While I am appreciative to have had the experiences that this class offered, I cannot say that I will miss the pressures and anxiety of being so outside my comfort zone when it came to technology. The amount of new vocabulary was the biggest cause for frustration because without it, you couldn't completely understand the concepts, but because there were so many new words, simply understanding their meanings became the primary focus.
I am sure that in time some of the material will resurface and I will be able to pull from my background knowledge, created by this course.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Back It Up!
There was a lot of new information that I got out of last week's class. While I was always aware of anti-virus software and the need for it, I don't know that I gave it the attention and appreciation that it deserved. Back when I used a PC laptop, my understanding of what my responsibilities were for keeping my equipment safe and secure was very naive. I had Norton Anti-Virus software installed on my computer and ran it weekly, and even had spyware software installed. However, I don't think that I really understood what my responsibilities were, after the software had run and done it's job. I absolutely have a better understanding of what my role is in keeping my computer protected and how that is supposed to work.
The one piece of information that I am really implementing into my life, effective immediately, are my backup procedures. I have been doing a much better job backing up my documents and files on an external hard drive on a more regular schedule, as well as using an online storage service (Dropbox). Using Dropbox has provided me with a huge sense of comfort, knowing that I can simply drag a document into the folder and the cloud technologies allow me to access that document instantly on any other computer that has Dropbox downloaded or has access to the Internet, so that I can log on to my account. I am very grateful to have learned about these topics in more detail and at a time in my life where I can appreciate them and understand the impact of losing certain material.
The one piece of information that I am really implementing into my life, effective immediately, are my backup procedures. I have been doing a much better job backing up my documents and files on an external hard drive on a more regular schedule, as well as using an online storage service (Dropbox). Using Dropbox has provided me with a huge sense of comfort, knowing that I can simply drag a document into the folder and the cloud technologies allow me to access that document instantly on any other computer that has Dropbox downloaded or has access to the Internet, so that I can log on to my account. I am very grateful to have learned about these topics in more detail and at a time in my life where I can appreciate them and understand the impact of losing certain material.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
A Mixed Bag...
Right now my feelings toward this class are quite mixed. My comfort with technology has always been strong, just as long as the conversation didn't get too technical. Well, guess what? It got technical! When the conversation turns from how to use it, to how it works, my stomach churns a little. I have always learned as much as I could about the "how to use it" but shied away from learning too much about how the technology worked. I want to clarify that this isn't because I don't want to know the specifics of how to the tools that I love using actually work, but more so because just becoming confident in using them is a process in itself. Learning the components of a tool or piece of software, options I have with each, how to implement it in my class, is it a teacher tool, student/teacher tool, or a student tool, and countless other questions, plus the other day-to-day thoughts and concerns with my students and lessons. I welcome the chance to learn more about the bones of the tools that I have come to love to use in my teaching, but also overwhelmed with the amount of new information that is constantly pouring into my brain.
The virus investigation was interesting for me because I am a Mac user who has been one of those people who thought, "it's a Mac, it can't get a virus." It was shocking to see how many antivirus programs are out there for a computer that is pretty safe when it comes to viruses. I also feel more knowledgeable when it comes to the amount of virus protection options there are for PC's, should we chose to purchase a PC the next time we are in the market. Norton has always been the protection of choice, but looking back on it, mostly due to the lack of knowledge on other products and simply trusting the product without doing much additional research on quality, performance, or other options.
The virus investigation was interesting for me because I am a Mac user who has been one of those people who thought, "it's a Mac, it can't get a virus." It was shocking to see how many antivirus programs are out there for a computer that is pretty safe when it comes to viruses. I also feel more knowledgeable when it comes to the amount of virus protection options there are for PC's, should we chose to purchase a PC the next time we are in the market. Norton has always been the protection of choice, but looking back on it, mostly due to the lack of knowledge on other products and simply trusting the product without doing much additional research on quality, performance, or other options.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Back In The Day...
My memories of using computers in school don't appear until my 5th grade year. Even then, the only true memory I have of using computers was when we would use KidPix software and create magical works of art on the screen (and of course, follow it up with the "KABOOM!" of the dynamite clearing tool). Middle school is much of the same. One research project comes to mind were we got to experience the new and innovative "Encrata" encyclopedia. And of course, you can't forget the great "Oregon Trail" program. That was the highlight of the 6th grade social studies curriculum.
When I was in 9th grade, my family got our very first computer. It was quite the treat. Again, I am very fuzzy on any of the specifics of the machine, other than it being a PC and that dial-up Internet brought the World Wide Web into our house. Even through high school, there it doesn't seem that computers were used for much other than word processing and simplistic research. Before I went to college in 2001, I got my own Dell desktop computer. It was a great computer and I had very few problems with it until the 5th year I owned it. By that time I was nearing the end of my college career and decided to move on to smaller and better. My next computer was an HP laptop. This machine was very dependable and served me well for many years and was my sidekick during two online courses (2000 and 2008). Now knowing more about maintaining technology, it has become apparent that the lack of updating and other maintenance could have been much better and would have resulted in my computer(s) working better and longer. My school district is a Mac school, so in the classroom and labs we have iMacs and several of the staff members (including myself) were given MacBooks to use. With all the changes technology goes through, one can only guess at what comes next.
When I was in 9th grade, my family got our very first computer. It was quite the treat. Again, I am very fuzzy on any of the specifics of the machine, other than it being a PC and that dial-up Internet brought the World Wide Web into our house. Even through high school, there it doesn't seem that computers were used for much other than word processing and simplistic research. Before I went to college in 2001, I got my own Dell desktop computer. It was a great computer and I had very few problems with it until the 5th year I owned it. By that time I was nearing the end of my college career and decided to move on to smaller and better. My next computer was an HP laptop. This machine was very dependable and served me well for many years and was my sidekick during two online courses (2000 and 2008). Now knowing more about maintaining technology, it has become apparent that the lack of updating and other maintenance could have been much better and would have resulted in my computer(s) working better and longer. My school district is a Mac school, so in the classroom and labs we have iMacs and several of the staff members (including myself) were given MacBooks to use. With all the changes technology goes through, one can only guess at what comes next.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Where To Start?
My brain never has a shortage of awesome things that I want to implement into my teaching and/or classroom. These ideas come from my own brain, through conversations with teammates and coworkers, through supplemental research, and now, from my Masters classes.
I have added a new component to my classroom blog by giving students another way of participating with it. Since they still aren't ready to write entries that we will post to the blog, I have started putting up a "Question of the Day" several times throughout the week. Students can go on the blog at home (which is encouraged) and can submit an answer for their peers and myself to see and possibly respond to. If students don't have the ability to access the blog at home, they are able to go onto the blog during some of our computer time at school so that they can participate.
Since having my own experience with Skype this past week, I feel much more comfortable setting this up and using it in my classroom. The simplicity of Skype makes it very easy to want to use because it doesn't take a lot of setup or time to learn how to facilitate. During a recent committee meeting at our school that is focused around technology, a coworker suggested that we use Skype to broadcast our morning announcements. This would bring a new and fresh way of delivering the announcements and add a new spark of excitement for the students. I also feel that by allowing students to see those students who are participating in the announcements (ie: saying the Pledge of Allegiance, sharing Student Council information, and any other student participation opportunities) it will create a better sense of community throughout the school because students will be able to put a name with a face and feel a connection to each other. I am excited to see if we can get this accomplished this year.
I would really like to find a way to use Google Docs with my students, but there are a few "privacy and privilege" concerns that need to be looked into carefully and then I will really look at how I want to use the tool (possibly for weekly spelling tests or spelling practice).
I have added a new component to my classroom blog by giving students another way of participating with it. Since they still aren't ready to write entries that we will post to the blog, I have started putting up a "Question of the Day" several times throughout the week. Students can go on the blog at home (which is encouraged) and can submit an answer for their peers and myself to see and possibly respond to. If students don't have the ability to access the blog at home, they are able to go onto the blog during some of our computer time at school so that they can participate.
Since having my own experience with Skype this past week, I feel much more comfortable setting this up and using it in my classroom. The simplicity of Skype makes it very easy to want to use because it doesn't take a lot of setup or time to learn how to facilitate. During a recent committee meeting at our school that is focused around technology, a coworker suggested that we use Skype to broadcast our morning announcements. This would bring a new and fresh way of delivering the announcements and add a new spark of excitement for the students. I also feel that by allowing students to see those students who are participating in the announcements (ie: saying the Pledge of Allegiance, sharing Student Council information, and any other student participation opportunities) it will create a better sense of community throughout the school because students will be able to put a name with a face and feel a connection to each other. I am excited to see if we can get this accomplished this year.
I would really like to find a way to use Google Docs with my students, but there are a few "privacy and privilege" concerns that need to be looked into carefully and then I will really look at how I want to use the tool (possibly for weekly spelling tests or spelling practice).
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Wonderful World of Technology
I always thought of myself as someone who was fairly knowledgeable and secure with my capabilities when it came to technology. After Thursday night's class, I definitely took a step back and questioned how much I really knew. While I am always looking for new ways to incorporate technology into the classroom, that search often includes blinders. I look for things that are marketed towards schools, kids, and learning, instead of looking at technology options as a whole and asking how it can be tailored towards students.
In my classroom, I am extremely fortunate to have an Activboard to help facilitate instruction with the inclusion of technology on a daily basis. We also have student response systems that can be used for tests, polls, and as another way for students to participate in class discussions. These tools have opened up so many opportunities for my students. We have also started a classroom blog and share the latest classroom updates and activities with our families. The students have had a chance to participate by sharing photographs and quotes about certain activities that we have done. Our goal is to start writing a weekly post about our week together so that they can see how the process develops and to experience writing through a different medium. After being exposed to using Google Docs for class, I have developed a quick interest in looking into how I can use this within my own teaching.
Till next time...
In my classroom, I am extremely fortunate to have an Activboard to help facilitate instruction with the inclusion of technology on a daily basis. We also have student response systems that can be used for tests, polls, and as another way for students to participate in class discussions. These tools have opened up so many opportunities for my students. We have also started a classroom blog and share the latest classroom updates and activities with our families. The students have had a chance to participate by sharing photographs and quotes about certain activities that we have done. Our goal is to start writing a weekly post about our week together so that they can see how the process develops and to experience writing through a different medium. After being exposed to using Google Docs for class, I have developed a quick interest in looking into how I can use this within my own teaching.
Till next time...
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