Week 5- Smart Boards

Last week in class we had the opportunity to learn a bit about SMART Boards, and related technology that can be used in the classroom. Before this presentation, I had never seen a smart board. I had no idea what they looked like, or what the actual purpose of them was. I figured it was just another gadget, and would not have any real merit for classroom use. After seeing the presentation I have changed my thinking a bit. I found them very interesting, and could certainly see how they would be useful in the classroom. Although I'm still not sure exactly how to use them, if given the opportunity I would certainly try.

We discussed some of the advantages of the SMART Board such as the fact that they are interactive, and therefore would be very useful for presentations. The board can also accommodate different learning styles, and it is very engaging for students. Research shows that students enjoy watching presentations that are done on a SMART board, and they like being able to work with them. This is important because student engagement should always be a teacher’s number one goal. If the student is enjoying the lesson, they are more likely to learn. Although they can be engaging for students, it is important to make sure that they are not distracting. The board cannot be the main focus of the lesson, content must still be a priority. Many of the SMART boards are also mobile, and if there is limited computer use, the board would be a great tool.

A downside to the SMART boards is that they can be complicated to learn how to use. One of the main disadvantages is the cost. They are very expensive, and many schools cannot justify spending the money to have them in the school. Also, if there are only a few boards in a school, many teachers may not find it worthwhile to take the time to learn how to use the board, and would not want to worry about designing lessons to incorporate the board. I agree with this. If I had a SMART board in my classroom to use all the time, I would certainly incorporate it into my lessons. If I had to share with other staff members, worry about booking time with the board, and learn how to use a somewhat complicated piece of technology that I did not get to use every day, I would not likely take the time to do so.  

Week 4- Evaluating the credibility of a website

The task for this weeks class was to view a website, and give our initial reactions to it. The purpose of the assignment was for us to think about how to determine if a website is credible. The internet is one of the main sources of information for most school papers, assignments, and research. It is very important to be able to tell when the information that you are reading is likely to be accurate and credible. It is important to be a bit skeptical, and aware of the fact that much of the information that we read on the internet does not come from a reliable source. As future teachers this is important because our students will be using the internet to do research, and find information for school assignments. Students are also using the internet to find answers to questions outside of school. It is crucial that we give our students the information necessary, so that they are informed about how to determine if a website is credible, and understand how to tell if they should believe the information given or not. The following are a few basic tips and guidelines for determining the legitimacy of a website.

1.) URL addresses that contain a ~  means that an individual published the site. Individual publishers that are not affiliated with a credible corporation, can have their own agendas, and might not have the most accurate information.

2.) Check the publishing date. The more recent the more credible.

3.) Determine the sites purpose. Sites that are trying to sell the reader something or ask the reader to sign up for something are unlikely to present unbiased, neutral information.

4.) A credible website will list contact information and resources. This allows the reader to verify information, shows that there is a real organization behind what is being published, and highlights the expertise of the organization.

5.) Determine who the author is, and what the qualifications of the author are. Example- Anyone can post on Wikipedia!

6.) Determine if the content is fact or opinion.

7.) Ask yourself how rich the information is. Does it answer all of your questions, is it detailed? How does it match up with other information that you have read?

8.) A website with spelling and grammar mistakes is unlikely to be credible

9.) Google now automatically offers a warning of malicious sights. Look for this when searching on Google, and ignore sights that have any warnings!

10.) Analyze the URL:
.com = company
.edu = a university or college
.gov = government
.mil = military (U.S.)
.net = internet service provider
.org = not for profit organization 


References:

Ehow. How to Determine Website Credibility. Retrieved January 31, 2011 from http://www.ehow.com/how_2112227_determine-website-credibility.html

Ron Castel Webs. Website Credibility:Evaluating Websites for Credibility or Validity. Retrived January 31, 2011, from http://www.roncastle.com/website-credibility.htm

Assessing Website Credibility. Authority of the Author/Sponsorship. Is the Information Developed and Published by a Credible Source? Retreieved January 31 2011, from http://www.nicholls.edu/pt3/Hurricane/website_credibility.htm

Week 3- Podcasts

This week in class we discussed how to set up a podcast. This is not something that I have ever done before, and was happy to see that it was actually quite fun to do. Creating podcasts allows for a lot of creativity and individualism. You can incorporate music, and other things to make it more interesting, and unique.

A podcast is a non streamed webcast, and is a recent phenomenon. The use of podcast began to catch on with the general public in 2004 and has grown in popularity ever since. Podcasts are a series of digital media files that are released episodically. They are similar to radio shows, and can be listened to from anywhere in the world. I view podcasts almost like a blog in audio form. Rather than writing down your thoughts and publishing them on the internet, one can record their thoughts, and present them in a similar way.

Podcasts are becoming more and more popular in schools. The class that I observed during my practicum didn't use them, but several others in the school did. I feel that this would be useful technology to understand and incorporate into a classroom. We are learning in many classes the importance of flexibility in our teaching, and allowing choice with the projects that students do in class. A podcast is a unique and fun way for students to present information. They would also be learning about different media sources, and how to use technology in different ways. I feel that I have a lot more to learn about podcasts but I have full intentions of doing so, so that I incorporate them successfully into my class.

Week 2

I enjoyed the irony of the video presentation in class today.
I think the point was made that technology can be great, if used properly. Even though the video was dated, it still offered some excellent teaching points. It is important to remember that we can not depend solely on videos and technology to do our job. If we are going to present a video during a lesson, there is still planning that must be done to ensure that the material that you want your students to understand, is being received in the way that we intend. We must ensure that students are paying attention to the material being presented. You must ensure that students are paying attention to a video before you begin, which is exactly what you would do before beginning to teach any lesson. A video is no exception. It is also important to stress the reasons for watching a particular video, and to inform students of the key points that they should be taking note of. This was demonstrated successfully in class today. Half of the class was told to "relax, enjoy the film, and not worry about taking notes", while the other half was told exactly what to watch for, and what would be tested on. The group that had a better understanding of the expectations had considerably better results. The points made about effective teaching in the video, were demonstrated in class. This gave us a first hand experience of the point that was being made. Although I was skeptical at first about the purpose of the lesson, and the usefulness of the video, in the end the intention of the lesson was clearly made, in an entertaining way.

Class 1

I was originally apprehensive about having to take a course on technology. I was worried because I don't feel that I know how to use a lot of different types of technology, and was worried that I would not be successful in the course. Technology has a great impact on our society, and I feel that it is important for us to learn about technology, and learn how it is being used in the classroom. It is also important to realize the implications that technology outside of the classroom will have on our students. Many children today are submersed in a technological world. As a future teacher, it is important to understand the technology that our students will be using, and understand how it effects their day to day lives. I believe that it is also important to teach students how to use technology safely, and in a way that will enrich their lives. That being said, I also believe that we should not be dependent on technology, and we must understand that an effective teacher does not need to rely on computer and smart boards. to teach. We must realize that there will be times where access to technology may not be available, and developing a dependency on certain resources may get in the way of classroom success. I look forward to learning about the pros and cons of technology in schools.