Learnings from TIE 300

After completing TIE 300, I have learned various new tools and information for using technology. First of all, I have learned the steps of "how to publish" my very own Blog. Prior to this course I wasn't familiar with Blogs or even how they worked. I usually stayed away from them because I didn't know how to maneuver them. Another thing I learned from this class, were presentation skills. Creating presentations was fun but the difficult part came when I had to present in front of the class. I learned to use my "teacher" voice. When creating presentations  I learned to not read to my   audience but rather keep text concise, and so most of the speaking. 

 In addition, encouraged me to use Google and its resource

es such as; Google drive, Google sites and Google docs. I found it helpful to have all my documents saved in the cloud which gave me access anywhere, at any time. As a result, I have a better understanding of tools offered by Google, and I'm using them to my advantage.

Finally, in this course I was introduced with Diigo, an easy way to bookmark and keep information all in one page. This was probably the most useful to me. Not only for school purposes but also for my own research. Diigo taught me to ho to stay organized and not have to print everything I find online! I feel that I started this course at a good level of digital literacy and computer skills. This course has definitely enhanced some of my prior knowledge. Overall, this coursed taught me how important it is to incorporate technology into the curriculum. TPACK, is an important concept I was introduced with, and I plan to use it throughout my educational philosophy. TIE 300 was a helpful course.

 https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GMLKi9tHWEtzxwrUa0O1ubm0GZN_wJW9nZ7P9BgLZOVU6Msko82_jfP3VOrUIVnwORFD4ASVMcdmWQVW7HCmge4IpOayX103piILgTaZ6vFijZJbqbTbO-q4e3LWDFPbEPiFqmFq-lA/s1600/TPACK+2.png

 http://www.tpack.org/

https://redtray.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/179005379.jpg

Copyright Law and the use of Technology in the Classroom

Integrating technology into the classroom is creative and an innovative way of teaching. However like any other tool there are drawbacks. One of them is: how do we handle the copyright law when using technology in the classroom? First of all, copyright law affects your use of technology in the classroom by demanding you to be aware of the actual copyright law as well. For example, knowing the rules and regulations of downloading software from the internet.  According to Nancy Willard, a copyright attorney, "When teachers and students use the Internet, they have access to a wide variety of material -- much of which may be protected by copyright law". For that reason, educators should know the risks before using it in the classroom. An important component is knowing the difference between "free download", and "illegal, free download". Illegal free download violated the rights of the owner which is illegal. Although there are laws, there are also ways to ask for permission to use a specific source from the internet that is copyrighted.
 For example, teaching students the possibility of requesting a copy right permission. This is usually a way to let the owner know you would like to use his work instead of "stealing" it. Copyright law affects in a way that forces you to understand the rule and acknowledged your students of them too. It is also an opportunity to cover plagiarism by incorporating the consequences of copyright laws. Copyright laws may affect the use of technology in the classroom by limiting the sources to use, but there are always legal ways to getting material.


 

 

http://www.teachingcopyright.org/


 http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech121.shtml


 https://www.american.edu/library/documents/upload/Copyright_for_Teaching.pdf

Media Literacy

Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create media. According to the Media Literacy Project, media literacy skills are a part of educational standards-- in language arts, math social sciences, and other subjects. Media literacy have been discovered by teachers to be an effective, and engaging way to apply critical thinking skills to a wide range of issues. In addition, media literacy is a 21st century approach to education. Skills that are obtained from media literacy are useful in school and in "the real world". It is important to have media literate because it can help expand our critical thinking. It can also help us understand how media messages shape our culture and society. "Many of the complex messages we receive come from television, radio, Internet, newspapers, magazines, books, billboards, video games, music, and all other forms of media". It's important to teach students to evaluate messages from media to make decisions on their own and not just after what the media tells them.

As a result, by helping our students become media literate, we can help protect them from pressures from advertising. Sometimes, even media that may encourage them to  smoke, drink, use drugs, have sex, or eat unhealthy foods. This is an example of critical skills because they are taught how to analyze the media and make a wise decision. In addition, we can help them build communication skills, encourage them to consider multiple interpretations of media messages. For example, sometimes one message can be manipulated to present only what the creator wants to show the viewer. That's when media literacy skills come on and evaluate and analyze other forms, and decide which media is portrayed better. Media literacy is certainly another set of skills that all students should be taught.





http://www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov/families/media/whyimportant.aspx
http://www.medialit.org/media-literacy-definition-and-more

http://medialiteracyproject.org/learn/media-literacy

Web 2.0: Story Bird

Storybird is a useful web 2.0 tool available for free. "Storybird allows users to sign up for a Regular, Teacher, or Kid account. A Teacher account allows teachers to sign up and add up to 75 students to create a private classroom social network through which students can collaborate and share their stories." Storybird allows students to create stories by using their imagination, and meeting the standards set by their teachers. Storybird is available to all ages and has a category library for each reading taste.This program also give students the opportunity to share their stories among each other, and with the teacher as well.  Once published the story can receive feed back by the commenting tool available to users. Teachers have the opportunity to review their writing skills and communicate that information with their students. Teachers can also use Storybird to assign readings and have students create a discussion. This is useful because students are incorporating technology to go beyond the common core.In addition, this web 2.0 tool is useful because it helps students create a connection with other writers. Storybird gives the option to "follow" other users who publish stories. When following other writers students can continue to read from their favorite writes on storybird. Creating as story using this tool is fun and creative. Students can design their ideal book using art and still practice their writing skills. Storybird gives the opportunity for students to develop a passion for writing and those who accomplish that have can sell their books as well.



http://storybirdforlearning.wikispaces.com/Storybird,+a+Web+2.0+Learning+Tool
http://www.learnitin5.com/Storybird

http://storybird.com/about/

Technology "affordances" and constraints"

   

Affordance and constraints can be look as the "pros and the cons". Affordance in technology is the tool being used to make a concept or action particularly useful. Then, the constraint becomes the limitations a student and teacher may come in contact with while using that particular tool. The objective of affordance in technology is defining what that tool can do for the students and how its meeting the standards. For example, when determining the affordance of a tool it's important for the teacher to evaluate it:  How does it support 21st Century skills? How flexible is this tool? (Mark, Fijor). This framework helps deepen the understanding of how technology relates and affects pedagogy, and vice versa. It also puts the focus of integration on the learning task or activity, rather than the tool (Mark, Fijor).

  

                                             More over, constraints in technology are simply what limits the affordance. For example, when using technology such as "Popplet", a soft ware for concept mapping, it's important to consider if every student is familiar with it. If the teacher only offers Popplet for concept mapping, some students might be discouraged from their work if they can't maneuver it. Once the tool is evaluated the teacher can determine if it's something she should use in her/his pedagogy. Consequently, it can be decided if this tool is worth using or not. Some of the affordances of using Popplet is that it can be convenient to create diagrams online; still there may be other problems limiting other students. It's important to consider the meaning of technology "affordances and constraints" in education because it can make teaching methods efficient and simple. I think its also important to understand that incorporating technology in the classroom is crucial but it it also essential to evaluate the "affordances" and "constraints" of it.

 http://www.newschooltechnology.org/2011/08/tpack-and-systemic-integration-affordances-and-constraints/

http://mattgemmell.com/constraints/ 

 http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Category:Affordances_and_constraints_of_learning_technologies

Flipped the Classrooms

The idea of literally "flipping a classroom" sounds crazy! However; in reality it’s a way to be creative with your teaching methods. This also takes away the traditional role of the teaching being the center of attention while the students sit and try to listen to a lecture. I would use the concept of flipped classrooms in my teachings to the benefit of my students. For example, a regular lecture on the history of WW 2 would now be taught by impersonating each individual leader at that time. With the use of educational footage students can create their own character based on the information they intake from a video on WW 2. This gives the students a chance to make a connection with events in history and connect them to the nation's leaders. 

           Another idea I would use is rearranging the classroom structure for a more "group orientated environment". The traditional desk rows would now be placed into groups of 4 or 5. The student will learn to be independent and learn to learn from each other; since students tend to learn more from each other than from a lecture. I would also use the concept of "flipped classrooms" in my teaching by changing my role as a teacher as needed. For instance, if I introduce the human reproduction cycle I will assign a lecture that gives facts and  the important information they should get from it while the next class day we will have an activity that reinforced the lecture.During the activity I should be at the side of the classroom as I let my students interact with each other. My role during discussions should only be minimal or for some guidance.

 Again, the idea here is to let my students engage in a conversation and expand it on their own. This will give space to the students and chance for the teacher to evaluate. Even though students are given “hands on” learning that doesn’t mean I won’t have any say my classroom. There will still be standards and a curriculum to follow; however it will be combination different teaching methods.

 http://flippedclassroom.org/
 
 http://www.washington.edu/teaching/teaching-resources/engaging-students-in-learning/flipping-the-classroom/

 http://flippedinstitute.org/how-to-flip

http://www.knewton.com/flipped-classroom/