EDUC 630 Blog 4

I love using technology in day to day life. I think it is best when I am discussing a topic with friends and a question comes up. It is so easy to use a smart phone to search for the answer to the question, which usually sparks a new debate. This is a great benefit of technology--I suppose this makes me a part of the culture that loves having a ton of information available at their fingertips.

As with TV, magazines, and newspapers, using technology can consume a lot of unproductive time. There are shows and articles that do not have any benefit to the reader, other than some form of entertainment. However, there are a lot of opportunities to view/read engaging information, and this is what I like to do. Using technology, TV, and newspapers/magazines to learn things that I am curious about is a benefit to me (the newspapers and magazines I view are mostly online).

The ease of use and availability of technology can sometimes be frustrating. Though I really like using it, I do appreciate time for family, friends, and meaningful conversation. I become very irritated when someone I am talking to uses his or her phone in the middle of a conversation or while out at dinner. There is definitely a balance, which can be hard or easy to find depending on your expectations and the expectations of those you are with.

EDUC 638 Blog 3

The video contains my thoughts on Chapter 7--Can you hear me now? (Hall) and Chapter 8--Data communications, the Internet, and educational applications (Picciano), how communication is extremely important, and what I think of it as a professional.

Hall, D. (2008). Can you hear me now? The technology director's guide to leadership: The power of great questions (pp. 173-192). Eugene, Or.: International Society for Technology in Education.

Picciano, A. G. (2011). Data communications, the Internet, and educational applications. Educational leadership and planning for technology (5th ed., pp. 133-184). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson.

EDUC 630 Blog 3

Watch the video for my thoughts on social networking in education. Thanks!

References: 

 

facebook.com. (n.d.). Facebook. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from facebook.com.

Google+ Hangouts    Google Hangouts . (n.d.). Google. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://google.com/hangouts.

World's Largest Professional Network | LinkedIn. (n.d.). World's Largest Professional Network | LinkedIn. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://linkedin.com.

twitter.com. (n.d.). Twitter. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from twitter.com.

Check out this article about how schools will change in a few years:

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/how-school-will-be-different-in-10-years.shtml

I am not so sure about #2...I think there is some existing research stating the exact opposite, but I'll have to look into that another time. And it appears that this article was published in 2011. Have things changed so significantly in the past two years that, as a teacher, I have no fear of the elimination of PE or recess?

Feel free to comment :)

EDUC 638 Blog 2

Here are my thoughts on Picciano, Chapter 5, about data-driven decision making in schools and how it is implemented in my school. I feel very fortunate to be part of a successful data driven decision making team!

Picciano, A. G. (2011). Wisdom and data-driven decision making. Educational leadership and planning for technology (5th ed., pp. 68-90). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson.

EDUC 630 Blog 2

This is my reflection on useful web resources as a kindergarten teacher and student in education. Enjoy!

BrainPOP - Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts . (n.d.). BrainPOP - Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts . Retrieved September 10, 2013, from http://brainpop.com.

BrainPOP Jr. - K-3 Educational Movies, Quizzes, Lessons, and More!. (n.d.). BrainPOP Jr. - K-3 Educational Movies, Quizzes, Lessons, and More!. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from http://brainpopjr.com.

Graphite | The best apps, games, websites, and digital curricula rated for learning. (n.d.). Graphite | The best apps, games, websites, and digital curricula rated for learning. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from http://graphite.org.

Welcome to Discovery Education | Digital textbooks and standards-aligned educational resources . (n.d.). Discovery Education | Digital textbooks and standards-aligned educational resources . Retrieved September 10, 2013, from http://discoveryeducation.com.

Welcome to Twitter. (n.d.). Twitter. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from https://twitter.com.