Technology in Education

Here is our final project. We interviewed students from around the university about their thoughts of technology. Enjoy!

Reflecting on the Past and the Future

It seems like only days ago that we sat in this very room, for some of us for the first time and some experienced in the faculty. I began this class, I’ll admit, a little apprehensive and questioning how much technology can actually enhance a classroom but now today as we are in our final stretch I know that I would like to take back my previous thoughts. I feel that through this class I have gained the most knowledge that I can actually apply to my everyday teaching career. I will be able to enhance my lessons and encourage learning through the use of technology. Technology is a hands-on learning tool that helps visual and kinesthetic learners. It is an important part of classrooms today and many teachers are not using it to its full potential, however I have full intentions of using it within each classroom. By completing this class I am reminded that I am one step ahead of many current teachers because I have a whole collection of projects and tools to use. The most significant part of this class was considering the issues raised when one uses technology within a classroom. I now think that technology should not replace teachers, but more as a means of enhancing our lessons. This class was very helpful and I learned a great deal from it, I would highly recommend taking this class to anyone.

Tinkerbell

I believe that I have spoken of my best friend before from Moosomin, Kristi. Well she is a very prestigious figure skater and enlightens those around her. She is a very small and quiet young woman who amazes anyone that she skates for. Kristi has competed at many competitions across Canada and has met some astounding people within the figure skating industry. She has done pair skating as well and leaves every crowd breathless with her talent. This year she has chosen to skate with Disney on Ice: Princess Wishes before she continues her education. I have recently found a video of the very show that Kristi is on. Kristi began as Dopey for this show but quickly amazed the production coordinators and was promoted to Tinkerbell. You can see Kristi right at the beginning of this clip and near the end.

Here is another clip and it announces Tinkerbell’s entrance:

Tech Task #6

Throughout this tech task we were asked to create a short video in commercial length and edit it. Our group consisted of Tara Straker, Megan Beisel and Tawna Bartley and we chose to edit our video using the Mac computers and iMovie, seeings as how none of us had a lot of experience with Mac computers. We chose to make our video on the current CUPE strike that is affecting many of us students around campus. Enjoy!

Meow

Look at this really interesting dubbed video of these two cats. I have a cat at home that I love and this is too funny that it must be shared with all of you readers:

Slowing down…

School got so out of control unbearably unbearable. Everything was due at once and no one knew the stress you were under, especially the teachers. They did not care they were just trying to do their job too but did they all need to do it at once. After surviving the last two weeks and never want my students to undergo the same stress I hope to coordinate with other teachers and plan our schedules so that teacher do not purposely put that much stress on our students. I do not want to put that stress on anyone and I definitely do not anyone else to understand that stress, so I am going to prevent it. I will have you know that I am better now and school is finally slowly coming to an end. We only have one more EPS assignment, two more math assignments and only one more English essay. I cannot wait, in less than a month this “chunk” of stress will be over and I will be sitting on my couch watching One Tree Hill DVDs and going tobogganing with my brother. You are probably thinking I am way to old for that, but it is something I enjoy and I am going to do it anyways.

I shopped till I dropped…and now, this week I pay

This weekend I went to Minot with my brother, father, and step mom, along with her daughter and mother. Our dollar is so high that nearly everything was a deal. I love shopping down there because the clothing is different than what is offered up here. We stayed in the states for Friday and Saturday night because if you stay there for 48 hours you are allowed to bring back $400 duty-free. My brother and I shopped, shopped, shopped. I was not doubting having fun…but I had a lot of it. My dad and Darlene gave each of us kids some money to spend as part of our Christmas gift and it was so nice to be able to pick out what we wanted. I bought some shirts and I now have a new fetish with Aeropostal. However, because I spent the weekend in Minot I have to pay this week and try to catch up on all of the million bazillion assignments and projects that are due this week. It is not fair and I will probably complain some more the rest of this week.

For shizzle my nizzle

Haha seeings as how I am so cool nowadays (JOKE) and am now a big city kid instead of a country bumpkins I am allowed to discuss my totally rad way of life. Check out the website that I made today. I forgot to change the constraints before I saved it that is why it is so small, hope you can use your imagination and understand the pressure I am under to be cool at all times and be able to handle MY Totally Awesome website:

Word Brother My Website for Awesomeness

Enjoy!

P.S. This is for you Kristi

Tech Task #8

We were asked to create a slideshow or scrapbook of four pages to depict our lives. I have chosen the scrapbook method and I hope you understand where I am coming from.

I really enjoyed this project and I hope you can enjoy it as well!

My Life

Tech Task #7

a) A wiki allows people to easily create a website with exactly what they want on it. It allows users to easily edit and link web pages. They are usually used to create a collaboration of websites. It is really simple to use and really simple to create.

b) Wikis could be used within the classroom to connect the world to your class and your class to the world. I would use a wiki to post a variety of websites that my classes could use to aid them with their math homework. I would have practice tests and quizes set up so that my students could practice on their math skills before a test or exam. I would make sure I posted the homework for each class, we have all forgotten to write down the assignment at some point. I would even keep a calendar with a list of important dates and reminders for each class. I would even have an area on my wiki for blogging. The students could ask their questions on the wiki and other students could respond to it and answer them. Students would also have a mark comprised of answering their peers on the wiki so that no question goes unanswered. When I am finished school I will be a secondary math teacher and I feel that a wiki would be very helpful for my students. And when my students are succeeding and learning, so am I, its a win-win situation.

Of the tools outlined in the wiki I choose voicethread.com as a very helpful classroom tool.

a)  Voicethread is a tool to create presentations using pictures, videos, and your own voice.  Basically you use your own voice clips to tell and explain a stroy based on the photo that is seen on the screen.  Students can upload photos from Flickr, Facebook or straight from your computer.  Then you can add your voice clips to each image and upload them to the site.  It is very quick and easy.

b)  Voicethread is a very helpful tool to be used within the classroom.  It can be used within each subject and grade level in some way.  For instance a grade three Language Arts class could each create their own story and bring it to life, where as a grade twelve biology class might use it to explain the process of mitosis.  This tool can also be used by the teacher as an aide to his or her lessons which would help explain the concept at hand to the class.  Without this tool students would only be able to create regular stories and this allows them to narrate and pause their own creations that they can eventually share with the world on the internet.  This goes beyond regular story telling because it allows students to also use their kinestetic and visual style of learning as well.  As a teacher I will surely use this tool within my classroom.