Archive for April 2009
End of classes – Part I
The end of the semester is getting nearer. Classes are almost over. Summer is coming. At the same time that all this can be very exciting, I must confess it gives me butterflies as well. After an end there is always a new beginning. Beginnings require changing, learning, adapting. Now that I was so used to the class, it is going to end. Despite the fact some of my colleagues must be relieved with the end of the classes, believe me, I am not! When I registered for EDTS, I had no idea what to expect from this class. It ended up being way better than I could have ever expected. Even though I have some classmates who are technology experts already, I am not computer skilled at all, so taking this class helped me much more than anyone could have imagined. I am a little bit nervous leaving this class now because how am I going to keep updating myself with all the technological changes? I would never have found out all the resources we learned in class on my own. How would I ever have thought of recording my own voice, making my own podcast video by myself? I wouldn’t come up with that idea on my own. Isn’t it fantastic we can do it nowadays even from home? I thought I would have to go to a professional recording studio to make such thing. This garage band is so incredible; I can even insert Jingles in my recordings, hahaha! How do I look for new stuff that I do not even know they exist? I don’t think I can do it on my own. So that is what I am afraid of. How am I going to be a modern, updated teacher with such an ever-changing digital world? So this class was very meaningful, helpful, It came at a good time in my life to help me out, wish it continued throughout my grad program though…
3 comments April 24, 2009
Podcasting
How far can we go with technology? Podcasting whaaat?? What exactly is it? A digital recorder, portable television, radio, altogether in your pocket? I have a dream, I have a dream that one day this type of technology will be available in all public schools and not only at the most prosperous, prestigious ones. Every single American student should have access to this amazing resource, it should be in everyone’s hands. That is not reality though. Poor school districts hardly have a decent computer lab. It is really nice to find out about these digital equipments and be able to study their full potential/usage in grad school, especially their purpose towards education. We know utensils like this can help teachers and students benefit a lot in the teaching and learning process, at the same time that they have tons of fun. Trying garage band was really fun. For those who still do not know it, it is a source/software where you can make your own podcasting videos and so on. It is our duty as teachers to instruct our children to make good educational use out of it. Hopefully all American students will, some day.
1 comment April 17, 2009
Non-linear Power Point
I bet my EDTS professor as well as some of my classmates wonder what “world” I came from. Everything taught in class seems new to me, I am always impressed and amazed by all the technology presented to us (when I shouldn’t be! I feel bad at times because I seem to be the only person not familiar with all the information presented to us). But the truth is, I AM new to many of these resources and there is nothing I can do to deny that fact. Even though power point has been around for many years, this non-linear feature is brand new to me! And I love it! I had been to so many power point presentations before that were either too boring, noisy or flashy! But using power point in a non-linear way is fantastic. I think it is much more creative, and it gets the audience to interact and be genuinely more interested in the content introduced. I had never thought I would be able some day to either blog or make up my own power point presentation so early and in sophisticated, interesting ways. I do not regret a single bit for taking this class and I am actually truly glad for all I’ve seen and learned so far.
1 comment April 12, 2009
Teaching through blogs
Being literate in the twenty-first century means much more than knowing how to read and write. It means being able to download, burn, chat, save, blog, Skype, and so on. Students should be able to use modern technologies in the classrooms because that is part of the digital world they grow up in. They should have enough skills to know how to use these latest technologies. In such a technological world, educators are responsible for better preparing students to become citizens of a global digital society. Learning through technology tools, gives students several skills. Through blogs, students can learn in a very informal way. How can blogs be used to teach English? Blogs can be great resource centers, where teachers and students post materials. Students can show their projects on blogs. Parents can keep track of their children’s learning processes and finished products through blogs. Teachers can host online discussions. Through blogs, students can also work as contributors, authors and editors. Teachers can post class information, news, events, classroom calendars, etc on the blog. Teachers can also share lesson plans and exchange ideas with other peers. Teachers can post daily homework on blogs. Students can post questions for following classes on blogs. Students can post drafts for peer, collaborative editing. Blogging is a great way for students to share their thoughts and opinions about various class topics; they can exchange ideas in a daily basis. Teachers can post lecture summaries of their classes on blogs. Teachers can have team projects posted on their blogs, and so on. Presenting lecture-like classes and using chalkboards are characteristics that belong to the past. Nowadays, teaching means being part, knowing how to use, incorporating and instructing our students technologies of our current world.
3 comments April 1, 2009
