extra credit podcast

Powered by Podbean.com

post #5

I think the Internet is very useful to support research.  There are millions of sources at your students' fingertips.  Although, it is also hard to determine what sources are credible.  When doing a research project, finding reliable sources on the Internet is great because you can print out the article and high light the necessary information.  When you check-out a book from a library in order to high light the information you have to photocopy the source.  The Internet has some books available online that you can sometimes print.  The Internet is not useful when you want students to strictly use their own ideas.  They can always "google" the question and different cites will come up with other people's opinions.

In Palm Beach County, the school district has a website that has links of credible search engines that students should use.  They district funds these websites and makes them available for students to use in the classroom and at home.  Some of these cites include eLibrary, Literature Resource Center, SIRS Discover, and many more.  The school district filtered through many cites to find appropriate ones for students.  

It is very important to supervise students use of technology.  The Internet is filled with inappropriate websites that students could easily access.  In the classroom, schools usually block websites that are not suitable for students but there are ways around the system.  High school students are normally more technologically savvy than the teachers.  It is harder to monitor their Internet access but it can be done.  While in the classroom, teachers can walk around and make sure students are on task. You can keep a sign-in and out log for each computer to keep track of who researched each topic.    Also, they can check the computer history to see what websites have been logged on to and report the students who been using the Internet wrongly.  

post #4

Chapter 7 discusses using concept maps, outlines, and storyboards to develop presentations.  Audio, video, text, graphics, and animation also help enhance a presentation.  As a teacher I could use these elements with Inspiration, Powerpoint, and Podcasts.  I think it is important for information to be presented in a clear, organized manner in order for students to grasp the topic.  Inspiration organizes the information very neatly and is great for making concept maps that contain text and graphics.  

I would encourage my students to make concept maps and develop outlines.  Concept maps are great for studying as are outlines.  When you are reading in your textbook making outlines and concept maps are great note taking forms that you can use later on to study from.  You can also use these concept maps and outlines to create a research paper or narrative.  

I think that Inspiration is going to be a program I use a lot when I am a teacher.  It organizes information so clearly and displays it in a readable manner.  You can format the program to fit your specific needs for the lesson you are teaching.  Inspiration can also be taught in the classroom at the high school level.  I wish I had access to this program when I was in high school and making outlines and concept maps.

post #3

In a 4th grade language arts class I would use Inspiration to create an outline for essay prompts.  This is the year that students do FCAT Writes for the first time and need to learn how to pre-write their papers in a short period of time.  A web, or concept map, is a quick and efficient way to do a pre-write.   I will use Inspiration to make clear examples for the students to have a firm understanding on how to start their essays.

     

The website I am going to critique is Perez Hilton.  This website is easy to navigate and the information is organized.  The highlighted information is in the center of the web page.  The fonts and colors used are limited and readable.  The website uses a pink color scheme.  Graphics of celebrities discussed in the blurbs enhance the articles.  The website follows all of the rules of text.  The audience is women and girls who like to read celebrity gossip.  I think the website calls out to its audience beautifully.  

I think students should be able to use outside sources in their own works as long as it is cited and receives the credit it deserves.  Teachers can use outside sources for guidance on how to create their own lectures, tests, and assignments.  If an assignment seems extremely helpful for the lesson, I think it is okay for the teacher to use it in their class even if it is not their original idea.  As a student, we are not allowed to use materials without stating where we got the information from and who the original author is.  I don't think teachers have to justify their sources like students do.

post #2

I have learned many new skills so far in this class.  I was never taught how to use all the functions Microsoft Word has to offer.  I just taught myself as I created a document.  The new skills that I have acquired that I think will be useful in my educational career are mail merge, columns, tables, lists, and equations.  Mail merge was so fascinating.  I never knew that Microsoft Word had the capability of saving addresses and making personalized letters more efficient to send out to multiple people.  It is great for news letters, asking for classroom donations, and to send announcements to parents.  I always get confused when making columns, but today I finally figured out how to do it.  Columns, tables, and lists are a great ways to organize information and in a clear and readable manner.  The equations function on MS Word is very helpful.  It has the standard formula and the teacher just has to replace the numbers they want into the formula and they can create worksheets and tests.  

I use Microsoft word almost every day.  I use it to write papers, do homework assignments, copy and paste information, make signs, create banners for poster boards, and much more.  I have seen my teachers use MS Word to post assignments to Blackboard, type up hand-outs for the classroom, type up notes, and teach students MS Word skills.  

When I am a teacher I am going to use Microsoft Word to make newsletters, permission slips, worksheets, and decorations for my classroom.  I am going to use the Mail Merge to personalize letters to parents.  MS Word is a great tool for teachers and students.  It is very user-friendly and has so many options.