Final Course Reflection

Throughout the course of IT 365 at The University of Southern Mississippi, I learned quite a bit of technology based information. I learned that there are a ton of free websites out there that can assist a teacher in about almost anything.  There are websites that help a teacher determine if a student has plagiarized. There is websites that can assist the teacher in creating puzzles or tests. There is even websites out there that assist a teacher in builder their own website for parents and students to utilize and receive classroom information without going through the hassle of calling or waiting for an email. I also learned that Windows has a variety of different tools that can aid a student or teacher based on his or her needs. One can enlarge the screen, use an on the screen keyboard, or even change the color contrast on the computer. I also learned how to use kidspiration, which is a very helpful program that allows for one lesson to be all on one concept map. Links from the internet can be included into these maps such as websites that correlate to the lesson or you tube videos. This program can be very useful within a classroom. The windows movie maker was also interesting. I really enjoyed learning how to use that because, not only can it be used in a classroom, but anyone can use it to create personal memories.

I have several strong points as well as several weak points. My strong points would obviously be navigating through Google and what it has to offer. I would also they that I am good with using a computer’s basic functions. My weak points would be dealing with the windows options and settings as well as the teacher website. I think that after I start using these features a bit more, and navigating through them just to get to know them a little bit more, I will become better at utilizing these tools.

I plan on integrating technology within my classroom by using all of these resources. These websites, features, and programs all can be useful as long as I learn how to use them efficiently. They are basically cheats for a teacher. It is a way for the teachers work load to be lessened because he or she will not spend as much time preparing things for the students to do.

Overall, I learned a lot from this class. It was fun and interesting.
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Assistive Technology

Assistive technology is basically what the computer someone has has to offer. Windows contains a ton of different features that assist a person who has difficulty viewing a computers screen. For example, under the settings in windows there is a way to enlarge the text. There are a ton of different things you can do to windows to fit the needs of the user. For our school assignment we had to go through a long sheet of paper telling us how to do different things such as enlarging a text, changing the text and background color. Etc. We had to take several different screen shots and incorporated them in to one large PowerPoint. This can allow for a teacher to differentiate instruction as well. For example, we had a part during our assignment where we had to get clip art, and make it to where good sounds and visuals we seen and heard depending on whether a student was visually impaired or they had a hard d time hearing. The NETS-T standard that it conveys the best is also 2c. This standard says that the teacher should customize and personalize learning activities to address students; diverse learning styles. The assistive technology does just that. It differentiates instruction based on the students within a classroom.

 

TurnItin

 

Turn it in is a site that teachers can use to determine if their students have plagiarized or not. My assignment was to use the assigned webpages to develop 2 essays that answer some questions my teacher had come up with. The first essay was to copy and paste every bit of my answers and then use the turnitin drop box to turn the paper in. Once the paper was turned in, it old you what percent of the paper were plagiarized. Of course, my first essay had like an 88% plagiarized. The second paper however was a little bit different. We had to summarize and create a paper that told the same information, but we did not copy and paste, instead we retold in our own words. Once I turned my paper in, it had 0% plagiarized. This Website showed me exactly what happens when the teachers use this site to have students electronically submit a paper.

The NETS-T standards that it correlates to would have to be 4a. The standard states to advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, I including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources. The turnitit site allows just that. It represents the proper way to write a paper. The students have the ability to create a correctly documented paper by citations. The teachers need to enforce that it is illegal to plagiarize without using correct documentation.

 



https://sites.google.com/site/mrskirchnersclassroom/


This website allowed for me to create my own teacher website. I could share any information that I wanted such as due dates, calendars, directions, notes, personal information, and contact information. This Website is an easy and effective way to build a website. You go step by step. Once you get the hang of how it works and where certain navigation buttons are, it is easy. I will be using this when I get my own classroom. The teachers can put an email link. The teacher can maybe even somehow incorporate a password/login for the parents to log on a view their child’s grades. This website is great. They even have it to where the teacher can build their own from start to finish or pick out one that is already made for you.  It is an effective way to keep in touch with the parents as well as the students. The NETS-T standard that this correlates with the best would have to be standard 4c. The standard states to promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information. This is a perfect match. The teacher can exhibit proper etiquette and communicate effectively by giving information to the parents and the students by the use of technology.

Google Groups - Goldie Fly's

There once was a little eagle named Goldie.  Goldie wanted to learn how to fly so bad, but his mom and dad would not teach him.  So one day after Goldie’s morning meal he decided he would stand on the edge of the nest and teach himself how to fly.  (Haylee Herndon)

Goldie stood on the edge of the nest. He started to flap his wings continuously. He flapped his wings as hard as he could, until he was lifted a few inches off the nest. Goldie started to go higher and higher. He flapped his wings faster and faster He was going straight up in the air.  (Mary Kirchner)

Goldie was amazed that he was flying on his own, until suddenly he began to fall downward.  Goldie was so frightened he did not know what to do.  He was scared and alone and could barely keep himself up in the air.  Goldie was sinking fast and before long he was going to collide with the ground.  He only had so much energy left in his tiny little wings.  Suddenly Goldie heard something flying towards him, he was afraid that it might be a hawk that his parents had warned him about but he hoped that it was one of his parents. (Hayley Kavanagh)

With his eyes fixed to the ground that was getting closer and closer, all of sudden something  grabbed Goldie and pulled him back up towards the sky. He tried to look up and see what had grabbed hold of him but he could not see who it was, or what it was. At that moment, Goldie closed his eyes and told himself that if only he could be back in his nest with his parents he would never try to fly again. Whatever it was that had hold of him landed, and when Goldie opened his eyes it was his mother and he was back in his family’s nest. The first words he spoke to his mother was his promise to never to try to fly again, but his mother told him that he is suppose to fly, because that is what birds are suppose to do, but you have a lot to learn and I must teach you all the things you need to learn before you are ready. When the time is right you will fly! (Robin Herndon)

I enjoyed this creative assignment. The ability to have multiple students working on the same document without being crowded around a computer together is amazing. I would have my students write throughout the year and then publish the book for them to keep with them always when they finish my class. Very inspiring! You can also use this to keep up with assignments, questions for all students to view, as well as a tool for new ideas pertaining to an assignment and students to modify each others work without sending and receiving hard copies due to the document automatically updating.The NETS-T Standard that this exhibits the best would have to be 1d. To model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in fact to face and virutal enviornment. Google groups was a way for students all in one group to communicate via google to create a story. The group could also communicate face to face.

A Little Piece of Heaven!!

My video is a bunch of photos of my little boy. The photos show the period of time in which he was born until now. He is one. I chose the song "Dont Blink" by Kenny Chesney because the song ties my pictures together by revealing how quickly a little one can grow up. This video is a great reminder to have expecially for my little boy when he is not so little anymore. (:
Window movie maker is the tool I used in order to create this little album of memories. This tool could also be used in a general education classroom. For example, teachers could use windows movie maker to reflect the time the students had throughout the year for an end of the year presentation to the parents. The students could also use this tool as well. If all students has access to this tool (school library), perhaps the students could create a movie for an assignment or for their parents. Overall, Windows movie maker is fun. Students and teachers can be creative.
This video maker also can correlate with the NETS-T. The standards that I feel it fits best with is also 2a. This video maker will be a great way for students to open up, build self confidence, and develop a creativity. It is a great technology that students can use to learn from.

Web Tools

The web tools I used to create a test, puzzle, rubric, and print a worksheet, I thought, are going to be very valuable when I become a teacher. These tools are very helpful when it comes to quickly creating an activity. It cuts down the time I will be spending at my computer creating these documents. What is even greater about these four web tools is that these websites are free to use for the most part. I downloaded simple math worksheets. I created a word puzzle that was just for fun. I created a rubric which was almost completed for me, and I made a math test. There was a variety of different options I could have used with each website. I could of made any type of puzzle even a word search. It literally took five minutes. I could of picked any worksheets for any subject. My test could have been in a variety of formats such as true/false or multiple choices. It was simple. The hardest part is going to be memorizing my user names and passwords. :) I loved them. They will be very useful in my career to come. I am going to list the links below.

The NETS-T Standard that these websites introduce, I think is, 2c. The standard states to customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources. All of these websites have many options. There is a variety of different puzzles the students could do. There is multiple choice, short answer, and discussion. Each of these options can be done by the teacher based on how the students each learn best.

 

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

http://www.classmarker.com/
http://www.abcteach.com
http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/

Here is a picture of what my Puzzle looked like :)