Digital Images

I really learned a lot while working on digital images for the last few class sessions in TPTE 486. I had never used Picasa or Goggle presentation so it was nice to get some experience working with these applications. Teachers can use both of these applications for a number of activities across different content areas. I think that these web tools are great for integrating technology into the classroom.
I also did not have much knowledge about the copyright regulations for the web and the fair use policy. I think that this information is especially important for teachers because there is so much information out there that we could pull into our classrooms, but we still have to make sure that we are not violating copyright laws or committing copyright infringement. In addition, the web collections that we viewed in class are great resources that I can refer to to obtain digital images and a better alternative to just simply searching for images on Google.
Overall, I think that this section of the course is very relevant to my future teaching career. I definitely plan on using digital images to teach my students and now I know some different ways to incorporate them into my everyday lessons.

Here is the link to my classroom website where you can find the Picasa slideshow and Google presentation that I created: Ms. Ige's Tech Projects.

Resource Wiki

Compiling a resource Wiki for this course was a really great idea! I am really thankful for this particular project because I have been introduced to several helpful websites that I can use in my future classroom.
At first, it was challenging to find good websites, but then I referenced what we learned about website evaluation to help me find the additional resources that I needed to complete the assignment. It is important for teachers to have access to adequate resources so that they can supplement the material in their curriculum in a way that enhances a student's learning. Resources should be relevant and appropriate to the subject and grade level. I also really enjoyed looking at the sites that my peers in my content area found. I now have a pretty good selection of resources for all subjects and definitely plan on referring to our Resource Wiki in the future!

Wiki Evaluation

The  Wiki that I looked at was Mrs. Ibrahim's 2nd grade classroom. This Wiki is a really good example of how elementary school teachers can use Wikis in their classrooms. On the front page, there are links to each individual students' own personal page that they can use to upload their work. I think this is a great way to showcase student progress. Mrs. Ibrahim also included several other page links in the sidebar, such as health and P.E., reading, writing, thinking maps, and word study. Students also are allowed to contribute to these pages and use them as resources. I could definitely take some ideas from this Wiki and make it my own for my future classroom. Overall, I really like this Wiki. The only downside is that it is a few years outdated, however the content and structure are still v ery well done.

Inquiry Based Activity

 

I found that making an inquiry based activity for students was a little more difficult than I expected. I really had to search for an internet website that would be easy for students to navigate and that provide useful information. The subject that I did my Inquiry Based Activity on was 2nd Grade Reading. The standards that I focused on were exploring folktales and fables and identifying what they are. I created a worksheet with multiple choice and one short answer question for the students to answer. After I located a good website, I found that creating the questions wasn't hard at all. I plan on using inquiry based activities with my students in the future because they are hands on and a good way for students to work independently and also expand on and apply what they have learned.

Why WebQuest?

Before taking this course, I had never heard of a WebQuest. I think that they are a really awesome tool to use in the classroom. WebQuests are especially helpful when working on group activities. They are also a good way to get students to practice their computer skills. Out of all of the WebQuests that we viewed in class, my group decided that the Unraveling the Underground Railroad was the best one. My role was to be the Affiliator; I determined whether the WebQuest truly encouraged students to work together. The Underground Railroad WebQuest did just that! The student roles were explicitly stated and everyone had specific tasks to do in order to complete the activity. There were also several discussion questions provided to get students to communicate with each other. I believe that WebQuests, if done correctly, can definitely enhance a students learning and proficiency in certain content areas. I could use this tool in the classroom in various subjects. For example to expand on a students knowledge of a story for Reading, to explore historic events in Social Studies, and to conduct experiments in Science. I also am glad that we have a resource to look at WebQuests that other educators have created here. This will be very helpful in the future when I start teaching!

Website Evaluation - Arcademic Skill Builders

Arcademicskillbuilders.com was the first website that I have evaluated. Prior to this assignment, I never really thought about some of the qualifications that a good website should have, such as a way to contact the author and the site interface. The website evaluation forced me to take a closer look at the site in order to determine it's reliability and usefulness. This activity help me learn how to find certain information on a website, such as the copyright date. Through searching the site, I discovered where various information is located and learned a lot about the creation and purpose of the site. It also helped me know what I need to look for in order to determine if a site is reliable, current, accessible, and useful. I will definitely take what I learned during this activity and reference it in the future. As a teacher, I know that I will use the internet in my classroom to teach and to supplement the curriculum. It is important that the websites I use as resources for myself and my students are reliable and contain accurate information. With the knowledge I gained from this activity, I can ensure that I provide my students with valuable website experiences from trustworthy sites.

The Wonderful World of Wikis!

I think that Wikis are a great tool to use in the classroom. Wikis can be edited by multiple people so they would make it easy for students to collaborate on projects and assignments. For elementary education, I believe that Wikis will be most beneficial in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade because these students will have more experience using the internet.

One way that students can use Wikis in the classroom is literature circles. Students can be divided into groups of about 4 or 5 and each group chooses a book that they want to read. Everyone in the group would have a certain role/task to contribute. For example, one student could summarize the assigned reading, another student could connect the reading to other concepts that they have been learning, and another student could define important vocabulary words. Each student would add their portion of the assignment to the Wiki. Also, having a class Wiki would allow students to view the pages of other literature circles to learn about the books that they are reading. I think that this is a great way to get students excited about reading and to introduce them to several kinds of books.