Journal #4- If you give a kid a camera...

Campbell, L. (2012). If you give a kid a camera.. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(5), 30-33. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx

Summary:

The article “If You Give a Kid a Video Camera” by Laurie O. Campbell illustrates the power of incorporating technology in the classroom and the fruits it can render when used appropriately.  Campbell begins with the simple, yet innovating, idea of using video cameras in education.  She states, “If you give a student a personal mobile device, such as a video camera, he will want to use it to learn more.”  Throughout the article, Campbell shares her philosophy that students are eager to learn; they just need an opportunity to demonstrate their eagerness to acquire new knowledge.  Using a video camera to foster learning is possible as it is visible in the numerous videos that are uploaded to websites like YouTube by children on a weekly basis.  Campbell goes on to state that to successfully use this piece of technology in the classroom and help students achieve the greatest level of learning a teacher must first establish a plan.  In other words, educators should first find a purpose or area where video recording can be applied.  There are no limits to the subject areas in which video recording can be used because as Campbell points out such technology can be easily applied in history, language arts, science, and math.       

Question 1:

Will mobile devices be available at my school for student use?

Using video cameras in education is a very refreshing idea and one that can work.  However, it is important to keep in mind that not all schools have the funds to purchase video cameras for student use.  Although students might have their own personal video camera or smart phone with the ability to record video as an educator you can expect every student to have such piece of technology.  Despite all the bumps in the road which an educator might encounter, the possession of just one video camera can allow for learning to occur.  I believe that the greatest obstacle which an educator can encounter is finding the appropriate way to incorporate the video in lessons because it takes planning.  

Question 2:

Can video recording promote global learning?

Before reading Campbell’s article, I did not imagine how video recording could promote global learning but it is possible.  As Campbell explains in her article, video recording grants students that may not be in the same region (state, country, continent) the opportunity to communicate and learn about distinct cultures and ways of life.  This means, that students in San Marcos, California could easily connect and share their life experience with students residing in Japan.        

Journal #3: More than words can say infographics

Krauss, J. (2012). More than words can say infographics. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(5), 10-14. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx

Summary:

Jane Krauss the author of “Infographics More than Words Can Say” presents the important role which infographics play in education.  The article begins by introducing the reader to infographics.  Krauss states that infographics “represent data and ideas visually, in pictures, engaging more parts of the brain to look at a problem from more than one angle”.   In other words, infographics present data in a visual manner to the observer.  The observer of such visual representation is left to ask himself/herself “What am I seeing?” and “What does it mean?” By using infographics in the classroom teachers can teach their students that the visual presentation of data, whatever the data may represent, has an impact on the message that is conveyed.  Krauss encourages educators to show a large variety of infographics to their students to help them realize that statistics can be distorted to benefit a certain individual.  Doing this will help students sharpen their critical thinking skills.  Additionally, the article states the importance of allowing students to make their own infographics.  The construction of infographics grants students the opportunity to learn the importance of presentation of data, learn how to comprehend and work with statistical data.

Question 1:

At what grade level should infographs be presented to students?

Infographs can be understood by all students because infographs use diagrams to illustrate their point.  With this in mind, students as young as kindergarten will be able to use infographs.  However, it is important to keep in mind that the infographs should be relevant to students’ age.  For example, when working with children in first grade educators can discuss the number of people who like cookies compared to the number of people who dislike cookies to make infographs work.  Additionally, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics encourages that students at every grade level get exposed to collecting and representing data graphically and infographs accomplish such objective.

Question 2:

Can infographs be incorporated in math lessons?

I believe that infographs can be incorporated in math lessons.  For example, math educators can use infographs to illustrate data that students collect in a given research activity. The use of infographs will allow students the opportunity to visualize their data and learn what the data really represents.

Technology Self-Assessment: School 2.0

NETS-T 1:  Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

I have met NETS-T 1 because I am using the knowledge I have to think about activities that I can use in a classroom like video making, drama, among other activities, to foster learning and creativity in students. 

The NET that I decided to investigate and learn more about was NET 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.  In order to learn more about the steps that I can take as a future educator to meet NET 1, I observed a video by Ken Robinson.  Ken Robinson gave a great lecture on the need to foster creative thinking in students.  One of the important points that Robinson made was that educators must learn to value and promote creative thinking in students.  Ways that this goal can be met is by allowing students to engage in activities that promote creative thinking such as drama and dance.  Robinson went on to say that activities like drama and dance are always considered as the least important activities in a child’s development and not valued.  Meaning that educators do not promote such activities.  Instead educators devote their time and energy in areas that are considered more important such as math and language arts, areas that will allow students to obtain a job once they complete their basic education.  What many educators and policy makers have failed to understand is that activities like drama and dance promote life long learning and hone students’ creativity, which in turn enhance and strengthen their development.  After viewing this video, I feel more inspire to foster creativity in my classroom by engaging in creative activities such as dance, painting, or drama.  These simple activities can have a powerful impact on the lives of students.     

Journal #2- Join the Flock and Enhance Your Twitter Experience

Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(8), 12-15. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx

Miller, S. (2010). Enhance you twitter experience. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(8), 14-17. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx

Summary:

In Join the Flock, Hadley Ferguson describes just how beneficial it may be to join Twitter as an educator.  Ferguson begins the article by defining PLN.  According to her definition a PLN “is a community of individuals around the world who are learning”.  Stated differently, PLN is a group of individuals that share a common interest.  For example, educators have the opportunity to join a wide variety of PLN groups via Twitter that work together to improve education.  As a member of an educational PLN community, Ferguson describes how the constant communication and collaboration that exists in her group has made her a well-informed educator because she obtains new ideas on classroom projects and the latest technology advances.

Summary:
Shannon McClintock Miller, author of Enhance Your Twitter Experience, touches on two important steps that Twitter members should take to enhance their Twitter experience.  The first step is to use a Twitter organizer such as tweetdeck that allows the user to organize all of his or her PLN communities.  Miller states, tweetdeck “organize(s) your Twitter stream into columns, such as All Friends, Mentions, Direct Messages, or any special lists or searches you follow”.  The next step which Miller invites users of Twitter to take is to use as a hashtag(#) in tweets.  Regarding the hashtags she states, “[hashtags] allows you to search all of the tweets containing that hashtag”.




Question 1:
What type of educational resources/ideas can be shared via Twitter?
After reading the article, I have learned that scholarly articles, educational websites and lessons plans can be resources/ideas shares among Twitter groups.  These types of resources can be read or used by educators who seek to try new teaching approaches or be informed on the latest tech-trends. This means that educators that do not live in the same state can share their knowledge with one another through Twitter.

Question 2:

How can the use of a hashtag help the sharing of information?

It is amazing how the use of a simple icon such as the hashtag(#) can make the sharing of information so much simpler.  As Miller states a hashtag highlights key ideas, words, and allows other users of Twitter to have free assess to them.  For example, if an educator wants to know important events happening at a particular school he or she can twitter the hashtag followed by the school’s name and obtain instant access to the school’s events.

Journal #1- 100 Things that Make Me Happy

100 Things that Make Me HAPPY...

1.     My family

2.     The beach

3.     Dogs

                                                                         4.     Oranges

5.     A sunny day

6.     The beach

7.     Candy

8.     A good novel

9.     Friends

10. Soccer

11. School

12. My car

13. A funny joke

14. Gaining new knowledge

15. A good movie

16. A funny television show

17. Good music

18. My phone

19. Hot chocolate

20. Mexican food

21. Watermelon

22. Grapes

23. Apples

24. Computers

25. I-touch

26. Comfortable shoes

27. Comfortable clothes

28. Blue skies

29. Happy people

30. Clean schools

31. Happy memories

32. Coupons

33. Beautiful plants

34. Visiting new places

35. Technology

36. Birds

37. Ice cream

38. Money

39. Cheesecake

40. Water

41. Air

42. Positive thinking

43. Visiting museums

44. The arts

45. Holidays

46. Parties

47. Onion rings

48. French fries

49. Garden salad

50. McDonalds

51. PizzaHut

52. The microwave

53. My house

54. A bright room

55. Chairs

56. Marbles

57. Soccer ball

58. Medicine

59. A lightweight backpack

60. Friendly professors

61. Buffalo wings

62. Soda

63. Natural juice

64. Napkins

65. Silverware

66. Clean clothes

67. Smoothies

68. Kind gestures

69. Streetlights

70. Snow cones

71. Videogames

72. Math

73. Language

74. Blanket

75. Bed

76. Wikipedia

77. Markers

78. Color pencils

79. Full moon

80. Hoodie

81. Dictionary

82. The Internet

83. Organized people

84. Practice tests

85. Nice people

86. Airplanes

87. Cameras

88. Library

89. Mint gum

90. Imagination

91. Washing machine

92. Telephone

93. Pool

94. Heater

95. Fan

96. Running

97. Chocolate cake

98. Toothpaste

99. Toothbrush

100.  Clean towels