Session 4

I think that I would place myself mainly in the early adopter tier. I have a great social connection with my co-workers at work. Since our report card system and grading system is online at times other teacher forget how to log on or how to use the system and they come to me for the steps to use the certain technology. I would also put a piece of me into the innovator tier because I have some of those traits. Last year I used technology a lot more in the classroom with the older students, and I was not afraid to try new things in the classroom with them. I love using my cell phone and mp3 player in my daily life. I can play around with a new program that I have not mastered to learn how to use it. Not every person will fall into just one tier. They will have different traits from different ones and that is what makes each of use unique.


Activity Log:

This week I started creating the Alphafriends video for my project 1. I learned how to cut audio clips into smaller pieces this week.

Session 3: Technology Intergration in the Classroom

The question of the week....Can technology be integrated into an American classroom and be used correctly?

Well my answer to this is yes. If a teacher can use the technology that is in the classroom than it can be implemented correctly. I look at the correct part as is the technology being used or not because any teacher with some technology background would be using technology integrated in the curriculum to support the learning process. Most of the day is spent teaching languages arts thought direct instruction which can get old quickly to the students. The students need to be engaged in activities that support the skills they are learning. By using technology in the classroom it creates meaningful learning because they can make connections from what they learn to their personal life.

I have thought about the different ways technology can be used in the classroom and a came up with this idea. As I read on one of the blogs no one will ever fit into the whole category. Even though our society is changing everyday with the convenience of technology, some teachers still refuse to use it in their classroom.

I came up with 3 layers to the pyramid: No Technology Use, Teacher Use, and Student/Teacher Use.

- In the bottom layer "No Technology Use" - These are the teachers who refuse to use technology in the classroom. The computer sits on the side of the classroom collecting dust. This is a small number of teachers but it still exists today in our schools. In the future the goal is to eliminate this layers.

-In the middle layer "Teacher Use Only"- In this layer are the teachers that use the computer to create lesson plans, sub plans, communicate with other staff members, do reports cards , and keep grades in a program. The teacher uses the computer to complete daily tasks in the classroom. The teacher will also use the computer to gain more information on certain topics that are being taught. This layers is the biggest because I feel it is the most common among teachers.

-In the top layer "Teacher/Student Use"- the teacher is integrating technology into the classroom. The teacher creates videos related to curriculum and PowerPoint presentations. The teacher uses the LCD projects to present lessons to the student. The students are engaged in technology lessons related to lessons being taught as additional support material. The students are creating a project using the computer, a movie, or working in pair to research a topic. The students are able to use WebQuest and other online sites that are pre-chosen by the teacher to access educational material. This layer is small but in the future as technology becomes even a bigger part of our society and the new teachers are trained to use technology perhaps this layer will grow.

As I said earlier not every person fits into a whole layer. Teachers may do certain things from different layers to meet their needs. In a classroom the teachers choose the pieces of technology that will benefit the students and meet their needs.

Weekly Activity:

This week I revised my project proposals. I started gathering the items I need to create my 1st project. I listened to the podcast and made my response on my blog.

Project Proposals

Project 1
Title: HM Alphafriends Viedo
Project Focus: The project focus will be the use of technology in the classroom. It will integrate technology into my language arts curriculum.
Description: I have created an HM Alphafriends video for Kindergarten students to use in the classroom to give them hands-on experience with learning the letters and sounds of the alphabet. I have many students in my class that need additional support for learning upper and lower case letters and the sounds that they make so they will be able to watch this video on the computer during Universal Access time to give them the additional support they need.
Project Artifacts: I will post the video that I have created for the Alphafriends from the HM series.

Timeline: Project will be completed by Session 7.

Project 2
Title: Kindergarten Math
Project Focus: I will be creating 3 podcasts for Kindergarten math that can be used during center time. I think my focus will be on the chapter about Time.
Description:
The first podcast will be about First, Next, Last. I will go over the vocabulary words and give some examples. They will have some picture vocabulary cards at their center to look at. They will complete a practice book page at the center as I read the directions.
The second podcast will be about First through Fifth. I will again go over the vocabulary words and have them look at the picture vocabulary cards. Then at their center they will have a worksheet they will need to complete as I give them the instructions.
The third podcast will be on the Analog clock. I will go over the time words vocabulary and look at the picture cards. Then they will use the analog clock at the center to play a short time game by following my instructions. They then will complete the practice book worksheet as I read the directions.
Project Artifacts: I will post samples of the visuals that I will use along with the

podcasts that I have created.


Timeline: Project will be completed by session 8.

Project 3
Title: School Acceptable Use Policy
Project Focus: I want to draft a school acceptable use policy for staff and students.
Description: I will create a draft of an acceptable use policy for technology for our school site.
Project Artifacts: I will post a copy of the acceptable use policy that I have created.

Timeline: Project will be completed by session 9.

ETEC 623: Project Proposals Draft

Project 1
Title: Dinosaur WebQuest
Project Focus: The project focus will be the use of technology in the classroom. It will integrate technology into the science curriculum.
Description: I have created a dinosaur WebQuest for 2nd grade students to use in the classroom to give them hands-on experience through a science lesson. They will complete various tasks that are related to the dinosaurs. The students will be able to work in multiple settings: individual, pairs, and small groups through out the WebQuest.
Timeline: Project will be completed by Session 7.

Project 2
Title: Kindergarten Math
Project Focus: I will be creating 3 podcasts for Kindergarten math that can be used during center time. I think my focus will be on the chapter about Time.
Description:
The first podcast will be about First, Next, Last. I will go over the vocabulary words and give some examples. They will have some picture vocabulary cards at their center to look at. They will complete a practice book page at the center as I read the directions.
The second podcast will be about First through Fifth. I will again go over the vocabulary words and have them look at the picture vocabulary cards. Then at their center they will have a worksheet they will need to complete as I give them the instructions.
The third podcast will be on the Analog clock. I will go over the time words vocabulary and look at the picture cards. Then they will use the analog clock at the center to play a short time game by following my instructions. They then will complete the practice book worksheet as I read the directions.

Timeline: Project will be completed by session 8.

Project 3
Title: School Acceptable Use Policy
Project Focus: I want to draft a school acceptable use policy for staff and students.
Description: I will create a draft of an acceptable use policy for technology for our school site.
Timeline: Project will be completed by session 9.

ETEC 623: Session 2

Leader vs. Manger

When I listened to this podcast I thought about the administration at my site. I never really realized all the tasks that need to be completed at once. The everyday functions that need to be completed in order for the school to be ran properly. An effective manger needs to meet the needs of their staff, the students, the parents, and other board members of the district. They need to find ways to satisfy each group, sometimes it requires different solutions. Then I started thinking about the budget portion of a school. The administrator needs to allocate certain funds for technology, supplies, and equipment, that certainly can be hard job crunching all those numbers. Being at a multi-track school I quote that I heard in a meeting came to mind....."Come April administration has one foot in the current year and the other foot in the coming year to balance the budget and make projections". This thought says with me each day when I walk through the office during chaotic days, like track changes days, and see administration still in control of the situation.

Then I thought about the leadership part of the administration. Being a title I school we have extra monies that benefit us. Our administration buys the best products that they think will meet the needs of our students. We are very lucky to have a lot of technologies available at our site. We have a curriculum specialist that will train the staff with certain programs so they can be implemented in the classroom. If a staff member expresses interest in a certain technology area we can bring it to the attention of the administrator, so they can look in to the product.

Activity Log:

This week I listened to the podcast then I thought about what I wanted to do for my projects and will create my proposals to submit to Dr. Newberry.

Etc 623:Session 1

Response to Topic:

Technology Use - I use technology in my every day life. When I think back to when I was a child and had to write everything on a piece of paper instead of a screen I wonder how I ever got through. The convenience of technology has made my life a bit easier. Since I teach Kindergarten I am currently finding new ways to use technology in the classroom. Last year when I taught 4th grade I was better able to intergrate technology in the classroom.

Communicating to Others - I use various ways of technology to communicate with others. I most commonly use emails, instant messaging, blogs, and websites to receive and send information. Since I am a teacher in the classroom I am able to use technology such as, streaming media, power points and LCD projectors to deliver lesson to my students.

Supporting Technology - Since I am one of the younger teachers at our site, many of the other teachers come to me when they have technology questions when the tech support person can not be found. I am able then to give them simple step by step directions to get them through their project.

Learning Contract-

I will be completing all three projects for this course because I want an A in the class. I do not know what I will be creating yet but I do know I will be looking at all 3 projects from a teacher's point of view.

Session 1 Activity Log:

This week I have updated my blog and I have also thought about what types of projects I would like to complete.

All about me!

HELLO! I'm Cassandra.....I am currently teaching full day Kindergarten in Colton School District. I am working hard still to finish my MA project so I can exit the program. I am wishing that 2007 brings me a year full of joy and happiness!