Sunday, March 23, 2008
Blog #9
I thought that the midterm was fairly easy. I was afraid of how hard it might be, considering the scope of what we have covered in the class up until this point. I felt comfortable in all aspects of the midterm. I think that the assignments that we have completed really helped me in preparing for the exam. I would have to say that the the Inspire portion of the test was probably the hardest only because I had to try and summarize what the three different programs were used for. This was only challenging because I had not studied for that. Otherwise, I would have to say that the exam was pretty easy. Don't get me wrong, it was fair and comprehensive. I guess studying the right material and having done quality work on all of my assignments was all I needed to do, to do well on the midterm.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Blog #8
Each of the readings this week focuses on the use of databases in education. The first article, “The World Wide Web: Interfaces, Databases, and Applications to Education”, offers a more technical view of databases. This article points out that a common interface, such as the Web, allows for a more wide variety of accessible databases. It is explained that there are three different parts involved in entering information into forms on the Web. The three components are: database, interface, and the actual Web form. Information gets from the Web forms to the host’s database through a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script. It is a complicated process but there are prepackaged CGI scripts available. Prepackaged CGI scripts help teachers with the creation of databases without knowledge of the “complicated programming techniques” (p. 41). This article also points out that databases can be used for forums, which can be used to hold online class discussions of pre-determined topics. Also, databases can be used to “hand in” assignments using the computer and conduct online class evaluations.
“The Database: America’s Presidents” talks about how databases can be used to create in class group assignments. This article highlights the shift in fundamental skills from the three Rs to the six Cs. The first four of the six Cs focuses on problem solving and includes: computing, communicating, concluding, and confirming. The final two of the six Cs focuses on information management and includes categorizing and classifying. Managing information found is an important skill needed in relation to the abundance of information that can be accessed through technology. In addition, databases play on the students’ natural tendencies to want to categorize items and information. This article suggests that a database activity be used to introduce the new skills involved in the use of databases. This type of activity is best as a group activity in order to enhance cooperative learning. Databases allow students to “arrange, sort, view, filter, and manipulate data in a variety of ways” (p. 10). The hands on aspect of this type of information based activity helps in the retention aspect of learning.
The final article, “Bells and Whistles: Organizing Data for Whole-Class Use”, also focuses more on the in class uses of databases. It is pointed out that database activities are great for one-computer classrooms. The class is given the task to research a certain topic, enter the found data into the one computer, and then discover relationships between the data. Databases are good for classroom learning for four main reasons. One, it involves working with electronic information, which there is more and more of everyday. Two, creating, defining, and categorizing information involves higher order thinking skills. Three, database use involves such critical thinking skills as: classifying, defining, categorizing, inferring, comparing, and contrasting. Four, the different formats available allows for greater flexibility.
“The Database: America’s Presidents” talks about how databases can be used to create in class group assignments. This article highlights the shift in fundamental skills from the three Rs to the six Cs. The first four of the six Cs focuses on problem solving and includes: computing, communicating, concluding, and confirming. The final two of the six Cs focuses on information management and includes categorizing and classifying. Managing information found is an important skill needed in relation to the abundance of information that can be accessed through technology. In addition, databases play on the students’ natural tendencies to want to categorize items and information. This article suggests that a database activity be used to introduce the new skills involved in the use of databases. This type of activity is best as a group activity in order to enhance cooperative learning. Databases allow students to “arrange, sort, view, filter, and manipulate data in a variety of ways” (p. 10). The hands on aspect of this type of information based activity helps in the retention aspect of learning.
The final article, “Bells and Whistles: Organizing Data for Whole-Class Use”, also focuses more on the in class uses of databases. It is pointed out that database activities are great for one-computer classrooms. The class is given the task to research a certain topic, enter the found data into the one computer, and then discover relationships between the data. Databases are good for classroom learning for four main reasons. One, it involves working with electronic information, which there is more and more of everyday. Two, creating, defining, and categorizing information involves higher order thinking skills. Three, database use involves such critical thinking skills as: classifying, defining, categorizing, inferring, comparing, and contrasting. Four, the different formats available allows for greater flexibility.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Blog #7
The Wiki assignment has interesting because it is a “behind-the-scenes” look at how multiple author sites are made. I have always been told that Wikipedia cannot be trusted as a credible source, which to an extent is true. However, I was under the impression that just anyone on the Web could contribute anything that they wanted to the site. I found out, through the course of this assignment, that any additions or changes to Wikipedia have to be preapproved by the original author before the actual page is altered. Through this assignment, I have also been given the opportunity to experience how a web page is actually made. In addition, I have been researching the acceptable use policies and common computer lab policies for different schools, which will give me a head start for when I get my own classroom.
The article, “Bridging the Digital Divide: A Building Block for Teachers”, is full of important information. In fact, all of the articles that we have been assigned to read have been helpful and eye-opening in a lot of ways. I have created a folder on my computer in which I have been saving all of the assigned readings so that down the road I can reread them and refer back to them as needed. I think that the authors made an important point in saying that, as it pertains to classroom technology, there needs to be equal access to in addition to equal educational experiences with technology (p. 11). In my opinion technology is as important for students to learn as any other skill or subject. I believe that our future will be even more heavily based on technology than it is now. Therefore, students who are not given the opportunity to learn about technology will be at a serious disadvantage in higher learning and in the job market. Unfortunately, in this day and age, school funding is severely limited in most cases. Even worse is that fact that unequal school funding, and subsequent unequal technology access, follows along the same social hierarchy that is already in place; meaning, the schools that have less resources are the school that need them the most (usually the low socioeconomic and minority communities). In America we need a drastic shift in our political priorities that would allow more of our nation’s wealth to be designated for education. Having said that, I really like how the article both recognizes this problem but then shifts the responsibility back to educators. It is, after all, our job as educators to give our students the best education possible regardless of how much or how little we have access to resources.
The article, “Bridging the Digital Divide: A Building Block for Teachers”, is full of important information. In fact, all of the articles that we have been assigned to read have been helpful and eye-opening in a lot of ways. I have created a folder on my computer in which I have been saving all of the assigned readings so that down the road I can reread them and refer back to them as needed. I think that the authors made an important point in saying that, as it pertains to classroom technology, there needs to be equal access to in addition to equal educational experiences with technology (p. 11). In my opinion technology is as important for students to learn as any other skill or subject. I believe that our future will be even more heavily based on technology than it is now. Therefore, students who are not given the opportunity to learn about technology will be at a serious disadvantage in higher learning and in the job market. Unfortunately, in this day and age, school funding is severely limited in most cases. Even worse is that fact that unequal school funding, and subsequent unequal technology access, follows along the same social hierarchy that is already in place; meaning, the schools that have less resources are the school that need them the most (usually the low socioeconomic and minority communities). In America we need a drastic shift in our political priorities that would allow more of our nation’s wealth to be designated for education. Having said that, I really like how the article both recognizes this problem but then shifts the responsibility back to educators. It is, after all, our job as educators to give our students the best education possible regardless of how much or how little we have access to resources.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Blog #6
Using Excel to create spreadsheets is an extremely valuable tool for teachers. There are so many things that teachers are responsible for these days that they don’t have time to track grades manually. Furthermore, using a computer program, with its automatic formulas, makes it so that there is less of a chance of error. I like the fact that you can create one type of spreadsheet and then reuse it year after year. It is also very useful that you can isolate certain data to make into graphs. I had to learn a little about Excel to pass the CCR exam but I have to admit that I was still very uneducated about how and for what to use Excel. I liked that, as a class, we went through Excel and practiced using it right then and there. I feel that I have a much better grasp of Excel and all of its features and tools. I took the Excel quiz and got one hundred percent (9/9), a good sign.
I found the article, “Teaching Students to use the Internet as a Research Tool”, very informative. I will use the information found in the article, not only for educating my future students, but also for my current status as a student. I have always used the Internet as a research tool but have also always had trouble isolating what information is appropriate and what web sites might prove less reliable. I wasn’t aware that different search engines will produce different results, so in the future I will be sure to use more than one search engine and/or to use the search engines suggested in the article. Also, I didn’t know that each search engine page has a “how to” feature that will describe the best way to get the best results for a search. It is interesting to learn that there are search engines just for kids, knowing about those search engines will prove useful in my future classroom. The web sites for teachers section will be very practical for my career as a teacher. Being that the Internet is used more and more for research, it is important for teachers to know, and for students to be taught, the most effective ways to search for, validate, and cite Internet information.
I found the article, “Teaching Students to use the Internet as a Research Tool”, very informative. I will use the information found in the article, not only for educating my future students, but also for my current status as a student. I have always used the Internet as a research tool but have also always had trouble isolating what information is appropriate and what web sites might prove less reliable. I wasn’t aware that different search engines will produce different results, so in the future I will be sure to use more than one search engine and/or to use the search engines suggested in the article. Also, I didn’t know that each search engine page has a “how to” feature that will describe the best way to get the best results for a search. It is interesting to learn that there are search engines just for kids, knowing about those search engines will prove useful in my future classroom. The web sites for teachers section will be very practical for my career as a teacher. Being that the Internet is used more and more for research, it is important for teachers to know, and for students to be taught, the most effective ways to search for, validate, and cite Internet information.
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