With less than a month of school left, I am very aware (and excited!) that summer is almost here. Unfortunately, there seems to be a direct negative correlation between the number of days left until I'm done for good and my level of motivation. For example, I realize I didn't complete a blog post last week. So here's a late post about education grad to make up for it:
It's hard to believe that grad is already over. It was a good night complete with entertaining speeches (good work Jay!), a chance to catch up with family, and lots of fun with friends. Even though we aren't done with school yet, I was glad for the chance to celebrate being almost done with friends and family. Hope everyone else enjoyed themselves as well!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Monday Morning Post
Today feels just like a stereotypical Monday to me. Dreary, overcast weather; extra hard to get out of bed in the morning; the promise of lots of hours spent working.... yep, all signs point to the beginning of a new week. And this one will be especially busy since I have 2 'mid'terms, 1 presentation, and 2 essays to write (these aren't due till next week though, thankfully). Hopefully it goes by quick!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
E-Portfolio Proposal
1. Why have you chosen to complete an e-portfolio?
I decided to create an e-portfolio for my ECMM 470 final project because I think it will be very beneficial as I continue to apply for jobs. By posting my portfolio online, it allows potential employers to look through my resume, letters of reference, teaching artifacts, etc at their leisure as opposed to during the actual interview. That way they have the opportunity to examine my previous work and reflections without taking away from valuable interview time. In addition, having an e-portfolio demonstrates that I am able to work with educational technology and promotes my willingness to teach using such methods. I have heard positive remarks from principals and teacher candidates about the use of e-portfolios so I am thankful that we have the opportunity to create one in this class.
2. What professional uses does and e-portfolio have for you?
I plan to use my e-portfolio primarily as a tool for the job application process. The value of creating a compilation of teaching artifacts, my philosophy of education, and my reflections about myself as an educator is a valuable process as well. It will aid in my professional growth and my understanding of myself as a future teacher. I can also see potentially using e-portfolios as a method for having students compile work that they are proud of or that correspond to a specific unit.
3. What content do you plan to include?
I plan to include the following items:
• resume
• philosophy of education
• sample unit plan (possibly) and reflections
• sample lesson plans and reflections
• description of professional competencies
• letters of reference
• possibly pictures of completed work/ classroom environment
• contact information (phone number and email address)
I might add items or change some things as I begin to actually create my e-portfolio.
4. What graphic design considerations have you taken into account for the look of your e-portfolio? (Include a drawing, sketch, or layout to show what your pages may look like.)
So I’m trying my best to pretend like I actually know what I’m doing in this class, but my fake technological knowledge doesn’t seem to extend to this question. Can I just bring you an old-school paper copy of my layout to class, Jay???
5. What concerns do you have about the process? How do you plan to address these concerns?
One fairly obvious concern I have is how to create a technologically savvy, aesthetically pleasing web page that has an efficient layout, is easy to navigate and includes some more advanced elements of web page design. I have minimal experience in creating web pages so I am a little nervous that I will not be able to make my page as nice as I am imaging. I plan to use online resources to help me figure it out as well as talking with friends who have created e-portfolios in the past or who are currently creating one to discuss problems and brainstorm ideas.
I decided to create an e-portfolio for my ECMM 470 final project because I think it will be very beneficial as I continue to apply for jobs. By posting my portfolio online, it allows potential employers to look through my resume, letters of reference, teaching artifacts, etc at their leisure as opposed to during the actual interview. That way they have the opportunity to examine my previous work and reflections without taking away from valuable interview time. In addition, having an e-portfolio demonstrates that I am able to work with educational technology and promotes my willingness to teach using such methods. I have heard positive remarks from principals and teacher candidates about the use of e-portfolios so I am thankful that we have the opportunity to create one in this class.
2. What professional uses does and e-portfolio have for you?
I plan to use my e-portfolio primarily as a tool for the job application process. The value of creating a compilation of teaching artifacts, my philosophy of education, and my reflections about myself as an educator is a valuable process as well. It will aid in my professional growth and my understanding of myself as a future teacher. I can also see potentially using e-portfolios as a method for having students compile work that they are proud of or that correspond to a specific unit.
3. What content do you plan to include?
I plan to include the following items:
• resume
• philosophy of education
• sample unit plan (possibly) and reflections
• sample lesson plans and reflections
• description of professional competencies
• letters of reference
• possibly pictures of completed work/ classroom environment
• contact information (phone number and email address)
I might add items or change some things as I begin to actually create my e-portfolio.
4. What graphic design considerations have you taken into account for the look of your e-portfolio? (Include a drawing, sketch, or layout to show what your pages may look like.)
So I’m trying my best to pretend like I actually know what I’m doing in this class, but my fake technological knowledge doesn’t seem to extend to this question. Can I just bring you an old-school paper copy of my layout to class, Jay???
5. What concerns do you have about the process? How do you plan to address these concerns?
One fairly obvious concern I have is how to create a technologically savvy, aesthetically pleasing web page that has an efficient layout, is easy to navigate and includes some more advanced elements of web page design. I have minimal experience in creating web pages so I am a little nervous that I will not be able to make my page as nice as I am imaging. I plan to use online resources to help me figure it out as well as talking with friends who have created e-portfolios in the past or who are currently creating one to discuss problems and brainstorm ideas.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Time Flies...
March 1st already! This semester is going by so fast... I can't believe we will be done school in less than two months. As excited as I am to convocate, the dork in me wants to stretch out that time and continue to be a student- or, probably more accurately, put off being a full-fledged adult- for a little while longer. Either way, there's lots to do and not much time left to do it in, so I'm sure the next few months are going to speed by too!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Research Paper Proposal
I am thinking about focusing on the use of educational technology in the primary grades for my research paper. I'm interested in different methods to incorporate technology and the potential benefits to student learning at a young age. I am also curious about how technology can be used to facilitate inclusive practices in the elementary grades. I may end up just focusing on the connection between educational technology and the inclusion of ALL students, but for now, my proposal is fairly broad. As I continue researching and collecting information, I will narrow the focus of my paper.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Bloom's Taxonomy Assignment
Knowledge- Three ways that blogs can be incorporated in the classroom include: communication between teachers and parents/ students; students can create final products to display their learning (ex. a blog describing the process and results of a research assignment); method of facilitating class discussion around a certain topic (ex. students could post an idea for an assignment and have their peers comment and respond).
Comprehension- Teachers should integrate blogs into their classroom because: way of incorporating technology into the classroom and appealing to students' interests and the unique learning style of this generation; promote student self-reflection and class discussion; method of communication between pertinent parties in education (students, teacher, parents, etc.)
Application- Three ways that I could use blogs for my own teaching or professional development include: following an educational blog that has been created by someone else to gain ideas; post questions, ideas, problems, etc on my own blog and begin a professional discussion with other teachers; or use a blog as a method of professional reflection on my teaching.
Analysis- The use of blogs in education have several advantages over static websites. Blogs allow viewers to comment and respond to posts therefore creating an active discussion. They are easy to set up and maintain, making them ideal for student use. While both forms of internet communication are valuable, the supportive learning community created by blogging makes them more beneficial in education in my opinion.
Synthesis- Blogging creates opportunities for students to create their own learning communities, making the teacher's role similar to that of a facilitator as opposed to dictating instruction. Blogs allow students to pursue topics of interest, discuss educational issues with peers, and reflect on their own learning.
Evaluation- Some potential disadvantages of using blogs include issues of monitoring student postings (profanity, etc), privacy issues since blogs can be accessed by anyone on the internet, and less personal, face-to-face interaction which might create concerns.
Comprehension- Teachers should integrate blogs into their classroom because: way of incorporating technology into the classroom and appealing to students' interests and the unique learning style of this generation; promote student self-reflection and class discussion; method of communication between pertinent parties in education (students, teacher, parents, etc.)
Application- Three ways that I could use blogs for my own teaching or professional development include: following an educational blog that has been created by someone else to gain ideas; post questions, ideas, problems, etc on my own blog and begin a professional discussion with other teachers; or use a blog as a method of professional reflection on my teaching.
Analysis- The use of blogs in education have several advantages over static websites. Blogs allow viewers to comment and respond to posts therefore creating an active discussion. They are easy to set up and maintain, making them ideal for student use. While both forms of internet communication are valuable, the supportive learning community created by blogging makes them more beneficial in education in my opinion.
Synthesis- Blogging creates opportunities for students to create their own learning communities, making the teacher's role similar to that of a facilitator as opposed to dictating instruction. Blogs allow students to pursue topics of interest, discuss educational issues with peers, and reflect on their own learning.
Evaluation- Some potential disadvantages of using blogs include issues of monitoring student postings (profanity, etc), privacy issues since blogs can be accessed by anyone on the internet, and less personal, face-to-face interaction which might create concerns.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Welcome!
Welcome to my first blog! This is my first adventure into the world of blogging and I look forward to continuing this experience. As a fourth year teacher candidate, I am excited to learn more about educational technology so that I can incorporate it into my future classroom. Thanks for reading...
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