Week 8What have you learned in this class? When signing up for this class, I really had no idea what to expect. While, I may be the “go to” computer person in my family, I do not consider myself to be a technological person at all. I was pleasantly surprised with this class and I have learned a lot in this class. While I may not have a classroom of my own yet, I know that students all learn at different paces and in different ways. Having a flipped classroom also us as teachers to meet the different learning styles of all the students. It allows me to provide students with content in different formats so that I can reach all my students. I would say that the biggest thing that I took away from this class is that there are so many free resources available out there for teachers to use. As technology grows and changes, more resources will become available to us. In this class, I learned about 10 specific tools that could help me in a flipped classroom; some I liked more than others. Project 1: Lesson Plan and Weebly Blog I have always planned on using lesson plans in my classroom, but dread having to create them. I other classes that I have had to create a lesson plan for, it has always seemed like a long and detailed process. I was relatively surprised that I actually liked the lesson plan I created for this class. Out of all the lesson plans I have created so far, I find that this lesson plan is the most organized and concise enough that it is easy to follow. I definitely will be using this format for lesson plans in my class if possible. As for Weebly, I have mixed emotions about it. I like the idea of it, but found it to be very stressful and time consuming. I am one of those people who have no qualms about talking and speaking, but when it comes to writing my ideas and thoughts down, I panic. I am one of those people who always second guesses what I write and still feel that it is not exactly what I want to say. I mean, I take an average of 3-5 minutes to write out a simple text or email because I rewrite it so many times. I feel that I probably took longer on writing these posts than an average person. So overall, with the time it takes me on blogs and the panic and stress I feel about writing my reflections down (yes, even this one), I do not think I liked this aspect of the class. I really do not see how this can be used in the classroom. Project 2: Survey I have never used Google survey before and was very surprised at how easy it was to create. I really enjoyed this tool and feel that it can be used several ways in the classroom. Surveys are a great way to gather information from students. Outside of asking students about technology (which I think is a great survey), I can use this as an end of the year/semester to see what students thought about the class and if there is anything that they would like to see changed or added to it. I found Google Forms very easy to use when creating the survey and will definitely be using this in my future classroom. Project 3: Google Docs and Google Slides Google Docs and Slides were another tool that I really liked. These tools were something that I was familiar with already having used it for different classes in my graduate program. There are several things that I really like about these tools. The thing that I like about Google Docs and Google Slides is that it allows for collaboration. I am a strong supporter of group work and I believe that these tools will be great for students to use when working on projects together. With these Google tools, students can work on the assignment in different locations at deferent times and as the documents are shared and edited, all group members will be able to see the changes in real time. Due to the strong collaboration aspect of Google Docs and Slides, I will with out a doubt be using this in my future classroom. Project 4: Podcasts The best way to put it, is that I am indifferent when it comes to podcasts. Through Vacaroo, I had no trouble creating and downloading a podcast, but I did not really love it (nor did I hate it). While it may not be my favorite tool to use, I do how it can be positively used in the classroom. While I am primarily a visual learner, I understand that not everyone learns the same way. This would be a great tool for those who are auditory learners. While I really do not see myself using this in my classroom, if I was to use this, I would use it as a review tool to go over content students may still have difficulty with or may have missed in class. Project 5: Videos This is another one of the assignments that I am on the fence about. Ultimately, I really do like the idea of creating videos for the class, but I found them difficult to create. I think that as I became more familiar with the program (Movie Maker 10), it may be easier for me to create. With that said, once I have created the videos, I know that I can always reuse them. I do believe that this would be a great tool to use in the class if I had the time (and talent) to create the videos. A tool like this is great for both visual and auditory learners and would be a great change for students. Overall, I think that this is something that I would love to try in my classroom. Project 6: Edpuzzle (Interactive Video) This was my first time hearing about Edpuzzle and all I got to say is that I loved it. I think that this is a great tool to use in any classroom. I love the idea of taking any video and using it to create assignments and quizzes. This is also a perfect tool to make sure that students actually watch the video and understand its content. I love that through Edpuzzle, I can cut videos I get off of youtube and incorporate questions in it for students answer. With Edpuzzle, I can assign students to watch videos at home instead of in the classroom where you will be pausing it throughout to ask questions. By having the questions put into the video for them also holds them accountable and makes sure that they understand what is going on in the video. Edpuzzle is something that I will constantly be using in my classroom. Project 7: Website While I did not like the Weebly blog, I did love the Weebly webpage. I think that this have a teacher/class website is an excellent thing to have. I really like the idea of having a site that students can access and have everything they need provided there. With the website, the students will be able to access the content for the unit that they are studying as well as assignments that they need to complete. This is also a great place for them to check out any additional resources I may have for them to check out. All the content that they need for the class will be on the website, so the students should not have any excuses as to why they didn’t know or do something (unless of course internet is down or something). While it was time consuming, once it is set up it is very easy to use. Using a course website is something that I will definitely try using in my future classroom. Project 8: Padlet Padlet is one of my favourite tools. The way I see it, Padlet is another great way for students (and teachers) to collaborate. As a teacher, I can post additional resources that the students may find helpful. I can also have students share additional resources and videos that they found helpful. Overall, Padlet is a great place for students to share ideas, videos, files, and images with one another kind of like and digital information board. I can definitely see myself trying this out in my classroom. Project 9: Rubric and Quizzezz RubiStar and Quizzes are two other tools that I liked. I find that having to create a rubric from scratch is very tedious and time-consuming work. I found that using RubiStar allowed me to easily create a rubric that was easy to edit. One bonus to RubiStar is that it gave me several ideas for potential project in my future classroom. This is something I will definitely be utilizing for projects and other assignments. Quizzezz is another tool that I actually liked. Quizzezz can be used in many ways in the classroom, including homework, quizzes, and study guide. I really like that with Quizzezz, I can create my own quiz or use one that has been already created. I think that it is an excellent game site as well and I will be trying it out in my classroom. Project 10: Thinglink and Scoop.It I actually liked Thinglink and think that it is a great tool to use. Thinglink is an online tool where you can upload an interactive picture and attach links to files, websites, and videos. I think that it is a great resource to use and provide additional resources for students to review on their own time. This tool would be especially help students who are visual learners. Scoop.It was actually my least favourite out of all the projects. I like the idea of it, but it seems to be very similar to Padlet, which I would prefer. With Scoop.It, the teacher can share documents, articles, websites, and videos with students. Personally, I think Padlet does similar things and is a bit more visually appealing compared to Scoop.It which to me seems vary bland. I also think that at this point, there are so many other tools previously mentioned that I would prefer to try in my classroom first. Strong and Weak Points I think that one of my strengths is that while I do not consider myself to be a technological person, I do know my way around the computer and I learn new skills pretty quickly. I think that another strength is that some of these projects I enjoyed doing, so I think it will be easier to incorporate them in my classroom. As for my weaknesses, I have several. First, I think that videos are one of my weaknesses and I think that this is because of unfamiliarity with the software. Using 1-2 more times may help build my confidence. I also think that my lack of creativity may also be a weakness. I do not really consider myself to be a crafty/artistic person and a lot of these projects require creativity; just hoping that the more I use these tools, my hidden creative side will come out. Lastly, I need to remember that not all students learn the same and I am hoping that by incorporating some of these tools, I will be able to meet the various learning needs of my students. Will you integrate these technologies into your classroom? Why or why not? I think that as technology continues to change and become a bigger part of our society, it is imperative that teachers incorporate technology into the classroom. Technology makes it easier for me as the teacher to differentiate instruction to meet all the learning styles in my classroom. Also, Technology allows for the teacher to provide information to the students more easily and effectively. Technology can also make learning much more interesting and fun especially when using game sites such as Quizzezz and Kahoot. Since many of these tools are simple and easy to use, I really do look forward to incorporating technology in my classroom. I am even willing to try some of the ones I had difficulty with including creating videos. What are your future learning goals? I would love to continue learning about new technological tools that are out there for teachers to use. I know that technology is ever changing and that it is important to keep up with those changes, so I would like to do professional developments and go to conferences to continue educating
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Week 7: Projects 8-10Chapter 11 Question 2 Privacy is a controversial issue in the Digital Age. Schools have an obligation to ensure student safety, both physical and virtual. When using the Internet or the network, this requires keeping close tabs on student’ activity when they are using computers. Do you think this violates students’ privacy? Justify your opinion and consider both points of view. No, I do not think that keeping an eye on students’ internet activity violates their privacy. It is the school’s responsibility to keep students safe, both physically and virtually. This means monitoring them using the internet. Students, especially young students, are not always aware of the consequences of putting their personal information out there on the internet. They just see a game they want to play that may require their name, email, and/or age; they do not know the dangers that providing such information can pose. As teachers, it is our responsibility to monitor internet use, and make sure that they are used properly. Some may argue First Amendment rights, but schools often have policies in place about internet and computer usage and since the computers are school property, the rules must be followed. The school and the teachers have the right to monitor students’ internet usage. Lastly, students are at school to learn; they should not be using the internet for anything outside of that. Chapter Twelve Question 1 As emerging technologies continue to affect education, there is little question that the role of the teacher will change. Imagine yourself teaching a class in 20 years. How do you think your role would be different from the typical teacher’s role today? I think it is hard to say how a teacher’s role is going to be different in twenty years compared to today. There is constantly new research showing what works and what does not and there are many factors to consider. In the years to come, as more and more teachers use it, technology will play a much bigger role in the classroom. Overall, I think that in twenty years, the teacher’s role will be significantly different. Classrooms will have become computer/internet friendly and the teacher must be able to provide the resources that the students will need. I think that technology will continue to play a bigger role in students’ education, allowing students to have more customized learning. Technology will allow for differentiated instruction with the teacher providing lessons in different formats to meet each students’ learning style. I also think that learning will be more student driven with the teacher guiding the students’ learning as the students take a more active role in their education. Lastly, I feel that there are going to be more virtual classrooms. Padlet: I think that Padlet is a great resource to use in the classroom. I could use this as a place to provide students with additional resources to use for lessons. Students can also use this page to share any resources that they may have found useful that has not been provided. Lastly, this is a great place for students to upload their work and or research and have other students comment on it. RubiStar: Rubrics are a good way to help students understand exactly what the teacher is looking for and how their projects are going to be graded. I find that rubrics can be difficult to create, but RubiStar made the whole process so much easier. Definitely using this in the future. Quizzez: I really liked Quizzes. I liked that it is very user friendly and that I can use it for multiple purposes including homework, individual work, or live games. I would probably use this for a quick, fun quiz game to make sure that the students are understanding the new content that is being introduced. Thinglink: This is another cool tool I can use to provide additional resources to students. I really like it because it is clean, neat, and visually appealing. I think this tool would work best on students who are visual learners. It is very easy to use and interactive for students; I would use this in my classroom to provide additional resources on a specific topic. Scoop.It: Of all the educational tools we used this week, this is my least favorite. I see a lot of use and benefits from it. It is another good way to provide students with additional resources, even explaining to them why you chose it, but I prefer Padlet and Thinglink. It also did not help that this gave me the most technological trouble, being very slow to load and all. I do not really see my self using this in my classroom. Code: 075920
Week 6: Project 7Chapter 9 Question 2 The Internet is a public communication area that many believe is protected by the First Amendment. Others believe that its contents should be moderated and the public protected from inappropriate content. What is your view on this controversial issue, particularly in light of the extensive use of the Internet in schools? I do believe that what people write on the internet is protected by freedom of speech. In many cases, it is a way for people to express themselves and what they believe and that is protected by the First Amendment. With that said, I think people should be cautious with what they put on the Internet, because once there it will always be out there and that can hurt them or careers down the road. Having the internet protected by the First Amendment can come at a cost with people putting inappropriate content out there. As teachers, I think that we have the responsibility to make sure that our students do not come across such content while they are doing school work. So, at school, teachers should make sure students access appropriate sites. If the teacher provides sites for students to use, then they need to vet those sites and make sure that there is no inappropriate content on the site and the content is subject related only. Another way to make sure that students do not access inappropriate content is to teach them how to properly use the internet and show them how to make sure a site is a reliable source. Chapter 10 Question 3 What role do you think distance education will play in education as the Information Age unfolds and technologies improve? What advantages and disadvantages for teachers and students do you foresee? I think that as technology and the information age improve, distance education will continue to play an increasingly important role in education. For me personally, all my classes for graduate school has been through distance education and I have found that I like it. I think that while there are a lot of advantages through distance education, there are some disadvantages as well. Advantages:
Week 5: Projects 4-6After completing the podcast and video projects, reflect your working experiences of creating multimedia materials, the challenges you encountered during your creation. You also want to focus on how you will use these technologies into your own classroom? How can authoring software help you teach and your students learn? Make sure to use Chapter 7-8 as your reference. You need to upload your movie to youtube and embed youtube video to the end of your blog. You can embed vocaroo audio to your blog as well but the link will be expired soon. So I want you to download your audio as MP3 file and upload it to your blog. You will also post the interactive Edpuzzle video class and access code to the end of your blog so that your readers will be able to access it. So overall, I found this week's projects to be very educational and enlightening. So I'm going to begin with aspects of the projects that I liked. surprisingly, I actually didn't mind the podcast. I found it easy to organize what I wanted to say and Vocaroo was very easy to use. If I decide to try flipped classroom, I can see myself using it, though it may not be my go-to tool. Out of the three projects, the one I really liked is the Edpuzzle. I will definitely be using this in my classroom. It doesn't matter what subject you teach, I think it is a perfect tool in any class. One way I can definitely use it 4 is when showing old footage in history class to make sure that students understand what is going on. I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier, but an example of me using Edpuzzle for the Space Race lesson plan is having the students watch John F. Kennedy's Moon Speech at Rice University. In the video, I think incorporate guiding questions in the video to make sure the students understand what JFK is saying. My least favorite of the three projects was the movie story. Aside from not being to text savvy and having to learn the software, I found it difficult to line up the audio with the pictures and making sure it all fits. If I was to do a video presentation in a flipped classroom, I'm going to stick to doing a video/audio recording through PowerPoint. overall, there was a lot I took away from these projects and I definitely can't wait to try and Edpuzzle in my class. Podcast Movie Story Interactive Video Code: figebja Week 4: Projects 1-3Teacher task software is abundant for instructors to perform all types of teaching and learning responsibilities. After completing the Google Docs projects, reflect your working experiences when collaborate with your group members by using Google Docs. You may want to focus on how you use these technologies into your own classroom and how Google Docs promote active learning and collaboration among students? Make sure to use Chapter 7 as your reference. Link your projects at the end of your reflection and make the links open in a new window. There are many benefits to having students work together on projects. Group projects allow for students to develop their communication and teamwork skills. It also gives them the opportunity to learn from one another and hold each other accountable for their own work. As technology continues to improve, it allows for many new ways in which students can work together. Google Docs and Slides are one example provided in our textbooks of great collaboration tools for students to use inside and outside the classroom. As I do not have a classroom yet, my only experience with Google Docs and Presentation is as a student. As a student, I have seen many benefits to it. The work is stored all in one place and accessible by anyone in the group. As group members work on it, it is updated in real time. So, if a student decides to work on the project at home, the rest of the group does not have to wait until the next day to see what has been added. I personally will be using Google Docs and Presentation in my classroom for assignments such as group research projects. As a history teacher I see many benefits to technology such as Google Docs and Slides. Lesson Plan Survey Story with Words Presentation Slide Show Week 3Chapter 4 Question 3: When technology is used to support culturally and linguistically diverse students, it is often remedial. Some students find themselves using technology that has been designed for younger learners simply because the vocabulary level matches their current language acquisition. This types of remediation via technology can be frustrating to use. Imagine yourself living in another country, trying to learn its language, and being asked to learn via remedial software. What concerns would you have about this instructional approach? What other options might be found to avoid remediation when it is instructionally unnecessary? I think this is the perfect question for me because I was one of those people. I was adopted from Latvia when I was almost eight and placed in a school where only my sisters spoke my native language. I was immediately placed in an ESL class to start learning English. While I don't remember much, I do remember some of the challenges I face. At that time, they didn't have the technology they do now. When it came to learning English, they worked with my sisters and I together; my sisters were two grade levels below me, so right from the start I was not learning at my grade level. At one point, I had my IQ tested in which I scored above average (no, I'm not a genius). Years later, I asked my mom why I got tested and she said that the teachers thought that I may be intellectually challenged. As I'm writing this, I remember in my SPE 500 class I took last semester, Dr. LaVergne mention that ELL students are often miss classified as having a mental disability because of the language barrier. Anyway, eventually they started working with me separately, and my English, as well as my grades in my regular class, started to improve. So, to answer the question, using remedial technology to learn English can hold the student back. They need to be able to keep up with their grade level and their interest. I think what I'm trying to say is that if a 5th grade student is learning English at a 3rd grade level, they will have difficulty keeping up with their class. Also, I know if it was me and I was being taught English with remedial technology, I would be bored. When I am bored and not challenged, I don't learn and retain information well. So, when using technology to teach students the English language, the teacher needs to make sure the content is cognitively appropriate and interesting to the learner. Chapter 5 Question 2: Discuss the cloud storage. Why is it advantageous for educators to share resources and programs on a network? What concerns are associated with program sharing? Cloud storage is a form of data storage where the data is stored on a hard disk in a remote location, but it is accessible online. Data stored on a cloud can be accessed by the individual using a password but can be shared with others if the owner chooses to do so. Some examples of cloud storage included Dropbox and Google Cloud. There are several advantages of using cloud storage. A person can access a file stored on a cloud via any computer that is connected to the internet without having a physical hard drive. The file will stay there, ready to be accessed when needed. Another advantage is that using a cloud allows for a great way to collaborate with peers where files can be shared amongst one another. Also, with cloud, files can be synchronized as it is edited and updated. A disadvantage of using a cloud is that internet connection is not always reliable, that's the file may not be accessed when needed. Something to keep in mind, some students may not have internet access at home especially ones from low income families. Lastly, there is the question of reliability and security of the company where the cloud data is stored. Personally, I have seen many benefits of using cloud storage. I may not be a teacher yet, but as a student, it has been great. when taking classes online, it can be difficult to do group work, especially if your group members are in different parts of the state. Using Google Docs, where members can share documents and add to it has helped a lot. I know this can be beneficial to group projects for students especially if they can't get what needs to be done in the classroom. this way they don't have to worry about trying to get rides to each other's house to work on projects together (like my parents did when I was in school before cloud storage was a thing). Chapter 6 Question 1: After considering the various types of digital technologies presented in this chapter, what three pieces of equipment do you think you would most want for your future or current classroom? Explain why you selected these three and how you would use them for teaching and learning. I find that many of these devices can be very beneficial in my future classroom, and US found it difficult to narrow it down to only three, but I managed. Keep in mind, that this fall will be my first semester teaching, so I don't know what will and will not work in my classroom. 1. Electronic whiteboard - I selected this because I do see a lot of use for this in any classroom. As a substitute teacher, I have seen these used in classrooms all the time. I see an electric whiteboard as a very versatile piece of technology with many uses. One good way to use this would be to analyze primary documents where the whole class can see it. As a class, I can have students come up and make their own annotations on it. This is just one of many examples of how I can use this technology in my classroom. 2. Cloud computing - This is something that I will definitely use in my classroom if possible. This is a good way for students to do group projects or even individual assignments. With individual assignments, this allows students to keep track of their work and if they forget it at home, they have a way to access it at school. For group projects, the cloud can allow for students to add to each other's work as well as keep track of it and have it stored in one spot. This also allows for groups to work on this at home, but allowing other members stay up-to-date. Lastly, sites like Google Classroom helps track who did what and hold students accountable for their work. With Cloud, I can also share resources, notes, and assignments with students. This way students can have a way to see assignments and notes incase they loose their copy (no excuses of “I couldn’t find the handout”). 3. Video conferencing systems - This is something that I have not seen used in a classroom, but I really see a lot of value in it. I believe there are many benefits to using this in a history classroom. One use is having guest speakers that would otherwise be unable to attend due to distance. This is also a good way to connect students to other classrooms in other states and countries. It is a great way to get them interacting with students of different cultures. I don't know exactly how I would use this in my classroom, but I do see a lot of potential for it. I will definitely investigate this more. Week 2Chapter 1, Question 2: Standards have altered teacher preparation programs and curriculum requirements in schools. The intention behind standardization is to ensure equivalent and consistent instruction and to provide measurable outcomes. Do you believe that the implementation of standards identified by national, state, and curriculum organizations has accomplished their intent? Explain why or why not. I do believe that it is just as important for teachers to take additional courses and technology literacy as it is in their own discipline. There are several reasons as to why it is important for teachers to continue education in technology. First, as school districts continue to invest money in technology, more and more schools use educational technology such a smartboard in their classrooms. Second, technology is used in many ways in a classroom including for administrative tasks such as grading and taking attendance online. Technology is also used for communication, presentations, preparing lessons, and an instructional tool to support lessons. I know that as a new teacher in August, I will be using technology for all of these purposes in my classroom, so it is important for me to understand how to use them. When it comes to using technology as an educational tool, it is important for me to be able to provide various learning tools for my students especially since there is so much out there for them. Thirdly, it is important for teachers to stay up-to-date with the continuously changing technology especially when it comes to using them effectively for learning in the classroom. lastly, today's students are "21st Century Learners." They have grown up and become immersed in the world of technology and us it is important for teachers to do so as well. For reasons stated above, I also don't think that there is too much emphasis being placed on developing and maintaining technology competency. Technology has become such a huge part of our students lives in in their classrooms, it is important for us to keep up today's date with it especially since there are so many educational tools constantly developing out there. Chapter 2, Question 1: Imagine that you are going to teach a unit about Christopher Columbus to the grade level of your choice. What strategies immediately come to mind as good possibilities for teaching this unit? What relationship can you discern between how you might want to teach this unit and your learning or cognitive style? Describe how you think your own personal style might affect your teaching styles. What lessons can you draw from this realization when you teach your diverse students? When teaching a unit about Christopher Columbus to eighth-graders, the first thing that comes to mind is that Christopher Columbus was in search of a faster trade route to India from Spain, and that "discovering" the Americas was an accident. The first teaching strategy to use that comes to mind is using a map to locate key places in trading routes. students will have their own map as well as one on a smartboard that is to be filled out as a class. I will also employ group work strategies for students will use prior knowledge to draw conclusions as to why Spain and Columbus would want to travel Westward to get to India and what was the impact of his "discovery" of the Americas. We would go over their findings as a class and I will provide a PowerPoint presentation when introducing new content. When looking at this, all the group work shows that my cognitive style is probably extrovert in addition to sensing and thinking. Knowing who I am and the way I think, I definitely am a person who is very analytical and likes to draw conclusions based on facts. My need for maps and PowerPoint presentation shows that I am primarily a visual learner, though I know that I am also an auditory learner which may show in my group/class discussions. This little exercise did show me that the way I plan my lessons is fit best towards how I learned. I have left out students whose cognitive styles and more subjective and about feeling including introvert, intuitive, feeling, and perceiving cognitive styles. this also leaves out students whose learning style is kinesthetic. I definitely will need to diversify my lessons more so that it meets the needs of all students and their cognitive and learning styles. The best way to do this is to get to know my students. Chapter 3, Question 2: To effectively design instruction with technologies, a number of instructional design models are used in education. After reading this chapter, discuss the Dynamic Instructional Design (DID) model with the focus on its five steps. It is important to effectively design instruction in the classroom. when using technology and design instruction, there are several models that teachers can use including Dynamic Instructional Design (DID) model and the Design-Plan-Act (D-P-A). While both models provide step by step instruction on how to integrate technology in lessons, the DID model simplifies the steps and makes sure that none of the steps are missed to make sure that instructions are of quality and technology rich. The DID model has five steps that are to be followed. Step 1: Know the Learner - The teacher must design their instruction to meet the needs of individual students. The teacher needs to know the unique characteristics of the class as well as individual learning styles. Step 2: State the Learning Outcome/Objectives - The performance objective is what the student should be able to do at the end of a lesson. All objectives must keep national, state, and technology standards in mind. A well-written standard must have the following four components: stem, target performance, assignment method, and criterion for success. Step 3: Identify Teaching and Learning Strategies - Teaching strategies are procedures that the teacher uses to help students achieve objectives and maximize their learning. Learning strategies are activities that the teacher selects for the students to do to help them achieve learning outcomes. Step 4: Select Support Technologies - After designing learning strategies, the teacher then should identify and select technology that will be used to support instruction. Having this process separate from step 3 ensures that support technology is meaningfully Incorporated in instruction. Step 5: Assess and Revise - Assessment is used to see if students met the objectives for the lesson plan. There are two types of assessment: formative (used throughout the lesson) and summative (used for the end of lesson). Assessments should be designed to make sure that students have achieved learning outcomes for the lesson. If lesson objectives were not met or the teacher finds that the lesson plan was ineffective, then it needs to be revised. Week 1Hello everyone, my name is Saiva and I am working on my Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) here at the University of Southern Mississippi. I plan on graduating May 2020. I really do not have much of a work experience. When I graduated as an undergrad with a degree in History in December 2015, I did not really know what I wanted to do with my life. Since then, I have been working for Domino’s and as a substitute teacher on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Last year I decided that I wanted to teach and started working on my masters. Through the MAT program, I have taken a total of eight online classes. After this class, I have only two more to go. Yay! It may be shocking coming from someone of my generation, but I am not a very tech savvy person and have basic software experience. I have used Microsoft Office primarily for school since high school and thus am most familiar with this software and that is about it. I am a quick learner, so that often helps when it comes to my technical incapability. I have minimal experience with electronic communication. Email, Facebook, texting, and discussion boards in Canvas is just about the extent of my electronic communication. I can see a lot of importance and usefulness of it, but I am more of a talking face to face kind of person. I tend to panic and second guess everything I write even if it is a simple text to my sister. As I am not yet a teacher, I have minimal experience or knowledge of new technology tools in education. I have heard of a few from my online classes and the one that I am most familiar with is Kahoot. Hopefully I will learn about more in this class. While I may not have a classroom of my own, I do have a basic teaching philosophy. First, I believe that it is important to create a safe and positive learning environment for students to learn. Second, all students learn in different ways and at different rates, and as a teacher, it is my responsibility to make sure that I reach all students. Lastly, I believe that students need to be active learners and take charge in their own education and that the teachers are there to guide and encourage them. |
AuthorMy name is Saiva Baker and I am a graduate student at USM working on a Master's in Teaching. ArchivesCategoriesBlogroll:
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