The Finale!

Advantages
One complaint that I hear often when I tell people that I am going to teach history is, “but it is so boring!” I am always shocked. Luckily, integrating technology will help to put visuals with the content of the course and make it more interesting (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 338). Other obvious advantages include the ability to access documents electronically. Also, current events are easily accessed and up-to-date via the internet (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 341). In terms of geography, the use of online resources for maps and global viewing, Google Earth, for example, are invaluable (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 343).

Disadvantages 
One disadvantage is that although it is possible and useful to use technology in a social studies classroom, it is more practical to develop new material for other subject areas like math or English (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 336). Therefore, the social sciences do not get the newest and greatest advancements first. Another downside is that while you can find authentic resources for historical documents online, you can also find resources that are biased and untrue. It is the job of the educator to properly prepare their students for determining between a good site and a poor site in terms of research. It is also up to the educator to determine how to fit technology into the content knowledge of their course (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 345).

Two items that I created that I will use:
I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed making my Wiki/Social Media product. I think it is going to be beneficial to me in the future by using it in the classroom. I think it is a great way to keep students engaged as well as provide an alternative to simple “homework.” Kids are more apt to participate if they can access the information from their phones while on the go. I love that they can edit the content themselves, and they can actually participate with one another to finish assignments.

I also think the collaboration of Google/iPad/Web Apps is great. It goes along with what I stated before about connecting with the age group you are teaching. Kids might enjoy doing primary document research more if they can access the pieces of history through an app on their phone. ((I do not know why they would want that over touch old paper, but, hey, what do I know)) There are tons of free tools that can be at their fingertips to help them with the lessons and material in the class.

As I said on Twitter, this is the best site for Social Studies integrating technology: http://thwt.org/

PUT A FORK IN ED527, FOLKS! It’s done! :)

M5 Blog Posting- Wiki Ideas

Wiki: I was lucky to find this Wiki here: https://jwilson82.wikispaces.com/

This is an excellent example of how to utilize a Wiki for your classroom. This teacher does a nice job of electronic mentoring his studies by providing them with links to resources for their projects (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 242). He showcases the functionality of Wikis in the classroom by providing a digital meeting place that encourages student communication (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 246). I can take cues from this Wiki on what works and what does not.

Podcasts: These are wonderful podcasts on colonial life in America here:

Witches in the colonies: http://podcasts.history.org/102708/WitchesintheColonies.mp3

Singing and dancing in the colonies: http://podcasts.history.org/082707/colonialchildrensdance.mp3

These audio files will be great for students on the go. Their small format (usually Mp3) is made to be played on personal media devices like cell phones (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 224). What student can argue that they were not near a computer to do their homework when it is available to them on their phone! This will enhance my Wiki by giving my students a quick, easy resource at their fingertips.

Social Bookmarking Site: https://delicious.com/stcody

This stream is a great resource of articles and websites that can be used to augment my curricular plans and serve as lesson enhancements (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 238). In terms of my Wiki, this is an excellent resource for pages for my own social bookmarking site.

Embedded HTMLs: 

This “day in history” widget will be great in my Wiki just to simply add some “cool” factor. I think it could, as Roblyer and Doering (2012) suggest, “broaden{ing} students’ perspectives on their own and other cultures (p. 244). It would be great to log in on their birthday and see what was happening in the world that day long ago!

This timeline widget will be useful for subject content as well as the “group assignment” portion of the Wiki. My idea is to have my class create a collaborative timeline of events from the founding of Jamestown to the Civil War (the mythical subject matter for my “class”). This list of explorers will help the students come up with ideas and find benchmarks. 

Blog 4: ED 527

From chapters 7 and 8, these are some resources and discussion about specific media.  

Uniform Resource Locators (URLS): Students can tell a lot about a website they are about to look up before the page even loads if they are familiar with the characteristics of URLS (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 216). The most important part of a website URL in terms of credibility of information is the domain designator. (Examples: .com, .gov, .edu) Knowing that “.gov” means the website will have content posted by the government obviously adds to the credibility of the information found there. (in theory)

Search Engines: In order to access a variety of information, students need to learn the basics of search engines. There are two types: major search engines and metacrawlers. Major search engines such as Google perform keyword searches on their own with their own information. Metacrawlers such as Dog Pile search the net using more than one search engine (Robyler and Doering, 2012, p. 219). Knowing the basics of each can help students find what they need faster and know how to filter information more effectively.

Internet Tool (e-Portfolios): Students could be encouraged to develop e-Portfolios. As Roblyer and Doering (2012) discuss, these “showcase their work and…organize, revise, and store digital assets” (p. 224). These could be invaluable in terms of being able have previous, solid, completed work on hand for future examples and knowledge-base. It could also be a future resume material for them.

Web-based Lessons: One of the most popular forms of web-based activities is online lesson enhancements. Roblyer and Doering (2012) describe these as “online enhancement that augments their curricular goals and use it to extend and deepen their students’ understanding” (p.238). This resource found here http://www.mnh.si.edu/education/studentactivities.html links to a Smithsonian website which provides a variety of these enhancements that are great!

Favorite Web Sites:

1)      This site here, http://www.pbs.org/teachers, is a great resource for educators. It breaks content down by grade level as well as subject. The site is a “.org” which is a non-commercial organization (Roblyer and Doering, 2012, p. 216). This suggests the site material is reliable. Also, this page includes web-based activities including individual lesson plans. Roblyer and Doering (2012) suggest these are useful when teachers “download and integrate within their classroom, often without adaptation” (p.238).

2)      Specifically for History, this site here, http://www.historyguide.org/resources.htm, links to websites that contain primary documents and a plethora of resources. It even includes its own disclaimer that online resources should be scrutinized before use! This site answers the question proposed by Roblyer and Doering (2012), “How will the students use online resources (as opposed to just locating them)” (p.238)? It is also similar to the idea of a Wiki in that it is a collections of sources that allows for group use (Roblyer and Doering, 2012, p. 223). 

Bringing Stories to Life

                With the massive amount of video capabilities this day and age, it can be difficult to find ways of promoting reading to students. It sounds much easier to a young one to downloada  book on tape to their iPad and listen to a story. With interactive storybooks, students can improve their reading abilities while also enhancing their personal enjoyment (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 175). An excellent example of this hypermedia product is found here http://www.wanderfulstorybooks.com/teachers.php#activities. This website provides access for parents and teachers to applications, some of which are free, that provide interactive story telling for children. Roblyer and Doering (2012) point out that “online interactive storybooks allow students to read at their own pace, with interaction available as the student requests it” (p. 175). Wanderful Books allows the students using the applications to do just that. It is also important to note that these interactive storybooks offer a plethora of language options, musical choices, and a multitude of game play. All of these characteristics would be useful in the classroom in terms of engagement and encouragement for reading.

                Along the same lines as interactive storybooks is the multimedia authoring tool virtual environments. These can be invaluable in a classroom that attempts to bring a subject to life by creating realistic worlds in which students can manipulate their surroundings and environments (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p.193). In the area of social science, a subject which can be passed off as “dull,” a virtual simulation could keep students engaged. Would it not be amazing, instead of discussing Jamestown, to place students in it by replacing their surroundings with manufactured ones that create an illusion of the real thing (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p.94). Another example is found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSh8-mmEN9Y where students are using a virtual environment to interact with each other. This specific kind of environment is a web-based VR in which avatars interact in virtual space in order to collaborate and build communication (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 194).

                It is more plausible that teachers could more easily utilize interactive storybooks over virtual environments. This is due to the sheer amount of programming and filming that it takes to create a virtual world. It is because of the expense and great amount of required technology that virtual reality is not more widely used in education. Interactive storybooks offer a cheaper and effective alternative.

KPR777. (2008, November 03). Virtual learning labs. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSh8-mmEN9Y

Blog Two: ED 527- Software

Drill-and-skill software allows teachers to present students with specific examples and questions that they can work in sequence in order to test their knowledge of material. This can be working math problems or questions which allow them to fill in the right answer (Roblyer & Doering,2013, p. 81). An example of this type of software is flashcards like those found here http://www.insidestoryflashcards.com/printable_flashcards/index.php.  This website provides flashcards with pictures and definitions which allow the learner to receive instant feedback on their retention of the material.

Tutorial software is intended to stand alone similarly to an educator’s lecture or classroom instruction. Successful tutorial software includes feedback, entertaining graphics, steady user control, and recordkeeping (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p.87). The example found here http://www.carnegielearning.com/specs/cognitive-tutor-overview/ provides all of the above mentioned criteria. This site focuses on math. It uses a layering of tutorials in order to teach arithmatic concepts from grade level to level.

Another software type is simulation. These uses of software can either teach students about something or how to do something by allowing them to manipulate pieces and objects in order to find an outcome (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p.90). Here http://physion.net/ educators can create their own simulations in order to help their students practice experiments in physics. This way their experiments are safe and repeatable.

Using game teaching functions is a way for teachers to sneak learning into an activity that students expect to be fun. This type of software differs from the others because it includes elements of rules, challenges, and competition (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 95). This game at http://www.historyglobe.com/jamestown/ places students in the colony of Jamestown. It teaches them about life during a specific time period and allows them to learn about the functions of a society.

Another software is problem-solving teaching functions. These can be used either to teach content-area problems or to teach the skill of problem solving itself (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p.99). This cite http://pbskids.org/games/problemsolving.html has a plethora of activities that allow students to hone their abilities at solving problems. This is important because so much of education at a higher level depends upon being able to consider an outcome without a clear path to how to reach it.

Integrated Learning Systems are an inclusive package usually containing everything from course materials to professional development software (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p.102). These types of systems can be expensive considering all that they entail. Compass Learning, found here http://www.compasslearning.com/product-demos, creates specified integrated learning systems that are developed for groups of students and teachers with their needs in mind.

All of these applications can have their effectiveness easily tested by the use of test generators. These tools, like the one found here http://test-generator.software.informer.com/, make it simple for teachers to generate multiple versions of the same test (Roblyer & Doering, p.148). In addition, statistical software, shown here http://www.systat.com/SystatProducts.aspx, can take the data recorded from the test and help the teachers analyze the results to determine certain factors (Roblyer & Doering, p.152). The combination of all of these software programs can lead to improved productivity, appearance, accuracy, and collaboration (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p.112-113).

For more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NN4KF01Xtw

FreeTeacherTools. (2010, February 15). Free tools for teachers: Helping you engage students. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NN4KF01Xtw

                

Blog 1: ED 527 "Funding Issues"

An issue that spans all eras of the development of technology and its use in the classroom is the ability, or lack thereof, to fund it. As helpful as integrating technology into education could potentially be, there is an inequality to the access of it that is undeniable. Roblyer and Doering (2013) address this issue as it occurred in the pre-microcomputer era by referencing the development and eventual resentment of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and computer-managed instruction (CMI) systems (p. 7).

 According to Roblyer and Doering (2013), the use of CAI/CMI operations became a source of resentment for educators of the time because the expense of buying, maintaining, and operating these systems was so great all control of the technology remained with school district offices. The money aspect involved with technology in the classroom put strain on the relationship between the teachers, who needed full access to the applications in order to use them, and those who ran the school district, who wanted to keep the pricey systems protected (p.7).

Funding issues have been, and will continue to be, prominent setbacks in terms of purchasing and utilizing technology in the classroom. Roblyer and Doering (2013) point out that “recent economic downturns in the US economy have meant decreased education funding, which also means fewer funds available for technology hardware, software, and training” (p. 17). A crucial point to address is that of training not being readily available for teachers. One can have access to all the technological materials in the world, and it could be useless without the proper guidance on how to integrate it effectively. If there is no funding for further education for teachers on technology, computers could be wasted material possessions.

If one considers the use of technology in terms of information-processing theories, having the funding for further education on technological advancements for teachers is crucial. THie method of learning involves the use of memorable material, visualizations of abstract ideas, and attention-getting directions that provoke the memory of the students (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 39). If one buys into this theory of learning, the use of technology in the classroom is ideal. It is the perfect opportunity to use games, videos, and interactive learning to trigger students to retain pertinent information. Unfortunately, it all goes to waste if the educator has not been properly trained on how to utilize materials in a way as to effectively achieve the goals of information-processing.

Over all, it is the access to technology and the availability of lessons on how to use it that makes the difference between students who grow with the times and students who do not. Unfortunately, as stated by Roblyer and Doering, “the single greatest factor determining access to technology is economic status” (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 18). Schools systems that face economic hardship both in the classroom and at home are less likely to have access to either factor discussed in this blog. Money has its hand on the pulse of it all.

Here is an example of ways some teachers found funding for Dreambox Learning in their classroom. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EZRj0xBjGo

References:

Dreambox Learning. (2011, July 28). Federal Funding for Instructional Technology [video file]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EZRj0xBjGo.

Doering, A. H., & Roblyer, M. D. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, INC.

Syllabus

Hey! If anyone of my blog readers can get me a copy of the syllabus, I'd really appreciate it.

Somehow I didn't get home with it last night.

Thanks!