ABC's of Blogs in the Classroom

Artistic opportunities
Community enhancing-encourages Communication
Discussion opportunities
Easy to manage
Flexibility
Guidelines and acceptable use policies must be adhered to
Heightens motivation
Inclusion opportunities
Just plain fun
Keeps paperwork to a minimum
Location-can be accessed from any Internet source
Multi-disciplinary
Netiquette should be implemented
Ownership of learning
Positive view towards learning
Quests (web-quests) compatible
Relinquishes some teacher control
Scaffolds learning
Teacher and student interaction
Understanding on a deeper level
Vocational training
Weblinks may be added
Xhibit work (student portfolios)
Young and old alike (all grade levels)
Zeal towards reading and writing

Reflecting on Teaching with Technology

Technology Integration Idea 11.7

Technology supports the earth science learning because it takes a concept that would have been very abstract and makes it more concrete and life applicable. I think that the students would have to focus on learning the concepts first, or they wouldn't even know how to go about navigating the Internet sites or the assignment. For example, I know nothing about atmospheric concentrations, so I would have to do some major research, using technology, before attempting to participate in the plotting activity.

No, the technology is not seamless. First of all, this activity would have to be majorly adapted for any grade prior to 6th grade. To say it's for grade levels 2-12 is astonishing. Because there are so many illegitimate websites, teachers would have to preview sites for the accuracy and provide them for the younger students. Or, older students would need to have several lessons on determining the validity of website information. Also, to have a year long assignment is logistically not possible in most public schools. It would have to be a modified time frame.

Technology contributed to the lesson, because up-to-date information and tools are available. As the textbook says, "books are out of date the minute they are published." Especially with a topic such as global warming, where data is constantly changing, an availability to current data is imperative. In this lesson, technology requires the students to a higher level of thinking. It is multidimensional and encourages the students to see the relationship between various concepts. They discover how the information they are learning is life applicable in ways they would not have been able to without technology. Even the graphing and plotting teaches the use of various modes of technology that could be applied to other areas.

Wikipedia could be used to assist research the earth science terms. The class could create a website or a Blog centered on the project. Any other Web 2.0 traits that make it more interactive would be beneficial.

Software in the Classroom

It was rare to have a day in my classroom where software was not used by myself or my students. The most commonly used software was word processing. I am most comfortable with Microsoft Word and that is what the students are taught in technology class. I used Word for parent interactions such as monthly newsletters and classroom assignment updates. It improved the appearance and organization of the information I wanted to relay. I also used Word for corresponding activity guides, graphic organizers, and classroom visuals. This saved time because I could save the documents and easily retrieve them and adapt them if necessary.
Students used Word frequently to publish language arts pieces. They were able to take pride in their polished pieces. For example, we published grandparent biographies, poetry, and research reports. Word processing was used as an excellent alternative for language arts assessments. Students were able to create playing cards, time lines, newsletters, postcards, etc. They also used Power Point and Kidspiration to present social studies and science content As opposed the typical pencil and paper test, I feel this type of interaction made the learning more authentic and memorable.
Beyond word processing, I also used spreadsheets and databases. Excel spreadsheets were used to organize my classroom schedule and record keeping. Our entire district recently began using Filemaker Pro for progress reports. It took some time to adjust to at first, but ultimately, the time that was saved each trimester was significant. I never used web development software, but would love to have a classroom web page in the future, or even have students create content web pages.
Overall, the use of software in my third grade classroom increased productivity, motivation, authenticity, and accuracy.

Relative advantage

"Well, I've done it this way for years and I've been surviving just fine. Besides technology is just a hassle." This often heard quote is not an example of the notion of relative advantage. As described in the text, people are more likely to change if they truly see the advantages of using new methods over old ones. They have to be willing to adequately look into the change. Then it is necessary to genuinely weigh out the positives and negatives to decide if the benefits of the means of change are worth the time, effort, and money.
To me one of the most beneficial usages of technology in the classroom is to help make abstract concepts more concrete to students. For example, the use of the Internet and software enhanced my third grade space unit. They were able to learn about newest space happenings and not rely on outdated textbooks. Technology also made the lessons more motivating and interactive. This is the case with any subject matter. Technology also helps students with learning disabilities learn in ways otherwise not possible as well.
Beyond being beneficial to students, technology is helpful for teachers with lesson planning and record keeping. In my district, technology has greatly changed the way progress reports are generated.