Post #10 Prompt
1 paragraph on topics you found most interesting from reviewing your classmates’ blogs.



1 paragraph on what technology-related skill you would most like to learn next, and why.



1 paragraph on ways in which you might achieve your future educational technology-related goals.

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Well, I first though it was very interesting how diverse the class is as to education specialties, which seem varied from student to student. I was also suprised by the knowledge that others had of the topics covered in class, as well as my own knowledge. I suppose we come from the technology enlightened age where basic knowledge of internet and Microsoft are required to function in an educational system. Everyone had a grasp on many topics covered in class and some had knowledge even beyond that! It's amazing that, while here we are taking a technology course, we have the knowledge stored somewhere in the back of our minds that we didn't know exsisted. Subliminal learning, perhaps?

Something that I was hoping we would cover is specific programs that teachers use as mandated by each school, such as popular gradebook programs, email programs, etc. I'm sure that, regardless of how amazing Excel is at making gradebooks, schools will have a universal program for that purpose. I also was hoping that we would learn how to create lesson plans, such as the basic formatting of lesson plans and the technology used to make the creation a little easier. This all may be covered as I bury myself into the major, but for now, I'm none-the-better.

Technology programs for educators are EVERYWHERE. Schools and counties are always hosting technology seminars, classes, etc. to promote technology awareness in schools. As a new era of teachers in emerging, I feel that technology will become more mainstream, which will only further its advancement (we teach w/technology-->students learn using technology-->students learn about technology--> advancements in technology ?). Perhaps. But, I shall always be on the lookout for such programs and classes as I wish to better myself in the realm of technology.

Elibrary.com, Tell Your Friends, Tell Your Dad, Tell Your Mom

A 2-paragraph review of an interesting web-based tool or resource that you might use when teaching. Be sure to include a link to the tool or resource, and check out the ones that your classmates have shared as well.

A paragraph about how you think you will use Excel and similar programs as a teacher (see Chapter 13). Be specific about your subject matter area and the grade level.

A paragraph about your final course project -- plans, challenges, etc.
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At my high school, each student was given a password and username for the http://www.elibrary.com. This website is a web-based research website archiving scholarly journals, books, blog posts, pictures, etc. for students to search through and access for research purposes. This site was great because, not only did it allow you to search for resources, but it allowed to you draft a bibliography in MLA or ALA format of all of your resources to paste into a Word document.

For educators, I feel that Elibrary would be a wonderful web-based resource for students in secondary grade levels, as they would use the resource to complete research for projects, essays, etc. Because Elibrary is a subscription based website, schools must pay a fee for their school to subscribe to their archive search capabilities. This may or may not be feasible, but it would definitely prove useful in ensuring that students use reliable resources and prevent plagiarism by properly citing these sources.

Excel proved a bit scary, at first, but after completing the Excel assignment, I was able to see the uses for the program. First and foremost, I know Excel will be used for my gradebook. It is just too simple to calculate averages and input data for me NOT to use it! Graphs and charts are made on Excel, which appeal to the visual or mathematics learning intelligences. As an English instructor, I can't really imagine doing anything other than a gradebook using Excel, as calculations aren't usually necessary for English-type assignments.

Jeremy and my project is moving right along. I didn't think that spending $10,000 for a school would be a problem, but choosing specific, student-enriching items that would be useful for any subject area has proven a challenge, but, like I said, we are moving right along and can't wait to hear what the other groups have come up with! :)

Did Anyone Like The Powerpoint 2 Assignment?

Post #8 Prompt
A paragraph discussing and critiquing your own PowerPoint 2 assignment using the concepts addressed in Chapter 8. Work in some screen shots as examples.



A paragraph about how you might integrate peripherals and non-computer audio-visual technologies in your classroom. How might you use them with computer-based technologies?



A paragraph on new skills you acquired in the last week that you think will be especially useful to you in your educational career and why you think so.

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Honestly, I hated the Powerpoint 2 assignment. I came up with a great idea for a "Choose Your Own Path" type storybook. Unfortunately, the assignment called for 15 slides and to complete my very basic storybook, I created 31 slides. I put several hours of work into something I barely approved of myself and into a project that I would never give to my students. With google and s many teaching resources, free trivia or educational games are available everywhere. It seems silly for me to pour time and energy into a game that is not up to the technological par that students expect these days. So, I don't plan on ever using powerpoint for gaming purposes, but I suppose the lesson of inserting navigation buttons required this ridiculous exercise. (I know that the professor has no control over those assignments, so I place no blame, but I STILL don't like it!)

Non-computer audio-visual equipment. Hmm. The most logical answer, considering my English specialty, is a data projector with DVD player and an overhead projector. Using both of these will allow me to show film version of literary works while displaying the original text. These will allow me to project computer based presentations and worksheets in front of the class. Very useful in teaching, I would think.

Well, I didn't really learn anything I didn't already know. BUT, those skills will still come in handy as I enhanced them with precision to make presentations more appealing and flowing. By using adjusted fonts, alignments, sizing, etc., presentations become more appealing and hold attention for longer, a key element useful to any teacher.

Techno-Tasking Vs. Chewing Gum While Walking

Prompt #7

A paragraph on what you feel are the biggest advantages and disadvantages of using presentation software in the K-12 classroom.



A paragraph on how you might use PowerPoint to support student learning at each knowledge dimension in a particular lesson. Be explicit in your example!



Use Chapter 5 and online resources.A paragraph on an issue related to educational technology that now interests you. You may provide information, ask questions, include links, etc.

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Given my experience with presentation software, I can see the advantages that they present to students, allowing them multi-dimensional support while students present information to a group. However, the crutch of presentation software may hinder students' potential speaking abilities. Though presentation software is a common accesory to present-day lectures, presentations, etc., I feel that its presence may, in the long run, cause classic public speaking capabilities to become a rarity.

Powerpoint is very relevant in the classroom, as its visual and sound abilities appeal to a variety of learning heuristics. In secondary English courses, teachers may find a variety of uses for powerpoint in the classroom. While presenting a lesson on poetry or literature, instructors may post specific examples of literary elements on slides to give students specific points of reference. In studying Shakespeare's Macbeth, for example, I might include a passage demonstrating the author's use of iambic pentameter within the drama to further the students' understanding of the literary technique.

Graduate student Clint Reddekopp published a scholarly article at The University of Saskatchewan focusing on the growing paradigm of 'Techno-tasking." The article focuses on the recent multi-tasking that students demonstrate while using technology. Ultimately, Reddekopp concludes that all lessons must include some form of technology to ensure that gaps are bridged between the teachning genereation (oral lecture) and student generation (technology). Lecture-only courses lack success rates of technological lecture, yet relying on technology soley causes techo-tasking in students, which may or may not foster life-long learning.(http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/redekopp/index.htm) for more information on the effects of tecnho-tasking on the student population.

Wiki Wiki Yeah Wiki Wiki ...NO!!!

Prompt #6

A paragraph discussing your thoughts about the use of Web 2.0 technologies in K-12 education. Would you use them? Why or why not? How? Use online resources.

A paragraph discussing your thoughts on Wikipedia as a learning resource.

A paragraph on new skills you acquired in the last week that you think will be especially useful to you in your educational career and why you think so.

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Web 2.0...The "new" internet! I'm all about web 2.0 technologies, even though I knew very little about them prior to this course. I don't think blogging is a very useful tool for educators on a general basis, but I do think that there are ways in which they can be incorporated. It reminds me of when I had to journal daily in my 6th-grade English course, except now it is more blogging than journaling. Interesting transition.

Now, wikipedia, on the other hand, I am not about. I loathe wikipedia and everythin that it stands for. Sometimes, for fun, I write illegitimate ideas and "facts" on wikipedia in high hopes that some lazy college freshman will come along and cite it. Shame on you for being lazy.

Really, though, do people really need another excuse to be lazy? It's bad enough ebooks are obsolete, but now we don't even need them when we have wikipedia there to rescue us! I don't google; I don't wikipedia. I ask Jeeves, and he points me in the right direction every time. :-)

I am very interested in Wikis now. I think I definately spent WAY too much time on mine, then coming to realize it was only worth one point... Oh well, my Wiki is fully functional and logical. Is yours? Just kidding, but really, I enjoyed making my Wiki and think that it will be a useful tool in relaying information to students and parents. I certainly intend to use it in my classroom!

The Internet in the Classroom

Post #5 Prompt

A paragraph on your views about using the Internet to support student research. When is it useful? Not useful? Look to Chapter 3 for ideas and inspiration.

A paragraph on other ways you might use web-based resources to support student learning. Share a few resources that are of interest to you. Use your book and online resources.

A paragraph on your concerns about being a teacher who supervises students in a technology environment. Be sure to mention the age/grade level of your students.

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Who needs books when we have the internet, right? Why buy music when you can download it? Why schedule your life around "Heros" when youtube posts the episode five minutes after it airs? The internet is a realm of convenience. It is open when the libraries lock the doors, its still open when the cafe at Borders is all swept up, and it is open when the bars close on the strip. Needless to say, the internet never closes, it never loses customers.

In a world where anyone can post a website, the accountability that the internet once held is now gone. All we have left, after weeding through countless imitations, are .org(s), .edu(s), and .gov(s); AKA the credible sites. As an anti-wikipedian, I find that the sites I mentioned are the only sites allowed as sources for research.

Suppose students were assigned a project on our newly elected president. They google his name, and come across the following sites:

Obama's Official Campaign Site: Pretty credible information created by Obama and his campaign team. Skewed as far as political information goes with very pro-Obama material. (.com source)

Ontheissues.org Report on Obama: Very credible and neutral as far as the issues go. Provides readers with objective information that is very useful in student research. Also allows students to research other candidate information for comparison. (.org source)

The Official White House Site: Obviously the most credible site for direct information on the nation's president. Provides readers with information on the entire Obama family, as well as current projects that Obama is undertaking. (.gov source)

University Timeline of Obama: Factually correct and useful to students. Because of its scholarly nature, I find it to be very useful. As far as his presidency, little information is given. (.edu source)

Through these examples, one can clearly see the quality of information that comes from credible resources. Websites such as elibrary.com and britannicaonline.com provide students with books quality sources in an Internet format, making it convenient and easy to search through. Because these sites are pay sites they may not be available to all students. I certainly hope they are at my school, as investing in these sites reduce instances of plagiarism as students have access to credible resources for free.

Being a secondary Enlgish educator, I think my students will have an opportunity to use technology more so than other core subjects. Because of their age (12-18), they are naturally curious and easily distracted. Because the Internet is so full of vast material, information that is not school appropriate is easy to access. This adds extra stress on teachers, as we must supervise the sites that students access while on campus. Blocks on certain websites shall prove effective in controlling the sites that students view. Yay! :)

Mapping Education: Inspiration in the Classroom

Prompt #4

A paragraph on how you, as a teacher, might make use of the concepts presented in Chapter 7, and what technologies you would like to use to achieve these goals.

A paragraph addressing why or why not you would encourage or require your students to develop outline, idea map, and storyboarding skills.


A paragraph on new skills you acquired in the last week that you think will be especially useful to you in your educational career and why you think so.

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English and Literature are areas subject to interpretation. Did Poe mean this or this in "The Raven?" What does the appearance of light refer to in Frankenstein, heaven/God or hope/knowledge? Any number of answers may or may not be correct, but, to ensure progress, we, as educational professsionals, establish standards. Know this, omit this, write this in this way.


Storyboards or concept maps may prove useful in analysing literature and formulating thesises and critical maps/papers. Concept maps will provide my students with useful tools that will outline critical subject matter, such as "How to Write a Thesis," "What to Look for When Analysing Literature," or worksheets used for literary comprehension. These formats are easily created and provide students with visual and linguistic references.


Student-created outlines may prove useful in demonstrating their ability to connect various ideas and concepts. They will allow students to become organized in their construction and allow their ideas to fully develop. Providing guidelines for students to develop upon is a constructive method allowing them to control the outcome of their paper while still hilighting the basic principles of writing and anaylisis.



Using technology for this purpose would be very effective. Programs such as Inspiration allow educators and students to organize their information while emphasizing key points or ideas. Ultimately, technology is effective because of its convienence; I do feel that handmade student outlines or storyboards would allow for more creativity and provide an exciting opportunity for group work and/or oral presentation.