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September 17, 2009Week 2:
This week we spent time creating a Google site and a Wiki Space. I have not heard of either sites before, so I still have a lot to learn. Building the the Google site was interesting because I was able to customize it. The Wiki Space I am still trying to figure out. I had some trouble with the computers while creating the sites, and it also took some time trying to figure out how to edit the sites. Developing these sites is a way to use technology in the classroom, and connect to other people. I could use these sites as a resouce when looking for a job if I apply online. The sites are a good way to get my name out there because the internet is such a valuable source. I might look more marketable if they can see I am up to date on technology since technology is becoming more common in the classroom. The sites can be used in my content area because student will be able to set up sites as well. When the student set up their sites on Wiki Space, they can write journals too for like an English class I teach. This would be a way for me to see their reflections on a reading we did in class.
The OED technology standards that were met today are:

Week 3:
For the third week of school we made a survery about technology. This task was challenging but fun. I asked about 12 questions over technology to around 15 people, and it was interesting some of the responses I received. One question I asked was, "How many times a week do you use technology?" This question was broad and open ended so I received various answers. Most of the responses stated every day. The only problems I really had throughout this process was because of my own fault. I was making the presentation on Open Office, and I was almost done putting the graphs in when my computer suddenly restarted. I tried to save previously, but at the moment I didn't have my memory stick in the computer so it wouldn't allow me. I figured since I was alomst done nothing would happen, but I was wrong. I ended up losing like 8 slides I did, and had to redo them. I liked this assignment because I was able to interact with family and friends while doing it. The only part that really took time was finding connections and looking up information about technology in the classroom. It was helpful to learn how technology has improved in the classroom, and is constantly changing.
This tool could be just in the classroom because it can be used as a quiz or survey. If you wanted to give the class a pop quiz, it's easier to use this tool since it creates the quiz for you. As an educator, if you needed to do research this tool would be useful if you needed to ask the students questions. This tool can also be sent to whoever, which is convinent.

Week 4:
This is the fourth week of class, and we are starting a new project that will last the next couple of weeks. The new program is called WebQuest and I feel like I still have a lot to learn. I am still thinking about what ideas I should do for my theme. I know I am doing the assignment around 'Why is Math Important?' I could have the students do a task where they interact with other peers and have to answer certain question involving math. So far we have chosen a background, picture, and put all our links in the toolbar. The links are organized and in order. I have not had any trouble with this assignment yet because Mrs. Pan has helped up set up our WebQuest. I also used my own computer this week in class, and I observed other students around me having problems with the computers from the labs. The internet kept kicking them off or restarting. I think this assigment will be the most difficult, and I hope it turns out with all the links working.
Webquest would be useful in the classroom if you are giving the class a group project to do. The parents can have access to this page, so the teacher wanted to share information about the class.

Week 5:
This was the fifth week of school already. We learned to use Wordle on Tuesday. This tool was fun to use because words were scrabbled, but the mose used words appeared the largest. The thing that intrigued me the most was all the President's speeches, and seeing which word they used the most throughout the years. We worked more on our WebQuest, and I have tried to think of an idea. I think I might do a project involving fake money, and it is spent att the students store's that they create. The assignment this week involved making a short movie clip using Picasa, and editing picutes in Gimp. The video took a while to finish because I had to find pictures to fit diversity and social justice.
Picasa and Gimp could be useful in the classroom because students will be able to use these programs since they are free. Using these programs can express their creativity. As a teacher you are able to edit pictures. In powerpoints a teacher can add pictures, and enhance them.

Week 6:
This week we presented our presentation on RSS. I have never heard of it, so it was interesting to learn how you can collect all your favorite feed and place it on one website. I finish the WebQuest, which took some time to do. In the end I realized as a teacher I will be needing to plan lessons, and this was good practice to tie in technology as well. The assignments we have been working on this week was putting together a movie in Picasa. This was fun because we were able to edit pictures, and add effects to each. For this assignment we found pictures relating to what diversity and social justice means to me. We also started creating a movie on Windows Movie Maker. The pictures I found this week had to relate to what the conceptual core means to me as a teacher.
Picasa and Windows Movie Maker are benefical in the classroom because the students can have access to use technology while putting together a picture project and expressing creativity. The teacher can also use these programs to show off pictures.

Week 7:
This week in class we created another movie using Window Media Maker. The movie was over the Conceptual Core, and how we would express the term. I found my photos online, and some of the pictures represented diversity, teacher and student interaction, and technology. This was one of my favorite assignments because this program was fun to work with. I was able to choose between several effects. For one normal picture I was able to add an old colored film effect to a picture of students working. We also got into groups, and created a two rubric. One rubric was over the Google site we created, and the other was over Wiki Space. These rubrics are benefical for us to make sure we have completed all the requirements.
For future use, as a teacher the rubric site will be very benefical. There are going to be many projects and assignments that will have certain requirements needed to be completed by the students. The video in Windows Media Maker could be fun for the students to express their creativity through picutres and music.

Week 8:
This week we worked with a program called Audacity to make a podcast. I talked for almost two minutes about why math is important. In this podcast I discussed how math is used thoughout life. I mentioned how simple math is used, such as addition and subtraction. During the podcast I did a reference more towards a timeline. I talked about when you are little you start to spend money, and as you get older you eventually get marriend to have children and many bills. One strategy is to get children motivated at a younger age by playing games or hands on activities. This assignment was fun because we were also able to add background music, and adjust the volume for it to play while we spoke. To go along with the assignment we found several links referring to our content area. These links are podcasts done over math about different topics.
For future use this would be benefical if you as a teacher had a child with a disability for the student to hear your lesson recorded on Audacity. The teacher can also place the link on a website created on Google over the lesson for students to reference back to.

So I hope as a future educator I will be able to catch cyber bullying as soon as possible so there are less stories like these. I am more informed on how to handle a situation when a student is caught cyber bullying. I think that it woud informative to even talk a few minutes to inform my future students on the severity of cyber bullying.
This week I also completed the lesson plan we had been working on. There is a page on my google site that contains games involving mathematics to help students practice in a fun way. I also posted the lesson plan. This lesson plan teaches students about fractions, decimals, and percents.
The ISTE standards that are met:
Digital age work and learning: This standard is met because we learned how to type out a lesson plan, and worked on finding sites that contained other lesson plans and games off the interent that involved our content.
Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership: As future teachers we engage in professional growth by creating a lesson plan involving our content area.

Week 9:
This week we started on our Lesson Plan assignment. I am going to do my lesson plan over Mathematics for a fifth grade class. I plan to teach the students over fractions, decimals, and percents. The first day I plan to teach the students how to add and subtract fractions, the second day converting fractions into decmials, and doing math other math properties to decimal. The third day the students will convert decimals into percents and vice versa. For the lesson we had to take into consideration a student with a disability, and the different ways students learn. I want to involve technology by giving the students websites to playing games to practice problems, teach the lesson using a Power Point, and use an over head projector when the students participate in the board races.
This well the assignment will be very benefical to me as a future educator because I had to take into consideration so many different things to make sure that each student is able to be taught. Not every student will come from a middle income family, some are lower or higher. There are students who come from different backgrounds, or lack a role model in their life. This is why it is important as a teacher to make sure each student can succeed. This lesson plan was a good way to practice for future lesson plans that will be created.

TypeWeek 10:
This week was the last week of class. There was an hour presentation on cyber bullying. I thought this was very informative because I personally was never involved or knew of anyone who cyber bullied. I feel that this is a more common topic now then it was then. I had heard a story once about how these students invited this other student over, then beat her up. There was a story my dad made me read in the contentnewspaper about a girl who sent her boyfriend a picture of yourher nude. The picture was sent around to a large amount of people at her school, and she ended up committing suicide. I don't think teens realize the decisions they make. I think it is horrible how some people treat others, almost like they are numb of feelings. There are so many selfish people in the world, who don't stop and think of other people's feelings.
So I hope as a future educator I will be able to catch cyber bullying as soon as possible so there are less stories like these. I am more informed on how to handle a situation when a student is caught cyber bullying. I think that it woud informative to even talk a few minutes to inform my future students on the severity of cyber bullying.
This week I also completed the lesson plan we had been working on. There is a page here.on my google site that contains games involving mathematics to help students practice in a fun way. I also posted the lesson plan. This lesson plan teaches students about fractions, decimals, and percents.