Software Connect :)

Out of the listed criteria listed, I would have to say the following are most important; STANDARDS, GRADE LEVEL, ACTIVE LEARNING,  HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY, and COST.

STANDARDS- The point of learning software is to help teach or reinforce a lesson being taught to a student. If the program says it helps teach a specific lesson, it should do just that, while also slightly preparing students for the next step of understanding.

GRADE LEVEL- This is one of the most important issues I feel personally. Students collectively learn as a group, by grade level.  If a program is too advanced, a child will feel discouraged because they can't work it properly. If a program is not challenging enough for a child, they will get bored and not want to use the program. It is a delicate balance that must be made.

ACTIVE LEARNING- If a program is interactive, a child's attention and focus will be thoroughly engaged. If the program does not let the child be the engineer and steer the program to their own viewpoints, the program is nothing more than an E-Book. This is nice, but not what it is intended to do.

HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY- It doesn't' matter if a program is the best there is. If it doesn't work on the classroom computers, it's not good for the classroom.

COST- Classrooms are run on a budget. If a program is excessively expensive, it isn't right for a classroom. If it is not available for abundant use, it's not right for a classroom.

As for the software selections I made, I chose four instead of three. I couldn't choose just three.

OREGON TRAIL-This is a very interactive way to inspire students to want to learn about the history of the trail west.

INTERACTIVE ATLAS- A student can click on a certain country and learn more about that country.

MICROSOFT PUBLISHER- Gives students the skills to create a mass amount of products.

PHOTOSHOP- Gives students the ability to *perfect* an image for a project.

Digital Technologies In the Classroom

When discussing technology in the classroom, I believe there are at least five devices that should be used. They are digital cameras, electronic whiteboards, LCD digital projectors, USB Portable storage devices, and E-Books. I will explain my reasoning behind each of these choices.

Digital Cameras~I use my digital camera every day of my life. I plan to utilize this technology in my classroom. Digital cameras have multiple uses. First of, if a student is performing a science project, they may want to have pictures of the project itself  for the presentation. If a digital camera is available, the student would be able to simply snap a photo, have it sent to a parent's email, and the parents can then have it printed off. It is a simpler process than old photographs that would take days to get back.

Electronic Whiteboards~When I was in elementary school, these 'smart boards' were just starting to make appearances in the world. I hope to be able to utilize this technology in my future classroom. I would utilize it for every subject. They have the ability to do almost everything a computer can do, and still have the versatility of a dry erase board. I would especially use this technology for when a student is absent. They would be able to visually see all the notes I have provided the class, and not have to rely on their peers. All the notes would be right there, able to be printed and or emailed right away.

LCD Digital Projectors~ This is a type of technology I would use if I did not have an electronic whiteboard at my disposal. It is essentially the same thing, but not as interactive. With the above, I can write out information as fast as I want. With a projector, the information has to be previously wrote out and ready to present. I would essentially use it the same way I would use an electronic whiteboard.

USB Portable Storage Devices~ Jump drives are almost essential to a classroom. They are going to be a vital part of my classroom. If my students are writing a report or doing a PowerPoint project, they will want to be able to have a safe place to store the information. That is where the USB comes into place. The technology allows vast amounts of information to be shared between computers. I love these things!

E-Books~I hope to be able to incorporate this technology into my classroom. It gives students the opportunity to take notes in their books, denote key text, and just interact on a new level with the text of the book. Since E-books require a devices to be used on, It might be hard and expensive to incorporate this technology into a classroom.

Technology always has and always will play a big part of the education system. I hope to be able to incorporate these five types of education technology into my classroom. :)

~Kim 

Theoretical Foundations

     There is not one generic, "one size fits all" way to learn. Learning is similar to the way one travels to a given point. For instance, when I drive to campus I take the same road every week. This is the way that makes most sense to me. For another person, they drive to campus from a completely different pathway. Both ways are similar yet different in so many ways. This is how learning is. I am a very visual learner; I have to see something with my own eyes for it to fully make sense to me. For others, they may possess a different learning style, a different pathway. I feel that as future teachers, it is our job to assess our student's learning styles and best meet the needs of ALL of our students, not just the students who learn by auditory means.

     Although I cannot be absolutely for sure what my own personal teaching style is due to my lack of experience, I would hypothesize that my teaching style will be more hands on and visual. I feel as though I will have to adjust this for my students who cannot learn in a seemingly ‘unorganized’ classroom setting. I hope to be able to meet all of my students learning needs.
     I believe educational technology will fit rather nicely into my classroom. I love having creative control of a project and being able to make it personal. I want my students to be able to enjoy the same aspects of technology. Along with being able to create their own projects, students of all learning styles are able to learn from some type of technology. By combining different audio, visual, and interactive technologies, I hope to be able to encourage and help my students learn the given information. For instance, I was observing a classroom last semester. In this first grade classroom, the students were learning how to add and subtract the number thirteen. One student in particular was having a hard time doing so. I commented on this to the teacher who informed me that this student had a hard time learning math in the classroom, but would understand it when the lesson was reinforced in the computer lab the next afternoon.  The next day, I arrived in time to see the magic unfold. This same little girl sat behind the computer screen and added and subtracted as though she had understood the lesson perfectly. I asked her how she had learned so quickly. She said, “Well it’s easier when I do it on the computer. It tells me if I do it wrong, and it shows me how to do it right. Then I just get it.” This little girl truly opened my eyes to how much technology can change a person’s life.
     According to the multiple intelligence tests, I scored in the upper teens and low twenties in all aspects besides nature and logical learning styles. This actually did not surprise me very much. I have never enjoyed math, and I am more of an inside girl. I feel as if these are two aspects I must overcome before I have a classroom of mv very own. 

Digital Generation

The digital generation refers to those students who have grown up surrounded by technology.  These children are the leaders of tomorrow, and as future teachers I believe it is our job to help advance their learning of the world around them by doing all we can to better ourselves through technology. I strongly believe that my generation is a part of the digital generation. I have grown up knowing how to use a computer, cell phone, iPod, etc., whereas my parents have no idea how to turn on the computer without help. I believe the images set forth in the videos do give a glimpse of how my peers interact with each other. With generations before, if two people wanted to talk, they had to do it via letters or telephone. I can honestly say I have only written approximately five letters to friends in my lifetime, and I text more than I call. Social media is just another form of easier communication that has recently become the social normality. I believe this generation is in need of a generation of teachers who are more willing to accept and adhere to the building technologies.
 I plan to use the technology that surrounds us in my classroom. There are many programs that can be used in the classroom that help enhance not just one aspect of learning, but many. While a student is learning how to use the computer to his or her advantage, they are also learning research skills, math and English, depending on the program provided. I grew up using these programs. I loved them. I believe these types of programs are vital for a student to grow and become a part of the future generation, the digital generation. It is our job to learn everything we can now in order to help the children tomorrow. Technology changes daily. If we fall behind now, how will we ever catch up to the generation of tomorrow? The days of letters and phone calls are through. We can sit idly by and not embrace the future, or we can challenge ourselves to be the best we can be for the future. The way I see it is simple; nobody believed that the world was round until someone decided to prove them wrong. The older generation didn’t believe computers were very important for ‘everyday people’ to understand. While in high school, my mother believed that computers were just a fad that would eventually fade out. She didn’t want to waste time with a class to help her understand the beginning technology behind computers. Now, forty years later, she has realized just how important the technology is to our world. Teaching the future digital generation is to shape them, and by doing so, shaping the technology of the future.
There are many issues that can arise when blogging. You can use a font and background color that hurts the eyes. Text can become unreadable when using certain fonts and boldness features. Some font colors are too light to be read. It is important when using technology to use it in a way that is sufficent to get your point across. There is no point in using it if people can't read what you are typing. :)