Blog #5

Explain at least three specific ways that Integration of Technology helps facilitate a Learner-Centered Classroom that encourages students to construct meaning from the technology-assisted activities you have them engage in.

By having students use excel in a learner centered classroom they will be able to learn how to make graphs and charts as well as use them to answer there own questions. Being able to read charts and graphs is very important because the OGT and ACT use them on their tests. Teachers are preparing their students for successful futures and by developing skills like knowing how to navigate Excel and other office software teachers are doubling up on what their students are actually learning.

Teachers are always having students make poster boards for oral presentations. A new improvement to this is to have students make powerpoints and to go even furthers they can also present them on SMARTboards. This gives students a new way to work on their public speaking; being able to present your information by using technology is very impressive to large companies.

When making these projects it is also a good idea to have the students split up into groups. This teaches the students responsability when they have to rely on each other to contribute, complete their part, and work together to finish the project.

Blog #4

Reflect on how you would use both Concept Mapping (Inspiration, Kidspiration) and an Interactive Whiteboard (SMARTBoard) in your content area (s) with the level of students you plan on teaching. In your blog cite specific examples of how you would use both technologies as well as the advantages each offers.
I could use these two technologies at the same time. I could make up a concept map with missing words words and blanks for a certain diagram or lists of parts of lings like a cell, eye ball, lung, and heart. The missing words will be in a word bank form at the top of the map. I could then print off the map(s) and pass them out to the class to fill in as homework. Then the next day I could bring the map up on the interactive whiteboard and have the kids fill move the words to where they need to go. While they are doing this they can also be checking their papers.

Blog #3

Reflect on why students should use Databases and Spreadsheets in the classroom. In doing so, focus on your content area and the specific advantages and disadvantages of integrating this software in your future classroom.
I can think of one excelent reason why students should become fromiliar with databases and spreadsheets and that is OGT (if your teaching in Ohio) and ACT, ect. All of these have things similar to what they will learn from this software. Students will be required to know how to read charts and graphs. In integrating this software into my future classroom the students will be well ajusted by the time they are pushed out into the world and will be more valuable to their future bosses. Now days having computer skills looks quite good on paper.

Blog #2

Games, Simulations & Virtual Reality in class and participating in a GPS Scavenger Hunt, reflect specifically on how you might use at least two emerging technologies in your future classroom.

Well, this week's computer class was very interesting. My class was asked to play around with computer games, simulations, and virtual reality. During class a friend and I were able to use a smart board to play games that we decided we could both use in our classroom. The emerging technologies that I really liked was the multiplying games on the Academic Skills Builder. As a future math teacher I would like to use the Grand Prix Multiplier and the Drag Race Division games. They would really work on the class's quick thinking skills.
The simulations and virtual reality that I have look through aren't really classroom appropreate. They wouldn't beneighfit a class of mine as far as I can see.

Blog #1

Tell us the level of students with whom you plan on teaching as well as the content area. Then, describe the benchmark and/or grade level indicators you were working with on the Newsletter assignment. Finally, reflect on how your newsletter activity represents a learner-centered activity where your future students would be able to construct meaning regarding the benchmark or grade level indicators through the use of word processing.

I plan on teaching grades 4 - 9 with a focus of math and science.When I created my newsletter I created it with the idea that I was teaching a 5th grade science class. Over the course of that year for that class we would be going over earth and space science, life science, physical science, and scientific ways of knowing. The students could definitely make their own newsletter and/or tables using word processing. The could make tables using the data that they would have to keep track of during one of their experiments, like when they do studies on photosynthesis. Their experiment may consist of growing plants in different types of lighting and soils.

My first blog! I have no idea what I'm doing,hehehe!

So I am happy to be in this class because I really need to learn more about how to use technology. My older sister and my dad are both pretty tech. savy, just not me.