Computer games are becoming increasingly used tools for teaching and learning. They are used to supplement, enhance, and reinforce material taught in the classroom. They are an effective way to engage students in the learning process and make learning interesting and fun. In today's technology based world, children are using and becoming comfortable with technology earlier and earlier in life. Children today learn by being engaged, doing, and playing, not just being delivered information; by multitasking and moving quickly, not doing one thing at a time; by having choices of how to learn, not having a one size fits all curriculum; and by being connected with other students, not individually. Children are comfortable with technology, so why not teach them in a way they are comfortable with? In today's technology ruled world, it is imperative that children gain knowledge of technology and computes. Educational games prepare students for the 21st century by equipping them with the skills the need to operate computers and programs, while at the same time educating them. Educational computer games allow for teaching, learning, enhancement of material, engagement of the student, facilitation of interest, and making learning fun! This does not mean educational computer games should take the place of instruction by the teacher and face to face interaction, but be used as a tool for enhancing and adding to education-allowing for more interaction and collaboration.
As an elementary education major, educational games will play a major role in my future career. At the elementary level, children learn a great deal by doing and playing, so games are an important and even vital tool for their education and success. Education games provide elementary students with fun, interesting games that keep their attention and engage them. At the elementary level, there are countless educational games available to help students learn the curriculum. I will not let computer games take over education in my classroom. If overused, computer games can pose more of a threat than benefit, because students become in a sense dependent on them, only able to learn by playing, losing their attention span and interest in traditional teaching.
This site is dedicated to educational games for the elementary grade levels. I chose it because it is organized in an easy to use way, includes games for the four basic subject areas, as well as games for addition education and reinforcement. It is a great tool for elementary teachers to use in the classroom.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Distance Education
Distance education, or distance learning, is the education and instruction of students not physically present on the teaching site. Throughout history, distance education has taken place, but not to the degree and way it does in today's world. Today, distance education is achieved through technological means. Both public and private institutions of varying grade levels offer distance education, but it is most popular at colleges and universities, with more than 96% of the largest offering courses through distance education. Students can partake in distance education through television, radio, internet, CD-ROM, or mobile devices. The most common form of distance education is online learning, which utilizes online technologies to connect educator and student. This allows them to be in different places at different times and still connect for education. Online instruction is often mixed with limited in-person interaction, called blended instruction. Another form of online instruction on the rise is virtual education, in which the educational institution down not physically exist, but is a "virtual" online institution and all student services are provided online.
Many advantages come with distance education. Students are allowed to learn at their own pace because learning is done on the student's own time and there is no time constraint like being in a classroom; there is flexibility in when the student can learn the material and how the student wants to go about learning it; there is greater access to multimedia in lessons because technology is already being used; and students have greater access to education they may not have due to distance or availability where they are. There are some downsides to distance education as well. It can be costly; there are concerns about security of information transferred online; and there is a lack of motivation, encouragement, discipline, immediate access to educators, and personal interaction that comes with face to face education.
As an kindergarten teacher, I do not think full distance education would be a good idea, but I do think there are some ways to use distance education and online "courses" to enhance material being taught in the class. I could set up "courses" online for my students to complete at home. These courses would not be all inclusive or as complicated as they are in higher levels, but they can include games, worksheets, and practice problems on an easy to maneuver web page. This will ensure their education continues out of the classroom, that lessons are enhanced, and that they stay engaged in an interactive and fun way.
The video above is an informational video about online education in the K-12 grade levels. I chose it because it focuses on students below the college level, whoa re often forgotten when talking about distance education. It explains how online education can benefit these younger children, the advantages to and importance of online online learning in today's world, and the positive impact it has. The speakers are accredited, professional educators experienced in both face to face and distance education.
Many advantages come with distance education. Students are allowed to learn at their own pace because learning is done on the student's own time and there is no time constraint like being in a classroom; there is flexibility in when the student can learn the material and how the student wants to go about learning it; there is greater access to multimedia in lessons because technology is already being used; and students have greater access to education they may not have due to distance or availability where they are. There are some downsides to distance education as well. It can be costly; there are concerns about security of information transferred online; and there is a lack of motivation, encouragement, discipline, immediate access to educators, and personal interaction that comes with face to face education.
As an kindergarten teacher, I do not think full distance education would be a good idea, but I do think there are some ways to use distance education and online "courses" to enhance material being taught in the class. I could set up "courses" online for my students to complete at home. These courses would not be all inclusive or as complicated as they are in higher levels, but they can include games, worksheets, and practice problems on an easy to maneuver web page. This will ensure their education continues out of the classroom, that lessons are enhanced, and that they stay engaged in an interactive and fun way.
The video above is an informational video about online education in the K-12 grade levels. I chose it because it focuses on students below the college level, whoa re often forgotten when talking about distance education. It explains how online education can benefit these younger children, the advantages to and importance of online online learning in today's world, and the positive impact it has. The speakers are accredited, professional educators experienced in both face to face and distance education.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Web Presence
A web presence is the influence an individual, business, or organization has on the web and the traceable path that is left behind through this interaction. Thus, since the influence is traceable, the presence can be searched and accessed by others using the web. Most users of the web have some sort of web presence, whether it's social or professional-simply by having a social networking site such as Facebook, writing a blog, or creating their own web page. By merely "existing" on the web and making their presence known somehow, users have a web presence. Having a web presence in today's world is very beneficial, and in some cases vital. Social networking presences keep users in contact with other users, and professional web presences allow users to showcase their portfolios and resumes for employers to access without having to meet personally, saving money and increasing the amount of people who see it.
As a teacher, creating a professional web presence that includes my resume, portfolio, and information about me can not only help me find an employer, but is a great way to inform parents about who I am so they know is teaching their child and are comfortable and informed. A social web presence would also be a great tool for me to use. By adding and becoming "friends" with my students' parents on Facebook, I can keep them updated on what is going on in the classroom, they can message me with questions or concerns, I can create a group that includes just them so open discussions can be made and photos of their children in the classroom can be added, and they can have instant access to me through Facebook chat. I can create a blog that does much of the same thing-updating parents on what is going on in the classroom, what homework is due when, and post classroom pictures. Social networks and blogs can also be used for teachers to share ideas and work with other teachers. Having a social and professional web presence would be a great tool for communication and collaboration in and out of the classroom.
This video is a short tutorial about creating a web presence. I chose this video because it explains in a simple, easy to understand way, what a web presence is, the benefits of creating a web presence, and how to create a web presence.
As a teacher, creating a professional web presence that includes my resume, portfolio, and information about me can not only help me find an employer, but is a great way to inform parents about who I am so they know is teaching their child and are comfortable and informed. A social web presence would also be a great tool for me to use. By adding and becoming "friends" with my students' parents on Facebook, I can keep them updated on what is going on in the classroom, they can message me with questions or concerns, I can create a group that includes just them so open discussions can be made and photos of their children in the classroom can be added, and they can have instant access to me through Facebook chat. I can create a blog that does much of the same thing-updating parents on what is going on in the classroom, what homework is due when, and post classroom pictures. Social networks and blogs can also be used for teachers to share ideas and work with other teachers. Having a social and professional web presence would be a great tool for communication and collaboration in and out of the classroom.
This video is a short tutorial about creating a web presence. I chose this video because it explains in a simple, easy to understand way, what a web presence is, the benefits of creating a web presence, and how to create a web presence.
Open Source Software
Programs and software have source codes, which are transformed into machine codes so they can be read by computers. If the program is to be fixed, extended, or changed in any way, this is done by ammending the source code and creating another machine code to create an updated copy of the software. Software is open source when the author of the software gives users of the software access to the source code and gives them the right to change and redistribute the source code as they need to. The concept of open source was created by computer programmer Richard Stallman. When Stallman couldn't get a printer to work, he asked the manufacturer for the source code so he could adapt it and fix the problems. The manufacturer denied Stallman access to the source code, saying it was a trade secret, so Stallman became frustrated that he could not alter software he had paid money to own and thus created the concept of free software, which open source software came from. Open source allows users of software to access the source code so they can alter the software any way they want. While commercial software has to be purchased and the source code is kept secret, open source is free to download and users can access the source code. By having access to source codes, users can create different codes for different applications and versions of the software, as long as they don't sell or make profit from it. Open source software is available for word processing, image editing, web browsing, and multiple other uses. Some very popular open source programs include Firefox web browser, Linux, Open Office word processing, Gimpshop photo editor, and Audacity sound editor. These and thousands of other programs make software usage free and easy.
In elementary education, open source provides a way to access educational software and programs for free, allowing for more software in the classroom than if the software had to be purchased. Since much of the software used in an elementary classroom down not need to be commercial grade, open source is a great way to obtain educational software, games, and materials. This is vital to public schools that are already on a tight budget and don't have thousands to spend on word processing programs, educational games, and other programs necessary in the classroom. I could use multiple programs to enhance lessons and engage students in the educational process. Open source provides software for creating presentations, editing projects, and creating documents. Open source can be used to make educational resources more effective, efficient, and available, and increasing communication and sharing of resources between teachers. Open source would, to put it simply, would make utilizing educational software cheap and easy.
This is a great website that includes links to and explains numerous educational open source software. I chose this site because it includes programs that cover a variety of subjects, including art, music, astronomy, mathematics, and variety games. These programs enhance education and make learning fun and engaging.
In elementary education, open source provides a way to access educational software and programs for free, allowing for more software in the classroom than if the software had to be purchased. Since much of the software used in an elementary classroom down not need to be commercial grade, open source is a great way to obtain educational software, games, and materials. This is vital to public schools that are already on a tight budget and don't have thousands to spend on word processing programs, educational games, and other programs necessary in the classroom. I could use multiple programs to enhance lessons and engage students in the educational process. Open source provides software for creating presentations, editing projects, and creating documents. Open source can be used to make educational resources more effective, efficient, and available, and increasing communication and sharing of resources between teachers. Open source would, to put it simply, would make utilizing educational software cheap and easy.
This is a great website that includes links to and explains numerous educational open source software. I chose this site because it includes programs that cover a variety of subjects, including art, music, astronomy, mathematics, and variety games. These programs enhance education and make learning fun and engaging.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Visual Literacy
When you see a street sign do you know what it means? Can you tell the difference between male and female bathroom signs even if they don't include words? Of course you can. That's because you are visually literate. Visual literacy is the ability to evaluate, interpret, negotiate, and make meaning from information presented in the form of images. It also is the ability to create conceptual visual representations. Visual literacy is based on the idea that pictures can be "read" and their meaning be communicated and understood through the readings. Visual literacy enables an individual to discriminate and interpret visible actions, objects, symbols, and signs they encounter. This allows people to communicate with each other through visual imagery and comprehend visual communication. In today's world, visual literacy is vital. Being able to understand and interpret images in crucial in a world where media and the internet are such powerful and omnipresent. Being visually literate not only helps us with basics things such as finding food and drinks we want and knowing where to go, it helps us decipher images presented by the media and uncover hidden meanings in images.
In my major field of education, it is vital that i integrate and teach visual literacy in my classroom. It is my job to prepare children for the world, and if i don't teach my students to be visually literate, I'm not doing that. Teaching them what certain signs, symbols, and actions mean helps them understand and interpret them on their own in the real world. I can use visual literacy in the classroom to get my students thinking critically, by presenting them with a picture and asking them questions about the picture, such as "what are you looking at?" and "what does it mean?" I can also use visual literacy by using images to teach and enhance different subject lessons. For example, instead of reading the history book or about a historic event, I can present my students with an image of the event and have a class discussion about the image. I can also have my students crate their own visual literacy projects to expand their knowledge from understand images to being able to create their own and communicate their ideas using them. Integrating visual literacy in my classroom with allow my benefit my students in the areas of visual literacy, observation, and critical thinking.
This image contains four popular signs and symbols. The images can be identified as recycle, McDonald's, Target, and NBC. This picture demonstrates the power of visual literacy, because even though the picture contains no labels or text, the images can be identified, interpreted, and understood.
This is a picture of Coca-Cola cans from around the world. The text is in various different languages. Even if an individual did not speak the language the label was in, they could identify the product as Coca-Cola because of the familiar image and can design they associate with the drink.
In my major field of education, it is vital that i integrate and teach visual literacy in my classroom. It is my job to prepare children for the world, and if i don't teach my students to be visually literate, I'm not doing that. Teaching them what certain signs, symbols, and actions mean helps them understand and interpret them on their own in the real world. I can use visual literacy in the classroom to get my students thinking critically, by presenting them with a picture and asking them questions about the picture, such as "what are you looking at?" and "what does it mean?" I can also use visual literacy by using images to teach and enhance different subject lessons. For example, instead of reading the history book or about a historic event, I can present my students with an image of the event and have a class discussion about the image. I can also have my students crate their own visual literacy projects to expand their knowledge from understand images to being able to create their own and communicate their ideas using them. Integrating visual literacy in my classroom with allow my benefit my students in the areas of visual literacy, observation, and critical thinking.
This image contains four popular signs and symbols. The images can be identified as recycle, McDonald's, Target, and NBC. This picture demonstrates the power of visual literacy, because even though the picture contains no labels or text, the images can be identified, interpreted, and understood.
This is a picture of Coca-Cola cans from around the world. The text is in various different languages. Even if an individual did not speak the language the label was in, they could identify the product as Coca-Cola because of the familiar image and can design they associate with the drink.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Social Tools: Social Bookmarking
Social tools, or folksonomies, are web tools that allow users to collaboratively create and manage tags to annotate and categorize content on the web. Social tools are social applications on the web that are a characteristic of Web 2.0 and thus allow users to collectively classify and find information. Social tools utilize social software and social media in order to allow interaction and connection between people. One major social tool is social bookmarking. Social bookmarking is a way for users to share, organize, search, and manage bookmarks, or resource identifiers, of web resources. In a social bookmarking system, users save links to web pages in the system. When the resources are bookmarked, it is these bookmarks that are shared on the site, not the actual resources themselves. Social bookmarking tools allow users to add descriptions to bookmarks so other users know what the resource contains without opening it up for themselves. Tags can also be added for users to use keywords to share content, making social bookmarking social tagging and thus a social tool, or folksonomy. They provide a way for users to easily classify, share, and locate information. Social bookmarking services are what they say - SOCIAL tools. Since they indicate who created the bookmark, users can easily find individuals interested in the same topics as them (based on bookmarks) and connect with them.
Social bookmarking can be very useful in the field of education. Through social bookmarking sites, teachers can freely collaborate with each other and access each others bookmarks to share educational websites and resources with each other. By accessing a social bookmarking site of another teacher, teachers can see a list of resources that that teacher uses or finds helpful, and a description of what it contains, and use those resources if they think they will be helpful to them as well. Teachers can also create bookmarking pages for their students and include bookmarks of resources that pertain to lessons and material, offer practice of material such as activities and games, and homework help and tutoring sites. The same way, teachers can create pages of bookmarks for parents, including bookmarks for school activities and information and resources for how to help their children.
This resource is an educational site that provides information on social bookmarking. It explains everything you need to know about social bookmarking. I chose it because it not only does it explain what it is and how it works, but it goes beyond the basics and explains its significance, the negative aspects of it, what the future holds, and its implications. This resource is very informative and comprehensive-very useful.
Social bookmarking can be very useful in the field of education. Through social bookmarking sites, teachers can freely collaborate with each other and access each others bookmarks to share educational websites and resources with each other. By accessing a social bookmarking site of another teacher, teachers can see a list of resources that that teacher uses or finds helpful, and a description of what it contains, and use those resources if they think they will be helpful to them as well. Teachers can also create bookmarking pages for their students and include bookmarks of resources that pertain to lessons and material, offer practice of material such as activities and games, and homework help and tutoring sites. The same way, teachers can create pages of bookmarks for parents, including bookmarks for school activities and information and resources for how to help their children.
This resource is an educational site that provides information on social bookmarking. It explains everything you need to know about social bookmarking. I chose it because it not only does it explain what it is and how it works, but it goes beyond the basics and explains its significance, the negative aspects of it, what the future holds, and its implications. This resource is very informative and comprehensive-very useful.
Podcasting
Podcasting is an automated technology that allows listeners to subscribe and listen to recorded audio shows. Podcasts also include video, text, and other media file formats that can be played on the computer or downloaded to MP3 players. Listeners subscribe to a podcast and the podcasts automatically download to the listener's computer's media player. The podcasts can be listened to via the computer or downloaded to an MP3 devise. Individuals can get podcasts very easily. They simply download a podcatcher software, browse and subscribe to podcasts by browsing podcast directories, and download the podcast of choose the automatic download function that downloads podcasts periodically. Users can also create a podcast by using an audio editing program to record the podcast, uploading it in MP3 format to a web server, creating a blog on a free blog service, and pasting the URL of the MP3 as an entry in the blog. Podcasts are easy to create and locate, increasing their popularity.
In the field of education, teachers can use podcasts in multiple ways. They can use them by having students subscribe to and access podcasts that relate to information being taught, contain material on the content area being covered, and supplement material presented in the classroom. They can also use podcasts in the classroom to share audio clips, speeches, and sounds that enhance the lesson. Teachers can create their own podcasts for students to use. This is a cost effective way to present information without compromising learning. Teachers can create podcasts of lectures, lessons, and material and post them to the internet so students can access them outside of the classroom. This is helpful: when students miss school for extended periods of time because they can view the material online and not fall behind; for students who don't immediately understand material because they can replay the lesson over and over until they grasp the material; in allowing students to listen to and memorize information. Teachers can also stimulate interest in learning and engage students by having them create their own podcasts. This allows students to communicate their ideas and questions with other students in regards to homework, collaborate with other students, do peer reviews, and work on group projects.
This website is a resource for podcasting. It explains everything you need to know about podcasting- what it is, how it works, how to create podcasts, how to use them, podcasting directories, sites, blogs, and much more. I chose this source because it does a very good job at explaining everything in a way easy for users to understand and it is very comprehensive and thorough.
In the field of education, teachers can use podcasts in multiple ways. They can use them by having students subscribe to and access podcasts that relate to information being taught, contain material on the content area being covered, and supplement material presented in the classroom. They can also use podcasts in the classroom to share audio clips, speeches, and sounds that enhance the lesson. Teachers can create their own podcasts for students to use. This is a cost effective way to present information without compromising learning. Teachers can create podcasts of lectures, lessons, and material and post them to the internet so students can access them outside of the classroom. This is helpful: when students miss school for extended periods of time because they can view the material online and not fall behind; for students who don't immediately understand material because they can replay the lesson over and over until they grasp the material; in allowing students to listen to and memorize information. Teachers can also stimulate interest in learning and engage students by having them create their own podcasts. This allows students to communicate their ideas and questions with other students in regards to homework, collaborate with other students, do peer reviews, and work on group projects.
This website is a resource for podcasting. It explains everything you need to know about podcasting- what it is, how it works, how to create podcasts, how to use them, podcasting directories, sites, blogs, and much more. I chose this source because it does a very good job at explaining everything in a way easy for users to understand and it is very comprehensive and thorough.
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