Three Instructional Technologies

Go!Animate
Glogster
Quizstar

·          For each tool, how will you integrate this tool into your future classroom/profession? (if you have already responded to this question at another location (e.g. on your personal wiki before/after demonstration that of your proficiency with that tool)

I chose Glogster as one of my three technologies because it will provide my classroom with great visuals. Students will also be able to use it and they can express how creative they are. Quizstar is a good technology to incorporate into my future classroom because it will give an alternative way of test-taking. Students may get bored after having only paper based tests so giving a test online is a good way to change it. I also picked Go!Animate as one of my technologies. I feel it will be entertaining for the students and they will be able to focus better by seeing the different animations.

·         What tools did you use? Did you like using these tools? Were they easy to use?

I used the tools, Glogster, quizstar and Go!Animate. I really liked using glogster and quizstar. I thought they were both easy to use. I was able to complete those projects very quickly. However, I did not enjoy using Go!Animate. It was very difficult to use. I thought it was good that they provided a tutorial video, however it did not help fully. Some of the tools would not work properly and it was slowing my computer down. Many times my computer would freeze due to it. It took me awhile to get a handle of it. I ended up having to redo my video a couple times until I was happy with the final product. It 

·         Would you use them in your future classroom? Please explain.

I would use glogster in my future classroom because it provides the students with good visuals. I was able to add as many pictures as possible to my product. I also like that you can add videos and other sounds to it. I could see myself using this in the future. I also would use quizstar in the future. I think it will be easy for both the students and I to use. I think the format of a quiz online will be a good change for the students, rather than a paper quiz. In addition, it is beneficial for the teacher because I would not have to go through and individually grade each quiz, it will do it automatically. I find this program to be very useful in the future. I would not use Go!Animate in the future. It was very time consuming trying to make the video. It took me over an hour to finish my video, and it was only 20 seconds long. I think students would like watching the video, but there is a lot of time that has to be put into making it. 

·         What did you find most difficult about this assignment and how did you overcome that challenge?

I found it difficult to have to teach myself the new tools. At first they were very challenging because I had no idea how to even start. But I overcame this issue by just working through each tool slowly and efficiently. Then eventually I was able to get the hang of it and found them enjoyable to work with. It was also difficult keeping track of all of the usernames and passwords. On each of the tools I had to make new usernames and I kept getting them all mixed up. But to overcome this issue, I just simply wrote down the usernames and passwords.

·         How did this assignment contribute OR not contribute to your understanding of integrating technology into the education process? 

I believe this assignment did contribute to my understanding of integrating technology into the education process. I think having technology will be useful in my future classroom because it tends to be more efficient. However, I know that I cannot rely completely on technology in case it does fail me. I have to make sure I have backups of all the student's assignments and grades. Also, not all students will have access to certain technologies such as computers and I need to make sure I remember that and not rely completely on technology.

Cyberbullying

After watching the videos about cyberbullying, it gave me a lot of insight as to how hurtful it can be. The video entitled “Feathers in the Wind” gave a good meaningful explanation of how gossip spreads. It is almost hard to believe how quickly word can spread. It is important to not talk badly and make things up about other people. The second video called, “You Can’t Take it Back” showed how once something is on the internet, you can never take it back. This video specifically talked about rating people online, and once they made the website, they cannot get it back. This does not have to only be specifically about rating people. It also can include any information you put about yourself on the internet. Once that it is up, it is extremely difficult to get that back out without anyone seeing it. The video entitled, “Broken Friendship” provided insights about who you can and cannot trust with information. It discussed how you could not trust anyone with private information, not even your best friend. After watching the videos, I felt so bad for the students who had been a victim in cyberbullying. It is an awful and degrading thing that happens. The people who took part in cyberbullying must feel awful about themselves. It is rude to deliberately hurt someone in the way they do. The people who do such a thing do not realize the victims have feelings. The victim from, “Broken Friendship” was explaining how she wished she could disappear or move and start over. It is awful to hear such stories, and the trauma of cyberbullying will last with the victims for the rest of their life.

As a future educator, a teacher must not allow cyberbullying to take place. Although it can be difficult because the students are cyberbullying from their homes, it is important to not let the nonsense be continued into the classroom. Once word gets around about a situation, it is difficult to stop it, as described in “Feathers in the Wind.” If a student continually brings up an inappropriate topic, the educator can inform the student’s parents of the actions to hopefully the parents can prevent it from happening at home.

Real Life Stories. NetSmartz Homepage. Web. 17 Nov. 2010

http://www.netsmartz.org/resources/reallife.htm

Plagiarism

I can create a classroom that advocates and practices safe, legal and responsible use of information and technology in many ways. To start, I need to reinforce to my students that taking work that is not their own is considered plagiarism. I don’t want to scare my students into making sure information is properly being cited, however they must also know the side effects of what can happen if you take something that is not your own. In case a student does try to plagiarize, the netknowhow website provides a four step process to which educators can take to get rid of the plagiarism habit. The first step is to inform the student of their wrongdoing. They have to know that plagiarism is cheating and unacceptable. The second step is to detect. They need to figure out if the student has a history of plagiarism and also to figure out if the student essay’s language and style matches up with previous work. The third step is to respond. It is important to communicate with the student and allow them to know the consequences of plagiarism. The fourth and final step is contract. This is a written document which specifies what the student can and cannot do when writing a paper. These will be specific and the student will sign it and have to deal with any consequence in the contract is violated.

As described in the netknowhow website, they suggest many ways in which you can support collaboration, learning, and productivity. It stated, to make it clear to students that you value their ideas, and will support them in developing and refining their ideas and writing skills. In addition, it also believed that educators must shape students' research/writing processes and explorations ahead of time. Providing students with examples of writing can do this, so they have a better understanding as to what is being looked for. Another method to use is to become familiar with the student’s type of writing. In doing so it will allow you to set reasonable goals for the student. Also, encouraging the student in writing there own stuff will also boost their confidence in writing on their own and not copying. There are several other types of strategies that will support the use of outside sources as well.

The 2Learn.ca Education Society Presents NetKnowHow.ca. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. <http://www.netknowhow.ca/NKHPLRRU.html>.

The 2Learn.ca Education Society Presents NetKnowHow.ca. Web. 17 Nov. 2010.

http://www.netknowhow.ca/NKHPLWID.html

Concept map

I had a difficult time trying to figure out what type of concept map to make. I kept thinking back from when I was in elementary school to see if there were any concepts, which could be described through a concept map. In the end, used a topic from the classroom that I am tutoring in right now. My concept map shows the three types of burns. There are 1^st degree burns, 2^nd degree burns as well as 3^rd degree burns. If someone were to get a 1^st degree burn, they would have a sunburn. The burn takes place on the top level of the skin, which is the epidermis. This burn is the least harmful. Another type of burn is a 2^nd degree burn. This burn breaks through the epidermis into the next layer of skin, which is the dermis. This burn will make the skin blister, turn red and it will be painful. The last type of burn is a 3^rd degree burn. This burn is the most serious. It destroys both the epidermis and the dermis. There are no blood vessels left once a 3^rd degree burn occurs. This concept map is simple but is used for more advanced students.

Concept Map Reflection

The type of program is used to make my concept map was bubbl.us. At first, I did not like this program at all. I could not figure out how to use it. I had to start over many times because my map would not meet my needs. The layers of the map would keep being deleted and I was unsure as to why. However, I eventually got the hang of using this program. In the end, I really enjoyed using it. I would use it again in the future. I also believe that both teachers and students can use it. For students, it is a good way to organize notes. For example, I am tutoring now in a special education class, and the students were learning about burns. However, they were getting confused as to which burn had which effect. This program would have helped them keep track of which burn had which effect.

The most difficult part about this assignment was trying to figure out how to use bubble.us. The website did not provide much instruction as to how to use the program. However, by continually trying I managed to figure out what each of the buttons mean. In the end, I was able to make my project. Another difficulty I had was trying to figure out what to use as my concept map. I could not think of many topics that would need levels of detail. However, I eventually remembered the students I was tutoring had struggles with learning about burns and I realized I could incorporate that into my project.

My knowledge of learning this assignment will help in the future for my profession because all students learn differently. Some do better with just listening and taking notes, others need to see a visual diagram. In the future, I can use this to benefit the students who need to see a visual in order to learn the material. This program keeps notes very organized and I think my future students will benefit from me using this program with them.

Bubbl.us - Free Web Application for Brainstorming Online. Web. 01 Nov. 2010. .

Jo Fool or Jo Cool

On the cyberquiz on Jo Cool or Jo Fool website, I received a 17/20.

I think Jo Fool or Jo Cool is a good website for young students. It is a good way to show the differences between reliable and not reliable websites. It shows how some websites can scam students into giving their personal information. For example, it may seem as though some of the websites are going to be beneficial. They could help you win raffles, download music, meet new people, etc however, not all the websites are being truthful. They are scamming students into getting their information and people will fall for it. This websites provides good insights on how to tell a real website from a website that is trying to get your personal information. Going through the cybertour, it has you pick whether Jo is making a good choice-cool or a bad choice-fool on the website. Once you pick, it provides a good explanation on why Jo made a cool or fool decision. These explanations give solid reasons for children as to why they should or should not trust a website.

I thought the teacher’s page did not provide as much useful information. It suggested few activities that could be done with the students but I had already thought of someone of them while doing the student part of the website. The information is useful but I think the students will get more out of the website then the teachers will. In addition, no matter how many times I tried, the website would not let me click onto the teachers guide page. The link may have been down.


"Jo Fool or Jo Cool | For Teachers." Media Awareness Network | Réseau éducation Médias. 2010. Web. 01 Nov. 2010. .