My contributions to the WebQuest wiki

My 3 Contributions include:

• I added an example called The Oprah Show Webquest to the Television shows page. The WebQuest is based on Oprah wanting to start a new series of shows called "America's Role in the World Community", in which students have to research six world events and present the information to Oprah for her to prepare for the new shows.
• I added an audience example to the Television shows page. I said students may act as executive producers of a television network and they can fill out evaluations for each presentation.
• On the Reality TV page I added another WebQuest example called Student Restaurant Rules. Students work in groups to complete a variety of tasks, which will be evaluated by the judges of a reality TV show.
  

Chapter 10: Going Beyond the Classroom

I think the idea of focusing on one extended learning experience outside the school is a great idea. This will break up the regular school-day routine, and may also provide some hands-on experiences and activities.

Students deserve a little time away from the regular school schedule. During my junior year of high school, we had a career week where we signed up to job shadow someone in a field we may be interested in going into. It was a great opportunity that many of us benefited from. My senior year we also had a volunteer week where we got to help out at local organization. I think these types of experiences, as well as subject specific activities, are great opportunities for students to participate in.

Chapter 9: When Things Go Wrong

In chapter nine, I enjoyed reading the suggestions the co-authors provided for when teachers feel discouraged. I think the best advice a teacher can get comes straight from their students.

This “jumped out” at me because the co-authors truly had some great advice for new teachers, such as Vance’s comment: “A kid can tell when a teacher knows what he’s doing, and believes in what he’s doing” (168). Teachers just need to be confident and can’t let students walk all over them. It is also good to know that students will probably test their teachers until they are no longer scared.

Chapter 8: Teaching Teenagers Who Are Still Learning English

I was surprised to see the many different actions students who are still learning English take when they do not understand something in class. Many of these are negative actions including: putting their heads down and sleeping, cutting class, feeling angry, fighting with other students, and running away.

I do not have much experience with students who are still learning English, but I could imagine it would be difficult for them to do well if they do not understand the language. I thought this list revealed how those students really feel when they don’t understand what is said in class. I thought this entire chapter was helpful and informative because I have not read very much on teaching to those who are still learning English.

Chapter 7: Teaching Difficult Academic Material

One point that “jumped out” at me in chapter seven was for teachers not to stick to textbooks, which I was very relieved to see the author mention. Finding other ways to teach the material can get students more involved and motivated.
Books are obviously a great resource, but in my opinion, sticking to the textbook will only bore students even more. I would much rather enjoy listening to teachers talk about their experiences relating to a certain subject than reading about it in a boring textbook. I think Vance said it best: “That’s when a person’s love for teaching comes out, when they get to talk about something they know” (127).

Chapter 6: Motivation and Boredom

I thought one great part of this chapter was under the “What Motivates Kids?” section. Some teachers lose sight of what motivates their students and they wonder why the students are not doing well in school.
Students are motivated by passionate teachers, issues they care about, connections to the real world, and choices on things that matter. It seems as though students today lack motivation, but maybe it is the teachers who are not providing the right motivation. It is great to know that teachers who are still passionate about the material and their students can actually be a form of motivation for students. Connections to the real world can increase student interest, and allowing students to have a choice on things that matter will get students more involved.

Chapter 5: Teaching the Individual, Working with the Group

The one topic I found interesting in chapter five was the idea of more open-ended questions. These types of questions may be a bit harder for students to answer, but it allows different opinions to be brought to the table.
The idea of open-ended questions “jumped out” at me because I can completely relate to the feeling of not wanting to answer a question that asks for only one right answer. I think students would be more likely to contribute in class if the questions were open-ended. Teachers should recognize why students chose to participate or not in answering questions. By sharing opinions, the teacher can go on to lead discussions and debates that could take the class in an entirely new direction.

Chapter 4: Creating a Culture of Success

After reading this chapter, I agreed with Vance’s opinion on students wanting to be “smart and talented, but at the same time blend in with everyone else” (71). Most students consider participating in class and raising their hand as taking a risk. Teachers should notice and support students taking these risks.
I thought this was a great point that I could relate to because I was never very comfortable raising my hand to answer a question until later on in high school. I appreciated it when teachers noticed me taking a risk by raising my hand during class, so I hope I will be able to do the same with my students. Hand raising may play a small part in classroom participation, but it is a huge effort put forth by students.

Chapter 3: Classroom Behavior

I thought one great point the author and student co-authors discussed in this chapter was that teachers should include the entire class in creating the classroom rules. I think the students bring up some good points for why it is beneficial for them to be part of the behavior expectations.
Including a class discussion on expectations for classroom behavior at the beginning of the year is important to mention because I have heard varying views on it. This step will involve the entire class in making agreed-upon expectations. It will allow students to add their own needs to the list, and also teachers can make it known that behavior and work habits are part of their grade.

Copyright and Fair Use LR

I was debating about number eleven, which states: “A teacher videotapes a rerun of Frontier House, the PBS reality show that profiles three modern families living as homesteaders from the 1880s did. In class, students edit themselves 'into' the frontier and make fun of the spoiled family from California. This is fair use.” The answer turned out to be true because video can be pulled into multimedia projects. I am a little confused on what is allowed and what is against the law when it comes to using video in the classroom because number fifteen says using video compilation as part of a lesson is not covered under fair use laws. I am using video clips for some of my hooks in my lesson plans, but I never would have guessed that the use of these clips may be illegal. I feel as though if a video is being used for educational purposes, then it should be allowed to be used. Since copyright and fair use laws are not that simple, I should probably read through them more closely before I continue planning lessons with video clips.

Copyright and Fair Use SR

After taking the quiz on copyright and fair use, I realized I do not know as much about these laws as I probably should. There were a few surprises when I looked at the correct answers, and the following are the answers I got wrong.
1. I thought the first question was false because you can not copy programs, but the law does allow archival copies, and in some cases, lost, stolen, or damaged originals to be replaced with copies. This is very helpful for schools to be able to copy lost, stolen, or damaged disks and probably saves them money too.
2. I got number two wrong because I thought it was a violation of the law. However, you are allowed to distribute software through a server as long as one copy is not being used simultaneously.
3. Number seven is actually true because the school site is protected. The school needs to monitor the Web hits on the site to make sure the outside world isn’t getting in.
4. I thought number twelve was false as well, but it turned out to be true. Manufacturers are instituting blocking technology, which is authorized under the law, so newer material blocks educators from their constitutional right to use materials for teaching. This is unfortunate because there are some great resources teachers could use, but it is becoming more difficult for them to do so.
5. Number thirteen is true because if you can use other people’s intellectual property without permission, then your own work can be used without permission.
6. This answer was very surprising to me. The correct answer turned out to be false because videos are not covered under fair use when they are used for entertainment or reward, which was described in the situation for the Back-to-School night.
7. I thought the answer for number sixteen would be false, but it is actually true. Teachers have the right to use materials that are technologically blocked, but it should be used to unlock content for students, and not for personal use.
8. I thought number twenty would be true only because I have seen it done so many times that I thought it would be legal. However, it is against the law to sell copies of work to recover the costs of reproduction.

Creativity Exercises

To exercise my right brain I looked at the problem about moving the matches to make four squares with one of the four squares larger than the others. It helped my creativity because I had to keep trying to solve the puzzle by using a different approach each time. The directions were simple, but it took me awhile to get the the answer correct. The exercise for my left brain was the question about the birds and the beasts at the zoo. Once I thought about it, the answer came to me quickly, but you have to get creative by turning the question into an equation. To add a little humor to my life I watched the movie Sydney White, which I had never seen before and it turned out to be very funny. This helped my creativity because it gave me a chance to relax, laugh, and recharge my batteries before attempting more homework. My roommate gave me some inspiration by telling me one of her favorite quotes: "a true friend is someone who knows the song of your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words". This quote can help out a friend when they are feeling sad and need some inspiration. I thought it would potentially help my creativity if I were feeling sad or lonely, but then I can think of all of my friends and family who love me.

How to help someone use a computer

One point on the list that I have to tell myself is that "beginners face a language problem: they can't ask questions because they don't know what the words mean, they can't know what the words mean until they can successfully use the system, and they can't successfully use the system because they can't ask questions". There is a great deal of truth behind this statement and I can relate to it because my generation falls somewhere between the digital natives of today and the digital immigrants of the past. Growing up side by side with technology meant that I was a beginner once too, so I can understand the possible language barrier. This understanding should help me in taking students’ needs into consideration while I am teaching. The important rule to follow was to “never do something for someone that they are capable of doing for themselves”. This is a powerful statement that can be used to not only describe technology education, but many other types of education as well. If we continuously do something for someone else, they are missing out on a huge learning opportunity or a skill that they may need later on in life.

After completing our team presentation, I think we should have addressed the first statement a little more because not everyone was familiar with Google Earth and we should have taken that into consideration.

Agre, P. (1996). How to help someone use a computer. Retrieved February 12, 2008 from http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/pagre/how-to-help.html.

Focus the Nation

On Thursday I attended a presentation by Beth Nagusky titled “Global Warming- The Clock is Ticking”. The speakers at this event included Andrea Freed, UMF President Kalikow, and Representative Tom Saviello. From this presentation I learned that the U.S. produces 5.47 billion metric tons of carbon emissions, which is much higher than any other country. I also learned that the U.S. makes up only five percent of the world’s population, but creates twenty-five percent of the world’s carbon emissions. Nagusky also stated that nine of the hottest years on record have occurred in the past ten years.

After attending the Focus the Nation presentation, I believe this information on global warming is extremely important to teach our students. In the subject of health, students will discuss what steps they can take to help the environment. There are so many small things we can all do to reverse the affect of climate change including driving a vehicle that gets 25 miles/gallon or better, using energy efficient appliances, or fixing any drafts around the house. Once students understand the importance of making these small changes, they can pass the information on to their parents who are more capable of making the changes. Global warming is a topic that we will be talking to students about for years to come because it is not going to end overnight.

Web 2.0 Educator

I decided to read the blog of Cool Cat Teacher, Vicki Davis. She has a very positive attitude about using technology in the classroom. In fact in her latest blog posting she recommends to “think possibilities, not limitations!” when it comes to integrating technology in a class. She is also discussing ways of using cell phones and ipods in class, which is such a great idea because students not only have these items, but they are using them all the time.

She uses her fame to help other teachers with their curriculum by posting their questions and comments on her blog. For example, she has a few posts about internet lessons in rural Cambodia where they only have one slow computer for the whole class. Her blog viewers can help out by donating money to the school or offer advice to enhance their technology class. Cool Cat Teacher has great advice for integrating technology into the classroom and is an inspiration to many, as you can tell by her almost 2,000 readers and her full calendar of events.

Type I and Type II Technology

Type I applications of technology are those used to maintain the traditional ways of using technology in the classroom, where type II applications use modern or more advanced ways of teaching and using technology in the classroom.

Examples of Type I Applications: In middle school, everything I learned in my computer class came from a program on a floppy disk which showed us the proper ways to use the keyboard. We only used the Internet once or twice when the librarian came in to teach our class. One program we had to perfect in middle school was Paint. We spent weeks upon weeks designing houses on Paint that students today would probably laugh at us for. A great example of Type I application is though working as a tutor in a middle school, I have noticed that almost all of the classes are integrating the use of technology. However the students are reverting to old habits and constantly use search engines such as Google to complete assignments, rather than using other websites or computer programs to find the answers.

Examples of Type II Applications: The technology teacher at a local middle school goes through a tutorial with all of the seventh grade students using their new Mac laptops. These programs included iMovie, Garage Band, and many others that the students had never used before in their education. Another example of a Type II application occurred during my freshman year of high school (2001) when we learned how to create our own website, which was pretty new for us at the time. One great example of Type II technology is the use of a Smart Board in the classroom. I have been fortunate to have observed an English teacher who had perfected the use of it in her class, and the kids loved when she used the Smart Board.

Maddux, C.D., & Johnson D.L. (2005). Type II applications of technology in education: new and better ways of teaching and learning. Computers in the Schools, 22, 1-5.

My MEL Experiences

• Student/Teacher Relationship: One positive student/teacher relationship that stands out the most for me was with my high school Spanish teacher. She always had us doing activities to keep us busy, such as learning and performing Spanish songs in front of the whole class, but we were also keeping up with the subject material. My teacher had positive attitude and an enjoyable personality, so much so that I ended up becoming secretary of the Spanish club because of her.
• Helping Students Succeed: Some of my greatest memories of my middle school years occurred in my eighth grade science class. It was her first year teaching at the middle school, so she expected a lot out of her students and had not given up on teaching like some of my other teachers. She expected high quality work from all of us, and it was clear that she respected her students as well.
• Hands-On: My Spanish teacher is also great example for hands-on activities which she used in her classroom. Some of these activities included: playing Scrabble in Spanish, learning the Samba and salsa dances, writing and performing in our own movie- in Spanish of course, and painting based on the works of Picasso or Dali.
• Connections: Throughout middle school and most of my high school years I always thought of history as one of those subjects that you just had to memorize because it no longer relates to our lives today. However, once I had a U.S. History and Government class with Mr. Wagner, my opinion changed. He was very good at comparing his history lessons to our lives or to current events taking place around the country. Apparently history tends to repeat itself.
• Context: During my first semester of college, I had my first negative experience with a Sociology professor. He never made a connection between his lessons and the real world. He never explained or taught us how this subject would be useful for us, and by the end of the semester I did not remember one thing from the class.

Learning Style Inventory Results

Style Scores

Visual	10
Social	16
Physical	12
Aural	13
Verbal	11
Solitary	11
Logical	16

I believe these learning style results from learning-styles-online.com represent my style of learning very well. In previous surveys, I scored the highest in the logical and social learning styles, so there is no surprise to me that they are here as well. The rest of my scores are fairly close in number, which probably means that I use a variety of learning styles, but logical and social are often the dominant ones.

Chapter 2: Respect, Liking, Trust, and Fairness

The one concept that stood out to me in chapter two of Fires in the Bathroom is under the heading: Do students need to like a teacher? I think Lauraliz explains it best when she compares her funny and easily distracted Spanish teacher to her global studies teacher. He is very serious and strict, but he is a great teacher who really cares about his students, and Lauraliz learned more from her global studies teacher because he stuck to the subject at hand.
This part of the reading “jumped out” at me because it is something I can relate to. In high school and also in college, it seems as though students flock towards teachers who are friendly, fun, and do not assign a lot of work. However, in most situations, you do not learn very much from those classes. Teachers who stick to the subject and who can find a way to make the class interesting will keep students engaged in the subject. In my opinion students do not need another friend from a teacher so sticking to the job title, teacher, will help many more students throughout their education.

Chapter 1: Knowing Students Well

One of the key concepts in chapter one of Fires in the Bathroom that “jumped out” at me was to connect academic work to students’ interests. Vance believes that: “one of the only ways people learn something alien is to relate it to their own experience” (13). This is an idea that I can relate to because in high school I always appreciated teachers who would relate their lessons to my life in a way that makes it much easier to understand, or would allow us to use our personal interests in creating a project.
By connecting academic work to students’ interests, teachers can get to know their students by relating lesson plans to the lives of their students. I believe it can also help students understand concepts that they may not have understood otherwise. Connecting academic work to students’ interests may require a bit of creativity from the teacher, but it could spark a classroom discussion or group activity work once students understand the topic.