Social Bookmarking

I really enjoyed using social bookmarks.  I like that i had a place to read an article and save it so I could go back and get more information from it.  It was a lot of fun finding articles from different people voicing the same concerns and praises about education.  This is definitely a site that I will use in my classroom to find information and show to my class.  If you want to check out the articles I found and enjoyed reading click on this site  http://www.diigo.com/user/chadfranklin

Google Reader

I choose 7 blogs to follow throughout the class and they are  CoolCatTeacher Blog-- http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/ 
  Will Richardson-- http://willrichardson.com/
  Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day-- http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/
 Free Technology for Teachers-- http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
  A Media Specialist’s Guide to the Internet http://mediaspecialistsguide.blogspot.com/ 
Teaching Children with Special Needs http://specialneeds.achievement-products.com/2012/07/don-peek-disability-emotional.html
Special Education Strategies and More http://michellespecialeducation.blogspot.com/2012/07/word-verification.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SpecialEducationStrategiesAndMore+%28Special+Education+Strategies+++++++++++++++And+More...%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

I am an fan of Will Richardson and his blog.  My favorite blog was titled How Do We Measure Success With Social Media.  It talks about how we are so in the need to know everything and how we need to know it now.  If you send and email to somebody you expect them to answer right away.  It also talks about how we measure success by the emails we respond to or how many post we respond to. What happen to the days where there were no emails or blogs to respond to?

Digital Citizen

It is important to be a good digital citizen because just about everything you do these days has to do with the internet.  If you are good with computers and understand how the internet works then you can get a lot of information about certain things.  A good digital citizen will be able to navigate technology well and be very savy with social media sites.
I think it is very important to be a good digital citizen because it is only going to help you in life.  It will help you with contacting people, searching for information, finding jobs, and even paying bills.  Everything is on the internet now and if you do not have a good understanding of how it works then you are going to be lost.  Without some knowledge of the internet or computers you could be in trouble.

Web 2.0

In my classroom I would Probably use all of these but the ones that I would use the most would be Blogs, e-Portfolios, and Video and photo sharing communities.  I would use the blog to keep my students updated on assignments and also to help the parents keep the students updated.  I would also use it to show what is going on in my class.  It will show some students work and have post about how students are progressing.  I would also use it to remind students and parents about up coming events at the school.
E-Portfolios would be used to display students work so that others could see how they are progressing in the class.  This way the student will be able to show people without having to have a hard copy of what they did.  Plus students could keep up with their friends and share their work with each other.
The video and photo sharing communities would be used to show students videos of the lessons I am teaching.  Learning can sometimes be boring, and watching a video is a good way to keep the students attention.  This will not only keep the students attention but it is also a great way for teachers to learn something new about the subject the are teaching.  I would also use pictures to show the students as a visual aid that maybe will help make the connection needed.
These are the Web 2.0 tools I would use for my classroom and to make learning as fun as possible. 

5 Types of Instructional Software

1)      Drill and Practice-  This method allows learners to work problems or answer questions and get feed back on correctness. The feedback is usually  as simple as “OK” or “No Try Again”.  There are many benefits to this software.  A few are that it gives immediate feedback, its motivating because the kids enjoy being on the computer, and it saves the teacher time.  Teachers can use this software for the replacement of worksheets or even as homework.  The best way might even be to help the student prepare for test. 

 http://oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/mathmagician/cathymath.html

 

2)      Tutorial-  This method is most a teachers classroom instruction.  It is usually used as the unit of teaching and not as a supplement.  Gagne said that good tutorial software should address all nine instructional events. There are 2 categories when talking about tutorials.  The first is Linear, its simple and gives the same instruction and feedback to everybody in the class.  Branching is a little more complex.  It directs students on different paths based on the answers that students gives. 

The tutorials should not replace the teachings form the teacher.  It can be used as a review of the instruction, another learning strategies and can be used when the teacher is not available.  

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T-rsltsWnM

3)       Simulation-  This is best described as a computerized model of a real or imagined system that is designed to teach how the system works.  Most simulations make the student choose tasks to do or the order in which to do them.  There are 2 mail types of simulations, Ones that teach about something and one that’s teaches how to do something.

Simulations that teach about something are usually physical or iterative.  Simulations that teach how to do something are usually procedural or situational.   The best benefit has been in the field of science.  But that doesn’t mean that the other subject are left out.  There are many benefits to using simulations.  A few examples are that they compress time, it gets the students involoved, it makes experiments safe, makes the impossible become possible, it saves money and resources, and it allows for students to understand complex processes.

 http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/gravity-and-orbits

4)      Instructional Games-  Most students like these the most.  They have appealing formats and activities and good instructional value.  Plus the students feel like they are planning games but they are actually learning.  This should not be an everyday occurrence but it is good for a reward.  The main benefit form these games are that it makes the classroom fun and the students want to learn.  The main way these games are incorporated into the classroom is in place of worksheets, to help teach cooperative group working skills and the big on is s an award. 

 http://www.starfall.com

 

5)      Problem-Solving- This is made up mostly of simulations and instructional games.  The problem solving software is used for providing opportunities to practice solving various kinds of content area problems.  If a student is having a hard time in one subject this might be a good software to use to help them.  Some benefits to this software is that it helps improve interest and motivation and also prevents inert knowledge.  Teachers may use this software to teach component skills, provide support in solving problems and it also encourages problem solving.

http://www.adaptedmind.com/p.php?tagId=995#

Our most recent assignment in Technology and Education was to use some fun teaching tools from the web. I created a Glog (first time) and some yaking pictures! The topic I covered was the Life Cycle of a Pumpkin.Seeing the teaching tools that are easily accessed online has opened up my mind to some additional teaching methods. These were simple yet fun, and would be loved by kids in my class. See the links below for some knowledge and laughs.

Concept map of my Web 2.0 project- Life Cycle of a Pumpkin.

Video: Life Cycle of a Pumpkin on Animoto
Life Cycle of a Pumpkin on Glog
I'm a Pumpkin!
I'm the Sun!
I'm a Rain Cloud!

Technology in the Special Education Classroom

As part of the path I am pursuing I have began to study how my Master's classes will effect my Special Education classroom. Right now I am studying Technoloy in the Classroom. This video is exactly what I needed to see. It is amazing how technology allows for someone who is not capable to speak, to have a voice.

Do you believe in technology in the classroom? Are our tax dollars worth it? Is it making a difference?