I never would have thought that I was going to become so involved in technology when I entered the teaching profession. I seem to be drawn to it, and this course in new literacies opened up so many doors to me. It enabled me to do things that I ordinarily would never attempt. In conjunction with taking this course, my school district entered into a new realm and offered a moodle workshop to its teachers. I went to the demo and signed up for the course offered by one of our new administrators who is well versed in computer technology. I now have a moodle site for my students. Parents are emailed news items and kept up-to-date on 4th grade assignments and anything that pertains to my class. The students use this site to help with their assignments, to play learning games in various subjects, for homework, and as a reference with internet links that pertain to our studies. I decided not to use the discusion board because some of my students are not allowed on the computer during the week and can only use it on the weekend. My site is a work in progress, and I'm still in the experimental stage.
Since I planned on doing my project and paper on podcasts, I researched various podcasts on the internet and read different journal articles on the topic. This course enabled me to venture into unknown territory, and I decided I wanted to have podcasts on my moodle site that would be a new way of communicating with parents and the community. With a lot of prodding, I was able to finally talk our technology coordinator into helping me do actual podcasts with my social studies class. After we studied New Jersey explorers: Christopher Columbus, Henry Hudson, Giovanni da Verrazano, and John Cabot, the students worked in groups with a host and reporters, and we recorded their "radio show." Since it was such a positive experience for my class and well received, I want to continue podcasting and I may do it in other subjects also.
Basically, this course opened up a whole new world to me. I have a much better understanding about what children are doing on the internet than I did before. I enjoy blogging because it's kind of like a journal that's open for others to read. I also liked creating my facebook and enjoyed the reaction from my daughter and her friends. I now comprehend what web 2.0 is all about. We now are having discussions and collaborating on the internet. We are the web now. I feel more connected to my family because I now email them more and even send them photographs. I still have a lot to learn, but I am open to this new experience.
I was sometimes overwhelmed by all of the new jargon and the reading assignments, but that happens with anything new. I have a new vocabulary that I can only share with a select few. Most of my colleagues are not open to this new way of communicating and teaching as much as I am, but I think that they will be forced to accept change and have to learn eventually. I'm glad that I have had this experience, and it couldn't have come at a better time in my life. My daughter is away at school and my son is a teenager who is quite busy with school, activities, and a job. My husband is always at work or working on our house. I have a new outlet and a way to communicate in the world of technology. Reflection journaling is something that I do with my students after projects or units. It helps to take time out of our busy days to think and reflect. All in all, I had a good experience, and I am looking forward to keeping up-to-date with the every changing world of technology.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Saturday at MSU
Here I sit in a beautiful computer lab on Saturday April 14th. I have so many things going around in my head. My daughter will be coming home from college in a month. We need to get a second car to share between my daughter and my son who is turning 17 in July. She will be going to BCC and taking a summer course and working at the pool as a life guard. My son is going to be a camp counselor and continue his part-time job at Kings. I signed up for two graduate courses this summer and one for the fall. I called financial aid and they said that I need to complete a FAFSA form--yuck! I will have to do that this weekend. Lots of things to do. Tomorrow they are predicting bad weather so I'll get to stay home and write my paper for my reading class. Hopefully, we won't have snow.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Buddy Needed
As per Dr. Dana's email, I'm looking for a buddy. Would anyone like to become my buddy? I'm doing my paper on podcasting in an elementary school setting.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Comment on YouTube
I'm sorry to say that I'm not a fan of YouTube. The site has tabs so that you can search for topics that interest you and they link to other videos on the same topic. It's very diverse and if you're into that sort of thing, it can be entertaining. I liked a few of the short clips, but there weren't that many that held my attention. I have been sent some funny videos from YouTube as emails, but it's not enough to make me a frequent visitor of this site.
Understanding Meme: Hopkin Green Frog
Well here I sit learning about another new term: meme. Searching google about a lost frog on a Sunday afternoon is something that I'm not going to share with my colleagues at work. They already think that I'm strange because I'm into my Moodle workshop at work and enjoy this whole blogging experience. I'm definitely keeping this one to myself.
How are ideas spread on the internet?
After reading the sites that I found on google on this topic, I have a much better understanding of what a meme is. I read the mike whybark explanation and it's some story. Since 2004, people have left various comments on this site about the lost frog. The internet bloggers can take a lost toy frog poster and really take it to another level. I learned that certain topics are contagious for individuals. My first reaction was, "Much ado about nothing." Then after reading the reactions from the people on mike whybark's site, I learned about autism from "Love Monkey's" comments. I also changed my mind when I thought about people sharing their experiences and feelings in cyberspace. I realized how we are all connected in some way and how many of us have an experience with something "lost."
What are the potential implications for teaching and learning?
As a reading teacher, I want my students to make connections to the stories we are reading in school. For homework, I have them read for 20 minutes each night and keep a reading log. In the future, students can be part of the whole "blogosphere" and share their ideas and comments in a different way. They could be asked to do this very assignment that I am doing now. This is just another way of communicating and having a conversation on the internet. It's web 2.0.
Google at Its Best
When reading about hopkin green frog, one of the links on google was to our reading assignment this week about meme. I found myself reading Dr. Michele Knobel's paper on "Memes, Literacy & Affinity Spaces ...." It was mentioned in her article that the lost frog story is 1 of 2 successful memes. I now also understand the world of blogging and people's need to share their experiences and to reach out to others in cyberspace.
How are ideas spread on the internet?
After reading the sites that I found on google on this topic, I have a much better understanding of what a meme is. I read the mike whybark explanation and it's some story. Since 2004, people have left various comments on this site about the lost frog. The internet bloggers can take a lost toy frog poster and really take it to another level. I learned that certain topics are contagious for individuals. My first reaction was, "Much ado about nothing." Then after reading the reactions from the people on mike whybark's site, I learned about autism from "Love Monkey's" comments. I also changed my mind when I thought about people sharing their experiences and feelings in cyberspace. I realized how we are all connected in some way and how many of us have an experience with something "lost."
What are the potential implications for teaching and learning?
As a reading teacher, I want my students to make connections to the stories we are reading in school. For homework, I have them read for 20 minutes each night and keep a reading log. In the future, students can be part of the whole "blogosphere" and share their ideas and comments in a different way. They could be asked to do this very assignment that I am doing now. This is just another way of communicating and having a conversation on the internet. It's web 2.0.
Google at Its Best
When reading about hopkin green frog, one of the links on google was to our reading assignment this week about meme. I found myself reading Dr. Michele Knobel's paper on "Memes, Literacy & Affinity Spaces ...." It was mentioned in her article that the lost frog story is 1 of 2 successful memes. I now also understand the world of blogging and people's need to share their experiences and to reach out to others in cyberspace.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
My Reading Blog
Describe yourself as a reader. Do you like to read? Why/not?
My first experience with reading was with my mother who read to me every night before bed as a young child. It was my favorite time of the day. I always asked for one more story. My brothers thought that I was spoiled. I disagree because she opened the literacy door for me. I remember walking to the library with her every summer and enjoying reading together. When I had my children, I followed in her footsteps and read to both of my children every night.
Yes, I like to read. I love to read to children. I also like to read for pleasure. Unfortunately, I do not get to read as many novels thoughout the school year because I am so busy. I usually catch up on my reading in the summer. I find myself reading the books that my children are reading for school. I liked one author so much that I read most of her works over last summer.
I especially love picture books, and I use them as writing models to teach the six traits of writing. I such had a wonderful experience last year reading to my class and the students created such beautiful picture books.
How do you teach reading?
I've taught so many grade levels so the answer to this question is varied. I've taught pre-school and kindergarten where they learned their letters and phonics. In kindergarten, we had the Beginning to Read, Write, and Listen series where the students actually started reading short stories in the spring. I loved watching their progress as we went through each of their letter books. They only learned the short vowel sounds.
In 4th and 5th grade, I have used the Spotlight on Literature series that contains various types of short stories, poems, and writing activities. We also read popular novels with the traditional lessons that include vocabulary worksheets, comprehension questions, open-ended questions, and activities. I have also taught novels using literature circles where each student in the group has a role such as, word watcher, artist, discussion leader, quote finder, and other roles that vary with the novel. We also have workbooks for the NJASK4 in reading where they practice skills and answering different types of questions.
In 7th and 8th grade, I was the GEPA teacher and we did a lot of test prep using workbooks. Authentic literature was the focus in the spring after the test, and I taught with the traditional reading lessons on vocabulary, comprehension, and open-ended questions.
When I taught high school, we read authentic literature and had a reading textbook for the bulk of the reading lessons. I was also the HSPA teacher for one year and we used test prep books for reading to practice skills, answering multiple choice, and open-ended questions.
How might technology impact that?
I taught an 8th grade laptop program. We had reading in the traditional sense with novels, but we used the laptops for any reading assignments: vocabulary, comprehension questions, open-ended questions, and activities.
In 4th grade, we have four computers in the classroom and the tech coordinator puts special interactive sites on the computers that complement the novel we are reading in class.
I am in the process of acquiring books for my classroom and I am interested in setting up book clubs in the spring after the state test. I am going to go to a workshop and I hope to come back with some good ideas. I hope to integrate technology and work on the moodle site for my students. We will be experiencing new literacies together in the near future. I have no idea where all of this will lead, but I'm excited about the new technology.
We read in every subject area and we are reading while we are doing our assignments. We don't really think about reading because our focus is on what we are researching, but we are reading constantly on the computer. We no longer read as much in the traditional sense, but on every website we are reading for a purpose whether it be to find information or for pleasure.
My first experience with reading was with my mother who read to me every night before bed as a young child. It was my favorite time of the day. I always asked for one more story. My brothers thought that I was spoiled. I disagree because she opened the literacy door for me. I remember walking to the library with her every summer and enjoying reading together. When I had my children, I followed in her footsteps and read to both of my children every night.
Yes, I like to read. I love to read to children. I also like to read for pleasure. Unfortunately, I do not get to read as many novels thoughout the school year because I am so busy. I usually catch up on my reading in the summer. I find myself reading the books that my children are reading for school. I liked one author so much that I read most of her works over last summer.
I especially love picture books, and I use them as writing models to teach the six traits of writing. I such had a wonderful experience last year reading to my class and the students created such beautiful picture books.
How do you teach reading?
I've taught so many grade levels so the answer to this question is varied. I've taught pre-school and kindergarten where they learned their letters and phonics. In kindergarten, we had the Beginning to Read, Write, and Listen series where the students actually started reading short stories in the spring. I loved watching their progress as we went through each of their letter books. They only learned the short vowel sounds.
In 4th and 5th grade, I have used the Spotlight on Literature series that contains various types of short stories, poems, and writing activities. We also read popular novels with the traditional lessons that include vocabulary worksheets, comprehension questions, open-ended questions, and activities. I have also taught novels using literature circles where each student in the group has a role such as, word watcher, artist, discussion leader, quote finder, and other roles that vary with the novel. We also have workbooks for the NJASK4 in reading where they practice skills and answering different types of questions.
In 7th and 8th grade, I was the GEPA teacher and we did a lot of test prep using workbooks. Authentic literature was the focus in the spring after the test, and I taught with the traditional reading lessons on vocabulary, comprehension, and open-ended questions.
When I taught high school, we read authentic literature and had a reading textbook for the bulk of the reading lessons. I was also the HSPA teacher for one year and we used test prep books for reading to practice skills, answering multiple choice, and open-ended questions.
How might technology impact that?
I taught an 8th grade laptop program. We had reading in the traditional sense with novels, but we used the laptops for any reading assignments: vocabulary, comprehension questions, open-ended questions, and activities.
In 4th grade, we have four computers in the classroom and the tech coordinator puts special interactive sites on the computers that complement the novel we are reading in class.
I am in the process of acquiring books for my classroom and I am interested in setting up book clubs in the spring after the state test. I am going to go to a workshop and I hope to come back with some good ideas. I hope to integrate technology and work on the moodle site for my students. We will be experiencing new literacies together in the near future. I have no idea where all of this will lead, but I'm excited about the new technology.
We read in every subject area and we are reading while we are doing our assignments. We don't really think about reading because our focus is on what we are researching, but we are reading constantly on the computer. We no longer read as much in the traditional sense, but on every website we are reading for a purpose whether it be to find information or for pleasure.
Friday, March 2, 2007
The Matrix
My first impression of this movie The Matrix was "wow" because it was different from anything that I had seen before. My son and daughter loved it, but I wasn't a huge fan of science fiction movies and it took some getting use to. My daughter enjoyed the religious overtones, and my son enjoyed all of the action. I'd already had my fill of science fiction with my husband's Trekky days so I was not particularly happy to be sitting in the theatre once more. It kept my attention and I was exhausted from trying to figure it all out. When I first watched the movie, it was hard for me to follow, and my daughter would sigh and roll her eyes when I asked her a question about the movie. Now that I've watched the movie again, read movie reviews, and read a story summary, I have a better understanding of the movie. It is a cross between a science fiction thriller and a religious experience. I understand the meaning behind Neo being the new man or Jesus, Morpheus being the father figure, and Trinity being the spirit. Some things appeared blatant while others were not. All in all, The Matrix is a visit to the future where machines have taken over the world.
In answer to the question: why is this film so important to many people? From surfing the web, there are so many sites devoted to The Matrix and its sequels. I even remember my daughter wearing a black raincoat that was similar to Neo's and everyone called her Matrix. Movies have a great affect on the younger generation because they are so impressionable and they absorb so much because of their sponge-like nature. Children spend a great deal of time at the movies, discussing the movies, renting them, rewatching the DVDs, purchasing movie products, magazines, comics, and surfing the net. What I learned from Wikipedia is that The Matrix has so many spinoffs: video games, short Japanese films called The Animatrix, cartoons, comics, and the movie has a franchise where products related to the film can be purchased. When you google The Matrix, there are a lot of sites selling one thing or another. People are drawn to this movie because of its unique qualities, science fiction elements, religious overtones, and I think we are hoping that mankind can be saved from the machines. It's a thrilling adventure story with so many elements or motifs combined such as: philosophy, cyberspace, mythology, action films, martial arts, the mind and reality, and religion. I think there is something for everyone in this movie. It's highly creative and makes you think.
In answer to the question: why is this film so important to many people? From surfing the web, there are so many sites devoted to The Matrix and its sequels. I even remember my daughter wearing a black raincoat that was similar to Neo's and everyone called her Matrix. Movies have a great affect on the younger generation because they are so impressionable and they absorb so much because of their sponge-like nature. Children spend a great deal of time at the movies, discussing the movies, renting them, rewatching the DVDs, purchasing movie products, magazines, comics, and surfing the net. What I learned from Wikipedia is that The Matrix has so many spinoffs: video games, short Japanese films called The Animatrix, cartoons, comics, and the movie has a franchise where products related to the film can be purchased. When you google The Matrix, there are a lot of sites selling one thing or another. People are drawn to this movie because of its unique qualities, science fiction elements, religious overtones, and I think we are hoping that mankind can be saved from the machines. It's a thrilling adventure story with so many elements or motifs combined such as: philosophy, cyberspace, mythology, action films, martial arts, the mind and reality, and religion. I think there is something for everyone in this movie. It's highly creative and makes you think.
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