Best and worst?

Technology used to scare me, and I was incredibly intimidated by it.  However, now I feel much more comfortable using technology and incorporating it into my lessons.  The best thing about this class was the massive amount of information about technology that I was given and taught how to use.  For example, I learned how to use Google docs and how to have multiple people working on one document at a time.  I was able to integrate this into the classroom and have students work on their projects in groups by having them share and collaborate via Google docs.  Also, I learned how to use multiple new presentation software.  For instance, I learned how to use and create a Prezi, Google presentation, slide rocket, and Empressr.  I actually used these in other classes to help enhance my presentation and all were very effective. 

              I also really liked the blogs that we did for this class.  I helped me to focus on a specific idea and/ or content that is important in the education field.  Plus, I got to read the blogs of my peers and find out their thoughts and ideas, which was always beneficial. 

            The worst part of this class is hard to decide because I really did enjoy this class.  If I had to choose it would be the video editing.  It was just really hard for me for to complete and is struggled some with the technology and trying to get it the way I wanted it.  I learned a lot from this and my next video edit will be better, hopefully.  It was just really frustrating at times, but will be useful to have in my “tool box”.  Overall, I would recommend this course with Professor Becksfort to all students at Xavier.      

Technology makes everything better?

Using technology in the classroom can be extremely useful and beneficial to both students and teacher when used appropriately.  However, when a teacher does not use technology effectively it can take away from the content and leave students more confused than anything else.  I think the use of a visual presentation can be very effective.  However, if that is the only thing the teacher does, students will get board and become uninterested and the technology will no longer be effective.  It is best to find a balance in technology and know when it will enhance your lesson and when it will take away from your lesson.  Time and practice are both great ways to find out what works best.    

Technology Presentation

I recently observed a teacher lecture to the class for the entire period without using any form of technology (no writing on the board, no posters/ maps… I mean nothing).  The lecture was interesting to me, since I happen to have recently read a book on the topic.  However, even I was even distracted by the number of students talking and falling asleep.  I think this lesson needed the aid of technology desperately.  First, I would have written the essential questions that the class was going to cover on the board.  This would not only serve as a starting of point, but also be a constant reminder to students of what they needed to know by the end of class.  Second, I would have used a PowerPoint or some other form of visual presentation like Prezi, Google Docs, etc.  I would have given students guided notes, which would highlight the key ideas and help students learn to take effective notes.  I think technology can help capture students attention and keep their attention by making the content more interesting.         

Learning and Fiction

I recently read a history book that was fiction, however it was based on historical facts.  This book was about a teenage boy who grew up during the New Youth Movement in China.  This novel relied on historical evidence to ensure the realness of the story and also accurately described historical figures living during this time. By having students read a book from the perspective of someone their own age it makes it easier for them to connect to the material.  I think students can gain valuable learning from fiction.  With that being said, as a history teacher I will also push my students to read non-fiction and primary sources. 

Students have a hard time learning when they are only presented with theoretical examples or non-real situations.  Students learn best when the material presented to them is concrete and the teachers illustrated clear meaningful examples.  In history, this may be hard to achieve because there is a vast cultural gap from the past and now.  However, there are new games online that actually put students in the shoes of people fighting in the American Revolution and various other wars and concentration camps.  This helps students get a better understanding of what life was like during various times in history.  Fiction is useful and I would argue necessary in the classroom

Portfolio Assessment

I think there is value in portfolio assessment because it breaks away from the standard test but allows students to show that they have met the performance standards.  Also, students learn in multiple ways and I think a teacher needs to have multiple types of assessments, one of which needs to be a portfolio assessment.  For example, in my Tech and Topics class we were to complete a portfolio in the form of a website.  This was challenging for me because it required that I use multiple different types of technology to show that I met the standards for the class.  This portfolio took the entire semester to complete, which gave me time to understand new information and incorporate it into my portfolio.  Now, when I step back and look at my portfolio I am proud of all the work I have accomplished and excited about all the new tools I have learned.  I found a short article on why computer-based portfolios are important for students.  Here is a brief summary followed by the link to the article: 

“The implementation of computer-based portfolios for student assessment is an exciting educational innovation. This method of assessment not only offers an authentic demonstration of accomplishments, but also allows students to take responsibility for the work they have done. In turn, this motivates them to accomplish more in the future. A computer-based portfolio system offers many advantages for both the education and the business communities and should continue to be a popular assessment tool in the "information age."

Electronic Portfolios: A New Idea in Assessment