Journal #9

Chapter Nine: Creating and Sharing Information with Multimedia Technologies

   

Courtesy of FPC FPC FPC via Flickr

Focus Question 3: How can teachers use video resources in their teaching?

Teachers can use video resources in their teaching through instructional videos on how to perform a specific task, or educational videos, such as a Bill Nye the Science Guy video in a science classroom to introduce or explain a new topic a little bit better. YouTube videos can be found on a myriad of topics that can be used to accompany a lesson. Videos can show the students new material visually as some people learn better through visuals.

Tech Tool 9.3: Digital Storytelling and Digital Art Making:

Digital Storytelling’s slogan is “Listen Deeply/Tell Stories”. Digital storytelling refers to ways written text, audio and video imagery can be combined to make story presentations.

Digital Art Making is expressed in a website by the National Gallery of Art. NGAkids Art Zone interactives offer an entertaining and informative introduction to art and art history for children. There are a number of interactive activities in which students of all ages can engage in. one imparticular is creating your own jungle with animals and landscapes of your choice.

 Summary/Important Points:

The multimedia technologies that I found to be most interesting were multimodal learning which happens when teachers combine spoken words with visuals or written text with audio or to utilize simulations and models. An example of this can be using a PowerPoint to assist a lesson.

Graphic design is the process of arranging type and images to visually communicate information. This to me reminds me of a Pecha Kucha presentation that relies more on visuals than text.

Alphabet books are made by students to teach spelling patterns, letter sounds, vocabulary words, and reading skills. With the use of a digital camera alphabet books can be illustrated with photos. These can be used for children learning to read and write. By creating their own alphabet books they are forced to think of a word that starts with a specific letter and associate the letter with the item.

Technology is a definite asset in the classroom and can assist teachers in their lessons through audio and imagery.

 Resources:

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2007). Problem Solving and Inquiry Learning with Software and Web Tools. Transforming Learning with New Technologies (pp. 174-205). Boston: Pearson

FPC FPC FPC via Flickr

http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/education/kids.html

Journal Post #8

Chapter Eight: Communicating and Networking with Websites, Blogs, Wikis, and More

 

 

 

 

Dan Zen via Flickr

 

 

 

                                           

Focus Question 2: How can teachers use email or instant messaging to foster information exchanges with and among students?

Email and instant messaging can be a great tool both teachers and students. Email is great for when students have homework or projects they are completing out of class and realize they don’t understand something. They can simply email the teacher their specific question and the teacher can respond back. Instant messaging among students can be great for the same reason, students can give their feedback to each other as well as answer questions before asking a teacher.

 

Tech Tool 8.2: Posting and Publishing with Digital Image Scanners

Scanners are pretty amazing and I have personally used them many times to make my life a lot easier. Whenever you need a copy of something, like a driver license, or birth certificate for official reasons, you can just scan the copy and not have to have the original with you. Digital scanners are even more amazing and can be brought into the classroom. Anything you have that was written down manually can be scanned and uploaded to a computer so you can share with the class a list of books, titles, questions for a test, an itinerary, or even a hand drawing. So you can upload printed or drawn information to a teacher website or a blog. Teachers can also use digital scanners to add visual images, like a hand drawing, to handouts, notes or learning resources for students.

 

Summary/Important Points

As someone that doesn’t know a lot about wikis, I’m interested in learning about them. A wiki is defined as a website or blogspace that is collaboratively edited and maintained by a group of people. The first wiki that I frequently use is Wikipedia. If you want to know the gist about something, you go there. The information is normally pretty accurate but you have to be careful though because anyone can submit the information that it added. The website is maintained, it might just take a little while for the inaccurate information to be caught and removed, which would be terrible if you used the false information for a homework purpose. I of course also use the class eme2040 wiki, it’s convenient since all of the info is added by the teacher, and so if I’m ever unsure of an assignment, I can almost always answer my own question by reading something on there.

Teacher blogs, I think are a great idea. Three ways teachers use blogs are for student learning, specific information about an assignment topic can be posted for students to read. Student/Family communication, parents can access this and see what their child is learning in their class. Professional networking is another way teachers’ use blogs, they can see what other teachers are doing and showing their students and can spread ideas amongst each other.

Blogs, wikis and websites are all great assets to teachers by giving students places to find information on their own.

Resources

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2007). Problem Solving and Inquiry Learning with Software and Web Tools. Transforming Learning with New Technologies (pp. 174-205). Boston: Pearson.

Dan Zen via Flickr

 

Journal Post #7

Chapter Seven: Problem Solving and Inquiry Learning with Software and Web Tools

 

                                  Wayan Vota via Flickr

Focus Question 6: What are intelligent tutoring systems and how can students and teachers use them successfully?

Intelligent tutoring systems are an instructional tool, they present topics and track a student’s performance and correct answers and the teaching approach can be adjusted by the teacher, based on the student’s needs.

Tech Tool 7.2: A Math Learning Game-Zoombinis Logical Journey

The Zoombinis’ series was designed to teach critical thinking, problem solving and mathematical learning to elementary school aged students. Zoombinis are thumb-sized creatures with different types of hairstyles, eyewear, and footwear. There are 625 different possible combinations. The Zoombinis have embarked on a long journey to reclaim their ancestral island home. Using trial and error learning, data analysis, logical reasoning and theory building, the children playing the games guide the Zoombinis through a series of obstacles and puzzles that block their journey. While exploring the Zoombini Logical Journey game I think they are a great tool since it is a game that keeps children interested with a plot, of getting the Zoombinis back to their homeland, while the students have to use critical thinking and problem solving, amongst other skills while playing the game.

Summary/ Interesting Points:

I was not aware of the two different main types of software. They are system software, which is responsible for overall functioning and control of a computer. It includes the operating system, network operating system, database managers, and a TP monitor. Application software performs specific functions in specialized ways to produce a variety of services including word processing, databases, spreadsheets, slides and presentations.

Bloom’s taxonomy is associated with the terms higher and lower orders of thinking. This is an educational tool that was first presented in 1956. Bloom and his collaborators were interested in distinguishing a difference between different forms of thinking, from the basic recalling facts (lower order) to comparison and evaluating theories (higher order).

Games make learning more fun. Children are more apt to learn when a game is involved. Skill-learning games use elements of game play to involve students in learning academic material. I liked reading about the Zoombinis math game. I had never heard of it and after some googling I figured out it is quite a popular learning game for students.

 

Sources:

Zoombinis Logical Journey. (n.d.). Children's Educational Software and Computer Games for School Districts, Schools, Teachers, Parents and Students. Retrieved October 9, 2013, from http://www.smartkidssoftware.com/ndlec138.htm

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2007). Problem Solving and Inquiry Learning with Software and Web Tools. Transforming Learning with New Technologies (pp. 174-205). Boston: Pearson.

Wayon Vota via Flickr

 

 

 

Journal Post #6

Chapter Six: Teaching with Educational Websites and Other Online Resources

Photo credit to Michael Coghlan via Flickr

Focus Question 4: What are WebQuests and virtual field trips?

A WebQuest is an online inquiry by students and is designed and created by teachers. In a WebQuest students follow an electronic map while moving from various web resources to gather information and learn about a particular topic.

A virtual field trip takes students all over the world, using video and or pictures, without ever leaving the classroom.

Tech Tool 6.3: An Interactive Online Field Trip: The Cave of Chauvet-Pont-D’Arc

The Cave of Chauvet-Pont-D’Arc is a cave in France that shows some of the earliest cave paintings ever found. When I visited the website I immediately saw tabs detailing when the cave was discovered, how it was authenticated as truly having the oldest cave paintings ever discovered and how those paintings are being preserved today. If someone is just looking to read the facts about the cave then have questions about how it is today, these are great informative tools that can be easily accessed. There is then an area dedicated to research of the cave, it tells you about the research team, their methods, partners and the results they have achieved. What I found interesting was the geographic context tab concerning time and space, which describes what the cave looked like 100 million years ago and there is even a picture you can scroll over to view the image. There are of course different images of the cave all over the site. It seems to me to be very informative and it set up in a way to make finding specific information very easy.

Summary/Points:

Some terms I was not familiar with and found to be interesting were real-time and recorded data websites, they are like virtual field trips in the way that the data sites provide opportunities for students to enter a setting as an observer.

Teachers can organize electronic resources to address the curriculum by building a standards connector web can be a way to help teacher’s access academic material that can be used to teach about topics that are required by the curriculum.

One of my favorite parts of this chapter that I learned about were the virtual field trips. I had never heard of this before, it is a great concept and there are so many resources online that cater to the concept. A perfect example is the one the book provided about the cave in France, Chateau-Pont-d’Arc. It is perfectly labeled with informative information that makes it extremely easy to navigate and learn.

Resources:

Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5    

The Cave of Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc. (n.d.). Accueil / www.culturecommunication.gouv.fr / Ministère - Ministère de la culture. Retrieved October 2, 2013, from http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/chauvet

Michael Coghlan via Flickr