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Read Chapter 8 and 9

Respond to the following questions:

- When and how do teachers act as designers?

     Teachers, in my opinion have to be designers quite a bit of the time.  They are constantly trying to find innovative coming up with their lesson plans.  As the book stated, design is iniquitous.  Which is true in my opinion.  With that being said, then I also feel that teachers would fall into that category as well.  Teachers usually have many student, which means different learning styles as well.  Teachers, in my opinion act as designers the most when they are trying to prepare a lesson plan, because they have to keep in mind the many different learning styles that they have to accommodate.

- Select one of the followings and explain what it is and how it can be used in classroom: SketchUp, Trebuchet Simulator, Model Car Design, Scratch, iStopMotion, Impromptu. 

     A few of these programs/designs actually seem a bit familiar to me.  I think I may have used done something similar to some of them when I was in high school.  Anyway I choose the SketchUp design.  This is basically a program that would probably be used more in an architectural class for design.  The SketchUp allows the person to have a realistic view of something they want to construct.  They can start off with the 2-D images and work on up to the 3-D images of the build.

- Explain "Digital Storytelling by Kate Kemker." What do you think it would work in your classroom?

     Digital Storytelling in my opinion, just seems like a preparation for someone that runs a YouTube channel.  It seems like a fairly rather process.  First students come up with a story on paper, they use a camera to shoot it, then they upload it and edit it on the computer.  No offense, but I am pretty sure many people were doing that before Kate decided too.  I myself would probably use this in my classroom, since I plan on teaching journalism.  Digital Storytelling will definitely come in handy.

- Mathematics is one of the most abstract subject-matter domains. Helping students to visualize mathematical concepts is very useful in helping students make math real. What other methods suggested in the textbook will also help make math more real to students?

     Since this question started with math I guess the first method that I would suggest is the Visual geometry.  I feel that this method would be very useful, because the students get to choose the primary shapes and construct it by defining different various things about the shape.  The other method that I would use is the Digital Feedback.  This seems like a nice method, because first i is digital, and it also allows for feedback.  I think that when I become a teacher no matter what subject students are learning, technology will be involved in it one way or another.

- Is it possible to learn from TV alone?--that is, learn how to do something merely from watching TV instruction? 

     I feel that yes, it is very possible to learn things from just watching television alone.  I myself would be a prime example of that.  As a child my mother made sure that I watched many educational programs to help me learn.  Before I even reached Kindergarten I learned many of the things that my teacher was teaching just from watching certain show like Barney and Sesame Street.  With that being said I also feel that many bad things and habits can be learned from merely watching television instruction alone.

Reference
Jonassen, David H., and David H. Jonassen. Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.

Week 12 Blog (^_*)

Explore http://voicethread.com/  and tell me how you feel about it.


Would you use it for your lesson plan?
I really enjoyed the different features of this website.  When you visit the page, you almost immediately are introduced to its many features.  The site really helps explain what a voice thread is and how it works very nicely.  The examples given on the website about the many different ways people use the website, really helps with the understanding.

Would you use it in the real classroom?
I would definitely use this tool in my classroom.  The way that everything is constructed really gives every student a chance to express their thoughts and their views when they want to. They would not have to wait to be called on like they would in a regular classroom setting.  The different tools for commenting also allow more visual freedom for the students as well. 

Conclusion.
The voice thread tool is something that I feel will help many classroom in any subject.  It would be something that I would prefer to use in my current online classes as opposed to the way they are operated now.  This tool; is a great way to have class outside of the classroom.  I would love to use this tool in in my classroom.  Voice thread is gives great instructions on how to use the program, and they are very easy to follow.  I can not wait to experiment with this in my classroom when I begin teaching.

Reference

What's a voicethread anyway. (2007). [Web]http://voicethread.com/

Gee's Principle

Respond to the following questions:

• Gee's principle of probing (p. 54) states that learning is a cycle of probing the world (doing something) and reflecting in and on this action and forming a hypothesis. Select 3 principles you think it would be important for education.

The three principles that I would use would have to be discovery, practice, and identity.  I feel that these three principles can work well on their own, but I also feel that they would work very well used together in a combination.  I would use the discovery principle, because many times I can remember things that I learn better when I find them out on my own.  The practice principle would help, because when you do something right many times you have a better chance at continuing that habit.  The identity principle would work well, because I like the fact that it deals with options.

• Good simulations are hard to create. If you were creating a simulation for your class, what activity would you support? What variables could students manipulate? How would they affect each other?

I would simulate a press conference or some sort of interviewing situation.  Where my students would get a chance to learn two different was of interviewing people.  They would have an interview with pre-decided questions to ask a person, and another where they would have to just ask questions off of the top of their heads.  Students would be able to manipulate the questions they are being asked as well as the responses.  I want them to know how to turn a negative response into a positive one, and also turn a good interviews into a great one.  The students would affect each other, because they would more familiar with the person they are interviewing and they will also play different characters so they will be able to be a little more creative e and have some fun.

• Conclusion

Gee's principles can be very helpful in any teaching environment.  Simulations can as well.  The simulations help you to better organize one's teaching strategies and habits or avenues to direct certain lessons.  With simulations they can help students to better prepare for many of the different things they may experience when they get into the real world.  They both are very beneficial tools that I plan on using later on with my profession.

• References

Jonassen, David H., and David H. Jonassen. Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.