Vidcast Blog

Today we learned about Vidcasts. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed because there are so many tools to use and so much information. I didn't realize how often I use Vidcasts in my own life especially because life is so technology-based. We will be doing a Vidcast for our cooperating teacher on a history content.
As a teacher, I think Vidcasts will become a very useful tools. Having something like this will be so helpful in incorporating different learning styles like visual and musical. Even now, in the Education Program, this information will be useful because I have to give presentations and when I go into classrooms I can learn what goes over well in an actual classroom. I want to learn more about PhotoStory and Jing because I think they will be the most useful. Jing could be useful in teaching others about computer programs because it's so much easier to learn when you can actually see the process. PhotoStory offers more than PowerPoint and I think will  be easier to assemble.
I intend to use a lot of these types of projects in my future classroom. It's difficult to teach history without doing a lot of lecturing but I think that utilizing things such as Vidcast makes it a much more enjoyable experience. History also requires a lot of research and programs such as Jing can help me teach students in a way that is more understandable. They say "pictures are worth a thousand words" and I believe that is especially true in history. Pictures and music enhance a history lesson so much and I hope I can make my classroom one in which my students enjoy learning. Technology is constantly changing and I'm excited to be able to pass this knowledge onto other teachers that may not have it. I hope I can become comfortable enough with it to be able to use it a lot in my future classroom.

Podcast Blog

Today we learned about podcasts. I’ll admit that before I thought this class was going to be a waste of time. I’ve never used a podcast and I thought that I would never use it as a teacher. However, after class I realized that there are many ways that I can use them. I didn’t realize that podcasts were much more than just public service announcements. I also didn’t realize how easy it was to make one.

I was talking to a friend who is going out of town for a few days and she said that she had downloaded all of her teacher’s podcasts so that she can stay caught up. I think this is so beneficial for a teacher to utilize in the classroom. Even in middle and high school there are times that you just can’t avoid missing class and having podcasts help those kids stay updated. It is also helpful for ESL students and those that may need to hear the lecture more than once to understand the concept.

I now realize the importance of a podcast and do hope to use it in my future classroom. In high school none of my teacher’s offered podcasts of the lectures and I think it would have been very helpful to many of the students. They may also be helpful when you have to make announcements. Instead of having to say the same thing over and over you could make a podcast to play for each class. It would actually save a lot of time and energy. All in all I was pleasantly surprised and have changed my mind about the uses of podcast in a classroom.

UEN

This was a more intense and difficult lesson but I’m glad I learned about UEN. I hope to be able to implement these things when I become a teacher and I know it will be helpful to have these resources.

I think the Pioneer will be helpful because it offers so much all in one place. I’m actually really excited to share this with some of my friends who have become teachers. I’ve always wanted to incorporate music and videos into my lessons. I think it helps to make history more approachable and Pioneer Library helps me find all of that. I enjoyed going through the stuff they had on eMedia and can already see ways to use it in lesson plans.

As I said before I want my history class to be fun and the Interactives will be useful in doing that. I’ll be able to use these games as assessment tools or as a way for the kids to be able to play games but still be learning. I think games can make history more real and helps to understand what really happened.

Obviously I’m excited to have help with the lesson plans. Like what was said in class, “we don’t have to reinvent the wheel.” I’m happy to have a resource that will give me a starting off point to my own lesson plans. There are great teachers out there and there’s no sense in not sharing the things we learn through experience. New ideas stem from old ones and I think having lesson plans that you can look at and then mold to your own needs is a really important teaching tool

I don’t know how many times I’ve already had to look at the Core Curriculum this semester alone and it’s just gotten started. So I know that when I become a teacher it will be a constant companion for me. I appreciate that all this information is in one place. It’ll make it so much easier for me and I know that for my first few years as a teacher anything to help make it easier will be greatly welcomed.

I hope to be able to become more comfortable with this site. It is a bit overwhelming because there is so much information but hopefully one day I’ll know exactly where everything is.

Reflection 3

Today we learned about Google Sites. We're putting together our own fictional classroom website which has different components like a calendar, a page for resources and homework assignments.
So far I think this is the most beneficial thing I've learned in this class. We live in an age of technology and I think it's important for teachers to have websites. I know that when I learn about something new I automatically try and find a website for it so I gain more information on the topic. Also as a student, I would much rather e-mail the teacher and I'm sure as a teacher I would much rather receive and e-mail instead of hundreds of phone calls. I also think it's beneficial to have assignments or classroom information online because then the students don't have excuses for not doing their work.
I'm looking forward to experimenting with Google Sites and becoming more comfortable. I think this knowledge will help me not only as a future teacher but in any job I have. Just the other day my coworkers and I were discussing how someone went about making a website and now I have the beginners knowledge of how to do it.
This will definitely change the way I teach. Not so much what I teach but it helps me to better communicate with absent students and helps my students learn how to be responsible for their own schoolwork. I am going into secondary education and I think having a class website that students have to access will help them prepare for college. I wish I would have had a teacher in high school who did because it was difficult in college for me to get used to finding classroom information online. I think this will also help me remain organized.
I'm excited that this will help me connect better with my students and their parents. I hope to be a teacher that is approachable, but I understand that some students find it difficult to ask questions in class and this website will help them. I also look forward to being able to provide my students with resources that they can use if there is a topic they are particularly interested in. I know that teachers can't cover everything they want to and this way I can provide extra information to my students.

Reflection 2

This week we learned about Google Docs and the mulitple applications it has to offer. I'm really excited to utilize this in my future classroom and life! I had no idea there was so much that you could do. One of my goals this semester is to get more organized and I know the calendar will help me do that. As a teacher, I will certainly need the calendar to help me keep track of everything. I'm also looking forward to being able to share documents because sometimes when you send it over e-mail the other person's computer can't load up the same formatting that you had. I've had this happen multiple times and it can be quite frustrating.
I think the ability to talk and complete group projects online will be very beneficial in my future classroom as well. I remember hating group projects in high school because it was so difficult to find a time that everyone could get together or not everyone had a reliable mode of transportation. As a result the whole project often fell on one or two students in the group. I think my students will greatly appreciate being able to work together online.
I'm looking forward to using this in my own life as well. All of these applications will help me as a student and in my current job. Sometimes I have to give presentations and my greatest fear is that I'll forget or lose the flashdrive my presentation is on. With this I can have it accessible practically anywhere. Also the ability to sync calendars with colleagues will be very beneficial. I'm looking forward to sharing this information.
As a teacher, I need to be able to incorporate students that may require more attention and a way of doing that is to have resources, tests, and powerpoints online. The Google Docs make that much more plausible and easier to accomplish.
All in all I wish that I had taken this class earlier. I think back on all the times that this knowledge would have been useful. However, I know that I will be able to utilize it now and I look forward to becoming more proficient. I know this will help me gather information, deliver tests and group projects when I become a teacher.