Posts Tagged ‘technology’

Following Michael Ian Black

{ October 4, 2009 @ 2:07 am } · { Uncategorized }
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Michael Ian Black is a popular comedian who currently stars in a show on Comedy Central called Michael and Michael Have Issues. I follow him because his tweets are hilarious. For example, today he tweeted this…”Sometimes when I floss I pretend the floss is a thong and my teeth are all tiny butt cracks.” I also follow Michael Ian Black because he uses a verified account and I know it’s actually him.  I love that he tweets numerous times a day and each tweet is witty and interesting, even if they are sometimes ridiculous.  Whenever I am stressed out or having a rough day, reading his tweets never fails to brighten my mood even the slightest bit. 

Michael Ian Black follows many other comedians and actors such as Demetri Martin, Daniel Tosh and Sarah Silverman who all also have shows on Comedy Central.  This says that he uses his twitter account to keep in touch with colleagues/friends (maybe to also make them laugh and brighten their day) and for his professional career as a comedian (to promote his show Michael and Michael Have Issues).  It obviously says that he is interested in comedy and acting.  I also think that he may be interested in communication through technology because he tweets many times throughout the day/on a daily basis.  He also follows The Onion, which is a website that makes fun of politics, news stories and popular/controversial issues.  This says that he may be interested in news and politics…or interested in using them as the subject of jokes in his stand-up comedy act.

The layout of Michael Ian Black’s twitter page is a sort of collage picture of the following…a dragon, Princess Leia, a unicorn, a taco, a pretty blonde girl in pink , a ping-pong paddle and him shooting a rainbow beam out of his hand.  I find this very amusing and it gives me a little insight into some of his interests…maybe Star Wars, ping-pong, Mexican food, mythical creatures, and pretty blonde girls.  Who knows? But it’s still funny.

I leave you with some of my favorite tweets that I have found on Michael Ian Black’s twitter page…Enjoy =)

Slogan for birds: Fuck you, dickhead, we can fly!

New slogan for that show: “Kate plus eight plus her enormous vagina.”

Do pilgrim-style shoe buckles count as bling-bling?

If animals could read maps we wouldn’t be so impressed when they find their way home. We’d be like “So what? You can read maps.”

My first book, “My Custom Van,” now in paperback. Foreword by Abe Lincoln. “Best book ever written” – God.

Gravity is like nature giving you a hug. And never letting go. Like a crazy person

Michael Ian Black

Michael Ian Black

“The Rattler Pit”

{ September 28, 2009 @ 2:22 am } · { Uncategorized }
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It is amazing to me with how fast technology is growing everyday that many students do not see a computer till the third grade or have a weekly computer class in their schools. Many times teachers have to integrate technology education into their curriculum on their own and with everything else they must accomplish (preparation for standardized testing) they cannot fit it into their already crammed lesson plans. That is no way to prepare students for a future filled with fast-paced growing technology.

Here is a great YouTube video about a school in Grass Valley, California that has invested money and created a technology lab in their school called “The Rattler Pit.” A former teacher and technology specialist named Jeff Peach had the idea to create a Mac lab in Magnolia Intermediate School that would not only encourage students to interact with technology but also help teachers to integrate technology and multi-media into their curriculum. Peach helps teachers to collaborate, share ideas, and figure out how to make technology work with their curriculum. He believes that “a computer lab that’s based around the way teachers think when they work” is most successful and beneficial for both students and teachers.

Peach created a working model of teaching with technology that teachers are excited about and comfortable working with where they do things they wouldn’t normally be able to do. Teachers with no knowledge of the Apple System are able to easily work in “The Rattler Pit” and adapt to a curriculum filled with technology education. Peach was able to take things that teachers already do in their curriculum and add technology to make the lessons better and more engaging. Teachers believe that the workplace of tomorrow requires more than just skills but also the ability to use technology and create team relationships. They believe they are helping their students to achieve just that.

IMac laboratory similar to The Rattler Pit

IMac laboratory similar to "The Rattler Pit"

The most crucial part of this working model is hiring a technology specialist/teacher, which requires extra funding. The teachers at Magnolia agree that the lab is worth the money and greatly benefits students and teachers. They are currently trying to integrate a “Rattler Pit” into every school in their district. Teachers with years of experience are seeing the biggest improvement in their student’s education in years. Computers can be used to enrich the curriculum and engage students rather than sit in the corner of classrooms gathering dust.

Just think about it…Technology is the future.

Why we need to teach technology in school – YouTube video

{ September 28, 2009 @ 1:28 am } · { Uncategorized }
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This is a great video describing why technology is such an important part of our lives. It stresses the importance of introducing these technologies and “tools” to children and monitoring how they learn them, so that they do not go about it in the wrong ways. Engaging students is how they learn best and technology is the best way to engage them.

This video also talks about how technology changes (faster as time goes on), how we as humans have developed new forms over time and how technology can improve our lives. If students do not learn these technologies and keep up with the time, they will be left behind and lost in the future. Technology must be taught in schools so that this does not happen.

This video will open your eyes and mind to the importance of technology.

Enjoy!

technology used in ELL classroom (video)

{ September 24, 2009 @ 2:44 am } · { Uncategorized }
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In this youtube video, technology is being used in an ELL (English Language Learner) classroom. Students are testing on the computer and doing individual work. They save their answers in a folder which is able to be accessed by the teacher. At another station, students work in groups to solve math problems on the smart board. It is great to see so many different ways to get students more involved by using technology. For example, if students had to solve the math problems on paper, they may not have been as excited about it. Solving the problems on thesmart board makes it fun and interactive.
Take a look….

Assistive Technology Video

{ September 21, 2009 @ 2:07 am } · { Uncategorized }
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Here is a video I have found that further describes assistive technologies that exist and how they can benefit people with disabilities.

This video gives a definition of Assistive Technology then goes on to describe different types such as, those for the visually impaired (screen reader, closed circuit magnification, Braille translation devices etc.), those for the developmentally and physically challenged (adaptive keyboard, alternate communication devices, adaptive student desks etc.) and those for the deaf and hard of hearing (personal amplification device, audio/visual communication devices, voice to text translation etc.) It shows pictures of each technology or device and describes (most of the time) how it is used.

This video was made by students in an Introduction to Special Education class at Townson University .

(Sorry, the creator chose a bad color for the font and it is sometimes hard to read).

ENJOY!

Assitive Technology in the Classroom

{ September 21, 2009 @ 1:07 am } · { Uncategorized }
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Computers have become an essential literacy tool in our society and that includes classrooms.  Over 76% of American students use a computer at school and 83% use one at home for school assignments/word processing (NCES, 2001).  Computers contribute assistive technologies to the classroom that not only enhance any student’s educational experience but also improve learning for students with special needs and learning disabilities.  Assistive Technologies are the tools and strategies that act to liberate the use of technology for all students as well as to provide new ways to “assist” interactions and learning (Lewis, 1994). In other words they make it easier for teachers and students to do such things as write, communicate, see and read. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Computers can make curricular materials (CD textbooks, E-books, websites, webquests etc.) more accessible in faster and easier ways for students with disabilities such as…enlarging the size of the text, changing the color or font of the text, having the text read aloud, hearing labels read of pictures and simulations, speaking into a computer microphone to write, and using alternate input options: trackballs, larger keyboards, touch screens, etc. Students with poor eye sight will benefit from enlarged text on the computer screen, struggling readers can benefit from having the text read aloud to them (and teachers will have more time to work one on one or observe a group), students with poor motor skills can benefit from the opportunity to speak into a microphone to write (converts sound to text) etc. All of these things make it easier for students, and especially special needs students, to improve, reach their utmost potential and succeed in the future. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above pictures taken from the following websites

Picture 1  Picture 2

WebQuests

{ September 16, 2009 @ 9:18 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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One way to use technology in the elementary classroom is through a Web Quest. A webquest is created by the teacher which incorporates links through the web. In a webquest, there is usually a problem to solve and a project or task to complete. Internet sources are used however the teacher deems appropriate. Essentially, it is like a website with different pages such as the directions, task to be completed, step by step instructions, links, and a problem to be solved. Sometimes there is a story line involved to make it more interesting. Here is a link to hundreds of successful webquests created by teachers — webquest.org. This website provides a search engine for webquests submitted by teachers according to subject area and grade level.  In addition to this website, i found an article online with some information about what webquests are and how to create one. I hope that this post can provide future teachers with some  creative ways to incorporate technology in the classroom =)

—here is an example of a fun and creative webquest

Teacher=Coach

{ September 16, 2009 @ 5:19 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Technology, specifically computers and computer based lessons, is a great thing for students.  Being technologically literate, as discussed in earlier blogs, is just as important as being literate in reading and writing. Though technology will drastically change by the time present elementary students enter the work force, they will still grasp a basic knowledge of how modern technology operates (http://j.mp/PgzEE ). But what happens to the role of the teacher if the students are acting more and more independently?

The answer is simple. The teacher becomes more like a facilitator  (http://j.mp/PgzEE). They set up goals and make the guidelines clear for each project the students undertake. While independent or group work is being done on the computers, the teacher should travel around and encourage the students. They can help correct an error if they catch it right away and suggest different ways of accomplishing each task. It is as if the teacher has become the coach as the students “actively make choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information” ( http://j.mp/PgzEE ). Recent case studies reveal that students are able to handle more complex assignments because of the “supports and capabilities provided by technology” ( http://j.mp/PgzEE ). Some students who are especially technologically savvy also have the opportunity to help the teacher and show fellow students extra tips and tricks. By allowing this, the student’s self esteem will definitely improve ( http://j.mp/PgzEE ) .

All in all, technology is now an indispensable tool in the classroom. If technology is used in the right way alongside lesson plans which include clear, concise objectives, students will learn more content knowledge and will become more comfortable on the tools they are using for their assignments.

kids on computers

kids on computers

Above blog used http://j.mp/PgzEE for facts, quotes, and reference.  Picture from http://www.ehow.com/how_2100775_study-computers-classroom.html

Literacy and Technology Linked

{ September 15, 2009 @ 7:46 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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According to Cynthia L. Selfe in her article “Literacy and Technology Linked: The National Project to Expand Technological Literacy,” technological literacy–meaning computer skills and the ability to use computers and other technology to improve learning, productivity, and performance–has become as fundamental to a person’s ability to navigate through society as traditional skills like reading, writing, and arithmetic. If this is true, technological literacy needs to be taught in schools as aggressively as language arts and mathematics. Along with aiding traditional literacy instruction, computers can reduce unnecessary labor associated with writing and alleviate teacher workloads as well.

Students working with laptops in the Classroom

Students working with laptops in the Classroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1993, an official national challenge to expand technological literacy was launched in America’s schools, homes, and workplaces, called the Technology Literacy Challenge. If students’ technological literacy becomes strong and more advanced, they will have a greater opportunity for good jobs with higher incomes in the future. Rather than being stranded with only traditional literacy training, they will fit into a world that runs on technology.

“Literacy instruction is now inextricably linked with technology,” says Selfe. The solution is simple, right? If computers are integrated into school curriculums, students will be given the technological instruction they need to survive in a world that cannot function without computers. If only it were that easy. Although 98 percent of all schools own at least some computers (Coley, Crandler, and Engle 29) there are many minority and low socioeconomic educational institutions that cannot afford any or enough computers for their students. Also, the more computers are integrated into schools and curriculums, the more students will have a need for computers in their homes, another costly expense for families.

It seems to me that the problem with the Technology Literacy Challenge, is that it is not hitting the places that need the most help. Although some Americans have benefitted, it has not benefitted all students, such as poor students or colored students who do not have sufficient text books, let alone computers in their schools. I believe this project to expand technological literacy should benefit those with the most need first, before those students who may already have access to computers in their own homes. My suggestion…work from the bottom up.

Above picture was taken from http://edseminars.apple.com/seminars/event.php?eventID=11

Different types of technology in the classroom

{ September 15, 2009 @ 4:10 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Technology has been in the classroom ever since the typewriter has been invented. Over time, schools have expanded their technology with the new inventions and ideas being created every year. Below you will find a youtube video created by a student to show the many different ways that technology is brought into the classroom…take a look.

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