Blog #7

Chapter seven includes a lot of information on what you should look for when you are evaluating educational technology. Before any teacher begins using any form of technology in their classroom, they should make sure what they are using is reliable and if it will enhance the students learning. To be appropriate for the classroom, the technology should be motivational and should be at the correct level for all students. Teachers should always check to make sure that wherever they go their information from is a relaible source. Many schools provide lists of different software products that they recommend to their teachers. Every year there are conferences held for teachers where they can all get together and discuss the different types of software they have used and what was effective or what to stay away from. When you are evaluating any software application, the first thing you should check for is content to see if the information provided is something that will be useful in your classroom and will go along with your lesson. Lastly, you should confirm that the software has appropriate content and teaches what you want to be better explained.

Technology plays a huge role in classrooms because they have to motivate students and change the patterns of traditional teaching. Most classrooms these days have one digital media computer and are known as one-computer classrooms. Teachers can use computers to present new material to their classes and they can also use it for individual presentations by their students. A great idea is to make a class newsletters and ask your students to write arrticles for it every so often. Another idea that teachers can use to integrate technology is to create a classroom blog. Teachers can use this to begin to get students involved with the internet and using technology for feedback.

You can ask your students to discuss whether or not they liked the way the lesson was presented and they can give you their feedback.Since my last post, I have learned alot more then I ever knew before about powerpoint. I have had a lot of teachers in the past that use power point to provide the notes but I never realized how much time goes into making one. I learned that there are so many different tools and options in power point that I never knew about before. I also learned a lot about what you have to look for in an education software product before you allow your class to use it.

Blog # 6

Technology plays such a huge role in classrooms these days. It is meant to help out the teachers with the curriculum they are teaching. There are so many different methods and ways that teachers are able to incorporate technology into their classrooms. It has become very important to give each student the opportunity to work with computers. There are so many different programs that go along with all the different subjects that when a teacher incorporates technology it might be very helpful. If a student is unsure still about a certain area of a subject, a teacher might be able to recommend a program on the computer that might explain things better. Technoloy in the classroom is a great tool, but requires alot of planning. You always have to plan in advance what you can teach to the class and then what they can use technology to better explain something.

The ASSURE model is used by many teachers to help create technology enriched lessons. The first step is to analyze the learner and find out what their skill level and learning styles are. Some students will come into the classroom knowing more about technology then others. Then yous should state the objectives. What do you want the outcome to be and what do you want the students to gain knowledge of? When you know what your objectives are, you are able to select materials and the purpose of the lesson. Next you should select methods, media and materials and decide what materials and media format you will use for your lesson. You should always decide what method best fits your needs. Then you utilize the methods, media, and materials and before you use them you should preview everything that you are thinking about using. You as a teacher must evaluate all the software. Next you require learner participation and ask the students to complete activities that will help them learn a certain skill. Lastly, you as a teacher need to evaluate all parts of the lesson. Evaluation is the way that you can determine if the technology was helpful or not.

Since my last post I have learned alot about different strategies to integrate into the classroom. I have learned about how to evaluate different cites to make available to students. The ASSURE model is a great strategy to use when thinking about using technology in your classroom. I have also learned how to create a wikipedia page and connect it with others. I have learned how to insert a hyperlink and a picture.

Blog #4

In chapter 4 we learn about hardware. The system unit is a boxlike case that houses the electronic components a computer uses to process data. It is made of either metal or plastic and protects the electronic components from damage.
Most computers are digital; they understand on two discrete states: off and on. Each off or on digital value is called a bit (binary digit). When eight bits are goruped together as a unit they are called a byte.
The central processing unit (CPU) interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate a computer. A chip known as the processor containts the CPU.
Memory on a computer is used to store data and informationo temporarily. In terms of size, you can either have a kilobyte, megabyte, gigabyte, or terabyte. Two types of memory are RAM, a volatile memory, and ROM, a nonvolatile memory. Flash memory is a type of nonvolatile memory that can be erased electronically and rewritten.
Input is enetering data, programs, commands, and user responses into memory. Types of input would be keyboards, pointing devices, or audio and video input.
Output is data that has been processesed into a useful form called information. Types of output include monitors, printers, data projectors, facsimilie machines, multifunction devices, speakers, and headsets.
Storage is the media on which data, instructions, and information are kept. Floppy and hard disks, CDs and DVDs are common.

Blog #3

Chapter 3 is mainly about computer software. The first thing is the opperating system. The most common are Microsoft Windows or MAC OS. Two other not as popular ones are UNIX and Linux.
Application programs are programs designed to perform specific tasks for users. They can be used as a productivity/business tool, to support school and professional activites, assist with graphics and multimedia projects, helping with home and personal activities and facilitating communication. Some functions the programs have are creating a new document, editing, inserting, delete, copy, paste, formating, font change, saving, and printing.
A database is a collection of data organized in a manner that allows access, retrieval, and use of that data. Database software allows you to create a computer database; add, change, and delete data; sort and retrieve data from the database; and create forms and reports using the data in the database.
There is also presentation graphic software, software suites and integrated software, graphics and mulitmedia software, software for school and professional use, and educational and reference software. All of these help perform different tasks in aiding in educational technologies. There is also learning aids and support tools for any problems and to help you use each software.