Janet

A blog of my own

2008-04-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

I have been learning alot about how technology can be used in the classroom. I have been thinking about how much I would like to use technology in my own classroom. I also have thought about what kind of environment will I be in? Will I have computers to use, will they be updated or not? I know that I would like to use technology alot in the classroom, but know that my resources to having computers in the class might not be there. How does one implement all this wonderful technology when there isn't any updated computers to use the programs? That is my biggest fear.

I have come to th conclusion that technology isn't everything. I know that I want to use technology for certain subjects, yet I know that it is not the answer for everything. I would like to use technology whenever I feel it can be used because I know that all students learn in differnt ways. Kids today seem so much harder encourage to want to learn because of the technological world we live in and the work we require them to do involves paper, pencils and books. There is so many ways to show what you've learned and I want kids to know that they can use technology to express themselves. I know that there is more than one way to learn and therefore there is more than one way to show what you've learned. I feel that we should allow kids to express their minds in a way that they feel most comfortable. We want to know that they've learned the lessons, but why do we limited the assessing process? We should want to try to reach the kids, and if using technology will reach that student, then good for them! I think if the studnet is learning, and making progress, why does is matter that they are using a computer and not using a pencil?

I am very glad that I've taken this class because I feel that there are many resources on the internet to use in the classroom. The resources out there is growing, and if we can learn these programs, and implement it in the classrooms, then I feel we will reach more children out there to learn and be successful! Technology is wonderful!

Flicker Slideshow

2008-04-23T16:59:00.000-07:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Flicker is a really neat program. I think that students will enjoy using this program because it is really easy to use and also the finish product looks very professional. Flicker slideshow would be good when compiling pictures to tell a story in a fun and artistic way. I think the schools today need to come up with more ways to teach story telling in other ways that allows students to tell their own stories. It is a nice becuase each picture has a description box that allows you to describe the picture, but you need to click on the picture first. This is good because you don't need to read all the descriptions, and can pick and choose the pictures that you want further described. I think this program would be good to use for reading and writing subjects. You can teach writing through this program by teaching what information is important for each picture. You also need to teach the sequence of the story and the students can practice this with Flicker. There are so many ways to use this prgram. I do this that kids will want to read the descriptions because it is presented in a different medium. The kids will more likely want to read the descriptions because it is on a computer and not in a textbook. They love using new programs and this is an wonderful program because it is SO easy to use.

I feel really comfortable using this program. I think that it was easy to use and feel that all children can learn how to use this program quick and also work independantly once they learn the basics. I would like to use this program in the classroom because it involves reading and writing in a way that is fun for the kids. I think that they would like this program and will more likely want to do the assignments if they know they are using a computer. I also think that if kids are having fun with the assignments, they get more out of it, and will be life long learners. I think that this program is a good way to teach reading and writing in the classroom. I'm excitted to show others about this program.

Sense of Place Poster

2008-04-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

The program Comic Life is a wonderful tool that I think kids will love. They can write their own stories in a fun way, as well as reading other stories. Many kids love to read stories in the view of comics. I find that boys like to read the comic books, and this would be a great tool for them to use to make and read stories. Writing can be hard to make fun for kids today because they think that they have to use only paper and pencil to produce. Today, kids can write their stories using Comic Life. I really think we need to come up with more ways to learn and teach writing and this program is great for this subject. I would really like to use this in my classroom so that kids will have more ways to express themselves in ways that is fun. If they are doing a writing project that they enjoy doing, they will more likely learn more as well as perform at higher levels. As a teacher, you want your kids to be able to write well and tell a story in their own way. Comic Life is a great program to use and it allows kids to express their stories in ways that will blow you away! I'm excited to show my kids this program and read their stories!

I feel really good using this program. I think that I can teach kids in elementary schools th basics of this program. I feel that it was a learning experience at first, but the more time I played around with the program, I figured it out right away. I think it is just like any program, you need to spend some time playing around with it in order to get a good feel for what it's capable of doing. Once I figured how it works, I feel that this is a really good tool to use in the classroom. I'm so excited that this is available on the internet so that I can have access to this regardless of my location. The only limit is having access to the internet. This is a wonderful program!

Panraven Storybook

2008-04-16T19:21:00.000-07:00

Panraven is a wonerful technology tool that would be great to use in writting stories. Kids today love to tell stories and what could be more fun than to make your own story that looks so professional and realistic. Panraven allows users to upload pictures and tell a story. It is neat because anyone can use this tool if they have access to a computer. There are so many stories out there to be told and for kids who live in a village it is a wonderful tool to use. I think that I would use it in my classroom to allow kids to write their own stories and also learn new stories from people all over the world. I think this is a good tool to use for writing stories because it's easy to use and also the finished product looks just like a published book. For kids to know that their stories will be produced in a professional aspect, they have more pride in their work and it allows more imagination to want to make up more stories. It allows kids to want to write and produce stories because it is so easy and fun to use. There are so many ways to use this tool.

I feel really comfortable using this program and don't have any issues except for the fact that the editing process takes time and PATIENCE! Since it is all produced on the internet, it takes time to copmlete. I do have to say that it sure is worth it in the end once you are finished. You have a story that is professional looking and is worth sharing. Other than the issue of time, I don't have any other complains, and I feel that I can use this in my own classroom. I think this is a wonderful tool to use as a teacher and would tell others about it! I love this program!

Voice Thread Project

2008-04-16T16:42:00.000-07:00

This is my voice thread project that focuses on the North Slope Region of Alaska.

I really liked using Voice Thread. It was easy to pick up and start making your own project. I think that this would be good for families who would like to start keeping track of their pictures with the emphasis of having a story told while looking at the photos. In the Alaskan Native cultures, oral stories are past down from generation to generation. It is so important that the stories are told so that the younger generations will know where they are from and who they are. This is a very nice tool to use as a photo album that allows family or friends listen to the stories, as well as add their own comments and stories to the photos. You really learn alot more from the photos because of the option of commenting on them. Also, if your family or friends are far away, they have the option of being able to log on to the internet and be able to see the same photos and hear the same stories. I really think this could be valuable to families and friends who want to share their stories. It can be really nice to use in the classrooms because you can learn alot from a story that allows people to input comments and visa versa. In the end, it allows stories to be told in ways that I've never thought was possible. A story can be told in so many different ways and also the interpretations will vary. This is really good to have because you can hear the actual story as well as the comments that strengthen the idea. This is a wonderful to use in or out of the classroom. If I can figure it out, then so can students. I really like that it was easy to use and seems like it would be a very effective tool to teach and learn in the classroom. It involves learning and teaching with technology, and also in a way that is new to kids. More likely, they will attratct to the lessons thorugh this tool because it's new, fun, and allows lots of room for opinions and comments. This is a nice tool!

"A Way of Life" - A short movie I made

2008-03-05T17:28:00.000-08:00

This is a short movie of the North Slope Region of Alaska. This is where I grew up. I wanted to make a movie that sums up about the way of life in this part of the world. Enjoy!

The Windows Movie Maker Program is an excellent tool to use in the classroom with your students. Students can use this program to go with their writing assignments. They can create pictures to go with the assignments, and record story to go with it. When the movie is played, it makes their work come to life! This program is a tool that can be used with writing to help them become more interested in this subject. Some students can struggle to get into the mood of writing, however, with this program, they become excited to participate. This is a wonderful technology tool that reaches students in the classroom. If students know that they can tell a story through technology, they are going to enjoy the process and learn more through it.

I would like to create a movie that teaches the Inupiat Eskimo language, and also how to pronounce the letters. This same concept can be used to teach different lessons in a way that is fun for students. Allowing students to learn about subjects through reading is something they might struggle with. However, allowing them to learn through the Movie Maker Program is a way that you know they will most likely appreciate. There is many different ways that this program can be used in the classroom. I think the possibilities are endless, and will result in success in the classroom.

I feel comfortable using the Windows Movie Maker Program. I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to add music to the background to complement the narration of the movie. In the future I will use the MAC iMovie HD, because you can have both narration and music at one time. I would have preferred to have the music in the background for this movie I made. I do feel like this program is a wonderful tool to use in the classroom. I really believe that this program can be used to help teach students in many different ways. This is a positive technology tool!

PowerPoint As An Instructional Tool

2008-03-02T22:12:00.000-08:00

Corel Painter Essential is an excellent tool! When this program is taught properly, students as early as Kindergarten will be able to use it. However, I have designed my power point presentation for grades 4th and up. It teaches students the basic of using the program. If they accomplish the tasks that I teach in the presentation, they will have the tools to start their own creation and experiment on their own. I really think that this program is very easy to use, and can be used as wonderful learning tool in the classroom.

I would like to see this program used to help students broaden their minds when it comes to art. There are a lot of students who think that they are not artistic. I really didn’t care too much for art myself because I’m not very good at it. After playing with this program, I feel like I can express myself through this program in an artistic way. I have never been able to do this because of my comfort level with art.

This program can be linked with writing activities. Students can write stories, and then create a picture that they have drawn using this program. By having this program to be used in conjunction to their writing lessons, it creates a spark of interest that they might have not had for writing before this program. I believe this program will make students eager to write stories, because they know that they can draw a picture to go with their story. This program allows students to become excited about writing, and these are the students that don’t care about literature or language arts. I really believe that this program will allow more students to become more excited about school because they are learning in a way that they can relate too.

We are living in a time where computers are being used at such an early age. Allowing students to draw pictures with this program to go with their writing, will create students who will want to come to school. They’ll be excited for their language arts lesson. I really want to use this program in my own classroom because it reaches those students who are hard to teach. It reaches those who feel that they cannot express themselves through only writing. They feel like they can’t do the writing activity because it portrayed is in a way that doesn’t touch their learning style. Using this program might reach them in a way that is different than the everyday traditional way in school.

Also, I believe that all students learn in many different ways, and as a teacher, it is up to us to figure out how to reach them. We need to come up with original and creative ways to assess them. I believe in allowing students to express themselves in a way that is their style. There are a lot of student out there that would like to draw a picture to help them get out what they are wanting to say, that they can not do in just words. By allowing students to use this program to draw pictures to give an answer is a great idea. When students see that we are trying to work with them, then they will more likely want to listen to us. The limits to using this program in the classroom is endless.

I feel comfortable to teach this program to my own students. I am eager to use this in the class room. This is a tool that I have on my wish list so that I can use it in the classroom. I showed this program to my little cousin who is in the 2nd grade, and she really picked up on it quick. She really liked using the program and thought it was neat that she can use a computer to draw a pretty picture! I felt good that I was able to teach her the basics of using this program. If I can teach her how to use it, then I feel pretty confident to teach it in my own classroom. I’m really excited that this program is out there!

Nordale Photo

2008-02-17T22:55:00.000-08:00

Becoming a teacher. . .

2008-02-17T22:42:00.000-08:00

This semester is going by so fast! I really feel like this semester is very challenging and busy. I am working for the School District and feel that I am getting a lot of good experience working there. I tutor students in 4th, 5th and 6th grades in reading, writing and math. I get a chance to see other teachers in action as well as doing the teaching myself. I feel that this is such a wonderful opportunity. I love working with children. Working for the School District has made me realize that teaching is really what I want to do in life. I feel rewarded when I go home each day. It's an amazing feeling.

I am eager to finish school so that I can teach in the classroom. Taking this Technology class has given me a lot of great ideas to try in the classrooms. I think in order to be a good teacher, you must be able to teach the students in a way that relates to them. For example, when I tutored at Nordale Elementary School, I had a lot of students who were into sports and especially hockey. I would relate a lot of examples for school work to hockey or the sport that they were involved in. When I connected these interests with their school work, it made sense to them and it created a long lasting memory. I think that it is important to be able to always look at things in a way that you can connect or relate too, because they are more likely to remember and understand it. I arranged for the UAF Hockey team to visit Nordale students and talk about their school experiences. They just loved that!

I think that in the future, students will use technology on a regular basis that it just comes natural for them to apply it into the classroom. I see that technology is a key that opens to unlimited resources all over the world, and I'm eager to see how I can apply it into my classroom. I grew up in Wainwright, and we had a computer room that had access to the internet. We got a chance to work in the computer lab a few times a week. It was mostly to type up reports, and do some research. The students today get a chance to go to the lab as well, but they are using it to help with their reports, play math games, and research. They are using the computers for so much more today than we used them back long ago.

I'm really excited about integrating the computers in the classrooms because I really believe that it will inspire students to do well, and also give them unlimited resources. I believe the more they use the computers, the better they will become with them. If shown properly, they will be able to use the computer for many different tasks that they need to accomplish in school. I don't think that computers will be everything in schools, but I do believe it will become an excellent resource to use for all subjects. With technology, we can reach the students that loose interest in school. Also, we will reach the students who may have disabilities, but with the computers they are able to overcome those obstacles.

There is so much that technology can do in the classroom. I for one would really like to open the doors to see the opportunities that are out there for me as a future teacher. Taking this class has really opened my eyes. This semester is going by so fast, and I hope that I can learn enough to get me headed in the right direction to learning more about how I can apply technology in the classrooms.

Photo attached is of the UAF Hockey players that came to visit Nordale students.

Software Resources

2008-02-11T00:35:00.000-08:00

Here are three sites that are excellent resource for students! Enjoy!

1. Software Title: Educational Resources for K-8 Students
Grade/Age Level: K-8th
Subject Area(s): Language Arts, Math, Science Social Studies
Platform: Both
Purpose: A resource to help k-8 students interact with fun games in Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. This site allows students to play games while learning and becoming stronger in these subjects. It is a way to educate students while they have fun playing the different games.
Link: Basic Skill Games

2. Software Title: Cool Math 4 Kids
Grade/Age Level: K- 12
Subject Area(s): Math
Platform: Both
Purpose: To allow students to see that math can be fun! This site was designed by a woman who struggled with math, and later realized that math can and is fun! She created this site to show students that learning math is fun. Instead of learning math through a textbook, you can play these games to learn different skills that are specified. She has games for grades K-8 and also has other good qualities like how to do strategies for different functions. There is also high school math games and activites to play on here. I think this is a very powerful site because the diversity of ages that can use it.
Link: Cool Math 4 Kids

3. Software Title: Fun Brain
Grade/Age Level: K-8
Subject Area(s):
Platform: both
Purpose: This site is for students to interact in language arts and math games. By playing the games on this site, students will understand math and language arts better than before. This site is nice because computer games from this site will keep students entertained while they are learning. It is also nice because you can search for games by the grades specified.
Link: Fun Brain

These three sites can be used in the classroom or at home. It allows the students to learn subjects they would normally learn in a text book. It is nice for the students to have these resources because it allows them to learn in another medium, creating students who love to learn. It also attracts the students who struggle in the classroom, or fail to be interested in those subjects. Students today love computers and games. A teacher can allow students to play on these sites if a student is finished with their work, reward, or those who are struggling to understand the subjects. I really enjoyed looking and interacting in these sites. Because of this activity, I have learned that internet sites such as these, can be beneficial in my future classroom.

Any questions, please feel free to respond to this blog. - Janet

One-to_One Reflection

2008-02-03T22:27:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed watching the One-to-One Video that was shown in class. I was curious to see how this School reacted to the program being implemented in their School. All the teachers and the students really seemed to love the idea of having laptops for every student. I do not have an experience of being around students who have laptops assigned to them. However, I do work at Anne Wien Elementary School, and the teachers are able to borrow the laptops from time to time for projects. The students really like the idea of having their own laptop for their assignments, even if it is only for the short time. They do only borrow them from time to time, and it belongs to the entire school. Teachers have to request for the laptops, which can be frustrating at times. The students use different programs like Inspiration, Microsoft Works and Power Point. I think this is a really good idea to get the students more involved with using laptops at an early age. I didn’t see any problems when they did use the laptops. The students seemed to really click to the laptops, and pretty much all of them had prior experience to using them. One thing that bothered me was the need to “pretty up” their work. Some students worried too much about what font their work was in, or what color they used etc… They took too much time worrying about the appearance of their work, that they didn’t finish their work on time causing points to be taken away. For the most part, I really liked the idea of the students having the laptops. Before they had laptops, they used “Apple smart,” computers, and this is only good for writing papers. This is my experience of laptops being used in the schools.
Watching the One-to-One Video, I did see that there were both positive and negative sides to using laptops in the schools. I do think that the positive out weighs the negatives by far. If you have teachers willing to use laptops in the classrooms, and are open to the experience, I believe that the students would excited for their education. There are some students who are falling behind because they don’t like school, and I think having the laptops will spark an interest in their eyes. I love to use my laptop when it comes to research, writing and recording data. The Students that I work with at my job, feel a lot similar, and they are very excited to do their work when they know that they can use a computer to look up information or write papers. I think if we want our students to learn and do well in school, we should give them the tools that they need to help them do their best. Watching the One-to-One Video was good for me, because I wanted to see the effects of having laptops used in the schools and hear their opinions both good and bad. I also think that using laptops will allow students to go places that they have never gone before. Growing up in the village, where there are no road systems, I find that using laptops is very useful. I knew a girl who never saw a tree before. She had never traveled anywhere, but because we had the internet, she was introduced to many different ideas, places and her world opened up a little bit more. I think that having laptops in the classroom will allow students to tour places that the school would never have funding to offer. They would be able to research anything in the world that came to mind or at least get some insight to start a project. The world is at their fingertips!

In the video, I started to thinking of some negative sides to having laptops in the schools. I would think that some students will get off track by using the laptops for chatting, messaging, and perhaps looking at inappropriate sites. I do not know exactly how the laptops would be used for the math subjects. How would they use the laptops to do their work. Isn’t there calculators on the laptops, and most teachers don’t want their students to use them. How would teachers stop students from using calculators, and using them on tests? I think it would be hard to use laptops for math. Also, the tests that students are required to take, don’t allow them to use laptops, or at least I don’t think they can. What will the students do then? The students will be use to using the laptops to do their work, that when it is time to complete the required tests, they will be thinking and doing their work out of the comfortable working zone that they are used too. I am very curious to see if the One-to-One Video addresses this issue and whether using laptops has effected the testing progress. Using the laptops, students will be able to research the internet. They will have to be able to tell what is false and what is true. They also will be open to copying information that they see and not using their own words. This is going to cause some problems for our students and our teachers, and it is something that we as the teachers will have to address in the beginning.

Overall, I do think that I would like to use laptops in my classroom. I think that there are both positive and negative sides to using laptops, however there are more good than there is bad. In the end, our students who use laptops will become better students, and perhaps allow them to become more excited to learning than they were before and allowing them to be stronger than ever. I do think that as a teacher using laptops in the classrooms, I would have to change my approach to teaching and have a lot of planning beforehand. Also, I’d really like to check out how other schools have implemented this program, and their opinions from both sides. I would be so excited to use laptops in the class room!

Personal Introduction

2008-01-29T20:49:00.000-08:00

My name is Janet, and I'm originally from Wainwright, Alaska. I am a junior here at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Currently, I'm pursuing a degree in Elementary Education. I plan to teach in rural Alaska, but would like to start out in Fairbanks. I would like to teach primary grades at first, but I will be happy with any position I am offered. I'm really excited to beome a teacher. My mom was a teacher and I saw first hand how much her job impacted her life and others. I look forward to taking this class and learn how I can use technology in the classroom. I really think that technology is the key to success for our youth's futures. The younger generation today have a lot of skills with computers and technology. If I can learn about different approaches to teaching with technology in the classroom, I feel I will be more effective as a teacher. I'm really excited about this class.