Using anything that requires talking is a challenge without a script. But I can see teachers using it to present a short how-to presentation. I can see students using Jing to show how they surf the net, find images, or using different microsoft tools. Its great that you have the option of capturing a video or just an image. I like the feature that you can record your voice while capturing a video.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Slide Share
Slide Share is a great way to go from one place to another without having to forget if you saved your PowerPoint to a usb or your computer. I could see this being used in the business world especially if the employee has to travel alot. Also, since businesses are trying to save money, they can share their presentation around the world. As far as for education purposes, we can search for a powerpoint to go along with the lesson or show examples to relate to the lessons.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Diversity, Cultural Understanding and Global Awareness
With a variety of tools at our finger tips, is it enough to show the students the world of cultural and global awareness. With all the textbooks, books in the school library and a variety of lessons to assist with diversity of culture, its still not enough to have the students understand cultural differences without the background knowledge. Of course the books we can be read to the students can help with knowledge, but the books can be quickly out-dated with all the current events happening around the world. Things change and we need to stay on top of global awareness. As an American, I feel that I don't know what's happening around the world all the time or the past 30 something years. So much is changing and it is a challenge to keep up with it. There is so much going on here in the U.S. that seems to overpower any event in the world that's not needing our help.
Now that we have a new tool in the classroom to show the students how to retrieve more supplements for them to work on, we can show the students more events or images that is happening around the world. The books can only take the students so far but opening up to the internet is like opening a book to another world of understanding, and up-to-date events. We have sites like CNN, AJC, as well as newspapers all over the world that is on the internet (http://www.world-newspapers.com/). We have the power to keep up with current events. There is National Geographic, Social Studies for kids, and more. We can now find the understanding of cultures by reading and exlore everything that is current. Since the earthquake happened in Japan, I found a website that was constintly updating everytime an earthquake happens around the world (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/). I showed it to a few student and teachers. It helped the students to become more interested on how earthquake happens.
Books can help with learning and getting to know a little about the world by the stories they read. Books are only one tool and can quickly become outdated. With using the internet, we can open the students' eyes to so many possibilities to make a connection with books. It can be used to make the world seem smaller by discovering an events or learning about the culture of other worlds. We can close the gaps and have the students become world explorers.
Now that we have a new tool in the classroom to show the students how to retrieve more supplements for them to work on, we can show the students more events or images that is happening around the world. The books can only take the students so far but opening up to the internet is like opening a book to another world of understanding, and up-to-date events. We have sites like CNN, AJC, as well as newspapers all over the world that is on the internet (http://www.world-newspapers.com/). We have the power to keep up with current events. There is National Geographic, Social Studies for kids, and more. We can now find the understanding of cultures by reading and exlore everything that is current. Since the earthquake happened in Japan, I found a website that was constintly updating everytime an earthquake happens around the world (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/). I showed it to a few student and teachers. It helped the students to become more interested on how earthquake happens.
Books can help with learning and getting to know a little about the world by the stories they read. Books are only one tool and can quickly become outdated. With using the internet, we can open the students' eyes to so many possibilities to make a connection with books. It can be used to make the world seem smaller by discovering an events or learning about the culture of other worlds. We can close the gaps and have the students become world explorers.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Internet Safety
As the internet keeps getting bigger with new sites uploading everday, the risk for the students to see the wrong site or image is increasing a little everyday. We need to educate the students how to stay safe while they are surfing, facebooking, or searching for a topic. Something unexpected might come up and we need to make sure they do the right thing by telling their teacher, parents or an adult if the sight they come across is inappropriate, especially when the filter doesn't catch it. Luckily for us, there are sights that can help us to teach the students and parents how to stay safe on the internet.
Safekids.com is a great site for a Paren'ts guide to Facebook. It explains the ins and outs about Facebook and the different features in a PDF booklet. There is also about the privacy of Facebook in a podcast with additional information on how to hide their friend's list. It shows step-by-step to hid the list and set the privacy on Facebook. There are many other features to explore about internet safety especially for pre-teens. A few things I like about this site, the internet contract for parents and children, and the internet safety quiz.
Netsmartz.org has information for parents, educators, law enforcement, teenagers, pre-teens, and kids. This site has a downloadable presentation about internet safety and share it with any community. There is also a video on cyberbullying. There are plenty of educational materials for teachers to teach how to be safe on-line. There are downloadable video on certain subjects, printable tip sheets, educational standards, etc. Teenagers can learn about cyberbullying through videos, games and visit a tipline. There is also games, videos, and activities for pre-teens and kids. This really appeals to all ages and adults who are around students.
Internetsafety.org has a wide variety of everything that has to do with the internet. It has video, articles, and statistics on dangers and safety . The dangers cover Pornography, Predators, and Web 2.0. Of course the safety covers resources, pledges and guidelines. This site has a blog, news and events to stay on top of everything going on about internet safety.
Safekids.com is a great site for a Paren'ts guide to Facebook. It explains the ins and outs about Facebook and the different features in a PDF booklet. There is also about the privacy of Facebook in a podcast with additional information on how to hide their friend's list. It shows step-by-step to hid the list and set the privacy on Facebook. There are many other features to explore about internet safety especially for pre-teens. A few things I like about this site, the internet contract for parents and children, and the internet safety quiz.
Netsmartz.org has information for parents, educators, law enforcement, teenagers, pre-teens, and kids. This site has a downloadable presentation about internet safety and share it with any community. There is also a video on cyberbullying. There are plenty of educational materials for teachers to teach how to be safe on-line. There are downloadable video on certain subjects, printable tip sheets, educational standards, etc. Teenagers can learn about cyberbullying through videos, games and visit a tipline. There is also games, videos, and activities for pre-teens and kids. This really appeals to all ages and adults who are around students.
Internetsafety.org has a wide variety of everything that has to do with the internet. It has video, articles, and statistics on dangers and safety . The dangers cover Pornography, Predators, and Web 2.0. Of course the safety covers resources, pledges and guidelines. This site has a blog, news and events to stay on top of everything going on about internet safety.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Google Docs
After playing with the features of Google documents, I realize that it is the same basics of Microsoft programs. The only fun feature about it, it is a great way to complete your work without having Microsoft downloaded on the computer. This could also save space on your computer for any assignments you wish to save for a later date. This does have benefits but it also has some set backs. There are added features are not presently on there like format painter, limited fonts, and limited tools. The only thing we have the students learn the basic features on it before having them jump into the many features of Microsoft Word , Excel and PowerPoint.
The benefits that I see for educational purposes is creating a form and spreadsheet for the students to use for gathering information. It is a fun way to do a class survey without having pencil and paper. The information is gathered in a spreadsheet inwhich students can use to look at the results. The students can also collaborate on a presentation and add information to share with another class or grade level. I don't have to worry about saving their projects on a USB or one computer. Lets face it, not every class computer is reliable. The students can do this on any computer. The other benefits is having everything accessed on one space and you don't have to use just one computer. I will let you know how the survey form goes with my students.
The benefits that I see for educational purposes is creating a form and spreadsheet for the students to use for gathering information. It is a fun way to do a class survey without having pencil and paper. The information is gathered in a spreadsheet inwhich students can use to look at the results. The students can also collaborate on a presentation and add information to share with another class or grade level. I don't have to worry about saving their projects on a USB or one computer. Lets face it, not every class computer is reliable. The students can do this on any computer. The other benefits is having everything accessed on one space and you don't have to use just one computer. I will let you know how the survey form goes with my students.
Classroom 2.0
I would never have thought educators create such an elaborate site with a lot of teaching and technology ideas. There is so much information out there for educators. I did find some things that were very appealling to me that I might try. One discussion was about how to get your students to be quiet. The title is called "What are the secrets to classroom management" by Paul H. Strassner. I was intrigued when he told his students that he has fairy dust to help the students fall asleep and to wake-up. I can see how that is entertaining to students. It almost seems he is creating an imaginative classroom for the students to be more engaged with the teacher. I know a lot of us have tried yelling, turning off lights and everything else to get the students to be quiet, even for a second. Another discussion I found that was technology related was the drawing on google maps. I want to try it when we come to a story about a foreign place. (I don't teach Social Studies with my ELL students.) I would help them to know about other countries out their that they haven't heard of.
As I explored more on the site, I saw there were a lot of groups that you can join. It is important to find a group that can help with the things you want to do in class. I know some of us want a more exciting lesson plan and we try to find it on the web. Usually that is time consuming. Chatting with a person who is in the same school level or subject can help to share ideas on how to be more creative with a lesson that is not your forte. There are also tags for technology or by subject. I did look through art and saw they were using technology to bring the assignments to life, even at the elementary level. I am absolutely amaze with this site. It looks like I will be putting this on my Delicious. I could see this helping a lot of my co-workers.
As I explored more on the site, I saw there were a lot of groups that you can join. It is important to find a group that can help with the things you want to do in class. I know some of us want a more exciting lesson plan and we try to find it on the web. Usually that is time consuming. Chatting with a person who is in the same school level or subject can help to share ideas on how to be more creative with a lesson that is not your forte. There are also tags for technology or by subject. I did look through art and saw they were using technology to bring the assignments to life, even at the elementary level. I am absolutely amaze with this site. It looks like I will be putting this on my Delicious. I could see this helping a lot of my co-workers.
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