Blog #6- Last Blog!! (for now!)

I see myself as an educator using technology in my classroom as much as possible. I will use PowerPoint’s sparingly and only if I feel that they are a necessity. Also, when showing videos or even copying pages from a book, I will make sure that I follow through with the copyright laws to make sure that I am abiding them. If and only if a video is seen to bring forth the value of my lesson, then will I show it. If not, then there is no need to. If I feel that only certain parts of it are educational and appropriate for what I am teaching, then I will only show those clips. I think that the use of technology in the classroom is a great way for the lessons to be enhanced and also something that the students enjoy doing. If they have fun while learning, then they will want to learn which is basically wins you half of your battle!

Over the past seven weeks, I have learned a tremendous amount and my fies of technology in the classroom have changed drastically. I used to think that PowerPoints were the only use of technology that teachers had access too. From this class i have learned that there are far more options that teachers, and myself, had not known about. I have learned that there are copyright laws pertaining to any type of technology that you use in your classroom. For example, if I wanted to show a full length film, I would have to contact the copyright company and make sure it was okay with them if I showed their film. If not, then I would only be allowed to show 15 minutes of educational information that will enhance my lesson. Another way that my views have changed is that there is more to using technology than just using a PowerPoint presentation. I can use Google Docs, Webquests, podcasts, scavenger hunts, geogibra, and many more to make my lessons as powerful, interactive and fun as they possibly can be.

Blog #5- Copyright Laws!

How will I deal with copyright issues in my classroom? Consider the use of music, images, video, and other media in student projects and teacher work.


I will use 15 minutes of the movie and focus on the most important parts of the movie that relates to my lesson and show just those parts. This way I won’t lose time or the interest of my students. If I really wanted to show a full length film, I would have to contact the copy right holder and get permission. Also, if I wanted to copy a chapter in a book, only one chapter is the acceptable amount. And the chapter cannot be too long. While this may seem unfair, it is not my work. Therefore, I must respect and know the copy right laws. I am a role model to my students and do not want them to see me doing something wrong. A way to get around these inconveniences, I could have the students buy the book, or I could recommend them to go see the movie. If I ever had any questions I would contact my district leaders. Knowing this, I will not let copyright issues ruin my career as a teacher.

Blog #4~ Stayin' on Top of Technology After College

There are many ways in which I can stay on top of the latest trends in education and technology in education as a student after I graduate form Susquehanna. First, I can ask many of my college friends who have also become teachers and ask them what new technologies have been incorporated into their classrooms. Each school and district has new ideas that lots of us have never heard of or thought could be used to improve education. For example, when Tim said that the school district near him used mirrors in their computer labs so that the teacher could make sure that each student was on task, many of us never thought of that, but it turns out that that might be helpful in some situations. It also shows how some schools have new products and can offer new ideas to other schools just by people communicating.

Second, I can become part of the school board or be a member of PTA or another committee so that I always have an idea of what the schools are trying to do to make sure that students are receiving the best education that they can. They will probably vote on new technological advances, such as smart boards or laptops for each child, and I will be able to participate in this and get information firsthand on how they are trying to improve our school.

Finally, along with talking to my friends from college that are teachers or becoming a member of committees, I feel that being a part of a sorority has opened many doors whenever possible. Each person will have a different profession; therefore I will be able to see what new technologies may be coming up in the business or medical world that may be useful in my classroom. Maybe the business got some new sort of smart board that will work perfectly with my class and students. I could then go and suggest to my school to purchase one, or my sister may be able to even get a grant for our school or donate one to us.



Friends, committees and other businesses will help so much when trying to figure out what technologies will help in my classroom. With so many opportunities to find out what is great in technology, and could help improve my classroom and bring students to higher levels, it would be nearly impossible for me not to stay on top of the latest trends in education and technology in education.

Week #3- Bloggin' Happens

So...we just finished watching this really cool video about how far our technology has changed in the past few years. It was about all these different facts that take place all the time all over the world. It mentioned how we are preparing our future students for jobs that don't even exist, and trying to find answers for problems that also do not yet exist. One third of the information that I learned my freshman year in college will be outdated by the time I am a junior! Can you beleive that?! It was very interesting and made me think about how far our technology has been able to bring us and prepare us for our future. It also, kind of, made me feel ashamed for living in the United States, in the beginning, when it was talking about how China is actually doing more for their country than us. They have a surplus of jobs, while there are people in the U.S. struggling to find a job. They also have more Honors kids than we have kids. But towards the end i felt as if we are trying to make do with what we have to make our country a better place for everyone. I also forgot that they are a lot bigger than us and therefore have more to offer. This video helped me understand what my role as a teacher should be to help incoporate this change. I should help to introduce technology into the classroom that will help benefit the students and help take them to a higher level in their studies.


Heres the link to the video! Be sure to check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q

Week #2~ Still Bloggin'

What challenges stand in the way of you being successful at integrating technology into your classroom as a teacher? How can you overcome these challenges?

I wouldn't really say that they will stand in the way of me being successful at integrating technology into my classroom as a teacher, but since I never really got a great experience with technology integrated when I was in school. This means that I might not know the proper way to make sure that the students are actually benefiting from the technology that I am using to help them understand the material better. A way in which I can overcome these challenges is by understanding when it would be appropriate to use technology. If it seems like it would bring the children to a higher level of learning, then it would probably fit in to use the technology there. An example would be if the class is learning about volcanoes, then it might be appropriate to introduce the class with a video before I teach the lesson, or as a follow up activity to reinforce what they have just learned.

Week #1 Blog

1. The blogs that I visited were very interesting. They both offered TONS of advice and links for that other teachers and people could use and find interesting. Each was very easy to understand. They also were giving good information on why technology, such as internet, is so important in a classroom. The first blog even offered suggestions to teachers or admistrators of what to do if someone is caught misusing the internet. The second blog, the teacher was writing how her school, for the most part, loved the idea of incorperating more technology into their classrooms. I thought it was great how helpful and how much useful information I personally got out of reading these blogs!

http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/
http://www.bethknittle.net/WP_Blog/


2. After the first class, I feel like I have gained a better understanding of how technology is supposed to enhance a lesson in a class that I had not previously known much about. I thought that all technology was pretty much going to help a student out since the generations keep becoming more involved with technology. If you know how to use technology appropriately in your classroom and the children are benefiting from it, then use it! The main point of having technology such as computers and smartboards in classrooms is to make the learning experience for the children a richer one. I learned that while some scavenger hunts may seem like a lot of fun, they are not doing much to help the children use higher levels of thinking. So whenever a teacher does plan on using some sort of technology in their lesson, they must make sure that it is necessary and is helping the children comprehend better.

3. Some of the things that I have learned that get me excited to get into a classroom so I can try them out are videos, USEFUL powerpoints, smartboards (even though I'm not quite sure what they are yet), and even just the internet in general. They are great because I am no longer limited to pencil and paper or even just to the books in my classroom. I can search the web to find fun projects or information that relate to a topic I am teaching and hopefully engage the students in what they are learning. If the children are engaged and want to learn, then half of my job, as a teacher, is already done.