Saturday, November 1, 2014

Digital Citizenship

Parents and students,

Check out these sites and find some age appropriate tools on digital citizenship. This is a subject that we will be working with all year as technology is a vital part of your education.







 
I have a fun prize for students who visit one of these websites and write 2-3 sentences about what they learned. Parents I would love your thoughts also please leave your comments and thoughts below.  
 

Our trip to Meeker Mansion

Good Evening Students and Parents,

I have posted some pictures of our field trip to Meeker Mansion.  If you have some pictures that you want to share email them to me and I will post them to our blog. 

Happy first day of November- remember to set your clocks back tonight.

Thanks,

Mrs. Gonzales

Monday, October 27, 2014

a fun lesson plan website

I like this web page for lesson plans.

www.lessonplans4teachers.com

It in on the teacher planet website. www.teacherplanet.com

Lots of the templates are free and fairly user friendly.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Lesson plan week4-

I am planning on using the smart board for my final lesson plan.  I will be doing an interactive lesson with my "students" using a digital KWL chart, some video links, vocab, and a short writing response. 

I still have not decided on a Lesson plan template- I might create my own this evening as I am not finding one the I love or that works good with what I am hoping to create. 

Here is the Ealr/component from them OSPI website for Educational Technology in Grade 3.  I choose this subject as I am going to use it as teaching tool with my 3rd grader and I personally wanted to have a better understanding of the expectations for Educational Technology based on this weeks readings.   This is the first year that some of these Ealr's are introduced so I am focus on laying a solid-basic foundation.

This lesson plan will be a part of a greater technology unit.  Lesson plan focus-Digital Citizenship- 2.1

Grade: 3  
 
 Select a component and you will automatically be redirected to the list of grade level expectations.  
 
  1. INTEGRATION: Students use technology within all content areas to collaborate, communicate, generate innovative ideas, investigate and solve problems.  
  1.1 Innovate: Demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge and develop innovative products and processes using technology.  
  1.2 Collaborate: Use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.  
  1.3 Investigate and Think Critically: Research, manage and evaluate information and solve problems using digital tools and resources.  
 
  2. DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP: Students demonstrate a clear understanding of technology systems and operations and practice safe, legal and ethical behavior.  
  2.1 Practice Safety: Demonstrate safe, legal and ethical behavior in the use of information and technology.  
  2.2 Operate Systems: Understand technology systems and use hardware and networks to support learning.  
  2.3 Select and Use Applications: Use productivity tools and common applications effectively and constructively.  
  2.4 Adapt to Change (Technology Fluency): Transfer current knowledge to new and emerging technologies.
 
  • This component is addressed in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
  • Common sense media- Week 4

    I love this website.  It has a tons of great articles, and resources.

    I chose a webpage/article on how to teach kids to keep there personal information private. 

    http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/keep-it-private-k-2

    I chose this article because I was trying to think of ways to explain digital citizenship to younger students without overwhelming them with the massive consequences that can happen as a result of not being a responsible digital citizen. 

    This article/webpage gave lesson plans and all sorts of great links.  It was informative and basic at the same time.

    Monday, October 20, 2014

    Encouragement

    So, I am not sure about all of you, but I was in need of some encouragement and where better to look than the WORD of GOD.  I am praying for each of you. I am asking the Lord to touch you with encouragement today- that the race you are running with your education will all be counted great joy as you cross the finish line. 

    Scriptures for Encouragement


    1Sam 12:16...... "...stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes...
    Luke 18:27....... "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
    Num 23:19....... "God is not a man, that He should lie. Has He said, and will He not do it?
    Jas 1:4............ "But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
    Rom 8:31......... "If God be for us, who can be against us?
    2Tim 2:1.......... "...be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
    2Tim 1:13........ "Hold fast the pattern of sound words...in faith and love...
    Col 3:2............ "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
    Col 3:23.......... "Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,...
    Mark 9:23........ "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.
    Josh 1:9............ "Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed,
    for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

    1Chr 22:18........ "And has He not given you rest on every side?"

    2Chr 20:17........ "You will not need to fight this battle. Position yourselves,
    stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you,..."
    John 16:33......... "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
    Rom 8:18............ "...consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
    Rom 8:37............ "Yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
    Rom 8:39............ "(Nothing can) separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
    Rom 8:28............ "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
    2Tim 4:5.............. "...be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
    2Tim 4:7.............. "Fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith."(paraphrased)
    Mic 7:8................. "Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me."
    Phil 4:13................"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
    1Jn 4:4................. "(You) have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he that is in the world."
    Phil 1:6................. "(Be) confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ,..."
    Phil 4:4.................. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!"

    Chapter 3- week 3 - Software in Education


    Julie Gonzales

    J. Jamison

    Technology in Education-Assignment #3 

    October 14, 2014

     

                Software for educators.  So just at the title of this chapter I have begun to think about technology and how it is often outdated before we even get our hands on this. (*insert rabbit trail…)    How do schools compete with this?  How do schools remain relevant in the ever changing world of technology? How do schools fund a process that changes so quickly?  How do educators remain knowledgeable on with technology?  Software is changing so fast that as soon as it is integrated into the classroom, the kids seem to be the experts on the subject and often times teaching the teacher.  There are not enough hours in the day… (**end rabbit trail). 

                I found this chapter to be very basic.  Most of these systems I am aware of and their functions.  Thankfully in our house we have a handful of operating systems.  We have Apple products- IPad, IPods, IPhones.  We also have a home PC with windows 8, and laptops with windows 8.  I have an Android phone. We also have a Kindle fire, and a Samsung tablet.  I list all these items and it makes me laugh as I have not purchased anyone of them, they have all been given to us.  In my home I reject technology more so than I do when I am out in the world.  We have very strict rules with technology in our house and have one day a week that is technology free.  My girls have to ask anytime they are getting on a devise and they are not allowed to have them in their rooms after bed time.  Everything is charged downstairs.  This helps with monitoring things.  

                Note taking software- I have personally never used this- I am wondering if it really would be more helpful than taking notes long-hang or just typing in a Word document.  I would love to use this if it had voice recognition just like when you do a spoken text.  However a lot can get lost in translation and the punctuation never is done correctly so this would drive me nuts. 

                Grade books software…. I would be curious to take a poll and see how many teachers use grade book software solely.  I would be so nervous to be dependent on this software.  I am sure that even though the software would making grading easier and more stream line that I will never be able to not have a written grade book. I am this way now.  I love to take notes in my spiral notebooks- there is something amazing and powerful about a pen and a piece of paper. I am sure that teachers that are younger than me are more comfortable with gradebook software as technology is a part of their whole life and really just the last ten years of my life.

                I love educational software and have found with my own kids that it is a great resource.  PBS kids, RAZ kids, IXL, Math playground…. I could go on and on.  We have loved these websites.  They are fun, and educational at the same time.  There are amazing programs both software and on the Web that can help with all sorts of areas.  Software for learning a new language, for learning how to play an instrument, and even for how to teach something’s.  We live in a time where technology can be a good thing and the amount of information out there is so vast. 

                Again chapter 3 was a bit of a review, I did however appreciate that it gave a more detailed description of different technology/ software applications.  I find myself more and more dependent on technology every day.  In some ways this is good however it also terrifies me also.  I never want to lose touch with a paper and pencil, with the beauty of hands on learning, or the elements where a teacher is actually needed.  People/teacher Lord willing will never be replaced by computers, technology or software.   

                 In the article and video by Judy Willis regarding student’s engagement with video games and learning….I am not sure what to think. First I give her mad props for being a neurologist and then based after 15 years of being with her practice she had more questions than answers for her patients.  Which caused her to take her knowledge as a neurologist and put it into practice and get her education endorsement to be a classroom teacher.  WOW- what a gift she was to her students and to us as future educators.  She sheds positive light on video gaming- yet I am still not sure it is a good thing. Too much of anything is bad.  Balance is needed.  I think the thing that I struggle with the most with this generation of students in their need for instant gratification or feedback- as this is skill that has been taught from gaming.  This is concerning because in real life feedback in usually a process.  The chemistry of our children brains are changing even quicker than adults.  It will be interesting to see how this looks in a few years.   

     

    Works Cited

     

    Shelly, Gary B., Gunter, Glenda A., Gunter, Randolph E. Teachers Discovering Computer Integrating Technology in a Connected World. Seventh ed. Boston: Course Technology, Cengage Learning, 2012. 490. Print.

     

     

     

    Monday, October 13, 2014

    Homework #2- Chaper 5


    Julie Gonzales

    J. Jamison

    Technology in Education-Assignment #2

    October 8, 2014

     

    Visual learning- this seems to be the only way that kids learn now a days.  It makes me wonder what effects are there going to be with their other development.  Like for example, if a child is at home all day playing video games, on the computer, or watching TV how is this lack of large motor skills going to affect them.  I teach preschool and large motor skills are a part of nearly everything that we do.  We paint large strokes on the easels, we walk on lines, we run in the gym, we dance to songs, we play games like red light green light, we ride tricycles and I am shocked to see how many of my kids struggle with some of these activities. I honestly have been a little overwhelmed by this.  It is so important to develop large motor skills and computers or technology cannot do this.  Even with my 18 month old I am always pushing her to develop these skills.  Even if it gives me a near heart attack every time she climbs up the play set in the back yard which is 8 feet off the ground and goes down the slide- IT IS SO GOOD FOR HER!!!!

                This generation of small children lack major large motor skills, however the flip side is that they are tending to have greater fine motor skills.  Like lacing shoes, putting beads on string or zipping jackets. They are even better problem solvers, and puzzle makers.   I will be curious to see how this plays out for my children. 

    OH the smart boards. I am so excited to use these in class on Monday. Fun side note. When I was a Para, I had the amazing opportunity to work with our reading specialist for three different blocks of my day.  This was a great experience for a number of reasons.  First was the teacher whose name is Cheryl really trusted me and saw the teacher potential in me. She pushed me and gave me lots of opportunities to “teach” We would do stations every day.  She led one, I lead one and then the kids were on the computer doing a reading game for the other station.  For the first month of school she lead the one in the front of the room with the smart board, then after a month she came to me and asked me if I wanted to trade.  I would teach with the smart board…. The mere thought of this sent me into a mini panic, but she reassured me that she would train me- and she did.

     My Learning specialist gave us two hours paid for her to give me the run down on the smart boards.  This was invaluable first and for most for the teaching experience, and then for the opportunity/exposure to the smart board.  I can still remember the first lesson that I did.  It was through “Time for Kids on-line subscription” It was interactive article on the Rover- a robot/camera that had landed on the planet Mars.  The lesson was so much fun. We had a video chip, an interactive page that allowed us to see the features of the Rover and how they worked.  We also got see actual footage through the lenses of the Rover.  The article had vocab words with links that we could push to find out more.  It was awesome.  The Kids loved it, all three grade levels that I worked with the lesson was adapted to their age.  I spend the rest of the year doing these lessons on the smart board.  The kids connected to it and it was powerful.  I asked my daughter who was in one of the classes that I worked with if she remembered any of the lessons from 1st grade that where done on the smart board During reading and she remembered this very one about the Rover and then also an fun article that was about school lunch.  I asked if she remember anything else from those days during the stations and she could not recall anything.  WOW, powerful is this technology.  This opportunity to work with this teacher was awesome.  This also gave me the courage to say Yes, when my principle asked if I would be willing to all the MAP-math testing for the 623 students.  This also was a great opportunity to use technology as we did all the testing on schools “Notebooks” Let me tell you those kids are quick to listen when the computers are out.  They are so excited and willing to help. 

    Chapter 5- technology Integration and the learning process was great chapter to speak to the teachers in all of us.  The diagram on page 218 is great.  I am thinking I need to copy it and post in in my classroom as a reminder to myself as to what I can do with proper training in technology.   I love the 3rd one on the list “Learn to be creators of digital media for Self Expression” I would love to have technology in my classroom with my preschoolers.  How fun would it be to do a lesson with Mat Man and then have the kids draw him with stylist on their tablets?  Kids really can connect to this.  Creating opportunities for higher-order learning. 

    “For learning to take place, learners must be engaged in the process of education.  One way to engage learners is to motivate them through authentic learning experiences.  Authentic Learning experiences are instructional activities that demonstrate real-life connections by associating the concept being taught with real life experience or event…...More than any previous generations, today’s digital students look for relevancy in the content of the various subjects they are learning”  ( Shelly p. 219).

     

    Students are more engaged as the more they know. They love the ability to be able to add info to any subject matter.  Just knowing how to find more info is very powerful tool.  This is a skill that can carry them far in life.  Technology in the classroom is mandatory and necessary to help these kids be the most successful adults in a world that technology is everywhere. 

                This class has helped me to understand that as a new teacher I have to ask question and take advantage of every technology learning opportunity.  I have no excuse not to have technology be a part of everyday in my class no matter what grade I teach. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Works Cited

     

    Shelly, Gary B., Gunter, Glenda A., Gunter, Randolph E. Teachers Discovering Computer Integrating Technology in a Connected World. Seventh ed. Boston: Course Technology, Cengage Learning, 2012. 490. Print.

     

    Monday, October 6, 2014

    Google docs- Homework #1

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B54J3zhpb0GsREpUTUp3M0xheEk/view?usp=sharing

    This is this weeks homework 10/6/14

    Tech Standard

    This is the standard that I was interested in on the first night of class.

    1.1.1 Generate ideas and create original works for personal and group expression using a variety of digital tools.

      Evidence of learning-Organize ideas and design and produce multimedia projects.



    1.1.1
     
    Generate ideas and create original works for personal and group expression using a variety of digital tools.
    Evidence of Learning
    §  Organize ideas and design and produce multimedia projects.
    Examples
    Basic Level
     
    ·  Brainstorm writing topics using a computer or document camera and projector.
        R,W, M, Sc, SS
     
    ·  Use presentation software to identify and show the unique geographic regions of Washington State.
    Sc, SS
     
    ·  Use presentation software to give examples of the importance of the Bill of Rights in today’s world.
    SS

    Assignment #1


    Julie Gonzales

    J. Jamison

    Technology in Education- Pros/Cons Paper

    October 3, 2014


                Wow, I am going to learn so much in this class.  My technology experience has been limited to my home PC, our tablets, our iPad and iPod and my smart phone- which I acquired less than 6 months ago.  As s future educator I am nervous about the ever changing technology. It seems as soon as a district acquires some form of technology it is already outdated.  How does education stay ahead of this curve?  Does education even need to try to stay ahead of this curve?  “Another important issue is that teachers no longer have the time to create their various lesson plans and other documents from scratch, or in other words, constantly reinvent the wheel”  (Shelly p. 3).  As soon as I read this quote I began to look at technology differently.   There are so many elements to the Digital Age.

                For my Pro’s and Con’s paper I choose to talk about Digital Citizenship as discussed om page 21 of our text book to get a better picture of what digital citizenship actually is.  My understanding is that digital citizenship is a set of norms or expectations.  It is like a digital code of conduct.   Issues that are ethical and legal.  For example- how and when to site a source found on the internet. Privacy issues would also be a part of digital citizenship.   How to communicate properly would also be a factor of digital Citizenship.

    “ Being a good digital citizen includes knowledge and commitment for understanding things like etiquette; communication techniques and standards; issues surrounding media and computers, business, commerce, entrepreneurship, privacy rights and responsibilities; ergonomic issues (which are the physical and/or emotional dangers associated with extended computer usage); and information about security, asset management, and protection from losing data and personal information from computer crashes (backing up files), hackers and other kinds of intruders.” (Shelly p. 22).

    This might be the longest quote that I have quoted but it clearly defined the boundaries of what digital citizenship includes. 

                While some educators might not feel this is completely necessary for students to understand what digital citizenship I however there are many educators that feel this is one of the greater issues and goals for students of the 21st century.   I would have to agree. It is of major importance that students understand the tools, products, and programs that they are working with on a daily basis.  Students don’t just need to know to turn on a computer they need to understand the impactions of how and what the computer is used for.  They need to understand what it means to cite websites and use the information that is so readily available to them in the appropriate manner.

    I know for me personally as an adult student after many years of not being in school, I would have loved to have a class on the very nature of digital citizenship.  I just learned how to cite a web page a few months ago.  Honestly it has hindered me in many ways as I was confused in how to cite info found on the internet and this caused me to make one to many trips to the library of some “real books” I might always have a little bit of old school in my educational experience and as a teacher however I can see the great benefits to being an active and involved digital citizen.  I have benefited greatly from professors that use different media styles to teach various lessons. I am also seeing the importance of this when I have my own classroom.  Kids are still kids and they all have different learning style and those styles can be easily accommodated through digital media.  Yes digital in many ways is easier, it really can be however there is defiantly a learning curve to stay ahead of. 

    For those who are still rejecting the digital age in education- hats off to you for sticking out your personal convictions.  I am wondering how this works.  Can an educator even reject what completely surrounds them?  I thinks that some of the cons to digital citizenship is that it gives a very false since on education.  Students now a days can just google about anything, which does not give them the ability really seek out answers.  To sit in a library researching, sifting through massive books trying to find the perfect sources.  So the research process is different.  Another con to digital citizenship would be that children do not understand that once a document is created or a post in written it is out there forever and that it can always be found.  Nothing is really deleted.  Decisions that students make in their formative years with the digital world can have forever ramifications.

     “Most digital students gravitate toward technology very quickly, think that they know technology, and many times jump in without asking questions; however many times they do not possess the skills they need.” (Shelly p. 23). 


    I am of the belief that we need to have balance in all things.  If we sway one direction to hard it is not long before the pendulum swings the other direction hard.  I happen to work for a Private Christian Preschool and they are way behind the times in this private school system. They have made great efforts to get technology into their elementary, junior and high schools in the last few years.  Preschool is the next place to be updated in technology.  Ironically my students who are the youngest in this private school probably have the best understanding of technology.  I had one of my boys ask me the other day where the iPads were.  He will grow up in a very different world than even my children who are 10 years older.  He will only know the digital world. I have no idea how this will all turn out but I do know that we have to be mindful and purposeful in making sure students, parents and families are informed and mindful digital citizens. 

     

    Works Cited

     

    Shelly, Gary B., Gunter, Glenda A., Gunter, Randolph E. Teachers Discovering Computer Integrating Technology in a Connected World. Seventh ed. Boston: Course Technology, Cengage Learning, 2012. 490. Print.

     

    This is my first post in my professional blog

    Welcome to Technology in Education.