This week we learned about distance education and virtual school. Distance education is when students receive an education without actually attending at a physical school site. Virtual school is distance education that occurs online. Distance education and virtual school are very popular today, especially for people who are working and want to simultaneously get another degree. It has also become popular at the high school and college level. The way we educate and are educated is being re-imagined, and it revolves around the computer.
I wouldn't have thought that virtual school would have been that useful in my field of elementary education, except in extreme cases where students were physically unable to attend school. However after hearing that virtual school is being created for elementary students, I guess I am wrong. Distance education could be useful for me if I wanted to get another degree while I was teaching.
This video is an example of a virtual school success story. A girl that struggled in regular public school is now doing better in virtual school. I just thought it was nice to see a face behind the stories of how great virtual school can be.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Week 12 - Creating a Professional Web Presence
This week we learned about creating a professional web presence. Basically this means having a positive, appropriate web representation of oneself online (other than a social networking site such as MySpace or Facebook). This could be in the form of a website that describes your achievements and goals, such as the one required for Educational Technology class. The purpose is to have a web representation that you would want a potential employer to see.
A professional web presence wouldn't really be useful in my field of elementary education, however it could definitely be useful in finding a job in my field. Although I have nothing inappropriate on my Facebook, it still isn't the first thing I would want a potential employer to judge me on. A professional web presence would be a way to positively represent myself online, and could even give me the edge over someone competing for the same job.
In this video, people on the street were asked what social networking sites they used and how they affected their work. But the most interesting part of the video is when employers are asked if they look at or consider a potential employees internet profile when hiring for a job. All the employers asked denied that they looked at them, saying that they considered their qualifications. It was interesting to hear, although I'm not sure if I believe it is true.
A professional web presence wouldn't really be useful in my field of elementary education, however it could definitely be useful in finding a job in my field. Although I have nothing inappropriate on my Facebook, it still isn't the first thing I would want a potential employer to judge me on. A professional web presence would be a way to positively represent myself online, and could even give me the edge over someone competing for the same job.
In this video, people on the street were asked what social networking sites they used and how they affected their work. But the most interesting part of the video is when employers are asked if they look at or consider a potential employees internet profile when hiring for a job. All the employers asked denied that they looked at them, saying that they considered their qualifications. It was interesting to hear, although I'm not sure if I believe it is true.
Week 11 - Open Source Software
This week we learned about open source software. Open source software is software that is available for free on the internet. The source code, which is normally kept secret by the copyright holders, is made available so that anyone can edit the software to serve their specific purpose, or just to generally improve it. Open source is a positive thing in that it makes software available to everyone, not just those who can pay, and allows users to edit and improve the software for their use. However, there are dangers with open source software because there is no guarantee that what you are downloading to your computer is safe.
Open source software could definitely be useful in my field, elementary education. I would be able to bring a lot of tools into the classroom, such as the ability to edit photos or record and edit sound, that wouldn't be affordable on a classroom budget if I had to buy the software. It would also give my students the ability, no matter what their socioeconomic status, to use these programs at home or at the library.
This video portrays open source software in a negative light. However, I thought it was amusing and a fun way to look at the side that opposes open source software, since most videos I came across only focused on the positive.
Open source software could definitely be useful in my field, elementary education. I would be able to bring a lot of tools into the classroom, such as the ability to edit photos or record and edit sound, that wouldn't be affordable on a classroom budget if I had to buy the software. It would also give my students the ability, no matter what their socioeconomic status, to use these programs at home or at the library.
This video portrays open source software in a negative light. However, I thought it was amusing and a fun way to look at the side that opposes open source software, since most videos I came across only focused on the positive.
Week 10 - Tech Tools for Critical Thinking
This week we learned about mind-mapping applications and their uses. Mind-mapping applications provide a way to create concept maps. Concept maps record ideas and notes in a visual format, and are meant to be representative of the way we think. These applications can be great for presentations, and are useful in a variety of fields. Some examples of mind-mapping applications include Inspiration or the online version Webspiration, Bubbl.us, and Gliffy.
Mind-mapping applications could be useful in my field, elementary education. As an elementary student I remember being instructed to create concept maps to organize my thinking before I began to write an essay. Making concept maps online could be a fun alternative for my students who get tired of writing or who have trouble fitting all their ideas onto one page. I could also use these applications as a way to create presentations for my class.
This video is about collaborative web-based mapping. I thought it was a great tool that we hadn't discussed in class. People can easily share a concept map, as well as simultaneously edit it. The video shows how to make a collaborative web-based map, and how it could be useful. It could be a good way for my students to work on a group project together.
Mind-mapping applications could be useful in my field, elementary education. As an elementary student I remember being instructed to create concept maps to organize my thinking before I began to write an essay. Making concept maps online could be a fun alternative for my students who get tired of writing or who have trouble fitting all their ideas onto one page. I could also use these applications as a way to create presentations for my class.
This video is about collaborative web-based mapping. I thought it was a great tool that we hadn't discussed in class. People can easily share a concept map, as well as simultaneously edit it. The video shows how to make a collaborative web-based map, and how it could be useful. It could be a good way for my students to work on a group project together.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Week 9 - Social Tools & Cloud Computing
This week we learned about cloud computing and social tools. Cloud computing is when services are hosted over the internet, where the computing resources are easily accessible. Examples of cloud computing include Google Docs, where multiple users can save and edit the same project without the hassle of email, and Delicious, a social bookmarking site. Social tools are online tools that allow users to communicate and share whatever they want with people all over the world. Some common examples include Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace.
Cloud computing would definitely be useful in my field, elementary education. Google Docs would be a great way for me to edit my students work, and for my students to work together in groups. Social bookmarking sites like Delicious would be a great way to share online resources with other teachers, and to have more experienced teachers share their online resources with me. Social tools could also be useful. For instance I could keep a class Twitter account where I would post reminders about upcoming assignments. Facebook and MySpace could be a fun way to have my class keep in contact with people around the world, but I would cautious about using them in the classroom.
This video explains cloud computing, which is a difficult thing to understand. It is similar to other videos we have watched in class, and explains the topic in an easy to understand way.
Cloud computing would definitely be useful in my field, elementary education. Google Docs would be a great way for me to edit my students work, and for my students to work together in groups. Social bookmarking sites like Delicious would be a great way to share online resources with other teachers, and to have more experienced teachers share their online resources with me. Social tools could also be useful. For instance I could keep a class Twitter account where I would post reminders about upcoming assignments. Facebook and MySpace could be a fun way to have my class keep in contact with people around the world, but I would cautious about using them in the classroom.
This video explains cloud computing, which is a difficult thing to understand. It is similar to other videos we have watched in class, and explains the topic in an easy to understand way.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Concept Map
Follow this link to view my concept-map of how I would use social tools in my field, elementary education.
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