Final EDTL Post

My view of technology in the classroom has changed throughout this class. I was unsure about how to embedd it into the curriculum. Through this class, I have learned that technology is not only a good addition to a classroom, but it is a necessity. There are so many things that teachers and students, alike, can benefit from when using technology. It gives students a chance to explore and research topics that would be much more difficult to research with out using the Interent. I am much more comfortable trying to use technology in a lesson plan, now.

ERIC Reflection

After listening to most of the presentations, I feel a little more comfortable using technology in the classroom. One presentation that I feel I really benefitted is the one about acceptable use policies (AUPs). This is something teachers should know about and know how to write. I had no idea about all of the different aspects that need to be included in a good AUP. The resources that the group gave the class will also be beneficial to us as future teachers. I would be much more comfortable putting an AUP together now.

I also liked learning about the different resources presented by the technology integration in science group. I had not heard about how beneficial a handheld could be to a teacher. This group definitely sparked my interest on this subject. I would like to do some more research about handhelds and how they can be used in the classroom. I had heard about the digital divide before, but it was interesting to see the facts that the group brought up.

Technology in Education Website

The website I explored was the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)website. This website provides many resources for educators. It provides resources for professional development as well as things like assessment, curriculum and funding, along with others. If you become a member, you can receive discounts on ISTE products and you can also attend comferences. NETS is also available on this website.

I think this website is good to know about. I think it would be more beneficial if you were a member, but it seems like a good resource. It does not include actual lesson plan ideas, but it does have some integration ideas.

Blog 6: Pros and Cons of the Internet in the Classroom

There many advantages to having the Internet available in the classroom. One of these advantages is that the Internet gives children and teachers access to an entirely different dimension of learning. There are websites that children can go to that have great activities to help them understand material more clearly. There are also many resources online that can help a teacher plan an effective and exciting lesson.

One con about having the Internet in the classroom is that it can be a dangerous place for children. Online predators are a large problem for children. However, schools should have some form of a filter to make it much harder for children to access dangerous or inappropriate sites.

One online resource that I have used regularly is www.scholastic.com. It has great resources for teachers and students. I have used it many times when I have needed to make a lesson plan.

Education Video

What Kindergarteners Should Know Article

I think it is great that the state finally came out with standards for kindergarten. It had to be a lot more work for kindergarten teachers to try and piece together what the students need between the preschool and first grade standards. This will make it much easier for them. It is also good that they came out with a guide to help explain how to teach each of the skills within the standards. I disagree with the people think the standards are restrictive. I think it is important to have a guide for what to teach, and just because these skills have to be taught, that doesn't mean that other skills cannot be embedded in to the lessons.

Picture Blog

This activity is about jobs around the community. The children are supposed to match the pictures of the people in one column with the pictures of the other objects in the second column. They can talk about what these people do and how they help the community. This can also start a discussion about different people and jobs in the community. The children can list other people who help the community.