WEEK FIVE
Hello! This quarter has just flown by! This week we focused our lesson plan on Picasa's and web evaluations. Picasa is a type of video media that we used in class to make a video about social justice and diversity. I thought it was a great way to talk about both social justice and diversity while incorporating pictures, quotes, and music to make the learning experience for the student that more enjoyable. I liked learned how to make a Picasa because I plan on using this type of media in my future classrooms. Smalls clips and videos are a great way to break a long lecture to make sure the students are still giving attention and learning. I also felt that using a Picasa in the classroom is great because it gives the student a different way to learning new material. Looking at power point's or copying notes from a board is one thing, but after a while of doing the same routine can be very lax to the student. Switching it up and having the students learn from a video I made from Picasa is a great way for them to digest the new material. The Picasa relates well with the Digital age learning and student learning in the ISTE standards.
The second half of the class was talking about web evaluations. I think it is a really great idea to do web evaluations to websites that some think are educational while others may disagree. Having that check list of questions about the website really made me look at a website and see what I was actually looking at. Instead of looking at the information, I had to dwell deeper into the website and see if it would be beneficial to other students or teachers. Luckily, I found a website that was useful for what I planned on teaching in the future. I think that having those web evaluations and putting the evaluations up on blogs, or other forms of social media other teacher can look at, is great so they know what would be considered a good academic website and what isn't. I feel that the web evaluations relate well with the digital age work, digital citizenship, and professional growth.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
WEEK FOUR
Hey blog readers! Kelsey Higgins here! This is my blog update for Week four.
This week we learned how to do a WebQuest. When I walked into class, I had no idea what a WebQuest was or what it was used for. By the end of class, I was able to not only understand what a WebQuest's function was for students and teachers, but how to make a successful one myself. A WebQuest is used by teachers for students and teachers. It is an interactive website that gives students a 'how-to' or a 'scavenger hunt' and then reflect on what they learned from their WebQuest. There was also a teacher portion where teachers could read about how the teacher that made the WebQuest did to make it a successful website, and what they needed to do to make their own WebQuest. It gave the teachers looking at the WebQuest information on what supplies and materials they needed and how they could use that WebQuest for future lesson plans.
I think that it was very important to learn how to make a WebQuest in this class because WebQuests's are very beneficial to students and teachers alike. Students learn in different ways and I think that using an internet-based lesson to teach them how to do something is a great way for students to learn! I know that in the 21st century, children and young adults are constantly dealing with the internet whether it's because of research or social media. Using what the students use every day is a great tool because they are very familiar with navigating through the web.
From a teacher's standpoint, I think that looking at different WebQuest's and seeing how different teachers taught a certain subject is great for other teachers! There may be a subject that comes hard to your students and you aren't sure the best way to handle it. Seeing how other teachers conquer that subject and seeing what they did so their students know that material is key in making sure your students know it as well.
I can't wait to use WebQuests when I become a future educator! I know that I will use WebQuest as a teaching tool and as a research tool to become the best teacher I can possibly be. I think that WebQuest's also work well with the ISTE standards in that it relates well with Digital age learning for students and teachers, promotes professional growth for the teachers, student learning for the students, and digital age work.
Hey blog readers! Kelsey Higgins here! This is my blog update for Week four.
This week we learned how to do a WebQuest. When I walked into class, I had no idea what a WebQuest was or what it was used for. By the end of class, I was able to not only understand what a WebQuest's function was for students and teachers, but how to make a successful one myself. A WebQuest is used by teachers for students and teachers. It is an interactive website that gives students a 'how-to' or a 'scavenger hunt' and then reflect on what they learned from their WebQuest. There was also a teacher portion where teachers could read about how the teacher that made the WebQuest did to make it a successful website, and what they needed to do to make their own WebQuest. It gave the teachers looking at the WebQuest information on what supplies and materials they needed and how they could use that WebQuest for future lesson plans.
I think that it was very important to learn how to make a WebQuest in this class because WebQuests's are very beneficial to students and teachers alike. Students learn in different ways and I think that using an internet-based lesson to teach them how to do something is a great way for students to learn! I know that in the 21st century, children and young adults are constantly dealing with the internet whether it's because of research or social media. Using what the students use every day is a great tool because they are very familiar with navigating through the web.
From a teacher's standpoint, I think that looking at different WebQuest's and seeing how different teachers taught a certain subject is great for other teachers! There may be a subject that comes hard to your students and you aren't sure the best way to handle it. Seeing how other teachers conquer that subject and seeing what they did so their students know that material is key in making sure your students know it as well.
I can't wait to use WebQuests when I become a future educator! I know that I will use WebQuest as a teaching tool and as a research tool to become the best teacher I can possibly be. I think that WebQuest's also work well with the ISTE standards in that it relates well with Digital age learning for students and teachers, promotes professional growth for the teachers, student learning for the students, and digital age work.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
WEEK THREE
Hello readers! It's, Kelsey Higgins here with an update from this week's class. This week, we learned how to make a Google survey and then make a presentation about our survey results on PowerPoint. I thought it was very interesting and cool to learn how to make a survey and then see the results from what people were asked.
In general, I love that surveys offer such diversity. People come from all walks of life, so having anonymous surveys gives each person the chance to not only answer truthfully, but give their differing opinions to each question.
After surveyed at least 10 people, we had to take the results and make a PowerPoint presentation about it. I thought it was really cool seeing the diverse answers to each question I asked. My focus for my survey was Facebook. I had surveyors range in ages from 15 years old to over 26 years old. I am glad I not only had different ages but different genders.
I think that making a survey and seeing the results is a great skill to have for when I become an educator. I can easily make a survey for my students and ask them questions about the content they are learning. I think getting their honest opinion on whether or not they know it is really important to me. If I taught something and many students seemed confused, surveying them and asking questions about the content that was taught would be a great idea. It is also important as a teacher to use PowerPoints to help get points across. If I surveyed my students about what they were confused on and then showed the results via PowerPoint, it would show that they are not the only one confused with the subject. I think that the PowerPoint project and Google survey works well with digital age learning, student learning, digital age work, and digital citizenshp in the ISTE standards.
Look for a blog next week! Thanks for the read!
In general, I love that surveys offer such diversity. People come from all walks of life, so having anonymous surveys gives each person the chance to not only answer truthfully, but give their differing opinions to each question.
After surveyed at least 10 people, we had to take the results and make a PowerPoint presentation about it. I thought it was really cool seeing the diverse answers to each question I asked. My focus for my survey was Facebook. I had surveyors range in ages from 15 years old to over 26 years old. I am glad I not only had different ages but different genders.
I think that making a survey and seeing the results is a great skill to have for when I become an educator. I can easily make a survey for my students and ask them questions about the content they are learning. I think getting their honest opinion on whether or not they know it is really important to me. If I taught something and many students seemed confused, surveying them and asking questions about the content that was taught would be a great idea. It is also important as a teacher to use PowerPoints to help get points across. If I surveyed my students about what they were confused on and then showed the results via PowerPoint, it would show that they are not the only one confused with the subject. I think that the PowerPoint project and Google survey works well with digital age learning, student learning, digital age work, and digital citizenshp in the ISTE standards.
Look for a blog next week! Thanks for the read!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Week 2
Hello again! I am going to write about my experience in EDCT 203, on my 2nd week being here. The first thing we did was learn how to do an interactive power point. Throughout my life as a student, I have seen many power points. Yet, the power points I remembered the most were the animated and most interactive power points. Therefore, I was excited to learn how to make an interactive power point, so when I become a future educator, I will have the confidence that my students will remember some aspect of my power points. Being a science teacher, it is going to take me more than just writing on a chalk board to get my students to fully wrap their brains around chemical equations and other information they plan on learning.
In class, we learned how to do an interactive quiz on the power point. I learned how to make cool transitions from one slide to the next, and even animations. Looking at power points without any animation can be very boring and hard to remember. Being able to look at a power point and see videos, listen to sounds, and make an interactive quiz will keep my students' attention and focus.
We also learned how to make a Wiki page that day. I have always heard about wiki pages, but I was never sure what it was fully about. After EDCT 203, I had a full understanding of what Wiki pages were used for and how to make them. I learned how to make a homepage as well as a resource page. I also learned how to hyperlink addresses on the wiki and how to put a video on my wiki page as well. I plan on using my wiki page by giving as much information about the subjects I am teaching in class so my students can look at outside sources when studying for my class. I plan on posting multiple videos on the topics discussed in class as well as hyperlinks to a plethora of websites that could aide them in their success. I think that using the power points work well with digital age learning and student learning with the ISTE standards.
I am excited for what Week 3 has to offer! I will keep you updated soon!
Thanks for reading!
Kelsey Higgins
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Week 1 of EDCT 203
On March 29th, 2012, my EDCT 203 class met for the first time. I was excited about this class, but was also a bit nervous. I would not say I am completely delusional when it comes to technology, but at the same time, I would not consider myself superior to my peers when it comes to technology.
As soon as I entered class, my reservations about the class completely disappeared. My professor, Dr. Akyeampong, made each student feel welcome by allowing ourselves to introduce each other and made us feel welcome to the class and the syllabus. The four hours our class was together, professor Akyeampong taught the class on how to create a blog, turn a word document into a PDF, hyperlink websites from different documents and sources, and create a proper word document with an easy-to-read format!
I look forward to learning as much as I can from EDCT 203. I think that learning how to make websites, word documents, and other technology-related items will help me succeed as a teacher. the 21st century is all about technology. While I always thought I would be the type of teacher that would strictly use the chalk board with limited amounts of PowerPoints and Smart Boards, I don't think that would be beneficial to both my students and myself. Using technology in many ways will like power points, blogs, and smart boards will help those students who learn more effectively through visuals. Being able to use the blog as a future educator would be amazing because I could write a blog a week there my students could look at and comment if they had any questions about the materials we discussed in class. I think this week we related well to the, "Digital Age learning" and "Digital Age network" with regards to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).
Expect a blog from me next week! I look forward to next week's class and I am excited to see what I get to learn.
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