Blog Post 7

      In a classroom setting, tools such as PowerPoint can be greatly beneficial in the process of educating students. For example, I could be teaching a lesson on racial oppression in America in a high school class. To achieve the first level of Bloom's Taxonomy the students would have to show that they could recall facts. I could use PowerPoint to present the lesson with visual and other engaging features offered by Microsoft Office.  After the lesson is taught, I could have a slide with a quick quiz testing their ability to recall some key terms from the lesson.  To reach level 2, I could include some short answer questions asking students to describe or even display some discussion questions and facilitate conversation on the topic.  For level 3, I could examples of racial oppression displayed and encourage them to interpret the situation with our lesson in mind.  This ties into the next step where we could have students differentiate what is and is not racial oppression and discuss the idea of reverse racism.  Then we could use a PowerPoint presentation on effective debate and then set up a debate topic regarding racial oppression.  The class would then participate in formal debate and have the ability argue their points. With the top tier of Bloom's taxonomy in mind, students will create their own PowerPoint in groups on a specific topic within racial oppression.
     Alternative input and output regarding the use of computers for educational purposes is an example of adaptive technology.  Hardware such as joysticks or tracks balls can allow students who do not have the ability to use a mouse to partake in the use of these resources.  Voice recognition systems can also be utilized for those who have trouble typing.  In addition the use of a magnified screen or screen reader allows for students who are visually-impaired to receive information from web resources, visual files, and so much more. Personally, I do not know anyone who has used these technologies, but my father is partially blind.  He was schooled in a very poor region of Jamaica and did not have resources such as these at his disposal. I don't see any challenges other than funding because some schools are better equipped than other and it is unfortunate that people's education will be compromised based off of their current economic standing.  
     Through the web design project I learned more about the design of websites and how to navigate Wix.  I focused on including the required content and making it as aesthetically pleasing as possible!  I enjoyed the project because I am really happy with the end product and I think my website is kind of solid. It was just difficult because the website I was working from is so loaded with features so it would lag as I worked. In my future, this is beneficial because the world is digital-based and having the ability to build a website is crucial.  Next time, I will reach a little further with the design and see where I could take it.
My website can be found here: http://campbellbmarie.wix.com/collegegenetics

Blog Post 6

When looking at a few class pages for a school website I see photos, videos, a course description, archives, online resources, and summer assignments.  All of these options are open to the public.  The school’s name is Stevenson School and I mainly focused on checking out their Chinese class page.  The grade levels run from PK-7^th, so the page is fairly broad regarding the age of the students.  Some videos require a login and the site is based off of Weebly which is a web 2.0 resource we have previously discussed.  Some video require a log in to view them.

The site can be found at this address: http://stevensonmandarin.weebly.com/

            The set up for the website I viewed was very effective in the way that it allowed for parents to see what their students have been working on and gives students a place to display their work.  I would utilize a class website to encourage parent involvement which is crucial to a student’s success.  Having the parents set up on a notifications system so each time something is posted they are alerted would help increase their knowledge and involvement in the students’ studies.  In addition, adding maybe a calendar for the semester would help parents better understand what is going on.  I could also post PowerPoint presentations or supplementary materials for students to aid them in learning and studying.

            While working on the current project, I learned how to create a wiki in a group setting and format a wiki page.  These skills can be useful to me in the future.  I felt as if the assignment was doable in the amount of time given to us.  Group projects in general make me anxious because I am consistently afraid I’ll be the only one doing something but the organization of our group and the division of the working being equal and purposeful was helpful.  The only thing that I say could have been fixed was the clarity of the instruction because I consistently found myself feeling confused.  I can use these skills in my career as I want to take the journalism route and since news is becoming so digitized, simply working with technology is beneficial to me.   

Blog Post 5

             

           Web 2.0 tools such as Prezi, YouTube, blogging platforms, Quizlet, social media, and sites such as Edmodo are useful tools for the classroom and progress as a teacher.  Not only can students learn and share new concepts via these tools, they begin to gain knowledge on the workings of technology. The podcast does mention these topics and leads me into the next piece.  As helpful as these tools may be, they can be equally hindering if not used with purpose and safety in mind.  These tactics often involve user-created content, meaning any number of this information found could be inaccurate or inappropriate.  In addition, the privacy of the students must be kept in mind while implementing these tools into the classroom.  Computer hardware necessary includes a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and system unit. In addition, an internet connection is crucial to the use of Web 2.0 tools.  Periphery equipment such as audio computer devices and projectors are necessary to display information to students and fully utilize Web 2.0 tools.

            A Web 2.0 tool I find interesting and used constantly throughout my high school career was Quizlet.  Quizlet is program where the user inputs information and it is translated into different forms such as flashcards, tests, and games to facilitate studying and information retention.  This is web-based tool so an Internet connection is necessary to use the program. In contrast, the website is very accessible in the fact that it can be used on a computer, tablet, or mobile device. This also students to bring their study materials with them practically anywhere.  The program I have described can be found at this link:  https://quizlet.com/

            When teaching, I would avidly incorporate Quizlet.  As an assignment, I would have student work in groups to create a Quizlet set based on a topic we are studying.  I would check the content for accuracy and then I would have the other groups in the class take a test on their peer’s Quizlet sets and then print email me their scores. This not only engages them in creation of content, but truly learning and understanding it. These sets will work as constant resource for studying, which they can use during mid-terms and finals.

            When creating a concept map, I learned how to format, create, and organize information into a visual within Microsoft Word.  I gained knowledge on which map would work best for the message I am trying to convey and how I could use maps to express ideas.  This gave me a new platform for organization in personal thought and academic work.  I was able to change the color, input text, and change the shapes from the given template. This made me more aware of the feature in Word and how limitless the options are. 

Blog Post 4

After having taken a look at some standards on the CPalms website, I chose the standard “Enduring Understanding 2” which applies to high school students taking a visual art course.  This requires students to be reflective both on their art and other’s art.  This is the link to the standard: http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewIdea/Preview/1318.Students could utilize numerous web-based resources, but the most beneficial would be their own personal digital art making accounts and blogs where they post progress photos of their work, create art in an artist community, write reflections, connect with their classmates, and research other artists. They could websites such as blogger or wordpress and art software such as Adobe Illustrator. This would fit under graphic software. I would have the students familiarize themselves with digital art and traditional art using both Adobe Illustrator and traditional media. I will then photograph and upload these pieces along with progress shots. Once uploaded to their blog, they will write reflectively regarding their art-making process and comment on their fellow classmates work to facilitate an art community.  

The Internet is endlessly useful for student research. The time when the Web isn’t beneficial to pupils is when the information is faulty or incorrectly stated. The Internet does provide wonderful resources such as academic journals, peer-reviewed articles, and large databases. Research must also be age-appropriate and meaningful in the curriculum. It’s not appropriate to give elementary students full access to internet databases because of content issues. In addition, using information from the Internet also brings in the issue of copyright and citing sources.

In my academic career, I have used Google predominantly to research. I really liked using Britannica Encyclopedia because it provided me with valuable and reliable information. I realized a source wasn’t reliable if I didn’t contain any sort of citation when stating statistics or facts. I was often told by teacher what is and isn’t a valid source, like the Wikipedia isn’t a valid source. I would also go with the aesthetics of the site, which is not a sign credibility, but if looks nicer people tend to trust it. The podcast describes a much more systematic way of evaluating sources using the acronym ABCDT. This method analyzes websites based off author, bias, content, design, technical elements. Stability is also important.

The web hunt gave a few new skills as I searched for the various items on the list. For example, I learned how to restrict what results would come up by placing a minus sign in my inquiry. In addition, I learned how to prioritize search items. For example, I would put terms that aren’t as important toward the end of my search. I didn’t really encounter any surprises.

Web Challenges:

·         Find painting by Van Gogh

·         Find article pertaining to the Vietnam war and have it be of the time period

Blog Post 3

         

     An infographic is a visual which presents information to the reader using elements such as symbolism, diagrams, charts, and text.  The infographic I am critiquing speaks on the education of girls in an international perspective. The title automatically tells the reader what they’re getting into and provides a clear purpose.  The aesthetics consist of bright eye-catching colors and appealing visuals. The infographic is set up in three categories, divided by color. The purple section discusses the consequences of not education women, the pink presents the benefits of educating women, and the orange displays the results of their current efforts. There are examples and statistics which work to provide evidence backing their claim.

     In the situation that I were a teacher, I would love to implement blogs and emails in the class curriculum. This would give students the opportunity to express their creativity and stay connected outside the classroom. In terms of digital citizenship, privacy and appropriate behavior online will be my main concerns. The best way to prevent any issues arising is working with parents and filtering what the students can access. I would try blog with students at the high school level  and would implement software which blocks off inappropriate websites and have parents and students sign an agreement regarding online use.     

     While working on the newsletter, I learned how to use different functions on Word and worked to make my document aesthetically pleasing. I liked that I was able to be creative and make the newsletter my own. Word did give me some problems and would often re-position items on the page when they didn’t need to be moved. I also learned how to change the color schemes and create items such as text boxes.  

     Here is the link to the infographic: http://www.educationforallblog.org/issues/girls-education/investing-in-girls-education-delivers-results-infographic

Blog Post 2

                As a student, I have used Microsoft Word for a variety of reasons. For example, I have utilized this software to write papers, write lab reports, create graphs, create tables, write stories, and write articles. Microsoft Words is very versatile and accessible, which is why it has remained a constant throughout my educational career. In terms of teachers, they often have often used Word to create handouts, worksheets, tests, and quizzes for students. My previous educators used Word for its functionality and ability to work as an effective word processor. When reading through the text, creation of quality instruction could be made using Word. Writing ideas, planning, and designing an effective way to teach can be easily recorded with Word and allows for future editing.

                In an educational setting, copy writing and fair use of materials has come up quite a bit. For example, when working on projects such as PowerPoints or research papers citing sources is necessary. I have used MLA and APA formatting to give credit to website, articles, and books which helped me further understand and explain my topic. In addition, I encrypted my AP art portfolio images so they could not be reused. Watermarks have also been useful with photography. As a teacher I will show my students how to protect their own creative work and original knowledge.  I will also serve as an example of how copyrighted information is to be treated and cited.   

                I did not have Twitter previously to needing one for my first semester of classes. I know now the mechanics of the site, understand its popularity, and have grown to appreciate how it facilitates community. For example, twitter has allowed for me to stayed tuned with my fellow classmates and explore new content related to educational technology. The use of hashtags also makes navigating the social media platform much easier and makes particular topics accessible. 

Twitter User Name

My twitter user name is @_briana15.