Web 2.0 is the move from software-based applications downloaded onto computers to entirely web-based applications. These applications can be used to do just about everything that you used to need to download or buy software for, can be accessed from any computer with internet, and, in many cases, don't cost a dime.
Personal Productivity Tool: 4Shared
4Shared is a file hosting service similar to mediafire or megaupload. However, one key feature of 4shared that I have not found on any other file hosting service is the search feature. You can look for the files you want without being given a direct link to them. The interface is easy to use, and you can use up to 10 GB of space. Files can be organized into folders, and you can choose to share entire folders or individual files. Files can also be made private.
A major use for this tool is to send files to group members that are too large to attach to an e-mail. This could include large images, audio, or even video. It can also be used as a tool for backing up and storing files. Links to download relevant files could be placed in project blogs as well. Also, personally if I want to transfer a large file such as a lesson plan with from my personal computer and work on it on a school computer, I can use this program to do so without any additional hardware needed.
Screen Recorder Tool: Screenr
Screenr is a highly easy to use screen recording program. You can select an area of your screen to record, and then it will record every mouse movement, file opened, etc. Everything you do on the screen can then be played back. You can also add audio, verbally explaining what you are doing as you are doing it. The screen-cast can then be uploaded to youtube, your computer, or anywhere else you want to send it.
This would definitely be useful in demonstrating to students how to use certain technologies. For visual learners, verbal explanations or written instructions of how to use a program can be highly confusing. If all they have to do is follow along with what is happening on the screen, they can learn to use the program much more quickly. Also, for online classes or students who have to be absent, entire lectures with both their audio and visual components can be recorded and shared. Students could also demonstrate their mastery of a skill by creating a screen recording of themselves demonstrating that skill and submitting it as an assignment.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Google Forms
Google forms is a tool that allows users to create a survey with a variety of question-type options which can then be used to collect data online. Then the results are automatically input into a tool that could be compared to the well-known Microsoft Excel program. Multiple people can be allowed edit the form and resulting data at once.
Some Ideas For Uses-
-I can see this being used to take surveys of how your students feel the class is going/ what improvements could be made
-Practicing democracy in the classroom
-Taking surveys, and then use that data to generate graphs so students can study graphs in a way that is meaningful to them
-Could used as a quick early assessment to evaluate the current state of your students’ understanding.
Learning Curve-
At first there was some difficulty because the form is saved in google documents in its spreadsheet version. You have to go under the forms menu and click "edit form" to make changes to the questions. However, after the five minutes it took to figure that out, everything was super easy. It's much easier to use and more versatile than any other polling program I've seen.
My Group Contributions-
I created the initial form and document and shared it with my group members. I added a couple sentences to the definition, two bullet points to section 2, and two bullet points to section 3 on the document. I modified the "favorite color" question to include a drop-down menu and added the multiple choice "what do you think of google docs?" question.
Links-
Live Form
Results Sheet
Document
Some Ideas For Uses-
-I can see this being used to take surveys of how your students feel the class is going/ what improvements could be made
-Practicing democracy in the classroom
-Taking surveys, and then use that data to generate graphs so students can study graphs in a way that is meaningful to them
-Could used as a quick early assessment to evaluate the current state of your students’ understanding.
Learning Curve-
At first there was some difficulty because the form is saved in google documents in its spreadsheet version. You have to go under the forms menu and click "edit form" to make changes to the questions. However, after the five minutes it took to figure that out, everything was super easy. It's much easier to use and more versatile than any other polling program I've seen.
My Group Contributions-
I created the initial form and document and shared it with my group members. I added a couple sentences to the definition, two bullet points to section 2, and two bullet points to section 3 on the document. I modified the "favorite color" question to include a drop-down menu and added the multiple choice "what do you think of google docs?" question.
Links-
Live Form
Results Sheet
Document
Friday, August 20, 2010
Applications of Blogging
After reading the articles, I can see many benefits and possible applications of blogging. One major draw is that blogging is fun! Integrating blogging into the classroom can motivate and interest students. Another draw is the high degree of flexibility. Meaningful discussions can be held without the risk of certain students dominating or talking over others, and as long as students have access to a computer, they can join in the discussion at a time and place that is convenient for them.
As an aspiring science teacher, one application I considered was the use of a blog by a group to keep track of an ongoing experiment or research project. Some long-term experiments need to be checked regularly, so students could arrange a schedule of who will record results and observations at what times, and then those results and observations could be entered into the communal blog. Pictures could be included as well. The whole group would have access to that information and be able to discuss their findings and any necessary modifications to the experiment. In the end, the entire progress of their experiment and their thoughts along the way would be available for them to view, greatly facilitating the transition to a research paper, if that is the direction the assignment is heading. Also, groups would be able to view the entire process of other group's projects and learn from their work as well.
Most writing about technology occurs in the strict scientific report form, but blogging could give my students a chance to write about scientific topics in a more free-form style. A good test of how well a student understands a concept is their ability to put a clear explanation into words, so students could check their own understanding by composing blog posts on subject matter. One idea is that a student or two could be assigned publish a blog post on each subject we cover in class, explaining the concept in easy language that all of their classmates can understand. Students could sign up to be in charge of blogging about the topics that interest them most. The rest of the class would read those posts and comment with any questions, corrections, or additions. Then, come test time, the class has already constructed a great study-guide, written in their own words, that they can easily access from any computer. Not only would the act of writing the blog posts increase their understanding, they would create a resource for review that would hopefully be more meaningful and more interesting to them than the text book. Hopefully the students would be motivated to write and research their posts well, knowing that other students would all be reading them and depending on them to further their own learning. And all this collaborative learning could occur without taking a minute of actual class time.
As an aspiring science teacher, one application I considered was the use of a blog by a group to keep track of an ongoing experiment or research project. Some long-term experiments need to be checked regularly, so students could arrange a schedule of who will record results and observations at what times, and then those results and observations could be entered into the communal blog. Pictures could be included as well. The whole group would have access to that information and be able to discuss their findings and any necessary modifications to the experiment. In the end, the entire progress of their experiment and their thoughts along the way would be available for them to view, greatly facilitating the transition to a research paper, if that is the direction the assignment is heading. Also, groups would be able to view the entire process of other group's projects and learn from their work as well.
Most writing about technology occurs in the strict scientific report form, but blogging could give my students a chance to write about scientific topics in a more free-form style. A good test of how well a student understands a concept is their ability to put a clear explanation into words, so students could check their own understanding by composing blog posts on subject matter. One idea is that a student or two could be assigned publish a blog post on each subject we cover in class, explaining the concept in easy language that all of their classmates can understand. Students could sign up to be in charge of blogging about the topics that interest them most. The rest of the class would read those posts and comment with any questions, corrections, or additions. Then, come test time, the class has already constructed a great study-guide, written in their own words, that they can easily access from any computer. Not only would the act of writing the blog posts increase their understanding, they would create a resource for review that would hopefully be more meaningful and more interesting to them than the text book. Hopefully the students would be motivated to write and research their posts well, knowing that other students would all be reading them and depending on them to further their own learning. And all this collaborative learning could occur without taking a minute of actual class time.
Self-Introduction
Hello! My name is Amanda Renee Schieber. I'm a 24-year-old MAT student at Willamette University. I also attended Willamette as an undergrad, and I have a BA in Biology. After I graduate, my goal is to teach biology at the high school level. I find biology to be absolutely fascinating. Think about it. Do you know how to fight off a disease, heal a wound, or convert food into energy? Probably not. These processes are hugely complex, but the good news is, you don't have to know how to do any of that, because your body does it for you! Not only those, but countless other extremely complex processes and reactions are taking place inside you right now. All of your various parts and systems are fitting together, working in perfect harmony to keep you alive and functioning, with almost no help from your conscious mind. Beyond the scope of the human body, consider the fact that all life on earth, in all its variety and wonder, started from microscopic single-celled organisms, and those started from something that wasn't even alive at all! Okay, I hope I've blown your mind a bit, so I'll move on to some other information about myself.
I was born and raised in Clackamas, Oregon, about an hour North of Salem. I have one younger brother, an undergrad in Washington. I attended Clackamas High School where I participated in marching band (we sucked. bad.) and dance team (we got 2nd in the state three out of the four years I attended). Despite the relative success of my dance team, I much preferred the company of the marching band members. In college I joined Delta Gamma sorority, and I have many wonderful memories of that experience. After graduating from college, I spent two years teaching English at the elementary and junior high school level in Japan. That was a tremendous growing and learning experience for me which ultimately confirmed and solidified my desire to become a teacher. My other interests include reading, travel and experiencing other cultures, cooking, and silly Japanese pop music.
I wish there was a good word in English to say this, but since there's not...
Yoroshiku!!
PS. I kept a blog of my experiences in Japan HERE if you're interested
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