Journal #10 Extra credit

Sketchfu in the Classroom

Fabricant, Autumn. (2010, February). Sketchfu in the classroom. Leading and Learning, 37(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25242&DirectListComboInd=D

Sketchfu is a Web 2.0 tool that allows you to draw something and then watch the process of how it was drawn. It’s a fun way for teachers and students to present lessons and to learn. The website offers free use and it’s simple and easy to sign up. Students can draw illustrations for a story in English, solve a math problem or draw a time line for social studies. Once your work has been created you can play it back and watch it. It’s a really great tool for visual learners, it allows teachers to see student’s thinking process in solving math problems, it’s easy to create digital storybook and it’s fun.

How can a teacher implement Sketchfu in the classroom?
In math class, a teacher might want the students to solve the problem in sketchfu because he/she can see the steps taken to arrive to the answer.  In biology the teacher might want the students to draw the process of meiosis/mitosis. In history, students can draw a timeline.  There are endless possibilities for this tool.

What are the disadvantages of Sketchfu?

Journal #9

Animations Bring Lessons to Life

Ponton, Robb. (2009-2010, December/Janurary). Animation brings lessons to life. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(4), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=December_January_No_4_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4450&ContentID=24837&DirectListComboInd=D

At Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools teachers are using computer animation and other graphics to supplement their lesson. For example in science, the atoms are animated as electrons and neutrons swirl them and it helps students to understand more clearly the concepts of the periodic table. In art, teachers show students a drawing from a professional artist. They then show how the image can be broken down into its basic shapes. Next, they have the students put the shapes back together. Teachers give students a picture of an animal and show them how to create the animal's face using shapes. Using graphics software, students begin to see how they can create their own dogs or cats. 4th grade students created animated images of the U.S. Constitution amendments. A high school chemistry class used animated software to bring to life chemical reactions. Spanish class students used animation to help them understand verbs and grammar concepts in Spanish. Computer animation is a great tool to help students understand abstract concepts . It makes learning more interactive and meaningful.

How can computer animation be incorporated for special needs students?
This is a great resources and fun way to present a lesson. Specially for more abstract concepts, it a great aide for the visual learners.  Computer animation can help students across the curicullum, making learning more intearctive and fun.

What are the advantages of using computer animation in the classroom?
As seem by teachers at Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools, students showed great enthusiasm in learning.  They were so excited about the subject content that they created projects that were very impressive.  When students understand better the concept, and can connect their learning with real-life situations they are much more engaged in school.

Journal #8

Tapping the Wealth of Social Networks for Professional Development

Greenhow, Christine. (2009, June/July). Tappping the wealth of social networks for professional development. Learning and Leading with Technology, 36(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3620082009/JuneJulyNo8/36810g.pdf

In this article the author writes about the advantages and the importance of social network websites such as Tweeter, Facebook, My Space. Millions of people communicate through these sites worldwide. The form of communication, way of thinking, spreading news is being revolutionized through this tool.
Research by Harvard law professor Yochal Benkler in The Wealth of Networks examines how such technologies available on the internet allows extensive collaboration that may have transformative consequences for the economy and society. He argues that through online participation we can not only publicize our opinion, but also become more critical, self-reflective, and collectively intelligent.
So, how can teachers become collectively intelligent and tap the resources available into the curriculum? There are social bookmarking sites, such as Delicious, Diigo, CiteULike, where professionals recommend books, journals, websites.
In the social networking tools, such as Tweeter, Facebook, Classroom 2.0, Ning, educators can collaborate, pose questions, display, share their work. Teaching can be a lonely profession, and such social networking services allow teachers to come out behind their closed doors. Teachers can learn from other teachers what works in the classroom, and they can share things they’ve been successful in. Students also love these sites and it’s a place where they can display their creative work such as, a video, creative writing in their blog, photos they took, etc…In turn, students receive recognition, appreciation from their friends. This peer validation encourage students to be even more creative, clever, articulate in their online presentation. Teenagers also turn to their social network site to get emotional support or school-related help from their online friends.

What do you think of social websites for educators?

Social websites can be a way for teachers to connect with other professionals. For example,classroom 2.0 teachers can get ideas and collaborate with other professionals in the field. It's a great resource to get ideas and specially for beginning teachers to learn from veteran teachers about strategies that work in the classroom. However, there are other websites such as Facebook, and My Space that seems to be more difficult to connect with other educators, it's more difficult to navigate the site and find information relevant to your search.

How could you implement a social website in your classroom?
The most feasible way would be to keep a blog for the class, where students and teachers can exchange information, post work,comments, interesting links, share knowledge.

Journal #6

A New Concept of Citizenship for the Digital Age

Greenhow, Christine. (2010). A New concept of citizenship for the digital age. Leading and Learning with technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25564&DirectListComboInd=D

Students to be prepared for the 21st Century global market have to be educated in the six important 21st-century competencies: technological fluency, innovation, communication and collaboration, research and information fluency, problem solving, and digital citizenship.

The 2007 NETS•S defines digital citizenship as the ability to practice and advocate online behavior that demonstrates legal, ethical, safe, and responsible uses of information and communication technologies. To comply with the NETS, educators need to develop and model these competencies and facilitate their development in students, but what constitutes "legal, ethical, safe, and responsible" is not entirely clear.

The definition of digital citizenship varies among countries, cultures, school systems, agencies. What is legal, ethical, safe and responsible for a group of people it’s not the same for another.

Young people are learning to promote their participation in civic life through Internet-based volunteering, campaigning, and lobbying. They also are learning to contribute through the creation of "youth media," such as blog entries, e-zines, podcasts, videocasts, and online communities that present discussion and debate about political, social, and cultural issues.

Researchers from the University of Kansas have identified nine elements of digital citizenship: digital etiquette, digital communication, digital access, digital literacy, digital commerce, digital law, digital rights and responsibilities, digital health and wellness, and digital security. Young people should be aware of privacy laws, copyright laws when downloading music or other media files, respectful participation in online chat rooms or social networks.

Two research insights on digital citizenship: “Cyberbullying” and "Moral Spaces in MySpace: Preservice Teachers' Perspectives about Ethical Issues in Social Networking," .

It’s important to educate students on bullying behaviors and teach preventable measures. Also the ethical issues in social networking provided educators some guidelines on how to deal with privacy issues of students and their own.

Why is important to educate young people about digital citizenship?
People spend a great deal of time on the internet. Most people can’t go a day without turning on their computer. People communicate, socialize, shop, conduct business online. It’s important for young people to be aware of acceptable language and safe practices online. The lack of face to face interaction doesn’t mean people shouldn’t maintain their moral and ethic standards.

How can teachers teach about cyberbullying?
This topic should be presented in a lesson where students learn how to identify a cyberbully. Young people should be aware of implications of a cyberbully, how to avoid and what to do in case they fall victim.

Journal #7:Interactive White Boards

Are Interactive Whiteboards Necessary?

Definition: from Wikipedia.com
An Interactive Whiteboard or IWB is a large interactive display that connects to a computer and projector. A projector projects the computer's desktop onto the board's surface, where users control the computer using a pen, finger or other device. The board is typically mounted to a wall or on a floor stand.
They are used in a variety of settings such as in classrooms at all levels of education, in corporate board rooms and work groups, in training rooms for professional sports coaching, broadcasting studios and more.

There are many school of thoughts on this topic, there are some teachers who believe the “one fits all” philosophy on purchasing interactive white boards is wrong. Interactive whiteboards will not help all teachers and students equally. Some teacher s are very much entrenched with their style of teaching, using power points to lecture, worksheets, overhead projectors, to deliver their lesson in a more traditional way. After all, this is the type of teaching by most professors in colleges, and the style of teaching most teachers have been exposed to.
The high cost of i-boards is also a big debate on the validity of such an investment. There are teachers that feel the cheaper version of i-boards are just as good, for just a fraction of the price. There is a demonstration on how to make your own cheap electronic white board system using Wii remote control with infrared LED light pens. Other teachers argue that i-boards are not much different than a regular board and you can do as much with a projector and laptop.
Some people feel that some simple free tools such as google docs, sketchcast and Imagination Cubed can accomplish most things that are possible with iboards Also some teachers like the interactive wireless slate because they have more mobility within the room, it’s easy to use with any software and is designed specifically for education.
On the other side of the argument, proponents of interactive white boards love what they can do such as putting links and embedding video and audio into the notes, and how more engaged students are in lessons presented with i-boards.

How are you using your classroom smartboard?

Smartboard
SMART boardTM interactive whiteboard is an interactive whiteboard developed by SMART Technologies. When introduced in 1991,[1] it was the first interactive whiteboard to provide touch control of computer applications and annotation over standard Microsoft Windows applications.[2]
The SMART Board interactive whiteboard is a large interactive whiteboard that uses touch technology to detect user input – e.g. scrolling, right mouse-click – in the same way normal PC input devices, such as a mouse or keyboard detect input. A projector is used to display a computer’s video output on the whiteboard, which then acts as a large touchscreen. The SMART Board typically comes with 4 digital pens, which use digital ink and replace traditional whiteboard markers. The SMART Board digital ink operates by using an active digitizer that controls the PC input for writing capabilities such as drawing or handwriting


Some schools are lucky enough to have smartboards in every classroom. They are using as a tool for web-based application for small or whole group instruction. Kids can go on virtual field trips. There are many fun math games.  Some teachers mention they have seen an increase in test scores after they started teaching with smartboard.  There seems to be an overall consensus on the benefits of teaching with a smartboard.

NETS Power Point Presentation NETS I,III

This is a presentation I created using Microsoft Powerpoint to showcase ideas to facilitate and inspire student learnin and creativity.

NETS Power Point Rubric NETS III

This is a rubric created to grade Power Point presentation