There were many awful websites that we looked at in class. One included solid tie-dye print and it was impossible to see what we were supposed to get out of the website. The purpose was not organized.
I found that there are many things that you can do wrong in a website. Another included filling a website with information with little to no organization and being just crammed with all of the places to eat in Atlanta.
I don't know if I will ever make my own website (outside of this class) but if I do I hope that it isn't crammed but instead catches the readers eye. This can be done using corresponding neutral colors, minimal text, and nice pictures.
Making my own website in class has been such a hassle. I never realized how much time it took to create your own! I am really impressed with all of those who do this as their real jobs.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
iPads & Smartboard
I really like iPads.
While it may be a stretch to include them into a lesson, I think that they are a great tool to get used to.
I did enjoy actually making a lesson plan of how it could be applied in the classroom. It was the first time in this class I felt that I could prove to myself that it was useful. (I was frustrated though because it seems each lesson plan that we are given in class is different).
Overall, I really like iPads. I just struggle to find a use for them in the classroom other than learning about new technologies. There are some educational apps, but they vary and most can't be put into a lesson plan.
I love the Smartboard! It was fun just messing around on it, being able to see how many extra things the Smartboard actually contains! In my mentor teacher's classroom, I have been able to see first hand on how it can be applied. This can include using a powerpoint and projecting it up on the screen and writing out each individual step of math problems.
Overall, this is very easy to put into use in the classroom. I really like it! I do feel like I could take a one hour introduction to it and still wouldn't know everything that a Smartboard could do.
While it may be a stretch to include them into a lesson, I think that they are a great tool to get used to.
I did enjoy actually making a lesson plan of how it could be applied in the classroom. It was the first time in this class I felt that I could prove to myself that it was useful. (I was frustrated though because it seems each lesson plan that we are given in class is different).
Overall, I really like iPads. I just struggle to find a use for them in the classroom other than learning about new technologies. There are some educational apps, but they vary and most can't be put into a lesson plan.
I love the Smartboard! It was fun just messing around on it, being able to see how many extra things the Smartboard actually contains! In my mentor teacher's classroom, I have been able to see first hand on how it can be applied. This can include using a powerpoint and projecting it up on the screen and writing out each individual step of math problems.
Overall, this is very easy to put into use in the classroom. I really like it! I do feel like I could take a one hour introduction to it and still wouldn't know everything that a Smartboard could do.
Podcasts
While I have used free podcasts on iTunes for sermons from my hometown, I have never made one. I personally don't like making podcasts because I don't like the sound of my voice, and it seemed choppy unless you want to have an in detail script written up before hand. And if you mess up, it can then seem choppy also.
I think that me making a podcast would be applicable to use in an elementary or middle school classroom. However, it may be used in the high school classroom for when students need individual help on the steps for math problems.
What would be more applicable in the classroom, however, would be finding individual podcasts through itunes. For example, I found a fun group of podcasts that showed different "cheats" on how to multiply different values. I thought it was so cool, and probably would show my students. I do think, though, that the person doing the podcast needs to have a voice that isn't monotone and there should be a video associated. Otherwise it is easy to lose focus on what is happening.
Overall I generally like podcasts. However, a teacher would have to make an effort to make room for them in lesson plans.
I think that me making a podcast would be applicable to use in an elementary or middle school classroom. However, it may be used in the high school classroom for when students need individual help on the steps for math problems.
What would be more applicable in the classroom, however, would be finding individual podcasts through itunes. For example, I found a fun group of podcasts that showed different "cheats" on how to multiply different values. I thought it was so cool, and probably would show my students. I do think, though, that the person doing the podcast needs to have a voice that isn't monotone and there should be a video associated. Otherwise it is easy to lose focus on what is happening.
Overall I generally like podcasts. However, a teacher would have to make an effort to make room for them in lesson plans.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Inclass tests and fake websites
I was really impressed with the in class testing techniques. I liked the hand-devices because you have it with you and you can change your answer if you change your mind. One pain would be that you have to rent or buy the device rather than using something that you already have. I, too, liked the technique over the internet. Not only was it a free program but it also can be used with any device that you have, such as a smartphone, iPod, and laptop. This program, however, is not good for those who do not own any of these technologies. The cost is something that some people can't afford.
Classrooms today are doing a great job at incorporating the jump of technology into the classroom.
While these two programs are perfect for high school and college programs, it is not applicable for the middle school. So, it is nothing that I would ever use in the classroom. Therefore, I would never use it. But, it is a handy program to be aware of.
I was not aware of all of the faulty websites online! It is kind of scary how much false information is out there and how gullible people may think that it is true. In my middle school classroom, I would like to show my students these faulty websites and how some can look legitimate when they are completely false, or with no credible background.
Overall I was very happy with today's class. I learned a lot!
Classrooms today are doing a great job at incorporating the jump of technology into the classroom.
While these two programs are perfect for high school and college programs, it is not applicable for the middle school. So, it is nothing that I would ever use in the classroom. Therefore, I would never use it. But, it is a handy program to be aware of.
I was not aware of all of the faulty websites online! It is kind of scary how much false information is out there and how gullible people may think that it is true. In my middle school classroom, I would like to show my students these faulty websites and how some can look legitimate when they are completely false, or with no credible background.
Overall I was very happy with today's class. I learned a lot!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Google Maps
I was very surprised with how much Google Maps was capable
of doing. It was a very easy program to understand and creating our own tour
was quicker than I had imagined. I liked being able to choose my own tour, as
opposed to doing something education related. Choosing types of food I like was very easy to relate to,
and made me very hungry!
It really is amazing how many subjects we can use math for!
In history, you can use it for population immigration within a specific time
period. In math, you can find the
distance between 2 cities. For health, one can map out a walk or run for
mileage.
Google map is a great tool that I am definitely showing my
parents when I see them next.
One thing I thought was creepy about the program was that I
could see my house from the street. It even had our car in the parking lot! This
really sketched me out. I feel like if the program fell into the wrong hands,
much bad could be done.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
iMovie Experience
When Denvy started explaining the project of iMovie, I
immediately began to feel overwhelmed. How were we going to make and edit a 30
second movie in an hour and a half? However once we got filming the scenes, I
began to relax a bit.
The actual scenes were really fun and I wish the video could
be longer than 30 seconds because we were enjoying being goofy and including it
in our video. We ended up cutting around 15 seconds of stuff just to make sure
that the video was in the correct perameters of the class.
Unlike Photoshop, the editing of the project for iMovie was
very simple. It was easy to get used to adding a title, inserting different
transitions, and a scrolling cast list at the end.
The one thing that I really dislike about the program iMovie
was the saving of the finished project was extremely complicated. I tried to
save it the first time but the finished project vanished. I had no idea where
it went. So, needless to say, I began to get stressed out again. I had to
remake the project with all of the individual videos that we had filmed earlier
that day, and even then I was not sure if it had actually saved. I wish that it
wasn’t so complicated to go back and work on a created project.
Overall I really enjoyed Photoshop more than I had originally
thought.
Photoshop
Photoshop
is such a cool program, but has so many programs that can do so many things I
was becoming overwhelmed. Once in the computer, I eventually got the hang of
simple things, such as changing the sizes of objects, editing the darkness of
the colors, and deleting any unnecessary details.
I
also got to use a scanner for the first time, which was pretty cool and I was
surprised how accurate the picture being scanned into the computer was.
I
don't know if I will ever use Photoshop again but I know that a scanner will
become important in the future, whether it is in my own classroom or if it is
at my home.
As
far as my final project went, I don't think that it looks realistic. I wish I
knew how to make the pink ball more solid in color and rid of the light
coloring so that it is consistent with the whole picture. I’m sure there is a
way to do it on Photoshop but because we are getting such a quick overview, it
wasn’t included in our instruction.
Like
the students said in the video that we watched today, it was cool to see the
finished product. I finished something on my own!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Web 2.0
First I went to WhizKidGames, hoping that I could find some online games that my future students could play. Because I would like to teach middle school with a math focus, I am hoping that the game is somewhat sophisticated and also educational. However, as soon as I saw the main site, I knew that this would not work for my students. It is obvious that the intended audience is young children first exploring how to use the internet and gaming systems. I think this could be used in teaching for very low grades and as a time filler. I believe that there is no real educational value other than students who are being first introducted to technology and the internet. What worked well was the dinosaur once you have reached the main site, showing that the site is focused on younger students. What didn't work well was the misleading name of the site. I was hoping for some educational value and instead there was none. I don't think I would recommend this site to anyone.
The next site I tried was GameClassroom. Because it has "classroom" in the name, I was hoping that it would be more applicable to my classroom. Upon the main page I clicked on "math games" and then played the game Math Millionaire. While it was not up to the grade level that I had wanted, it still is a fun math game that reviews fractions, percentages, factors, and money. What was interesting to me, however, was the website was not mainly for the students but for teachers. There were worksheets, lessons and possible videos to show the class. This is a great website and I would definitely use it in my teaching, maybe by having the students play the math game if they need a review in the subjects or just to make the idea of math fun. I was honestly hoping for a site that was only for kids but I do understand how hard it is to have that when parents permission is required for child to search the internet. The intented grades for teachers appeared to be 1st through 6th. There is nothing that was poorly done with this website, I am quite a fan.
Lastly I went to a site titled Scribbls. It was the only site that a log in was necessary. I expected it to be just this site where you can draw anything and somehow send it to people electronically. However, it appeared to be quite a specific set of drawings. What you do is draw two things and then an outcome. Many are hilarious. I do not expect to use this in my classroom. It can be used for art projects, using creativity to add two things to make something unknown to the world. I think this could be used for many grades, depending on the creatitivity and humor levels of each individual child. I think this site is cool because it allows people online who share a love of drawing to share their combinations. However, I was suprised, and slightly dissapointed, to see that was all their was to the site.
The next site I tried was GameClassroom. Because it has "classroom" in the name, I was hoping that it would be more applicable to my classroom. Upon the main page I clicked on "math games" and then played the game Math Millionaire. While it was not up to the grade level that I had wanted, it still is a fun math game that reviews fractions, percentages, factors, and money. What was interesting to me, however, was the website was not mainly for the students but for teachers. There were worksheets, lessons and possible videos to show the class. This is a great website and I would definitely use it in my teaching, maybe by having the students play the math game if they need a review in the subjects or just to make the idea of math fun. I was honestly hoping for a site that was only for kids but I do understand how hard it is to have that when parents permission is required for child to search the internet. The intented grades for teachers appeared to be 1st through 6th. There is nothing that was poorly done with this website, I am quite a fan.
Lastly I went to a site titled Scribbls. It was the only site that a log in was necessary. I expected it to be just this site where you can draw anything and somehow send it to people electronically. However, it appeared to be quite a specific set of drawings. What you do is draw two things and then an outcome. Many are hilarious. I do not expect to use this in my classroom. It can be used for art projects, using creativity to add two things to make something unknown to the world. I think this could be used for many grades, depending on the creatitivity and humor levels of each individual child. I think this site is cool because it allows people online who share a love of drawing to share their combinations. However, I was suprised, and slightly dissapointed, to see that was all their was to the site.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Future?
Although I know that in this life we are not guaranteed one more day in this life, I still have a few things that I would love to do. Career-wise, I would love to be a middle school math teacher. With sharing my personal love for math, I hope to show others that math isn't always frustrating and that once you understand the concept, it is so exciting! In the few first years within graduating from Western Oregon University with my undergraduate degree in teaching, I hope to either get a job right away or to get my Masters and make my resume more full.
Almost every 6-year-old little girl reads fairy tales and loves the part of the story where the handsome prince sweeps the princess off their feet and they live a 'happily ever after'. As an almost 22-year-old young woman, I now know that my expectations were unrealistic. But, I am still excited to be a wife, to be someone's best friend, to share your inner thoughts without being judged, to feel so comfortable. With this special person that I find, I hope to have children. I don't know how many, maybe two or three, maybe more, maybe less. How ever many children God gives me, I will be more than happy to have. I hope to be a great mother, teaching my children how to live a life full of God's word!
I hope to live a life not based around having comfort of my own but of helping others. Those who have a roof over their head, running water for a shower, food and clothes are in 20% of the world! There is so much we can do if we help with things that aren't necessary. I am not saying to become a hippie, but to use what I need, with some rare luxuries, and to help others with the rest!
I would like to be involved in my church. Right now I am just attending and taking notes during the service, but I would love to be a volunteer secretary in the office or to help out in the childrens' ministry.
Other activities I would be fortunate in being a part of are...
Almost every 6-year-old little girl reads fairy tales and loves the part of the story where the handsome prince sweeps the princess off their feet and they live a 'happily ever after'. As an almost 22-year-old young woman, I now know that my expectations were unrealistic. But, I am still excited to be a wife, to be someone's best friend, to share your inner thoughts without being judged, to feel so comfortable. With this special person that I find, I hope to have children. I don't know how many, maybe two or three, maybe more, maybe less. How ever many children God gives me, I will be more than happy to have. I hope to be a great mother, teaching my children how to live a life full of God's word!
I hope to live a life not based around having comfort of my own but of helping others. Those who have a roof over their head, running water for a shower, food and clothes are in 20% of the world! There is so much we can do if we help with things that aren't necessary. I am not saying to become a hippie, but to use what I need, with some rare luxuries, and to help others with the rest!
I would like to be involved in my church. Right now I am just attending and taking notes during the service, but I would love to be a volunteer secretary in the office or to help out in the childrens' ministry.
Other activities I would be fortunate in being a part of are...
- Vacationing in Greece
- Going to an underprivelaged country
- Teaching children on a military base
- Having a house with a porch swing and a large yard
- Living near my parents
- Skydiving
- Finishing a marathon
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