Farewell

Thanks to all of my classmates for a wonderful semester. It was very interesting interacting with you via technology! Good luck to all of you in your future endeavors.

As usual, Dr. Luongo, it was enlightening and pleasurable having you as a professor this semester. I truly have enjoyed all of the classes that I have had with you and I know that you will continue to be one of the most effective teachers on campus!

As for me, I have a huge decision to make. I am officially done with all of my certification classes and now have to student teach. However, since I am unexpectantly due to give birth at the end of July, student teaching in Sept. is out of the question. My dilemma is, "Do I student teach in January when the baby is 5 months old and my other daughters are 6 and 8 OR do I put off student teaching for a year or two??" Only time will tell!

Assistive Technology

After watching Dr. Luongo's video on Assistive Technology and doing a presentation on accommodations in the classroom for another St. Peter's class, I really feel that Assistive Technology does so much more than when it intends. Yes, it absolutely assists those impaired that need additional help in the class to learn, participate, etc. But what it also does, and the propoganda rarely mentions, it provides an inclusive environment--but I'm not talking about the impaired, I'm referencing the "other students". By enabling impaired students, (blind, deaf, etc.) they are able to attend a public or "regular" school instead of going to a specialized or "blind" school. This exposes "other students" to diversity and allows them to become more aware of real situations that occur in the real world. Plus, it teaches children from a young age to be inclusive, not stigmatize others, and work and befriend all types of people.

Classroom of the Future

I have only one thing to say after viewing the "Classroom of the Future" at
http://moscow.spc.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2fwebapps%2fblackboard%2fexecute%2flauncher%3ftype%3dCourse%26id%3d_991_1%26url%3d----
this should not be a classroom of the future, but a classroom of the present! We are already behind if we think that this is the future, it is really the present and the sooner the educational field gets that, the better off our students (and teachers) will be!

Learning Page website

The "Learning Page" website listed at the Library of Congress is a great resource for teachers. You can access it via http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/fw.html or http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/index.html. I thought that the page with the lesson plans was well organized, easy to use, extremely informative, and contained very creative lesson plans.

This website actually made me jealous of today's students. As a High School student in the 1980's, I always felt that my history teachers made history (such a rich and exciting subject) so boring. I would have loved to have really immersed myself in the culture of the time period being studied by researching fashion, women's roles, kids' responsibilities, slave relationships with slaveowners, etc. Since these type of topics were not taught in any depth or detail, if I or my teachers had access to the Internet in the 80's, I would have loved to have either been taught about these topics by my teachers or researched these areas myself. This website, provides a lot of that type of information that would really motivate students to learn more about subjects. Great resource!

Whiteboard Lessons

I watched the "Whiteboard Lesson" that Prof. Luongo has posted. Although I understand the concept of this tool and thought that the video showed you good "end user" examples, I would have liked a more detailed, instructional video that would really teach me "how" to use Whiteboard, how to access it, costs, etc. Does anybody currently use this tool? And if so, can you provide some feedback about it?

Life on the Digital Frontier

I happened to catch this TV program last night on PBS' Frontline. I have attached the link if you want to view on the computer. Click on http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/story/2009/03/life-on-the-digital-frontier.html.

Basically, the show was about how South Korea is the most "connected" country in the world and how it has affected kids. Although there are tremendous benefits to technology, this showed some of the downsides. For example, about 10% of students in South Korea are addicted to the Internet and games on the Internet. So much so that they now have special treatment areas within their Psychiatric Units that deal directly with this phenomenon. It has become so bad for some kids that their vision and hearing have become impaired. There was even one teen that died in one of their "Internet Cafes". The program also shows a "detox" camp for addicted kids to attend. Kids attend the rehab for about 2 weeks without any access to computers. Unfortunately, once many of the kids are released, they go back to their old addictive habits and resume their Internet addiction again. It was really interesting! I suggest checking it out.

Kids Know It

I was reviewing Prof. Luongo's blog and came across the below link:
http://www.kidsknowit.com/interactive-educational-movies/index.php.

The link is really cool. It helps kids learn about different topics by showing them a movie and then quizzing them online. I think this type of learning really engages this generation of students. I actually kept this link in my "Favorites" under my my kids' folders so they can access this site themselves.

Social Networking Tips

It's such a different world from when I grew up. I didn't have to worry about my information being so "public" and "worldwide". During my generation, (I'm 39) if a person did tell something and it did "get out", usually it was confined to the town the person lived in. There was no threat of it being "broadcast" worldwide! I think the one and only tip that people (and children) should follow when networking on the computer is this: "Don't post anything that you would be ashamed of to show your parents and/or a potential employer". Following this one rule should keep safe and prohibit them from making bad decisions.

"Introducing the Book" video

Oh my God, this video was so funny! It got me to thinking...As crazy as this seems, generations before us, did have to learn to use the "book" or adjust to this new technology, whereas, if you were born into an era that already had the "book" deeply embedded into its society, you just knew how to use it---there was no "adjustment" or "discovery" period. Same holds true today. Some of us had to learn from "help desk professionals" or "trainers" how to use the PC, however, kids nowadays just "pick it up". I can honestly say that I spent maybe 15 minutes or less teaching my kids how to use the computer, the rest, they just "picked up" or learned on their own. My 8 year old taught herself how to email, change backgrounds, post pictures from my gallery, use icons, change the arrow or pointer, use templates, create cards, print, and the list is goes on! She even taught me a few things--like changing the stationery setting on email and changing my cursor from an arrow to a comet! And I've been using a computer for at least 15 years! Go figure! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?!

School Web Pages

I have to say that I love my town's school webpage site. It has all of the information relevant to feeling like you, as the parent, are "in the know". Check it out at http://www.monroe.k12.nj.us/monroenj/site/default.asp. Each school in the town has their own webpage and you can access any school. Some of the important information listed is: teacher contact info., classroom webpages (not all teachers--although it should be mandatory), PTA info., school policies, upcoming events, past events, recognition items, extracurricular activities, etc.

Web Page Observations

Welcome back! I hope you all had a great Spring Break. I, unfortunately, have been stuck in the house for the last 3 weeks with 2 sick kids! They were taking turns spreading the germs, back and forth, back and forth....Anyway, I had a chance to check out some teachers' webpages that Dr. Luongo posted. Here's my thoughts...

On the positive side...
1. Great to have links for both kids AND parents.
2. Synergy is created when the webpage includes themes or overall school goals/ideas.
3. Helpful to have bilingual sites when a large minority group is present.

Be cautious about...
1. Posting student achievements--like honor roll, best grades on tests, etc. I do think it's important to publicly recognize student achievement, however when doing this, remember the kid that will NEVER make the honor or get an A on the math test. Be sure to find a way to recognize these kids for something so they feel included and worthy too!

Obama's Education Plan

I pasted this article from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29612995 about Pres. Obama's Education Plan. I couldn't agree with him more when it comes to merit pay for teachers. I truly feel that if you are a good teacher, you would want merit pay instead of union scale pay. Why should you be paid the same as some uncaring, ineffective teacher if you are a great teacher???


Obama: 'We've let our grades slip'
The president takes on unions, backs teacher merit pay in new plan
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Video

Obama unveils education planMarch 10: President Barack Obama, speaking at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, unveils the first piece of his education plan.
MSNBC
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INTERACTIVE

100 days timeline interactiveA president's first days in office can be defined by landmark victories — or memorable failures. Explore our timeline gauging hits and misses from Roosevelt to Obama.
NBC News
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Slideshow

First 100 days During his seventh week in office, President Barack Obama made moves to curtail government waste, serenaded an ailing Sen. Ted Kennedy, and visited police cadets whose jobs were spared by stimulus money.
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INTERACTIVE

Track 'emExplore and track Obama's campaign pledges. See if he keeps his word, and vote on his progress.
NBC News
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Video: White House


Obama’s 50-day report cardMarch 10: Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee of California and Republican Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana grade President Barack Obama on his first 50 days in office.
Obama: American dream at stake
Obama unveils education plan
Is Obama losing focus on economy?
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An historic election
Take a look back at the election and inauguration of President Obama.• Decision '08• The Inauguration
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WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama on Tuesday embraced a new approach to public education that adds up to merit pay for the better teachers and longer days and school years for students.
These proposals, which constitute the new president's vision of an education system that meets 21st century challenges, were sure to generate loud criticism, particularly from teachers' unions.
Educators oppose charter schools because they divert tax dollars away from traditional public schools. Merit-based systems for teachers have been anathema to teachers' unions, a powerful force in Obama's Democratic Party. Obama acknowledged this in his talk to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
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"Too many supporters of my party have resisted the idea of rewarding excellence in teaching with extra pay, even though we know it can make a difference in the classroom," he said, delivering the first major education speech of his presidency. "Too many in the Republican Party have opposed new investments in early education, despite compelling evidence of its importance."
'An economic imperative'But he argued that a far-reaching overhaul of the nation's education system is an economic imperative that can't wait, despite the urgency of the financial crisis and other pressing issues.
"Despite resources that are unmatched anywhere in the world, we have let our grades slip, our schools crumble, our teacher quality fall short, and other nations outpace us," Obama said. "The relative decline of American education is untenable for our economy, unsustainable for our democracy, and unacceptable for our children. We cannot afford to let it continue. What is at stake is nothing less than the American dream."
The ideas the president promoted were nearly all elements of his campaign platform last year. He only barely mentioned the reauthorization of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind Act, which introduced sweeping reforms that schools are struggling to meet without the funding to match. Obama said his administration would "later this year" ensure that schools get the funding they need and that the money is conditioned on results.
Among the principles Obama laid out were:
Challenging states to adopt world-class standards rather than a specific standard. Obama's economic stimulus plan includes a $5 billion incentive fund to reward states for, among other things, boosting the quality of standards and state tests, and the president said the Education Department would create a fund to invest in innovation.
Improved pre-kindergarten programs, including $5 billion in the stimulus plan to grow Head Start, expand child care access and do more for children with special needs. He also said he would offer 55,000 first-time parents regular visits from trained nurses and said that states that develop cutting-edge plans to raise the quality of early learning programs would get an Early Learning Challenge Grant, if Congress approves the new program.
Reducing student dropout rates. To students, Obama said: "Don't even think about dropping out of school." But he said that reducing the dropout rates also requires turning around the worst schools, something he asked lawmakers, parents and teachers to make "our collective responsibility as Americans."
Repeating his call for everyone to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training, with the goal of highest proportion of college graduates in the world by the year 2020.
On charter schools, he said the caps instituted by some states on how many are allowed aren't "good for our children, our economy, or our country."
Teacher policyObama also spoke at length about what he described his policy toward teachers, what he called an `unprecedented commitment to ensure that anyone entrusted with educating our children is doing the job as well as it can be done." In up to 150 more school districts, Obama said, teachers will get mentoring, more money for improved student achievement and new responsibilities.
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Vote: Should students spend more time in school?
Also, Obama said, "We need to make sure our students have the teacher they need to be successful. That means states and school districts taking steps to move bad teachers out of the classroom. Let me be clear: if a teacher is given a chance but still does not improve, there is no excuse for that person to continue teaching."
The president acknowledged that a rethinking of the traditional American school day may not be welcome — "not in my family, and probably not in yours" — but is critical.
"The challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom," Obama said. "If they can do that in South Korea, we can do it right here in the United States of America."
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Promises Made: Childhood educationObama agenda sparks Dems' internal revoltWill Congress trim sub 'stimulus' program?Lawmakers step up defense of pet projects
After the speech, Obama stopped at a hotel to drop in on another meeting, an already scheduled and ongoing round-table discussion between Education Secretary Arne Duncan and the Council of Chief State School Officers, which involves the heads of education from every state and U.S. territory.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

So Easy, A Child Could Do It...

I had the opportunity to play around with creating my own class webpage at Scholastic Web Page Builder and it was so easy. Quite frankly, it was simple, the directions were straightforward, and it took minimal time. Obviously, when doing this for a real class, you would need to spend time updating it and keeping it fresh, but really, it pales in comparison to creating a WebQuest. When I worked in corporate America, I was responsible for building and maintaining an Intranet site for HR and the class webpage, although not as detailed or involved, is very similar to this. As a teacher, I think to ensure that the students are using the class webpage is to make it mandatory for them to check it at least once a week or post their homework there, or give them a "preview" of what "tomorrow's" class will be about, etc. Also, to get them really involved, you could even have a section that they take turns maintaining and creating...like a little class newspaper.

Creating a Web Page

I am excited to get started on our next major assignment--creating a Web Page. I know most school's have their own websites, but I wonder how many teachers actually have webpages listed on those websites. For my kids' school, the website is very thorough and for those teachers who want to post webpages, they can. Unfortunately, the three teachers that my children have had have not opted to do so, but I do think that doing this is very helpful to all parties involved, the teacher, the student, and the parents. For example, if a child forgets the homework assignment or the ditto for the homework, it would be great if the webpage posted it and the parent or student could print it off at home. Also, I think it's a great way for teachers to keep parents informed about upcoming events, lessons being studied, etc.

Rocket Reader

I subscribed to a free trial for Rocket Reader at www.rocketreader.com and am using my 5 year old as my guinea pig. Anyway, I tried the site out first and was impressed with what I saw. I love that the site has audio because many early readers need the reinforcement of sound because they cannot figure out the words by themselves. Also, I liked the reward system that was used when a child finished a lesson. In addition, I thought that the "report" section was very informative for both parents and teachers. It gives a report about the child's knowledge level regarding the words s/he is working on, enables the production of flash cards, etc. I would definintely incorporate this website into my lesson plans when I become a teacher.

Did You Know video

The "Did You Know" video was eye-opening. It really goes to show how far the educational system in this country has to come just to keep pace with other countries. Aside from the technology issues that we have to address in order to compete, I have always felt that one of the U.S' weaknesses is that most of our citizens are single lingual and are students, although taught another language in school, are really not bilingual due to the school system. Most truly "bilingual" students are bilingual because another language is spoken at home. In most other countries citizens are at least bilingual and many countries are multilingual. I have a friend from Italy who speaks 5 languages, English, Italian, French, German, and Spanish---and this was not uncommon in his country. Although giving this some extra thought, maybe we don't have to be bi or multilingual, if we communicate via computers, there are programs that will automatically translate the information into the receiver's language. Things that make you go hmmmm....

Make a Difference

Now that I've had a good cry while watching the Make A Difference video at http://www.makeadifferencemovie.com/, it reminds all of us what is really important in life---caring about others. This is a mantra that we should all remember since we picked this noble profession and have the power to affect a child's life....forever. Caring about the children in our class should always be our number 1 priority and if that happens, all of the learning that needs to be done will follow and fall into place.

Web Based Educational Resources

All I can say is, "WOW!" The amount of web based educational resources out there is phenomenal. There is absolutely NO reason why (except if there are no computers in class available) that teachers can not incorporate technology into EVERY lesson that they teach--the information is certainly available! I love Starfall.com for early learners and Unitedstreaming.com, Knowledge Box and PersuadeStar are interesting resources for children and would definitely hold the attention of older students. To really move forward, principals should hold teachers accountable for incorporating technology into at least 75% of their lesson plans, especially after learning how this generation of students learns differently than the rest of us do!

Inspiration

I downloaded a free trial of Inspiration at http://www.inspiration.com/Freetrial. I tried to navigate through the "help" or tutorial section, but I wasn't really getting the information that I needed to understand what Inspiration was or how to use it. However, once I watched the videos that Dr. Luongo posted "Using Inspiration" and "Inspiration Tutorial", I got a much better understanding of its function. As a matter of fact, in the business world, we used software like this during our brainstorming sessions. If memory serves me correctly, there were several applications that enabled us to do this. One was Visio, another was Microsoft Project. I think Inspiration is a great tool to use to teach children, especially since I can attest first hand that tools like this will be used in the workforce and their careers.

Blogging

After reviewing Weblogg-ed at http://weblogg-ed.com/and Edublog Web Ring, two points struck me. First, there is so much information out there, it's actually mind boggling and overwhelming! Second, there is a place in the virtual world for everybody! The EduBlog Web Ring site at http://www.ringsurf.com/ring/edublog/ has websites listed for every imaginable teacher topic, interest, etc. Through this website, I found www.teacherweb.com which would be really helpful in creating your own teacher website. Also, on Weblogg-ed, I enjoyed the blogs that people posted, particularly one about how Facebook could potentially help students in the classroom!

WebQuest Ahas

Well, I have to say that completing my WebQuest was time consuming, but really FUN! Here's some interesting info. that I learned.
1. Save all info. intermittently or the page will be lost!
2. From what I can assess, WebQuest does not have an audio function where you can send audio messages or read the pages to the users.
3. Uploading images is time consuming due to pixel constraints, but the Picnik website was really helpful in getting pictures resized!
4. Although it gives you the option of upload several images at once, it doesn't actually work.
5. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment and pride being "published"!

Books for Bringing Technology Into the Classroom

I was recently on the Jossey Bass website at http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-131497.html and found these new books that are aimed at helping teachers bring technology into their classrooms.


New and Notable Titles
PowerPoint for Teachers: Dynamic Presentations and Interactive Classroom Projects (Grades K-12) by Ellen Finkelstein, Pavel Samsonov
Teaching for Understanding with Technology by Martha Stone Wiske, Kristi Rennebohm Franz (With), Lisa Breit
Scaling Up Success: Lessons Learned from Technology-Based Educational Improvement by Chris Dede (Editor), James P. Honan (Editor), Laurence C. Peters (Editor), Ellen Condliffe Lagemann (Foreword by)
Hands-On Computer Activities for Teaching Math: Grades 3-8 by Beverly Burnley

WebQuest Formatting Tips

After searching around on the various websites that Dr. Luongo provided, I found one that gave really good tips about creating a visually appealling WebQuest. Some of the tips included the type of font that should be used, how sections should be spaced, etc. Check it out at:
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/finepoints/

Check out http://www.inspiringteachers.com/

WebQuest Tools

After reviewing all of the WebQuest tutorials and blogs that Dr. Luongo listed, I did not see any functionality to produce "audio" parts of a WebQuest. Admittedly, I did not search every single option yet and the functionality may in fact exist. Hopefully it does because I think that a WebQuest that provides audio would be extremely helpful when using it for kindergartners and early 1st graders. Of course, teachers can read the WebQuest pages to these young students, but I think part of WebQuest's charm is the fact that students go to the computer independently and build self confidence by being "big" because they can use a computer like their parents!

WebQuest

After reviewing all of the WebQuest links that Dr. Luongo has provided for class, I am excited to get started on building my WebQuest. I think that this tool is a fabulous and fun way for students to learn at a higher level, engage in team work, learn independence, and really be excited about an assignment!

Internet Safety Video Reviews

After watching the following videos, Internet Safety I , Internet Safety II (for young children)
and Know the Rules!, I have mixed reviews. I thought that Internet Safety II and Know the Rules were aimed towards young children. I thought that they delivered the message consistently and in an age appropriate manner. I thought that Internet Safety II was the better of the two videos. I liked that it drilled its message into the listener's brain by consistently and constantly outlining the appropriate steps to take in order to be safe on the Internet.

I was not as impressed with Internet Safety I. Although the message was sound and seemed to be aimed at older children, I could not get passed all of the typos. This is one of my pet peeves, but to be honest, and coming from a business background, if you want your message to be received well and to be taken seriously, grammatical errors should be non-existent. The typos just made me focus on the lack of education and/or the lack of conscientiousness of the author and not on the message. It did not come across as professional and as such I would not take it seriously, nor would I recommend the site to others.

Rubistar and Teachnology Rubric Generator

I checked these websites out and they are cool! The amount of information and technology out there to make our jobs easier is mind boggling. I thought Rubistar was quick and easy to use. It basically allowed you to put in the subject, select the areas for assessment, and it did the rest! Teachnology Rubic Generator not only had a rubric generator, but I had thousands of lesson plans, with tools / Internet connections needed listed right there in the lesson plan. All you had to do was print out the lesson plan and all the links/worksheets listed in the lesson plan and voila...you had a week's worth of work generated for you! I can only imagine the time that these type of tools save teachers. My Dad spent weekends as a H.S. Math Teacher in the 70's-early 90's creating his own lesson plans (handwritten), creating his own worksheets, homework assignments, and tests! It pays to live in the "Tech Era"!

Jukes Article

I thought that the "Jukes" article was right on the money! We inherently know why are kids are different from us, but this article really showed "why" they are different from us. I thought that it was fascinating that recent MRI studies have shown that our children use different neural pathways in the brain to process information than we do. Basically, they are "hard-wired" (pun intended) differently from us because of their relative ease to assimiliate into the digital environment and the basic fact that they were "born" into this technological boom. As a completely different generation, it makes us rethink how we should be presenting and teaching information to kids. Since the article stated that kids want info. fast, in various ways (like visual) and from various sources, my focus as an elementary school teacher has shifted as a result of this article. In situations that would be appropriate, I think that one way that I would shift my teaching method by instead of "lecturing" first, let the kids "group teach/learn" amongst each other first, do an experiment or research together, then have them present their findings to the class and have one big "group learning" session. This has allowed them to engage in team work, communication, deductive reasoning, etc. It's worth a try!

NJCCCS and NETS

After reviewing the two links provided by Dr. Luongo, it is obvious that NJCCCS and NETS give teachers a clear idea of their teaching objectives and goals when teaching students about (and through) technology. I felt that the NJCCCS was more specific, but it was solely focused on NJ standards, so it should be. I thought that the NJCCCS would be more useful to a NJ teacher, however the NETS site gives a good, broad overview of teacher expectations.