CSUSM Movie

This is a video that I made using i-Movie. I imported video and audio clips into i-movie and edited them in order to create an original public service announcement.  I included screen effects, transitions, freeze frames, and voice overs. NETS 1,2,3

Journal #9 Teaching Green NETS-T:1,2,3,4

Waters, J. (2011). Teaching green. The Journal, 38(4), Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/research/2011/04/digital-edition_april.aspx
 

During these times, it is almost unheard of for someone to be completely uneducated in some type of energy conservation.  From the time we were learning to walk, our parents, and teachers were educating us to turn off the lights when we aren’t in the room.  These simple tasks and teaching “green” has recently become a very big part of the classroom.  As we get older, we become more aware of how important energy conservation is, far more important than the number on the bills.  It affects everything around us, and future generations.  In John Waters’ article, “Teaching Green”, he explores online tools that are readily available to educators that help guide them through different ways to teach their students about the environment and the huge impact one person can have on the world around us.  The website “EEK!” not only has a catchy name, it is also extremely informative yet interesting enough to keep students engaged and eager to learn about going green.

Question 1: How could you get your students involved in going green?

Just by having them research and present to the classroom, they will not only learn a great deal, but appreciate the world around them.

Question 2: Is it important to integrate energy conservation into the school’s curriculum?

Absolutely.  Most students do not learn about the environment and carbon footprints outside of their schools.  Educating them about going green, and energy conservation is essential, especially now.

Journal #8 Point/Counterpoint: Should Schools Be Held Responsible for Cyberbullying? NETS-T:4,5

Bogacz, R., & Gordillo, M.G. (2011). Should Schools be Held Responsible for Cyberbullying?. Learning and Leading with Technology, 38(6), 6-7

While technology has pushed us into a whole new era of many wonderful things, many believe it has become too much, too fast, and with good reason. With the freedom and comfort of using the internet behind closed doors, it opens many opportunities for individuals who are more than willing to abuse the power of the computer. Cyber bullying has become more prominent that ever in today’s society and the issues have moved from behind closed doors at home, into the school environment. In Renee Bogacz article demonstrates the two very different perspectives about schools and cyberbullying. Bogaz feels that schools should be held accountable for cyberbullying by their students. She says that administrators and teachers are responsible for educating themselves and students and parents about safe use of the internet, and cyberbullying, and the different ways they can reinforce each of these techniques. Miguel Gordillo had a very different opinion and states that society and those involved in the actual cyberbullying should be held completely accountable for cyberbullying, and the schools should only be responsible for what takes place on campus.

Question 1: Based on the viewpoints of each side of this article, who do you think should be held accountable?

While I do agree with Bogacz when it comes to better educating ourselves, our students, and their parents about cyberbullying, we cannot control what our students do outside of the classroom, therefore, there comes a time when the responsibility lies on those who commit the crime.

Question 2: How can parents help prevent their children from cyberbullying?

Having each student sign a contract that clearly states cyberbullying will not be tolerated in the classroom, or at home without severe punishment and having the parents support in it will help. Taking away privileges at home will quickly whip the students into shape.

Journal #7 My Personal Learning Network

 

A PLN, otherwise known as a Personal Learning Network was created around the concept of educators having the ability to build a collaborative community that is able to successfully pinpoint ideas and information that may spark other’s interest.  Instead of every teacher for themselves, branching off into a PLN is a great way to expand not only the horizons of the teacher, but their students aswell.  With my Personal Learning Network, I have been able to build a collaborative network that began amongst my fellow classmates, and cohort and moved on beyond the classroom into the world wide web in which I have been able to seek the help and mentorship of fellow educators that have been in the game for quite a while and know exactly what to expect when walking into the classroom for the very first time.  I was able to branch out and access websites like twitter, and diigo, iste, and tasktream, create my own blog in which I could communicate with others and record my projects, and journal entries that discuss relevant topics or lesson plans.  More recently, I was able to branch out and participate in a chat for Kindergarten teachers from all around the world and create a digital community with the click of a mouse.  These networks have become extremely useful tools for me and are a way to consistently learn and develop my own resources as a teacher. 

                Twitter is a website that provides forums for people to tweet information, and chat in real-time.  With my twitter account, I was able to follow fellow educators, who tweeted about topics that sparked my interest.  I was able to find these people through educational chats that I participated in, through my classmates, and my professor.  Through #edchat, I was able to follow educators who honestly care about teaching, and working collaboratively with others to ensure the success of their students.  That is a community I am proud to be a part of.  I targeted mainly Kindergarten teachers, their short profiles, conversations through kindergarten chat, and the tweets of others.  I participated #kinderchat on April 4, 2011 at 5:30 PM, and the conversation that took place was definitely not one that I expected but it was a welcomed surprise.  The topic of the chat revolved around male teachers in the kindergarten classroom and how beneficial it may be for students.  Kindergarten teachers are almost always seen as nurturers, and mother figures so when a male steps foot into the classroom, it is something new and unexpected. 

                At first, I did not put much thought into my Diigo account, but it turned out to be an incredible learning tool!  Not only am I able to bookmark my own pages, I am also able to view the bookmarked resources that were marked for education.  I was even able to join a few groups.  These groups were extremely informative and they led me to more resources and other people that I was able to follow.  The pages I tagged at PLN were mainly sites about twitter and how to build up and get the most bang for your buck out of your PLN.  I found these pages through both my group and my network.  In the future, these pages will help me keep up with building and maintaining my PLN.

                I also became a member of classroom 2.0.  This is a digital discussion forum which is a space for teachers all around the world to get together and gather the mose relevant information and tools that have to do with integrating technology into the classroom.  It provides such an easy and very informative way for teachers to connect with each other and share their ideas to help build their PLN.  As a member of classroom 2.0, I am able to access a variety of fellow teacher’s blogs and profiles.  There was a very interesting video tagged by a fellow classmate in our ED 422 class, Ten Marks, this video was all about how a PLN is an excellent tool and how beneficial it can be when looking for things you are interested in.

                Building my PLN was definitely a very fun and rewarding experience.  I enjoyed twitter and #edchat the most.  I think it provides teachers with such amazing resources and information at all times.  Diigo is also a great tool when trying to broaden your horizons and connect with others with the same interests as you.

WEBSITE: http://www.classroom20.com/

Journal #6 Building Your PLN NETS-T:3,5

Warlick, D. (2009). Grow your personal learning network. Learning & Leading With Technology (36)6, Retrieved from http://istelearning.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Grow-Your-PLN.pdf

Having the ability to connect with others, share information and new ideas is an extremely important factor when deciding to take on the career of an educator. By building a PLN (Personal Learning Network), it is a way to gather information and connect with teachers all across the world. Teachers are no longer on an island once the tardy bell rings and their door is closed.

This should be celebrated, not feared. In David Warlick’s article, he explains how to aggressively and successfully build your own PLN through three different avenues; personally maintained synchronous connections, personally and socially maintained semi synchronous connections, and dramatically maintained asynchronous connections. All three are different but in the end work towards the same goal, a happy, successful classroom with student who will go on to succeed. Warlick addresses the fact that building PLNs takes a lot of time, effort, and hard work but the outcome will always outweigh the journey.

Question 1: As a new teacher, how would I begin my own PLN?
Attending conferences are the easiest and most useful tools when it comes to your PLN. Networking with fellow educators will not only be a great way for you to share your ideas, but to gain a few along the way.

Question 2: Why is it important to maintain your PLN?
Once you begin your PLN, not only are you entering a network with your ideas but the ideas of so many others. The benefits from a PLN are so great that not maintaining one, especially in today’s society would be an educator’s biggest mistake.

All About Me Survey

Journal 5: Nets I

Boehmer, Curtis. (2011). Brain teaching with video games. Learning and Leading, 38(5), 28-30. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-february-march-2011.aspx

This article is about Brain Ware Safari.  It is a program that is used to help children develop their mental processing skills through attention skills, visualization, sequential processing, patterns, relationships, and other mental processes.  One study shows that it has an average of four years of cognitive growth in just three months.  The program uses videogames as a way to keep its subjects engaged.  Who would have thought, the use of videogames as tools for learning.  Studies have shown that using videogames to help children learn is actually beneficial.  It helps them think at a higher level, it improves their cognitive skills, and provides mental processing skills. 

Question 1: Will I use this in my classroom?

Absolutely.  I’ve never been one to bash on technology.  I’m always up for trying new things that could better my classroom.  Now I wouldn’t want to be one of those parents that uses game consoles to babysit, and I certainly would not want to be a teacher who solely used these as a way to get out of teaching but using it to help me, why not?

Question 2: What would be some flaws with this program?

Students may become so engaged in this program that when it comes time for face to face lessons, they may not find it as interesting, and only want to play the games.  This could be an obstacle but if managed correctly, face time will be just as beneficial.