Again, I have been introduced to a new educational tool through this course. I am glad that I am not just being re-introduced to tools I’ve already used. Diigo is completely new to me. Diigo is a bookmarking site, similar to the "favorites" feature of most Internet browsers. The main difference is that Diigo can be accessed from any computer, because it is a Web 2.0 tool. Therefore, when you find a site that you know you’ll want to visit often, you can bookmark it to your Diigo account, and then access it from any computer anywhere. For this assignment, we were asked to find and bookmark 15 sites related to the field and then share our bookmarks with our class group. Not only did I find sites that were interesting to me, but my classmates also found sites that I can use. What a great collaboration tool!
This tool has great implications for educators who plan instruction while at home and at school. For example, while designing a unit on poetry for my 3rd grade students, I can look up and bookmark different media content related to poetry and famous poets. Then, at school, I can access my Diigo site and find my links to the content. Even further than that, I can share my findings to the other third grade teachers in the school, so that they can also use them in the classroom.
For staff development this coming year, we are supposed to spend a lot of time searching for helpful educational content that is technology-rich, such as PowerPoint slideshows, video clips, interactive sites, and more. I am going to create a collaborative group and suggest that each teacher have a Diigo account. Then, we can divide the units of study between us, and bookmark our findings so that we basically split the work. The best part is that all of our findings are bookmarked in Diigo for use in the following years. It’s like a modern day filing cabinet!
The only problem that I have with Diigo is that it is blocked by my school district's filter. I know that I can make a good argument for the use of Diigo in the school. Thus, I will request special permission to access the site from the school.
To see my Diigo account, and the list of bookmarks that I created for IT648, please click the following link: http://www.diigo.com/user/vgilbert
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Discussion #2: Web Page Design and Development
There are several important elements of designing a Website for teaching and learning. A cohesive and visually appealing layout is important because it will capture the user’s attention, but keep in mind that “less is more” as stated in the reading. Also, make sure the elements, such as the navigation menu of your site, are user-friendly. In the teaching and learning field, the most important consideration is the content, and the method of presenting the content. Make sure text is easy to read, and that the background doesn’t distract from readability. Also, you should use a variety of media (graphics, audio, video, etc.), but ensure that your use of such are relevant, and that they are compressed in common formats. Also, be mindful of copyrighted issues with your own work and work that you post.
The major components of a Web course would be cohesive design, site navigation, and content. As a course administrator I would spend a great deal on instructional design. I would make sure my design is simple, cohesive, and visually appealing. Too many times I have “walked away” from a site because it is eclectic and busy. Thus, I would ensure that my site grasps the viewer’s attention and maintains their attention during their visit. Also, I would ensure that the navigation of my site is user-friendly and that menus and sub-menus aren’t overwhelming. Again, the theme here is “simplistic.” Finally, I would ensure that my content is relevant, concise, and understandable. It would be up-to-date information and to the point, without wasting time and space on unwanted material. It will also be understandable, both in grammar structure and in visual appearance. Being a course website, I would make certain that the purpose and organization of the course are clearly communicated. Furthermore, I would promote student interaction, through discussion opportunities.
As for advice and suggestions: One thing I read in lecture notes that I felt was important is to have your site tested by different individuals using different Internet browsers. During this process, the testers may find errors or have their own suggestions for improvement. Also, be mindful of your audience. A Website geared for young children should be packaged much differently than one geared for graduate students. Finally, consider the amount of time you should spend in periodically revising and updating your site. When I designed a Website for our youth group several years ago, I “dropped the ball” when it came to site maintenance, and the site lost its appeal to our students. Therefore, I suggest taking the time to periodically evaluate your own site (as well as gain feedback from your site users), and make the necessary adjustments to your course or site.
The major components of a Web course would be cohesive design, site navigation, and content. As a course administrator I would spend a great deal on instructional design. I would make sure my design is simple, cohesive, and visually appealing. Too many times I have “walked away” from a site because it is eclectic and busy. Thus, I would ensure that my site grasps the viewer’s attention and maintains their attention during their visit. Also, I would ensure that the navigation of my site is user-friendly and that menus and sub-menus aren’t overwhelming. Again, the theme here is “simplistic.” Finally, I would ensure that my content is relevant, concise, and understandable. It would be up-to-date information and to the point, without wasting time and space on unwanted material. It will also be understandable, both in grammar structure and in visual appearance. Being a course website, I would make certain that the purpose and organization of the course are clearly communicated. Furthermore, I would promote student interaction, through discussion opportunities.
As for advice and suggestions: One thing I read in lecture notes that I felt was important is to have your site tested by different individuals using different Internet browsers. During this process, the testers may find errors or have their own suggestions for improvement. Also, be mindful of your audience. A Website geared for young children should be packaged much differently than one geared for graduate students. Finally, consider the amount of time you should spend in periodically revising and updating your site. When I designed a Website for our youth group several years ago, I “dropped the ball” when it came to site maintenance, and the site lost its appeal to our students. Therefore, I suggest taking the time to periodically evaluate your own site (as well as gain feedback from your site users), and make the necessary adjustments to your course or site.
Assignment #3: Twitter
I will be the first to admit that before now I have never been interested in Twitter. I joined Facebook years ago and thought that Twitter was just a duplicate of the status feature of FB. Even when friends encouraged me to join, I shrugged my shoulder and refused. Now that I have created a Twitter account and explored the site, I see that it has more implications than just status updates. I did enjoy interacting with my classmates on a different level, but I realize now, that’s not all Twitter can be use for. I am now interested in "following" certain people and organizations, not for social purposes, but for information. I especially found it interesting to follow news tweets and educational technology tweets. Twitter is a fascinating tool that allows me to stay up-to-date on current events and trends! I can see how it can be used for educational purposes, especially in high school. For example, a class studying the oil spill can follow news coverage from the coast. They can document changes and even compare different news agencies.
As a third grade teacher, I had to think creatively to come up with a practical educational use for twitter that would be safe for the students. One idea I had was to create a class twitter account that follows other elementary classrooms. I could have a daily “tweeter” who would be allowed to tweet the most exciting thing that happened that day. A great thing about twitter, then, is that it could help an educator teach “main idea” because the character limit keeps users from reporting unimportant details. For example, if I wanted a student to tweet about the day, he or she will have to think about the main event of the day and narrow down his or her response to one or two sentences.
My only concern with Twitter's use in education is getting through filters and blocks that protect schools from inappropriate Internet usage. Understanding its potential in education is the first step in getting it approved in schools, but close monitoring by the teacher is necessary to ensure proper usage. I will definitely attempt to gain approval in my school to use it this semester.
The following is a link to my twitter account: http://twitter.com/vgilbert01 Feel free to "follow" me if you wish!
As a third grade teacher, I had to think creatively to come up with a practical educational use for twitter that would be safe for the students. One idea I had was to create a class twitter account that follows other elementary classrooms. I could have a daily “tweeter” who would be allowed to tweet the most exciting thing that happened that day. A great thing about twitter, then, is that it could help an educator teach “main idea” because the character limit keeps users from reporting unimportant details. For example, if I wanted a student to tweet about the day, he or she will have to think about the main event of the day and narrow down his or her response to one or two sentences.
My only concern with Twitter's use in education is getting through filters and blocks that protect schools from inappropriate Internet usage. Understanding its potential in education is the first step in getting it approved in schools, but close monitoring by the teacher is necessary to ensure proper usage. I will definitely attempt to gain approval in my school to use it this semester.
The following is a link to my twitter account: http://twitter.com/vgilbert01 Feel free to "follow" me if you wish!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Discussion #1: Blog in Education
A web log, or blog, is an online journal that allows the user to post entries, on which subscribers to the blog can read and post comments. Since its conception in the late 90’s, it has grown into a popular tool for sharing information across the Internet.
Educators have taken advantage of this popularity and begun to use blogs as a teaching and learning tool. As a result, blogging in education has great impact on students, because it is something that is important to the students of today. I have been on both ends of the educational blogging world: as a teacher and as a student. As a student, I have found that blogging is a great reflective tool. It encourages us learners to use meta-cognition skills as we post our assignments and reflections to the Internet. Not to mention the excitement of reading comments from our peers! In my experience, I have learned more from reading the comments and reflections from peers than I would have in a traditional classroom setting.
As a teacher of 3rd grade, I have attempted to use blogging as a response to reading tool. For example, I will post a comprehension question and give the students an opportunity to respond. However, I have faced several challenges throughout my experience. One challenge is that my students are young and most of them are inexperienced on computers and the Internet. Luckily our school has a laptop computer lab, and I was able to use it to teach my class basic computer and Internet navigation skills. Once I got over that obstacle, I faced the challenge of third-grade grammar skills (or lack there-of). All of the responses were one or two sentence fragments with no punctuation or capitalization.
Another challenge to blogging in education is the student’s access to computer and Internet at home. I teach in a low socioeconomic area, so I was concerned about this possibility. Once I performed a technology survey on my students, I found that few of them even owned a computer, much less the Internet. Therefore, I was limited on assigning at-home computer based homework. To overcome that obstacle, I assigned Internet-based class work and allowed computer lab time to complete the assignment.
In my personal example, I simply used blogs in education as a response to text tool. However, blogs can have other implications in education. My classroom blog was completely teacher-administered, in other words, I controlled all action on the blog. Other educational blogs, like the one for IT648, are used as an educational portfolio, in which the student is the administrator of his or her own blog, but follows the assignment schedule set by the instructor. A third type of blog used in education is a fusion of the two types. This type of blog receives input from both the instructor and the students. Each type of educational blog has its place in the teaching and learning environment, but it is up to the instructor to decide which type of blog will be best for his or her class and purpose.
Educators have taken advantage of this popularity and begun to use blogs as a teaching and learning tool. As a result, blogging in education has great impact on students, because it is something that is important to the students of today. I have been on both ends of the educational blogging world: as a teacher and as a student. As a student, I have found that blogging is a great reflective tool. It encourages us learners to use meta-cognition skills as we post our assignments and reflections to the Internet. Not to mention the excitement of reading comments from our peers! In my experience, I have learned more from reading the comments and reflections from peers than I would have in a traditional classroom setting.
As a teacher of 3rd grade, I have attempted to use blogging as a response to reading tool. For example, I will post a comprehension question and give the students an opportunity to respond. However, I have faced several challenges throughout my experience. One challenge is that my students are young and most of them are inexperienced on computers and the Internet. Luckily our school has a laptop computer lab, and I was able to use it to teach my class basic computer and Internet navigation skills. Once I got over that obstacle, I faced the challenge of third-grade grammar skills (or lack there-of). All of the responses were one or two sentence fragments with no punctuation or capitalization.
Another challenge to blogging in education is the student’s access to computer and Internet at home. I teach in a low socioeconomic area, so I was concerned about this possibility. Once I performed a technology survey on my students, I found that few of them even owned a computer, much less the Internet. Therefore, I was limited on assigning at-home computer based homework. To overcome that obstacle, I assigned Internet-based class work and allowed computer lab time to complete the assignment.
In my personal example, I simply used blogs in education as a response to text tool. However, blogs can have other implications in education. My classroom blog was completely teacher-administered, in other words, I controlled all action on the blog. Other educational blogs, like the one for IT648, are used as an educational portfolio, in which the student is the administrator of his or her own blog, but follows the assignment schedule set by the instructor. A third type of blog used in education is a fusion of the two types. This type of blog receives input from both the instructor and the students. Each type of educational blog has its place in the teaching and learning environment, but it is up to the instructor to decide which type of blog will be best for his or her class and purpose.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Assignment #1: Web Searching
Part 1: Use the search engines to find 5 sources related to telecommunications in education. Then, browse through these 5 Web sites and write a review including the title, URL, and brief description of each site.
Part 2: Select 5 different search tools found in the Readings and Resources provided in the Search Tools unit. Then examine and compare these search tools. Write a brief report about these 5 search tools you selected in terms of their features, strengths, weakness, usefulness, and etc.
Reflection:
This particular assignment didn’t excite me when I first read the requirements, because I did not realize the importance of it. However, when I began my search for Part 1, and started to understand more about telecommunications in education, I began to see the necessity of knowing how to do an educational search, using a variety of search engines. It wasn’t a difficult assignment, but it was one that took time and attention. Not only did I happen upon useful sites, but I also gained experience in critically reviewing those sites for future use. I now have a short list of useful and educational Websites that I can visit when doing future research for projects, portfolios, research papers, and other. One thing that I learned that was most beneficial is to not only use the search engine to find websites, but also to use webpage links. Many organizations post “helpful links” or “related links” pages that broaden your search. Since this assignment, I have learned to follow the trail of helpful links in order to find just what I am looking for.
Part two of the assignment was intended to give us experience using different search engines. Before this assignment, I never knew that so many search tools existed, and for so many purposes. I was astonished at how each search engine brought up a completely different result list, even when using the same keyword search, such as “telecommunications in education.” For four of the search engines, I used traditional search tools, such as Google and Bing. But, for the fifth, I chose to use Mobile Visual Search because it was so intriguing! Mobile Visual Search is an engine for your mobile phone that claims it has the skill to recognize an image from your camera phone and retrieve important product information about that image.
This assignment was useful for my future goals in instructional technology. When faced with a research assignment in the future, I now know to use a variety of search engines in order to retrieve more information. I will use also use this information when searching for technology lesson plan ideas for my third grade classroom. By the end of this assignment, I was very aware of its implications and thankful for the experience.
The following is a link to my Google doc of Assignment #1: Assignment #1—Web searching.
Part 2: Select 5 different search tools found in the Readings and Resources provided in the Search Tools unit. Then examine and compare these search tools. Write a brief report about these 5 search tools you selected in terms of their features, strengths, weakness, usefulness, and etc.
Reflection:
This particular assignment didn’t excite me when I first read the requirements, because I did not realize the importance of it. However, when I began my search for Part 1, and started to understand more about telecommunications in education, I began to see the necessity of knowing how to do an educational search, using a variety of search engines. It wasn’t a difficult assignment, but it was one that took time and attention. Not only did I happen upon useful sites, but I also gained experience in critically reviewing those sites for future use. I now have a short list of useful and educational Websites that I can visit when doing future research for projects, portfolios, research papers, and other. One thing that I learned that was most beneficial is to not only use the search engine to find websites, but also to use webpage links. Many organizations post “helpful links” or “related links” pages that broaden your search. Since this assignment, I have learned to follow the trail of helpful links in order to find just what I am looking for.
Part two of the assignment was intended to give us experience using different search engines. Before this assignment, I never knew that so many search tools existed, and for so many purposes. I was astonished at how each search engine brought up a completely different result list, even when using the same keyword search, such as “telecommunications in education.” For four of the search engines, I used traditional search tools, such as Google and Bing. But, for the fifth, I chose to use Mobile Visual Search because it was so intriguing! Mobile Visual Search is an engine for your mobile phone that claims it has the skill to recognize an image from your camera phone and retrieve important product information about that image.
This assignment was useful for my future goals in instructional technology. When faced with a research assignment in the future, I now know to use a variety of search engines in order to retrieve more information. I will use also use this information when searching for technology lesson plan ideas for my third grade classroom. By the end of this assignment, I was very aware of its implications and thankful for the experience.
The following is a link to my Google doc of Assignment #1: Assignment #1—Web searching.
Introduction to MY BLOG/ Assignment #2
Welcome to my blogfolio. The contents of this blog include assignments and reflections that are required in Dr. Yuen's course, IT648: Telecommunications in Education. The posts are arranged in descending order, with the latest post at the top of the page.
I have created a blogfolio for a former class, and I can say that the greatest benefit of one is that I can now look back and review what I learned. Also, I found that if I reflect on an assignment, I reinforce to myself the experience of completing the assignment.
Another great tool of a blogfolio is the comment feature. Because I learn best by hands on experience and constructive criticism, I would love to read your comments as you view the different features and posts of this blog! Thank you for viewing.
I have created a blogfolio for a former class, and I can say that the greatest benefit of one is that I can now look back and review what I learned. Also, I found that if I reflect on an assignment, I reinforce to myself the experience of completing the assignment.
Another great tool of a blogfolio is the comment feature. Because I learn best by hands on experience and constructive criticism, I would love to read your comments as you view the different features and posts of this blog! Thank you for viewing.
Introduction to ME
Hello, my name is Valerie Gilbert and I am in my third semester of the Master's program in Instructional Technology. I am excited about all that this summer has to offer through the 4 courses I am taking (many of you are in other classes with me). I have a BS in Education from the University of Memphis and have taught 3rd grade, regular education for 3 years. I believe that technology education should start during early childhood education because our society is moving even more toward technology dependent lifestlyes, and it is now critical that children are exposed to the proper use of technology in order to hopefully prevent Internet misuse.
In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband of almost 5 years. He is a youth and children's minister, so much of our time is spent with our church family. We also love watching movies together and spending time with our 2 dogs. We live in McComb, MS, which is about an hour-and-a-half from the Hattiesburg campus, so I’m happy that all 4 of my classes are offered online this semester.
From this class, I hope to become more knowledgeable about telecommunications in education. I have looked ahead at the assignment descriptions and each assignment looks like a tool that I could use in teaching and learning. I trust that through this experience I will gain confidence in using Web 2.0 tools, so that I can easily demonstrate them to my students. I have many great expectations for this semester, and I know that this class will supercede them all!
In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband of almost 5 years. He is a youth and children's minister, so much of our time is spent with our church family. We also love watching movies together and spending time with our 2 dogs. We live in McComb, MS, which is about an hour-and-a-half from the Hattiesburg campus, so I’m happy that all 4 of my classes are offered online this semester.
From this class, I hope to become more knowledgeable about telecommunications in education. I have looked ahead at the assignment descriptions and each assignment looks like a tool that I could use in teaching and learning. I trust that through this experience I will gain confidence in using Web 2.0 tools, so that I can easily demonstrate them to my students. I have many great expectations for this semester, and I know that this class will supercede them all!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)