Personal Technology Project Idea

For this project, I am planning on researching Google Docs. I know we have spent time putting assignments onto Google Docs to share with students as part of other assignments, but the direction I want to go with this project is a little different. I want to research how to use Google Docs collaboratively and how students would be able to do this in the classroom. I haven't ever had the opportunity to do this before but I have many friends who enjoy doing this activity. I think it will be beneficial for me to study this as a way for students to work together to improve their writing.

Multimedia Project

This project and the technology would be valuable in the classroom because it gives students a chance to show their abilities. For this assignment, I responded as a student might in receiving an assignment to explore setting. I think that using this technology would be valuable because it forces both an exploration of plot, as well as how the setting affects the story.

I would also implement this technology in my class when giving students a chance to explore the relationship between text and visual imagery. The blend between the two is very important, and the text can strengthen this.

Participation: Response to Ashley's Blog

When I read the blog about OWL I became intrigued. It sounds like a great program and tool for students. I also started thinking about how much I could have benefited from something like this in high school. I feel like I had very little preparation and background in writing before I was expected to show my teachers my works. By allowing kids to explore different parts of technology, they become able to learn on their own, as well as in the classroom.

Participation: Google Calender

Before I did the Internet Communications assignment, I didn't know that there was an application called Google Calender. When I found out this was part of the assignment, I did it without thinking and spending much time realizing what a huge benefit this could be. Recently, I decided to check my gmail account to clean up the email that it had received and I found out that the Calender sends you reminders so that you don't forget about events coming up. This would be hugely beneficial in a class because it would allow students to remember things. I know I check my email regularly and will remember things that I am told over it more than I do if it is said in class. This would be a great tool to have students create so that they can remember big assignments for your class.

Participation: Using Technology in the Classroom

This week I had the opportunity to teach in a classroom where there isn't much technology available. In order to be successful, I decided to incorporate a film presentation as well as several overheads. These overheads focused on materials that I found using the Internet that strengthened my lesson on metaphors. It was good to see how technology really strengthens the classroom. When the film was turned on, the students immediately paid attention, even though they weren't really interested in the content. They were then able to make connections between what I showed them and the lesson for the day.

Storyboard

This is the link to my storyboard that I created: Storyboard . It discusses the basic plan I have for my students and what one student might do for an assignment.

Internet Safety Teaching

Before doing this, I watched the video on Frontline: Growing Up Online. From this video, I learned about what kids are doing and thinking when they make these decisions. I have never understood about why people act certain ways online, and I realized that it is a way of experimenting with identity, which many people used to do through their actions. It was interesting to me to hear about the attention that these kids received and that motivated their actions. It addicted them because they received attention and it was something for them to do when they were bored. I also thought it was interesting that many of the students have relationships purely through the Internet.

I spoke with a fifteen year old who just started tenth grade. She hasn't had a lot of exposure to the Internet, but knows the basic principles.

This experience was valuable. It was interesting to get her persective. We talked about the identity that kids create on the Internet and how she has seen that in her life. We also discussed ways of preventing this and different thoughts she has about why this is a negative thing. She recently opened a Facebook account and enjoys being on this, but she was very clear that she has friends in reality and that they would rather spend time together; Facebook is just a tool that they use in boredom. I think this was a very good conversation because I was able to see more than just my point of view of the Internet.