DIGITAL BADGE #F CH8

Social Networking for Education-
It's cool how students and teachers can now have a educational network. A place where students can go online to communicate with the teacher and classmates. A site where you can make private just for your students and to make it as creative as you want for the students. "Many teachers are now engaging in educational networking (also called social networking for educators)." Teachers are able to talk with other teacher about their curriculum. Assign classwork and homework  on here for students. One day teachers and schools may no longer be needed, everything would be online based. Students will be able to complete their educational learning at home online. Of course there will have to be deadlines for the work so students don't just put it off.

Understanding Textspeak and Textism-
Textspeak is a positive thing when it comes to students reading and writing. Teachers are able to read the students work and understand what they are saying. It does not effect their grammar much. But what I don't get is how it effects the students health. "Hyper-texting/hyper-networking youngsters (between 11 and 20% of the students in the study) were found to be more likely to engage in health risks such as cigarette smoking, alcohol and drug use, binge drinking, or sexual activity." From studying how students text, how can they come up with this.

Creating Your Own Teaching Blog-
 At the end of each school day teachers should allow students 10 to 15 minutes to write a blog about their day. "Blogs usually have a definite point of view and students can analyze the ideological perspectives of different sites on issues ranging from immigration reform to global warming" The students can write about what they learning that day, or what they might still need help with. It's good to have parents involved in their child's education, they can see how their child is doing in school. They can also give them help on what may be needed. Having a teacher parent relationship is a plus because it is a sign of showing parents are willing to take time from their busy day to work with their child in helping them understand what needs to be taught.

Conclusion-
I can't wait to see how technology will improve in school over the next five years. I believe more work will be done online and teachers will be their to assist the students. I would be amazing if more classes today work create a daily blog even if its just for a student to read other post. The blog might help the student write more of what they feel the keeping it to themselves.


Resources:
Maloy, R. W. (2014). Transforming learning with new technologies (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Digital Badge #E - Ch 7

Teaching Problem Solving with Computers

It's great how students are able to learn through games, learning sites and apps. However, when the game/program gives a student multiple times to answer, the student can keep clicking any answer till they get it right; then they can go on the the next problem. "They can easily try again when their initial responses are not correct." I see this as a down fall because students can just click on answers and now read the question and then they will not learn anything. I know some computer learning activities only give you so many tries, then it's on to the next question but when the student goes back to redo the game they might remember what the wrong answers were. 

Higher-Order and Lower-Order Thinking

Higher order games can be better it can give children more of a challenge on problem solving. They may also give a small challenge to the students it the class who may be advanced. for the students who need more help the lower-order games can work for them until they are able to catch up or the game is not a challenge for the student. "Educational games and app players need a dynamic experience in which they must think creatively and critically while finding new and challenging experiences each time they play the game."

Evaluating Computer and Video Games

Educational games can be very entertaining for some students. There are families out there where parents don't allow children to play any type of game on a computer or game system. When it comes to working on an academic activity on the computer the student may enjoy it. If a student has a chance to play a edutainment game they can have more fun problem solving. "Lower-order thinking skills (remembering and understanding) emphasize recall of fact information. Higher-order skills (create and evaluating) emphasize using information for analysis and action." I remember when I was in school I played the game Organ Trail. (I don't remember the game to well.) The family would go on trips and along the way they had to do missions. This was a fun game for me because we didn't have a computer or game system back then. I think no matter what game you play or are working on you can learn something from a mission you do.

 Conclusion:

When students are problem solving on computers make sure they are understanding the answers they choose and not just guessing to get the right answer. Let the students choose a game they would like to learn from but give the choice or a game/activity that would give the student more of a challenge. 

Resources:

Maloy, Robert W.. Transforming learning with new technologies. 2nd ed. Boston: Pearson, 2014. Print.

Digital Badge #C CH-3

    The Role of Feedback-
Feedback is very important to students. They like to know how they are doing on assignments. If they are on the right track or not. There are teachers out there who don't give much feedback. They just say do the best you can and turn in the assignment. When the students turn in their work and it is wrong, they receive a bad grade because the teacher would not give their input. Yes, student can go online to find some sort of feedback for the work they did, but it is not always the best way to go.

    Information Literacy and Internet Literancy-
I think a required course for middle school students or even starting in the third grade should be a computer class.The computer class can help students how to use a computer properly in school. Also, it can teach students how to look information properly they will need in the future research assignments. From this class it will help student be less overwhelmed and understand more in where to look up their assignment information.

    Group work and Collaboration-
Group work is great for students when the teacher wants to work with students on an individual level. It give students more opportunity to come up with to right answer. But, one teacher says, "The computer is its own grown-up." I don't agree with that. Yes, the computer can keep groups occupied and busy doing what needs to be done, but don't see it as an adult who supervises the children. Student might be at task one minute but not the next. They can get into something they should not be in.

Photo by lizkentleon on Flickr

   
We as teachers have to make sure students know what they are doing when working on assignments by giving as much feedback as we can. As students learn to use computer in school, they can become better at looking up information and doing assignments. Working with peer will help them brainstorm together to come up with the right answers. With the students use of technology they can become teacher for the teachers in helping them understand how to use the technology.

 Resources:
 Maloy, R. W. (2014). Transforming learning with new technologies (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

 20 Ways To Provide Effective Feedback For Learning -. (n.d.). TeachThought. Retrieved September 7, 2014, from http://www.teachthought.com/learning/20-ways-to-provide-effective-feedback-for-learning/

Digal Blodger #B Ch2

    Developing Lessons and Engaging Students-
A students education is very important. In today's world you have to have some type of higher education to get a better job and higher pay. Even fast food places are looking for someone with a higher education. If teachers see students are not doing their work then they they need to change it. Students seem more interested in doing work when some sort of technology is involved. So, Teachers why not add a little more technology to their homework every now and again. With student have more interest  in school with the use of technology, dropout rates might go down.

    Technology use be Teachers-
I thought the use of technology would be higher in the classrooms. Less then half the schools today are using technology in the classrooms. Going through high school, I remember only using technology for power points and it was rare. The teachers gave us mostly worksheets or we did the work through the books (which was cool because they had the answers in the back of the books). I wonder if its more of the higher income school or academy schools that use the technology more. Yeah, I guess technology has came a long way from when I started school. When I was in Elementary I remember teachers using grade books to write our grades and today they are using computers or tablets to do so.

 Video by OurKidsNet on YouTube

    Overcoming a Digital Disconnection-
 True, "Schools are filled with students who are comfortable using technology and teachers who are much less technologically confident." Students are good with technology because they are growing up with the technology today. Were teachers might see it as another language. I agree with having the use of computer or tablets in classrooms but, I don't think students should be able to use their smartphones. Teachers and staff able monitor more of what is going on with a computer or tablet because they are bigger then a cell phone. With the use of a phone students are more likely to text friends or use social media, then do the class work. Students who use technology for assignments when not required by a teacher is great because it can help expand their minds a the lesson.

During summer breaks I think teachers should take a required course that shows them how to use technology more in their classes. This can give them the opportunity to become more up to date on the technology being used by students. With having more technology in schools student are interested in what they are doing them goofing around with peers.

Resources:
Maloy, R. W. (2014). Transforming learning with new technologies (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

 Technology in Schools - iPads at St Mildred's. (n.d.). You Tube. Retrieved September 7, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-ObDS7zm5YFind a website by URL or keyword...