EDU 510 Technology Showcase

Task 1 :  Building a Weebly Home/Showcase
Building the weebly page was such a difficult task.  I still  can't  blog on my computer at home and don't understand why.   I would love to have the necessary skills to make these correction and use my weebly at home.


Task 2:  Journal Articles/ Reflections
Different strategies of teaching tool can be found on the computer. These tools can be used to teach the objective in any content area.  By working cooperatively, students help each other to understand more about the technology and how to use it to accomplish learning objectives. Students can also use their technological skills  to help the teacher and students become more engaged  as partners working together. Workshops are good for short term teaching of technology skills,but they are not the best way to teach some of the great tools provided in this technological world.  Click here to read  my article.

Task 3: Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines for Teachers
Many educators interpret the fair use doctrine as freedom to use any copyrighted material as long as their use is restricted to instructional purposes.   I have found that this is not true.  There are guidelines for educators  that must be  addressed.  The guidelines do not allow users to make multiple copies of different works as a substitute for the purchase of books or periodicals, using copyrighted material  without giving credit to the author, and copying the same works for more than one semester, class, or course. Click here to view my information

Task 4:  Tech Tools Exploration & Application
Well planned lesson plans address what student will be learning  according to the objective. It is great when you have technology tools to help carry this out. I found this ten step lesson plan on how to intergrate technology t o a solving problem lessons.  A  lesson can be changed to intergrate student use of computers. The NTeQ Model states  that you  can  start with a specific objecitve,   add computer functions, specific problem to solve, results presentation, assessment, supporting activities after using the computer, activities prior to the computer and activities while at the computer.

Task 5STAR Center
The StarCenter is the best thing ever for Jackson and this area.  It provides sevices to children, adults, and caregivers, education, and employers with disabilities or special needs.  We have so many students at our school that could really benefit from the StarCenter.  I enjoyed the tour, the art therapy,  reading about the mobil technology called the Access Express,  and the  alternative communiction devices.  I was not aware of new technological devices that could do so much for students with impaired vision.    Why are educators not more informed about the starcenter center?  Click here to locate StarCenter website. 

Task 6:
Virtual Connections
  My understanding of virtual connections  is the connection between the person sending the information and the person receiving the information. For example sending and receiving email. Virtual connection  is a good way to link students and educators to provide interactive educational experiences to students across the country and across the world. I have experienced the virtual connection in this classroom through the use of new technology. I did not realize how far behind  I am in the virtual technology world.  Click here to look at my voice thread.


Task 7:  Building Technology Integration/LPs
 As teachers,we must recognize that technology can link instruction to  both formative and summative assessment. In terms of formative assessment, they are helpful and informative in monitoring the learning progress of students and making decisions about how to improve instrutional programs. As far as summative assessment, they can be graded  and aligned to IEP goals for students, aligned to the standards  which students must master,  and for information about a students' performance. The voki avartar was a great teachnology I used in class with my students to teach an objective.  Lesson Plan # 1Student sample.  This lesson was designed to teach the student how to balance a chemical equation using voki avata.  The voki introduced the student to the steps needed to balancce an equation.  They need to be able to count the number of atom on both sides of the equation.  They needed to know that coefficients  are placed in front of the element or compound, and that you can never change the subscript.  Finally, they need to  count  again the number of atoms on both sides of the equation  for each  element. Lesson Plan #2           Student Sample #2  Acrostic Poem was a great way to check students' understand of the terms endothermic and exothermic .  The construction of the poem was very easy. They took the beginning of the word exo and wrote related terms. Terms  they wrote were  heat, hot, out of, hot test tube  , give off, and reactions going out. Then , they took the first letter of the word to create a poem using the related word(s).  Next, they took the second letter of the word and used the related word(s) to write the second line in their poem , then they took the  third letter of the word  and related terms to complete the poem.

OT -Over the Top:  
Since I have never had a computer class in my life, all of this is over the top for me!!  The really big over the top was  creating weebly and voicethread.   I have over come some fears about the computer and looking forward  to implementing my new technology skills in the classroom.