Wednesday, July 29, 2009
PowerPoint on NETS-S Grades 9-12 Profile NETS - III
This powerpoint gives possible classroom ideas for 4 of the ISTE NETS for Students and how students in grades 9 to 12 can meet the student NETS standards.
Classroom Newsletter - NETS I
This is an introduction newsletter for a High School Math Class using M$ Word.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Journal #6 (SIX): "Don't Feed the Trolls"
Richardson, Karen W. (2008). Don't Feed The Trolls. Learning and Leading With Technology, 7, Retrieved 07/28/2009, from
http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=May_No_7_&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=3972&ContentID=20817&DirectListComboInd=D
Karen Richardson’s article “Don’t feed the trolls” is about the use of blogging for education purposes and the room for students to abuse the purpose of blogging for other unintended purposes. Richardson then outlines some of the more common rules for civil discourse in the online environment and how students should take responsibility for the way they handle themselves online. Richardson highlights a group called MOOse Crossing that seeks to teach children in the 9-13 age group about the rules of behavior online and also how they can abide by the rules and use self monitoring to develop civil discourse online. Overall there is nothing new for me to learn from this article but it does give some good information and resources to help teach younger kids about blogging and the overall rules of Netiquette when they are online.
Are kids more likely to behave with civil discourse if shown how?
For the most part I think that most kids would but without monitoring by an outside source or without the threat of penalty I don’t think a vast majority of kids would use civility. In my experience with online gaming I can tell you that there is no civil discourse in that environment and there never will be for the simple fact that you can say whatever you want to someone because you don’t have to be face to face with them and the worst thing that can happen to you is you get banned under the screen name you are using and can simply get a new one. Without threat of penalty this will never change.
Is civil discourse taught just for the online environment or is learned even before that?
I think that the way kids act online is a reflection of what kind of person they really are and how they really behave in real life. The way children act online is a window into how they have learned to behave either through their parents of the environment they have been raised. Until this is addressed then we cannot change the way children treat each other online.
http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=May_No_7_&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=3972&ContentID=20817&DirectListComboInd=D
Karen Richardson’s article “Don’t feed the trolls” is about the use of blogging for education purposes and the room for students to abuse the purpose of blogging for other unintended purposes. Richardson then outlines some of the more common rules for civil discourse in the online environment and how students should take responsibility for the way they handle themselves online. Richardson highlights a group called MOOse Crossing that seeks to teach children in the 9-13 age group about the rules of behavior online and also how they can abide by the rules and use self monitoring to develop civil discourse online. Overall there is nothing new for me to learn from this article but it does give some good information and resources to help teach younger kids about blogging and the overall rules of Netiquette when they are online.
Are kids more likely to behave with civil discourse if shown how?
For the most part I think that most kids would but without monitoring by an outside source or without the threat of penalty I don’t think a vast majority of kids would use civility. In my experience with online gaming I can tell you that there is no civil discourse in that environment and there never will be for the simple fact that you can say whatever you want to someone because you don’t have to be face to face with them and the worst thing that can happen to you is you get banned under the screen name you are using and can simply get a new one. Without threat of penalty this will never change.
Is civil discourse taught just for the online environment or is learned even before that?
I think that the way kids act online is a reflection of what kind of person they really are and how they really behave in real life. The way children act online is a window into how they have learned to behave either through their parents of the environment they have been raised. Until this is addressed then we cannot change the way children treat each other online.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Journal #4 (FOUR): Screencasting
A Screencast is a digital recording of computer screen output which is also called video screen capture, often containing some audio narration.
These videos show you how to perform something while the creator of the video can give you verbal instructions about what you are to complete. This is a really good tool for trying to convey a lesson or something that is hard to describe with a paragraph or word-of-mouth. This technology is really great if you need to describe how to perform some action within a software program. The majority of the threads on classroom 2.0 had to do with using Screencasting as a teaching tool as well as the best programs, read the cheapest program, for creating and distributing their Screencasts. The coolest idea I saw being discussed was the use of Screencasts on students’ ipods. That is the coolest idea ever because what student doesn’t own an ipod or some form of video MP3 player. The most popular programs were Windows Media Encoder and Camtasia for the PC, there were some other freeware programs but the people on the forum did not recommend them as the quality was not very good. Seems that this is one of the tools that are being adopted in the classroom for teachers to continue to help students with their assignments and test preparation. I am all for it and would implement this in my classroom.
These videos show you how to perform something while the creator of the video can give you verbal instructions about what you are to complete. This is a really good tool for trying to convey a lesson or something that is hard to describe with a paragraph or word-of-mouth. This technology is really great if you need to describe how to perform some action within a software program. The majority of the threads on classroom 2.0 had to do with using Screencasting as a teaching tool as well as the best programs, read the cheapest program, for creating and distributing their Screencasts. The coolest idea I saw being discussed was the use of Screencasts on students’ ipods. That is the coolest idea ever because what student doesn’t own an ipod or some form of video MP3 player. The most popular programs were Windows Media Encoder and Camtasia for the PC, there were some other freeware programs but the people on the forum did not recommend them as the quality was not very good. Seems that this is one of the tools that are being adopted in the classroom for teachers to continue to help students with their assignments and test preparation. I am all for it and would implement this in my classroom.
Journal #3 (THREE): Assessment Made Easy
Zucker, Andrew A. (2009). Assessment Made Easy. Learning and Leading With Technology, 36, Retrieved 07,24,2009, from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=June_July_No_8_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4333&ContentID=23577&DirectListComboInd=D
Andrew Zucker outlines the success that the Denver School of Science and Technology, a charter school, is having with its one-to-one student-laptop program. The success Zucker notes, comes from the ability for teachers to provide instant feedback because of the laptops, thereby providing more opportunity for teachers to focus on the areas that students in their classes are struggling with. Teachers are now able to focus more on the areas of weakness of the students to better help them when it comes time to take the standardized tests throughout the year. Zucker makes important note that the Denver School of Science and Technology has as 40% of its students, kids that come from low income families and that the schools takes students based on a lottery. He also notes that this program is only possible due a million dollar grant from Hewlett Packard and another donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.
Is it possible for all schools to adopt this type of program?
It is if H.P. is going to donate a million dollars to every school in the United States. This is a great program but somewhat unrealistic. It is creating great success for students at the DSST but what does this program really prove? That if you provide all students with technology that they will succeed, and go on to be accepted in a four year university? The author also does not note the enrollment numbers in his article for the DSST.
Is it possible to have this kind of success without the laptop computers?
Yes I believe it is. A school could just set up extra time for students that do not have access to a computer outside of class in its computer lab. Students also do not need laptops in the class to in order for teachers to carry out many of the lesson that Zucker alluded to, such as the teacher editing a students essay in class.
Andrew Zucker outlines the success that the Denver School of Science and Technology, a charter school, is having with its one-to-one student-laptop program. The success Zucker notes, comes from the ability for teachers to provide instant feedback because of the laptops, thereby providing more opportunity for teachers to focus on the areas that students in their classes are struggling with. Teachers are now able to focus more on the areas of weakness of the students to better help them when it comes time to take the standardized tests throughout the year. Zucker makes important note that the Denver School of Science and Technology has as 40% of its students, kids that come from low income families and that the schools takes students based on a lottery. He also notes that this program is only possible due a million dollar grant from Hewlett Packard and another donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.
Is it possible for all schools to adopt this type of program?
It is if H.P. is going to donate a million dollars to every school in the United States. This is a great program but somewhat unrealistic. It is creating great success for students at the DSST but what does this program really prove? That if you provide all students with technology that they will succeed, and go on to be accepted in a four year university? The author also does not note the enrollment numbers in his article for the DSST.
Is it possible to have this kind of success without the laptop computers?
Yes I believe it is. A school could just set up extra time for students that do not have access to a computer outside of class in its computer lab. Students also do not need laptops in the class to in order for teachers to carry out many of the lesson that Zucker alluded to, such as the teacher editing a students essay in class.
Journal #2 (TWO): How Teenagers Consume Media: the report that shook the city
Robson, Matthew (2009,07,13). How teenagers consume media: the report that shook the city. The Guardian, Retrieved 07,21,2009, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jul/13/teenage-media-habits-morgan-stanley
This article was written by a 15 year old named Matthew Robson so I don’t put much stock into the material presented. He merely sites how much teenagers use various types of media and the methods they use to access that media. I think it is important to note that the article is based on British teens and their habits. He gives what seem to be opinions on how much teens use the television, internet, newspapers, video game consoles (not games console, he clearly does not play video games), cell phones, radio and so on. Personally I don’t see how this report “shook the city.”
Did this article use sources for it figures cited or is it merely opinion and could it be used a credible source for a school assignment?
Clearly this is not a credibly source as it reads like an opinion column in the morning newspaper. I am pretty sure that 99% of all teens do not own a cell phone. The author gives no citing in his paper for his sources which tells me that this is not research but merely a teenagers’ opinion on technology. As a teen I used the yellow and white page quite frequently, just saying…
Where are good sources for teens and children to use on the internet?
Primarily the best websites and sources from the internet are on sites with the .edu extension and from published journals with a long history in publication. As teachers it is important that we are able to show teens and children where to find good sources for their research.
This article was written by a 15 year old named Matthew Robson so I don’t put much stock into the material presented. He merely sites how much teenagers use various types of media and the methods they use to access that media. I think it is important to note that the article is based on British teens and their habits. He gives what seem to be opinions on how much teens use the television, internet, newspapers, video game consoles (not games console, he clearly does not play video games), cell phones, radio and so on. Personally I don’t see how this report “shook the city.”
Did this article use sources for it figures cited or is it merely opinion and could it be used a credible source for a school assignment?
Clearly this is not a credibly source as it reads like an opinion column in the morning newspaper. I am pretty sure that 99% of all teens do not own a cell phone. The author gives no citing in his paper for his sources which tells me that this is not research but merely a teenagers’ opinion on technology. As a teen I used the yellow and white page quite frequently, just saying…
Where are good sources for teens and children to use on the internet?
Primarily the best websites and sources from the internet are on sites with the .edu extension and from published journals with a long history in publication. As teachers it is important that we are able to show teens and children where to find good sources for their research.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Journal #1 (ONE): Do Your Teachers Need Personal Trainers?
Owens, Aileen M. (2009). Do your teachers need personal trainers?. Learning and Leading With Technology, Retrieved 07/15/09, from http://www.iste.org/
This article is about providing training to teachers on ways that they can integrate technology in their classroom. Technology will help to evolve old lesson plans while making certain classroom activities easier for teachers and more exciting for students. The article describes a partnership that was formed between the Duquesne University Instructional Technology Department and the Mt. Lebanon school district in Pittsburgh in which Duquesne University would identify students with particular technology skills and those students would come to a particular school in the Mt. Lebanon school district and help teachers boost their technological skill set. These students would help teachers create lesson plans that would integrate technology into the teachings. The teachers would get technology help and the intern students would gain much needed experience with lesson plan design and student teacher training. Sounds like a win-win situation for the college students and the teachers.
Is it really a good idea to integrate so much technology into the classroom?
This is something that I have been thinking about even before I began the teaching program while still a student at San Diego State. If there is so much reliance on technology and having students use technology aren’t we just making lazy students and teachers? I have been tutoring for over a year now and can’t tell you frustrating it is to hear students say “why do this by hand, I can just use a calculator.” Students have become lazy and too reliant on technology. With the reliance on technology to complete assignments we are just alienating and making it hard for the student without access to a computer to complete assignments and thereby creating a classroom that is not equitable. I personally think there is too much reliance on technology.
Is this a good program and should more colleges create partnerships with school districts to run a plan like this?
I do think that this benefits schools tremendously by giving future teachers training in creating lesson plans and experience in front of a class while also helping older teachers become more tech-savvy and streamline their teaching practices.
This article is about providing training to teachers on ways that they can integrate technology in their classroom. Technology will help to evolve old lesson plans while making certain classroom activities easier for teachers and more exciting for students. The article describes a partnership that was formed between the Duquesne University Instructional Technology Department and the Mt. Lebanon school district in Pittsburgh in which Duquesne University would identify students with particular technology skills and those students would come to a particular school in the Mt. Lebanon school district and help teachers boost their technological skill set. These students would help teachers create lesson plans that would integrate technology into the teachings. The teachers would get technology help and the intern students would gain much needed experience with lesson plan design and student teacher training. Sounds like a win-win situation for the college students and the teachers.
Is it really a good idea to integrate so much technology into the classroom?
This is something that I have been thinking about even before I began the teaching program while still a student at San Diego State. If there is so much reliance on technology and having students use technology aren’t we just making lazy students and teachers? I have been tutoring for over a year now and can’t tell you frustrating it is to hear students say “why do this by hand, I can just use a calculator.” Students have become lazy and too reliant on technology. With the reliance on technology to complete assignments we are just alienating and making it hard for the student without access to a computer to complete assignments and thereby creating a classroom that is not equitable. I personally think there is too much reliance on technology.
Is this a good program and should more colleges create partnerships with school districts to run a plan like this?
I do think that this benefits schools tremendously by giving future teachers training in creating lesson plans and experience in front of a class while also helping older teachers become more tech-savvy and streamline their teaching practices.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Social Bookmarking
The National Archives
I chose to read about the Influenza Epidemic of 1918 and the tremendous toll on human life that occurred with its outbreak. There were numerous first-hand documents and pictures during this time of the outbreak. Sources such as these are invaluable to students as they research and construct projects or papers about events and people. Primary sources such as this are of great use in the classroom since their authenticity cannot be questioned.
The National Education Association
The four main ethnic groups that are the most susceptible to achievement gaps are Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Every teacher should learn the demographics in the area he or she will be teaching in as this is a good way to learn about the students that will be attending your class. This will also help you to incorporate cultural ideas into you lesson plans. The third thing a teacher should do is to network with parents and the communities that they will be teaching in. It will help you learn a lot about the students by seeing how they integrate into their communities and what sort of communal values they hold. Incorporating these into you classroom with help you to deal with diversity in your classroom.
Cyber Bullying
Well I scored a 6 so apparently I am cyber risky. My score comes primarily from my online gaming habit. I don’t use other peoples’ account information and things such as that. I cannot believe that in this day and age people don’t think about these things more. Parents should teach their kids that once you post something on the internet it is public domain. Especially if you publish to Facebook and social sites like that where the company or website has ownership of whatever you post. Teenangels would be a great tool for any classroom, helping to teach teens about internet dangers would most helpful as parents cannot be relied on to do such things.
Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators
Under “Subject Access” I chose Mathematics of course and chose a site called Mathworld. This site is actually called Wolfram Mathworld. I use this site all the time to look up Mathematical formulas and definitions. This site would be of great use to any educator that is teaching mathematics or science. I do think it would be a little advanced for some high school students but a great asset to teachers.The rubric and Assessment area under “Teacher Helpers” was great as it provided all kinds of rubrics to assess almost anything you can in a classroom. This will be great for new teachers and old teachers looking to update their assessment tools.
Edutopia: Multiple Intelligences
My top three intelligences are (in order): Logical/Mathematical, Naturalistic, and Interpersonal.
I watched the video entitled: Big Thinkers: Howard Gardner on Multiple Intelligences. I do believe that all students learn in different ways and believe 100% that learning is not memorization of facts. I did not agree with Mr. Gardner on the fact that schools teach too many subjects though, schools can teach multiple subjects while still finding new ways to teach to a student’s learning strengths. The purpose of school is to expose students to a wide array of things and to broaden the ways in which they think about things, college is where you go to focus your studies to a few fields or subjects. If you only learn about certain subjects or ideas in school how are you going to find out what you are interested in?
Teaching Tolerance
I chose the upper grades, the subject is mathematics and the topic was tolerance. The lesson plan described was from a professor at the university of Texas El Paso and considered of a table with different functions in the first column and the other columns consisting of a trait by which a function could be classified. After filling in the table students were asked if it was difficult to find a characteristic that is universal to all the functions in the table. Students were then asked if a group of people could all share the same trait. This was an ingenious way to get students to look at tolerance with a mathematical perspective. I would definitely use this in the classroom and maybe incorporate a little MS Excel in the exercise to give my students some exposure to a widely used software application.
EdChange: Multicultural Education
I found it pretty alarming that 84.5% of gay, lesbian or transgender high school students say that their teachers do not respond to homophobic remarks in the classroom. I though educators were supposed to created safe learning environments for all their students? That is really sad.
It is pretty disgusting that the CEO makes what and average American worker makes in a day. There is something really wrong with that. What the hell does a CEO do that it warrants that kind of salary. No person is worth that kind of money.
Netiquette
My Netiquette score was 80%. Since a lot of learning is taking place over the internet it is very important that students become familiar with Netiquette. Netiquette is another way to help people to communicate in a civil way when you are not face to face with that person. It can also help to eliminate any misunderstandings there might be since you cannot gauge how a person feels over the internet. :)
I chose to read about the Influenza Epidemic of 1918 and the tremendous toll on human life that occurred with its outbreak. There were numerous first-hand documents and pictures during this time of the outbreak. Sources such as these are invaluable to students as they research and construct projects or papers about events and people. Primary sources such as this are of great use in the classroom since their authenticity cannot be questioned.
The National Education Association
The four main ethnic groups that are the most susceptible to achievement gaps are Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Every teacher should learn the demographics in the area he or she will be teaching in as this is a good way to learn about the students that will be attending your class. This will also help you to incorporate cultural ideas into you lesson plans. The third thing a teacher should do is to network with parents and the communities that they will be teaching in. It will help you learn a lot about the students by seeing how they integrate into their communities and what sort of communal values they hold. Incorporating these into you classroom with help you to deal with diversity in your classroom.
Cyber Bullying
Well I scored a 6 so apparently I am cyber risky. My score comes primarily from my online gaming habit. I don’t use other peoples’ account information and things such as that. I cannot believe that in this day and age people don’t think about these things more. Parents should teach their kids that once you post something on the internet it is public domain. Especially if you publish to Facebook and social sites like that where the company or website has ownership of whatever you post. Teenangels would be a great tool for any classroom, helping to teach teens about internet dangers would most helpful as parents cannot be relied on to do such things.
Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators
Under “Subject Access” I chose Mathematics of course and chose a site called Mathworld. This site is actually called Wolfram Mathworld. I use this site all the time to look up Mathematical formulas and definitions. This site would be of great use to any educator that is teaching mathematics or science. I do think it would be a little advanced for some high school students but a great asset to teachers.The rubric and Assessment area under “Teacher Helpers” was great as it provided all kinds of rubrics to assess almost anything you can in a classroom. This will be great for new teachers and old teachers looking to update their assessment tools.
Edutopia: Multiple Intelligences
My top three intelligences are (in order): Logical/Mathematical, Naturalistic, and Interpersonal.
I watched the video entitled: Big Thinkers: Howard Gardner on Multiple Intelligences. I do believe that all students learn in different ways and believe 100% that learning is not memorization of facts. I did not agree with Mr. Gardner on the fact that schools teach too many subjects though, schools can teach multiple subjects while still finding new ways to teach to a student’s learning strengths. The purpose of school is to expose students to a wide array of things and to broaden the ways in which they think about things, college is where you go to focus your studies to a few fields or subjects. If you only learn about certain subjects or ideas in school how are you going to find out what you are interested in?
Teaching Tolerance
I chose the upper grades, the subject is mathematics and the topic was tolerance. The lesson plan described was from a professor at the university of Texas El Paso and considered of a table with different functions in the first column and the other columns consisting of a trait by which a function could be classified. After filling in the table students were asked if it was difficult to find a characteristic that is universal to all the functions in the table. Students were then asked if a group of people could all share the same trait. This was an ingenious way to get students to look at tolerance with a mathematical perspective. I would definitely use this in the classroom and maybe incorporate a little MS Excel in the exercise to give my students some exposure to a widely used software application.
EdChange: Multicultural Education
I found it pretty alarming that 84.5% of gay, lesbian or transgender high school students say that their teachers do not respond to homophobic remarks in the classroom. I though educators were supposed to created safe learning environments for all their students? That is really sad.
It is pretty disgusting that the CEO makes what and average American worker makes in a day. There is something really wrong with that. What the hell does a CEO do that it warrants that kind of salary. No person is worth that kind of money.
Netiquette
My Netiquette score was 80%. Since a lot of learning is taking place over the internet it is very important that students become familiar with Netiquette. Netiquette is another way to help people to communicate in a civil way when you are not face to face with that person. It can also help to eliminate any misunderstandings there might be since you cannot gauge how a person feels over the internet. :)
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Introduction Letter of Ricardo Amador
My name is Ricardo Amador and I was born right here in San Diego California. My family (before my brother was born) lived in Otay Mesa for about a year and a half and then moved to La Mesa. I attended elementary, middle and high school in La Mesa. I went to La Mesa Dale Elementary School, La Mesa Middle School and Helix High School before moving on to Grossmont Community College. I went to Grossmont for about a semester a then dropped out to become an Electrician. I did that job for about 3 years and decided it was time to get serious, so I re-enrolled in Grossmont and received my Associates degree in Mathematics and then transferred to San Diego State University. I graduated from SDSU with a degree in Applied Mathematics. I am hopping to get either a Masters degree in Mathematics or Statistics.
I have plenty of experience in technology due to my course work for my undergraduate and my experience in the engineering industry. Pretty much all of my experience with technology is oriented towards mathematical applications. The majority of my experience is with Microsoft Excel and mathematical software like Maple, Matlab, and Minitab. I also have programming experience with Java, Visual Basic and C++. It makes me sad that all these skills are becoming rusty as I have nothing to apply them to at the moment.
I am a PC at the moment, but the more I use the Mac, the more I think about switching over. The problem is that outside of the video editing industry and educational institutions PC’s are what is being used and not to mention I currently have a lot of expensive mathematics software (some of it not so legal) that I would not be able to use if I switched to a Mac.
Honestly I had no idea that the college of education had a mission statement until the first day of my 350 class. This pretty much means that it was not a factor in my decision to apply to CSUSM. I applied based on the good words that others have said about the program after finishing it. However I do feel strongly about educational equity, as in the mission statement. Every student should be given what he or she needs to help them succeed. As a future educator I would work to make sure this is something that done for all of my future students.
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