Monday, May 6, 2013

Digital Citizenship: Elementary Grade Level



In my SEDU 183 class we were to research digital citizenship and put all the information we found into a prezi. Doing this project I learned a lot of new things about digital citizenship which is pretty much teaching children to be safe aware on the internet. I also learned how to use the tool prezi which could be very useful for presentations. Check out my prezi to learn more about digital citizenship!



Work Cited Page

Learning to Unlearn

In today's world with all the technology and discoveries being made things are quickly changing, because of this there is constantly new ways to teach and learn. Sometimes we need to unlearn the things that are keeping us stuck in the past and take advantage of all the new possibilities there are now. Some teachers are stuck in the whole lecture then worksheet method just because that is the way things have always been done but that doesn't mean that is the right way or most effective way. Teachers need to unlearn that method and learn new ways that are more productive for students to learn.

It may be hard for a teacher to unlearn their old ways but in the end it will be very beneficial to the teacher and the students both. Routine in the classroom is hard to break sometimes but becoming up to date will make a bigger difference in learning than you could ever imagine. Keeping the students focused, involved and interested is so important and when keeping updated that is exactly what will happen!  

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Interactive White Boards in Today's Classroom

In my SEDU 183 class we have been considering whether interactive smart-boards really make a difference in the class room or not, whether it is really worth all that money spent on them. In my opinion I do not think they are necessary  in all classrooms. If the teachers are going to use them in the same way they would use a normal chalkboard or white board I do not think that they should have them in their classroom. In my high school we had them in every classroom but there was only a couple teachers that would use them properly, most teachers would just put the notes up on the board and talk about them while the class copied it down. I think the most efficiently used interactive white boards are used in elementary classrooms, they do activities where the class is going up and participating which really benefits children because in order for them to learn they have to do, that is exactly what they are doing with these interactive white boards. When used properly I think interactive white boards are a great new learning tool.

Though interactive white boards are not for everyone, they can be very helpful. Personally I am a hands-on learner and for that these boards are great. There is so many different activities to do on them to keep the class involved and interested, the teacher just has to put in the effort to learn how make these types of lessons instead of presenting the information as they always have.

Using interactive white boards can be a great way for a differentiated classroom. A teacher can demonstrate lessons using multiple learning styles.They can do hands-on activities, listening or reading interactive activities. Most of these activities will benefit the whole class. From my experience, doing activities on the interactive white boards made it a fun and helpful way to learn. It made us get up and be involved instead of sitting there daydreaming as the teacher talked. These boards are a great way to involve all students and the way that they learn while making it interesting for everyone also.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Differentiation

In my SEDU 183 class we have been talking about differentiation in the classroom, which is pretty much having students learning at different levels, paces and in different ways. Pretty much every classroom is going to have differentiation but just different amounts of it. No student is going to learn the same as another, therefore as a teacher you have to find a way that the material you are teaching can get across to everyone. Whether it is by lecturing then demonstrating or doing projects, there are so many different ways students learn you just need to get to know them to figure out what will work for your classroom.

With differentiation you could have one student that needs two weeks to grasp a concept and have another that it only takes two days. You as a teacher need to figure out how to benefit both these students whether you need to have different groups of students learning at different levels or more one on one time with a certain student.

I think a good method to use with differentiation is using technology. Different students could be doing different activities depending on the level they are on. Also, if a student is in need of extra help technology could be used at an appropriate time such as free time or quiet reading time to get them caught up on what they are not understanding and most likely they would be having fun doing it through a game or activity. I believe technology is a great way to teach when considering differentiation.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Twitter and Me

In my SEDU 183 class we have been doing different activities with Twitter. I think it is an interesting way to collaborate with other students and teachers.
 
We have been doing assignments on twitter including chats and quizzes. I think this is a good way to keep students interested and involved because students today are familiar with social networks and using them in class is a new and fun way to do assignments and share ideas with classmates.
I think this is a great new way for teachers teach. It is also a great way for teachers to keep in touch with families and their students outside the classroom.
Using technology in our class has made me realize how helpful and affective it can be for teachers. There are many new teaching opportunities when using technology such as Twitter and I think it is very beneficial.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

The Final Frontier


In my computer class today we were assigned to read the article titled Teacher Pedagogical Beliefs: The Final Frontier in Out Quest for Technology Integration. We were then asked to get into groups and discuss what we got from the article. We were to make a power point collaboratively persuading teachers why using technology in the classroom is helpful and giving information from the article we read.

The article explains why teachers may or may not use technology in the classroom. It gives statistics and show results from studies done. It talks a lot about their beliefs, why people believe things, how to change people's beliefs and different types of beliefs.

Working in our groups was a good way to get new perspectives on what other people thought about the article and what they noticed that maybe someone else didn't. Our group worked well together so it made it a fun way to do this project. We brought up good ideas for our discussion and came together to make a well organized power point as a group.

In our presentation we put information from the article that we though was important, statistics and our opinions on what we think about technology in the classroom. We put in an informational video and pictures that show why technology in the classroom is helpful. We also put some links to websites we thought would be beneficial for others to read.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

All About Me

My name is Lauren Munsee, I am eighteen years old. I am from a very small town, Corry, Pennsylvania. In high school I ran cross country and track. I still run but on my own time, not on a team.

 I am an early childhood and special education major. I love working with children and children with disabilities. The grade I would most like to teach is second grade because they are still young enough to be cute but old enough to know basic tools. I would also love to work in a special education classroom because the kids are so sweet and you feel accomplished after working with them. They also give you a challenge which is something I like.

I feel that technology hurts education by being a huge distraction during class or while trying to do homework. Cell phones, I pods and I pads are a really big distraction to students in the classroom which hinders them from paying attention and learning all the material the teacher is trying to get across to them. While doing homework students often find themselves on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

I also feel that technology can be helpful to education because it is a good way for students to find information for papers, projects and other school assignments. It is an easy way for students to get information fast.

When teaching a class technology can be a very helpful tool. Teachers often show videos for students to better understand the material they are teaching. Also, teachers show students useful websites and demonstrations by using smart boards and computers. Could you imagine math class without calculators? That is just another everyday technology tool teachers use while in the classroom. Technology to teachers is a very useful thing for many reasons.

I believe teaching in today's world would not be the same without technology. Teachers use computers, smart boards, calculators, etc. on a daily bases in class. For the most part, technology has a positive effect on education.