Teaching with Technology

It seems that we are truly unable to escape technology no matter where we go.  From work, to home, the places we shop at and even the schools we work in, technology has a large impact everywhere we look.  As a potential future educator, I believe that it is important to integrate technology to "keep up with the times".  The generatio of current children and future children are heavily influenced by technology.  Their toys are not dolls or action figures anymore; they are games on their Play Station or X-Box.  They want to have their own cell phones at the age of 8 and they want the newest IPad at the age of 11.  These children's lives revolve around the newest technology in the world. 

I want to be able to bring technology into my classroom.  I want children to be able to use computers and electronic devices in a way that can further their education.  It is important to foster new-age technology instead of reject it.  So much of what is being invented can truly help the classroom learning experience. 

From applications on computers and tablets and even using a SmartBoard, techology has also made things easier as well.  No longer do we have to write on a chalkboard; we can just type it up quickly and save the information.  No longer do we have to stictly be a talking-listening classroom.  We can use videos and auditory things that can stimulate thinking.  There is so much that we can do now that technology can be used to help educate.

I do not think that technology can replace real life instruction though.  We need teachers to be there to scaffold and guide learning.  We need real teachers to answer questions and promote higher order thinking.  We need teachers to interpret information that students can not exactly convey.  We still need old-fashioned methods and teachers, just with a new-age technological twist.

Making a Google Site

I didn't think making the google site was totally easy.  There was a lot of figuring out how to edit and remove different boxes and side bars.  I liked the variety of themes but did not find it easy to use if you are not familiar with navigating google or even know how to use this software.  While it is definitely not hard, I would say many people will have some problems completing the assignment to the best of their abilities.  Google is great though because they try to give you step by step instructions and lots of resources to make your site.
I would recommend this to people who are fluent with computers and can adapt to making new things online.

Who Remembers Kid Pix??

No matter how old you get, Kid Pix, no matter what version, is still so much fun.  It is one of the best creative software programs ever invented for children.  When I was in elementary school, we started out with the original Kid Pix.  I remember that I could spend hours on that program.  There were so many things you could do on it that you didn't find at the time on other programs; it was an original program at the time.  Sure, there was 'Paint' on almost every computer, but there is only so much you can do with 'Paint'.  From animations, to spray paint, fill in bucket, the "OH NO" button, it was always a pleasure to play on that program.
Kid Pix was and still is, incredibly child-friendly.  It was easy, colorful, efficient, and it let children of different imaginary tracks do their own thing.  There was the pencil and paint tool for children who could do it free hand.  There was the animation and stamp tool for children who wanted instant gratification.  There was also the microphone tool you could use to bring life and voice to what you were making.
Using the Kid Pix tool really brought back great memories for me.  In the newest version out, there are so many MORE things one can do on this program it actually takes time to look through it all.  Although it is not as simple and it once was, children are able to have so many more resources at their fingertips.  There are many other types of Kid Pix programs out there on the market, and some of them might actually be better than KP, but I am very biased.  Growing up with KP makes the program nostalgic and I wish I had it installed on my computer today.
I was very happy to be reintroduced to it again.

What is a Storybird?

And what does it do? What can you become if you go to this website too?

I highly recommend any new writer, any creative individual to check out www.Storybird.com. It is a fantastic and interesting way to create stories for children or peers (depending on your age).  The site is incredibly easy to use and aw inspiring. 

When you log onto the site and create your account, you are able to create a story.  But the way you create your story is backwards; you choose your picture to describe your story FIRST, then you create text based on the picture.  Most of the time, when one creates a story,t he art is the last thing the author adds.  Instead, Storybird makes it the focal point of the book.  Many people forget that the pictures are able to tell a story too, often without words.  The art that is feature on the site is beautiful and there is something for everyone.  You are able to tell the creators of the site spend time looking for a wide variety of artwork for the creators to choose from and from many different artists.

When I logged on and started creating my story, it was so easy.  I am not very inventive and it is not always easy for me to create a story off the time of my head, but I had no trouble this time.  I felt like the pictures I choose gave me the words to write.  It was so easy and enjoyable.

This is a highly recommended site!

Databases and spreadsheets

I enjoyed using databases and spreadsheets to organize information that I find.

I think that spreadsheets are a useful tool to use while trying to present information to a group of students as well.  It is organized and structured which allows children to not get lost while reading the information.  For spreadsheets to be usable, they have to have labels above all the individual information they are trying to present.  Teachers need to make sure that the information they are gathering and organizing is clearly labeled for their students' optimal usage.  Spreadsheets are also so easy to create.  One of the great things is that children can create a spreadsheet not on a computer so they have one handy for whatever circumstances may come.  Spreadsheets should constantly be used in the classroom if teachers need to organize a lot of information.  The programs that we find on computers present day are excellent.  There are so many options and things one may do on a computerized spreadsheet that the possibilities are endless.

Databases are something that the internet age can not live without.  They keep track of all the information one may find anywhere on the internet about anything.  Databases are used by any age level because they are so easy to use and understand.  While language may differ between databases, the concept of a database is irreplaceable.  The entire internet is one database of sharing ideas as a whole.  I find databases to be extremely resourceful and necessary to do any of my work or research.

WebQuests

      Before this assignment, myself, like probably most of the world, had no idea what a WebQuest was.  As it turns out the concept and idea of a WebQuest is a smart and effective one.  It can be used anywhere where there is an internet connection whether it be school, home, public, or private, and they can be really successful indicators of thought.  As I browsed the site that hosts thousands of WebQuests, I stumbled upon some good ones, some bad ones, and some exemplary ones.  

     But what is a WebQuest you may ask.  Well, a WebQuest is simply an online lesson plan that spells out what a student's task is, what is expected of them, resources for them to use online, and a rubric to help self evaluate themselves as it goes along.  The lesson or task at hand needs to be completed by a student or a group of students by following the directions given.  There are tabs on the left hand side of the page that helps the student navigate what the should be doing and what the task comprises of.  I actually think the idea of WebQuests are great tools for extended vacations where you can give the students one assignment to complete.  It allows the student to reflect back on the assignment as often as they like and the goal of the teacher or creator of the WebQuest is to make is as clear as possible.  

     So think of it like this: you are a teacher and you need to give your students and assignment.  You want them to build knowledge,  you want to induce higher ordered thinking, you want them to use online resources to help them gain said knowledge, then a WebQuest is the type of lesson plan for you.  It allows children to work at home on their own and understand the entire task because it is spelled out for them.  With the Evaluation tab at hand, children have no reason to not know what to expect when they are graded on the already given rubric.

    But users beware; there are good ones and bad ones (as is the same with any lesson plan or anything in the world for that matter).  It takes a lot of weeding through the so-so and bad WebQuests online if you do not want to create one yourself.  But many tasks are great for a variety of students and there is no shortage of them by any means. I would definitely use one during my teaching career and experiment once to see if I liked it.  

Inspiration and Kidspiration

So while navigating these programs for a few days and finally finishing my product, I have to say I am not very happy.  The child's program was much easier to use for some reason.  I was having a very difficult time with my Inspiration.  On the Inspiration program, it would not allow me to open any templates so I had to do one on the fly.  It didn't give me any options; it said there were some available online but I did not think that was what I should do since I did not buy the program.

The Kidspiration program was much easier to use even though they are basically the same thing.  I was simply having much more trouble with the one geared for older children.  It is very rare that any software programs elude me but this one had me confused for most of it.  I don't think I would ever use the Inspir. program again.  It seemed like there are more efficient programs out there like PowerPoint, Paint, and Microsoft Word.  It was definitely not very user friendly (at least for myself).

I like being introduced to new programs.  It helps broaden my knowledge of school-related software which is something all teachers should strive for.  Although one of the two programs did not fit me well, I still loved exploring it.