Technology in the Classroom

As a result of this class I can only say that I know there is alot of software out there that can be used in the classroom. Personally I do not think I have had much growth in this class. We talked about so many different programs but did not have a chance to really go into depth about them. I guess exposure is good but then we have to try to learn it on our own. I have a tough time learning computer software on my own. I prefer a more hands on environment. It becomes very frustrating trying to navigate through something I know nothing about. Some of the more simple programs like Wikis or google docs are fine, but when it comes to something like smart notebook, it is just too large to be just exposed to. I had hoped to learn much more in depth about smart notebook so I could be proficient at it for student teaching. Since the job market is tough, We as future teachers, need every advantage we could get.Our group worked well together so not too much to talk about here. All are work was done on time and never really worried about it. I don't stress group work at all.  

groups in my classroom

I believe group work is important to use in the secondary level. Students need to earn how to be adaptable and work with others, it is just part of life and in my opinion adaptability is the most important trait to possess. There are not many jobs that are a one man or woman show. With that said I do not think I would have used this format. Our group really did not meet at all other than the few minutes we had in class. Most of our work was done independently at home, which was our choice. Our group did not have any problems, but at the same it felt more like a free for all then groups work. I personally like meeting with groups and working on projects. Assessing group work is difficult. We used wiki and it was easy to see who did what on the lesson. I suppose that is an advantage, except if we were to work in a physical group then only one person would be typing and it would appear that the others made no contributions. I know that when I assign group work I will add a group review of each person as a component to the assessment. I would want to hear form the others in the group and what they thought of their partners for two reasons. One is I would not have to rely with just looking on the computer which could show false information say if one person did the typing. The second reason is it would give me feedback on how each individual worked in the group. I could find their strengths and weaknesses, which could help me build more productive groups in the future.

Integrated Unit

Our group worked well together. We all brought ideas to the table that were valuable. Once we decided on the lesson, parts were divided up then we went our seperate ways. If we had questions we just asked each other. I liked that we all made our parts our own and that we did not just go with one person idea for the whole lesson.The only thing I would change is to set firm due dates. This way we could have revised more before the projects were do.

elluminate

The class session in elluminate was different to say the least. I like the concept of being able to reach anyone anywhere. However, I noticed that there was alot of difficulty getting everyone on the same page. It must be hard to diagnose technical problems if you cant see them. I wonder if there was a way to share our screens with the moderator? That would make that type of issue better to address. I feel technology will always hinder us when we use it at one point or another I didn't like the idea of the whiteboard. It seems like too much information can get lost or over written. I did like that we can chat back and forth and not disturb the rest of the class. creating separate rooms for group work was another aspect that i enjoyed. This way students wouldn't have to open so many windows and keep switching back and forth. All in All i think it was a good experience.

kids rule the school

After reading this piece I thought it was a joke. I do agree that we learn more when we study subjects we are interested in. However, I don't think students should be able to choose what that information is in high school. Students should be exposed to a variety of subjects. How do students know what they are interested in if they are never exposed to it. Besides just the content, what message does this send to the kids? Where is responsibly and accountably in this method. Why should kids do whatever they like in school?  What will happen to these kids in the workforce. Will they be able to function properly or worse tell their boss i'd rather do something else, and not be able to hold jobs. Life doesn't work this way.  We need to teach our students accountability in all facets in life and schools are where that needs to start. They should understand what is expected of them and be able to do it. Allowing them to choose their own curriculum is just  ridiculous. This author claims "participants will end up more accomplished, more engaged and more knowledgeable than they would have been taking regular courses". He fails to mention what happens if a students decides he doesn't want to do math. Now the poor kid gets out of high school and cant figure out how to pay bills, manage money, or buy groceries due to lack of math skills. I might be a bit extreme here but I see people all the time who went through a lifetime of no accountability and they end up a burden on society. I'm not saying schools are perfect but they do need a general direction.

Our unit

Our unit is coming together quite well. At first we were going to focus on immigration during the construction of the Transcontinental railroad. However after further reflection we decided to change our minds and our unit will focus on a few particular sets of immigrants over time. We would include Irish, Chinese, Italian, Germans, and Latin American immigration into the U.S. One of our lessons will be a simulation of Ellis Island. We will turn our classrooms into Ellis island and create passports for students(immigrants), check their baggage, and give them medical exams etc. We want them to experience what immigrants would have went through during their trip such as cramped spaces on the boat and long lines while waiting to pass through each checkpoint. We will deny access to some. There will be no lecture this will based purely on participation and I'm sure they will learn alot and remember what immigrants had to go through. We plan on making this as real as possible, for instance we could outline a boat in the floor and put 3 classes in it and have kids pretend to get sick. We will designate a few to ride in first class and they will be in an arena in the front of the boat with more space then they need. I think this is going to be a fun way to get the kids interested in immigrant life.

Immigration unit and community

Our unit will be on Immigration. During the unit students will learn the push-pull factors of why people immigrate. The unit would start off and explore colonial immigration. The middle of the the unit would be centered around the Irish and Chinese immigration during the construction of the Transcontinental railroad. At the end of the unit we will focus on current issues involving immigration. Involving the community in this unit will be exciting. I will create an assignment where students will have to interview someone who immigrated to this country and find out why they decided to come to America and live in the town they are in. I would want them to learn about the struggles they faced in their own country as well as America. After the interview I would want them to compare and contrast their findings with the immigrant accounts from any of the historical era's we studied in class. This would be a oral presentation and I would encourage them to ask the person they interviewed to come into class and perhaps speak directly to the students.