My ideal classroom will provide a setting where all students are comfortable, at ease, eager to learn, and have fun all at the same time. I want the students in my classroom to feel like they are an important part of a group reaching a common goal together. I plan to teach students how to respect everyone in the class and the ideas that they bring. I will reach out to each student so that they know they are a special and an important part of the classroom by allowing them to speak, to interact, and to share as much as possible.  With this students will come to class excited and wondering what they might do today because each day is a different learning experience.

Technology has many advantages both within the classroom and beyond. It allows for many experiences that can’t be directly provided for in the classroom. I will use technology in many aspects to provide an active and engaging environment for students.  Outside the classroom, technology allows me to reach students and parents in many ways. For instance, I will set up wikis and websites to provide open communication between teachers, students, and parents.  This same technology will also provide learning opportunities and further content instruction for students outside the classroom.  There are many options when considering technology, but it is important to make sure that the technology used supports and enhances the content being taught.  Technology can be over used so it is important to find a good balance when using technology.

As a daily practice, I want to challenge students to take lessons and ideas to the next level of thinking.  In order to do this I will provide many opportunities for group collaboration and discussion.  I feel that taking learning experiences, analyzing them, and discussing them with others provides a more lasting experience that will stay with the students.

Each student is individual with different needs and learning abilities.  I will provide many styles of instruction and diverse learning opportunities to meet the needs of my students and provide the best learning environment within my class.

Podcasting has a future in education as does most other technology.  I can see this evolving into many areas of education, not just the classroom.  It could be use to simplify communication within a school between the administrators and teaching teams. 

I could see many uses for podcasts in the classroom and beyond:

1.        Could post podcasts to class website with details for parents (early elementary) on weekly lessons.  For example, site words for the week or vocabulary words for the week.

2.       Could have tutoring type podcasts that repeat the lessons for the day or week to help students that needed a little more clarification.

3.       Could use video podcasts to share programs, shows, or activities that students were involved in to share with parents or for students to be able to view.

4.       Another use for early elementary classroom would be for the teacher to record stories for the students learning to read and they could follow along and read with the book.  This could free up the teacher to observe student reading more closely.  Students and parents could also use the podcast topractice reading at home.

Week 5 Reflection Part 2

I picked Wikipedia for my follow up website verification.  I use and rely on this website all the time.  So I thought it would be interesting.  It is a .org which seems to be more reliable but still can be purchased by anyone.

All the links posted by Wikipedia are reliable and helpful links.  When I check the external links I was surprised to find that the second one listed was a personal website that linked to Wikipedia.  But I also figure that many personal websites have links to Wikipedia. 

When searching Wikipedia in the search engines the entire 1^st page is links to their actual website.

The only type of advertisement on the page was the organizations own advertisement.  There was a contest and a link to donate money to the website.

The whois website showed the name as Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

On the history of the website I found that it stated the website started in January 2001 and was “a collaborative project to produce a complete encyclopedia from scratch.  It has grown extremely and stated that it is now the 3^rd largest website used for information.  What I was surprised to find is that it stated anyone could edit the site.  But they stated that they monitor and edit it for incorrect or inappropriate information.

Week 5 Reflection

It chose to research the website http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/ .

At first the .net seems like it should be more creditable but the story if what made me question the validity.  The links embedded in the website mostly went to other website with the same basic URL including the “zapatopi” part.  Another link went to another website that talked about a book but it was not on the same subject as their website and had no real connection.

When searching the subject of the tree octopus in Google the first website listed was in fact the link to the website in question. Next, it showed a link to images with multiple images of tree octopuses.  Some actually looked very real and other were obvious jokes because they were toy or stuffed octopuses that someone put in a tree.  My 4^th link listed was Wikipedia.  I use the website all the time!  Here is stated that it was a hoax and gave the details of origin.  I did find it interesting that Wikipedia stated that the website had links to other hoax species but also had links to real species, which I didn’t find on my initial investigation.  Also, Wikipedia stated that 24 out of 25 seventh grade students believed that it was real.  Yahoo search engine sorted the links in the same order as Google.

I did not notice a lot of advertisement in my search.  I think this is because: 1. I am so use to overlooking it and 2. I was focused on looking for something specific on the page.

Google, being a crawler website, sorted the data in terms of relevance starting with the actual website and then listing Wikipedia a reliable website.

Went searching for the author on the whois website there was no search results.  Then simplifying the search it found the name of an individual.  However, this name is different than the name of the author listed on the website.  The basic website is about conspiracies.  It’s states that they are “your source for conspiracies and other diversions”.  

Week 4 Reflection

Are you more comfortable composing documents online than longhand?

Yes.

Have you turned your "remembering" (phone numbers, meetings, and so on) over to a technology device?

Phone numbers, YES

Calendar, NO – I need visual picture for the month.

Do you go to meetings with your laptop, iPad, or tablet?

Depends, I still prefer to take notes with pen and paper.

Are you constantly connected? Is the Internet always on whether you are at home or work? Is your cell phone always with you?

Yes, phone always and usually computer.

How many different activities can you effectively engage in at

one time?

 Many, I have 3 young children.  I am a master of multi-tasking.

•Do you play video or computer games?

No, not any more.

What generational category do you fall in or are you a mixture of a few?

            I feel I am a mixture but I know I am boarding a digital immigrants a bit because I still have some “old-school” ways.

What and how do we need to change?

We really need to keep up with technology and provide ways for this to benefit our students.  It is going to change no matter what so it is something to embrace because it will only accelerate.  We have to compete with technology to keep things interesting!

E-Portfolio Reflection

E Portfolio Principles

The first principle that I agree with is AFL should focus on how students learn.  Every student is different in many ways and so their learning methods and abilities will be different as well.  Adding this to the student’s portfolio can help teachers determine what might aid the student best.

I also agree with the principle that AFL should be sensitive and constructive because any assessment has an emotional impact.  This is an area that I find most difficult.  Looking at what assessment to include should be thought about carefully.  If not, this could affect student’s motivation.

Another principle that I agree with is that AFL should take account of the importance of (and foster) learner motivation.  I believe this coincides with the principle that AFL should recognize the full range of achievements of all learners.  These have to be the #1 principle for me.  I think that if achievements are concentrated on then the motivation will follow. 

I also agree that learners should receive constructive guidance about how to improve.  Students aren’t always going to understand or know just what to do in order to improve.  They should first be asked how they think that might improve and then if needed the teacher can provide ideas for the student to chose from.

I see a lot of potential for portfolio assessment.  The learner can make it their own work and more motivated to develop it and show it.  They are accessing their own learning and making a personal connection to the process.  I think students who start this at an early age and keep up with through the schooling will have a great tool at hand.

Creating anything teaches you something.  In creating a portfolio for myself I would learn the technology behind the process plus stop to reflect on my own learning processes and growth.  With this I could reflect and change my habits to better suit my environment.