WEBSITE!

Here is a my completed WEBSITE.  It was created through google sites and I have been working hard on it since the beginning of the semester.  Please take the time to look through it and navigate your way through my works!

Thanks

Problem Solving

Why should we teach students problem solving?  It is absolutely crucial to explicitely teach students problem solving skills.  For some students it may come naturally but for others, especially students with special needs, these skills need to be taught like an academic lesson.   Children with special needs, especially the autism population do not understand simple problem solving skills and often need to be talked through problems to reach a solution.  They often attend social skills classes which do this type of training for them. Teaching problem solving can only help students.  If they have a clear and knowing way of what to do when they come across any type of problem be it academic or social they will know what to do to get to a solution. The Big 6 model has 6 steps to problem solving: 1. Define the task 2. Information Seeking Strategies 3. Location and Access 4. Use of Information 5. Synthesis 6. Evaluation.

ICONN

The IConn website is very cool!  I had never heard of it before and I am certain that I will use it often in my future studies and career as a teacher.  It is so wonderful that it gives access to all sorts of articles and book and databases.  I think that in regards to the digital divide this website helps to close the gap. It is free to all Connecticut residents!  Earlier in the semester we learned about how much a divide there is in different socioeconomic classes and their access to technology and resources.  This service is FREE.  It has so many great articles and databases.  I think that as an educator even after my schooling is finished is will be absolutely crucial for me to stay up to date with current issues and topics and this website will be incredibly useful in accessing this.

One database I thought was great was the Junior World Encyclopedia, which would be a wonderful tool for young students to use!  The Kids Info Bits also looks like a great place for younger students to learn and get information from.  All of the articles and databases are great and I will be sure to use this a great deal!

Computer Delusion

This article was very interesting, as it makes one look at the good and 'bad' of computers and technology.  What it comes down to is the fact that too much of one thing is never good.  Yes, it is undeniable that computers and technology have brought education for both students and teachers to a new level.  And yes, it is undeniable that computer and technology skills are more than needed in todays world, and will most certainly get one for in life.  But no, they will not take a person all the way through life on its own, and no that is not the only medium through which a student should be learning.

 I think that currently most schools do a great job of integrating technology and computer skills into the curriculum and daily learning and teaching.  At the school I work at teachers use all sorts of technology like smart boards, educational websites, and netbooks for students to gain access through.  There are scheduled times for students to use the computers in the Media center as well.  However, I think that it is of the utmost importance for students to learn and do assignments through classic, non computer based mediums.  Yes computers and technology can always be used to broaden and enhance, but they should not be everything. Students need to learn how to write, not just type.  They need to learn how to draw, manipulate and create concrete designs, not digital ones.  A huge piece is also the social context that is taken away when all that is used is computers.  Especially in todays world of technology there is already enough tech device based acitivity for children ranging from computers, to video games, text messaging, and play stations, that it is ever more important for schools to be pushing the social aspects and concepts that children need to be learning.

Reflections

I have found many parts of this class very interesting and I believe they will prove to be useful in my future teaching. As a pretty tech savvy person I found most of the concepts pretty easy to pick up and felt adequate as navigating myself through using the different softwares and programs. Children in todays world grow up using all sorts of technologies at such early ages, that I think they will thrive from using technology in the classroom and will find things incredibly easy to pick up too. I especially found the non linear power points to be very interesting as I was proven wrong about knowing most things about power point. This was a new concept to me and I found that making a non linear power point would be a great ting to make in my class as a teacher one day. It could be great teaching way and a great way to make a 'quiz' of sorts for students.

As a future special education teacher, I think some pieces of the technologies we learned about could be used to help students be able to reach their creative, unique, and individualistic side. Technology often motivates students.

However, the population I hope to work with is often lower functioning so I dont think some of the programs like Photoshop will be applicable to them.

Digital Divide Post

From reading these articles it is pretty clear that there is in fact a rather large digital divide. Mostly it is between different socio-economic populations and genders. These articles have brought up the clear point that not everyone has the same access to technology, therefore having different levels of knowledge. Also, that girls are often less knowledgeable in digital technology when compared to boys. The Digital Equity article brings up issues of how technology is used in the classroom and how it makes learning for students enhanced and more enjoyable and interesting for them Unfortunately, in urban and lower income cities digital technology is not as readily available for students either at home or at school because of low budgets. That right there is the divide between higher income and lower income school districts. As for us educators it means that if we work in a lower income school district we wont have the resources to allow our students to use to enhance their education. Educators in higher income districts will have an abundance of resources for technology use and can be assured that most students have access to technology at home. This gives them freedom to be more creative with lessons and assignments that might be more tech savvy and therefore more interesting for students and therefore enhance their learning. The other articles discussed the No Child Left Behind Act and the Gender Differences within technology use. In discussing the NCLBA it was brought up that technology is sometimes forced onto students because it is said that doing programs will up test scores on standardized assessments. Solutions to the digital divide are definitely needed and definitely difficult to come up with but I think first and foremost people should try to get students access to technology. Hold fundraisers, enter competitions...there are many ways to go about getting resources for schools. I also think that there needs to be a medium of using technology in school and for assignments.

Inquiry based learning and historical teaching

As a teacher I think I have subconsciously used Inquiry based teaching.   I work mostly with children with autism, who do not vocalize much of their questions and feelings about things, but according to this website, Inquiry based learning is about finding the truth about things, exploring, and asking questions.  It is about finding out about the world and what meanings things have.  I think that a lot of the work I do with my students is through inquiry because together we find ways to best learn and explore our surroundings.  We question each other as to what works best and how to find the best things for us.  I try to teach them pertinent information and go about it in interactive ways to further their understanding and allow them to explore topics through what interests them to the best of their ability.  Through my own learning I have gotten the opportunity to do a great deal of Inquiry based learning.  In many of my college courses we were taught through real life experiences.  For various different projects we were given options to choose topics within the subject that were of interest to us and explore them hands on through interviews, experience and research.  I was given opportunities to explore the unknown community and world around me.  In my future classroom as a special education teacher I think inquiry based learning will be a better fit but historical learning will also need to be incorporated.  Inquiry based learning allows for my freedom for the students to explore and wonder but historical based learning is concrete and is still needed.

Implications of copyright issues for teachers

From learning about copyright issues in class I now have a better idea of many of the laws and regulations that encompass copyright.  As for implications as an educator I feel that sound judgement of what I use and allow my students to use will really be what is needed to keep us safe and out of trouble.  I have learned that most instances where other people's work is used for educational purposes is deemed to be lawful as long as it has proper citation.  This is because it is used for educational reasons and the student or educator using the work is not profiting or changing the value of whatever they are using.  As an educator I will be sure to educate my students on the copyright issues and make sure they understand what is against the law and what is ok for the context of their learning. I will teach them proper citing ways to give credit to other's work.

photoshop experience

The image i have created here using photoshop was my first experience using the program.  I tried to incorporate some things I love most in life and that make me the happiest.  The background original picture is of my old dog, Nova, who passed away, on a sand bar at the beach.  I added images of my puppy, the red dog, Quinn, and me riding a horse.  I chose these images because I absolutely love the beach and find it to be one of the most peaceful places and my dogs like it too.  I added the image of me jumping on the horse because jumping is one of the most incredible feelings.  It is like you are flying and it takes away all the troubles in the world.  At the exact moment I am going over a jump I feel nothing but me and the horse and time seems to stop.

I thought that using photopshop was very difficult.  As I said, it was my first experience with the program and I needed assistance on using the various tools to do various things.  Cutting out the images was the hardest, especially because I chose to use images that had very busy and complicated backgrounds.  I was proud of my final product because of this.  I thought it was amazing to see the transformation using photoshop could do to an image.

As for using photoshop with my future students. I may or may not use it.  I could see myself having students who are in special education have gifts in the arts and not academics and thrive from using photoshop.  They could really tap into their creative side! However, in the population I hope to work with I do not see it being applicable to them, considering they are elementary aged children with autism.  But some may love it, I never know.

Photoshop Picture

Photos on Picnik 9/20

Chase

Willa

Quinn

Kathy Schrock's Blog

I liked Kathy's blog.  It drew me in because of the photos she had right at the top of her blog page.  The pictures made me want to read about what they were and got me interested in what Kathy had to say.  One of her blog entries showed a picture of a charging station for many different devices all in one.  She said this particular charging station has 2 spots for an ipod or iphone, a place for a kindle or ipad, and 2 other USB ports to charge other devices.  I think this would be extremely convenient to have because I too have so many different devices I have to charge and it take up so many different outlets, so much time, and so much space.  This station would eliminate all of those problems.  I liked how she consistently posts different kinds of gadgets that she uses in her life that she thinks other people would benefit from.  I feel like posting things that could be of use and interest to other people's daily lives makes a blog more worth while to read.  After reading Kathy's blog I am no interested in getting someone the devices she posted about and I even have some background knowledge of which ones to buy and how to go about buying them.

Standards for Teaching Special Education

I am in the graduate Special Education program here at fairfield U and work at an elementary school with children with autism, so I will direct my focus for this class towards broadening my knowledge and skills for helping special education classes.  The standard principles of special education are to work collaboratively to achieve individual students' unique goals and objectives, to design lessons and strategies that will work best for each student, and differentiate teaching styles to meet different students needs.

According to the Common Core of Teaching, Special Education teachers should have knowledge of "instructional materials including adaptive equipment and technological resources.  I find this to be key to this class.  So, I will focus my projects, and research for this class on how I can help students with special needs access different materials and find ways for them to use adaptive technology.  A lot of the students I work with have trouble communicating in the sense of expressive language.  I will try to find technologies in the class that will help enhance that skill for them.  As a future special education teacher I will have students with difficulties in organization of thought and hope to have a standard for technologies that will help students to gather thoughts and easily and smoothly put them together. I will have students with various different learning styles from auditory, visual, kinesthetic, ect. and I want to be able to have knowledge of technologies that will be able to meet all of those different styles of learning needs.

Teddy Bears Go Blogging

The idea of pen pals has remained quite the same over the years, however the actual act of the 'pen' in pen pals has morphed quite a bit.  Now most people and simply type into their e-mails and press send and the message is delivered instantly.  This article made me think about how great it could be if all kids could use a blog to communicate with friends, and people all over the world.  This Teddy Bear article shows how unique and creative one can get with blogging.  It shows the versatility and ease of blogging.  I think that children these days love and thrive off of using technology so they would be even more enthusiastic about blogging.  It would be a great opportunity to allow children to explore their love of the internet while practicing writing skills, learning about other people, and developing conversation skills.