One of the biggest things that I liked about developing the GAME plan was that it made me more accountable. I had to set specific goals as well as plan how I was going to achieve them. Having a plan in mind makes it easier to accomplish. My GAME plan is something that will be a work in progress. I think I had a lot of growth in terms of providing my students with experiences that allowed them to be creative and see how technology is useful in Math. I still struggle with how to balance the student-directed learning with technology and having my students learn how to compute the algorithms without a calculator. I have found that if I use technology as an introduction to a unit or a summative activity at the end of the unit, the students are still learning the algorithms but also using technology.
I have learned that it is not as hard to incorporate technology as I once thought and through the lessons that I completed with my students, I also learned that I need to provide them with more background knowledge before moving on because these are new experiences for most of them. My students are also not accustomed to PBL lessons so they need more guidance at first than they’re supposed to but the more they have those experiences, the easier it will be. I can’t shy away from doing those things because the students aren’t used to it.
In terms of my instructional practices, I am starting to give up some of my work and give more freedom and responsibility to my students. They obviously have more fun using technology so I just have to ensure they learn the standards. There is more planning and preparation as the teacher but during the actual instruction I want to take more of a backseat and be a facilitator rather than the provider of all information. This course has opened my eyes to new technologies and new ways to incorporate the technology that we have been using. Our school doesn’t have much technology so I need those creative things to help me out. Overall this course has allowed me to grow as a teacher and thus better help my students.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Using the GAME plan with students
Looking at the Web site for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) I looked at the NETS for students and teachers side by side. From what I can see, the students would not be able to meet the NETS-S without the NETS-T. For example, the first standard in the NETS-T is to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity. Meanwhile the first standard in the NETS-S is using and creativity and innovation using technology. The second standard in the NETS-T is to design new learning experiences and assessments and students are carrying out these experiences and being assessed through communication and collaboration. Essentially, the teacher is the facilitator and setting up these experiences for the students and the students are just carrying them out. It seems like common sense but it is very different from the traditional classroom of the teacher giving information and the students listening to it.
As my students are being introduced to more technology, they should be aware of their learning and how it is progressing. Therefore, teachers should let the students set goals for themselves in terms of what they want to accomplish with each activity. Similar to how teachers post the lesson objective letting students know what they should know, they should be able to control their progress in their knowledge and fluency when it comes to technology. At the beginning of the year it is a good idea to show the students the NETS-S and have them set goals from the start. Although, since my students have few experiences with technology in the classroom other than the basic PowerPoint and such, they would not probably know what type of goals to set for themselves as well as where to go with the actions in a GAME plan. On the other hand, they could start out with something very basic and as the year progresses and they have more/different experiences with technology they can look back at their goals and modify them. The reflection piece is very important and many of my students have difficulty working with others and setting a goal in this area makes them aware of what they need to improve and I think it would make them more accountable because they know they have to reflect on it and make progress.
As my students are being introduced to more technology, they should be aware of their learning and how it is progressing. Therefore, teachers should let the students set goals for themselves in terms of what they want to accomplish with each activity. Similar to how teachers post the lesson objective letting students know what they should know, they should be able to control their progress in their knowledge and fluency when it comes to technology. At the beginning of the year it is a good idea to show the students the NETS-S and have them set goals from the start. Although, since my students have few experiences with technology in the classroom other than the basic PowerPoint and such, they would not probably know what type of goals to set for themselves as well as where to go with the actions in a GAME plan. On the other hand, they could start out with something very basic and as the year progresses and they have more/different experiences with technology they can look back at their goals and modify them. The reflection piece is very important and many of my students have difficulty working with others and setting a goal in this area makes them aware of what they need to improve and I think it would make them more accountable because they know they have to reflect on it and make progress.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Revising My GAME Plan
One of the biggest things I have learned while working towards my GAME plan is the general value of technology. I have always been hesitant to use it because the technology in our district is unreliable, but since the start of the course I have gone outside my comfort zone and implemented technology at least once or twice in each unit whether it was for a project, activity, or review game. I am starting to branch out more in terms of what I am doing with technology and as I explore more technology I am able to accomplish my second goal of having my students be creative in Math - something that I originally thought would be the harder of the two goals. I am still working towards comfort with both of my goals and that will come with more experiences.
A new goal that I have is to use at least three PBL lessons before the end of the year. I know that is a large timeframe, but this is something I am not used to doing so I want to make sure I plan out carefully. Also, my students are not used to being in charge of their learning so this is something they will have to become accustomed to. Lastly, I have to make sure I properly introduce the technologies the students will be using. In my experiences thus far I have realized that my students do not know how to use much of the software for educational purposes. My students get excited when they know they are going to use computers so this is great way to motivate my students. With PBL lessons I struggle with how much to guide them and how much to have they “discover” on their own. I am afraid that they will learn the wrong information and with a cut-and-dry subject like Math, it is harder to unlearn a way to do something.
A new goal that I have is to use at least three PBL lessons before the end of the year. I know that is a large timeframe, but this is something I am not used to doing so I want to make sure I plan out carefully. Also, my students are not used to being in charge of their learning so this is something they will have to become accustomed to. Lastly, I have to make sure I properly introduce the technologies the students will be using. In my experiences thus far I have realized that my students do not know how to use much of the software for educational purposes. My students get excited when they know they are going to use computers so this is great way to motivate my students. With PBL lessons I struggle with how much to guide them and how much to have they “discover” on their own. I am afraid that they will learn the wrong information and with a cut-and-dry subject like Math, it is harder to unlearn a way to do something.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
GAME Plan Progress
How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?
At this point I have implemented two activities/projects that incorporated technology as well as had them use their creativity. The actions I took to implement those activities mostly came through conversations and brainstorming with colleagues. I find that my searches on the Internet have not been as successful. In some cases I think I am being too specific or looking for the perfect activity. When I don’t find something I refine my search to something else, and generally I am too broad then. The textbook and DVD segments have given me ideas that I have written down to use in the future though.
What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice? O
ne of these activities was more successful than another. The one that was not as successful was a data analysis activity that utilized Microsoft Excel, yet only a handful of students had experience with Excel and knew what a spreadsheet even was. Part of the unsuccessfulness of this activity was my fault because I did not inquire about the students’ skills prior to starting and I did not go into enough depth as to how to use Excel…I should’ve known - assume nothing! My students are in need of much more guidance getting started using the technology than I thought.
What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?
Since my students need to learn the technology before they can actually use it, how much time should I spend with the introduction? I feel like my students would be able to click around and figure out most things but they tend to not like to do that in an academic setting. They would love to explore a new cell phone or digital camera, but exploring Excel isn’t high on my students’ list of things to do.
How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?
Currently things are slightly chaotic because there is a push on the standardized tests and the holidays coming up. I am trying to continue to integrate technology a little at a time to get my students used to using it first. I still need to give my students some more freedom to control their learning but I am struggling with how to do that while still making sure that the standards are met and all students are meeting the same standards.
Any suggestions?
At this point I have implemented two activities/projects that incorporated technology as well as had them use their creativity. The actions I took to implement those activities mostly came through conversations and brainstorming with colleagues. I find that my searches on the Internet have not been as successful. In some cases I think I am being too specific or looking for the perfect activity. When I don’t find something I refine my search to something else, and generally I am too broad then. The textbook and DVD segments have given me ideas that I have written down to use in the future though.
What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice? O
ne of these activities was more successful than another. The one that was not as successful was a data analysis activity that utilized Microsoft Excel, yet only a handful of students had experience with Excel and knew what a spreadsheet even was. Part of the unsuccessfulness of this activity was my fault because I did not inquire about the students’ skills prior to starting and I did not go into enough depth as to how to use Excel…I should’ve known - assume nothing! My students are in need of much more guidance getting started using the technology than I thought.
What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?
Since my students need to learn the technology before they can actually use it, how much time should I spend with the introduction? I feel like my students would be able to click around and figure out most things but they tend to not like to do that in an academic setting. They would love to explore a new cell phone or digital camera, but exploring Excel isn’t high on my students’ list of things to do.
How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?
Currently things are slightly chaotic because there is a push on the standardized tests and the holidays coming up. I am trying to continue to integrate technology a little at a time to get my students used to using it first. I still need to give my students some more freedom to control their learning but I am struggling with how to do that while still making sure that the standards are met and all students are meeting the same standards.
Any suggestions?
GAME Plan Progress
How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?
At this point I have implemented two activities/projects that incorporated technology as well as had them use their creativity. The actions I took to implement those activities mostly came through conversations and brainstorming with colleagues. I find that my searches on the Internet have not been as successful. In some cases I think I am being too specific or looking for the perfect activity. When I don’t find something I refine my search to something else, and generally I am too broad then. The textbook and DVD segments have given me ideas that I have written down to use in the future though.
What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice? O
ne of these activities was more successful than another. The one that was not as successful was a data analysis activity that utilized Microsoft Excel, yet only a handful of students had experience with Excel and knew what a spreadsheet even was. Part of the unsuccessfulness of this activity was my fault because I did not inquire about the students’ skills prior to starting and I did not go into enough depth as to how to use Excel…I should’ve known - assume nothing! My students are in need of much more guidance getting started using the technology than I thought.
What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?
Since my students need to learn the technology before they can actually use it, how much time should I spend with the introduction? I feel like my students would be able to click around and figure out most things but they tend to not like to do that in an academic setting. They would love to explore a new cell phone or digital camera, but exploring Excel isn’t high on my students’ list of things to do.
How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?
Currently things are slightly chaotic because there is a push on the standardized tests and the holidays coming up. I am trying to continue to integrate technology a little at a time to get my students used to using it first. I still need to give my students some more freedom to control their learning but I am struggling with how to do that while still making sure that the standards are met and all students are meeting the same standards.
Any suggestions?
At this point I have implemented two activities/projects that incorporated technology as well as had them use their creativity. The actions I took to implement those activities mostly came through conversations and brainstorming with colleagues. I find that my searches on the Internet have not been as successful. In some cases I think I am being too specific or looking for the perfect activity. When I don’t find something I refine my search to something else, and generally I am too broad then. The textbook and DVD segments have given me ideas that I have written down to use in the future though.
What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice? O
ne of these activities was more successful than another. The one that was not as successful was a data analysis activity that utilized Microsoft Excel, yet only a handful of students had experience with Excel and knew what a spreadsheet even was. Part of the unsuccessfulness of this activity was my fault because I did not inquire about the students’ skills prior to starting and I did not go into enough depth as to how to use Excel…I should’ve known - assume nothing! My students are in need of much more guidance getting started using the technology than I thought.
What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?
Since my students need to learn the technology before they can actually use it, how much time should I spend with the introduction? I feel like my students would be able to click around and figure out most things but they tend to not like to do that in an academic setting. They would love to explore a new cell phone or digital camera, but exploring Excel isn’t high on my students’ list of things to do.
How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?
Currently things are slightly chaotic because there is a push on the standardized tests and the holidays coming up. I am trying to continue to integrate technology a little at a time to get my students used to using it first. I still need to give my students some more freedom to control their learning but I am struggling with how to do that while still making sure that the standards are met and all students are meeting the same standards.
Any suggestions?
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Monitoring my GAME plan
One of the goals in my GAME plan was to incorporate technology into two activities per unit. I also wanted to loosen the boundaries to allow my students to be more creative. I recently started a unit and wanted a multi-day activity to fill the half days of school prior to Thanksgiving. This caused me to think of an activity that closely aligned with what we were doing at the beginning of the project. The students had just learned ratio and started using ratios, percents, fractions, and differences in comparison statements. The textbook gave example of advertisements and I decided to have my students create an advertisement. They were required to look up factual information about a company of their choice. From there they were given the freedom to be creative and design an advertisement and the only requirement was that they had to write 4 comparison statements, include 1 in their advertisement, and explain why they chose it. I did give the students the option of creating their ad using technology or using a poster. A majority chose the poster because that’s what they were comfortable with. There was a student who created a video and others who used Publisher. Regardless, technology was used in some way in each child’s project.
So far I have not needed to use the internet for my own research. I came up with the idea of the advertisement and it evolved through conversations with other teachers. My colleague also did the project with her class and they, too, seemed to have fun with the creative nature of the assignment. Some embraced the technology more than others.
At this point I do not think I need to alter my action plan. Throughout the first 3 weeks of this course I have developed many ideas as to how to implement technology so I do not think it will be as difficult as I originally thought. Some things I am truly excited to get to with my students because I want to see how it will affect their learning.
So far I have learned that my mindset had to change. I was always trying to force the technology because I wanted my students to have that experience for Math, but because it was forced it was not beneficial. In the past I was also avoiding technology because the technology at our school is so bad, but I now know that I just have to suck it up and deal with it because the value outweighs the struggles. Lastly, I had to realize that I need to look at my lesson plans and see where technology would fit naturally and be a good resource for the students in what it achieving the objective.
In doing the advertisement project with my students, I was hoping that more students would pick the technology as a means of presentation. Perhaps it’s because they have not had enough experiences at this point with enough software to feel comfortable with them so they are playing it safe and doing what they know. Should I force the technology upon my students or continue to let them choose? I kind of feel like at some point I have to force them to use something they might not be familiar with or else they will not make any growth. Thoughts?
So far I have not needed to use the internet for my own research. I came up with the idea of the advertisement and it evolved through conversations with other teachers. My colleague also did the project with her class and they, too, seemed to have fun with the creative nature of the assignment. Some embraced the technology more than others.
At this point I do not think I need to alter my action plan. Throughout the first 3 weeks of this course I have developed many ideas as to how to implement technology so I do not think it will be as difficult as I originally thought. Some things I am truly excited to get to with my students because I want to see how it will affect their learning.
So far I have learned that my mindset had to change. I was always trying to force the technology because I wanted my students to have that experience for Math, but because it was forced it was not beneficial. In the past I was also avoiding technology because the technology at our school is so bad, but I now know that I just have to suck it up and deal with it because the value outweighs the struggles. Lastly, I had to realize that I need to look at my lesson plans and see where technology would fit naturally and be a good resource for the students in what it achieving the objective.
In doing the advertisement project with my students, I was hoping that more students would pick the technology as a means of presentation. Perhaps it’s because they have not had enough experiences at this point with enough software to feel comfortable with them so they are playing it safe and doing what they know. Should I force the technology upon my students or continue to let them choose? I kind of feel like at some point I have to force them to use something they might not be familiar with or else they will not make any growth. Thoughts?
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Resources for GAME plan
The biggest resource that I hope to have to accomplish my GAME plan is the help and support of colleagues. This is only my third year teaching and my third year teaching with the teachers I’m teaching with. In the past year I have noticed a division in our mathematics department because one other teacher and I are actively trying to progress our school’s mathematics program into the 21st century and use student-directed lessons that utilize technology. Many of the teachers in our department are very happy using direct instruction and don’t want to change that. Without the support of the other teachers in the department, it also makes it harder to get newer technology that we desperately need.
Anyways, until that happens I plan to utilize the internet for ideas and resources that will help me to find activities and projects that allow students to be creative. I actually did come up with one idea for a unit I am currently teaching to inspire creativity in my students. The unit we are working on is using ratios, percentages, fractions, and differences to make comparisons, particularly in advertisements. Over the next few days, because we have shortened class periods, my students are going to be creating an advertisement for a product where they have to use a percentage, fraction, or difference in their advertisement. Their advertisement can also be made using any means they would like - poster, PowerPoint, Publisher, etc.
I am still struggling with how to create a technology-enriched environment that allows students to explore their curiosities in Math while still making sure they are meeting the academic standards. This is where I need more help and information. Attending a conference or seminar may help as well as conversing with other teachers on a blog or wiki site.
Anyways, until that happens I plan to utilize the internet for ideas and resources that will help me to find activities and projects that allow students to be creative. I actually did come up with one idea for a unit I am currently teaching to inspire creativity in my students. The unit we are working on is using ratios, percentages, fractions, and differences to make comparisons, particularly in advertisements. Over the next few days, because we have shortened class periods, my students are going to be creating an advertisement for a product where they have to use a percentage, fraction, or difference in their advertisement. Their advertisement can also be made using any means they would like - poster, PowerPoint, Publisher, etc.
I am still struggling with how to create a technology-enriched environment that allows students to explore their curiosities in Math while still making sure they are meeting the academic standards. This is where I need more help and information. Attending a conference or seminar may help as well as conversing with other teachers on a blog or wiki site.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
GAME Plan for Integrating Technology
When I first visited the International Society for Technology in Education website and looked at the National Education Standards for Teachers, I felt like I had a lot of work to go. I looked again to try to focus on just a couple of things that I would select as my goals and started to feel a little bit better.
The first standard states: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. I do not feel fully comfortable with this standard and do not feel like I am meeting this standard in a couple of ways. Inspiring student learning is not the part that I struggle with; it is the creativity. As a middle school math teacher the actual concepts are relatively black-and-white and I struggle with how to incorporate creativity into Math.
The second standard states: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. Due to a limited amount of accessible, working technology, I tend to shy away from using the technology that I do have at my disposal because it is often more trouble than its worth. Therefore, I do not feel I am doing a good enough job at creating digital-age learning experiences and assessments.
One of my goals to feeling more comfortable and proficient at both these standards is to incorporate an element of technology in at least two activities per unit. The main thing holding me back is me and my hesitance to go outside of the comfort-zone. The action that I will take to accomplish this goal is to review my unit plan before the start of the unit and identify where technology could be used to better learning tool. From there I will alter my lesson plans to incorporate some type of technology. I will have to monitor my own progress through self-reflection. I could keep a record of each time I implement a technology and assess what went well and did not go well and how I can avoid some of the blunders in the future.
Within the second standard it states: teacher develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress. Many of my students are not curious about math and it is hard to even guide them into something they would be curious about. Also, I find that when I incorporate technology into a lesson, I am still quite restrictive with the students. Therefore, I want to set a goal to loosen up the boundaries and allow students to have more control over their learning. One of my fears with this is that the content standards will not be met, but with the right assignment I think it could work. Since I currently do not know how I would do this, I will need to work with my colleagues to brainstorm a way to achieve this goal. Through the conversations with my colleagues at our designated department meetings I will be able to monitor the progress. When an idea is finally being implemented, I will evaluate the idea and my ability to provide a technology-enriched learning environment based on the independence of the students and the amount of technology they are using.
Does anyone have any ideas for my math classroom?
The first standard states: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. I do not feel fully comfortable with this standard and do not feel like I am meeting this standard in a couple of ways. Inspiring student learning is not the part that I struggle with; it is the creativity. As a middle school math teacher the actual concepts are relatively black-and-white and I struggle with how to incorporate creativity into Math.
The second standard states: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. Due to a limited amount of accessible, working technology, I tend to shy away from using the technology that I do have at my disposal because it is often more trouble than its worth. Therefore, I do not feel I am doing a good enough job at creating digital-age learning experiences and assessments.
One of my goals to feeling more comfortable and proficient at both these standards is to incorporate an element of technology in at least two activities per unit. The main thing holding me back is me and my hesitance to go outside of the comfort-zone. The action that I will take to accomplish this goal is to review my unit plan before the start of the unit and identify where technology could be used to better learning tool. From there I will alter my lesson plans to incorporate some type of technology. I will have to monitor my own progress through self-reflection. I could keep a record of each time I implement a technology and assess what went well and did not go well and how I can avoid some of the blunders in the future.
Within the second standard it states: teacher develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress. Many of my students are not curious about math and it is hard to even guide them into something they would be curious about. Also, I find that when I incorporate technology into a lesson, I am still quite restrictive with the students. Therefore, I want to set a goal to loosen up the boundaries and allow students to have more control over their learning. One of my fears with this is that the content standards will not be met, but with the right assignment I think it could work. Since I currently do not know how I would do this, I will need to work with my colleagues to brainstorm a way to achieve this goal. Through the conversations with my colleagues at our designated department meetings I will be able to monitor the progress. When an idea is finally being implemented, I will evaluate the idea and my ability to provide a technology-enriched learning environment based on the independence of the students and the amount of technology they are using.
Does anyone have any ideas for my math classroom?
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Reflection on "Supporting Information Literacy and Online Inquiry in the Classroom"
This week was the end of the course "Supporting Information Literacy and Online Inquiry in the Classroom". As I think back on the course, it was different from some of the other technology courses I have taken at Walden University in that it did not teach and expose you to new technology, but rather required you to use the technology that you have experienced and have at your disposal in your own classroom to create a unit plan.
As the course progressed we concentrated on different aspects of the new literacy skills that students must know and be taught through inquiry-based lessons. One of the biggest realizations I came to is how much of a facilitator the teacher has become. With the use of technology, students are using different skills to find the information themselves rather than be given the information straight from the teacher. Also, since the students are researching information, the topics can be broad and different groups of students will go in different directions. There are many challenges with this as a teacher including planning and assessement. Teachers have to spend more time planning and making sure they have covered all the bases and anticipate many of the questions the students will have and the different directions they will go with it. From an assessment standpoint, the assessment has to be more broad and there is not longer one correct answer. Lastly, since there is no one right or wrong answer, teachers now face the challenge of ensuring that all students are getting the same information and meeting the targeted standards.
Going forward, I want to try to work with my Professional Learning Community at my school to plan more inquiry-based projects utilizing technology. Since Math is a more straight-foward subject than many other subject areas, this is a challenge, but working with my colleagues will help the brainstorming process and we can work together to plan it and agree on assessments. My goal will be to have a project planned and in place before the winter break in December. From this course, my teaching style has changed and I am trying to create leassons that are more inquiry-based even if they do not use technology. I also want to utilize more technolgy, even though there is limited working technology in my building, and reinforce the new literacy skills that the students have already started developing.
As the course progressed we concentrated on different aspects of the new literacy skills that students must know and be taught through inquiry-based lessons. One of the biggest realizations I came to is how much of a facilitator the teacher has become. With the use of technology, students are using different skills to find the information themselves rather than be given the information straight from the teacher. Also, since the students are researching information, the topics can be broad and different groups of students will go in different directions. There are many challenges with this as a teacher including planning and assessement. Teachers have to spend more time planning and making sure they have covered all the bases and anticipate many of the questions the students will have and the different directions they will go with it. From an assessment standpoint, the assessment has to be more broad and there is not longer one correct answer. Lastly, since there is no one right or wrong answer, teachers now face the challenge of ensuring that all students are getting the same information and meeting the targeted standards.
Going forward, I want to try to work with my Professional Learning Community at my school to plan more inquiry-based projects utilizing technology. Since Math is a more straight-foward subject than many other subject areas, this is a challenge, but working with my colleagues will help the brainstorming process and we can work together to plan it and agree on assessments. My goal will be to have a project planned and in place before the winter break in December. From this course, my teaching style has changed and I am trying to create leassons that are more inquiry-based even if they do not use technology. I also want to utilize more technolgy, even though there is limited working technology in my building, and reinforce the new literacy skills that the students have already started developing.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Reflectiong on "Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology"
In my personal theory of learning I stated that I have a cognitive-constructivist perspective. I believe that students need to be emotionally and actively involved in the lesson in order for it to be meaningful to them. After completing this course, I would not change my personal theory of learning - I think it fits with the nine instructional strategies discussed very well.
Some immediate adjustments that I would make is to integrate technology more. During each lesson, I plan some type of a synthesis activity and my plan is to use technology more with these activities. Our school has limited technology so I plan to spend the summer brainstorming creative ways to use what I have at my disposal. One technology that I plan to implement at the beginning of the year is a class blog for each of my classes. This blog will serve as a place for students to discuss questions and to review content learned in class. I plan to post a question each week for students to respond to and to respond to each other. The other technology tool that I would like to use is VoiceThread. With the limited technology that I have, this is something that we would be able to use easily and it would be a great way for students to present information and have other students comment on it.
One long-term goal that I have is to implement and use a blog for each class. I will maintain this throughout the year and have my students continue to use it after they are out of my class as a place to remain in contact and pose questions to other students. This is something that I will implement in September and work out the kinks throughout the year. Then by the following year, it should be seamless. The other long-term goal I have is to use more nonlinguistic representations in my lessons. This will be difficult to do because I teach middle school math, but I hope to visually describe the use of mathematical concepts to make them more understandable. Again, this is something that I plan to start doing next year and continue to implement more nonlinguistic representations every year. These will mostly be in the form of a PowerPoint.
Overall, I found this course very useful. The exposure to different technologies was extremely helpful and I loved seeing everyone else’s ideas. I wish you all the best
Some immediate adjustments that I would make is to integrate technology more. During each lesson, I plan some type of a synthesis activity and my plan is to use technology more with these activities. Our school has limited technology so I plan to spend the summer brainstorming creative ways to use what I have at my disposal. One technology that I plan to implement at the beginning of the year is a class blog for each of my classes. This blog will serve as a place for students to discuss questions and to review content learned in class. I plan to post a question each week for students to respond to and to respond to each other. The other technology tool that I would like to use is VoiceThread. With the limited technology that I have, this is something that we would be able to use easily and it would be a great way for students to present information and have other students comment on it.
One long-term goal that I have is to implement and use a blog for each class. I will maintain this throughout the year and have my students continue to use it after they are out of my class as a place to remain in contact and pose questions to other students. This is something that I will implement in September and work out the kinks throughout the year. Then by the following year, it should be seamless. The other long-term goal I have is to use more nonlinguistic representations in my lessons. This will be difficult to do because I teach middle school math, but I hope to visually describe the use of mathematical concepts to make them more understandable. Again, this is something that I plan to start doing next year and continue to implement more nonlinguistic representations every year. These will mostly be in the form of a PowerPoint.
Overall, I found this course very useful. The exposure to different technologies was extremely helpful and I loved seeing everyone else’s ideas. I wish you all the best
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Dress Code
Here is a link to my Voice Thread on the issue of the dress code in my school.
http://voicethread.com/share/1197688/
http://voicethread.com/share/1197688/
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Social Learning Theories
There are countless ways to incorporate social learning theories into the classroom, and technology can be used with many of these strategies. A more basic strategy for cooperative learning is Think, Pair, Share. This is a strategy that I use on almost a daily basis. If my students seem confused on something, I will have them get with a partner to discuss the question. Or, other times I will just pose a question to get their thoughts on something, and two heads are better than one! Another strategy that I plan to incorporate into my classroom next year is having a base group. I think that having a group of people to serve as a support system will greatly help my students. Many of my students do not like to ask questions or come for extra help. With a base group, they can turn to their group for help or get a group member to give them the support, emotionally or physically, to help them succeed.
Blogging is a cooperative learning strategy. By reading other classmates’ blogs, the thinking juices start flowing. Students will start thinking deeper and more critically about what other people say and even about what their original thoughts were. While you can have the same effect with just a classroom discussion, you will get more people’s thoughts through the non-threatening nature of a blog. Also, kids love using the computer, so they can use the computer and really think through what they want to say before posting it.
Other strategies for cooperative learning are: activities using Multimedia software, PowerPoint presentation, Jigsaw activities, WebQuests, and virtual field trips.
Any social learning theory is beneficial for learners because it actively engages students in conversations and creating artifacts. There are many things that people cannot do on their own, even adults. Therefore, turning to find the knowledge elsewhere, and teaching kids how to do that, is an important life skill.
Blogging is a cooperative learning strategy. By reading other classmates’ blogs, the thinking juices start flowing. Students will start thinking deeper and more critically about what other people say and even about what their original thoughts were. While you can have the same effect with just a classroom discussion, you will get more people’s thoughts through the non-threatening nature of a blog. Also, kids love using the computer, so they can use the computer and really think through what they want to say before posting it.
Other strategies for cooperative learning are: activities using Multimedia software, PowerPoint presentation, Jigsaw activities, WebQuests, and virtual field trips.
Any social learning theory is beneficial for learners because it actively engages students in conversations and creating artifacts. There are many things that people cannot do on their own, even adults. Therefore, turning to find the knowledge elsewhere, and teaching kids how to do that, is an important life skill.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Constructivism/Constructivism and Technology
Little did I know that there was a distinction between constructivism and constructionism. While they are both related, I guess I have always mentally just grouped them together and didn’t really think about the difference. Constructivism is the theory that each individual constructs their own meaning for things. Constructionism is the theory of learning that people learn best when they build something that can be shared with others.
I think that the main idea behind instruction when using a constructivist or constructionist approach is that the students should have the responsibility to discover the information on their own and produce something to demonstrate their knowledge, as well as be able to share that with others. Technology is a great aid for constructivist and constructionist instructional strategies. One way that technology could be used in my classroom on a daily basis is by posting a discussion question on the class blog and having students comment on the posts during the week. This allows them to share their thoughts with the other students, creates discussion outside of the classroom, and allows them to think at a higher level and share that. Other types of technology that I use with my students are PowerPoint, Excel, research on the internet, and virtual field trips. I will send emails home to parents with websites for review. Many of these websites are applet sights and provide immediate feedback to the student.
A project that I will be starting with my students soon is a roller coaster project where they have to decide on the most thrilling roller coaster, but it has to be based on data. The students have to research 10 roller coasters and compare data on those 10 roller coasters such as the maximum speed, maximum height, and length of ride. This information will be inserted into Excel where they will find the mean, median, and mode for each category. Then they will create a graph for each. Lastly, they will create a PowerPoint describing their data and presenting which roller coaster they think is the most thrilling with their supporting reasons. This is a great project that integrates many concepts that we have learned this year and because it’s about roller coasters, the kids love it. Then, when they go on a roller coaster this summer, they will think about it in a whole new way!
I think that the main idea behind instruction when using a constructivist or constructionist approach is that the students should have the responsibility to discover the information on their own and produce something to demonstrate their knowledge, as well as be able to share that with others. Technology is a great aid for constructivist and constructionist instructional strategies. One way that technology could be used in my classroom on a daily basis is by posting a discussion question on the class blog and having students comment on the posts during the week. This allows them to share their thoughts with the other students, creates discussion outside of the classroom, and allows them to think at a higher level and share that. Other types of technology that I use with my students are PowerPoint, Excel, research on the internet, and virtual field trips. I will send emails home to parents with websites for review. Many of these websites are applet sights and provide immediate feedback to the student.
A project that I will be starting with my students soon is a roller coaster project where they have to decide on the most thrilling roller coaster, but it has to be based on data. The students have to research 10 roller coasters and compare data on those 10 roller coasters such as the maximum speed, maximum height, and length of ride. This information will be inserted into Excel where they will find the mean, median, and mode for each category. Then they will create a graph for each. Lastly, they will create a PowerPoint describing their data and presenting which roller coaster they think is the most thrilling with their supporting reasons. This is a great project that integrates many concepts that we have learned this year and because it’s about roller coasters, the kids love it. Then, when they go on a roller coaster this summer, they will think about it in a whole new way!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Cognitive Learning Theory
The principles of cognitive learning theory basically explain how information is processed. The information is inputted to the brain and then it goes to the short-term memory. From there, the information is filtered and the “important” information is sent to the long-term memory. As a teacher, you want to incorporate as many senses as possible when presenting the information. Therefore, students should be involved in and creating the learning as much as possible. The information should be presented orally and visually while asking questions that require students to think critically.
One of the biggest challenges for students is to sort the information. Dr. Orey explained that the short-term memory can only process approximately 7 pieces of information at one time. If we are overloading our students with information, there is no way to expect them to be able to remember it and make sense of it. That is why we have to assist our students in organizing the information. Some of the strategies discussed in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works are to create a concept map, create a template for notes in a word processor or spreadsheet software, and incorporate multimedia software (2007). These strategies allow the students to break down the information so it is more manageable to learn. It also allows them to organize it in a way that would make sense. Adding pictures where possible would also help to create more connections with the information.
In teaching Math it can be difficult to come up with meaningful pictures. Therefore, I try to have my students work with the information as much as possible. Excel software is a great way for students to create graphs and manipulate data. For example, students could input an equation such as y = 2x + 1 into Excel along with possible values for x. From that they could calculate the values of y and see the results graphed. From there they could change the equation to y = -2x + 1 and see what happens to the graph with the one minor change.
The main idea with integrating technology is to ensure we are creating the meaningful connections that allow our students to recall information more readily.
References:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
One of the biggest challenges for students is to sort the information. Dr. Orey explained that the short-term memory can only process approximately 7 pieces of information at one time. If we are overloading our students with information, there is no way to expect them to be able to remember it and make sense of it. That is why we have to assist our students in organizing the information. Some of the strategies discussed in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works are to create a concept map, create a template for notes in a word processor or spreadsheet software, and incorporate multimedia software (2007). These strategies allow the students to break down the information so it is more manageable to learn. It also allows them to organize it in a way that would make sense. Adding pictures where possible would also help to create more connections with the information.
In teaching Math it can be difficult to come up with meaningful pictures. Therefore, I try to have my students work with the information as much as possible. Excel software is a great way for students to create graphs and manipulate data. For example, students could input an equation such as y = 2x + 1 into Excel along with possible values for x. From that they could calculate the values of y and see the results graphed. From there they could change the equation to y = -2x + 1 and see what happens to the graph with the one minor change.
The main idea with integrating technology is to ensure we are creating the meaningful connections that allow our students to recall information more readily.
References:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Thoughts on Using Behaviorist Strategies
The basic premise of behaviorism revolves around reinforcements and punishments. These days we condition our students, but not like they have been conditioned in the past. Today we reinforce effort and use homework and other practice to help our students to be successful students.
As outlined in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, the general belief is that students do not realize how important their effort is in their success but they are able to learn that the effort they put in will pay off (p. 155). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the teachers to teach the importance of effort and one way to do that is by keeping track of their effort. Teaching effort is not like teaching how to punctuate sentences. You cannot force a student to study every night or to do their homework at home instead of on the bus. They have to be shown what the benefit would be. One of the suggestions made by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) is to create a spreadsheet where the students record their effort for each week of a unit. This is a great way for students to see the correlation between what they are doing inside and outside of school compared to the grade they receive in that area. It does not take students long to see that there is usually a positive correlation between putting in time and effort and receiving better grades. Along these same lines, I liked the idea of creating a survey on Survey Monkey. This is something that I would like to do at the end of a unit and then show the results to students the following year. For example, after teaching an Algebra unit, I could have students rank the difficulty level of specific concepts. When I show this to students the following year, they can see what former 8th graders thought and would then know where they might have to increase their effort so they don’t fall behind.
The other aspect of the behaviorist learning theory is repetitive practice in the form of homework or other tutorials. Homework is dreaded by all students because it is boring, monotonous, and time-consuming (if they put in the effort). Teachers know why they give homework, but do the students understand it? Homework, and any other activity that involves independent practice, must allow for feedback and a time to learn from mistakes. The math homework I give my students consists of 3 or 4 problems about each concept we talked about that day. I explain that I want them to go home and try it on their own after being in school to see if they remembered it. I always encourage them to put something on their paper and try something. The next day homework is checked only for completion. The reason for this is that not everyone will understand something right away and the purpose is to see if the students can complete the task on their own. We go over the homework in class and this is where I clear up confusions.
Technology and internet resources are becoming more and more helpful for providing activities that students can do on their own to practice a concept. These tutorial programs, like homework, provide the instant feedback. There are also a plethora of websites that are instructional and give students another explanation of a topic that they might not have heard in class or seen in the textbook. Technology is also good for expanding on the tutorials and providing more enrichment-type activities. One example that I really liked (because I’m a math teacher) was the use of Excel to create a spreadsheet and graphs representing equations (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 191). This is a great way for students to see how the numbers in an equation change how the graph looks without having to hand-draw each graph.
There is certainly a place for behaviorist theory in today's classroom. It is not the same as what we may have experienced as students, but it is still there in a different form. I think the biggest thing we have to remember though is to use these strategies in moderation.
Because I am curious I will pose these questions: What are your thoughts on grading homework? Would you ever use the score of an online tutorial as a grade?
References:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
As outlined in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, the general belief is that students do not realize how important their effort is in their success but they are able to learn that the effort they put in will pay off (p. 155). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the teachers to teach the importance of effort and one way to do that is by keeping track of their effort. Teaching effort is not like teaching how to punctuate sentences. You cannot force a student to study every night or to do their homework at home instead of on the bus. They have to be shown what the benefit would be. One of the suggestions made by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (2007) is to create a spreadsheet where the students record their effort for each week of a unit. This is a great way for students to see the correlation between what they are doing inside and outside of school compared to the grade they receive in that area. It does not take students long to see that there is usually a positive correlation between putting in time and effort and receiving better grades. Along these same lines, I liked the idea of creating a survey on Survey Monkey. This is something that I would like to do at the end of a unit and then show the results to students the following year. For example, after teaching an Algebra unit, I could have students rank the difficulty level of specific concepts. When I show this to students the following year, they can see what former 8th graders thought and would then know where they might have to increase their effort so they don’t fall behind.
The other aspect of the behaviorist learning theory is repetitive practice in the form of homework or other tutorials. Homework is dreaded by all students because it is boring, monotonous, and time-consuming (if they put in the effort). Teachers know why they give homework, but do the students understand it? Homework, and any other activity that involves independent practice, must allow for feedback and a time to learn from mistakes. The math homework I give my students consists of 3 or 4 problems about each concept we talked about that day. I explain that I want them to go home and try it on their own after being in school to see if they remembered it. I always encourage them to put something on their paper and try something. The next day homework is checked only for completion. The reason for this is that not everyone will understand something right away and the purpose is to see if the students can complete the task on their own. We go over the homework in class and this is where I clear up confusions.
Technology and internet resources are becoming more and more helpful for providing activities that students can do on their own to practice a concept. These tutorial programs, like homework, provide the instant feedback. There are also a plethora of websites that are instructional and give students another explanation of a topic that they might not have heard in class or seen in the textbook. Technology is also good for expanding on the tutorials and providing more enrichment-type activities. One example that I really liked (because I’m a math teacher) was the use of Excel to create a spreadsheet and graphs representing equations (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 191). This is a great way for students to see how the numbers in an equation change how the graph looks without having to hand-draw each graph.
There is certainly a place for behaviorist theory in today's classroom. It is not the same as what we may have experienced as students, but it is still there in a different form. I think the biggest thing we have to remember though is to use these strategies in moderation.
Because I am curious I will pose these questions: What are your thoughts on grading homework? Would you ever use the score of an online tutorial as a grade?
References:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Reflecting Back...
As my 8-week course on integrating technology comes to a close, I have to say I have a completely attitude towards the benefits of technology in my classroom. I have tried to incorporate lessons that are more hands-on than what we’ve thought of middle school math classes being when we took them. From this course I have seen how I can integrate technology into my classes to make the learning not only hands-on, but student-directed as well.
There are many technology skills that I have learned that I would like to integrate into my classroom. First, I learned how to blog (obviously). This was something that I had never done personally and always thought of it as a technology for personal use rather than educational use. I have seen how if implemented correctly, blogs can really enhance the learning that takes place in the classroom. Next, I learned how to create a wiki. Wikis were again something that I had heard of and knew there was educational value to them, but did not realize how easy it was to create one.
I want to continue reading some of the blogs that I have been following about integrating technology in the classroom. This will provide me more ideas of things that I can do in my classroom with blogs and wikis and even other technologies. I have been in communication with the computer teacher in our school about what she teaches in each grade level. We have been discussing when to introduce the introductory ideas of blogging and wikis to middle school students so they have the background knowledge and the classroom teacher won’t have to go over that.
One of the goals I have starting with the new school year is to form either a blog or wiki (still contemplating which would be best) to use as a daily summary of the lesson. I also want this to be a place where students can find resources to help them study. Many students do not know how to study for math and where to find extra problems. A blog or a wiki would be a great aid for them. Another benefit to having a blog or wiki is that students can ask me questions as well as questions of their peers.
Another goal I have is to write a grant to get a SmartBoard either in my classroom or at least for the Math department. I think this is a great tool that can be extremely useful in a Math classroom. It will help to engage the students and keep their interest, thus raising achievement.
I am greatly looking forward to the future of education. It is exciting to be a teacher and knowing that the changing technology and is benefiting our students and encouraging them to think critically. One thing my students do not do is seek answers to their questions. They automatically just ask the teacher and I think the new technology will encourage them to find their own answers.
There are many technology skills that I have learned that I would like to integrate into my classroom. First, I learned how to blog (obviously). This was something that I had never done personally and always thought of it as a technology for personal use rather than educational use. I have seen how if implemented correctly, blogs can really enhance the learning that takes place in the classroom. Next, I learned how to create a wiki. Wikis were again something that I had heard of and knew there was educational value to them, but did not realize how easy it was to create one.
I want to continue reading some of the blogs that I have been following about integrating technology in the classroom. This will provide me more ideas of things that I can do in my classroom with blogs and wikis and even other technologies. I have been in communication with the computer teacher in our school about what she teaches in each grade level. We have been discussing when to introduce the introductory ideas of blogging and wikis to middle school students so they have the background knowledge and the classroom teacher won’t have to go over that.
One of the goals I have starting with the new school year is to form either a blog or wiki (still contemplating which would be best) to use as a daily summary of the lesson. I also want this to be a place where students can find resources to help them study. Many students do not know how to study for math and where to find extra problems. A blog or a wiki would be a great aid for them. Another benefit to having a blog or wiki is that students can ask me questions as well as questions of their peers.
Another goal I have is to write a grant to get a SmartBoard either in my classroom or at least for the Math department. I think this is a great tool that can be extremely useful in a Math classroom. It will help to engage the students and keep their interest, thus raising achievement.
I am greatly looking forward to the future of education. It is exciting to be a teacher and knowing that the changing technology and is benefiting our students and encouraging them to think critically. One thing my students do not do is seek answers to their questions. They automatically just ask the teacher and I think the new technology will encourage them to find their own answers.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Technology Usage of Students
This week I interviewed two students and asked them various questions about their technology usage at home and in school.
The questions that I asked were:
1.) How much time do you spend watching TV at home?
2.) How much time do you spend on the internet at home and which websites do you spend the most time on?
3.) Do you have a cell phone? Do you have unlimited texting? How many text messages do you send a day?
4.) Do you play video games?
5.) What technology do you use the most at school?
I think their responses were representative of a typical student in our school.
Interview with Students
The questions that I asked were:
1.) How much time do you spend watching TV at home?
2.) How much time do you spend on the internet at home and which websites do you spend the most time on?
3.) Do you have a cell phone? Do you have unlimited texting? How many text messages do you send a day?
4.) Do you play video games?
5.) What technology do you use the most at school?
I think their responses were representative of a typical student in our school.
Interview with Students
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Partnership for 21st Century Skills
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a mission to get students to master the skills necessary to be successful in the 21st Century. If you have not checked out the website, you should. The vision has skills necessary for students to be successful in the 21st century, but also the support systems that are necessary.
I was surprised to find that my state, New Jersey, is part of this initiative since I have not heard anything about it. From browsing the website I found that New Jersey is incorporating some 21st Century knowledge and skills into their revised standards and using these revised standards to then review their standardized state test to ensure that these tests are also supporting and promoting the proper skills.
One thing that I would like to see as part of the 21st Century Skills is some idea of when things are supposed to be stressed. I would think that most of the core skills and knowledge would be in the elementary school with just a sprinkling of the other skills (Life and Career Skills, Learning and Innovation Skills, and Information,Media, and Technology Skills) in grades K-5. Then in middle grades 6-8 it would be more of a balance between the core skills and the more 21st century skills. Lastly, high school would be focused on those 21st century skills under the assumption that most of the core skills have been learned and you're just building upon those.
I do think that even without the individual state initiatives, these skills are come to the forefront in education simply because of the way the working world has changed. There is so much more technology and therefore there's more technology in schools. Since there's more technology, people are working, problem-solving, and thinking critically on a more individual basis and therefore those skills need to be improved. So, whether or not a state is pushing these skills, it's hard to avoid them as a teacher in this day and age.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Classroom uses
Since I am not too familiar with the blogging world, I am using this opportunity to see the capabilities of blogging and how it can be used in a classroom setting.
I teach 7th and 8th grade Math. We have block scheduling and it can be quite the challenge tryin to keep teenagers interested for 90 minutes, especially in Math. One hope I have for this blog is to share ideas with other teachers on how to utilize technology in my classroom for every day activities but also to improve upon my lessons.
I think having a classroom blog would be a great way to keep the kids more engaged and more interested. Over the last few days I have been thinking how I would implement the use of a blog to get interaction between the kids but also interacting with the content. Currently I have a POW (Problem of the Week) which my students complete on paper. Posting the POW on a blog and enabling the students to respond would get them discussing ideas as to how to solve the problem, but they could also submit their work through the blog. I would also like to use the blog as a way to keep the students and parents up to date on what we are doing in class as well as the homework assignments and upcoming tests/quizzes.
Most importantly though, I would like my blog to be a place where students can go to study. I envision one student, on a rotating basis, posting the main ideas from the lesson as well as sample problems completed in class and how to solve them. That person would also provide additional problems that can be completed individually at home when studying.
Lastly, I would use the blog as a way to share project ideas and work. We do many projects in my classes, most of which are cross-curricular, and due to the nature of these projects, there is not a good way to show off their work and ideas. Using the blog I would be able to upload pictures and have students write about their individual or group project.
I have many ideas but working out the legistics is the next step. I have several students who do not have internet access at home; therefore those students would not be able to do many of the things I hope that my students would be able to use the blog for. While there are many classroom uses, I also do not have the capability for more than 4 students (there are only 4 computers in my classroom) to be on the blog at once. I would be able to have many people on at once approximately once a month and that has to be scheduled well in advance. Any ideas?
I teach 7th and 8th grade Math. We have block scheduling and it can be quite the challenge tryin to keep teenagers interested for 90 minutes, especially in Math. One hope I have for this blog is to share ideas with other teachers on how to utilize technology in my classroom for every day activities but also to improve upon my lessons.
I think having a classroom blog would be a great way to keep the kids more engaged and more interested. Over the last few days I have been thinking how I would implement the use of a blog to get interaction between the kids but also interacting with the content. Currently I have a POW (Problem of the Week) which my students complete on paper. Posting the POW on a blog and enabling the students to respond would get them discussing ideas as to how to solve the problem, but they could also submit their work through the blog. I would also like to use the blog as a way to keep the students and parents up to date on what we are doing in class as well as the homework assignments and upcoming tests/quizzes.
Most importantly though, I would like my blog to be a place where students can go to study. I envision one student, on a rotating basis, posting the main ideas from the lesson as well as sample problems completed in class and how to solve them. That person would also provide additional problems that can be completed individually at home when studying.
Lastly, I would use the blog as a way to share project ideas and work. We do many projects in my classes, most of which are cross-curricular, and due to the nature of these projects, there is not a good way to show off their work and ideas. Using the blog I would be able to upload pictures and have students write about their individual or group project.
I have many ideas but working out the legistics is the next step. I have several students who do not have internet access at home; therefore those students would not be able to do many of the things I hope that my students would be able to use the blog for. While there are many classroom uses, I also do not have the capability for more than 4 students (there are only 4 computers in my classroom) to be on the blog at once. I would be able to have many people on at once approximately once a month and that has to be scheduled well in advance. Any ideas?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Hello All!
This is my first blog EVER and I'm looking forward to getting started yet slightly unsure of what to expect. My hope is to become fully educated in the world of blogging so I can later incorporate blogs and other technologies into my classroom. I also hope to gain more ideas, feedback, support, etc. from other teachers - we all know how valuable that can be.
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