Blog 10

I think an interesting topic was how my classmates would relate to using the different tools that we would learn from class earlier. I think it is very important for us to learn these skills and I think that all of the students also think this as well. Many of the students know that technology is expanding and that we need to expand with it. Students also have found that Excel is the least program that they know about. Microsoft Word and Power Point are the most frequently used throughout high school so most of us know about them but Excel is rarely used and that is a weakness to most of the students.
The next technology skill I would like to learn next would be learning about the different computers and their programs. Many people these days also use MAC computers and I would like to learn more about them and their different programs. I think those computers are very interesting and that would help me expand my horizons with technology because I would be learning of the similarities and differences of these different computers. I also think that MAC computers are becoming more popular so knowing more about them can be very useful.
I think that learning about the different programs and what I can use them for will help me with my future educational technology goals. Technology is always growing so I think that knowing the software to use and the proper hardware can make things a lot easier. Being able to go to different schools and use their software without always asking questions is always a good thing. Also, knowing the programs and being able to get creative is a good thing so that you can get your point across but still have the audiences attention.

Blog Nine

I think teachers have various resources especially on the Internet. With websites growing every day teachers can find new sources daily. A good source that I found was a place called Teachers Net. It is at www.teachersnet.com and contains many resources for teachers of all grades. It also has a message board so that all teachers can give their opinions on everything from the site to teaching techniques. This can help improve teaching skills and techniques with some constructive criticism.
The site also contains helpful lesson plans that give teachers ideas for certain subject matters. This is very useful when teachers just are not feeling up to making a new activity or just need an idea. I think that this website can help because it gives teachers various ideas on activities for different subjects. It can also give them feedback on teaching styles and techniques.
I think that a a good tool for teachers is a message board that is dedicated to certain grades. I think that getting input from others teachers that are also teaching in your grade level is better. I also think that messages boards that are focused solely on your grade level can make it easier for teachers to get advice with teaching and will make things more organized. Organization is very important especially with teaching because you want to try and get input quickly and easily, not have to search through everything.

Chapter Eight

In chapter eight I learned that though having a computer may be easier than writing things down, there is a higher risk of you losing it because of the many risks and viruses. There are computer security risks that can cause damage to your computer and the loss of information that is vital to your computer. Also, viruses are a major factor to the loss of data in your computer. It is very easy to catch a virus within your computer. People have now made it to the point that if you open an email that is unknown, you can infect your computer with a virus. Common viruses are worms and Trojan horses. These viruses can destroy anything within the computer and your data will be gone.
With viruses come the programs to detect them such as antivirus programs. With these programs you can detect, disinfect and protect your computer from harmful viruses before you catch them. These programs are used to look for programs that try to modify the boot, operating systems or other programs within the computer. Antivirus programs have also grown to the point that they can remove or repair infected programs and files. This can help with lost files or deleted programs that were taken by the virus.
This week I learned a lot about PowerPoint and how useful it really is. Windows PowerPoint is helpful because it attracts viewers, or students, to a lecture. With PowerPoint, you can give a lecture and show your ideas to grad your audience. I think this is very helpful in teaching because sometimes just giving a lecture is boring. With a PowerPoint, you can grab the attention of your students with vivid pictures, videos, and also animation.

Chapter Seven

Chapter seven basically evaluates technology and the uses of it in our daily lives whether it be at work or at home. An example would be the evaluation of web resources. It is said that when evalutating a web resource, teachers should take into consideration many accounts. These accounts include affiliation, authority, content, currency and the audience. These are important because these can allow the teacher and student to know if the resource if legitimate or not. Such as the use of currency, this tells when the web resource was last updated.

Chapter seven also speaks of the strategies used to integrate technology into the classroom. It was said that teachers had to change the traditional roles of being the instructor to becoming the facilitator of learning. Computers have also multipled in classrooms. It was once one computer per classroom, then it changed to a few and now schools have computer labs for students to use. Also, with the many resources now students can become more creative with classroom presentations and teachers as well with classroom demonstrations.

I think that Wiki is a useful tool for teachers and students. It post information and organize so that the reader can easily find what they are looking for. You can also organize your resources and have them for easy access. I can also make it creative by adding pictures to distinguish the different information on my page. I found that I can also add other people to a home page and have it so that they can access my account as well. This way we can share information and also edit each other's pages easier.

Chapter Six

Chapter six explains the concept of technology and education merging together. Teachers now are motivating their students to learn because instead of lecturing, they guide students. With the help of technology, students can learn independently and with more freedom. With the education and technology coming together there are still some hurdles to overcome, such as budget, lack of training for teachers and lack of support. These are the obstacles that are holding technology back in many schools.
The plans for technology integration into the classroom are not simple because of the need for properly trained teachers. Also, the lack of technology in many schools does not make it easily accessible. Teachers have to plan ahead to use computers and technologies in the classroom. They must also plan what they are going to be teaching and the objective behind it all. I think that one of the best ways is to create learning centers so that every student can have a access to a computer at some point.
I learned that the web can be very useful for students to research. The Web evaluation that we made can be useful to many teachers. They can give them to their students so that they can evaluate the website they visited. This also allows you to check on their process of research. Making the evaluation was not that difficult but finding a way to make it useful for students in various ways may have been. I think it is important for children to research the Internet because it contains a lot of useful information and has access to multiple websites.

Chapter 5

Chapter five discusses digital media and how it can be useful today for teachers and our society in general. The use of graphics and audio make presentations more interesting for the audience and more interactive. Also, the use of videos can also be helpful in giving examples of scenarios. Instead of explaining your thought process, you can just show a video of what you are trying to explain. With the help of faster modems, it makes it easier to watch these videos and use digital media.
This also contributes with educational software, which has made it easier to teachs students. Being able to have educational games and tutorials help make teaching fun. This also will gove students a motive to learn. Instead of students having to go to school and read, do busy work, and not pay attention they are able to play a video game and enjoy learning. I think that using this for education will allow students to grasp certain concepts and enjoy learning.
I have learned that searching the web is not that difficult. I do think that sometimes you need to really make what you are looking for very precise though. Being able to have searched the web for all of those different concepts helped me because I use to search for very broad subjects. The web is growing more and more which may also make it harder to find exactly what you are looking for sometimes. This can also allow you to get more information or ideas.

Blog 4

Chapter four states the many different devices used to store data. I think that storage is probably one if not the most important device within the computer. It allows you to save your place in a document and then you can later return to it and make any corrections or even add information. The devices that are now used to store this data is also very useful. Thumb drives and floppy disks make documents portable and easier to access.
I found that many people are familiar with the same programs as me. Though some students also seem more capable and also very familiar with the program. I think that this class is to help excel their knowledge of the various programs. I also found that many students are trying to learn more about Excel and know a lot about Word and Powerpoint. I think that everyone is pretty equal with what they want to know more about and already know about.
I think that I learned a lot about the program Inspiration. I do not think I would have ever used it before. I now think that Inspiration is very unique and gives making a diagram a more creative perspective. Inspiration is something I will use in teaching because it is easy and resourceful.