Blog Post #3

The ELA standard that I feel prepared to teach is W/WHST.8 “Use Multiple Sources.” This standard is all about obtaining useful information from multiple sources while being able to credit the sources properly. Plagiarism is something that was drilled into my head at a young age. In middle school and high school, my teachers stressed the importance of citing work that was not originally yours. Whether it was typing research papers or making power points, a citation was always required and expected. Hence, teaching my students this standard would be no challenge, since I am well experienced in this area. Now, a standard that I have yet to master is SL.5 “Use Digital Media.” This standard emphasizes the use of digital media to express information and understanding of the content. This standard also implements the use of audio recordings, which is an area that I have little to no expertise in.

Since I will be working with 1^st graders, there is little applications that can be used. Fortunately, apps like First Grade Learning Games, Sid’s Science Fair, and Brainzy, can be downloaded for free and used as a resource to teach your students in a more attractive way. I believe that young students are more likely to pay attention to things that are on a screen rather than on paper and pencil. These apps are made up of fictional stories, mathematical problems, geographical pictures, and scientific experiments that are appealing to young students. Of course, there must be guidelines when using technology. For my first graders, I would teach them to protect personal information about themselves or others and that their participation in the digital community is appropriate and on topic.  

After diligently working on my Newsletter Design, I acquired some new Word skills. One skill that I gained was creatively using a text box and changing the background. I also learned how to insert a “cut here” line. I liked the creative aspect of the assignment. As an elementary school teacher, specifically 1^st grade, it is important that you have some creativity because bright colors and figures draw the attention of little kids. The one thing I did not like was the amount of time that has to be put into making a newsletter. However, now that I have a better understanding of how to create a newsletter, it will take me less time to make one if I ever need to in the future. 

Blog Post #2

Microsoft Word has been a key tool throughout my school years. As a student, I was expected to write essays and typed assignments using Microsoft Word. In special occasions, I used Microsoft Word to create posters and handouts for my clubs. My educators also use Microsoft Word. They use it to create lesson plans, homework assignments, classroom assignments, tests, among other documents.

Copyrights have always been important in school. At a young age, I was taught how to properly cite work that was not originally mine, whether it be from books, websites, movies, etc. My school’s computers always had a filtering software that prevented us from accessing any prohibited Internet sites. Thus, as a teacher, I would never allow one of my students to plagiarize nor print/view any inappropriate material in my classroom. I would strongly implement the code of ethics, which is a set of guidelines explicitly explaining the expectations of what is allowed and what is not.

Last week, I was reminded that social media can benefit a learning environment. For example, Twitter is mainly used to publicize one’s current “status”, but it can also help students engage in current events. With Twitter’s “trending” feature, students can find articles pertaining to an issue discussed in class. Twitter can also be used as a mean of communication between the teacher and the students, after all, it is more probable that a student sees a post on Twitter than on Blackboard. However, social media is a platform for which you must have much caution. When used as an educational resource, teachers must make it clear to the students what is considered acceptable and what is not. Students should always be cautious of what is posted on social media because anybody can see it, and some of those who run into your posts may be your future employers. Nothing on social media is ever completely erased. That being said, teachers as well as students should always be extremely attentive of how they utilize personal learning networks.

Blog Post #1

As time passes, technology continues to become an essential part of education. Now a days, teachers implement the use of technology by creating lesson plans and taking attendance with computers, making presentations using Microsoft Powerpoint, requiring students to type essays, or using emails as a mean of communication. Technology is so common in a classroom environment that according to a report done by the U.S Department of Education, 99% of teachers surveyed had computers in the classroom everyday (Duffy & McDonald 2015). However, as positively as technology may seem, it has its cons. Technology is an expense and sometimes, schools cannot afford it. Many schools limit the use of computers and internet access simply because they don't have the funds for it. Also, implementing technology in a classroom is a time challenge. Teachers must come up with ways to incorporate technologies while still completing what the standards dictate. On another aspect, with all the information available to one on the internet, copyright becomes a critical issue to take into consideration when utilizing online information. Also, communicating through the use of technology is so accessible that many students occasionally cheat on tests or assignments. Teachers also need to be aware of the dangers of using technology. When mentioning a student on any sort of media, they should be cognizant of the proper way to do it. Teachers should never mention the full name of the minor because that could be putting the student in danger.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards are used by teachers as they “design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning” (iste.org). One specific standard, standard #1, is my favorite because it involves both face to face and virtual involvement. Standard #1 ask the teachers to use their knowledge of subject matter, instructing/learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation (iste.org). This specific standard promotes innovative and creative thinking while also allowing the student to analyze and solve real world problems through the use of digital tools. However, all of this is conducted face-to-face with the teacher. I believe that by integrating both face-to-face and digital learning, it can better the outcome of a child’s learning. There is, however, one standard that is out of my skill set: standard #3. Standard #3 asks for teachers to demonstrate knowledge of technology and transfer it into new knowledge to new technologies and situations. I can say that I am familiar with the basics of technology, however, I have little to knowledge of anything more than the basics. So, jumping into new technologies may be a conflict for me. 

Millennials are often referred to as “digital natives.” That is, someone who was born or grew up in the age of technology. I believe this term adequately suits us because through out our lives, we have been surrounded by technology in both direct and indirect ways. We have a much faster way of adapting to technology than those who did not grow up with technology, also referred to as “digital immigrants”. Most of us know how to work a computer, a smartphone, a projector, a social media platform, etc. Much older teachers often have difficulty using these types of technologies mainly because they were not as accessible to them as they are to us. As I get older, I feel like students younger than me already know what I know and in some cases, they know more about technology than I do. In time, when I am teacher, I believe my students will have more knowledge about technology than me simply because technology advances every day and what may not exist in my young years may exist in theirs. It’s all a matter of how much I keep up with the current technology and how I effectively incorporate it in my classroom. 

Sources:

Lever-Duffy, Judy, and Jean McDonald B. Teaching and Learning with Technology. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2015. Print

"Standards for Teachers." For Teachers. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2016