Technology Integration Plan

My technology integration plan will teach and help the students in a variety of ways. First, my goal is to teach Shakespeare’s play Julius Ceaser. I will be focusing on the play in general. What I mean by this is that everything will be covered throughout the whole play. I will not just focus on one specific idea in the play. Everything from the plot to the symbolism will be covered. My goal is to ensure the students learn the basics of the play. I also want them to know what happens in the play, as well as to understand the imagery and symbolism that Shakespeare uses.
I am going to use a variety of technologies for this particular play. First, I will utilize the interactive poster program known as Glogster. I will also be using PowerPoint for some of my lectures. Next, I will use Windows Movie Maker. I will also use a podcast. Lastly, I will integrate the Word Cloud into the lesson. I choose each of these pieces of technology for a specific reason. First, I choose Glogster for the fact that interactive posters are really cool. The students find these things interesting and it is a creative outlet for students. It also demonstrates to me that the student understands what is going on in the play. I choose PowerPoint because it is one of the easiest routes for lectures. All of the information I want them to know will be shown on the PowerPoint. I will even post the PowerPoint online so the students have access to it outside of class. Windows Movie Maker will be used by the students. They will create a short video using this program to show me what they have learned about the play. The podcasts will be created by me. I will reiterate points of emphasis weekly on these podcasts. This allows the students to know what information is important and what information does not have to be internalized. Lastly, the students will write two paragraphs about what they learned from the play and generate it into a word cloud.
My plan for the teaching of Julius Ceaser will last three weeks. This gives the students and me enough time to learn and teach the material effectively. All of the technologies will be utilized at different times throughout this time span. Glogster will be used at the end of the lesson. PowerPoint will be used for most of my lectures on the play. Windows Movie Maker will be used at the end of the lesson. The podcasts will be weekly, and the word cloud will occur at the end of the lesson. I will assess my success by quizzes over the material throughout the course of the lesson. I will also continually ask the students if they understand how to use the technology. I will keep close watch on the students to make sure they know how to use the technology. I will also let the students evaluate me at the end of the three week lesson. These evaluations will not only cover my performance, but the technology and if it was helpful in their learning experience.
I am going to keep the evaluations. I will keep both hard and electronic copies of these documents. I will also keep my lesson plan as well for this entire lesson. These two items should be enough verification of the technologies used. I plan on keeping both of these items in an area that is easy to access.

Assignment 11a

Podcasts are great tools to use in the classroom. They give teachers the opportunity to express their views and opinions on the web. It can also be used to help students with assignments. If students are having trouble with an assignment, I can provide a podcast that explains clearly what they have to do. I would have liked these in my classroom if I had the chance in high school.

Newsletter

Assignment 10

Concept maps allow you to visually represent the ideas you are trying to express. They are great for visual learners and provide a tangible source for students who might get lost when you lecture. I will personally use concepts a lot in my classroom. It is great for connecting stories together, especially connecting characters and events in the story. It is also useful for the different types of writing processes that the students will use while writing essays, papers, etc.

Assignment 8 b

Windows Movie Maker Slideshow

Word Cloud

Word Cloud is great for education. It offers a unique and creative way for students and teachers to express their ideas. Teachers can assign students to type out their thoughts on a novel (since I am an English teacher), and they will then create a word cloud from these thoughts and feelings. The students will then examine each other's and learn from one another's Cloud. Word Cloud offers others' opinions and helps spread people's ideas across the Web.

Assignment #8

This VoiceThread is a brief introduction to the great plays of Shakespeare. I plan to incorporate VoiceThread into my classroom through the use of integrating technology into my classroom. I plan on introducing my units with this specific piece of technology. I think it is a great tool to use in the classroom. It is different and spices up the routine in the classroom. I also think it would be a fun activity to perform in a computer lab. Every student would have the chance to create their own VoiceThread as an assignment. I think the students would really enjoy that. VoiceThread hists many standards of ISTE. It transforms the environment in the classroom. The way I will be interacting with these students is different. While using this technology, I will be teaching through a recorded system, which is different from anything ever done before. VoiceThread also supports a new generation of technology standards. It encompasses the students at what their lives revolve around (technology) and supports their learning in ways never seen before.

EDCT 203 Assignment 7

Here is my survey

I think one great way to use Google forms would be for literacy evaluations. Language Arts can be greatly helped out by some of those forms. Questions can be asked about books and the students can goive their feedback on the books. Another useful way to use Forms is for collecting data for math lessons. Many forms exist that utilize the potential of math lessons. Lastly, the forms could be used to tell the teacher how the lesson went. Students can give feedback about the lesson and how much of a challenge it was for them. This method could really help first-year teachers out. I could use Google Forms for reading analysis. Students can read the assigned reading and can post their answers to the questions posed by me. They can also give me their opinions about the book and if they enjoyed reading it or not. I might also use it as a "reading diary", to keep track and see if they are actually reading the material.

EDCT 203 Assignment 6

An Insect's Perspective- I thought the Webquest was good, but I thought some of the word choices seemed suitable for older children. The word "killed" was brought up a lot. The introduction was pretty good. I thought the process was alright, except I thought the directions needed to be toned down just a bit. The same comment goes for the process. The evaluation was good too. Overall, the Webquest was good. It wasn't great and it wasn't bad. It was average.

The Four Seasons- I liked this Webquest. It was bright and colorful. It attracted my attention immediately. The introduction was pretty good. Excellent clarity as to what the students have to do. The task was well put together and organized. The process was very well done. The links were easy to follow. The quest incorporated many varying aspects into it (individual work, group work, etc.). The evaluation was rewarding as well. Overall, the Webquest was very good. Well done.

Who Really Owns the Rosetta Stone- I really like this quest. It involves many aspects of research and debate. The introduction is mysterious and charming. The task is a brilliant idea. It is extremely original. The process is appropriate for the grade level and seems challenging. The evaluation is also good. Overall, this Webquest seems challenging and exciting. Excellent.

Review of Algebra 1- This is a weak Webquest. It may be that math is a hard choice for a Webquest, but I think there could have been more done for this one. The introduction sparks no creativity. The task is dry and boring. The language of the task is kept in the language of college and not 8th graders. The evaluation was basically non-existent. Overall, this Webquest is not up to par. It is definitely below average.

My Webquest

EDCT 203 PowerPoint

I created the Power Point with ease once I learned how to use the Word Art and Shapes features. I tried to make it fun and interesting and easy-to-use. I can use this in my content area by quizzing my students on novels, poetry, etc. It works great with any subject. I am also going to use this format for reviewing for tests. The format is user-friendly and I encourage all to use it in their classrooms.


PowerPoint

EDCT 203 Assignment 4

FAIR- I believe this site is biased to the side of Anti-immigration. Obviously, the article is against this issue, but I believe the the views are not held to a balance. They do not give all the facts, just the information they want the reader to read. The site might be good if the instructor was teaching about persuasive speeches or debates, then the site would be of use. However, the site is too biased for a classroom environment. I would not use the site.

Immigration blog- Blogs should never be used in the classroom when attempting to present factual information. Blogs can be edited by anyone and everyone, ranging from the well-informed to the non-informed. The author of the small article at the top uses the phrase "my guess" when evaluating a government's proposal. This language automatically disqualifies it from factual contention with other trusted and credible sights. I would not use this site in my classroom.

America.gov- This site presents a clear and non-biased approach to the topic of immigration. The information in presented in a way in which the reader does not feel pressured to change their beliefs by the article. The author is also a credible source for this type of content (History professor from the University of N.Y.). Overall, the article provides little bias in the material covered. I would definitely use this site in the classroom. I would use the site as an introduction to the issue of immigration. The reader cab gather the facts from the article and decide for themselves which stance they want to believe in.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services- I would definitely use this site. It has a lot of interesting topics as well as a fair balance of perspective. I would use it in the classroom as a possible research tool. Students could log on and I would assign them a research project based on the topic of immigration. Overall, it is a solid website.

News from the Onions: I would not use this in an educational setting. Though I find the topics humorous, the facts are twisted and not suitable for an educational setting. The only way I would use it is to show which types of websites are not appropriate for the classroom.

Assignment #2: Wiki Journal

1. A wiki would be great to utilize for group projects. It's a great way for many people to collaborate. Also, a wiki seems to be a great tool to share information with people around the globe. Wikis help garner information together.

2. At first glance, poster-making seems to be the main purpose for Glogster.com. However, the use of the posters varies greatly. A teacher could use it to establish a connection with their students. An aspiring artist could use it for self-promotion.

3.  I would promote reading and writing on my Glog. I would also place videos of writers giving readings of their works. Clips from movies and other artistic works would also be used. I might even be able to spark some students creativity for the arts.

4. I am now supporting new standards for technology. I now understand just how important technology can be in the classroom. I support the up-keep as well as standards for technology. Technology standards will help to continously improve technology in the classroom.

EDCT 203 Assignment #1

1. Copyright issues and internet use: http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/copyright-internet.htm: Copyright helps protect the artisitc, dramatic, intelluctual, musical, etc. rights of a person's work. Material in the public domain does not fall under this criteria. These types of works are free for the public to use. Copyright was first enacted in 1760. The copyright lasts for 70 plus years if the work was created after January, 1978. Contents protcted under the internet include emails, graphics, videos, etc. This means that you are allowed to post videos on your homepages if the video belongs to another, so long as a link is provided.

http://www.umuc.edu/library/copy.shtml: This article talks about the nature of copywriting, as well as fair use of it. By definition on the website, fair use refers to the number of times a document(s) is used. If you use a document during one semester or quarter, it is considered ok to use. However, if you use the document repeatedly (semsester after semester), then it falls out of the range of "fair use". The article also talks about what the documents are that fall into "fair use". These include novels, poems, short stories, etc.

2. Equity Issues in Computer Use in Schools: http://www.avln.org/learning/itc/jaeequity.htm: The article talks about the societal issues that effect equitibal computer use in schools. One of the major points talked about deals with the way instructors give feedback to their students. Instructors tend to give boys positive feedback while they tend to give girls neutral comments, which helps them less. The article also addresses the ways to halt this unequal feedback. Strategies include treating every student with respect and to stress to students that computers can become a great learning tool.

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te400.htm: This article talks more about the teacher's side of this issue. The article points out the ways in which the teachers can change the unequal treatment of students pertaining to computer use. These ways include participating in staff development activities. It also says to collaborate with teachers and help those to accept technology in the classroom. The article also deals with policymakers and the ways in which an instructor can handle them.

3.  Cultural Issues in the use of Computers in Schools: http://community.flexiblelearning.net.au/TeachingTrainingLearners/content/article_4502.htm: The article focuses on the idea that students from different cultures use technology in different ways. This statement turns out to be correct. One of the issues focuses on learning styles. The varying learning styles can lead to different use with the computer. A great example of this involves the fact that Hispanic studnets like to engage in vocal activities whereas Eurpoean students tend to prefer analytical tasks. These relate back to computer use. One culture may be better adapted to use computers then the other.

http://www.fctd.info/reviews/reports/webboardTranscript.php?id=484: This site is actually a blog that teachers give useful and helpful information on regarding cultural differences in schools in reference to the computer. Cultural differences are huge with computer use. One of the personal experiences noted is that an instructor's Hispanic students did not use a calculator as much as an Eurpoean student. This gives great insight into the way different cultures use the computer. Many other views and stories are on the page that may help out teachers of all experiences.

4. Health problems concerning the use of Computers: http://www.aoa.org/x8526.xml: This a great web site. It focuses on Computer Vision Syndrome. This syndrome can lead to fatigue, dry eye, and eye strain. The site also lists ways why kids may develop this. This includes a child's limited degree of self-awareness and the fact that children are extremely adaptable. They may not know how long is too long when gazing upon a computer screen.

http://www.healthoma.com/health-problems-caused-by-use-of-computers/: This site lists all the potential health problems one could get from using the computer too long. Many of these occur on the body. Examples include lower back pain,  eye fatigue, and pain in the wrists and fingers. These problems can be easily avoided. All a person has to do is take breaks occasionally. Also, the site says that the wrong kind of chair can have an effect on your back.

My First Blog Entry

My first blog entry. Man, this is strange. It's like I'm walking in the Maze and everything is rearranged.