Journal post #6


Chapter 6: Fostering online learning with educational websites and apps 


Focus question:
What are the different types of educational websites available on the internet?

There are 6 types of websites for both students and teachers to use for learning.
These include lesson plan,student-to-expert communication, archival and primary source, Real-time and recorded data,skills practice,and also exploration and discovery websites.
Lesson plan websites:
is a very well used tool (websites) among teachers. there are great websites that help teachers come up with ideas and additional resources for a particular lesson plan.
Student-to-expert websites:
These type of websites i find really interesting its feature includes exchanges of information and ideas in which a student can ask an expert in a particular subject.The experts can be in colleges,businesses,and other organizations. I find this tool really useful for students who want to know something on a particular subject because they can ask someone who knows about that particular subject.
Archival and primary source website:
are websites that can be used to look up historical things. It can be accessed by primary and archival sources this includes organizations, museums,and libraries.This is a great way for students to learn how to do research and also learn about historic events. students can even sometimes find activities or print outs that are provided by the website.
Real time and recorded data websites:
is a type of website in which you can learn different subjects and it would be like your physically there. I had to use a kind of website similar to Skype to be present in the class. one of my teachers went away on a conference so that was his way of giving us a lecture.
skills practice websites:
are based on subjects in which teachers can assign groups to do activities.such as for example a typing website in which it teaches you how to type faster on a computer.
Exploration and discovery websites:
is when students or teaches engage in a topic and want to explore the website and discover information on interested topics and explore the material by doing interactive learning activities.


Tech Tools:
goodreads (www.goodreads.com) a website program in which you can organize your readings online, by creating shelves you can add titles on shelves. You can rate the books you have read and share your bookshelves. This website needs registration but its free of charge to use. It is a really interesting website in which you can be social with books you have read because you can have your friends see your profile.

Summary and connection:
Chapter 6 discussed social bookmarking, how to manage digital content,and issues surrounding online learning .Also instructional technologies where introduced such as webQuests, virtual field trips and video conferencing. I find this really interesting and fun to use i remember sometime in middle school my band teacher wanted us to hear his friend play the piano and he put his friend through Skype to play for us i found it very interesting because it was something new to me.



Resources:
Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Journal post #5

Chapter 5: Teaching information literacy and digital citizenship.

Focus Question:
What are search engines and how do they work?
A search engine is a computer program that looks up documents though the internet. For example you type in a specific word or phrase and it will provide you with many online information on the subject linking you to web pages on the specific topic.search engines is a top reason why people use the internet to locate information i have to admit i use google quit a lot.Some search engines that are frequently used are google,bing,and yahoo of course there is more but those three are the most popular.

credit to: http://www.realtrafficproductions.com

Tech Tool: 
photos and audio resources on the web 
Flickr is a website in which photos of different subjects and different themes are shared by people that like photography in an artistic aspect or just because. In high school we were made to make an account and post photos, which was an interesting way to use technology in our art class. Flickr can be used as a visual learning tool in a classroom setting. Flickr organizes its photos by subject and themes which is a great way to look up a photo that can be used by both teachers and students in different ways for example in presentations.

Summary and connection:

In chapter five it discusses the internet and the different things that you can do when searching for information.Search engines were explained such as google and wikipedia.Also topics such as plagiarism, creditability on the website, and cyberbullying were discussed. For me this chapter was helpful because it is nerve racking when doing a research paper because A. your looking up information B.you need to check if its creditable information that you found and C.you need to be careful and word the information in your own words and cite when needed.It also goes more into digital citizenship which just means that people use information for the right reasons and gives credit to who ever gave the information/ deservers it .This chapter was one of the most I've enjoyed reading by far.

Journal post #4

Chapter 4 designing lessons and developing curriculum with technology

Focus question:

How can teachers evaluate and assess students learning?
There are many ways that teachers can evaluate and assess their students such as some that include test assessments, standard based assessments, and performance approach.Many teachers use tests and performance assessments to get an understanding of how much a student knows before a particular lesson and how much they learn afterwords. Another approach that is being used is technology because teachers can incorporate them by testing students , giving them quizzes, and also giving them writing assignments.I remember back in middle school how everyone in 8th grade had to take a comprehension test before the school year , in the middle of the school year, and at the end of the school year to see how much we learned that particular year. I believe the criterion assessments are better to do as an educator because the students that are taking part in this testing are being evaluated by their personal performance. The assessment can be the creation of the teacher which means questions will include what the students have learned during classes.I prefer this assessment because you can see were the students are and in what area they need particular help.


Connections & possibilities:
Thinkinity: online lesson development resources 
Before teachers would ask them selves "what do i teach on monday morning?" Teachers would have to do their own little research reviewing the school curriculum, gathering materials for a lesson plan at the library reading books professionally done. Will now Teachers have options such as going online and trying to find detailed lessons to develop their own. Thinkfinity is a website which contains an enormous amount of standards-based curriculum ideas and lesson plans. Thinkfinity is organized also by grade level ,learning materials, and the subject.

summary and connection:
In chapter four you get an insight of how lesson plans are planned out and made. lesson plans are made focused on trying to engage the students while they learn a particular subject. Also it explained how now there are particular websites you can use to develop a lesson plan and other tools to make a lesson plan more effective. I feel that it is an easier way then how it was done before when there was no technology.teachers would have to of done double the work.

                                     



Resources:
Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013).Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.   

Journal post #3 
 chapter 3: Transforming learning with unique,powerful learning.

Focus question:
How does computer technology promote unique powerful and transformative learning for students and teachers?

     Technology promotes unique powerful and transformative learning for both students and teachers by engaging them in a lesson.Students now in days seem more entertained when teachers use technology in a lesson. Problem solving and critical thinking are some of the things that technology uniquely has to offer. Online learning from educational games and interactive simulations improves and develops problem solving and critical thinking . I believe students learn more with technology other than non electronics in some cases because they are in the competitive mood wanting those points and winning.  Technology is Transforming how teachers are teaching instead of how they used to do things for example handing out quizzes,textbook reading,writing down notes on the board for students to write down and completing work sheets.Now you see teachers hand out the notes, give quizzes online, assign students to read an ebook which is books online you can read. As a result  students learn in ways that make education more fun and they can easy engage with what is being taught.

Tech tool:
 3.2 web resources and apps for developing digital literacies 

   discusses a few web resources one can look into for specific topics which can come in forms of apps. Also it discusses ebooks which can give you an active reading experience including pictures that are animated and a narrator that can read to you if preferred by a touch of  a finger. ebooks and apps are a great resource for those who are beginning to read to those who are active readers its a great way to be entertained while learning.

summary and connection:

Chapter three discusses how teachers are incorporating technology into lesson plans and how students are engaging in learning by using technology. Technology is being used in classrooms to engage students to learn problem solving and promote their critical thinking skills. Also i think its a great way for students to know how to use technology in there learning environment because it helps the students build digital citizenship which refers to the ability to participate in an online society.

Resources:  
Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.