Meaningful Learning

     The term rubric is a code or set of codes designed to govern action. In education, it has evolved to mean a tool represented as a set of scales used for assessing a complex performance.
     Technology-Based Rubrics fall into 2 categories: rubric banks and rubric generation tools(Dornisch & Sabatini McLoughlin, 2006). Online rubric banks have already created rubrics for a bunch of different learning tasks. Use caution when using a rubric bank. Make sure to evaluate what you need and then  evaluate what that specific rubric is offering. Make sure you find the intended outcome of these rubrics so they match what you are trying to accomplish. Rubric banks save teachers on a lot of time. The second category of technology- based rubrics is the rubric generator. This simply helps a user create a rubric. You can customize however you see fit. Using the generator, you are doing it yourself, but it will actually help you scaffold and support the user through out the process of generating. In which ever method you use, make sure your rubric is effective, comprehensive and descriptive. You want them to communicate to both the student and the parent.
     Clicker Asessment tools consists of small wireless keypads with alphanumeric keypads that are linked to the computer. Clickers are being used throughout all levels of education, from elementary to college. The clickers are dispersed to the class to answer questions by clicking buttons and not by raising their hands. The answers are sent to a receiver connected to the computer at the front of the classroom. The computer can analyze the results for the teacher. A few ways the clicker assessment tool is beneficial to learning is using them as pretests, after instruction, use them to see whether or not you are getting your point across. Another way is to have students predict the outcome of a class demonstration you are about to perform with common misconceptions etc..
     Inspiration/Kidspiration software  is a program that helps students build graphic organizers, such as concept maps, webs, mind maps and idea maps that help inspire the mind to brainstorm, plan, organize, think, outline, and present. I think this is a very neat program. If a teacher did their research before and knew exactly how things were supposed to go, it would be very relevant to get kids to really use thinking skills and to just be able to brainstorm and think of ideas and things on their own. This is also a way that can take the student away from the traditional ways of pencil and paper and get them doing it in a way that can be fun and exciting. Kidspiration on the other hand was created for k-5 learners. It is a program that helps develop thinking, literacy, and numeracy skills using proven visual learning principle. It can strengthen word recognition, vocabulary, comprehension and written expression. So these two programs are the same but made for different age groups. I do not plan to teach k-5 so Im thinking the Inspiration program may be better for me. I think that I would definitely try to use it in my class but Im not sure how yet. Im not sure what Im going to be teaching so I dont know how I would integrate it in yet.
     The technology based assessment I would use because I would try to make some rubrics for assignments or get one offline. It would be a tremendous help for any teacher. The clicker assessment tool would also be helpful because it can be used for test purposes or just in class lecture and comprehension. I liked all these assessment tools and I know I will be using them in some way or another. 

Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Marra, R., & Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful learning With Technology (3rd Edition). Columbus, OH: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
    

Chapter 9: Visualizing w/ Technologies

          Digital Storytelling is a tool used to create a story. Students can use their creative skills to create a storyboard on paper, use a camera to shoot their video, and also edit their videos on a computer using different types of software. Students develop critical thinking skills as well as learning how to work collaboratively in different roles such as director, actor, videographer, and editor. The way Digital Storytelling works is in preproduction, students will research, write and organize information about the structure of their story. An important part of preproduction is storyboarding. It is a document that provides students the opportunity to create a plan for their story from which they can start filming. After preproduction, students will start the actual production of the story. This is where the students will actually shoot their video. The final stage is postproduction. This is where the editing takes place. Through all these stages, students learn how to put together a story using technology. The technology is not the focus of the lesson but merely an instrument to help aid in the lesson. There are so many different aspects of learning with Digital Storytelling it’s endless. It is an awesome application to implement to the classroom!

          A few different methods suggested in the textbook are programs such as Mathematica, Math Lab, Statistical Analysis System, and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. These apps can help students manipulate problems and see the effects of it. They are very helpful in learning the dynamics of mathematics; putting things into perspective to understand the effects.

          I do think it is possible to learn from TV alone and learn how to do something as well. There are so many different channels now days that people can subscribe to that aid in learning. Not only that but channels such as Animal Planet and Discovery channel, and different channels like that that aid in learning about animals and the earth that we all live on and evolution. These are all important things that go into detail that people may not get to pick up in the classroom or anywhere else. Not everything is meaningful or educational but there is some that I feel is very meaningful!        

Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Marra, R., & Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful learning With Technology (3rd Edition). Columbus, OH: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Podcasting!!

The first thing I learned about podcasting is what it actually is. It gives access for anyone to become a sole producer and distributor of audio and/or video content that can be offered worldwide through the internet. So basically it’s an audio file that is saved as an mp3 file and made available for whomever on the internet. Podcasting can be used in the classroom in a few different aspects. It can be used for students to make their own broadcasts, recording personal messages to learn about each other, digital storytelling, creating and sharing music, and many other ways as well.

            Podcasting is similar in some ways to other apps we have previously discussed. Obviously they are all the same in ways that we can use most of the apps in a school setting and they will offer some sort of benefit. Podcasting is a little different in such a way that it deals with the audio and video side to things. You could link a podcast and say a blog and use them together.  Different uses but they are all very similar.

            I do own a type of MP3 player and the way I use it is by downloading songs off my computer and loading them to play on my player. I would definitely consider using this in the classroom. I know I will need to read a little more on different ways I would use it and how to use it the most effectively. I do think there are advantages and disadvantages to online communication tools. Advantages would be, better ways for kids to collaborate, make good decisions before hand, interact with other people that you may not have had the chance to, thinking outside the box and just doing something different. I think the only disadvantages to this would be if a teacher were not knowledgeable enough in showing how to do these things as well as knowing all the different ways online communications tools can be used.

Citation:


Jonassen, DJ, Howland, JH, Marra, RM, & Crismond, DC (2008). Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.
Inline Citation -- (Perlman, 2002)

Wikis,Social Bookmarking, and VoiceThread

 The whole idea of using a wiki is a little much for me. I think that the concept behind them are great in some instances but really I dont see that I would be that interested in using or constructing one. The idea that I like is that kids can really brainstorm and be creative in putting a bunch of different ideas together in a program but the thing that im skeptical of is that everyone can see the material and post on it and you never know what is true and accurate so I wouldnt necessarily want my students reading stuff that might not be true or correct. I think blogs would be fun. I can definitely see myself teaching my students first how to build a blog and from then on making them do certain research assignments and posting on their blogs.. It would be fun.. Of course this would be for high school level. I would need to learn a little bit more about wikis before really deciding if I would use them or not.

Socialbookmarking is a good idea for teachers and students. Being able to access certain sites that you can set up as a personal link is a great idea. These bookmarking websites can help users store and organize bookmarks to online resources. You can also access your bookmarks from any computer which is great! Voice threads are pretty neat. I think I would definitely be interested in using voice thread if I was teaching high school students. I think you would need to have the older students to really be able to understand the whole process. Voice thread would just be something new to add to the curriculum that would make things different and fun.

I think Tapped In is a wonderful idea. I think the way it engages teachers from all around to kind of work together and get information and ideas from each other is a great idea. It is a way that teachers can become part of communities, knowledge building, and of learners.(Meaningful Learning with Technology) There are so many great things that Tapped In can offer; its endless. I have not explored it but from what I have read in the book, it seems like something I would be very interested in.

Reference: 1995-2010
Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Marra, R., & Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful Learning with Technology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.SRI International. http://tappedin.org/tappedin/web/about.jsp

Assessment Methods and Tools!

     The purpose of assessment is to gather important information  on the learned experiences to improve performance. You can determine if the intended learning outcomes have been met. Teachers  are using e-portfolios, clickers, and assessment rubrics for assessment. These forms of assessment generate ample feedback.
     E-portfolios are collections of digitized artifacts that could include videos, graphics, sound, artwork that exhibits students' efforts, progress and achievements. This method can help students get a chance to reflect on the work that have done over a period of time. As the book explains, "the act of reflection on ones work can contribute to modifying  ones thinking based on comparisons of ones own work with that of experts and peers." It helps the teacher assess many different types of learning outcomes. It also offers flexibility in terms of how they are implemented. Computer-based tests are given to students on a computer where they record their answers on a bubble sheet. They use them for quicker test results and to free up teacher time. In some instances, people might say that the validity and reliability are impacted by computer-bases tests. Some say it does not motivate or engage the student in the testing process. Other cases, people use them in ways such as the CAT test. It has proven to be reliable and valid.
     From what I have read in chapter 10, I have come to the conclusion that choosing the right assessment methods and tools is very important to assess meaningful learning. Through e-portfolios and designing accurate rubrics for students and teachers to follow we can make an accurate assessment on what the student has learned and in return help them learn more. This chapter has opened my eyes to some different reasons of why you need accurate assessment as well as tools and information on different ways to assess.

Reference:

Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Marra, R., & Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful Learning with Technology (3rd ed.).

copyright and fair use!

Copyright, Fair Use, and Web Safety

     We have to respect copyright and fair use rules because they are put to law to protect works of authors, composers, etc. from use without permission. These laws are put in place so people cannot use your work as their own. I will teach my students about this through websites as I am shown with this class assignment. I will try my best to reiterate the importance of copyright and fair use knowledge and make sure they know the information behind it.
    Online safety is making sure you are safe while browsing and accessing the web. You need to make sure to use a cyber name and not direct names, addresses, school names, or any personal information. Online safety is on the other side of the fence to cyberbullying. This term can mean people posting bad comments about someone or something of offense, posting unwanted pics of someone or something, harrasment, and anything else that is hurtful or derogative while on the web. In order to protect ourselves we have to, as parents and teachers, monitor our childrens access to certain websites and make sure we help with cyber names and conceal information that could potentially be of use to a predator. Stay current with what your children and students are into.
     I thought this weeks activities were very helpful. As a prospective teacher, copyright and fair use information as well as information about safety from predators and cyberbullying will be critical information that we need to know in great detail. In knowing this information, we will be able to teach it and make our students aware of it. These aspects of technology will be some of the most important things to know in the education field. I learned the difference between copyright and fair use and ways to stay clear from online predators!