very
important for education to be engaging and passion based for students and
teachers. There needs to be a way to combine high standards and big outcomes
with activities that engage students. I think that teachers need to model a
passion for education for students. If a teacher is enthusiastic and engaged
then most times students can’t help but follow. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Clarence also talked about technology and education. He
mentioned how education needs to be thought of as mobile because we are
constantly learning. Also students need to be taught how to create with
technology and not just consume. I had never thought of technology in the classroom
that way but it is true. Most times technology is thrust at students and they
are expected to treat it like a textbook; a place to gather information. Technology
is more than that, it is an opportunity for students to creatively express
themselves. Teachers need to push students to take pictures and create videos.
I think that the fact that Clarence has a TV hanging in his classroom is
awesome! I think it is even better that he displays students pictures and art
work on it during the day!! </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Also by pushing students to try new things they will enhance
their digital skills. Most times it is assumed that students know how to use all
the various technology and the information on it but that is a skill that still
needs to be taught. Students need to learn the difference between facts and
opinions online. Teachers only need to spend time with students and use
technology with purpose. Often technology is implemented without knowing why or
just as time killers. Clarence mentioned that teachers should have a purpose
for being online and not just doing it because it is there. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
The last thing that Clarence talked about was that
technology is no longer optional. EdTech is many things now and not just doing
internet searches. Schools need to embrace this so that school remains an
engaging place for students to learn. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18294631899636400862noreply@blogger.com1