What am I learning? What assignments am I performing? I have been learning about digital stories and how they are beneficial to use in the classroom. I am learning how they create emotion to enhance learning by using pictures mostly rather than using text.
So what does this mean for me as a teacher, student, and colleague today? What does this technology mean to me? Learning and creating digital stories helps me as a teacher to better teach my students a unit where I want it to have an impact on them. Not only that, I hope that it helps them to remember the information and be more involved and want to learn more about the subject by watching digital stories. It helps me as a student to learn how to make digital stories so it will help me to add one more skill that I could have as a future teacher. This technology helps me and students to learn about very important subjects in the history through a different way of teaching. It helps them to remember and feel the emotion from the pictures, music, and video.
Now what does this technology mean to my future students? How will this information change the views of what I want teach in the future? It helps my future students to be able to learn more and truly connect with events from the past or the events that are already happening today. I want them to be aware and feel how other people did during those times. I want them to be able to connect with the stories and have them look back and still remember how they felt. I want to teach way to my students. I want them to walk away from that year in my class remembering not only what they learned, but mostly how they felt. I want them to be able to share with their parents and friends what they learned about and how that changed their perspective. I want my future students to also learn how to make digital stories so they can contribute and show their classmates, friends, and parents and we can all learn from each other that way too.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Reflection #6: Vidcast Key Assignment
Vidcast Key Assignment Reflection
The podcast series “National Parks” is a series that my team members and I have created to tie to the 4th Grade Core Curriculum: Standard 1: Students will understand the relationship between the physical geography in Utah and human life. Objective 3: Analyze how human actions modify the physical environment. One of the indicators helped us choose our topic. The indicator states: Outline the development of recreation in Utah since 1900 (e.g. sports, tourism, state, and national parks).
We chose this topic to help students understand the importance of the environment, and with Utah being very diverse in many different environmental regions through plant and wildlife throughout the state, we felt it was important for them to learn about these national parks and what they can find there. We believe students will benefit learning about national parks because it helps them to understand what species of plants and animals live there and what they can learn about different rock formations and regions within the different parks.
This assignment can be linked to “helping customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources” in the NETS Standards because having them use digital tools and resources can allow them to learn how they learn best. They can express their learning through visuals (images), audio (voice recordings), musical (music playing for appropriate assignment). We hope this assignment by using visuals, audio, and music will help all the diverse learning styles of students to learn about the national parks in an interesting and unique way.
Also, we hope “to apply the curricula to students across multiple content areas” as INTASC Standards states. We hope that learning about the national parks will open up other areas of the curricula such as weathering and erosion, different types of rock formations, wildlife and plant life in different regions, etc. These things are part of what makes up a national park and it opens up many doors for teaching the other standards and objectives in the curriculum.
Potential drawbacks for using this series could be that I could be teaching in a different state, let’s say in New York for example. The students can watch the vidcast, but it won’t benefit them much because they do not live near Utah and it is not in New York State’s curriculum obviously. I wouldn’t be able to use this lesson for them, so I would have to use something else that would fit their curriculum. Another drawback is that the objective could change where they don’t learn about Utah National Parks anymore, so I would have to make changes or not use it at all.
What I wish to do for the series is create other national park vidcasts. Maybe I could create individuals ones just about California or Arizona National Parks. I could also make it interesting and more diversified by combining all of the eastern states national parks and talk about each of them and why each are so unique. I could address their similarities and differences in region, wildlife, and plant life. I plan to increase my abilities better to effectively study and research and possibly visit these national parks with my students so they can know of the importance of the environment and national parks in general.
The podcast series “National Parks” is a series that my team members and I have created to tie to the 4th Grade Core Curriculum: Standard 1: Students will understand the relationship between the physical geography in Utah and human life. Objective 3: Analyze how human actions modify the physical environment. One of the indicators helped us choose our topic. The indicator states: Outline the development of recreation in Utah since 1900 (e.g. sports, tourism, state, and national parks).
We chose this topic to help students understand the importance of the environment, and with Utah being very diverse in many different environmental regions through plant and wildlife throughout the state, we felt it was important for them to learn about these national parks and what they can find there. We believe students will benefit learning about national parks because it helps them to understand what species of plants and animals live there and what they can learn about different rock formations and regions within the different parks.
This assignment can be linked to “helping customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources” in the NETS Standards because having them use digital tools and resources can allow them to learn how they learn best. They can express their learning through visuals (images), audio (voice recordings), musical (music playing for appropriate assignment). We hope this assignment by using visuals, audio, and music will help all the diverse learning styles of students to learn about the national parks in an interesting and unique way.
Also, we hope “to apply the curricula to students across multiple content areas” as INTASC Standards states. We hope that learning about the national parks will open up other areas of the curricula such as weathering and erosion, different types of rock formations, wildlife and plant life in different regions, etc. These things are part of what makes up a national park and it opens up many doors for teaching the other standards and objectives in the curriculum.
Potential drawbacks for using this series could be that I could be teaching in a different state, let’s say in New York for example. The students can watch the vidcast, but it won’t benefit them much because they do not live near Utah and it is not in New York State’s curriculum obviously. I wouldn’t be able to use this lesson for them, so I would have to use something else that would fit their curriculum. Another drawback is that the objective could change where they don’t learn about Utah National Parks anymore, so I would have to make changes or not use it at all.
What I wish to do for the series is create other national park vidcasts. Maybe I could create individuals ones just about California or Arizona National Parks. I could also make it interesting and more diversified by combining all of the eastern states national parks and talk about each of them and why each are so unique. I could address their similarities and differences in region, wildlife, and plant life. I plan to increase my abilities better to effectively study and research and possibly visit these national parks with my students so they can know of the importance of the environment and national parks in general.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Reflection #6: Dance
What new insights do I have regarding creative dance and what it offers to students? I think that I was really surprised how well everyone worked together. I learned that everyone got along better and were willing to do things because they were doing it together. There wasn't much worry because everyone else was being creative in their dance and what they interpreted it to mean. They were able to feel safe and willing to be creative in what they were learning. It allows me and very likely my students to retain the information better from doing and thinking creatively and working together as a group.
So what does that mean for me next week's preparation and for field? It will help to allow students to feel safe, comfortable, and confident in expressing themselves. Everyone is unique and different in how they express emotions and different shapes. It allows them to feel more freedom and not feel so restrained to do what others want them to do. I wish to encourage the class and my students to use different levels, pace, and rhythm in creating different shapes. It will help them to learn the curriculum in a more fun and interesting and memorable way.
Now what do I need to incorporate these skills and knowledge into my classroom? I will try to incorporate many subjects into creative dance in order to help students want to remember those important lessons for the curriculum that they need to be tested on, but I want them to be able to remember how they felt and how much fun they had in being able to show their creativity. If I can enhance their creativity, then that will stimulate creativity to do well in all other subject areas.
So what does that mean for me next week's preparation and for field? It will help to allow students to feel safe, comfortable, and confident in expressing themselves. Everyone is unique and different in how they express emotions and different shapes. It allows them to feel more freedom and not feel so restrained to do what others want them to do. I wish to encourage the class and my students to use different levels, pace, and rhythm in creating different shapes. It will help them to learn the curriculum in a more fun and interesting and memorable way.
Now what do I need to incorporate these skills and knowledge into my classroom? I will try to incorporate many subjects into creative dance in order to help students want to remember those important lessons for the curriculum that they need to be tested on, but I want them to be able to remember how they felt and how much fun they had in being able to show their creativity. If I can enhance their creativity, then that will stimulate creativity to do well in all other subject areas.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Reflection #5: Vidcasts
What am I learning? I have been learning about vidcasts and how they are very useful to use in the classroom. We have been learning how to gather images, music, sounds, and putting them together using Photo Story.
So what does this mean for me? It helps me to be able to teach the curriculum in a more creative and useful way. It's more enjoyable and it actually shows real photographs, music, and recordings that I can have right there for my use. It allows me to be creative and be able to express and teach the unit how I want to teach it using my own music and recordings rather than learning it out of a textbook which someone else has already done. It helps me to enhance my creativity and pictures and script, so I can teach the students what I want them to learn.
Now what does this technology teach me and my future students? It will help me to be able to teach my future students how to teach them how to use vidcasts. They can create their own vidcast for a project, report, or presentation. I think they will love creating them because its their own creation and project. They can create their own music and recordings to teach me and their fellow students the Civil War or the Native Americans. It will help me as their teacher to be able to help them understand the unit by showing pictures and sharing the information about the unit. It is fun and interesting and I think kids will love doing it and learning it!
So what does this mean for me? It helps me to be able to teach the curriculum in a more creative and useful way. It's more enjoyable and it actually shows real photographs, music, and recordings that I can have right there for my use. It allows me to be creative and be able to express and teach the unit how I want to teach it using my own music and recordings rather than learning it out of a textbook which someone else has already done. It helps me to enhance my creativity and pictures and script, so I can teach the students what I want them to learn.
Now what does this technology teach me and my future students? It will help me to be able to teach my future students how to teach them how to use vidcasts. They can create their own vidcast for a project, report, or presentation. I think they will love creating them because its their own creation and project. They can create their own music and recordings to teach me and their fellow students the Civil War or the Native Americans. It will help me as their teacher to be able to help them understand the unit by showing pictures and sharing the information about the unit. It is fun and interesting and I think kids will love doing it and learning it!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Reflection #4: Podcasts
What am I learning? I have been learning about podcasts and how you can use podcasts to record and upload your recordings to the internet. They can also be downloaded onto your iPod, iTouch, MP3's and MP4's too. It's a really cool tool and it's so easy to do it, we uploaded our podcast recording to the internet by recording a public service announcement.
So what and why are we doing this? I think this has been an awesome assignment to do for school because it can create so many ideas to do with students. It will be so easy for them to be able to use this as well. They can use it for digital stories, downloading music, movies, and other things onto their iPods and other devices for reports and presentations. They can create their own recordings which they will be so proud of doing. I can also do it for them as their teacher to model how to record and how podcasts can work with all different kinds of assignments, plus, I think they will have fun with it.
Now what does this mean for me and my students in my future classroom? It means this that there can be more resources used rather than textbooks. They can create their own work and be creative in that way. They can work in groups and have fun with their classmates creating projects using podcasts. It will motivate them to want to do these assignments and be ones that they will remember. They can always have them and so many years down the road, they can look back and still listen to their recordings for the projects they did in school.
So what and why are we doing this? I think this has been an awesome assignment to do for school because it can create so many ideas to do with students. It will be so easy for them to be able to use this as well. They can use it for digital stories, downloading music, movies, and other things onto their iPods and other devices for reports and presentations. They can create their own recordings which they will be so proud of doing. I can also do it for them as their teacher to model how to record and how podcasts can work with all different kinds of assignments, plus, I think they will have fun with it.
Now what does this mean for me and my students in my future classroom? It means this that there can be more resources used rather than textbooks. They can create their own work and be creative in that way. They can work in groups and have fun with their classmates creating projects using podcasts. It will motivate them to want to do these assignments and be ones that they will remember. They can always have them and so many years down the road, they can look back and still listen to their recordings for the projects they did in school.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Reflection #3
What am I learning? I have learned about how to create Google Site for my new teacher page for me and my students and their parents. I have learned how to add announcements, homework assignments, and resources to help them too.
So what does this mean to me? This has really helped me to organize the information I need for myself and my students. It has all of my items in one place so I won't be confused and they won't be confused about where to go to find all of the information needed. It helped me to post my announcements and assignments so my students will know exactly what they need to do if they are sick or if they are going on vacation, they can know ahead of time what to do. It will save them time and their parent's time if they can find it all online.
Now what does this mean for me and my future students? It means that they can already have a syllabus for themselves and their parents. They can find resources and know more about the subject in greater detail and depth. It will help me be able to have everything in one place and allow me to be able to upload things often and be able to remind them of upcoming things. It gives them an opportunity to know me and their parents as well. All around, it is beneficial for everyone!
So what does this mean to me? This has really helped me to organize the information I need for myself and my students. It has all of my items in one place so I won't be confused and they won't be confused about where to go to find all of the information needed. It helped me to post my announcements and assignments so my students will know exactly what they need to do if they are sick or if they are going on vacation, they can know ahead of time what to do. It will save them time and their parent's time if they can find it all online.
Now what does this mean for me and my future students? It means that they can already have a syllabus for themselves and their parents. They can find resources and know more about the subject in greater detail and depth. It will help me be able to have everything in one place and allow me to be able to upload things often and be able to remind them of upcoming things. It gives them an opportunity to know me and their parents as well. All around, it is beneficial for everyone!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Reflection #2: Google Docs
What am I learning? I am learning about Google Docs and being able to create documents that can be shared with other people to collaborate and work on the same project together while being anywhere in the world. Also, I have learned how to create a Google Calendar to organize my time and my husband's time very efficiently. Google Docs has been a great tool to use to save other people time and my time as well.
So What? So what does this mean for me as a student, teacher, and colleague today? This means that I can be able to communicate with my classmates on student projects on a regular basis without having to set up a time to work on it together. We can work on it at home whatever time is convenient for us. It saves us time, money, and our sanity! :) This would be great to have the students use Google Docs as well. They can work together in groups this way, they can follow their own calendar as well as my (their teacher's) calendar so they know what's due on certain days. This allows them to do their work at school or at home. They just have to pull up the internet and it's saved. It is great to be able to share documents with other teachers in the same grade level so they can have input on assignments or lesson plans and they also know what you're teaching their students too. It is a great tool and everyone can benefit from it in the classrooms and school.
Now what? What does this technology mean for my future students as well as I for their teacher? This is a great tool and I can see so many possibilities with it. Students can correspond with each other. They can change and fix things on a report or presentation before having to turn it in to their teacher. They can be sitting at home doing it and they can do it when it's convenient for them. I can see them giving feedback to other students and adding in or changing a few things to make the presentation better. I can see my students getting along really well and having fun doing this with each other. For me, I think that I could create so many lesson plans using Google Docs. I can create a math assignment or quiz online and they can print it off and we can go over the assignment together. I can post a question about the reading, another student will answer and then they post a question about the reading too. This cycle will go on till the whole class has had the chance to answer and post a question for their class. There are many things you can do and I think you can do almost anything with Google Docs!
So What? So what does this mean for me as a student, teacher, and colleague today? This means that I can be able to communicate with my classmates on student projects on a regular basis without having to set up a time to work on it together. We can work on it at home whatever time is convenient for us. It saves us time, money, and our sanity! :) This would be great to have the students use Google Docs as well. They can work together in groups this way, they can follow their own calendar as well as my (their teacher's) calendar so they know what's due on certain days. This allows them to do their work at school or at home. They just have to pull up the internet and it's saved. It is great to be able to share documents with other teachers in the same grade level so they can have input on assignments or lesson plans and they also know what you're teaching their students too. It is a great tool and everyone can benefit from it in the classrooms and school.
Now what? What does this technology mean for my future students as well as I for their teacher? This is a great tool and I can see so many possibilities with it. Students can correspond with each other. They can change and fix things on a report or presentation before having to turn it in to their teacher. They can be sitting at home doing it and they can do it when it's convenient for them. I can see them giving feedback to other students and adding in or changing a few things to make the presentation better. I can see my students getting along really well and having fun doing this with each other. For me, I think that I could create so many lesson plans using Google Docs. I can create a math assignment or quiz online and they can print it off and we can go over the assignment together. I can post a question about the reading, another student will answer and then they post a question about the reading too. This cycle will go on till the whole class has had the chance to answer and post a question for their class. There are many things you can do and I think you can do almost anything with Google Docs!
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