This week, I created a technology based lesson plan.  We had to incorporate one form of technology that we used during the semester and I chose to use Kidspiration.  However, I feel like there were so many great forms of technology that we used this semester to choose from.  There was so much that I learned this semester and I hope to bring into my own classroom.  BrainPop! is a tool that I think helps get the students involved and interested.  I know in my class, the students view BrainPop! as a treat.  It is only shown on special occasions and the students cannot get enough of it.   I also very much enjoyed making the newsletter that we were assigned to create.  When I think of technology in the classroom, I think of technology meant for the students.  This assignment made me realize that technology in the classroom can also be applied to teachers.  I think Kidpix is a tool that I will definitely use in my classroom on numerous occasions.  Kidpix is not only a great tool for the students, but a great tool for teachers as well.  This tool helps students let their creative side shine.  For our How-To books, originally I was very nervous, but once I started doing it, I realized that I was having a good time and it was not too difficult. 

Microsoft Excel and Spreadsheet were 2 other tools that we used this semester that I think are useful for the classroom however I think they may be more useful for the teacher than for the students.  With Microsoft Excel or Spreadsheet, teachers can keep a record of the students test scores and then average them out either as a whole class or average the students test scores.  This would make the averaging process much easier for teachers when they have to do grades for report cards.

All in all, I learned a tremendous amount of technology in this class.  I entered the class not knowing so much about technology in the classroom and how to apply it.  I feel like know I know so many different ways to apply it and make the students enjoy the classroom even more J

                This week, we had to create a How-To book on Kidpix.  I thought this lesson was really interesting and fun!  I enjoyed thinking of ideas and being creative.  I did my book on How-To Brush your Teeth.  After we finished creating our How-To book, we had to then speak into a microphone and record our voices.   I think this tool is an amazing tool and lesson to bring into the classroom.  Students can get involved and have a great time while learning.  In order for me to do this lesson I need to know how to use a computer.  What I need to learn is how to connect the headphones/microphone into the computer, how to use Kidpix and I need to figure out a good How-To book to draw.  This lesson would align with standard 1A as well a 1B.  This lesson would also align with standard 6A and 6B.  This lesson helps students be creative while using technology to generate new ideas or products and this lesson also helps teach students technology operations and concepts.

                                If I were to use Kidpix in my classroom, I would probably have the students do the same thing we had to do for our technology class.  I think this may be a bit too difficult for the younger grades but for grades 3 and 4 or even older, I think this lesson is perfect.  I think the students will love creating the How-To book(just as I did).  I can also have the students do other things with Kidpix such as illustrating a story in a sequence or having the students create their own story with pictures.  The options are endless with Kidpix.  

This week we had to create a Popplet.  My group decided to create our Popplet about Edmodo.  Edmodo is a tool that is kind of like Facebook but for students and teachers.  It is a great way to communicate with the class and when a student has a question for either the teacher or for the class as a whole, the student just posts the question/comment on the wall for everyone to see.  Last year, I had a class that used Edmodo and I found it to be a great technological tool.  In order to use Popplet, I already  know how to use the computer, how to use the internet and how to use Edmodo.  I still need to learn how to use Popplet because that is something I am unfamiliar with.  The Popplet application aligns with the NET-S standard 1A, B and possibly C.  The students can create numerous things on the Popplet application.  They can create webs about books, characters, history topics and more.  Edmodo would align with standard 2A.  Edmodo helps students interact and collaborate information.

 If I were to bring Popplet into my own classroom, I would have the students create a web based on their family history.  I would have this for grades 3 and 4.  I would have students find out about their heritage and about their extended family.  Then I would have students create a family tree on Popplet.  They can be creative as they would like.  

A few weeks ago, we had to create a newsletter for our class.  Being that I have never created one before, I was a bit nervous however once I began, I let my imagination take over and I ended up truly enjoying creating it.  I think in general, newsletters are a very important asset to a classroom and to a school.  A classroom newsletter helps a teacher communicate with parents and updates parents on what is going on in the classroom.  In order to create a newsletter, one must be somewhat experienced in Microsoft Word and must know how to insert pictures and captions.  One must also know how to work the internet, in order to find pictures and some information.  According to the NET-S, creating a newsletter may fall under the category of Promoting and Modeling Digital Citizenship and Responsibility standard c- Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information. 

                In the school that I student teach in, classroom newsletters are sent home monthly.  Newsletters are usually on a colorful, eye catching piece of paper with exciting fonts and pictures.  I think that this is important because newsletters should be fun and should make the reader want to read.  Also, this letter is being sent home to parents.  A teacher should want their classroom to seem like and exciting and fun yet educational environment.  For many parents, the most communication they have with their childs teacher is through the newsletter so it is important to make the newsletter look as good as possible.

            This week we had to create a Webquest.  I thought that Webquest, while it had some great ideas, the lessons themselves still needed work.  In order to use Webquest, one must already know basic knowledge of how to use a computer.  The Webquest website is pretty self-explanatory and is easy to navigate.  When I teach, I would probably use Webquest to help me come up with ideas for a lesson plan.  I would however expand on the lesson that is given.  I found some of the lessons on Webquest to be simple and not so creative.  The lessons can be taken a step further and can be more challenging for the kids.  I would also put different options for different children in my lessons.  On Webquest, there was not differentiation. 

                The Webquest that I chose falls under the category of Creativity and Innovation For Students and can be standard A- Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes. 

                In my student teaching classroom, we do not use Webquest.  My teachers often use BrainPop! but I have never seen Webquest.  I will definitely point it out to them though and have them judge for themselves what they think of it!

This week we had to create a Kidspiration lesson plan.  I think that Kidspiration is a great tool for the classroom.  It gives great ideas for lesson plans and it is visually exciting and engaging.  I chose to do my lesson based on a lesson that I observed in the class that I student teach for in the first grade.  The students had to draw a picture of themselves in the center and then draw lines attaching to circles.  In the circles they then had to write details about themselves that describe them.  Some students wrote the amount of siblings they had, some wrote their favorite foods or colors and some just wrote about other things that they felt important.  I think Kidspiration has great variety of lesson plans and is great for every subject.  I browsed through all the different subjects before I finally chose which lesson I would write about.  I thought the different branches of government was a very good lesson that would teach the students about government, which can be a very difficult topic to grasp (I still have trouble sometimes).

                Some of the things I need to know in order to work Kidspiration or Inspiration is basic computer knowledge.  Once I downloaded Kidspiration, I was able to navigate my way around the website and find different options for lessons.  In terms of NET-S, this lesson would fit into standard 1- Creativity and Innovation, standard b.  Students would be creating original work as a means of personal expression.  It would be interesting to see the different kinds of works the students create and I can’t wait to have my own classroom to see!

This week we had to create a nutrition spreadsheet for class.  I think spreadsheets are a great way to keep data and information in an organized and productive way.  I also think the assignment was very interesting.  I have always taken an interest in nutrition and to see how unhealthy some of the fast food restaurants really are is eye opening.

                In order to create an excel spreadsheet, I already know the basic knowledge.  However, I did not the in depth details concerning this assignment such as how to make the margins larger or how to create averages and so on.  I also did not know how to find the total percentage from fat and I thought that was very interesting and a very good tool to be familiar with.

                Some of the ways in which I would implement spreadsheets in my classroom varies for each grade.  For a younger grade, I would ask the students a question such as their favorite food (and I would give them options) and then input it on an excel spreadsheet.  I would do this on the smartboard and show the students the procedure.  I would create a graph from the results and I would ask the students questions regarding the graph such as which food is the most popular? Which food is the least popular? Which food did more people like?

                For an older grade, if I had appropriate tools such as laptops for the students, I would have them create their own question and then create their own spreadsheet concerning that question.  I would have them create graphs and averages and so on.

Unfortunately, I did not find much of a connection between this weeks reading and my student teaching experience.  However, when reading over the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Generators, I think my cooperating teacher (who is a special education teacher) uses that.  It was very interesting to see an IEP for the first time and seeing that a software can help create an IEP is very comforting.   I can only imagine that it is very difficult to create an IEP but it is great to know that people make it a priority and software is created to help teachers of students with special needs. 

I think clip art, photos, animation, sound video and even font are very important when creating a lesson.  All of these helpful tools motivate students and engage students.  These tools help keep students involved and interested. 

I think that the amount of tools and softwares that are available today to help educators and just regular day people is truly remarkable.  For many people, they need technology to help stimulate them and when they have time management, scheduling or calendar tools to help them, it makes it a lot easier. 

Graphing calculators is a great from of technology.  I used to  use a graphing calculator in high school and it made my life so much easier and better.  It kept my work neat, organized and I was able to learn the material better because of the calculator I had with me.  All of these tools may seem confusing, but I think once people got used to them and learned how to use them properly, they would realize that many of these softwares and tools are life savers!

I think that the three software tools, word-processing, spreadsheet and presentation are very handy and important to own.  These three programs makes everyone’s lives easier.  To me, when I first learned about Microsoft Spreadsheet and Presentation and even Microsoft Word, I was overwhelmed.  But after being in the classroom that I student teach in, I see that these tools are used on a daily basis and it helps the teachers tremendously.  Firstly, they write the homework on Powerpoint.  They use certain fonts to help the students see better and the way it is designed helps the students copy the homework clearly and correctly.  Secondly, many times when the teachers are trying to explain certain things, they will use a word processing software and this again helps gain the students attention as well as helps them grasp the material.  Being that our smartboard has only been working for a few days, I have not seen much else be done with the software tools being discussed in the textbook.  However, when I become a teacher, I plan on using all three of these software tools fairly often, especially Powerpoint.  Powerpoint I believe is a great way to have students interested in what is being taught because of all the effects and pictures that can be used. 

                I also think it is extremely important for students to be taught how to use these tools.  If students are taught how to use them at a young age, it will become routine for them and they will hopefully become more proficient in these areas.  These tools mostly only help students and I believe that if they are taught how to use these tools, it will help their schooling and education.  

This week was my first week student teaching and it was very informative for me.  Last semester, the classroom that I was a part of did not have a working smart board so I never saw one being used.  The classroom that I’m in this semester does have a more functioning smart board, however it does not always work and it gives the teachers great difficulty to use it.  During a teachers meeting in a different classroom, the smart board was being used and I thought it was so interesting and I can see how a smart board can greatly effect a classroom.  Being that I have not been in the classroom when the smart board is being used, I can only imagine that a smart board makes a huge difference when it comes to having the students  digest and understand material being taught. 

                Other than the smart board, disappointingly, I did not see much technology being used in the classroom.  There is one computer in the back of the room and the students have not used that.  I hope that once the smart board is fixed, it will be working and the students will be able to benefit from all that it has to offer. 

                Something I read in the book which I thought was interesting was that there are now standards that teachers have to meet in regards to technology.  I think the emphasis on technology in the classroom is very important and will only be beneficial for the students.  

Welcome to my blog!  My goals for EECE 220 include learning more about technology in the classroom as well as how to apply technology effectively.  I have never been so "tech savvy" before and I am excited to learn more about technology.  I think that technology in the classroom is an amazing thing that can be extremely beneficial for students if used correctly.  I am excited to become more proficient in this area.