Week Four (Chapters Six and Seven): • Topic (Educational Technology), Module (Methods to Classroom) – Clip: A Dinosaur WebQuest

Some advantages of using WebQuests in education are enhancing the learning process through various means. Based on the video, the second graders appeared to be proactively learning opposed to having to listen to a lecture. This method of learning allow for students to take ownership of their learning process. Another advantage is the use of WebQuests allows students to explore learning strands through technological research. Students were engaged in the learning process because the assignments encouraged each student in a three-member group to be responsible for specific tasks. Hence, students learned by uncovering answers using various Web sites. At the end, students were able to take what they had research and convert it to a presentation to share with the entire class. Students were assessed based on how they performed on a test.

There are some problems that students may encounter if a WebQuest (that has pre-selected Web sites) are not used in learning. If the teacher does not access or discuss those Web sites, it may discourage students from accessing those same Web sites in the future. Students may only access the Web sites that they are most comfortable with and the ones that were discussed in class. Another problem is students may not know how to navigate specific Web sites that were not discussed in class. This could also become a problem in students’ learning.

There are many benefits in which “structured” learning through a technology medium can help improve learning. One way is that it incorporates kinesthetic learning through a technology medium. Many students enjoy using technology and are quite efficient. The use of technology can enhance how students learn and grasp learning concepts. Another benefit is that it helps students to remain on task through an outline that teachers should originate prior to students coming to class. When students follow the prescribed “structure,” they are ensuring that each learning strand and objective will be covered.

If I were charged with the task to design a WebQuest, I would be sure to align the learning strands and objectives with the content contained in WebQuest. Afterwards, I would locate some Web sites that would provide my students with the appropriate hands-on experience. Lastly, I would familiarize myself in using and navigating through each Web site.

Week Four (Chapters Six and Seven): Topic (Educational Technology), Module (Virtual Chem Lab) – Clip: Virtual Chemistry Labs

Three advantages of using simulations in a chemistry lab are (1) students can perform a lab demonstration using any chemical that are located in the stockroom, (2) students are allowed to use various chemicals and manipulate them without having to face any real hazards, and (3) students are able to apply principles and theories learned in class and determine whether or not it works. Additionally, there are other advantages to using simulations in a chemistry lab, such as helping students to explore their creativity in order to create an unknown substance. For the teacher, they can minimize preparation time before going to class because it is not necessary to gather real chemicals. This is also cost effective for school districts because they do not have to purchase these costly chemicals.

There are several advantages in using simulations for other content areas that may contain a certain risk for students and/or something that students would not normally experience. First, it helps to equal the “academic learning field” in which all students can be exposed to kinesthetic tasks that may require a certain level of risk or visiting a country abroad. This advantage helps to eliminate the financial obstacle from the equation. For instance, even if school districts could not possibly afford to have a physical science lab, students do not have to miss out on the opportunity to perform virtual science lab experiments. This is also cost effective for the school district.

I believe that the type of learning strategies and/or classroom environments that would work best for computer simulations is based on Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligence theories. Based on this learning strategy, teachers are able to meet and address students’ various learning styles.

Week Three: Topic (Educational Technology), Module (Microsoft’s Backyard) – Clip: Classroom Management Software

Class server assists teachers, students, and parents with teaching and learning in numerous ways. For teachers, they are able to use resources in innovative ways to create assignments and activities. Afterwards, teachers can add these assignments and other resources to a server via his or her website. Teachers are still instructing students but through a different mode of delivery. In fact, the teacher in the video believes that this was an effective means of taking the “teacher out of the loop.” Her statement was based on how she no longer has to grade certain assessments and assignments that were more objective because the program was capable of giving students immediate feedback.

For students, the class server enables them to perform their assignments on the computer. According to a student in the video, he enjoyed doing reports on the computer opposed to having to handwrite his report. Since students were able to do their assignments on the computer, they were able to be more creative, innovative, incorporate animation, special effects, and many more details. It is also useful for students to be able to receive immediate feedback from doing certain assignments on the server.

For parents, they are able to keep up with their child’s classroom performance because these students were receiving immediate feedback. This is advantageous for both students and parents because they no longer have to wait until parent-teacher conference to learn about the child’s progress.

The advantages that this type of classroom management tool could offer a school district are meeting students with differentiated learning styles, creating tailor-made assignments for each student, and reducing the number of photocopying that each teacher makes. First of all, this classroom management tool could help students that have various learning styles to excel in the classroom. This tool incorporates interactive learning that would maintain students’ attention. Additionally, the authentic assessments could help all students to become successful in the classroom. Secondly, teachers are able to create assignments based on individual student’s needs. Therefore, a teacher could assign certain assignments to some students and more advanced assignments to other students based on their classroom progress. Lastly, this type of classroom management tool could offer a school district a reduction in budget. When teachers store assignments and other resources on the server, then it means that teachers no longer have to run to the photocopier machine to waste precious resources.

My overall feeling about using such type of tool to manage instruction is pretty optimistic. I believe that this could be a great resource for many school districts that have a desire of becoming more technologically savvy. I also believe that this could help to improve parental involvement because parents would be able to access their child’s electronic portfolio at their leisure. Additionally, I believe that students would be able to learn more because technology is both an invaluable resource and quite entertaining to many students.

I only foresee one obstacle in using such classroom management tool which is the lack of financial resources for all school districts to use this tool. Even if school districts are able to use this particular classroom management tool, it may be a problem for students to do their assignments outside of the classroom if they do not have a home computer.

Week Three: Topic (Educational Technology), Module (Integrating Palm Pilots) – Clip: Using Handhelds in the Classroom

Based on the video, there were many innovative ways that graduate students (teachers) plan to use handheld computers to teach. One strategy is for teachers to use them to integrate handheld computers into their lesson plans. For instance, one teacher stated that certain chemistry problems, such as stoichiometry, were quite difficult for students to perform in class. To solve this dilemma, this teacher had students solve problems on their individual handheld computers. Students are then able to share and verify the correctness of their responses with classmates by “beaming” their answers to one another. Another teacher emphasized that this learning style promoted cooperative and collaborative learning among students. The second strategy of using handheld computers is for organizational purposes. One teacher stated that some students, especially special education students, tend to forget their agenda at home. One way to rectify this dilemma was to require for these students to have handheld computers as stated in their IEPs.

An important advantage of handhelds that the professor identified over laptops is the fact that these gadgets were not connected to the Internet. I believe that this is an important advantage because it helps to keep students focus on classroom instruction. Additionally, it helps to eliminate the temptation for students to surf the web if he or she has access to the Internet.

There are some general advantages of using wireless technologies in the classroom. Among those advantages are opportunities for all students to participate and to store classroom materials electronically. Often times, every student does not participate in classroom discussion for various reasons. At the same time, there may be two or three active students answering all of the questions. One way to overcome this issue is allowing students to type in their responses on their handheld computers. This would definitely give all students an opportunity to become active learners. Secondly, both teachers and students are able to store their classroom materials electronically. This is a great advantage, especially for teachers, because they would no longer have to carry home tons of notebook and papers to grade. This is also advantageous for students because they would be able to maintain an electronic portfolio.

Wireless technologies can change the “traditional” classroom environment in both the present and future. Currently, there are pockets of school districts around the United States using handheld computers. In fact, it is mandatory in some school districts. Teachers and principals are using it to stay organized, maintain students’ grades, maintain students’ personal information, etc. In the future, I can see a time in which every student would be required to bring a handheld computer to class. The times in which students must bring their textbook to class will soon be history. This could also be cost effective if school districts can find a way to replace textbooks with electronic copies.

Week Two: Topic (Educational Technology), Module (Priority: Technology and Inclusion) – Clip 11: An Adaptive Keyboard

The adaptive keyboard may be used to assist instruction, especially with students that have physical disability or special needs. For instance, limited mobility students may have great difficulty using a typically configured keyboard. In order to help these students overcome these barriers, an adaptive keyboard can be a solution. These students are able to type their responses and the computer would read it aloud. In cases where students are not able to literally touch the keyboard with their fingers, there are wands and other devices that would allow them to key in their responses.

After watching the video, my view of the role of technology for students with special needs really did not change. As a teacher, I worked with special needs students on a daily basis. Therefore, I witnessed the struggles that students had to encounter when learning new concepts.

I believe that such type of technologies could be used by other types of students, who are not special needs, especially the adaptive device that actually read aloud what is being entered into the computer. Additionally, I believe that this may help students to become better writers.

Regarding older individuals, I believe that such types of technologies could be used to help improve their mobility on the computers. Many of the typically configured keyboards have keys that may be too small to read or too small to touch. In order to rectify this dilemma, older individuals may be more effective using special adaptive keyboards that are larger.

Week Two: Topic (Educational Technology), Module (Planning Technology) - Clip 2: Learning the Rules for Computer Use

The root of many problems that are so prevalent in public education usually deals with funding issues. After viewing this video, I noticed that as the teachers were planning for a lesson incorporating technology, they were faced with a couple of dilemmas. The two problems that the teachers identified as they prepared to use the computers were insufficient number of computers and seating arrangements. The teachers had a total of 20 students in the class with only had 14 computers, which led to the next problem. Initially, they were uncertain how they were going to place 20 students in front of 14 computers. One teacher stated that she usually place students into pairs. As a result, there would have been a total of eight students working alone and six pairs of students cooperatively learning.

In order to overcome these challenges, one teacher suggested that she would assign each student a card. Students who received a card with the same color or number would carry their chairs to the computer station. Therefore, this eliminated the confusion of all 20 students having to move their chairs.

Two activities (not educational in nature) that I have not been successful due to lack of proper planning were taking a trip to Grenada and facilitating a board meeting. In the first case regarding the vacation, I was not as prepared as I wanted to be when I visited Grenada in August 2000. Prior to visiting this island, I did not know much about the West Indies and how I was going to adapt to my living conditions for two weeks. Anyway, since I did not invest a lot of time on the front end towards planning, it was miserable sleeping in the evening without an air conditioner and only a fan circulating hot air. To make matters worse, I had to fight off the mosquito because the windows were always opened.

The second activity was when I had to facilitate a board meeting in the absence of the board chair. As one of the youngest person and the vice chair, I was somewhat intimidated of the fear that I perceived that I was not adequately prepared or properly trained to facilitate a board meeting. It did not take me long to overcome my fear because I learned that generally people around me may not be as critical on me as I am on myself.

Topic (Educational Psychology), Module (Individual Differences) – Clip 4: Strategies for Teaching Diverse Learners

Upon viewing the video, these teachers have demonstrated the use of theory of multiple intelligences in their assignments or classroom instructions. In the case of the first teacher, she demonstrated interpersonal intelligence based on her teaching philosophy. The evidence to support this stance is based on her statements regarding her beliefs that she should know each student on an individual basis, such as what motivates them, strengths, and weaknesses. She emphasized that students have individual differences. Additionally, the first teacher stated that she aims to meet the learning needs of each student by focusing on their strengths. For instance, if she has a student who is a struggling writer, she does not necessarily require for that student to write. Instead, she request for the student to draw a picture in order to express what he or she feels. This activity is an example of spatial intelligence. The teacher feels that there are a variety of ways for students to report what they have learned in her classroom. Lastly, this teacher also uses naturalistic intelligence which is demonstrated through her classroom discussion regarding the coral reef.

In the case of the second teacher, she discussed the importance of intrapersonal intelligence. She stated that she often instruct her students to connect what they have learned in the classroom with their personal experience. She gave an example regarding ESOL students or other struggling learners when it came to definitions. She teaches her students to write more than simply copying the definitions verbatim from the book. Therefore, she encourages her students to draw pictures or incorporate personal experience into their definitions.

In both classrooms, these teachers could have incorporated other activities to engage students’ multiple intelligences. Based on the video clip, these teachers were more or less discussing writing activities. Two activities that these teachers could have used are linguistic and musical intelligences. Since many students enjoy talking, these teachers could have instructed for their students to use their language skills to create sound, meanings, and rhythms to describe the coral reef or gain a better understanding of definitions.

A type of software application or tool that would help teachers teach toward diverse learners is PowerPoint. The effective use of PowerPoint can incorporate the use of a couple of multiple intelligences. For example, a PowerPoint presentation could have pictures or other objects to replace words. Therefore, students would use their spatial intelligence towards learning in the classroom. Additionally, a PowerPoint presentation usually presents information in a sequential manner, which would require for students to use their logical-mathematical intelligence to learn new concepts or learning objectives.