WebQuest- Driving Question

Driving Question: What is the best way to protect ourselves from germs?

WebQuest Link

Google Apps for Educational and the ISTE NETS-T

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.

a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness

b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources

c. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual

understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes

d. Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues,

and others in face-to-face and virtual environments

MusicDock and DanceDock

The MusicDock and DanceDock apps wills help me address standard 1a in my classroom by allowing my students to be creative without losing focus on their everyday school routine. In the MusicDock app the children create music and, while in the DanceDock app the children will learn and get to create dancing routines, videos, and much more. These apps help inspire them to think creatively and help support the developmental skills of the 21st century by incorporating technology while teaching the children everyday skills. These apps can help the children in fine arts classes, which have been known to keep children focused. These apps could also help students who have a little trouble understanding the fine arts areas, and they may catch onto something they didn’t understand.

2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the

knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS·S.

a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity

b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress

c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources

d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching

FlashCards and Learn Elementary Sight Words

These apps helped to address standard 2a. The apps help to adapt relevant learning experiences in the classroom while still incorporating digital tools and resources to promote learning and creativity. These apps help teach children words, definitions, and they are both engaging and rewarding. The apps support the 21st century skills by opening the children’s minds and allowing them to learn with technology, which is a new concept in most schools and classrooms. Using this app in my classroom would allow my students to study their vocabulary and spelling words, and actually be able to enjoy it rather than using the old fashioned pencil and paper way.

3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.

a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations

b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation

c. Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats

d. Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning

My Study Life and MyHomework

The apps My Study Life and MyHomework help address Standard 3c. With these apps, I would be able share content knowledge and what’s going on in my classroom to other teachers, peers, students, and parents in a way that is contemporary and easy for everyone to use. These apps support the development of 21st century skills by not only engaging the students to use technology but their guardians as well.With this new form of interaction on these apps, parents may have to learn new skills so they can get a better understanding of what their child is doing in the classroom.  I would use these apps to keep my students and parents up to date on anything that is happening in the classroom, such as upcoming activities, grades, etc. I will also be able to share my lesson plans with my peers, faculty, and parents.

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and ResponsibilityTeachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.

a. Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources

b. Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources

c. Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information

d. Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues

and students of other cultures using digital age communication and collaboration tools

German Flashcards and Skype

The apps German Flashcards and Skype could be used to address Standard 4d. Using these two apps, I could interact with teachers from the German culture to teach my students the German in a more fun and rewarding way. Both of the apps I selected help support the development of 21st century skills by bringing students toward the accomplishment of interacting with people globally. Skype can be used for school, work, and education purposes, and I would love to use it in my classroom to work with people all over the world and make sure my children are culturally fulfilled. We could study anything from language to religion, and this could even be a new and innovative way for kids to have penpals!

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.

a. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning

b. Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others

c. Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning

d. Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community

Learn Tech and HeapNote Teacher

Both of these apps, Learn Tech and HeapNote Teacher, help to address Standard 5c. These apps would help me and my peers learn new technology that is available to teachers. With this help, we can better understand ways to  engage our students to learn. These apps also support the development of 21st century skills. They do this by providing a reason and benefit for teachers who partake in using them. If a teacher uses this, their technology skills will grow stronger and they use the skills they need to work efficiently in the 21st century. Using these apps in my future classroom could help support content area learning by helping me to better understand the technology I have available to me so that I can use it to teach my students. If I don’t know what is out there, or how to use it, how can I expand my knowledge of technology and then teach it to my students?

WebQuest

WebQuest about WebQuests Worksheet

Print this page out and use it to jot down notes while you examine each site. Remember to stay in character as you examine the sites and don't compare notes until you get back with your four-person group.

Your Role

___Efficiency Expert

___Affiliator

___Altitudinist

X Technophile

Your Impressions

WebQuest	Strengths	Weaknesses
Grow School Greens	·         Tons of animated gifs ·         Appealing colors ·         Ideas for use of Microsoft	·         No links to outside websites ·         Boring layout
Where is My Hero?	·         Appealing colors ·         Links for outside websites ·         Many colorful images	·         No gifs ·         The task is not technology friendly
Underground Railroad	·         Related images ·         Links for outside websites ·         Uses technology in the Task	·         Not so appealing colors ·         No gifs
Ice Cream	·         Bright and appealing colors ·         Colorful images ·         Website links ·         Technology related Task ·         Feedback web area	·         No animated gifs
Ancient Egypt	·         Interesting layout ·         Interactive layout ·         Many outside web links ·         Ideas for internet research	·         Boring colors ·         Not very many pictures ·         No gifs ·         Hard to read

Bernie Dodge, Department of Educational Technology, SDSU

1.  Which two of example WebQuests listed below are the best ones? Why? The Underground Railroad and The Ice Cream WebQuests were the best because they both matched all four guidelines really well.

2.  Which two are the worst? Why? Grow School Greens and Ancient Egypt were the worst WebQuests because they barely followed the guidelines and weren’t appealing to children at all.

3.  What do best and worst mean to you? To qualify as the best, the Webquest could not waste time, they encourage teamwork, they induce higher level thinking, and they should be appealing to the eye- both technologically and physically.

Storybird: My Own Perfect World

My Own Perfect World

     I love using Storybird, and I'm very excited to use it in my classroom. There are several ways that I plan to use it, but I plan on using it mainly as an English learning tool. This way the kids can have their own Storybird accounts and they can write stories together, and explore their imaginations.

     The second way I could use it in my classroom would be if I actually make the stories myself, and then the children can have a lesson based on that book. 

     Either way, this website is a fun and inventive way to use technology for learning in the classroom.

My Prezi Presentation

My Prezi

ISTE NETS -T Standard 2a:

     Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.

     This game, Human, teaches students all about human anatomy. This app allows students to interact with the human body by exploring and learning about diseases, bones, organs, etc. Human is a great way to get an experience of learning the human body that the may never actually get in real life. Playing this game my even inspire kids to go into the medical field, when they didn't even realize they had that interest at all. Students could also use this app to study for an upcoming science test or they could even use it to prepare them for their higher grade levels. By incorporating this in the classrooms, children can have a fun time while learning something that is relevant to their future education.  In conclusion, this game is a very good example of how a ISTE NETS -T 2a was addressed properly. 

GoAnimate: Rookie Mistake

My Go! Animate Video: "What's Your Name Again?"

     I had such a fun time using Go! Animate to make this video! The whole time I was creating my film, I was thinking about how I could use animation in my classroom. Since I will be teaching younger children, I could make videos to teach them miniature lessons, such as proper manners or even show them examples of what I would like them to do in class, or how they should act. I think this would be a fun, and creative way to teach younger children how to act, or properly complete a task. Also, I know that kids, smaller ones especially, learn a lot through mimicking behavior.

Reading Assignment #4

     While watching the video "Thinking Creatively: Teachers as Designers of Content, Pedagogy & Technology", I learned several things, but three of those things really stuck out to me.
    The first thing I learned was that a specialist in math or scientist or any other subject do NOT make the best teacher for that subject, but a teacher that is TRAINED to teach are better to pass on that content. I though this was interesting, but it made a lot of sense because a scientist may know everything about chemistry, but if he tries to tutor a student he might not have the skills or ability or even patience to do so.
     The next thing I learned is there is, indeed, an art and "skill" if you will, about teaching. Similar to my point above, I think there is a special talent that teachers have to learn to be able to teach, and do it well.
     The last thing I learned was- we are not simply supplying our students with knowledge. We are also encouraging and helping them to open their minds to greater depths (while squeezing in a little technology!).
     I loved how the two men in this video went about their presentation. They took something very simple and boring and turned it into a fun (and quite hilarious) way to learn about creative thinking/teaching.

Xtranormal Activity: The Experience

Hot Tamale

This video is about a Spanish teacher that I had who was very obsessed with her non-existent love life.

Educational Gaming: Education Elements 1st Grade

     The game I chose (along with Britiany Blankenship) was able to teach children skills they need to know for their everyday education, along with practicing their technology skills. 
     The object of the game was to complete a few simple math equations in order to be rewarded with a fun game racing game to win little prizes.

     This game helped us with the 1st ISTEN NETS-T Standard by allowing us to let our students use technology to inspire them to learn some of the most important building blocks of their education.

Fun and Easy Addition and Subtraction Game!

http://funfamilycrafts.com/addition-subtraction-game/

     This will support content area learning because it is easy to make and it will be fun and simple to play and your kids will be keeping up on their math skills at the same time!

Deconstructing Arnold

1. What do you think about this person based on the cover of the magazine? How does he look?  
He looks strong, young, and very fit.
2. What lifestyles, values, points of view are represented or omitted? How does he make you feel?
He looks like a person I would not want to make mad. He probably cares a lot about fitness, health, and his appearance.
3.What do you think about this person now? How does he look? 
He looks older and wiser; more of a business man. Somebody that would work in office, or the government, etc.
4.What lifestyles, values, points of view are represented or omitted? How does he make you feel?
He lives a more normal life now. Not using steroids, not caring about his body image so much. Could be seen as a government figure.
5.What are the differences between the two covers? What techniques are used to attract your attention? Pay attention to body language, clothing, camera angle, lighting, color, eye contact etc.
The first cover he is dressed to show off his body, in a position to flex his muscles. The colors are red and orange, as if to get you "fired up" about what the magazine has inside.
The second cover looks more professional and has cooler colors, so it's more soothing. He is well dressed in a suit and tie, and he looks very successful.

Photo Analyses

1A

Article Title: White House: Obama ready to seize claims process.

Caption:  White House: Obama ready to seize claims process.

People	Objects	Activities
2 people, a captain, and a lookout	The American Flag	Captain driving; Lookout with binoculars
1 man	Not much	Lookout with binoculars
2 people	The ship	People walking with Obama and probably trying to figure out and asses the problem
President Obama, several members of the ship, and I'm assuming other members of the crisis team	Just people walking	People walking with Obama and probably trying to figure out and asses the problem

1. The president looks as if he is about to go accomplish a task. He has many people with him, and I assume they are there to either protect him or help him out.
2. They are on a ship, so I think the problem occurred on the ocean and he is assessing the damage that has been done.
3. From what I see, I would assume this picture is from the time of the BP Oil Spill.

1B

Article Title: Oil Spill: BP Gulf leak could stain President Obama like Iran Hostage crisis destroyed Jimmy Carter



Caption:
President Barack Obama is briefed on the BP oil spill relief efforts in the Gulf

People	Objects	Activities
President Obama	Plants	Looking worried
President Obama	Books	"
President Obama	Shirt	"
President Obama	Shirt	"

1. President Obama looks confused.

2. He looks worried.

3. And he also looks like he is thinking very hard about something.

Which picture gives you more confidence in the presidents leadership abilities? Why?

     

     The first picture makes me feel more confident in his abilities because he looks very strong and ready to take on the task at hand. In the second picture, President Obama looks very worried, and that makes me wary of how much confidence he has in his own self.

Magazine Cover

Reading Assignment #3: Seven Power Lens

Quote:

    "News is truth shaped by an author and editor." (Abilock, Debbie 2003)

Response: 

     I was really surprised when I saw this quote, because I have always thought of the news as the EXACT same way.  It doesn't matter what the news, or the truth is, it's always going to be shaped, dressed up, and painted to look like what the author wants it to look like, but then edited again by (you guessed it) the editor, to they see it as fits. After all this poking and prodding, the "news" may still be the truth, but one always needs to remember the following:
1. They could have added to it.
2. They could have taken from it.
3. They could have made it more interesting.

I choose this cartoon because it shows how normal people don't question the media, they just feed off of it.

References: 

Abilock, D. (Nov/). Powerlenssingle.pdf. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6DFAmexYq7vMTFmZjZhNWItZWY5Ni00NzdhLWIxYzItMmE4NmI0MGI5NzJl/edit?hl=en
Media Literacy Analysis. (n.d.). Media Literacy Analysis. Retrieved March 4, 2013, from http://cmlassignmentuon.blogspot.com/

Media Literacy meets ISTE-NETS

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity 
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.
     a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness

     I choose standard number one because teachers with the correct knowledge of media literacy can pass this on to their students and encourage a creative learning experience. If a student needed to know the difference between fact and fiction, (in research, of course), the student would be able to use this advanced way of learning to easily get his answer. 

2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments 
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS·S.

     With standard number two, it widens the learning experience by adding contemporary tools and resources which maximizes the content that the children are learning. The students would use media literacy to draw out the correct messages, and throw out the false.
     

Media literacy needs to be taught in schools because there is so much technology. It's very important for children/students to learn about media literacy because they see it everywhere, everyday.

My Teaching Philosophy

When I was just eight years old, I walked into my first grade classroom every single day with a huge smile on my face. I just couldn't wait to experience what my teacher, Mrs. Leroy, had in store for my class. She was an incredible teacher- caring, pleasant, patient- but what I loved most about her, is that you could tell she really loved her job. And believe it or not, even though I was very young, Mrs. Leroy inspired me to become a teacher.

In my opinion, each child is a smart and well behaved human being that has the desire to learn. Sometimes it may take a little work, or some poking and prodding, but in the end, it is all worth it.

My job, as a teacher, is to help my students reach their fullest potential by creating a comforting (physically and mentally), safe, cheerful, and fun learning environment for them to become intellectually stimulated. I want my students to look up to me not only as their teacher, but someone who can help them in any situation, and will always support them. Although I won’t be their “friend”, I will be their counselor as well as their educator.

It is also important to me that my students completely understand the courses that I teach. I don’t want to look about my classroom and see a sea of confused faces. But, beyond that, I want the children to learn something more than just the book, pencil, and paper. I believe that kids learn more while being involved with the work physically, so I will often include hands on activities to my lesson plans.  

Overall, my three main goals are to promote positive learning, make my students more excited to learn, and to provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning. I want to make a difference in lives, just as Mrs. Leroy made a difference in mine. Children are our future, and if we don’t make them excited about learning, then why would they be excited to further their education after high school, to get a college or technical degree? Whether you be an elementary or high school teacher, a preschool or a special education teacher, every educator’s main goal should be to give each child a great education, and prepare them to become caring, active, and positive members of society.

Website Evaluation: Arming Teachers and School Staff with Guns (cont.)

     This article showed little indication that the information was valid, and was also a little biased. It stated that although guns are good for hunting, they are not good for being carried around in schools. In this article, there was no other side to it. I'm not saying I agree or disagree, but I believe that they should have had both of the opposing sides. Every good writer needs to include reliable information, have more than one opinion, and not be biased at all. I was disappointed that the article I picked did not have the information to back up why teachers should not be armed.


Bibliography:
"Arming Teachers and School Staff with Guns." School Safety and School Security Experts: National School Safety and Security Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. <http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/arming

Website Analysis Worksheet- Arming Teachers and School Staff with Guns

Authority

Author or sponsor of the site. Qualifications and reputation of author/source. The authority and reputation of the source of the information will depend on the expertise, reputation and status of the source.

Questions to Ask	Clues to Look For
Is there an author? Is the page signed?  No, there is no author named/ listed. No the page is not signed.	Look for a header or footer stating authorship or an e-mail/postal address
Is the author qualified and/or reputable? An expert?  There is no author named or listed.	Are the author's credentials listed? What information can you find about the author through other searches or databases?
Who is the sponsor? National School Safety and Security Services	Sponsorship statement? Is there an "about" link?
Is the sponsor of the page reputable? How reputable? Not listed	--Is there a link of information about the author or the sponsor? Who links to this site? Go to www.altavista.com, type in the search window: link:all or part of url
If the page includes neither a signature nor a sponsor, is there any other way to determine its origin? National School Safety and Security Services is a private, independent school safety consulting corporation. We are independent, not product-affiliated, and not part of any "strategic alliance" affiliations, thereby making us free of outside influences and hidden agendas.	Is there an "about" link? Look at/dissect the URL Look at the domain and country codes Try a "who is" search http://www.netsol.com/cgi-bin/whois/whois
Are there links that take you outside of the site? Yes, there are. Links that take you to Twitter, YouTube, etc.	Look for frames, URL's different from the current site. Try opening each link in a new page to see the true URL.

Accuracy

Reliable and error-free information. Conformity to fact. Precision; exactness.

Questions to Ask	Clues to Look For
Is the information reliable and error-free? The information is error free, but there is no way to tell if the information is reliable.	typographical errors, spelling mistakes, bad grammar, credentials of the info. provider
Is there an editor or someone who verifies/checks the information? There is not a way to access the editorial information.	Is the information part of a larger publication, can you find the home page and access editorial information?
Where doubt exists, can the information be cross-checked with a reliable source? No, there is no bibliography or reference of where this information is based.	Bibliographies, references, check with established, reliable, sources

Objectivity

Judgment based on observable phenomena and uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices

Questions to Ask	Clues to Look For
Does the information show a minimum of bias? I think the information is a little biased.	--Who links to this site? Go to www.altavista.com, type in the search window: link:all or part of url (see "AUTHORITY")
Is the page designed to sway opinion?  Although it may be biased, the page is not designed to sway your opinion.	--A statement of the aims and objectives of the site (often in the "about this site" section).
Is there any advertising on the page? There is no advertising on the page.	advertising banners, links to commercial sites selling products/services

Currency

Belonging to the present time, being in progress now: current negotiations, prevalent, especially at the present time.

Questions to Ask	Clues to Look For
Is the page dated? No.	Date on page (often at bottom of page, news articles may have the date at the top of the article).
If so, when was the last update? There is not one that I see.	Is the date when the material was first written, first placed on the Web, or the date of when it was last revised?
How current are the links? Have some expired or moved? The links are as updated as 7 hours ago.	Click on links to pages inside and outside of the site. Do they work?

Coverage

The extent or degree to which something is observed, analyzed, and reported.

Questions to Ask	Clues to Look For
Is there an indication that the page has been completed, and is not still under construction? Everything is up and working correctly.	"Construction" signs, non-functioning links
If there is a print equivalent to the Web page, is there a clear indication of whether the entire work is available on the Web or only parts of it? There is not print equivalent.
What topics are covered? How in-depth is the material? School safety experts discuss why they are against arming teachers. There is not an index, but there is a site map.	An index A site map

Bibliography:
"Arming Teachers and School Staff with Guns." School Safety and School Security Experts: National School Safety and Security Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. <http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/arming