Today was NOT a good day. Many unexpected changes to our schedule. :(
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Today's Events for John Doe
Today, John had a wonderful day in school. There were no changes to his schedule.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Blog #4
How can technology be used most effectively to support and assess student learning?
I love open-ended questions like this! There are so many different answers that it's difficult to decide on just one to choose. However, I'll give it my best shot. Here's what I think. I believe that the process of choosing a tool is every bit as important as the use of the tool. What I mean is that there's a process that should be followed when using technology to support/assess student learning.
From the very beginning, when I'm thinking about using technology, I want to really reflect on the technology choices that I'm making. Just because there's a really cool whizzbang new tool out on the Internet doesn't necessarily mean that I should use that tool. I need to think about whether or not the tool will meet my student's needs. If it's not meeting their needs- or if it could cause more confusion that it fixes, then it doesn't need to be used.
On the other hand, I also want to give my students the tools that they're going to need to succeed in the future. I don't want to set my students up for failure in a world where knowing how to use technology could be the difference between having a job-or not having a job.
I suppose that my main point is that technology is a tool. Someone wise once told me that you need to use the right tool for the right job. Sometimes technology may not be the best tool, and sometimes it may be. The challenge is deciding when it is- or when it isn't.
I love open-ended questions like this! There are so many different answers that it's difficult to decide on just one to choose. However, I'll give it my best shot. Here's what I think. I believe that the process of choosing a tool is every bit as important as the use of the tool. What I mean is that there's a process that should be followed when using technology to support/assess student learning.
From the very beginning, when I'm thinking about using technology, I want to really reflect on the technology choices that I'm making. Just because there's a really cool whizzbang new tool out on the Internet doesn't necessarily mean that I should use that tool. I need to think about whether or not the tool will meet my student's needs. If it's not meeting their needs- or if it could cause more confusion that it fixes, then it doesn't need to be used.
On the other hand, I also want to give my students the tools that they're going to need to succeed in the future. I don't want to set my students up for failure in a world where knowing how to use technology could be the difference between having a job-or not having a job.
I suppose that my main point is that technology is a tool. Someone wise once told me that you need to use the right tool for the right job. Sometimes technology may not be the best tool, and sometimes it may be. The challenge is deciding when it is- or when it isn't.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
#3
This module has helped me think about the impact of the internet in my student's learning in the following ways...
Well, since I work with technology and the internet on an everyday basis, I see good and bad. More often than not, I see that technology, when properly implemented is an outstanding tool. I feel that collaboration in an online environment is really important for our students not just because of the curriculum they're learning, but because of the methods of collaboration that the students are learning. They're learning HOW to collaborate in the online world. That, in and of itself will, I think, assist my future students as they grow up in an increasingly technical world. How they learn is every bit as important as what they're learning...
The tools that we give them for online communication and online collaboration are just a glimpse of what will be available in the near future, but by exposing them now, we can start prepping them for what they will need to succeed.
Well, since I work with technology and the internet on an everyday basis, I see good and bad. More often than not, I see that technology, when properly implemented is an outstanding tool. I feel that collaboration in an online environment is really important for our students not just because of the curriculum they're learning, but because of the methods of collaboration that the students are learning. They're learning HOW to collaborate in the online world. That, in and of itself will, I think, assist my future students as they grow up in an increasingly technical world. How they learn is every bit as important as what they're learning...
The tools that we give them for online communication and online collaboration are just a glimpse of what will be available in the near future, but by exposing them now, we can start prepping them for what they will need to succeed.
#3
This module has helped me think about the impact of the internet in my student's learning in the following ways...
Well, since I work with technology and the internet on an everyday basis, I see good and bad. More often than not, I see that technology, when properly implemented is an outstanding tool. I feel that collaboration in an online environment is really important for our students not just because of the curriculum they're learning, but because of the methods of collaboration that the students are learning. They're learning HOW to collaborate in the online world. That, in and of itself will, I think, assist my future students as they grow up in an increasingly technical world. How they learn is every bit as important as what they're learning...
The tools that we give them for online communication and online collaboration are just a glimpse of what will be available in the near future, but by exposing them now, we can start prepping them for what they will need to succeed.
Well, since I work with technology and the internet on an everyday basis, I see good and bad. More often than not, I see that technology, when properly implemented is an outstanding tool. I feel that collaboration in an online environment is really important for our students not just because of the curriculum they're learning, but because of the methods of collaboration that the students are learning. They're learning HOW to collaborate in the online world. That, in and of itself will, I think, assist my future students as they grow up in an increasingly technical world. How they learn is every bit as important as what they're learning...
The tools that we give them for online communication and online collaboration are just a glimpse of what will be available in the near future, but by exposing them now, we can start prepping them for what they will need to succeed.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Blog Reflection #2...
This Module has helped me think about about using standards, CFQs, or formative assessment in the following ways...
Well, as a teacher, and after working on this weeks assignments, I'm thinking a lot about formative assessment. When I think back to my time in the classroom, I think that formative assessment was one area where I was weak. I was constantly assessing students, but often it was really in a more informal kind of way. Technology gives us many avenues for assessment, and in the future I have some ideas about how I can make more formative assessments, more often.
Blackboard is one area that makes formative assessments much easier. Being able to upload quizzes and have them graded automatically will really help not just me, but also my students. I think many times that when students do poorly on a quiz, they don't always realize that quizzes are sometimes there to benefit them. To let them know where they're weak. They only see it as a grade. I think that by using my little PowerPoint quizzes, I can help my students to realize where they're weak, and not have them worry about a grade...
Well, as a teacher, and after working on this weeks assignments, I'm thinking a lot about formative assessment. When I think back to my time in the classroom, I think that formative assessment was one area where I was weak. I was constantly assessing students, but often it was really in a more informal kind of way. Technology gives us many avenues for assessment, and in the future I have some ideas about how I can make more formative assessments, more often.
Blackboard is one area that makes formative assessments much easier. Being able to upload quizzes and have them graded automatically will really help not just me, but also my students. I think many times that when students do poorly on a quiz, they don't always realize that quizzes are sometimes there to benefit them. To let them know where they're weak. They only see it as a grade. I think that by using my little PowerPoint quizzes, I can help my students to realize where they're weak, and not have them worry about a grade...
Sunday, August 29, 2010
This module has made me think...
This module has made me think about my role as an instructional designer in the following ways...
Well, I've had a lot of opportunity over the past few months in SCED 1000 to think about instructional design. However, from the perspective of an elementary teacher it's VERY different, yet in some ways, it's very much the same. In SCED 1000, I've tried to make things as simple as I can for the students. Basically, I've used the KISS principle. With Elementary Education though, it's very different, because I know that my students aren't as savvy with technology as my college students.
One way that being an instructional designer has made me think...I'm a lot more reflective about how I'm planning things. Not only that, but as I'm assessing my students, I'm thinking more about next semester and about how I can change things to make the class experience better for my students.
Well, I've had a lot of opportunity over the past few months in SCED 1000 to think about instructional design. However, from the perspective of an elementary teacher it's VERY different, yet in some ways, it's very much the same. In SCED 1000, I've tried to make things as simple as I can for the students. Basically, I've used the KISS principle. With Elementary Education though, it's very different, because I know that my students aren't as savvy with technology as my college students.
One way that being an instructional designer has made me think...I'm a lot more reflective about how I'm planning things. Not only that, but as I'm assessing my students, I'm thinking more about next semester and about how I can change things to make the class experience better for my students.
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