Second Life is a virtual reality program used by people all over the globe. It was created for users over the age of 18. There is no cost for a regular membership. Users create avatars and walk around the virtual world, communicating with others. A form of Instant Messaging is used for communication between users. The virtual world has it's own currency, the Linden dollar, which can be used to purchase virtual goods. There are virtual businesses, art galleries, and theaters. Some bands have toured virtually in Second Life and theater groups such as the Second Life Shakespeare Company have performed plays. Some religious organizations have started to appear in the virtual world. Second Life works with a variety of operating systems. Many higher education institutions use it for research and instruction as well as language learning. Virtual businesses are regulated and gambling is prohibited. Some criticisms of Second Life have been voiced. Some people have complained of limited access due to not having a mouse. People with visual impairment also struggle with using Second Life. The owners of the virtual world are trying to solve these problems. Second Life has also been criticized for adult content.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Award-Winning Publishers
An award winning publisher in computer assisted instruction is Sunburst Technology. Their website can be accessed at http://store.sunburst.com/. Sunburst Technology develops and distributes supplemental curriculum materials for schools. It is a leading resource for school technology products. The company has become well-known in the educational technology field by developing and publishing award-winning, multimedia educational software, videos, and printed supplements for use in schools. It publishes school products for grades kindergarten to 12th grade. Sunburst Technology offers over 500 software, print, and web-delivered titles in various subject areas including reading and language, science, math, and social studies.
Sunburst Technology could be a valuable resource in the elementary education classroom. Teachers can access a variety of activities and learning programs from the website to download for free or to order. In the elementary classroom where there are probably only a few computers, teachers can allow students to use these computers during “free-time” or activity rotations during which students can play educational games such as those provided by Sunburst Technology. Thus students become accustomed to using computers, are introduced to technology, and learn as well! The games also generate formative assessment reports for teachers which shows students progress in comparison to state’s standards. The resources provided by Sunburst Technology are a great tool for the classroom and should be considered for use.
Sunburst Technology could be a valuable resource in the elementary education classroom. Teachers can access a variety of activities and learning programs from the website to download for free or to order. In the elementary classroom where there are probably only a few computers, teachers can allow students to use these computers during “free-time” or activity rotations during which students can play educational games such as those provided by Sunburst Technology. Thus students become accustomed to using computers, are introduced to technology, and learn as well! The games also generate formative assessment reports for teachers which shows students progress in comparison to state’s standards. The resources provided by Sunburst Technology are a great tool for the classroom and should be considered for use.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Google Earth
What is Google Earth? Google Earth is a very interesting example of technology in the form of virtual simulations. The program that needs to be downloaded to the computer gives the user an aerial view of the world and areas. A person can zoom in a view visual replicas created through satellite imagery of the world. Google Earth also has 3-D representations of some areas such as Grove City Campus. The building on campus can be viewed from a three-dimensional perspective.
In the elementary school classroom, Google Earth can be used to allow the students to explore the terrain of areas of the world about which they are learning. Students can see a visual representation of the countries or cities that they read about in literature or that they study in history. In addition to looking at an aerial view of the areas, the teacher can create supplementary informational posts regarding various areas and topics. Google Earth can be very useful in the classroom environment.
In the elementary school classroom, Google Earth can be used to allow the students to explore the terrain of areas of the world about which they are learning. Students can see a visual representation of the countries or cities that they read about in literature or that they study in history. In addition to looking at an aerial view of the areas, the teacher can create supplementary informational posts regarding various areas and topics. Google Earth can be very useful in the classroom environment.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
PhotoStory 3
We were introduced to PhotoStory 3 today. This is a free program that you can download. Using PhotoStory, you can upload you photos, crop them, add text or vocal comments, and add music. This program is fairly limited. Placing text on the photos is difficult to do, because there are few places it can go. The program allows you to make your own music, but it tends to be low quality. Overall, this program can be very useful for making short movies of your pictures.
This program can even be used in the classroom! Educators can use photostory to make a movie from photos of class projects or field trips. They could use this program to create a film of pictures from the entire year for an end of the year ceremony. Teachers could also offer this as an option for presenting a project or report. Instead of giving a book report, students could choose to do a photostory that they narrate. This program certainly has educational possibilities!
This program can even be used in the classroom! Educators can use photostory to make a movie from photos of class projects or field trips. They could use this program to create a film of pictures from the entire year for an end of the year ceremony. Teachers could also offer this as an option for presenting a project or report. Instead of giving a book report, students could choose to do a photostory that they narrate. This program certainly has educational possibilities!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Effects of Technology in the Classroom
There are many effects of technology in the classroom and students, not just at the elementary level, but for all grades. Some of these include changes in student and teacher roles, increased motivation and self-esteem, development of technical skills, and accomplishment of more complex tasks. Furthermore, technology activities and interaction in the classroom leads to more collaboration with peers, increased use of outside resources, and improved design skills. When students are using technology as a tool, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information. The student is actively making choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information. Technology is valued within our culture. It is something that costs money and that bestows the power to add value. By giving students technology tools, students are being given more meaning to their school activities.
There are many positive and negative effects of technology in the classroom. As listed above, technology can be a great resource in the classroom and in preparing students for future encounters with technology in the real world. Students, even at the elementary school level, are able to acquire an impressive level of skill with a broad range of computer software. Many times, students develop these skills in the classroom. Teachers have observed that students are able to handle more complex assignments and use higher-order skills because of the supports and capabilities provided by technology. The effect of technology cited by a great majority of teachers is an increased ability to help students work cooperatively with each other and to even provide peer tutoring. Although the use of technology has many positive aspects, there were still concerns about appropriate student conduct, the distractedness computers can cause, and the time taken away from traditional and useful classroom activities. Teachers need to use technology as a helpful tool but not as a necessary requirement in order to make technology the most effective in the classroom.
There are many positive and negative effects of technology in the classroom. As listed above, technology can be a great resource in the classroom and in preparing students for future encounters with technology in the real world. Students, even at the elementary school level, are able to acquire an impressive level of skill with a broad range of computer software. Many times, students develop these skills in the classroom. Teachers have observed that students are able to handle more complex assignments and use higher-order skills because of the supports and capabilities provided by technology. The effect of technology cited by a great majority of teachers is an increased ability to help students work cooperatively with each other and to even provide peer tutoring. Although the use of technology has many positive aspects, there were still concerns about appropriate student conduct, the distractedness computers can cause, and the time taken away from traditional and useful classroom activities. Teachers need to use technology as a helpful tool but not as a necessary requirement in order to make technology the most effective in the classroom.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Podcasts for the Classroom!
A podcast is a series of digital media files, usually either digital audio or video, that is made available for download usually via web syndication. A podcast usually takes its name from the combination of “iPod” and “broadcasting”. However, podcasting does not actually require the use of an iPod. Different types of podcasts include radio programs, news shows, and museum audio tours. Podcasting is the creation, management and promotion of podcasts on the Internet. There is special client software applications called podcatchers which automatically identify and download new files in series. Podcasting is another media tool that can be used in the classroom for both adults and children.
These links are useful podcasts that our group has found.
For Early Childhood Education:
http://www.sesamestreet.org/podcasts/?gclid=CJfK-e2fg54CFVw55QodT1hApQ
Here you can find free Sesame Street podcasts. These are episodes of an educational television show that teaches letters and numbers. This can be used to reinforce learning of said concepts in the early classroom in an enjoyable way.
For Middle Childhood Education:
http://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail?pid=7425
This website offers a link to the CNN Student news. This podcast gives current events in a way that is understandable and applicable to middle school and high school students
For all Educators:
http://www.epnweb.org/
This is the website for The Education Podcast Network. This website is a collection of podcasts for every grade and subject. Educators can go here and look for podcasts in their discipline.
In our future classrooms, podcasts can have various uses and enhance learning greatly. One use that was brainstormed was the use of podcasts as a supplemental, out of classroom learning prop. A teacher can assign a podcast to the whole class and have the students listen to the podcast on their own at home. The students will have the freedom to listen to the blog on their own time. After listening to the blog, the students will be expected to show their learning in some way, such as writing a response to the podcast or being prepared to share the information in class discussion.
Another way to use podcasts in the classroom is to play snippets of the podcasts in class as a supplement to the lesson and have the students discuss the information that is presented. This method would take up class time while the previous use of podcasts would not cut into class time and would increase the amount of learning time inside and outside of the classroom.
These links are useful podcasts that our group has found.
For Early Childhood Education:
http://www.sesamestreet.org/podcasts/?gclid=CJfK-e2fg54CFVw55QodT1hApQ
Here you can find free Sesame Street podcasts. These are episodes of an educational television show that teaches letters and numbers. This can be used to reinforce learning of said concepts in the early classroom in an enjoyable way.
For Middle Childhood Education:
http://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail?pid=7425
This website offers a link to the CNN Student news. This podcast gives current events in a way that is understandable and applicable to middle school and high school students
For all Educators:
http://www.epnweb.org/
This is the website for The Education Podcast Network. This website is a collection of podcasts for every grade and subject. Educators can go here and look for podcasts in their discipline.
In our future classrooms, podcasts can have various uses and enhance learning greatly. One use that was brainstormed was the use of podcasts as a supplemental, out of classroom learning prop. A teacher can assign a podcast to the whole class and have the students listen to the podcast on their own at home. The students will have the freedom to listen to the blog on their own time. After listening to the blog, the students will be expected to show their learning in some way, such as writing a response to the podcast or being prepared to share the information in class discussion.
Another way to use podcasts in the classroom is to play snippets of the podcasts in class as a supplement to the lesson and have the students discuss the information that is presented. This method would take up class time while the previous use of podcasts would not cut into class time and would increase the amount of learning time inside and outside of the classroom.
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