My Final Definition of Educational Technology Monday, Dec 8 2008

I really do not feel that my definition of Educational Technology has changed but more so that i understand the huge role it plays in our students world.  Children these days are being brought up in a world of technology starting from as early as pre-K. I think it is absolutly wonderful and I am happy to see this.

Technology will continue to play a big role in my life and in my future classroom. Without it I honestly feel lost and dissconnected to the world. Technology makes things so much easier.

I think that there isnt on most important thing that i will take away from this class, it will be everything. Some of the concepts i already knew how to do but getting new ideas and new ways to use them was amazing. I HIGHLY recommend this class and our teacher, Mrs. Dority, to anyone who is going into education.

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My Wish… Monday, Dec 8 2008

I think that if i could have any 2 pieces of technology in my classroom it would be a computer of course and the projector thingy. I don’t know what the actual name of it is but the one where you can place anything underneath it and it projects it on the the screen. I had a math teacher use one of these for her lessons and she would write on it instead of on the board and therefore she ALWAYS had a copy of the notes in case you missed it. I just think that’s a convenient way to help out your students. I also want a computer because you never know if the school has enough funding or not for every teacher to have a computer of their own.

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WebQuest’s are…. FUN! Wednesday, Nov 19 2008

 I really like the thought of WebQuest’s. I did many when I was in high school and LOVED them. Maybe it was because I could use a computer better than most of my friends or maybe it was that I loved how quickly the Internet could give you TONS of information. I like the idea of both creating your own WebQuest and modifying another one you find. Modifying gives you an idea without having to possibly repeat other ideas you have used already. Creating your own is also great because if you have a wonderful idea and cant find an existing WebQuest then you have no other choice.

I really think since kids are on computers 24/7 why not teach them with something they use everyday. I will defiantly be using WebQuests once i get into the classroom.

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Web 2.0 Monday, Nov 17 2008

 There are so many differences in the Internet in the past ten years. I remember only being able to get on it at school and usually then my friends and I only used Aim or MSN, there wasn’t much done on the actual web. I really think that the big differences would be the speed and the amount of information that you can fine. You can find information on SOOO many different things and people.  It is just amazing how far we have come in such a short time period. Now i have wireless access on my laptop and i get on the internet through my phone. Two things that i know when i first got a computer i NEVER thought of. Its mind blowing to really think about how far we have come.

http://knightknetwork.com/2007/08/27/sports-on-the-web-20/

i really liked this web site .

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Emerging Technologies Monday, Nov 10 2008

I remember the first time that i saw a SMART board i thought it was the only time that i had really seen technology used in a classroom. But after i thought about it, my highschool math teacher would use on of those machines that you could place say a peice of paper under it and it would project it on to the screen. That was the way she would write her notes instead of a chalk/white board. I just thought of it as something we used everyday not a piece of technology.  I read an article about using the iPod touch in the classroom and found it deeply interesting. The Touch is pretty much like a computer. It can connect to a network and the web. This just allows the student to work at their own pace and custimize it so that they can really learn the material.

im just really looking forward to being able to see what all is going to be used in a classroom and how far it can really take us.

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Classroom Webpage Wednesday, Oct 29 2008

I have ALWAYS  thought that classroom webpages have been useful. Well ever since I have had access to the internet. Reason being that when you need something  or have lost an assignment handout you have easy access to it.

The information that I consider the most important would be contact information of the teacher, a schedule of when they would be available with contact information to get ahold of them otherwise, a class schedule, links to any handouts after they have been handed out in class, and something on the website that gives you alittle insight into how your teacher is when they are not teaching. I think the last one helps to get to know your teacher and relate to them better.

Some of the websites that were given for us to look at were pretty lame, like the cross country one. I know that it is for a sport but that coach could be additional workouts on there for the athletes to do if they want to when they arent in practice. Or even pictures of the players doing what they do best. It was very unpersonal and unintersting.

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Social Bookmarking Tuesday, Oct 21 2008

I love social bookmarking. I wish that I knew of this earlier! Oh my gosh this makes life so much easier. I really do forget what websites that I look at daily because they are saved on my favorites. This should be something that is in a basic computer class to teach all new computer users. I will NEVER use the old bookmarking/favorites again. It’s all about the little things in life that makes things sooo much easier!

For teachers, this is great because it is an easy way to share ideas. One teacher could have bookmarked a certain website that has an idea that you never thought of before and vise versa. I can only hope for the many ways i will use this once that I start teaching. I might even begin using it with my club volleyball coaching.

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Excel in a Different Light Tuesday, Oct 14 2008

Using Excel has a many repetivtve ways in which it can be used. Spreadsheets are the main use in excel but i can see how you could creat timelines, graph paper, and of course any kind of math related project can be used here. Well i know that i will be using excel in the boring spreadsheet type of way. With grades, parent/guardian information, game scores and etc. But since i want to teach math and can have the students do a project creating different formulas thoughtout the spreadsheet.

I will be looking for more ideas once i get closer to teaching :).

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Podcasts Tuesday, Oct 14 2008

I really like podcasts alot! I had a few before this assignment relating to some of my favorite tv shows or artists. I think that a podcasts could really be used in a classroom. Take for example if you had to miss a class or even canceled a class. You could create your own and your students would be able to see you or hear your voice. I think that especially for the kids that really need to see or hear something over and over again it would really be easy for them to do if that had that specific podcast.

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Interactive PowerPoint Monday, Oct 6 2008

I think that Interactive powerpoints are a really good teaching tool. I think its neat how you can take something that most people think is usually for business or projects and making it a teaching tool . Using a Linear powerpoint would be really just to show someone something by going from slide to slide. and NonLinear ones allow the ‘student’ to really interact with powerpoint and jump from differnet slides that are not in consecutive order.

Having an electronic portfolio has so many advantages. You dont have to haul around a huge binder of stuff and you are saving trees by not using paper. Also, if you are applying to a school that is cities or states away you can just email them your portfolio from where you are.

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