Call Me Old-Fashioned

Call me old-fashioned. When I read the first sentence "The Internet will change the way teachers teach and students learn," I was irritated. Personally, I was all about the real library with real books, encyclopedias, and sources rather than the "virtual library." HOWEVER, this chapter helped me expand my views.

I never realized how wide-scale the Internet is. Yes, I know that it is huge and you can find just about anything you want on it, but for teaching purposes, it can help a student's work grow. They are still getting the same skills (critical thinking, problem-solving, written communication, and the ability to work collaboratively). It also helps the students write effectively for an audience other than the teacher. Maybe, this would motivate the student to write more towards that audience and enjoy writing, rather than writing for the sole purpose of an assignment for the teacher. The fact that a student can correspond to a student in a different country with a possibly different view or opinion is amazing! What struck me the most was Ted Nellen's story saying "but my classes have the special-ed kids, the bilingual learners, and the visual learners...and what the Web does is provide access to the world so that my kids can fly." Considering that I hope to work with students who are not your typical AP English students.

The other thing I took from this chapter was the different templates to make a website off of. It is no longer a chore or a hard task to make a website. Fill in a couple of lines, pick an organizational type, and you can have a website. Now that they are so readily available, anyone can do it, even a teacher without and experience or a student using it for the first time.

Overall about the class, I am finding it challenging but overall a great experience. Many things that we are learning are things that I would have never even had time to experience or learn. I see so much possibility it creating these different documents for future teaching and see so many more possibilities in making a website for our next project.

chapter 9: class websites

This chapter provided a lot of great information about the importance incorporating the internet and class websites. Creating a class website provides students with access to many beneficial resources and is an easy way to exchange information. I liked how the chapter broke down the important steps of creating a website. It is important to think about classroom goals before creating a website. I also liked the emphasis on getting feedback from people viewing your website. If there is a problem with your website, people will tell you about it. Also, I thought that using the internet to edit students work and taking advantage of telementors is a powerful tool. I found the checklist for developing websites to be helpful and very relevant to the process of creating a class website. So far I have learned so much from this class. I am beginning to feel more confident about my capabilities to incorporate technology into the classroom. I am able to create an interactive excel and a powerful powerpoint. I am looking forward to learning how to create a class website and how to use smart board because I believe these are both important tools for the classroom.

class websites

I thought this chapter was very interesting because it showed me the benefits of creating a class website, as well as how easy it was to incorporate them in the classroom. This was important for me to see because I am always complaining about how I am bad with computers...this showed me that I don't have to be good with computers to do this!
This chapter discussed things like templates and predesigned formats, so that people who don't know much about computers can make websites just as easily. It makes it easy for students as well as teachers.
I also thought it brought up a good point when it said that not just advanced kids can benefit from this; special-ed kids do, too. I liked the one teacher, Nellen, who discussed how the computer is an enabling machine for them, "It can work if it is done correctly," he says, "It approaches Dewey's 'learing by doing' and Gardner's eight intelligences. This one machine allows for all of that." I think it is good to know that there is technology out there that helps special-ed kids succeed better in school.

Using the Web

I am just amazed at technology these days. Am I seriously reading about a class website? This is crazy to me since in my school days this was unheard. This chapter makes the web seem so easy and beneficial too.

Easy: Anyone can use it and most people are familiar with the basic tools of the computer anyway. You could use ADDIE or Myschoolonline.com and it will guide you on how to create a website.

Beneficial: I really like the idea that students could incorporate mulitimedia tools in to their writings by using the web. Teachers could also test their students online by using Quia.com. With this website teachers could create interactive quizzes and then the results would be posted immediately-I thought that was so neat.

I really enjoyed reading the story about Ted Nellen and how he felt like people would benefit from posting their writings online because other people would be able to read the work. Most people write just so their information and opinions can be read. A class website provides the perfect opportunity for those students.

I just cannot believe I went from knowing the basics of word, excel, and the internet, and am now learning things I never knew existed. A class website seems really interesting and beneficial, but I don't even know the first step to creating one. So I'm anxious to see what I'll learn next.

Websites and Reflections

As the beginning of this chapter says, "the Internet is, at its heart, a community (89)." I completely agree with this statement. Although many of us may not want to admit it, we rely heavily on the Internet for communication with the people in our lives. I know that I spend massive amounts of time on Facebook catching up with my friends at different colleges. Well, someday the students that we teach are going to be using networking sites like Facebook too. I believe it is important to start out early with incorporating the Internet into our curriculum.

One great way to do this is by creating a class website. We are all on the Internet so much as it is, why not make it part of our homework? A class website can allow teachers to stay organized and have the students constantly know what is going on in the classroom. I know there are times when I have to do a certain project for a class and I wish I had some resources and help from my teachers. Well, a class website would be able to have these resources readily available to students. Also, a class website could cut down on the paper usage in classrooms and benefit the environment as well.

There are often times when I am sitting in classes trying to think about how I would personally make that class more exciting. Up until I took this course, I was unsure of how I would do that. But now that I am experimenting with different forms of technology, I realize that is quite simple to make lesson plans more interactive and entertaining for students. I have enjoyed learning about the possibilities of PowerPoint, and I even learned a few things from my classmates during the presentations. I honestly can't wait until I start implementing all of these ideas into my own classroom.

The Possibilities of Websites and Reflection on PowerPoint

As a future high school English teacher, I found this week's reading especially interesting and useful.  Going through high school with the use of the internet myself, I know how helpful it can be for the student.  This chapter expanded on and emphasized the numerous possibilities the internet provides to really aid in the classroom and the learning process as a whole.  

By creating a classroom website, a teacher can really show his/her students what all is available to them literally at their fingertips.  As we learned in putting together our PowerPoint presentations last week, there are so many resources out there - you just have to know where/how to look for them.  By finding some of the better resources and putting them together in one place, a teacher can illustrate the power of the internet to his/her students without the frustration they may feel if they are looking on their own (at least at first).

The text also emphasized how a website can be a great place for students to post their writing.  I definitely agree that some students have more motivation to write to the best of their ability when they are writing for a real audience.  Also, I know for me, there have been some instances when posting a blog (and reading other posts) on a course website has forced me to think more critically about something or see something in a way than I might not have otherwise.  

This course has already taught me so much about the possibilities of technology in the classroom.  In doing the multimedia presentation especially, I have begun to see how even though I knew the basics before, I now can bring something completely different into a classroom - something that is interactive and hopefully will be able to reach students on a deeper level.  I think learning to create my own classroom website will be especially helpful.  Even though there is a lot on the internet that is far from educational, teaching students the right way to use the internet is definitely worthwhile.  

From PowerPoint to the Web

I thought the chapter we read was very interesting. Although I am nto planning on teaching highschool there were some great ideas that can be adpated to elementary school. For example having a class website. This wouldbe be an easy way to keep in touch with parents and students as well as have a place for studentsto check for homework assignments or extra activities. I really liked the ADDIE model of instructional design and the checklist for developing a website. Both of these seem to make it a lot easier then I thought to design and operate a web page.  I am excited to begin creating my own web page. 

I have already learned so much about PowerPoint. I never thought about all the ways it can enhance a classroom. Also when it combines with the web, you can post your presentations online for children to review later for tests. I love that they can be used again and again as well as with many of the presentation you can pick and choose which parts you want to use. 

As we discussed a little bit in class  I also believe this class should b a requirement int he education department.  Technology is changing the classroom so ALL teachers should know how to use it to their advantage and their students advantage. I have already learned so much I am much more confident in my technological abilities then I was before.