Using technology in today's classroom is a must. Students today are digital natives, the speak they speak the digital language and will need to utilize multiple technologies in the future. With our society becoming a technology inferno, our future inhabitants in in our society must be fully prepared and educated about all aspects of technology. It is hard to expect this of every classroom.
With some students not having access to computers, although most public libraries have access to computers, teachers have a hard time teaching a technological based curriculum. Students experiencing technology strictly through what the teacher is doing will still show more advancements than if they have no experience at all. So it is important as teachers to utilize technology.
Some ways to utilize what most students already have cell phones. Using them as data keeping devices. If some, but not all students have computers, assign group projects where students with computers have to work with students with out. Of course, you would have to do some prior research and make the groups yourself. the research can come on the first day when you ask them to write down specific information about themselves. You can utilize a computer lab at school, or even write a grant and try to gain some free or super cheap technology. There are plenty of ways to have technology in the classroom for it to not be there.
If not all students have technology you have to find ways to implement it into your classroom. You will be putting every student at a disadvantage if you don't. It is our job to prepare them for society. Technology in the future will completely run our society. So we must teach every student to utilize its use. We must find ways to connect every student to a computer in order for them to truly succeed in society.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Cell Phones In The Classroom
I read this article that touched on both sides of the cell phone debate. I personally think they both don't quite hit it. They are to extreme. It is absurd to think that a student will stop bringing there cell phone to school. It is equally absurd to think that students don't already know how to use all the features of there cell phone two days after they recieve it. We need to find a happy medium where students understand that there is a time and a place for everything.
The article states, "The goal of an educational setting should be to give students the proper tools to succeed once they step into society." This is a great theory. All classrooms should be a reflection of real society. Especially at the high school level. The assume in saying this that cell phones are a part of every day life, which they are, but students need to learn to utilize there phone. I don't know about you, but I have a sister who just turned sixteen, you give her a blackberry she will have it all figured out in two days. You don't see cell phones in board meetings, doctors offices, courtrooms, why should they be in the classroom. If we are trying to implement a societal structure why not really teach them there is a time and a place. Not to say that the doctor, or lawyer, or business don't have their cell phones in their pockets. In the day and age a cell phone is the first point of contact one may have with their family members and friends. These are important values to teach and allowing students to bring the cell phone, just in-case of emergency, and understand the proper way to go about using the cell phone politely in a professional setting.
I also feel that right now with the turn of cell phones to mini computers, students will now have access to information at high speeds at their finger tips. Still these phones are expensive and assuming every student as one of these qualities phones is saying every student in your school doesn't have a disability, just isn't going to happen. We as teachers need to stress a professional learning environment, and provide the guidelines for proper cell phone use in society, and allow them to utilize it as a tool, but only in the proper setting.
The article states, "The goal of an educational setting should be to give students the proper tools to succeed once they step into society." This is a great theory. All classrooms should be a reflection of real society. Especially at the high school level. The assume in saying this that cell phones are a part of every day life, which they are, but students need to learn to utilize there phone. I don't know about you, but I have a sister who just turned sixteen, you give her a blackberry she will have it all figured out in two days. You don't see cell phones in board meetings, doctors offices, courtrooms, why should they be in the classroom. If we are trying to implement a societal structure why not really teach them there is a time and a place. Not to say that the doctor, or lawyer, or business don't have their cell phones in their pockets. In the day and age a cell phone is the first point of contact one may have with their family members and friends. These are important values to teach and allowing students to bring the cell phone, just in-case of emergency, and understand the proper way to go about using the cell phone politely in a professional setting.
I also feel that right now with the turn of cell phones to mini computers, students will now have access to information at high speeds at their finger tips. Still these phones are expensive and assuming every student as one of these qualities phones is saying every student in your school doesn't have a disability, just isn't going to happen. We as teachers need to stress a professional learning environment, and provide the guidelines for proper cell phone use in society, and allow them to utilize it as a tool, but only in the proper setting.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Power Point to The People
Monday at 1:30 pm I was excited and intrigued to see what my awesome classmates were going to come up with. I particularly enjoyed the topics of discussion, Jaws, Jeopardy, Romeo and Juliet, all were awesome. I liked how most people I think except me used custom graphics to display some of the flow of there ideas.
Most people have good presence on the stage, but some where stuck behind the podeum or on one side of the display. Some of the slides were also hard to read. Its hard sometimes when the display doesn't reflect the resolution on your laptop screen. I did like everyone's use of their video especially jeromy. He had one slide with four pictures and one of the pictures was a movie. It was unique and engaging. I also enjoyed chrissy's way oof producing a jeopardy board on the slide show. Awesome. Although some slides through out had too much text or not enough color overall I feel everyone seemed to hit the presentation on the nail.
After seeing everyone's presentation I noticed some attributes mine was lacking. I should have implemented some custom mapping. I also should have used some sound and maybe another video for the middle of my presentation. But overall I felt I did pretty well meeting the criteria. Its hard when trying to make on of these for a high school class I fell animations are important in keeping the kids engaged, but in a professional world no animations is the way to go.
I always enjoy using power point. I feel its a visual aid and a guideline for your lesson in hand. You can utilize it for every day use. Just simple anticipatory sets or games of jeopardy can be created using power point. Although some times lectures can be boring adding the power point aspect can add a little excitement. I will use this in my class room and feel utilizing all technology is only going to keep me a step ahead of my students.
Most people have good presence on the stage, but some where stuck behind the podeum or on one side of the display. Some of the slides were also hard to read. Its hard sometimes when the display doesn't reflect the resolution on your laptop screen. I did like everyone's use of their video especially jeromy. He had one slide with four pictures and one of the pictures was a movie. It was unique and engaging. I also enjoyed chrissy's way oof producing a jeopardy board on the slide show. Awesome. Although some slides through out had too much text or not enough color overall I feel everyone seemed to hit the presentation on the nail.
After seeing everyone's presentation I noticed some attributes mine was lacking. I should have implemented some custom mapping. I also should have used some sound and maybe another video for the middle of my presentation. But overall I felt I did pretty well meeting the criteria. Its hard when trying to make on of these for a high school class I fell animations are important in keeping the kids engaged, but in a professional world no animations is the way to go.
I always enjoy using power point. I feel its a visual aid and a guideline for your lesson in hand. You can utilize it for every day use. Just simple anticipatory sets or games of jeopardy can be created using power point. Although some times lectures can be boring adding the power point aspect can add a little excitement. I will use this in my class room and feel utilizing all technology is only going to keep me a step ahead of my students.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Cyber Bullying
On this post I decided to use a power point presentation to explain the effects and processes that go along with cyber bullying. Hope you enjoy. Just click on the picture to view the presentation.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Google Me
Well I googled myself every which way full name and alias. I turned up nothing. I think John Doherty is a really common name. Even on the pipl.com sight I could not find anything. I even have a Facebook page with my alias Johnny Colorado and still no turn ups. I guess I am just lucky I guess. I escaped the massive jaws of the Internet. I do however have my profile on private so only a select view can view it.
Teachers go into the profession knowing they will be held to a higher standard. But there is a certain point where your personal life is your personal life. Sure you don't want a closet devil worshiper to be teaching your kids US history. But if there is a teacher who is gay, I believe it is there right and personal privacy to be the person they want to be. I believe you really have to look at a moral character of a teacher more so than there personal life. For example. I know that I have a serious potty mouth. But I am fully conscious and aware of what I say in the classroom that I wont use that language in the classroom or on campus. While in my home though, I will. This is a really touchy subject especially with the first amendment in play. Ultimately, teacher are held to a higher standard and should be upstanding citizens. Who contribute to society in positive ways and display great examples of moral character.
In the coming years I will guard my privacy very well. I will keep no more aliases and only educational blogs or websites will be in my name. I hope to be a low key as possible, but with the growing involvement of technology and the use of the Internet n modern society. It is going to be pretty hard to stay hidden from it.
Teachers go into the profession knowing they will be held to a higher standard. But there is a certain point where your personal life is your personal life. Sure you don't want a closet devil worshiper to be teaching your kids US history. But if there is a teacher who is gay, I believe it is there right and personal privacy to be the person they want to be. I believe you really have to look at a moral character of a teacher more so than there personal life. For example. I know that I have a serious potty mouth. But I am fully conscious and aware of what I say in the classroom that I wont use that language in the classroom or on campus. While in my home though, I will. This is a really touchy subject especially with the first amendment in play. Ultimately, teacher are held to a higher standard and should be upstanding citizens. Who contribute to society in positive ways and display great examples of moral character.
In the coming years I will guard my privacy very well. I will keep no more aliases and only educational blogs or websites will be in my name. I hope to be a low key as possible, but with the growing involvement of technology and the use of the Internet n modern society. It is going to be pretty hard to stay hidden from it.
"Digital Native or Digital Immigrant"
“Our students today are all “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet.” (Digital Immigrant or Digital Native) This is me. I am a digital native. My family bought our first computer when I was fourteen. We had AOL and Microsoft Word. Even at my school I took a computer typing and formatting class, I also took a digital arts class that dealt with Photoshop.
I am really on the cusp though. People just a couple grades a head of me were still wondering how to change their font on word, But my little sister who is nine years younger than me has grown up with a computer almost all her life. She is constantly on some sort of technology. Mainly her cell phone. She is definitely a digital native. This is how I know I am a Native. Just yesterday I was over at my Grandmas house and she was telling me she was going to take a class to learn how to use Microsoft word. I told her I can teach her everything there is to know about it. Then she asked me how to change the font. That was her biggest problem. Its as if the language on the computer is foreign to her, but not to me.
My high school experience was one on the verge of computers. Teachers were still letting students turn in assignments hand written. Most presentations were done on poster board for the first two years, but the second two you noticed a change in the way students were presenting and the way teacher were presenting lessons has well. I had a math teacher who taught every lesson based on a PowerPoint slide she put together, but most of the time teachers where out of the loop and the students in my grade were on the verge of breaking out. In college it hit me. All assignments except for math were turned on computer paper. Typed, double-space, Times New Roman. Every student at school had a computer and was hooked up to the schools intranet. Every one had a cell phone and an Ipod. This was an exciting time. Thought it seemed the teacher were still so far behind. None of my teacher taught with technology it was all discussion and writing on the white or chalk board. Even contacting your teacher was ore efficient if you just went and talked to them rather them trying to write you and e-mail. So high school was a mix of teachers and student who were preparing for the digital era, but in college every student was there, but only a handful of teachers noticed.
“Students are convinced that school is totally devoid of interest and totally irrelevant to their life. In fact, they find school much less interesting than the myriad devices they carry in their pockets and backpacks.” (Engage me or Enrage Me, 2010). The future of our children and their actions in the classroom is going to totally rely on technology and implementing the students familiar language, Technology. We as teachers have to be able to every day and every lesson incorporate the use of technology, but not just power points and word documents. We need to use smart boards, and Ipads and learning interactive web-sites. That will allow your students to learn the material using their preferred media. It is still a long road ahead. With the average age of teachers being over forty most students wont get that medium they need to fully engage in a topic.
I believe I am part of the first generation of teachers who have the opportunity and skills to bridge this gap. To implement the use of technology everyday in the classroom. We are the digital natives who will be furthering the knowledge and qualities of our children.
I am really on the cusp though. People just a couple grades a head of me were still wondering how to change their font on word, But my little sister who is nine years younger than me has grown up with a computer almost all her life. She is constantly on some sort of technology. Mainly her cell phone. She is definitely a digital native. This is how I know I am a Native. Just yesterday I was over at my Grandmas house and she was telling me she was going to take a class to learn how to use Microsoft word. I told her I can teach her everything there is to know about it. Then she asked me how to change the font. That was her biggest problem. Its as if the language on the computer is foreign to her, but not to me.
My high school experience was one on the verge of computers. Teachers were still letting students turn in assignments hand written. Most presentations were done on poster board for the first two years, but the second two you noticed a change in the way students were presenting and the way teacher were presenting lessons has well. I had a math teacher who taught every lesson based on a PowerPoint slide she put together, but most of the time teachers where out of the loop and the students in my grade were on the verge of breaking out. In college it hit me. All assignments except for math were turned on computer paper. Typed, double-space, Times New Roman. Every student at school had a computer and was hooked up to the schools intranet. Every one had a cell phone and an Ipod. This was an exciting time. Thought it seemed the teacher were still so far behind. None of my teacher taught with technology it was all discussion and writing on the white or chalk board. Even contacting your teacher was ore efficient if you just went and talked to them rather them trying to write you and e-mail. So high school was a mix of teachers and student who were preparing for the digital era, but in college every student was there, but only a handful of teachers noticed.
“Students are convinced that school is totally devoid of interest and totally irrelevant to their life. In fact, they find school much less interesting than the myriad devices they carry in their pockets and backpacks.” (Engage me or Enrage Me, 2010). The future of our children and their actions in the classroom is going to totally rely on technology and implementing the students familiar language, Technology. We as teachers have to be able to every day and every lesson incorporate the use of technology, but not just power points and word documents. We need to use smart boards, and Ipads and learning interactive web-sites. That will allow your students to learn the material using their preferred media. It is still a long road ahead. With the average age of teachers being over forty most students wont get that medium they need to fully engage in a topic.
I believe I am part of the first generation of teachers who have the opportunity and skills to bridge this gap. To implement the use of technology everyday in the classroom. We are the digital natives who will be furthering the knowledge and qualities of our children.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Intro Post
Hello all,
My name is John Doherty, I am currently studying for my masters in education at concordia university. My desire is to teach high school mathematics, well not only to teach math, but to get kids to love math.
I am really into rock climbing and watching monkeys climb trees is pretty amazing. They are highly intellegent and are most like us. We can learn a lot form watching them interact with eachother
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