Journal 10: Kidspiration

Kidspiration/ Atomic Learning

Kidspiration I had such a fun time playing with Kidspiration. Kidspiration is a great learning tool for K-5 students. The program is easy to work on and so much fun that students will want to learn more. The program allows students to build graphs and charts that help organize their ideas. Students can easily add pictures and text to these graphs. The program also has tons of fun icons that young students can choose from. Another cool thing about Kidspiration is the voice command that repeats the icon your cursor is looming over. The voice is kinda scary though...and kinda of annoying if you work on it long enough. This program would be a great learning tool that I would definitely use in teaching K-3. Having them create a chart that displayed sea life animals or zoo animals. I can also see how the voice over could also help English Learners. What a great and fun tool!

Atomic Learning is an instructional website for educational programs like Kidspiration. It offers the user audio tutorials that helps the user understand the functions and how to's for the needed program. The tutorials are kinda boring and not very interactive. The monotone voice almost put me to sleep. :) The idea is still great but perhaps these tutorials can be a little more upbeat and interactive for those who have short attention spans. Another little thing that could be easier to navigate through would be the menu of tutorials. Not all of the tutorial titles were that clear to me. I had to click a few to get the tutorial that I was actually looking for. However it still is a great accessible site to those who are in need of some help!

Journal 9: Second Life

Check out my new moves!!!

2.0 Web Application: Virtual Worlds

Holy Cow! Once I figured out what RL’s, SL’s, FL’s meant, I’m glad I decided to check this one out! Now how do I explain it? Second Life is a virtual world, built by its residents, whom can interact with another in social, business, educational, or recreational relationships. To become a part of this limitless world you need to figure out where you want to live. So, you put your virtual shoes on and explore this wild wild world. Along the way, you meet others and have 'fun.' While being this virtual social butterfly that you are, someone can invite you to a party, a dance club or even a Elvis concert. Really? A Dance Club? You may even run across a Miss Watermelon pageant in your travels or even a pig roast at a local charity event. I just can’t believe this amazing world can be just at my figure tips. Ahhh...dancing...without the embarrassment! Does this mean I can do the moon walk like Micheal Jackson? Or that I could actually win a Miss Watermelon Pageant even if my hair isn’t teased and I don't own anything with sequins on it??? Hmmm??? And if I do become Miss Watermelon Queen, I’m going to head straight to that pig roast down the street and stuff as much food into my mouth as I my virtual body lets me. While I'm at it add a pitcher of sweet to that too! Well, this type of world (well hopefully not that type of world) is now being introduced into education internationally. While I can find the logic in using a virtual world as a tool in the classroom, I can also see potential problems too.

Virtual Worlds can be beneficial to teachers and students. Integrating programs like Second Life into the curriculum can help students get more out of lessons than other activities. Students tend to have a better understanding of concepts when interaction and demonstration is involved. Teachers can recreate historical events, where students are representing the people involved, so students can visually, audioly, and ‘virtually’ interact in the event. This type of role play can help students relate to historical event (which was always really hard for me in school) and see the importance of the event. Reply by nlowell Mar 29 lists other subjects that Second Life can be beneficial to.

He listed one I didn’t think of…Literature Arts. For example, teachers set up the Old Globe Stage and students enact Shakespeare’s plays or produce a play of their own in appropriate Elizabethan mode. Another example he suggested was: Build the Peaquod and have the students go in search of Moby Dick Literature Teachers can use it in other ways. Students are able to become involved and have a greater appreciation for the Old Literature. Science is another way teachers can implement Second Life in their lessons. Outer space can be reached, space stations can be built, chemical reactions can be tested, physics can be explained, and dissecting animals might not smell so bad. Another subject it would great for teaching is Geography. This allows the students to role play as they were in another country and living among a different culture.

From the discussion sounds like California is already on their way to a new life in education. Cathy Rodriquez states that: There is a project out of Modesto City Schools...the district bought an island and students are building their own community in collaboration with students from Japan...Japanese students are studying English --American students are studying Japanese...what is really compelling about this project is that it has full support of the school district. Our infamous Kathy Schrock also is part of this new educational world. She states in the discussion that she is part of the Lighthouse learning Island. How interesting!
With this program teachers are able to further explore their creativity when creating lesson plans with Second Life. They are not limited by lack of funds or accessibility for materials or field trips. This type of freedom can only create more imaginative lesson plans that help students understand the material presented.

So what’s up with this new wonderful world for students to learn in? As there is in the normal classroom there are going to be problems that need to be addressed. Like Reply by nlowell Mar 27, questioned: Can we subvert the environment in such a way that we don't sacrifice the "compelling learning" on the altar of Education? Another downfall that I have come across on this discussion board is the consumption of time people are spending in what they call their ‘second life!’ A couple members said that they don’t have time for their ‘1st’ lives! This could definitely be a huge problem for kids. Especially, in correlation to obesity and gaming, gaming and isolation, isolation and inability to social interact in real life, and not being able to identify what is real and what is not. Violence, depression, and other negative impacts could be a negative result of Second Life in Education.

For the most part sounds like an interesting new educational world for teachers and students. Second Life will create a whole new and interesting curriculum that almost any type of learner can understand. It can help students with disabilities do things they never dreamt of doing. Those teachers in schools that don’t have easy access to the ocean can virtually take their whole class scuba diving to study sea life. As more schools intergrate Second Life into their curriculum, the more accessible and larger will this new world be! See ya on the dance floor!

Journal 8

Fitting the Pieces Together: Successful Technology Integration with Laptops
By: Patricia A. Yost

This article explains how an initiative to integrate technology into the classroom through a well thought out plan became a model of success. The author describes the process of successfully integrating technology into the classroom by introducing laptops. The program started off two and half years ago as a pilot project with eight sixth grade teachers. The success of the program can be contributed to a combination of the following: the availability of equipment, teacher readiness, ongoing professional development, pedagogy, and the resource and lesson database. Each played a key part to the success of the program.

Having the equipment was of course played a major part of their success. But without willingness of the teachers to use the laptops as instructional tools, the program wouldn’t have such a successful outcome. Another key element in their success is the 3 year continuous professional development program that was required of teachers who opted for the laptops. To ensure further development and continuum of learning, after learning new technological examples from teacher workshops, teachers are expected to implement newly learned technological strategies into their own lessons.

Do you think the Ongoing Professional Development has any downfalls?

The ongoing professional development is a great idea to create comfort for teachers just being introduced to idea of technology. However, are the kids of a first year teacher not given the same learning experience as a student of a second or third year teachers. Students of the second and third year teachers have more access to laptops, have more interactive lessons, and multimedia available to them. On the other hand the students of the first year teacher are introduced to least amount of technology into lessons.

Why is the database so beneficial to teachers?

The database allows teachers to share lessons with one another. This is another way of promoting continous learning and creativity. They are able to reflect on one another’s work which also creates a sense of community among teachers. The database also allows a teacher to find relevent information to download and include it into their own lessons.

Journal 7

Sowing the Seeds for a More Creative Society
By Mitchel Resnick

This article discusses the need for creative thinking classrooms instead of today’s classroom that focus primarily on specific problem solving challenges. This type of learning leaves students unprepared after graduation when solving problems that require creativity. Their ability to think outside of the box limits them not only in their work lives but their personal lives too. The author introduces two new technologies: Crickets and Scratch. Both programs, created by his MIT research group, help develop creative thinking students.

Crickets allows students to become creative inventors but in a fun and sensory stimulating way. The Crickets program focuses on kid’s sense and respond. The program connects lights, motors and sensors together by the Cricket. The cricket then allows the student to program their invention to light up, play music and spin. As the student is able to be creative in building their inventions they are still able to learn the main concepts of Science and Engineering. It’s a great program to help kids understand the technological world around them.

Scratch is similar to the Crickets concept to create and control. However Scratch allows students to create and control their inventions in the online world. Kids are able to create their own animations, interactive stories and games. Once their project is created they then can share it online, similar to sharing on Youtube.com. Students are able to browse for ideas, download ideas they like, modify it to their liking and introduce it again to the online community.

Why is Crickets different from Lego Mindstorm kits?

Lego Mindstorm is designed for making robots whereas Crickets is designed to allow more creative thinking. Cricket does this by introducing colors, lights, music and other artistic materials. This generates interest from a broader range of children. Those students who need more visual and stimuli to interest their creativity become interested in the artistic applications, then are able to understand the concepts introduced. Crickets also generates more female participation than does Lego Mindstorm.

How does Scratch become accessible and understandable to younger kids?

The program is easy for kids to create by eliminating confusing traditional programming languages. Programming is done by snapping together graphical blocks which is more accessible to younger kids. This type of tool helps students become creative and understand concepts that presented.

Journal 6

"The Threat of Security"

by Le Ann Robinson, Abbie Brown, & Tim Green

Technology is being used more and more into classrooms. Yet, teachers are being more limited and restrained by security measures that are supposed to protect the students. Teacher’s Internet use and emails are being monitored by administration. Teachers are feeling less inclined to use technology in the classroom due to these security measures. Some teachers have to adhere to email policies that do not allow for them to access or create any material that is not related to the “district educational objectives.” This type of restriction can majorly impact the creativity and effectiveness of a teacher. It makes for a fearful and limited teacher, which ultimately limits the student’s accessibility to higher learning.

How are networks effected by these security measures? How does it affect the teacher?

Networks are being affected by security measures implemented by school districts. Their purpose is to protect the student’s identity and work. Computer lab networks automatically log the user off if they have been idle for 4 to 15 minutes. In turn, the teacher’s instruction becomes effected by this security measure by having to continuously log back on after instructional time with students.

How do extreme security measures discourage teachers to integrate technology in the classroom?

These type of security measures look to limit teachers and punish them if for any infraction of the security policy. Teachers become more hesitant to incorporate technology in class for fear of getting into trouble. Hopefully, security for teachers and students can have more positive reinforcement and experiences with technology. Workshops focusing on positive and proper ways of incorporating the Internet into the classroom could benefit teachers. Districts may feel that teachers with training don’t need so much scrutiny.

Journal #4

Journal #3

"A War of Words" by Jim Paterson

This article addressed the problem of plagiarism and the various ways teachers try to confront the problem. After reading this I realized how difficult it must be as a teacher in trying to find the right way of solving it. There have been various programs developed to battle the problem of plagiarism. Some programs are designed for teachers to “catch” students rather than teaching them the proper ways to research. Then there are programs like copycatchgold that teach students the correct way to research and cite their sources. Students are able to view the source being cited and allow them to simultaneously take notes on the source. The program eliminates the ability to “cut and paste” and compares the similarities of the source and the student’s notes. If there is a lot of similarity then the program lets the student know. However, critics state eventually students will be able to work around the program. Another approach in tackling the problem is demonstrated by Linda Miller. Teaching students the problem of plagiarism and the proper ways to research and cite material early can be an effective way of tackling the issue.

As a teacher, in what way would I approach the issue of plagiarism in class?

Plagiarism should be introduced earlier on in a kid’s education. Teaching children the moral issues of plagiarizing and having them understand it is stealing, is a very important factor. I believe involving the parents too can be beneficial. Parents could be informed about the importance of the issue then they can reinforce this issue at home with their child. Plagiarizing can be a confusing issue to students. Teaching all aspects of plagiarizing through all types of resources, can help students understand the concept. Once they recognize all considerations of plagiarism, then I would teach through fun activities how to take notes and research properly.

What is your opinion of programs that detect plagiarism?

I never really thought about it until reading this article. I can see both sides. I definitely think it should be used in the University Level. College Level students should know how to properly research and know the severity of plagiarizing. However, students 1-12 should have continuous lessons on the proper way to do research. Like the article stated, these programs tend to help the educator and not address the issue at hand…The student’s ability to properly research.

Journal #2

Technology Incentives by Virginia Richard

The Florida Polk School District has developed a great program that both teacher and students benefit from. This program’s idea is to motivate teachers to incorporate technology into their classrooms and being able to use it. Teachers attending these classes are taught in stages about various media sources. Once they have completed the training, the teacher is given that type of technology and able to utilize it in class immediately. Teachers are awarded with the technology tools they learned about in the training. They can receive anything from disk drives to Digital Cameras to laptops to Palmpilots and apply it immediately to their classroom. In order to create such a program, the school district needs to have administrative support, funding through grants or other funds, has to have a clear plan and support.

What other incentives could be incorporated in this program?

Besides acquiring all types of media sources to use in their classrooms, they could also pay for their ISTE yearly memberships. Not a huge incentive but it definitely would show the support from ISTE. Another incentive could be once a certain percentage of teachers of a school have finished the whole program and are proficient in technology, then the program would donate computers, laptops, digital cameras, or any other educational tool to the whole school.

Why are the incentives so motivating?

For some teachers the availability of having access to these resources are really difficult. The schools aren’t able to provide the technology, so these skills that these teachers just learned would not be utilized in class because they wouldn’t have access to the technology itself.

Journal #1

"Power of the Mashup” By Susie Boss and Jane Krauss

If only educators and schools had this type of technological capability when I was studying literature, I might have actually read the “Odyssey” or some book by Rudyard Kipling!  This article explains how teachers are implementing various technologies into their classes and how both the teacher and the students are benefiting from it. The article first introduces us to Jerome Burg, a High School Literature teacher who uses a variety of technology resources to help students have a greater understanding of the literature. For example, in studying the classic adventure story, Candide, he had students use Google Earth to travel along with the character and visualize the locations of the story. Student discussions confirmed that they had a greater understanding of the literature with the use of the “lit trips” than of his previous students he taught the same material to over 30 years ago. There are also other media sources you and introduce into classrooms, such as the MP3 player activities that Australian history teacher, David Fagg created. Fagg utilized the typically confiscated MP3 player and integrated them into learning. Students, using MP3 players and digital cameras, were able to research, gather, collaborate, and share material through podcasting. Not only are students benefiting from the use of technology, but the teachers are too. Teachers can collaborate and share ideas with other teachers, which allow the teachers to continually improve and enhance their own class activities.

1. What other subjects could the application of Google Earth be used?

Google Earth is a great educational tool for students to visualize and have a better understanding of various concepts. I believe teachers can use Google Earth in almost all school subjects from grades 1-12. Students studying history, geography, and earth sciences are able to type in various topics and Google Earth will give provide students with locations and data related to that topic.(As shown on the right) Examples of how Google Earth can be used in different subjects are demonstrated at this website.


2. Are there any cons related to the usage of technology in the classroom?
I believe students and teachers benefit more from technology than they are disadvantaged from it. The only disadvantages, I see, for students may be the social implications. Doing research without actually interacting and going beyond their keyboards may hinder students socially. Students may become reliant on technology in researching and not be able to find the same resources without technology. Not all information on the internet is totally reliable. Therefore, teachers must educate students on the etiquette of the internet and teach students other ways to gather information.

Intro Letter

Hi All,

My name is Darah Ilima Markley. I moved here almost 2 years ago from Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina to be closer to my brother and dad. I'm the youngest of six children. Growing up, my family lived on a horse farm in Northern Virginia in a small town called Leesburg. There I attended Luckett's Elementary from Kindergarten through 5th grade. Luckett's was a very small school consisting of all about 50 or so students. I then went to private school called Loudoun Country Day School for my first year of middle school. After 6th grade my family then moved to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. I attended another private school, Cape Fear Academy, for 7th and 8th grade. From there, I went to E.A. Laney for high school, it's the same school Michael Jordan went to! I played soccer my whole life and was fortunate enough to receive a athletic scholarship to East Carolina University. After a year at ECU, I transferred to University of North Carolina at Wilmington and received my BA in Parks and Recreation. I am currently working for the California State Parks. My interests include anything outdoors, camping, hiking, biking, photography, and I still play soccer on a couple leagues around San Diego.

My first experiences with technology started in elementary school. In class we occasionally played a computer game named Oregon Trail. I was instantly hooked to the game. My family from as far back as I can remember always had a computer. The first one being an Apple. My dad and my 3 brothers are all very proficient with computers. My brother who lives in Redmond, Washington has a patent on Excel. My oldest brother, who lives in Berkley, California, was the orginal programmer then became the chief software architect of the library automation company, Innovative Interfaces, Inc. Innovative Interfaces is the world's largest supplier of computer systems to libraries. My dad sells, SoftPlan (http://www.softplan.com/), an architectural software and my brother who also lives locally, works as the account manager for, Apricorn (http://www.apricorn.com/), a computer company located in Poway. You could say I have plenty of technical support if needed. I have owned a PC for over 10 years and use the Internet daily. I recently just bought my first lap top. I have an Mp3 player but I am having a hard time figuring out how to find music to download. At work I use computers, mostly on programs such as Excel and Microsoft Publisher. I have never used a Mac before until last week. I look forward to learning more about Macs through this class.

CSUSM's College of Education Mission Statement did not play a big factor in my decision to apply to CSUSM. The College of Education's reputation among my friends who are local teachers played a huge part in my decision. The commitment to Educational Equity speaks to me the most. As a young student, who had a learning disability, ADHD, school wasn't always pleasant. My third grade teacher told my parents that I would never succeed and that they should enter me into a 'Special' school. She treated me differently than the other students, I remember most of my time was spent in the hallway. My desire to learn was diminished. Thankfully, through more research and greater knowledge of ADHD, teachers later on in my path of education were able to understand and helped me not feel ashamed or embarrassed of my disability. Without Educational Equity, students will not be able overcome their own barriers that prevent them from achieving success in school.