http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmiers2/5521217098/
The picture that I found is of a cruise ship. My wife and I went on a cruise for our honeymoon and absolutely loved it. We went to Jamaica, Cozumel, and Grand Caymen. We also went on another cruise a few years later to the Bahamas with our friends. We are already planning our next one to Alaska in a few years!
Flikr was pretty easy to use, after I logged into the account. I was able to find a cruise ship very easily! I think it would be easy to use to share pictures with family members.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
10 Things that make me go Hmmm...about technology in education
1. Computers always seem to know when you are in a hurry...they tend to go much slower at those times or just don't work.
2. When you try to use wireless tablets to answer questions on the board...why does it seem not to connect at the weirdest times? There have been times where in the middle of teaching, my tablet stops working and needs to be reset.
3. The ever changing software. You just learn a new program like Microsoft Word 2007 and 2010 comes out with even more new features to try to understand.
4. The items that make things supposed to help a teacher out seem to take the most amount of time. We have a clicker answering system that it takes forever to make but automatically grades responses.
5. Wireless networks. Sometimes they have really fast speeds, the next day in the same location, the speeds are much slower.
6. Why one remote can change any projector! We had a staff meeting to talk about our new projectors and were told to bring our remotes. Need less to say, we were all adjusting the settings on a teachers' projector at the same time because everyones remotes can control any projector!
7. Classrooms should be equiped with longer cords for our computers. Arranging your computer and desk area can be difficult in a building that was built long ago and wired recently.
8. I hate seeing and reading the words: trouble communicating with printer. How can you have trouble communicating with the printer when everything IS plugged in and connected through a USB? Even after installing it AGAIN! I got a new printer after that!
9. Why do they make laptop batteries only last a few hours? People buy laptops for a reason...shouldn't the battery be able to last the whole day? I'm sure it is coming...let's hope!
10. Until this class I never used skype. Why didn't we think of this a long time ago? I'm sure it's been out there but the Jetsons had video telephone long before we did. How come the TV show did not spark the interest back then?!
2. When you try to use wireless tablets to answer questions on the board...why does it seem not to connect at the weirdest times? There have been times where in the middle of teaching, my tablet stops working and needs to be reset.
3. The ever changing software. You just learn a new program like Microsoft Word 2007 and 2010 comes out with even more new features to try to understand.
4. The items that make things supposed to help a teacher out seem to take the most amount of time. We have a clicker answering system that it takes forever to make but automatically grades responses.
5. Wireless networks. Sometimes they have really fast speeds, the next day in the same location, the speeds are much slower.
6. Why one remote can change any projector! We had a staff meeting to talk about our new projectors and were told to bring our remotes. Need less to say, we were all adjusting the settings on a teachers' projector at the same time because everyones remotes can control any projector!
7. Classrooms should be equiped with longer cords for our computers. Arranging your computer and desk area can be difficult in a building that was built long ago and wired recently.
8. I hate seeing and reading the words: trouble communicating with printer. How can you have trouble communicating with the printer when everything IS plugged in and connected through a USB? Even after installing it AGAIN! I got a new printer after that!
9. Why do they make laptop batteries only last a few hours? People buy laptops for a reason...shouldn't the battery be able to last the whole day? I'm sure it is coming...let's hope!
10. Until this class I never used skype. Why didn't we think of this a long time ago? I'm sure it's been out there but the Jetsons had video telephone long before we did. How come the TV show did not spark the interest back then?!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Week 3: webinar
I listened to the webinar about gaming and libraries hosted by Tom Peters. He discussed games and a library that will promote a system of games throughout the library system. The people who presented information at this webinar to promote gaming tournaments or programs.
I think webinars would be appropriate for items that we use during the school setting. In terms of technology integration specialists, it would be a great thing to do if you had to troubleshoot a computer problem and walk you through the steps. Another idea would be if you had an emergency and had to be out of town but there was a very important lesson you had to teach to your students and you could practically teach the lesson through the use of the audio stream where students can continue to listen to it after they have left the classroom.
I think webinars would be appropriate for items that we use during the school setting. In terms of technology integration specialists, it would be a great thing to do if you had to troubleshoot a computer problem and walk you through the steps. Another idea would be if you had an emergency and had to be out of town but there was a very important lesson you had to teach to your students and you could practically teach the lesson through the use of the audio stream where students can continue to listen to it after they have left the classroom.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Week 3 Instructional Design
"Education has missed the boat, with respect to instructional design. Teachers come up with lesson plans on the fly, with little thought to why they are presenting information or even who their audience is. Teacher traning, at the university level and during Professional development, needs to focus on helping teachers become comfortable with instructional design principles."
I happen to agree with this statement. When I first began my teaching career, I was completely lost at lesson planning and had no idea where I go next. Student teaching did of course clear up some of this for me, but student teaching in the spring did not allow me to see the beginning of the year and how what was taught at the beginning impacted what happened in the end. Now as I am in my sixth year teaching, I have instructional design now. I know what my students need to know. I know the importance of what I am teaching and how it will impact them in the future. I tell my students..."when you get to middle school, this is why you need to know this." I build on what they have learned in the past and show them how it can impact the later on in their educational career.
In our first years of teaching, we do just build plans on the fly because we are new to the profession and haven't seen how they impact to other grades. As we become familiar with our curriculum and the curriculum of other grades, we can start to see the impact we get from younger grades and how we assist the grades our students are heading to.
Don't get me wrong...I loved my time for my undergraduate work, but I was not as prepared as I would have like to be. I was taught different techniques for teaching, but seeing the importance of instructional design and how every grade impacts each other and builds on each other would definitely help!
I happen to agree with this statement. When I first began my teaching career, I was completely lost at lesson planning and had no idea where I go next. Student teaching did of course clear up some of this for me, but student teaching in the spring did not allow me to see the beginning of the year and how what was taught at the beginning impacted what happened in the end. Now as I am in my sixth year teaching, I have instructional design now. I know what my students need to know. I know the importance of what I am teaching and how it will impact them in the future. I tell my students..."when you get to middle school, this is why you need to know this." I build on what they have learned in the past and show them how it can impact the later on in their educational career.
In our first years of teaching, we do just build plans on the fly because we are new to the profession and haven't seen how they impact to other grades. As we become familiar with our curriculum and the curriculum of other grades, we can start to see the impact we get from younger grades and how we assist the grades our students are heading to.
Don't get me wrong...I loved my time for my undergraduate work, but I was not as prepared as I would have like to be. I was taught different techniques for teaching, but seeing the importance of instructional design and how every grade impacts each other and builds on each other would definitely help!
Sunday, September 4, 2011
What is Educational Technology?
I believe that educational technology is focused around many different aspects that involve education. It involves the people who work in your district (teachers, district office, classified staff) that work together to provide a technology rich education for students. From the computer programs our students use to the test results that staff members study, educational technology covers a broad perspective into the lives of our students. Technology seems to be changing at such a rapid pace, it will be our duties to make sure that are are up to date on the latest features that will give our students an advantage when they are ready to enter the real world with jobs that have not been created yet. I find it amazing to see how technology has changed over the past decades and cannot wait to see what is in store for us in the future.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Week 2: Facebook
The online community that I have chosen is Facebook. What I like most about Facebook is the ability to communicate with former friends and family that I do not get to see very often. I post pictures of my family and view pictures of our friends and their new families as they continue to grow. I am also addicted to the Bejeweled Blitz application that is on Facebook, but lately it has been going slow and it hasn't been easy to play. That makes me upset!
I am able to see our county library on Facebook which gives people heads up to new books and different activities the library has. My school library does not have a Facebook page.
I would provide a link to my Facebook profile but I have strong personal reasons against this. I would be more than happy to send you a personal message in ANGEL for my link if you would like, but my students could easily google my name and find this link and view my profile even with my settings up high. Just a view that I have.
I am able to see our county library on Facebook which gives people heads up to new books and different activities the library has. My school library does not have a Facebook page.
I would provide a link to my Facebook profile but I have strong personal reasons against this. I would be more than happy to send you a personal message in ANGEL for my link if you would like, but my students could easily google my name and find this link and view my profile even with my settings up high. Just a view that I have.
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