Journal 4

It's In the Bag

Basham, J. D., Perry, E., & Meyer, H. (2011). It's in the bag. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(2), 24-27. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20110910?pg=26&pm=2&fs=1

The article, "It's in the Bag" seemed very interesting. It discussed a new idea about students carrying a digital backpack which carries three specific forms of technology. The first is foundational technology, the core hardware and software of the backpack, such as a laptop. Next is modular technology which are devices for specific instructional goals such as an ipod touch or digital camcorder. Lastly it mentioned instructional support materials which are curriculum resources that provide structure and specific information for learners to learn and be guided. These materials included instructional documents, podcasts, videos, and content-based apps.

These backpacks are modified to be specific for different age groups by altering the materials for different leveled curriculum. They were tested in the fields that the content was based in, specifically for Elementary schools, Middle schools, and High schools. These field experiences tested the students' ability to learn using the different forms of technology and proved to be successfull in all three fields. Although it may not be realistic to provide each student with a digital backpack, this idea definitely did teach me that using forms of technology can be very useful in the learning process of students. It will help my future with incorporating many different forms of technology into lesson plans, but also helped me currently with my nanny job, as I help children with homework every day. These lessons might help my approach in helping them to understand.

Questions:

1. The article showed that the students were able to learn at a higher capability with the use of technology. Why do you think the technology improved the students' ability to learn so well?

2. How might a teacher be able to incorporate this idea into an everyday routine? What types of technology could be effective?

Answers:

1. I think children learn well when they are presented with material in a way that is hands on. When they are able to participate by doing, instead of listening or writing, it may be more understandable.

2. A teacher could incorporate all three technologies in lessons by using a variety of specific technologies with specific material. Some examples that could be incorporated into the lessons would be videos and photography, for a visual understanding photography, certain interactive computer software, for the hands-on understanding.

Journal 3

Students Dig up Dirt to Learn About Internet Safety

Morehouse, J. (2011). Students dig up dirt to learn about internet safety. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(2), 34-35. Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20110910?pg=36

After reading this article, I became much more aware of the dangers of posting personal information on the internet. I have always been the type of person to not really worry about the possible consequences of sharing online, especially when so many other people are doing it as well. I thought the posibility of someone looking up individuals' identities seemed a little farfetched. However, this article informed me that it is much more common and easy than I previously thought. People often search for questionable personal information during an interviewing process to find reasons no to hire you. Also, maintaining a professional demeanor at a current job can be ruined because of something online. The author's approach to writing this article was very effective. Making his readers learn how easy it is to find specific information about a person by having them actually try it themselves, makes more of an impact on the severity of the issue. With the popularity of social networking websites and the youth now getting involved, I feel that it is a teacher's responsibility to encourage technology but also to provide them with the knowledge that this article entails so they can continue in safety.

Question1: The article showed the dangers of posting information online. How would I, as a teacher, be able to encourage students to not post personal information online?

Answer: If I tell them the consequences and give them the tools to set their posts private, I think they will be influenced enough to not post publicly. Also, encouraging them to not share personal information that they wouldn't share to a stranger could help them realize the dangers as well.

Question 2: Learning about the consequences and dangers of adding information online, who do you think should be at blame: the person posting, or the people using the information in a negative way? Also, do you think this unsafety is a negative aspect of technology?

Answer: The personal information is posted by the person, so, it is therefore the fault of the person allowing it to be read by all who sees it. However, it is simple to fix. We just need to encourage more people to avoid posting personal information and it wouldnt have an effect on technology at all.

NETS-2



Journal 2

Join The Flock

McClintock, S. (2010). Enhance your twitter experience.. (8 ed., Vol. 37, pp. 14-16). International Society for Technology in Education.Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20100607?pg=14&search_term=JOIN THE FLOCK&search_term=JOIN THE FLOCK

Before this class, I was not very clear on what Twitter was or the purpose for it. I thought it was just another social network website where you can read about celebrity's social lives and conversations. And, having a facebook, I decided I didn't need another social account to maintain. I was also hesitant to start something new because I was intimidated with having to figure out a whole new network style, especially when I am slow to catch on to new technology. But, after a few weeks of this course and reading the informative "Join the Flock" article, I realized that Twitter is much more than a communication method. I learned that it can actually be very useful professionally as well as socially. It also is not difficult at all because the information that interests you appears automatically without having to do anything! I learned that Twitter is a great resource for teachers to contact other educators and talk about and share effective lesson plans, new helpful sources and ideas, and even just to seek advice. I now realize that Twitter is more than just another method for communication, but it also acts a source to learn and educate yourself in whatever subject you chose to "follow".

Question: The article showed us that twitter can be useful for teachers for finding resources from other teachers. How can Twitter be helpful for teachers in other ways than finding resources for lesson plans?

Answer: Following teachers can also be helpful because you can seek advice about the teaching experience. With the budget cuts effecting the education system, teachers are struggling all over the nation. So, being able to communicate successful ideas and methods of adapting to the new teaching environment, it could help to create an outlet to the difficult system.

Enhance Your Twitter Experience

McClintock Miller, S. (2010). Enhance your twitter experience. Learning and Leading With Technology, 37(8), 14-17

I felt like the "Enhance Your Twitter Experience" article was a much more hands on, learn as you go approach to new Twitter users. The "Twitter Twerminology" section was my personal favorite because it was a quick and helpful guide to learn about the concepts and lingo of Twitter. Being a new "tweeter" myself, I found it to be very easy to understand the capabilities of Twitter and how to use them. I learned how to search already established hashtags and how to retweet other posts to all of my followers. Also, I learned how to make certain lists of my followers and how to search through other user's lists by using my Tweetdeck. After learning about Tweetdeck, I feel like I will be able to use this a lot in order to find other teachers or educators to follow so I will be able to get more information and insight into new teaching resources. I liked how motivated the author was to spread the idea of twitter and encourage that everyone can benefit from it because I was hesitant at first and now I am grateful that I got a chance to learn and share information by being involved in Twitter.

Question: Twitter sounds like a very useful tool, but it sounds like it takes a lot of effort to  post information for other teachers to use as well as look for sources that others have posted. How much time do you have to invest in Twitter to maintain a useful page?

Answer: Twitter makes things easy so when you need to look for new sources, everything is laid out for you, so it does not take much time at all. Also, posting tweets is easy also so it is not time consuming. You can spend as much time or as little time as you need.

NETS-5

Technology Self-Assessment: School 2.0

After the technology self assesment quiz, I chose the NETS-T 1 module: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. I chose this because I think creativity allows children to have more fun with learning and makes it more enjoyable, which is extremely important and can possibly encourage further learning. I chose to use the "Create Art All Together Now" resource under number 3 in this module. This lesson showed a video of the creativity involved in google spreadsheets. It showed how you could color specific squares in the spreadsheet to create specific designs and illusions. I decided to chose this resource because I think it is important to allow students to show their creativity through art with technology because it not only teaches them important technological resources that they could use in the future, but also shows encourages and helps spacial management, planning, cognitive thinking, strategic tools, and imagination. From watching the video, I learned that spreadsheets did not have to be business oriented and boring. I didn't know you could provide color, so therefore, I did not know that designing pictures from the specific colored boxes could be possible. It adds something new to spreadsheets, and could possibly affect the use of them in schools.

Journal #1

100 things that make me happy :)
1. my family
2. my boyfriend
3. my friends
4. my dog, Bella
5. birthday
6. Christmas
7. my baby blanket
8. dancing
9. country music
10. kids
11. shopping
12. Chargers games
13. the beach
14. vacations
15. weekends
16. flowers
17. food
18. playing tennis
19. rollercoasters
20. travelling
21. grey's anatomy
22. dessert
23. snowboarding
24. clothes
25. pedicures
26. paychecks
27. decorating
28. swings
29. sunsets
25. swimming
26. rain
27. butterflies
28. shooting stars
29. camping
30. good grades
31. facebook notifications
32. scented candles
33. candy
34. roadtrips
35. puppies
36. parties
37. meeting people
38. loud music
39. laughing
40. presents
41. thanksgiving
42. rainbows
43. movies
44. memories
45. pictures
46. trampolines
47. waterparks
48. animals
49. concerts
50. gum
51. summer
52. halloween
53. watermellon
56. valentine's day
57. gardens
58. skydiving
59. dressing up
60. waterfalls
61. plane rides
62. receiving mail
63. roasting marshmallows
64. massages
65. no homework
66. bubble baths
67. bike rides
68. barbeques
69. reality tv
70. sea world
71. helping people
72. ice cream
73. hammocks
74. street fairs
75. sledding
76. accessories
77. inner tubing
78. baking
79. padres games
80. picnics
81. gossip magazines
82. foreign accents
83. wine tasting
84. fireworks
85. Christmas lights
86. hugs
87. champagne
88. warm blankets
89. disney movies
90. snow
91. sarcasm
92. josh turner
93. love
94. sleeping in
95. dog beach
96. hot cocoa
97. Christmas carols
98. America's funniest home videos
99. breakfast
100. sneezes

Questions:
1. After looking back at what you listed, do you notice any of these having anything in common? If so, which ones and why?
2. What do you feel and think about when you re-read the list? Why do you think these things make you happy?

Answers:
1. Most of these are fun experiences that I have had. They seem to just be simple things that make me smile.
2. Most of these make me think of good memories from my past that I've had with people I love. Thinking of them make me reminisce on the good memories.

Intro of me

My name is Ali Jensen. I am 21 years old. I have 2 other siblings, an older sister (24) named Nicole and a younger brother (16) named Brad. So, that makes me the middle child. My family lives in Encinitas and has my whole life, and I just recently moved into an apartment in San Marcos with some friends.

In kindergarden, I went to an elementary school called Olivenhein Pioneer in Encinitas. I went there from Kindergarden until 4th grade, but then got switched to a newer school called El Camino Creek Elementary from 5th to 6th grade. It was the first year it opened and because of the development I lived in, I had to switch over. In middle school, 7th and 8th grade, I went to Diegueno, also in Encinitas. For high school, I went to San Dieguito Academy. I graduated in 2008 and went to Mira Costa College the next semester until Spring 2011. Then, just this semester, I transferred to CSUSM.

I think I am average at working on computers. I know the basics in most windows programs like word, powerpoint, and internet, but I am below average with mac computers. I usually get very confused while working on them. I like them, I just always tend to go for PC's simply because I know how to use them more, plus they're cheaper :) I like computers to an extent, but I cannot spend too long on them or I get impatient. Hopefully once I know how to use them better, I'll be more patient with them!

The mission statement mentions student-centered education. My main reason for deciding to go to CSUSM was their option of the Integrated Credential Program (ICP). The idea that they teach subject material at the same time as teaching the subject material. It seems that it is twice as effective, which I think benefits the students extremely, creating the student-centered education :) Hopefully it'll be as good as it sounds!