Technology in the Classroom

Twitter, Jing, Edmodo, Wordle

Technology is constantly changing. With these changes comes improvements in our schools systems. Teachers are able to connect better with one another, their students, and make life in the classroom more interesting. Using Twitter, Jing, Edmodo and Wordle along with many technolgogies has helped integrate technology into the lives of educators and into the classroom setting.

Twitter

As a teacher one must be careful not to use social networking sites in the wrong way, twitter and Facebook are often a big no no for many teachers, however, if used correctly they become a great tool for education. For instance, if a teacher has assigned a project the students in the class will be able to follow the teachers professional twitter in order to keep up with assignments, view tutorials, ask questions, and learn to use social networking in the proper way. They will be held responsible for what they write but also be rewarded for answering other students questions, seeking help and making sure to have the assignment on time. Twitter will also allow your students to get access to their assignments from multiple devices, it is paperless, and will learn how to network. It allows not only the teacher to track their participation but also gives a chance for the student to. Twitter is a great resource teachers should begin to utilize more often. It allows for a more interesting way to engage learners than lecturing.Twitter keeps students on track by allowing them to constantly check deadlines for assignments.

Misconceptions of Twitter

• Only for celebrity gossip, sports, blogging and personal thought
• Information on Twitter is not relevant to learning
• Any Twitter feed is useful because it contains information

Benefits of Twitter

• Gives students an alternative way to participate
• Keeps thoughts focused
• Immediate communication
• Increased personal communication skills
• collaboration with others
• Provides an outlet to ask questions
• Resource to connect with professionals

Jing

Due to the increase in technology in the classroom, Jing is a wonderful tool to know how to use! It not only makes life easier when copying images but can also copy videos as well. If a picture is unable to be copied and pasted into the needed location you can simply Jing it! Jing is a free sophware that can be easily installed on ones desk top and quickly accessed when needed. It allows one to essentially “share screens” with the other person viewing your blog, lesson plan, or directions. In a classroom setting Jing could be used in multiple ways, especially when attempting to show step by step directions on a computer. At the beginning of the semester we worked alongside a tutorial, learning how to use this great and useful software. I later used Jing on multiple occasions, especially with slide shows for other classes. Jing works as a great visual aide! Here is a tutorial on how to Jing an image or video!

Edmodo

From the very start of the semester we have been using Edmodo in order to assign upcoming blogs, share blogs and assignments, receive grades and notifications and see each others work when possible. Edmodo has allowed for collaboration between not only the teacher but the class. It has allowed for a safe technologically advanced classroom community. The thing that I have enjoyed most about Edmodo is the calender. The calender is a great way to be able to plan out what is due, when it is due, and how much time I should allot for a particular assignment. Having assignments laid out in a calender form has always helped me plan effectively and efficiently. Turning in Assignments and receiving grades was a breeze. To turn in an assignment you simply send the link to the teacher on the due date. The teacher can then easily reply back that it has come through correctly. Not long after you'll receive a notification saying that it has been graded. Overall, Edmodo is a great tool to use as a student and as a teacher. It has been implemented into my classroom nicely and should be used in High Schools all over the country. I believe this would be a great source to use for an English class where things are often done on the computer. It keeps things paperless (so nothing is lost in the shuffle) and allows for students to keep track of their progress.

Wordle

Wordle was the very first assignment that was given in my Education Tech class. Wordle is an image made by words that express a certain idea or thing that is made into a “word cloud”. It was a great way for us to introduce ourselves to the class while getting acclimated with using the schools computers and Edmodo (where we posted our creations). Wordle was an interesting way to say ones interests, hobbies, background and random facts about oneself.

Uses for Wordle

• spelling lists
• names/ interests
• general display purposes
• reflections
• poetry

PBS Teachers

Teachers can use PBS in numerous ways. They can use PBS in order to interact with their students and bring a fun atmosphere into the classroom. By using the website, PBS.org kids are able to use technology in the classroom, while being safe. On the website you will find many different activities, videos, links and fun and current ideas for every subject area!

For Health and PE there are more focused links, videos and activities, all concentrating on health and fitness. For instance, after clicking on the grade you would like to focus on it brings up links that are appropriate for that area, like Buster Baxter's Lung Defender. This interactive activity is kid friendly and teaches about the dangers of asthma. By using this online tool they are able to learn what triggers asthma and how Baxter can protect himself from the harmful triggers! 

                        

Another helpful tool found on the PBS website are lesson plans for teachers in all areas. In the particular area of health and fitness there are endless lessons plans for all grades. One lesson plan in particular, Fizzy's Lunch Lab: Family Meal Time, discusses the healthy options everyone's family can take in order to make their dinner plate a little greener! The teacher talking point, materials, and objectives are all included to help guide the lesson plan. The overview at the beginning can be varied in order to be longer, shorter or faster paced depending on the grade and class being taught. Overall, the PBS website is extremely helpful when making lessons plans fun, interactive and focused!

                                          

Internet Safety for Kids and Parents

Internet Safety Laws
The Children's Online Pricacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a federal law. It was created to help protect our kids online. It's designed to keep anyone from obtaining a child's personal information without a parent knowing about it and agreeing to it first.


Helpful Websites 
1. Basic Internet Safety
2. Safe Sites
3.Stay Safe Online



Kid Friendly Websites
1. netsmartzkids.org
2. Kid's Digital Library
3. Crayola Crafts





Internet Safety Video

Recent Statistics

• 95% of parents don't recognize the lingo kids use to let people know that their parents are watching
• 89% of sexual solicitations are made in either chat rooms or Instant Messages
• 20% of children age 10-17 have been solicited sexually online; that's 1 out of every 5 kids
• 75% of youth who received an online sexual solicitation did not tell a parent
• One third of kids have been contacted by a stranger and half of these were considered inappropriate
• 81% of parents of online youth say that kids aren't careful enough when giving out information about themselves online
• 76% of parents don't have rules about what their kids can do on the computer
• 65% of parents believe that kids do things online that they wouldn't want their parents to know about
• 4,000,000 children are posting content to the Web everyday
• 15,000,000 youth use Instant Messaging
• 9 out of 10 parents will never know that any inappropriate contact has occurred
• 14% have actually met face to face with a person they have met on the Internet
• 1 out of 17 kids have been harassed, threatened, or bullied
• Nearly three-quarters (73%) of online teens believe that someone their age is most likely to be approached by someone unknown to them online as opposed to offline
• When asked how they responded the last time they were contacted online by a complete stranger, just 3% of online teens said they told and adult or authority figure

                                                                                                                  
FOR PARENTS                                                                                      
1. Keep the computer in a public area of the house so they can be monitored.
2. Be informed. Become a net savvy parents and learn the basics click here.
3. Make guidelines for your children so they know what is appropriate when using the internet.
4. Use parental control software like Safe Eyes. Safe Eyes helps keep children out of inappropriate websites
    and only allows use of the computer for a certain period of time.
5. Take an interest to what your kids are doing online.


FOR KIDS
1. Never give out your name without knowing being positive who the other person is.
2. Inform parent if something makes you uncomfortable.
3. Use a gender neutral screen name.
4. Inform a parent when giving out your address, telephone, or photograph online
5. People are not always who they say they are. 

Recent News

Facebook has just announced they will be giving a grant of $200,000 as part of a safety program to encourage internet safety, prevent cyber bullying, and how the media can impact the next generation. By taking steps like this we are able to make a safer world where our kids will maintain their innocence and remain safe when using today's technology. 

Technology in the Classroom

Technology in the Classroom

 COMPUTERS 

Over the years, our school technology has changed immensely. As technology has picked up so has our addiction to all the latest gadgets and inventions. Whether is using the chalkboard, white board, smart board or ipad, everyone’s experience has been similar. Technology in the classroom has both improved and hindered ones education. Sarah Kessler believes that, “Technology is helping teachers to expand beyond linear, text-based learning and to engage students who learn best in other ways. Its role in schools has evolved from a contained “computer class” into a versatile learning tool that could change how we demonstrate concepts, assign projects and assess progress” (8 Ways Technology Is Improving Education). Students with particular learning disabilities may find the technology extremely helpful, especially when the student is a visual learner. After being diagnosed with a disability when I was in 3^rd grade it became obvious that I had an extreme weakness when it came to math. By using different types of math software with a tutor I was able to improve my math skills. The idea of using computers is supported in Conrad Wolfram's speech saying, “I believe that correctly using computers is the silver bullet for making math education work”. At 1:05 in the video above he supports the use of computers in classrooms, explaining that kids simply lose interest in math because it does not connect to the real world, especially when students are doing tedious computing my hand. At Lexington High School there were multiple computer labs and carts of lap tops, however these are being used constantly, causing most students to see math as a painful class period. 

TELEVISIONS

In addition to using computers almost every classroom had a television or access to a television at any time. I found that using the televisions was beneficial is almost every classroom setting but only if it directly correlated to the class. For instance in English class, after reading a book we would often watch the movie. This helped with clearing up any confusion about the novel and put a face to the characters, making the tests or paper that followed much easier to write.

 When an abstract idea was being taught in class, like molecules or the reaction between two different chemicals videos were extremely useful. They were able to teach lessons that cannot be seen and warn us of the dangers that we never want to experience. These videos can also be instructional, giving demonstrations to the visual learners in the room. Things like learning the periodic table became easier after watching informative videos about the different properties. 

                

Overall, my experience with technology in the classroom was what I considered to be average for public schools in my area. Televisions, smart boards, and and computer labs were used rarely in my education. White boards were used daily along with older projectors. Lesson plans were always based around the technology that was available. Due to my lack of exposure to technology I feel it has put me behind when beginning college.