In Linguistic courses I have learned that there is constantly new terms arising, humans create them in order to describe new ideas or to differ from their parents’ usage. I had absolutely no idea the magnitude of vocabulary arising JUST for digital use. It’s baffling and exciting! I believe that being able to use current terminology will enable me to reach the students and help them understand that crime is prevalent and impacts people like them every day. I have already seen the damage cyberbullying can have on teens. I believe that it is extremely important that students understand that it is a crime and punishable not only by the school but the law. I don’t think that parents understand that cyberbullying and/or cyber-harrassment is truly a damaging crime and I really believe that schools need to be providing up to date information regarding these trends.
Knowledge is power. We must empower parents to stand beside us to teach students how to be up-standing cyber-citizens. Many parents don't understand how much negativity comes through on cells, facebook, myspace... I didn't! The only reason that I have this knowledge is from taking Ed-tech 202 at BSU. The school system needs to step up and help parents find the tools to help their kids.
Check out Cyber-Crime at these web-sites!
http://www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime/
http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/
http://www.cybercitizenship.org/
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Aggregate NOT Aggrevate!
Did you know that an Aggregate or RSS is a way to stay on the top of your game with OUT spending hours surfing the web? Yeah! So for all of you that would rather play with the tulips and daffodils while staying employed--here is the BEST of both worlds!
I like Mozilla's Sage and Google's Reader RSS/Aggregates. These services allow you to type in what you need to find. Finds the best articles and sites that match your criteria and allows you to sift through the "headlines". It's the best!
I wanted to find ways to encourage my students to get excited about writing. I typed in "teachers, writing." In nothing flat I had a page of headlines to zoom through. I was able to find out innovative ways to get them to drop the hammer down (or what ever expression fits keyboarding...) I think that my favorite was the TUBE prodcasts.
The students prepared PowerPoint and Videos mixed together. The one I really loved was called the "Idiom Ninja." I highly suggest watching this one! It's a riot.
I like Mozilla's Sage and Google's Reader RSS/Aggregates. These services allow you to type in what you need to find. Finds the best articles and sites that match your criteria and allows you to sift through the "headlines". It's the best!
I wanted to find ways to encourage my students to get excited about writing. I typed in "teachers, writing." In nothing flat I had a page of headlines to zoom through. I was able to find out innovative ways to get them to drop the hammer down (or what ever expression fits keyboarding...) I think that my favorite was the TUBE prodcasts.
The students prepared PowerPoint and Videos mixed together. The one I really loved was called the "Idiom Ninja." I highly suggest watching this one! It's a riot.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Using Prep-Time Wisely!
Teachers have always had more work than day. In my Ed-Tech class I've been finding ways to be at the very top of my game as an instructor.
As teachers, we may (more likely not) get an hour a day to "prep" lessons. It's not enough for all that we need to accomplish. This week's Ed-Tech lesson involved preparing tests. I had been taught that you pour back over the lesson, open up a word document, format the document, type the document...then to have more than one version of the test (to help prevent cheating) you go back through the WHOLE process again. Argh. It doesn't have to be that way though!
There is a website called "Easy Test Maker." It is a phenomenol site that cuts out all the "little things" that make a test presentable. It has formatted your document. It even makes word banks for fill in the blank! It asks you how many lines to put in for short answers and it makes answer sheets as you go!
It was really simple to use and quick too! I wanted a mixed-media type of test (Fill in the blank and short answer). I just typed in the title of the assignment being covered in the test. I chose, fill in the blank; typed my questions. When I got to the point where I wanted short answers, I just clicked...guess what it was; C'mon it's really tricky here.... "SHORT ANSWER." When I typed my last question I hit preview, and boom there was a test with answers all ready to go. Total Time? Truly about 30 minutes, but that was just the learning curve. I went back and did another just to see if it went any quicker--Boo yah! Seriously--ten minutes, tops!
There are a TON of tools out there to make our jobs easier. The extraneous paper work to document that we are teaching students, while following the guidelines set by the district, state, and federal government; should NOT be the bulk of our job. It's a small part to help with the checks and balances to ensure every student is receiving the best possible education. By utilizing technological advances, we are better equipped to meet the needs of our students, district, and selves.
Check out the site, "Easy Test Maker" at http://easytestmaker.com/
As teachers, we may (more likely not) get an hour a day to "prep" lessons. It's not enough for all that we need to accomplish. This week's Ed-Tech lesson involved preparing tests. I had been taught that you pour back over the lesson, open up a word document, format the document, type the document...then to have more than one version of the test (to help prevent cheating) you go back through the WHOLE process again. Argh. It doesn't have to be that way though!
There is a website called "Easy Test Maker." It is a phenomenol site that cuts out all the "little things" that make a test presentable. It has formatted your document. It even makes word banks for fill in the blank! It asks you how many lines to put in for short answers and it makes answer sheets as you go!
It was really simple to use and quick too! I wanted a mixed-media type of test (Fill in the blank and short answer). I just typed in the title of the assignment being covered in the test. I chose, fill in the blank; typed my questions. When I got to the point where I wanted short answers, I just clicked...guess what it was; C'mon it's really tricky here.... "SHORT ANSWER." When I typed my last question I hit preview, and boom there was a test with answers all ready to go. Total Time? Truly about 30 minutes, but that was just the learning curve. I went back and did another just to see if it went any quicker--Boo yah! Seriously--ten minutes, tops!
There are a TON of tools out there to make our jobs easier. The extraneous paper work to document that we are teaching students, while following the guidelines set by the district, state, and federal government; should NOT be the bulk of our job. It's a small part to help with the checks and balances to ensure every student is receiving the best possible education. By utilizing technological advances, we are better equipped to meet the needs of our students, district, and selves.
Check out the site, "Easy Test Maker" at http://easytestmaker.com/
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Frustration
I am frustrated. There are many people that teach because it's a steady, safe job. They have no passion for the subject they teach and their boredom leaches the joy of learning from their students.
How can each of us prevent this from becoming us? I am a returning student because I chose a safe profession that made good money. I've not had any joy in the experience, money isn't everything. Will I be able to maintain my joy and curiousity once I begin to instruct? How do I reach students that have succumbed to the dulldrums brought on by previous instructors?
Can technology pique their interest? How do you find things that are exciting to a generation that doesn't talk to anyone in person--they just text? Would creating a class Wiki get them to open up and "talk" or would it be a waste of my resources?
What are your ideas? Do you have any ideas on bringing technology into English Literature?
How can each of us prevent this from becoming us? I am a returning student because I chose a safe profession that made good money. I've not had any joy in the experience, money isn't everything. Will I be able to maintain my joy and curiousity once I begin to instruct? How do I reach students that have succumbed to the dulldrums brought on by previous instructors?
Can technology pique their interest? How do you find things that are exciting to a generation that doesn't talk to anyone in person--they just text? Would creating a class Wiki get them to open up and "talk" or would it be a waste of my resources?
What are your ideas? Do you have any ideas on bringing technology into English Literature?
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Using Technology in English Education
I am currently in Ed-Tech 202 and begun to seriously think about technology in my future classroom. I hadn't truly considered it before this semester.
I will be teaching English in Secondary Education (Middle or High School). I suppose that I had taken for granted that Final Drafts of my students' assignments would be typed. I had not considered the full implications of using word processing software. Why should we use it just as a type-writer? Wouldn't it be a GREAT place to begin teaching them how to produce professional, appearing documents?
Every profession in the world requires employees to be literate. Part of that skill is being able to be understood by the people you are communicating with; but isn't it SO much more? Isn't it also about catching their attention and drawing them into what you've created?
I would love to teach my students how to truly be heard because that empowers them. Bill Gates once said, “There's a basic philosophy here that by empowering...workers you'll make their jobs far more interesting, and they'll be able to work at a higher level than they would have without all that information just a few clicks away.”
Technological Possiblities: Research, Publication, Q & A with popular Authors.....the list could be endless. What are your suggestions?
I will be teaching English in Secondary Education (Middle or High School). I suppose that I had taken for granted that Final Drafts of my students' assignments would be typed. I had not considered the full implications of using word processing software. Why should we use it just as a type-writer? Wouldn't it be a GREAT place to begin teaching them how to produce professional, appearing documents?
Every profession in the world requires employees to be literate. Part of that skill is being able to be understood by the people you are communicating with; but isn't it SO much more? Isn't it also about catching their attention and drawing them into what you've created?
I would love to teach my students how to truly be heard because that empowers them. Bill Gates once said, “There's a basic philosophy here that by empowering...workers you'll make their jobs far more interesting, and they'll be able to work at a higher level than they would have without all that information just a few clicks away.”
Technological Possiblities: Research, Publication, Q & A with popular Authors.....the list could be endless. What are your suggestions?
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