Inspiration

By using Inspiration, I created a flow chart connecting the projects I have completed in this course to the NETS-T they satisfy. (NETS-T 3)

Journal 1: Nets I-V

Light, D. (2011). Do web 2.0 right. Learning and Leading with Technology, 38(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/Leading_and_Learning_Docs/February-2011-Do-Web-20-Right.sflb.ashx

This article discusses the different ways an educator can use technology to engage their students.  Tools like blogs and wikis are great tools to use in the classroom.  David Light, the author of this article spent much of his time traveling all around the country with his colleagues to interview teachers about their experiences with using these tools in their classrooms, successfully, and sometimes, unsuccessfully.  Blogs seemed to be a very useful way for teachers and students to connect on a whole new level.  Many teachers used blogs to create discussion forums that enabled facilitated conversations amongst their students, the parents, and themselves.  So many treat technology as a plague and will do everything in their power to keep it out of the classroom, but many studies have shown cognitive improvement in students when they use technology in the classroom.  Just because students find it fun and interesting, it does not mean that technology is a negative thing to have.  Light highlighted three different elements that he claims are essential for success; daily practice, audience, and appropriate behavior.  If you have these three, academic success through technology is possible. 

Question 1: I plan on becoming a Kindergarten teacher.  How would I incorporate this into my lesson plan with such a young crowd?

With the technology boom of the 21^st century, it is rarer to run into a child over the age of 5 without some type of webpage.  By working with the students, and their parents, incorporating blogs and wiki in classroom activities is possible.  It may be a bit challenging, but as long as I have everyone on the same page, working towards a common goal, it will happen.  Parents could log onto the blog to see our class schedule, scanned assignments that their children have completed, and they will be able to view their progress throughout the year.  

Question 2:

There is no doubt that children can be nasty online, especially when given the freedom to blog.  How can I prevent this type of behavior in my classroom?

Certain blogs and discussion boards give the teacher the ability to hide, or show students what their classmates have posted.  I could prevent them from seeing each other’s posts until I view and am able to determine that they are appropriate for the rest of the class to see.

 

School 2.0 Reflection

Too Cool for School? No Way!—Using the TPACK Framework: You Can Have Your Hot Tools and Teach with Them, Too (PDF)

NETS-S 1
For the most part, teachers turn their cheeks at technology with disgust and instead of embracing and incorporating technology into the classroom and using it as an educational tool they are missing out on so many wonderful opportunities.  As an educator, I would love to learn new and innovative ways of using technology as a teaching tool.  Something as simple as a search engine can cut a student’s research time in half.  Instead of diving nose first into one hundred different textbooks in the library, searching one phrase on an educational research database will get them thousands of results with one click of a button.  It’s true that teachers need to be open and willing to play around with technology.  One thing that looks really interesting and it something I’d like to learn more about it the DJ Software,.  It can be used to teach different mathematical concepts like fractions, ratios, and percentages.  Times have changed, and embracing this can make it so much more fun for the students in the classroom and will role over into their lives many years after they graduate.  My favorite quote from this was, “Think like a teacher, teach like a thinker”.

Brianna Galapir Introduction Letter

     Hello all!  I am Brianna Galapir.  I was born and raised in Coronado, California.  where I attended a private school until we moved to Jacksonville, Florida until I was in 3rd grade. We than moved back to Sunny San Diego until I finished 6th grade. Just before starting my first year in middle school, my parents purchased another home in Murrieta, California.  Not only was seventh grade my first year in the public school system, but it was also my first year in a middle school.  I was nervous at first but found my way very shortly.  After graduating from Thompson Middle School, I attended Murrieta Valley High School.  In 2008, I graduated from MVHS and enrolled at CSUSM.  I am majoring in Liberal Studies, with a minor in Psychology.  I am now a Junior, and loving every second of my college years.
     My experiences with technology are nowhere near the professional level.  However, up until 7th grade, most of my classwork was done on MAC computers in the classroom.  I've always had a love for computers, and I am great at trouble shooting, but you can never know too much about technology so, what better than to take a class on it?
     From the time I declared my major as Liberal Studies, the importance of the CSUSM/COE mission statement has been ingrained into me.  If I had to pick at any part of the mission statement, I would have to choose "Lifelong learning".  You have a very limited amount of time with each student and making a positive impact on their lives, and helping them with things not only in the classroom, but creating tools for the realworld is absolutely essential to their lifelong learning.