As discussed in class, we as future educators should be doing all we can to engage the minds of our students. Word processing tools and databases are yet another tool to accomplish this in the classroom. Teachers need to be alert for all forms of technology that can be used to further accomodate students of all different learning styles. Spreadsheets and databases are especially helpful for visual learners. Also, using tools like online thesaurus’ and “spell check” allows students to check their own work. Technology is so important in the classroom and it is so exciting to be teaching in an age where the realm of possibility regarding technology is expanding so quickly.
Monthly Archive for August, 2008
Spreadsheets can be used in classrooms to address different learning goals by creating one that show all the progress that the students in the class can make. If you create a spreadsheet that has all the students’ goals at the end and have all the students use it as a check list it will become fun for them, because they are moving around the classroom and also gives them a little competition. Children love competition. In addition to the goal reaching, children can use the technology of spreadsheets for research projects. Ultimately children will need to use spreadsheets and databases for real world experiences, and if you start them young with all the work they need, then they will benefit in the future. Teachers can use spreadsheets and databases for keeping track of children’s grades, their progress, and also use them as a way of communicating with the parents, or showing how their child is doing.
Focus Question 3 (Page 38)
There are many ways in which content mapping can be used to address different learning styles. For example, a content map would be extremely useful for students who are visual learners. Whether using content-mapping for writing, studying, or thinking children can produce their ideas in an organized manner.
For example, programs such as Inspiration and Kidspiration are great ways to help children comprehend subjects in the classroom. Teachers and students can customize their maps with pictures and words that provide a unique form of personalized instruction. Students are then able to link certain ideas with their visual creation which will make memorization and learning more effective.
In today’s society technology is rapidly changing and I feel it is important for teachers to take advantage of the many electronic tools that are available. Concept-mapping tools can excite and engage students on various levels. I want to help students get the big picture by utilizing content-mapping in place of textual and verbal instruction.
As we proceed into the future i believe that more and more schools will be able to use technology in there classroom. as a result of this we as teachers need to be prepared by being able to use and keep up with the new software that is coming out in tomorrows classrooms. i personally think that in the future we will be using more Mac’s instead of P.C.’s because they seem to be much more user friendly. Also i have noticed that i don’t seem to get any viruses on my Mac, which used to be a problem with my old P.C.. Another big thing we need to know how to do as teachers is to use power point. It seems that every year in every class i seem to be doing at least one power point and I think it is important for teachers to be able to use that software as well.
In fact, the productivity software is used in the business and industry first, and later people found that it can help educators as well, so it was introduced into education area. This is a normal phenomenon, another example is that a lot of software were first designed for business or industry purpose, and were introduced to some other areas later on. So generally speaking, the office productivity software that has facilitated business operations can oftentimes be used to serve educators as well for their administrative and educational tasks. For the educators that teaching is not the only thing that they need to do, as it said on the book that much of their time is consumed in completing the many administrative tasks necessary to prepare and maintain an effective learning environment and to meet the record-keeping demands of the typical school system. This is the needs and also the reason that the productivity software was introduced into education area.
This kind of soft ware typically designed for ease of use and most of this kind of software programs have similar looks and feel, so that it is easy for the users to know other productivity software from the same vendor if they already knew how to use one of them. This is a good feature that benefits all the users, and it also benefits the software itself in the way that it can be spread wildly and quickly.
How can productivity software be used for teaching and learning?
Productivity software is a vital tool for teachers to help their students learn. The most common productivity software used by teachers in the classroom is word processing software. It is easy to use, and can be updated through internet downloads quickly. It also comes with spelling checker, which gives students immediate feedback on their typing progress. The student can also use the thesaurus tool to figure out different words that have the same meaning as those they usually use. This feature gives the students the ability to vary their writing, along with adding those new words to their everyday vocabulary.
The use of word processor also helps the teacher in reading and grading papers. No longer do teachers have to squint trying to figure out what the students handwriting says. Type is far easier to read, and makes for neater rough drafts. It also makes life easier on the student because they don’t have to rewrite the whole paper just to make corrections. All they have to do is go back into their saved paper to revise their mistakes!
The program also allows teachers to make copy of their own notes to handout to students who missed class due to illness, or even handout notes to the whole class so that the students pay more attention to the lecture than trying to get all the notes written. It also allows teachers to type up their tests, and make easy to follow lesson plans. I feel that with this program students can not only learn, but helps teachers make learning easier for the students.
How can productivity software be used for teaching and learning? Productivity software can be used in many different ways while either teaching or learning. In today’s society one of the most popular types of software is the Word Processor. This software can be such a great help in the classroom no matter what age group is being taught. The word processor can be very useful when writing papers, it can easily be saved and gone back to when the paper needs to be revised. This software can be a great tool when it comes to spelling; the spell check tells you when a word is spelled incorrectly. Word has a built in thesaurus which works well when you need to find another word with the same meaning. Teachers find the word processor to be convenient when they need to make up a work sheet or just type out some questions related to the lesson. The word processor can be used in many different ways for teaching and learning. It is a great tool that every teacher should use.
How can productivity software be used for teaching and learning? I suppose the first type of productivity software that comes to mind is word processing software. This software is a great tool for teachers and students alike in many subject areas. For instance, foreign language students use word processors to write assignments in other languages. A quick downloadable modification, and your word processor’s capabilities encompass other languages. Say you want your creative writing students to spend twenty minutes a class writing in free form. Assure them that they don’t have to worry about spelling or grammar, those things can be fixed later. Just write from the heart! They can save their documents and come back to them at a later date. I can definitely see the potential that word processing programs have in a well-funded classroom.
This presentation is geared towards high school students. It’s an analysis of a Alfred, Lord Tennyson poem. Students should know three poetic devices upon viewing the presentation.SpencerPowerpoint
How can productivity software be used for teaching and learning? Productivity software, such as Word Processing, can be used for teaching because it can quickly improve over time. It also helps younger children (kindergartners and first graders) improve their computer knowledge and ability. Students can also produce real, professional documents in the classroom, whereas before this technology came about they could not. Spellcheck and the thesaurus application also help students expand their vocabulary and help their spelling abilities. Other productivity software, like spreadsheets can also be helpful. Spreadsheets are great for manipulating math and science problems and understanding formulas. The spreadsheet application can also easily do decimals, percentages, and interest problems. But spreadsheets are not just for math and science, students can easily use them for social studies as well. For example, they could catalog population growth through the use of spreadsheets. Databases have been instrumental in education. Databases allow the user to compile, store, and manipulate huge amounts of statistics. I think technology is truly incredible and the more ways we can use it in our classrooms, the better.
Designed for high school students, this powerpoint analyzes a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Grade Level: 2nd Grade
Objective: To teach kids a fun and easy way to make a snack
Grade Level: High school (Junior/Senior) History
Objectives: The students will master the knowledge of the causes that led up to the revolution, and how those causes came about. They will be able to identify the cause and effect relationship in the French Revolution.Zigmond PowerPoint
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Objectives: Lesson will teach students the parts of a book.
Fourth grade
Objectives: Students will experience a brief introduction to Squanto and the Wampanoag tribe.
Technology is growing each day all over the world and so are the “new leaders” of the world. The students that are sitting in the seats in elementary schools through high school are the future of this country. And with the technology that is advancing, they have to know how to use it. Each and everyday we all use technology and learn from it. Just the other day it was announced that one of our candidates for the “future” President, did not know how to use the Internet! That’s not good at all! Think about it even to Google a topic he can’t because he doesn’t know how. Using different types of technology helps young adults expand their mind and expand their vocabulary. The Smart Board is a great concept because students can use it in any subject. Also, the Smart Board is fun for students because they get to “draw” on the projection screen. Technology is something kids love, if they get it use it they’re bound to listen and enjoy class, more than if they just sit and listen to a lecture.
We live in a world of constant communication. The globalization of our economy has necessitated the use of technology to correspond with peers across the globe. In order to prepare students for this age of technology, it is absolutely imperative that we as teachers use modern technology in our lesson plans. The teachers of today are in a unique position. We have to bridge the gap between our predecessors and the kids that will be in our classrooms. In the article, the author talks about enthusiasm with which kids approach the idea of technology in the classroom. Students use technology so often outside of school, thus making it a viable and relevant tool to communicate ideas and concepts. Technology has experienced explosive growth in the last century. In previous generations, students have learned through textbooks and lectures. In today’s world, the field of teaching has to evolve to fit the needs of the students. In order to create an environment that will equip kids to enter the world with a knowledge of how to communicate in the world, we must include the use of technology in each area of our classrooms. We have the opportunity to make subjects come alive for kids. It’s so exciting to have the chance to create a love for Shakespeare or enthusiasm for physics through visual imagery and other software.
Growing up in the age of the computer, we take things for granted such as the internet, and being able to use calculators. With these advancements to our classroom, we have been so lucky, considering how hard things like math or science would be without the use of such recent technology. As recently as my parents generation such technology was not available and made things like finding information to write a paper, a very hard job when all we have to do today to find that same information is to type our topic into a search engine. In the twentieth and even the nineteenth century education was much more lecture and regurgitate the information back. But with the way technology is and can be utilized in today’s classroom, I believe that kids in this century have a great opportunity to reach a higher level of education and be able to engage themselves in our classrooms.
Option 2: In today’s society, technology is the most important and fastest growing industry. It touches all aspects of our lives, including teaching and education. Therefore, skills taught in the last generation, even in the last decade, have drastically changed. In the last decade, technology has entered the classroom mainly through the Internet, which allows teachers the opportunity to give their students immediate access to the world. Presentation of information has changed immensely, such as document or desktop cameras, SMARTBoards, Airliner wireless tablets, and Senteo student response systems.
During the past two centuries, the basic format of education consisted of content lectures and learning through rote memorization. This form of education was standard until recently when technology blindsided the traditional market, thus becoming the new standard. Classroom instruction needs to change otherwise students will end up knowing more than their teachers in terms of technology.
One hundred years ago, the focus of teaching was not on global awareness, as it is now; however, it was more realistic to their time period and environment. Thirty years ago, the new technologies included slide projectors and tape recorders and these were of very poor quality compared to recent counterparts. Today, students are discovering they are not as isolated as in prior decades, but are very much on the forefront of globalization. Along with global awareness, these latest generations of students have to deal with intricate thinking and real-world problem-solving skills, which are necessary to compete worldwide. The students of today face fewer limitations involving their aspirations and ambitions.
Technology is the hot topic of our time but eventually, like lecture and memorization, will be ousted by a new facet of teaching. However, I do not feel technology will fully be eliminated because it is a powerful tool and important to the new world order.
In today’s society technology plays a vital role in everyone’s life. Within the early years of education I feel students need to be introduced to all forms of technology. One of the greatest inventions for classrooms is the newest SMART board. Not only does it help with hands on activities it keeps students more focused on the lesson. I plan to be an elementary teacher and with the use of the SMART board, I as a teacher will be more effective. Students can be more engaged in the lesson considering the can actually have their own hand held voting device to choose the answer they feel is correct.
This device will help students with their confidence. They will be required to get up in front of the classroom to answer questions or even write on the board. Starting this at an early age will help students prepare for their upcoming years with presentations and speaking skills. The SMART board has a great amount of programs that come along with it that will benefit the classroom and even me. Programs such as the different visual aids and sound effects will help in comprehension of the current subject being discussed. The SMART board is such a creative tool that I feel needs to be in every classroom.
High school students are more than ready to get out of school and start their life, and therefore they have little interest in school work. I feel that if they feel they are doing something that will benefit their lives rather than just a grade they will be more interested in doing the project. The students of today and the future need to have a real background in technology and creative project producing, which can be taught in the classroom setting.
I feel the SMARTboard would benefit any subject area, but above all would benefit the social sciences. History can seem boring and tedious to a lot of students, but if they were allowed to interact hands-on with the board I believe that they will be able to gain not only a greater liking for it, but a better understanding for the subject all together. Pictures and movie clips can be added and played easily without the teacher having to sit behind the desk the whole time. Notes cannot only be read easier, but it also provides a way of saving the lesson so that the teacher can go back to it the next day if there were questions. There would also be no more need to ask the class where they left off the day before because it all would be saved, and therefore no information would be skipped.
The SMARTboard allows the students to go up and show off their understanding of the subject. They’ll be able to engage in the learning instead of sitting behind their desks taking notes. This way they will have less of an opportunity to fall asleep, or get distracted, because they will want to see what the other students are doing or are waiting their own turn to write. Student presentations will become easier, and the students can add more detail to their projects that they might not have thought of doing before. Overall, the SMARTboard will be able to bring creativity and life back into even the ‘boring’ (as some students see it) subjects, such as history.
In this post, I’ll be responding to the second option that dealt with skills students have to master nowadays as opposed to skills they mastered in the 20th and 19th centuries. I thought the article we read covered a wide variety of topics and definitely shed some light on things like reading, writing, and learning habits of kids that we aren’t necessarily aware of. These days, I think kids are likely to enjoy a project more or be more willing to complete an assignment at school if they feel like they made it themselves or had a hand in creating it. Back in the 1980s and 1990s (seems more like the “Stone Age,” now!), only the most well-funded schools could afford those bulky desktop computers that would cause us to squirm in our seats while we anxiously waited to play “Oregon Trail” or “Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?” These days, it seems almost unnatural to walk into a classroom that doesn’t have at least one computer. Most students in the 20th century really didn’t have to worry about mastering word-processing programs or being proficient at blogging, two things that many English and Communications classes rely on in this day and age. Instead, trips to the library, mastery of the Dewey Decimal System, encyclopedias, and calculators were some of the more useful weapons in a 20th century student’s research arsenal. Now, the internet can all of those things and much more in only a fraction of the time. I think that’s what it all boils down to: 21st century kids want as much as they can as fast as they can get it.
Option 1: Once I have my own classroom, I know it will be important to engage my students constantly. I feel that John Dewey’s ideas on learning can serve as a guideline for all future teachers. Learning by doing is a method that I plan to use frequently in the classroom because as a student, I have benefited from hands on activities. I can teach the 21st century skills easily through the technological options that are available today. Throughout my education I was rarely exposed to any type of global awareness, but as an adult I realize it is extremely important. By using video cameras, projectors and computers, I can conduct interactive classroom exchanges with other countries. This will help increase global awareness and allow students to have cultural experiences that a textbook could not provide. Allowing my students to share ideas and use their creativity will hopefully ignite their desire for knowledge. In my classroom I want to give students a new way of communication by utilizing the many tools that technology has to offer.
Option 1: Identify specific ways that you could teach any of the 21st century skills that the article discusses once you have your own classroom. Your answer should relate to your particular content area or grade level.
Kindergartners start out needing some sense of direction. How should they get their sense of direction? How could I as their teacher help them (with tecnology) to find their direction and make sense of things? I have one word for you, SMARTboard. This amazing technical advance could really help out kindergartners; with the easy way that this board shows pictures, lets kids interact and shows how things might work it is a great advancement in technology that will ultimately make kindergartners find that sense of direction, and also give them a fun time while learning.
In addition, the smart board is a great way to learn some communication skills, and some problem solving skills. By using the SMARTboard you can show how to communicate with others around them by letting them show what they know in front of the class, or letting them solve a problem using the SMARTboard. Kids love attention, and the SMARTborad lets them be the center of it, while helping them learn also. The SMARTboard is a great way to let kindergartners become engaged in their learning environment.
Third grade, health.
Objectives: Students will gain knowledge of what germs are and the correct way to wash hands.