Final Reflection

1. What were your favorite 2 assignments in this class and why? I really enjoyed creating a podcast and a digital story. Both of these assignments took a long time to learn and complete but I think they would be the most useful in the classroom.
   
2. What are the top 3 technology tools you hope to use in your future classroom/position? (doesn't matter if they were addressed in this class; may include hardware or software) I hope to use a smartboard in my future classroom. I would also love to use movie maker and audacity.
   
3. What piece of technology would you like to get better at, and what are the steps you can take to improve your skills? I would love to get better at creating a website. I learned how to create one before this class but I completely forgot how to. I think that I could figure it out with some help.
   

DHMO Website

- Who wrote or produced the information? Tom Way
-What authority or special knowledge does the author have? If the site is credited to an organization, what do you know about that organization? The organization's name is the EAC, or Environmental Assessment Center, which is a fictional organization.
-What bias or slant do you detect in the source? What does it say that indicates a bias? The website is dedicated against Dihydrogen Monoxide.
-Should DHMO be banned? Why or why not? No, I do not think it should be banned. I think it would be impossible to ban it. We live off of it.

Educational Podcasts

I listened to two educational podcast. One of the podcast was of the students speaking like it was a news talk program. I thought it was interesting and it would be a great idea to use in the classroom. I believe that the students would learn a lot by creating a podcast because they have to do research in order to create it. The other podcast was one that the teacher created. This would be good to use in the classroom with a substitute. I would love to use podcasts in my classroom. I think it is something different that would captivate the students attention.

Martin Scorsese discuss Visual Litercy in Education

I agree with Martin Scorsese on that film and visual images should be apart of education. I feel that it should not be a class or elective rather than it should be integrated in every subject. I thought it was interesting how Scorsese mentioned that children should watch films and interpret them for themselves. I feel that this would be a great tool to use in the classroom especially for visual learners. I also agree with him that violence in films should not be for children. He mentioned that he has made many movies with extreme violence in it because that is the only way to depict it. This should not be seen by children because they are not mature to watch it.

I believe that film is a great way to allow students to apply their critical thinking skills. I plan to integrate film in my future classroom. I think that using film in all subjects will allow children to learn in a more visual way. I also think that children should make their own movies using the computer to apply what they have learned in a more creative way.

Home

This video depicts the struggles that the soldiers are going through being away from home. I liked it because it was not a contraversial video about the war. This is a great idea to use in the classroom because it allows the students to make a video about something they are passionate about using pictures and music rather than words.

Rain Forest

I thought that this video was a great idea to integrate technology in the classroom. I really liked how the students drew their own pictures of the rain forest and the animals. The students did a great job narrating as well. This would be a great idea to show the school and the parents what the students have learned. I think this would be great to show on the school's morning news so that the students feel that their work is appreciated.

Day 1: Technology Perceptions

1. Who are you and what are you going to teach/do as a result of the degree you're currently seeking?

My name is Jennifer and I attend the University of West Georgia. My major is Early Childhood. My passion is children and I cannot wait to graduate and become a teacher.

2. Why are you taking this class and how do you feel about that?

I am taking this class because it is required by the University of West Georgia to graduate. I feel that this class with help in the future to integrate technology in my future classroom.

3. What do teachers/others need to know about supporting learning with technology and why do they need to know it?

It is important to support learning with technology. Technology is a great way to enhance learning in the schools. I believe that technology is becoming such a big part of our everyday life and that we as teachers need to help our students feel comfortable and not intimidated by technology.

4. What do you hope to get out of this class?

I hope that I will find many useful ways to integrate technology in the classroom through taking this course.

5. What are your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to using technology?

When it comes to technology, my strengths are using the basic programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) My weaknesses are creating things on the web.