Week 15 - Final Post

The Clicker is a handy way of administrating tests and pop quizes - making it easy to give the test, and receive the scores, rather than having to do the tedious task of grading individual papers. This would even save paper, helping the environment. Kidspiration and Inspiration are also unique tools to use in the classroom, letting the students use their sense of creativity. I remember that my son (when he was in second grade or so) loved using Kidspiration, and had much fun with it.

This course has definitely helped me with my understanding of technology. Almost from the beginning, it made me realize that the course of the future could not happen without technology. It is in nearly all aspects of our lives, and I am thankful that I took this course, to prepare me for the approaching future. By learning a little here, I can be ready to teach much to my future students. Wiki's, blogs, VoiceThreads, Podcasts, Prezi's - everything is dedicated to knowledge and data. A new field is rising in the world, ripe for teaching to the next generation, and all generations who will succede them.

Week 13

(1) Foundations. The student demonstrates knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software programs, and their connections. The student is expected to:

(A) use technology terminology appropriate to the task;
(B) save and delete files, uses menu options and commands, and work with more than one software application;
(C) identify and describe the characteristics of digital input, processing, and output;
(D) delineate and make necessary adjustments regarding compatibility issues including, but not limited to, digital file formats and cross platform connectivity; and
(E) access remote equipment on a network such as a printer or other peripherals

(b) Knowledge and skills.

(1) Foundations. The student demonstrates knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software programs, and their connections. The student is expected to:

(A) use technology terminology appropriate to the task;

(B) start and exit programs as well as create, name, and save files; and

(C) use networking terminology such as on-line, network, or password and access remote equipment on a network such as a printer.

By the fourth grade, due to our society, I expect that my students will have some basic knowledge of technology already. But, my eldest son Christopher described to me that even as a Junior in high school, he was only an "amateur" at technology until he took a class specifically catering to students interested in technology, and only just learned how to "officially" use Web 2.0 tools. With my students in fourth grade, I plan to at least prepare them for more in-depth courses in coming years of their education and the future, making sure they know the basics of  how to use technology, and not be just throwing around a mouse to put together something sloppy. Hopefully they will leave my class with working knowledge of programs such as Microsoft Office, and maybe even some Web 2.0 tools.

Reflection: It is evident to me that TEKS has much catching up to do. While it wasn't hard to find something about technology, there was not much to offer. Just like in the judicial system, it seems that society has some catching up to do. Technology is becoming a huge part in our world and TEKS is lagging behind. A society that outpaces its' laws will not do well in the long run, and neither will those who do not stand on the side of progress.

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Week 10 - Extra Credit

Robotics is a field which I am very unfamilliar with, but at the same time an interesting topic. Having students work to build functioning robots for competitions is a great idea. It could build a sense of teamwork, pride in work, and problem-solving. Working together, the students would all contribute to a team effort; thus, when they won, they would have a sense of pride in their work, and the robots they put their blood sweat and tears into, it will give them more satisfaction. Problem-solving and determination would come into effect with trial and error, as well as perserverance being gained from pulling out all the stops to creating a functional robot. The same goes for the Creating Music, all of the above I have just written. Creating and taking pride in their own music will give the students pride and a sense of accomplishment, and a lot of fun.

As for Legos, however, I would not use them in a classroom. Don't get me wrong, I love these little building blocks - but that's the problem. Everyone loves Legos. They are so much fun for kids and adults alike; while the more dedicated cream of the student crop will use the Legos appropriately, I fear they would inspire too much goofing around, with how much fun the Legos. Just as well, some students will likely steal the Legos and take them home for themselves. While it would be fun to use in class, I am afraid that Legos are simply too much fun, compared to something more complicated for - in my opinion - older students like the robotics and music-making.

Week 9

Podcasting is yet another way to communicate for people. As most Web tools do, it helps reshape the way we are able to communicate by long-distance. In a classroom, it could be a way to form a sort of fail-safe in case a student cannot attend class. Perhaps it is illness that prevents the student from attending class, so they log onto and form a podcast session with their teacher (obviously concerning more severe cases of illness such as vomiting, this will not be mandatory, but a choice of the students'). Or even a simple unfortunate chain of events such as no transportation to class, the student can still participate in the lesson via podcast.

As I said, podcasting is another way to communicate long-distance in case physical meeting is not possible. Just like VoiceThread and even common websites like Facetime, Skype, or Google Plus. It is possible for teachers to even record their lessons or important instructions and save them as music files for free download for students. I think anyone would agree with the fact that having more ways to study would be beneficial to any students.

I use my iPod primarily for listening to music, but as I just suggested, perhaps using the Voice Memo application, we could email our lesson and information to any students who require it. I also know a vital way to teach a new language to students - have them learn songs of different languages. Everyone could listen to and learn a song on my iPod and then learn the words, paving the way to learn the language.The Voice Memo will save the breath and time of having to try to reteach a lesson as well.

Week 7

It is impressive that just 17 years ago - when I had my first son Christopher - computers were a relatively new thing, and the digital age was just beginning. Toy Story, the first completely CGI (computer-generated imagery) film, was considered (and still is) a landmark in film-making. And now, 17 years later, we have all these different tools like Wiki's and Voice Thread. The latter in particular strikes me the most, since it seems like a combination of several things we use today: Google Plus, Skype, Facetime, and Facebook, to name a few. In a way, these are preventing the need to meet each other in person; heck, all 30 students of a class could join a Voice Thread "session" so to speak, with a teacher as a host. By shrinking the gap, and proving it is just as easy as clicking with a mouse to get to educational tools, we are making it more convenient to teach.

Week 5 - 2/13 - 2/17

To be honest, I found the various articles very enlightening. I really did not know too much about copyright and fair use guidelines before reading them. it was surprising to hear that the whole issue of copyright and fair use was not as black and white as many describe it as. For example, my oldest child Christopher complained about how an administrator at his school scolded his teacher for allowing them to watch about 20 minutes of a movie - which is apparently against the rules, and immediately gained an antagonistic view on copyright and fair use; when he really didn't know anything about copyright and fair use to begin with.

It's very relieving to hear that as a teacher, I will not have to strictly stick to the rules and guideiines the government has implemented. To have to stop everytime I wish to use a song or movie in class (for example, a movie adaptation of Holes or another children's novel, or a song inspired by a novel), it would be a hinderance to my teaching. Thankfully, I won't have to stop and try to hunt down the original owner of the media I may use in class.

Week 2: 1/23 - 1/27

Hello! I am Angela Espinosa. I am an Elementary Education major, and my goal is to teach 3rd or 4th grade (you know, before the kids start getting a little crazy...). My favorite subjects include math and reading, and I have been a teaching assistant at Galloway Elementary School for ten years. I am a mother of three children - Christopher, Valerie, and Jonathan - a puppy, and three turtles. I enjoy playing soccer, I LOVE Elvis Presley (to the point of my children often bemoaning my constant playing of his music) and visiting his home of Graceland, Tennessee. I also always look forward to going to the beach on our annual family summer vacations.

Technology in the classroom is quickly becoming an integral part of our lives, and that doesn't look like it will change anytime soon. These days, children are always plugged in with their iPod's, smart phones, computers, and more, that it would be ill-advised at this point to avoid using technology. It would be, for lack of a better term, trying to force robots to work with clubs and bones. Technology is the way of the future, for better or worse, so it it best that we teach the children of today the art of it, so they can go with confidence into the world of tomorrow.

Now, the biggest obstacle in the way of those who want to do something big is, "Well, how do I do it?" That's the same question I am asking. How can I integrate technology into the classroom better? I want to help in the classroom, nurture and teach my students to become prodigies themselves at technology. And that is why I have enrolled in this class - not just to answer my own questions, but to answer my future students' questions. I want to contribute to our children's future in technology; and therefore I can leave my footprints on students' young minds as they learn what I will learn from this class, all about technology.