Why are digital media and educational software applications important for education?
According to Cashman et al. (2008), "Interactive digital media allows students to define their own learning paths, investigate topics in depth, and get immediate feedback from their exploration activities" (p. 271). Digital media allow our children to speak in their own native language. Our children are familiar with using multimedia for visiting with friends or learning a new skill using one of the many websites available to them. Using traditional methods only stifle the learning process for these children who have been raised speaking digital. Educational software applications allow students to "examine their skills in a risk-free environment" and provide "instant feedback, testing, and review" (p. 288). These software applications are often aligned with state standards and allow the teacher to engage the learner in a familiar way and offer the most creative learning to occur.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Werkhesier--Chapter 2
P. 121/Exercise 1
According to http://www.newdream.org/, people in America spend lots of money disposing of unwanted paper waste. Americans use "more than 100 million trees' worth of bulk mail" and we could fill "450,000 garbage trucks" with this paper waste. Most of this waste is not recycled and is disposed of using taxpayers dollars. California spent "$500,000" per year disposing of those disks for free internet service. This website proposes to rid America of this waste by recycling and telling these bulk mailers that we no longer want their trash. We would all send a clear message if we would write to these various junk mailers and tell them that we want them to stop killing trees and using them to fill our mailboxes with useless trash.
According to http://www.newdream.org/, people in America spend lots of money disposing of unwanted paper waste. Americans use "more than 100 million trees' worth of bulk mail" and we could fill "450,000 garbage trucks" with this paper waste. Most of this waste is not recycled and is disposed of using taxpayers dollars. California spent "$500,000" per year disposing of those disks for free internet service. This website proposes to rid America of this waste by recycling and telling these bulk mailers that we no longer want their trash. We would all send a clear message if we would write to these various junk mailers and tell them that we want them to stop killing trees and using them to fill our mailboxes with useless trash.
Werkheiser--Chapter 4
Desktop--Uses, strategies, & challenges of use in school
Laptop--Uses, strategies, & challenges of use in school
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
5306Werkheiser-Chapter 1
In reading about the classroom described on pages 25-30 at the end of chapter 1, I couldn’t help, but think of how it compared to the technology in my district. Ridgedale High School uses technology in many different aspects of their daily activities. Several different people associated with the school were able to utilize technology to make their jobs easier and more efficient. At Port Neches High School, the principal as well as many other teachers and paraprofessionals are accessible via e-mail. I collaborate with many teachers in my department using e-mail on a daily basis. All teachers use a software program called Skyward to check attendance each class period and the attendance clerks will also use the software to monitor student attendance patterns and take appropriate action. We have three computer labs with thirty computers as well as a mobile lab for teachers to use for student projects. The computer labs are located so that all teachers have access. The mobile lab is available for check-out thru the library and provides teachers the opportunity to allow students to learn using mobile technology. Every classroom is equipped with at least one internet ready computer for teacher use. Our technology coordinator for the district constantly inform the teachers in our district about new and changing technology by sending a technology newsletter via e-mail every month. In the science department we have two interactive white boards and two Activboards. We definitely need a projector in every classroom with a type of interactive hardware for students to utilize on a frequent basis. This year, we will be offering parents more access than they usually have with just the school website and weekly bulletin access. Every teacher is required to have a website this year so parents will be able to interact more frequently with all teachers. The district is using School Fusion as well as offer parent interactive access to their child’s information and grades using parent access thru Skyward. I would absolutely love to find a way to involve the community the way Ridgedale High School did in the example. I would also like to have a media center as Ridgedale does so students and possibly parents could have access to technology.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Information Acquisition--Werkheiser
http://www.askjeeves.com/
TEK 5(c) The student is expected to use on-line help and other documentation.
Authority--2
Using the contact button at the bottom of the page, students can access information about ask.com as well as contact people who work for the organization.
Affiliation--2
This site is sponsored by ask.com, which is a corporate company. It does not list an affiliation with a larger institution.
Purpose--4
The purpose is clearly stated. This web site is aimed at helping students find information using the internet to search.
Objectivity--4
There is no advertising on the home page at all. It does not present bias.
Content--4
The site is well organized. It allows students to narrow or expand a search after the inital question is asked. It also prompts students with possible questions as they are asking their initial question. This helps when students do not know how to phrase their question.
Learning Process--4
The site returns many search results as well as allows students to refine or expand searches. This will demand that the student critically evaluate possible sources and refine their question to find the information needed.
Audience--4
The site is easy for students to navigate. It uses language that students can understand.
Currency--4
The site is updated daily.
Design--4
The home page is designed cleanly and allows for minimal distractions. The page loads easily.
Subsequent pages with possible information links is also easily searched and navigated.
TEK 5(c) The student is expected to use on-line help and other documentation.
Authority--2
Using the contact button at the bottom of the page, students can access information about ask.com as well as contact people who work for the organization.
Affiliation--2
This site is sponsored by ask.com, which is a corporate company. It does not list an affiliation with a larger institution.
Purpose--4
The purpose is clearly stated. This web site is aimed at helping students find information using the internet to search.
Objectivity--4
There is no advertising on the home page at all. It does not present bias.
Content--4
The site is well organized. It allows students to narrow or expand a search after the inital question is asked. It also prompts students with possible questions as they are asking their initial question. This helps when students do not know how to phrase their question.
Learning Process--4
The site returns many search results as well as allows students to refine or expand searches. This will demand that the student critically evaluate possible sources and refine their question to find the information needed.
Audience--4
The site is easy for students to navigate. It uses language that students can understand.
Currency--4
The site is updated daily.
Design--4
The home page is designed cleanly and allows for minimal distractions. The page loads easily.
Subsequent pages with possible information links is also easily searched and navigated.
Solving Problems-Werkheiser
http://froggy.lbl.gov/
TEK 7(H) The student is expected to use interactive virtual environments, appropriate to level, such as virtual realtiy or simulations.
Authority--3
The site lists two authors to contact, but their credentials are not obvious
Affiliation--4
This website is affiliated Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as part of the U.S. Department of Energy.
Purpose--4
The site is aimed at utilizing technology to aid in teaching anatomy. Students will be challenged to utilize technology to enhance learning that took place in the lab setting.
Objectivity--4
This site is sponsored by a government agency and is void of advertisement and extraneous information.
Content--4
This site is full of information and links for interacting with the site and using virtual reality to learn about frog anatomy.
Learning Process--4
The information is challenging and will force the learner to use higher-order thinking skills to learn the material presented.
Audience--4
The website is loaded with valuable information that is written on a level that middle school students may struggle with, but high school students will definitely understand.
Currency--4
The page was last mofidifed on 07/01/08
Design--3
The site does load well, but is full of words. It could be set up so that it is more student friendly.
TEK 7(H) The student is expected to use interactive virtual environments, appropriate to level, such as virtual realtiy or simulations.
Authority--3
The site lists two authors to contact, but their credentials are not obvious
Affiliation--4
This website is affiliated Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as part of the U.S. Department of Energy.
Purpose--4
The site is aimed at utilizing technology to aid in teaching anatomy. Students will be challenged to utilize technology to enhance learning that took place in the lab setting.
Objectivity--4
This site is sponsored by a government agency and is void of advertisement and extraneous information.
Content--4
This site is full of information and links for interacting with the site and using virtual reality to learn about frog anatomy.
Learning Process--4
The information is challenging and will force the learner to use higher-order thinking skills to learn the material presented.
Audience--4
The website is loaded with valuable information that is written on a level that middle school students may struggle with, but high school students will definitely understand.
Currency--4
The page was last mofidifed on 07/01/08
Design--3
The site does load well, but is full of words. It could be set up so that it is more student friendly.
Communications-Werkheiser
http://www.gcast.com/
TEK11(A) The student is expected to publish information in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, printed copy, monitor display, Internet documents, and video.
Authority--2
Gcast is run by garageband.com and it does have an e-mail contact, but no author is listed.
Affiliation--2
Again Gcast is run by garageband.com who is in turn run by ilike.com. Ilike.com is a social music site.
Purpose--4
The website states' "Our goal with Gcast is to make personal broadcasting simple. In pursuing these goals we hope to democratize both music and media."
Objectivity--4
This website offers an opportunity for students to use the cell phone that is stuck to their hand to create a podcast.
Content--3
I feel this website should be more user friendly. It is not hard to publish a podcast using their telephone number, but it could offer more explanations.
Learning Process--4
It allows students to publish a podcast using the one tool that is most familiar to most students. The podcast still needs to be well written and organized before they ever call in.
Audience--4
They make it so very easy to publish a podcast using a telephone. It can't be any easier.
Currency--1
This site is dated 2005-2006. It does need an update.
Design--3
It is easy to read and loads quickly, but it could be more visually engaging.
TEK11(A) The student is expected to publish information in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, printed copy, monitor display, Internet documents, and video.
Authority--2
Gcast is run by garageband.com and it does have an e-mail contact, but no author is listed.
Affiliation--2
Again Gcast is run by garageband.com who is in turn run by ilike.com. Ilike.com is a social music site.
Purpose--4
The website states' "Our goal with Gcast is to make personal broadcasting simple. In pursuing these goals we hope to democratize both music and media."
Objectivity--4
This website offers an opportunity for students to use the cell phone that is stuck to their hand to create a podcast.
Content--3
I feel this website should be more user friendly. It is not hard to publish a podcast using their telephone number, but it could offer more explanations.
Learning Process--4
It allows students to publish a podcast using the one tool that is most familiar to most students. The podcast still needs to be well written and organized before they ever call in.
Audience--4
They make it so very easy to publish a podcast using a telephone. It can't be any easier.
Currency--1
This site is dated 2005-2006. It does need an update.
Design--3
It is easy to read and loads quickly, but it could be more visually engaging.
Foundations--Werkheiser
http://www.powertyping.com/
TEKS-2(B) Students are expected to demonstrate keyboarding proficiency in technique and posture while building speed.
Authority--Level 2
You can click on the link to contact us, but who is us? There are no author or credentials listed. The only contact person listed is PowerTyping.
Affiliation--Level 1
There is no institution associated with this website. The only company listed is PowerTyping.
Purpose--Level 4
There are 5 games that address typing correctly. It is clear that the purpose of the website is to offer tutorials for the differences between Qwerty and Dvorak keyboarding. It also offers a typing test to gauge your words per minute (WPM).
Content--Level 3
All of the links work, but the site it not well organized. You can find information, but you have to look. Students will have problems with Qwerty and Dvorak verbage. The games are very effective and meet my objective.
Learning Process--Level 2
This site does offer interesting information on the two types of keyboards, but they are here to learn proficiency in technique.
Audience--Level 3
The web pages are written at an appropriate level for 8th graders, but not all of the information is useful.
Currency--Level 1
No date could be located on this website for currency.
Design--Level 3
This site does load fairly quickly, but the graphics are confusing. You are not sure if you are supposed to click Qwerty or Dvorak to play a game. The words typing games are in the middle of the page can be confusing.
TEKS-2(B) Students are expected to demonstrate keyboarding proficiency in technique and posture while building speed.
Authority--Level 2
You can click on the link to contact us, but who is us? There are no author or credentials listed. The only contact person listed is PowerTyping.
Affiliation--Level 1
There is no institution associated with this website. The only company listed is PowerTyping.
Purpose--Level 4
There are 5 games that address typing correctly. It is clear that the purpose of the website is to offer tutorials for the differences between Qwerty and Dvorak keyboarding. It also offers a typing test to gauge your words per minute (WPM).
Content--Level 3
All of the links work, but the site it not well organized. You can find information, but you have to look. Students will have problems with Qwerty and Dvorak verbage. The games are very effective and meet my objective.
Learning Process--Level 2
This site does offer interesting information on the two types of keyboards, but they are here to learn proficiency in technique.
Audience--Level 3
The web pages are written at an appropriate level for 8th graders, but not all of the information is useful.
Currency--Level 1
No date could be located on this website for currency.
Design--Level 3
This site does load fairly quickly, but the graphics are confusing. You are not sure if you are supposed to click Qwerty or Dvorak to play a game. The words typing games are in the middle of the page can be confusing.
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