Educational Video-Blog #8

This video deals with how people fear technology now and in the future. People sometimes think of technology as a bad thing when it really is making our lives a lot easier. A lot of education today is based on technology. If you do not have a computer it is a lot harder to get your school work done. With technology you are able to use different types of programs to help students learn in and out of the classroom. I think this video is very motivating and encourages people to use technology and not to fear it. Technology is becoming very popular in our world and is only going to grow more and more each year. It is best if students learn how to work and use technology while they are young.

Blog #7: Half-Way Reflection

At first I felt this class was very overwhelming, and stressful. After being in this class for a couple of weeks I have learned many neat techniques that I can use in my classroom as well as keeping myself organized. In addition, I think that the use of technology in early childhood education is a great idea. I feel that there are many interesting academic programs that are available to young children through computers disks and websites. I think that projects like the imovie can be used in various different ways such as a class project, an overview of the class to show to the students parents, and a way to show students material that is being learned in class. If there is easy access to computers in the school where I am teaching, I would incorporate websites, and online activities at least once a week that are suitable for the specific age group of students I am teaching. This way the students are able to engage in computers and explore information that interests them. Furthermore, I would make sure that security is placed on all the computers and that the websites the students can view are limited. This way the students are unable to view provocative websites and websites that can be dangerous to them. Overall, I feel that the imovie is the most important lesson I have learned so far. I feel that you can do many different types of projects with imovie and can incorporate it into various lessons. Imovie is a great program because you are able to elaborate off of ideas and create an awesome project. On the other hand, the downfall to creating an imovie is that it is very time consuming, stressful, and frustrating at times. Although, this class is very time consuming, and a lot of work, I feel that as a teacher you can learn some excellent ways to incorporate technology into the classroom.

Blog #6:Internet Use in Elementary Classroom

Overall, I feel that the internet is a great source for many things. All children should have experience working with computers. Technology these days is very intense and it is only going to get worse. The earlier children learn technology the easier it is going to be for them in the future. I would use the internet to show the children how to search for topics they are interested in. I would inform them not to go to websites that they think may be harmful or they do not recognize. I would also give them a list of websites that are available to them that have fun activities that they can use at home or in school. I feel that the internet has endless amounts of information on numerous topics. On the other hand, books have great information as well but there is a limited amount of information and sometimes the information may be hard to find. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages to the use of the internet such as inappropriate websites. All websites that children view should have a privacy set on them and should be monitored at all times. This way the internet is safe when the children are surfing the web. Another thing that teacher have to be aware of is plagiarism. If students learn to use websites more frequently they have to remember to put their writing in their own words. When children are young they should be taught about plagiarism and the consequences. I feel this will prevent children from plagiarizing in the future. In addition, I feel many websites are beneficial to all children and can really change how a child learns.

I have discovered many different types of websites that contain educational information for children as well as activities that relate to subjects taught in school. My favorite education website so far would have to be INFOhio (http://www.infohio.org/). After viewing this site I found many activities that can be incorporated in various subjects and can help children expand in their learning. I think this website helps engage children in their work. This website also offers many types of activities for children such as puzzles, homework help, history, science, math, and much more! I think this website has a lot to offer for both teachers and children.

blog#5

Overall, I think the standards for kindergarteners maybe set to high for the students. If the students and teachers have a specific aligned system and standards theyu have to follow the classroom will be boring. Having all of the standards set by the board allows little room for both teachers and students. These standards mean that teachers have to follow specific curriculums and the students have to complete certain curricula standards and test per grade. Strict standards take away the childrens and teachers creativity, interests, and imagination. I feel that guides and standards are important order for learning to be successful. On the other hand, the standards should allow room for teachers to make accomodations and incorporate some things of their own. I do not feel the standards should be so strict!