Web Quiz

Software Review: Learning.com

Web Browsing: Grades 6-8

Browsing Basics

5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:

a.	understand and use technology systems.

b.	select and use applications effectively and productively.

URLs

1.	Creativity and Innovation
	Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
	a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.

2.	Communication and Collaboration
	Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
	a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.

6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students
a.. understand and use technology systems.

b.	select and use applications effectively and productively.

Web Searching

3.	Research and Information Fluency
	Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
	b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media. c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.

4.	Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
	Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
	c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.

5.	Digital Citizenship
	Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:
	a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.

6.	Technology Operations and Concepts
	Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
	a. understand and use technology systems. b. select and use applications effectively and productively.

Validity and Sourcing

1.	Creativity and Innovation
	Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
	a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.

2.	Communication and Collaboration
	Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
	a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media. b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.

5.	Digital Citizenship
	Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:
	a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology. b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.

6.	Technology Operations and Concepts
	Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
	a. understand and use technology systems. b. select and use applications effectively and productively.

Mini Review:

This series of information helped me to understand where new users of the internet and other technologies need to start. This series gives students the basics. Also, this tutorial might be helpful for the older generation that did not grow up with the internet and computers. The only barrier I could predict when using this product in a classroom would be interest. At this point the internet is being used by students at a very young age, if not in the classroom than at home, and students at this grade level, 6-8, might not have an interest in learning the basics because they already know how to use the internet and other technologies. On the other hand, I do think it is important to educate all students and internet users regarding the importance of digital citizenship and the duty each user has to only post accurate information and proceed with caution on the internet. I did not face any problems while using this program. I thought it was very user friendly, a little slow paced, but very user friendly and easy to use.


Citation:

Learning.com. (n.d.). Web Browsing: Research and Citing Sources. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://platform.learning.com
National Educational Technology for Students 2007 (2007). Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/
NETS_for_Students_2007.htm

blog post #4

Passport to Digital Citizenship

By: Mike Ribble

This article, “Passport to Digital Citizenship” written by Mike Ribble explains a conference that ISTE held to refresh teachers regarding new policies, tools, and techniques. At this conference, the ISTE updated the audience on a new policy regarding the internet and students’ usage of the technology put in the classroom. Also at this conference, ISTE introduced a new book titled Digital Citizenship in Schools. This book released the nine elements of digital citizenship. Some of these elements included the legal rights and regulations in terms of the use of technology, the privileges and freedoms of digital citizenship, and the risks attached to using the internet and technology. The elements help outline the ethical aspects as well.

Next the article explains a cycle of integration of technology into the classroom and how to use technology properly as well as educate students on the appropriate manner in which to use technology in the classroom. I found this article extremely interesting. Now that technology is such as large aspect in our lives, it is challenging to introduce the proper usage of technology to a new generation. Even the current technology users need an update on the ethical ways to use the internet as well as other technologies.

Q: Do students need to learn the basics in a classroom?

A: I don't think that it is necessary. These days everyone knows how to use the internet and I don't think that it is necessary to waste time in the classroom to teach them. It is important to teach the ethical aspect but not the basics.

Q: Is this conference a requirement?

A: I hope it is not a requirement, I would assume not, but it is different for every district. This meeting seems like it would be really long and dragging.

Teacher's Weekly

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcc9v6b3_8hdztchhg

February 2009

"What I Hope to Bring to the Classroom"

Jennifer Short

For as long as I can remember, I have been attracted to teaching. I enjoy
learning and I enjoy spreading information that I have learned to
others. For the past five years I have been teaching ski and
snowboarding to all ages. For the past 3 years, I have been working
intently with a ski and snowboarding program that caters to those
individuals with disabilities. I understand that teaching on the snow
is quite different than teaching in a classroom, but through my
experience I have learned a great deal, some of which I will carry into
my own classroom.

I am going into teaching because I think that everyone deserves to have a
great teacher. I remember my own grade school teachers, the good and
the bad alike. I also remember what wonderful impressions that the good
teachers left on me and how they furthered and influenced my everyday
life. I can only hope that I have that influence on a life.

In my classroom, I hope to create a warm and welcoming environment, one of
learning and one of acceptance. In today’s society, the norms are
praised and the seemingly “different” are looked down upon.
Furthermore, people are generally “afraid” or “unsure” about the
unknown. We cannot get around the fact that the disabilities are
noticed by onlookers, but as special education teachers, I believe that
it is our duty to educate the onlooker about what the disability is. With this information of the unknown we can strive towards further classroom acceptance.

Jenny Short

Jennifershrt8@gmail.com
http://shortj422.blogspot.com/

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Life Long Dream
By Courtney Moore

When I get into a classroom, I think I will be more hands off. I will lecture a little bit but I would hope that most of my class will be a discussion. I want my students to be running the discussion with me just guiding it. By the eleventh grade students know how they learn best and what they need to do to get the important information into their minds. By this time, students are mature enough to have mature conversations inside a classroom without embarrassing other students for not knowing the answers or asking "stupid questions". Also the students are mature enough to be held accountable for the work they were assigned. I will hold my students accountable but also not assign busy work. I want them to understand the fundamentals of the class as well as the United States and I want them to be excited about it as well.

I have experienced fear of becoming a teacher but never doubt. When I was in Kindergarten, each day Mrs. Wilson would choose a student and would ask them the same questions: Your name, your birthday, if you have any pets and/or siblings, and what you want to be when you grow up. She would write all the answers down on a giant lined piece of poster board. My answer to the last question was that I wanted to be a teacher and a mom. That feeling and want has never gone away. I fear that I chose to be a teacher very young and have never changed my mind because this is all I know. School is all I know and where I am comfortable. I know many of my friends aspire to be doctors, lawyers, business men and women, but how do they know they are comfortable there when they have not been in a hospital situation, or a court room, or an office situation? I am comfortable in a classroom and I can't wait to run my own! If you would like to know more about me please visit my blog !

Contact information
Courtney Moore
Moore121@csusm.edu
CSMoore06@gmail.com

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"Teaching to the Less Advantaged"
Jennifer short

After I graduate, my hope is to teach mild-moderate special education
students. I have always been interested in the way that the brain works
and develops, (many times differently for different people). Growing
up, I was constantly around groups of people with special needs. My
aunt and uncle ran a "camp" that allowed these people to go out into
society and do things that they normally wouldn’t have the
opportunities to do. Events such as skiing, mountain climbing, nature
walks and body boarding were some of which were included in these
activities. In addition to this, my father taught a special education
Sunday school class and I taught an adaptive snowboarding and ski class
for individuals with special needs for several years.

I hope to bring my experience to the classroom in a positive way. It is
common knowledge that in the special education department, there is a
shortage of teachers. Many of these students need personalized and
direct attention, and many are not getting it. Many of the special
needs children are being made to sit-in on regular classrooms because
of this shortage. Although integration (to a certain extent) is a
healthy way of helping these specific children learn, some are not
ready to be put into the regular class room and some feel threatened.
If records show that they are ready to move on to a regular classroom, or if they feel comfortable and confident in doing so, than by all means, they should have the
opportunity to do so. It is my hope to provide these students that
don’t feel comfortable in a regular learning environment with the
one-on-one attention that they need and deserve.

California Special Education Laws

Califonia Department of Education: Special Education Standards

Special Education Lesson Plans

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United States History in the Classroom
By Courtney Moore


My area of interest is United States History. The most interesting area of history for me is the time period of our founding fathers and the establishment of our country as well as the United States involvement in World War II and the Cold War. Currently, the Cold War is my major interest. I also enjoying learning about Presidents and each of their efforts to make America the super power and the country they want it to become. Each president has something that they hid from the public, some more than others. This makes politics as fun and interesting as it is. We never know the whole truth. I love to read and learn about the creation of our country. I also love learning about different religions. There are so many religions and versions of religions in the world that the learning never ends!
As far as teaching history, I want to teach United States History.

I cannot wait to share my passion with students. Currently, US History is taught at the eleventh grade level, please see the California Standards for Social Sciences for additional information.
Eleventh grade US History is the last effort to establish some sort of
political knowledge and stance in students that will be voting within
the next year. As the saying always goes, we need to learn history to
learn from our mistakes and to not repeat them. The new generation of
voters needs to at least have the basic knowledge of the past so that
we don't repeat the mistakes previous generations have made.


Library of Congress
CNN Archives
Take a History Quiz!

All photos collected from Google Images February 11, 2009 in addition to private photos brought in from the authors

Blog post #3

Virtual Success
By Julie Young, Pam Birtolo, and Raven McElman

In an article titled Virtual Success by Julie Young, Pam Birtolo, and Raven McElman, the authors explain the advantages of a school fully online. In Florida, the first statewide public virtual school in the United States opened in 1997. This school went out of the box to try and reach it's students. The students learn all the tools they need and that other students learn in a physical classroom, but online, on their own time, and from the comfort of their own home. It is home schooling, tech school, and traditional classroom all combined. Students feel the advantages of this online school because everyone learns differently. Also, some students want to focus on their Olympic or professional sports as well as other concentrations and this online school gives the students the flexibility they need to pursue them. As college students we are familiar with online classes but this gives the opportunity to high school students as well.
Online classes are a great way to integrate the new up and coming technology that the younger generations use every day and know. There are several ways to integrate technology and computers into the classroom. The three main types of classrooms are classrooms completely without computers also known as traditional classrooms, classrooms that meet in person throughout the week but also have an online component, or a classroom fully online. All options work for different students but it is always beneficial to have the options for everyone to choose from to cater to those hands-on students.
Q: Are online classes at the elementary level possible and/or beneficial?
A: I think it is possible but not beneficial. There are a lot of other aspects outside of the curriculum that students learn being on the campus of the school. They learn a lot of social skills that they wouldn't get from being only online.
Q: Would online classes be beneficial for high school?
A: I think they would but in small, controlled settings. Only some classes should be offered so that the student still has to be on the high school campus for some of the week. I think having an online aspect to classes would be great also.

Blog post #2

Chatting it up Online
By Pamela Livingston

This article explains a new program geared towards students at the authors of the books they are reading. This new system gives students access to the authors directly. This system is similar to the Instant Messenger that the current high school students use to chat with their friends online. In the past, students that wanted to contact the author of a book they had just finished would have to email the intended author and wait for that author to find the time to get through all of the emails and reply. Sometimes this would take months. By using the chatting system, the authors and students will meet on the site at a designated time and the students have direct access to the author. They can ask questions about the book, as why the author wrote the story, the author's motivations, etc.. Once the chat is complete, the students and teachers have access to the transcript of the conversation. This is a helpful tool to be used later in the classroom to analyze texts.

Q1: I wounder how this would work in a high school setting. Would it be plausable?
A1: I think it would be plausible if more authors were to participate. There are many authors that I would like to talk with to ask what particular aspects of their stories meant from books like Catcher in the Rye and Canterbury Tales. There are many questions I would ask. I think that we should find a way to make this available to high school students, they would benefit greatly to a system like this.

Q2: How can we make this system more efficient?
A1: First, the participants need to be vigilant at checking email and waiting for a notification of a chat request. The teachers would email the authors with a chat request using the chat website or system itself so the notification would be very visible. Then the authors and teachers would work out a time so the students can ask questions. The system should duplicate the technology used by American Online Instant Messenger and this system would work. As long as the students were prepared for the chat and had questions ready, this chat system would be extremely efficient.