Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Module 6 Blog


Module 6 Blog



When I first started teaching we had very little technology to use in our classroom.  I remember when I was happy to get a computer and a laser disc player.  Technology has come a long way and so has my use for using it.  I sometimes feel lost if I do not have the technology I feel I need.  Last year the school I was teaching in had all the technology I could want, but since I have changed to the middle school, I have had a hard time getting the technology to work.  I feel lost without technology.  In the last four years technology has become a big part of my professional life.  I have also gotten to the point technology is important in my education.  At one time I had to go to college and have the face-to-face learning, but as technology has evolved so have I.  I believe everyone can learn this includes me, but we all learn in a different way.  Once I graduated from college I never wanted to go back to college unless it was online.  When I work online I put more or my time into my education.  I did learn in a face-to –face environment, but one thing I can say I do not remember much about the face to face classes, except I did not want to be in them.  When it comes to my online learning I feel as if I take in so much more information and I can retain what I learn because I am always using it. 



I believe everyone can learn, but in saying this I also believe everyone learns in a different way.  Yes, we do have some who have a better learning experience in a face-to-face classroom, but as the use of technology evolves so will the way in which we learn.  Every day I hear the students do not learn the same way in which I did as students, and maybe it is true.  Why?  Is it because we have new learning theories such as Connectivism?  Maybe so, but all learning theories are important, from Skinner to Siemens, we just have to find the one that fits us best.    

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Module 5 Blog



I have a very dear friend who did not know how to use the Smartboard.  We had training after school one day and she told me she was too old to stay after school for the training.  I knew the principal was checking around the room to see who did not stay.  The next day I went down to Debbie’s room and told her that the principal was checking to see who stayed for the training and who did not.  I also told Debbie I would teach her everything she needed to know.  At first she did not want to try to learn how to use the Smartboard, but then as I started showing her how to use it and she started using it she loved it.  Within a week of showing Debbie how to use the Smartboard she had finally learned how to use it completely by herself.  The worse part of all of this the principal came into her classroom two days after Debbie did not stay for the training to make sure Debbie knew how to use this new technology.  The principal was going to make sure everyone in the building learned how to use a Smartboard.  Debbie was so glad I have showed her how to use the Smartboard that she started using the Smartboard every day.



As for the ARCS, by Driscoll, A is for Attention, R is for Relevance, C is for confidence and S is for Satisfaction, by using this information, (Driscoll, 2005) I knew Debbie did not understand how to use the Smartboard, but once I got her attention and got her involved in the learning of using the Smartboard she fell in love with it.  Next, Debbie saw the relevance of using the Smartboard, because the students looked so much better when she was using it.  It took Debbie awhile to build up her confidence, but by the end of the school year she knew how to use it almost as well as I did.  Once she had learned how to use the Smartboard she became satisfied with herself and the principal was very happen with her.  With all of this the students started enjoying the class and loved to work on the Smartboard.



Reference

Driscoll, M. P. (2005).
Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson
Education, Inc.








Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Module 4


  • How has your network changed the way you learn?

I sometimes wonder how I ever made it without the many different networks I have today. I use to read a book to learn everything I wanted to know.  I remember when I was 15 years old; I lived in Norfolk, VA. I did not do anything by stay at home.  I wanted to know what was going on in the world, or I wanted to know just about anything, so my husband had purchased a set of encyclopedias, and I would read them all the time.  Oh how life has changed.  I now have my network.  I love the internet.  I did not know much about the internet when I first signed up for it, which was in 1995, by I learned very fast.  I had finally found a way to learn about anything I wanted to learn about.  If I was watching a show on television about Lady Jane, I could run to the computer and type her name on the computer and pull up information about her.  One thing I have to say the internet has changed a lot since I first started using it.  There are so many different ways to find out the information you want to know.  Instead of just having the web to use for research, you can also research journals, newspapers, and magazines just by one little simple device.

Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?

The digital tools that facilitate learning for me the most are; computers, internet, and iPad,  with these devices, I can use the web to research any type of information I want.  I do not use an iPhone, but one day I hope to get one, so I can use it for much more needed information. In addition, I also feel wikis, blogs, adobe, and Microsoft Office facilitate learning for myself as well as my students.

  • How do you learn new knowledge when you have questions?

If I have questions in which I want the answer to, I go stay to the internet.  I know if I cannot find it on the internet, then I cannot find it anywhere. The search engine I use most of the time is Google.  I started using this search engine a few years ago, because it had everything I was looking for in a search engine.