Reflective Post

EME 2040: Intro to technology for educators has been a large eye opener. I had no idea that there was this many resources. I was aware that there was websites that connected standards, but we have gone far past that. 

     One of our learning outcomes was to evaluate and critique various tools, and I have certainly found out that through the internet and computers, there is a vast amount of tools. We can create, search, find, save, and build just about anything, and then have our students do it. We had hands on in designing web quests, our own website, blog posts, and working together for lesson planning. 

     Along with this comes boundaries, which were a little confusing and sometimes seemingly on the grey lines with different "if's," which was also apart of our learning outcomes. It is a very good idea to become very familiar with these, for yourself, and for your students. They will probably make all those mistakes, and as teachers, we have to be aware of all those to be able to guide them to success while avoiding legalities. To help deepen our understanding, and learn a bit from from what our colleagues have learned, through group discussions online. 

     The assignments, discussions, and activities allowed for good reflection, deeper thought processing, and reflection among peers. The book, as listed in the resources section below, provided guidance to the many different avenues open to us, as well as the struggles that we may face in utilizing what we have learned in our classrooms. In assessment of this information, we have been well directed, and given time for reflection, so that we have become prepared in a big way to incorporate much of what we have learned in our classes.

                   Photo credit to J. F. Clay. Retrieved from Flickr on April 26, 2016.

                   Photo credit to US Department of Education. Retrieved from Flickr on April 26, 2016.

                   Photo credit to Penn State Law. Retrieved from Flickr on April 26, 2016.

    These photos are like the journey our nation has made over several decades. We started with desks and teachers, then we moved into classrooms with computers, and now we often see business and college classrooms loaded with technology. What will be next?

Resources:

[Classroom picture]. (2009, January 19). Retrieved April 26, 2016, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelaw/4074478013/in/photolist-7d3LmV-dh6wKJ-fDeyy7-fCUqnt-fCUqXR-fCWXbB-fCWZAD-fCUp8v-fCUnDX-fz1Br2-7PRDoF-9Vvu9v-9VyjPA-9VyjbA-9VyjvE-9VyjTf-9Vyj41-9Vvtxa-9Vvtmc-9VyiPG-8bdmTp-aA3fmG-6m6kmz-9wk9nE-fPgazB-9VvmGn-fPxH2s-9VvmpZ-9Vvn9c-9Vyc99-9VvmTc-9VvnrZ-9Vyd8y-mZqVhg-fPgapv-9Vydkj-9VvmyR-9VycoN-9wh8Gk-9Vycf9-9VydhG-9wh8Cx-mZsEeL-dNaoiR-mZsEhb-mZsDos-mZqXbr-axk7VN-mZqQxB-mZsFxN

Clay, J. F. (2009, December 10). Old School Room [Digital image]. Retrieved April 26, 2016, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesclay/4178670540/in/photolist-7nfMaN-6rAWgD-3QJ2W2-dezfEq-3JEMgg-7ykGtj-q725vD-ruCgZF-jasPSj-dezhf6-dGf99E-2wpccb-4AmYai-8FwL8f-d1opJh-8FtyVe-9Vvt94-9Vvtu4-2X64cT-ct87Au-d79ZWm-9wh8EK-9wk9nU-fCXgd4-d1VENG-9Vyd41-9VycBb-cuDNSy-9Vvn5B-9wk9oG-c8wqZQ-9Vvmjz-9VvmYe-fDcgdu-fDex85-fCUoMV-7FwPct-fCXgac-mZqVqT-9VycXS-d79SjE-nwu4Lq-fDePRf-c8x2xw-canmwh-fDcgfS-9chSab-p68YQL-fCUGVt-7PRBqt

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly

Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

US Department of Education. (2013, August 27). IMG03 [Digital image]. Retrieved April 26, 2016, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/departmentofed/9606671841/in/photolist-fCUGR8-fCWZHD-fDbYEh-fDewMJ-5poZvS-fCUquV-fCUGY2-fCWZP6-7PUWgY-fDeyCC-cigNHy-7d3LmV-dh6wKJ-fDeyy7-fCUqnt-fCUqXR-fCWXbB-fCWZAD-fCUp8v-fCUnDX-fz1Br2-7PRDoF-9Vvu9v-9VyjPA-9VyjbA-9VyjvE-9VyjTf-9Vyj41-9Vvtxa-9Vvtmc-9VyiPG-8bdmTp-aA3fmG-6m6kmz-9wk9nE-fPgazB-9VvmGn-fPxH2s-9VvmpZ-9Vvn9c-9Vyc99-9VvmTc-9VvnrZ-9Vyd8y-mZqVhg-fPgapv-9Vydkj-9VvmyR-9VycoN-9wh8Gk

Digital Blog #F

                 Maloy et al. (2013, pp. 146) also discussed the usefulness internet bookmarking. They point out how we tend to be distracted and easily sidetracked by visuals and other things that we find interesting, leading us away from what we were trying to find in the first place. As we all know, sometimes searching for what we want can be quite difficult, even though everything you want to know is on the internet now, but that is partly the problem now. Bookmarking saves time, keeps you from being distracted once you have found the pages you want, and saves time later when you want to return to that page. Any teacher knows that management, time, and organization are important to your saneness.

                Standards connector! What a great idea. Maloy et al. (2013, pp. 151) say that making a standards connector is a great way to get yourself prepared for the task of teaching. I completely agree with this idea. A standards connector is basically a special name for bookmarking according to the standards that you teach. When you find a useful site, you record that site next to the standard, so when you are ready to teach it, or need some quick review, you already have the websites available. They also state that you can have your class participate in connecting websites to the standard as well. Having the students would save you some time, especially if you set out guidelines for what they are looking for, and have seen many great examples. Another valuable resource/idea for a teacher that will make life simpler, especially in the long-run.

                Maloy et al. (2013, pp. 162) pointed out three things he believes makes a great educational website. The first is interactivity of the website, stating that interactions, whether demonstrations, searches, answerable questions, or analyzing data, etc., improves the learning of the participator. The second is exploration, and whether or not the user can take different pathways to learning, including different material. The last is engagement, and not only through the initial presentation, but also through storyline, mystery, characters that draw you in, or issues that are debatable. Knowing what to look for in a good website is helpful when trying to find sites for your class to use. You can save yourself from giving your class a website to use and then find out it’s not that great, because it’s missing one of these key elements, if you know what to look for from the start. I found this information useful. It’s also helpful to be reminded of these things, because even we can get side-tracked from the presentation, and not realize a lack somewhere else.

Click here for a chart for the above information made by Adam Short (2016).

Resources:

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly

Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Short, Adam (2016). Performed at www.gliffy.com