All's well that ends well...

...my class as come to an end, so this is my last blog for a while. There are just a few things to say, to wrap up this course and this blog for now. For starters, one of the main things I need to say, is that I was very technology scared at first, since I am not the most technology savvy person. After taking this class, I have learned to appreciate technology, since I learned so many different ways to use it in daily life in the classroom. Technology can be used by the teacher to simplify things, like bookmarking websites that simplify things, or mind-mapping websites, that can serve to create plans and outline. Students can also use technology to simplify their lives, by using things like video editing programs, different ways of sharing documents, or using different programs to create things like word clouds and mind maps, to plan essays and projects. Teachers also have to make sure that they know how to use the technology they are using in the classroom, since not being able to use technology properly will cause students to lose faith in you.
As responsible teachers, we also have to take the time to teach students how to use technology properly, which includes digital citizenship and how to use the technology itself. This means that teacher have to plan lessons that go beyond just the basic course curriculum, it has to look at things like digital citizenship, respectful use of technology, both in posting and using material and protecting themselves online, both from things like viruses and cyber-bullying. Students also need to be taught how to use different pieces of technology, it cannot just be assumed that they know how to use all the different pieces of technology. This means looking at what technology is available to you in the classroom, that your students can use, and practicing with it, so you can explain any issues that may arise when students are using it.
Teachers also have to be prepared to keep up with the times, so that we are aware of what types of technology is available to students, so that we can at least discuss it with them proper use of what is available, or being responsible with their technology and their time. We also have to keep up in order to stay relevant; students don't like teachers who are stuck in the stone ages, showing films strips when a DVD would work just as well. This does not me that teachers have to go out and buy every new piece of technology that comes out, we just have to be aware of it, so that we are actually current and relevant to our students.
To conclude, technology has become an integral part of the classroom and daily life, so teachers cannot just ignore it, instead we need to use it, since it can help up in many ways, simplifying our lives.

Discover the Joys

of Pinterest. This past week in class, I was a part of a group project on how teachers can use pinterest, both in their classroom and for ideas, and I must say it really opened my eyes to all that pinterest can do. Before this project, I really didn't have a pinterest account and I did not have a clue how to use it. I mean I had heard of it, and I kinda was interested in it, since one of my friends is pinterest obsessed and posts a ton of things to Facebook.
So I decided to join pinterest, and now it has become an obsession of mine too. There are just so many great ideas posted on pinterest, that as a future teacher, I can literally spend hours on it looking at all the ideas. There are some really awesome looking science boards on it, since they show you how to walk on eggs (without breaking them), grow all kinds of crystals and a ton of other really awesome ideas. I also found great games and ideas for social studies, like an Underground Railroad game and a "Guess Who" game of famous historical figures. There are also pictures and maps available on pinterest, so you can show your class photos of Egypt, if that is what you are talking about in class. There are also all kinds of recipes, so in social studies class you could analyze the recipes, discussing why certain ingredients are used in some areas of the world, but not in others. There are also ideas for math class, which I really love, since math can be a hard subject to try and make "fun". There is an awesome diagram of a math dance that students can do, to help them remember the proper shapes of graphs that they learn in high school or other ideas like stacking shapes, to get students involved. Through the project I also found other ideas, like using plastic single use plates as whiteboards for students, and creating a no-name hanger for student work. Pinterest has some many ideas, if you are willing to look. Too often, it is assumed that pinterest is just for females, since there are a lot of craft ideas, but there are some many more things on it. Everyone could find something they are interested in, if they are willing to look.
Pinterest can also serve as a way for teachers to recharge their batteries, since there are things for pretty much every hobby or interest on it. This is crucial for teachers, since we need to have a way to get back our energy and our enthusiasm, by having time to ourselves.
One more thing in the video front. We successfully made a video, but it was not without complications, mostly one the audio front. This is something else to consider when working with technology, do you have a way to save the day, when things should have gone perfectly, but you discover, after 90% of your time is gone, that one silly, but crucial thing has not worked. In our case, we had enough footage to use, without having to worry about the clips that did not have any audio, but what if we hadn't, what could we have done?

Uh-oh, What Now?

This past week in class, we were making videos for a class project, or in the case of my group, we were trying to make a video. For some reason, despite all of our best laid plans, things did not work for us. Therefore we are having to make our video this week, when everyone else will be done theirs. This leads to an important issue that every teacher will face in their class, what do you do when things are not working, either with technology in general, or a specific group of students wanting to use a specific piece of technology.
In our case, we just talked to our instructor and he gave us permission to work on our video after everyone else will be done theirs. This won't always work for people though, if they are counting on a piece of technology for in class use. There are ways around this though. The first thing to do is arrive at class early, so that you can make sure that you have time to set up your technology and test it out. This is particularly important if you are not in your own classroom, or if you are in a new school, where you might not know how things are set up. If this works, then you are golden, your technology is all working and you should not have any problems. If this does not work, then you need to have a back-up plan. This might mean knowing how to find the video you want through a search engine, or having your presentation saved to a USB, as well as having it saved in a file sharing program. Make sure you know how your back-up works, by having used it at home, in a controlled environment, where you have the opportunity to work out any kinks in the system. If this does not work, then you need to make sure you know how to contact someone who understands the IT set up for the school. This might be the computers teacher, or someone from the IT department for the division. Before you find yourself getting any more panicked and frustrated, call them, since they will most likely be able to solve any issues you might be having. Be prepared to follow their instructions, or to wait for them to come and help you, they are busy to, but they are their to help.
Some other things that might help to avoid this situation, is to talk to people in advance of your technology needs.This might mean setting up a time with an IT person to get lessons on how to use a specific piece of technology, or it might mean just asking the office for the WiFi password, so that you don't have to try and find it for half an hour. Teachers also need to pay attention to technology, so they know what is out there. By knowing what is available, teachers will be able to use technology in the classroom that students might not expect, and hopefully that will mean that they are then paying attention (to both the technology and the information being presented).
Overall, teachers just need to be prepared when they are using technology, as with technology Murphy's Law tends to come into effect, anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

Look at the world through a lens!

Photography is a great connector, since as the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words," and pictures also speak a universal language. Technology has gives us lots of options of things that we can do with photos. This past week in class, we created short photo stories with pictures, using two different methods, Animoto and Photo Story. These a both really easy to use, since you just upload photos, arrange them in the order that you want and then add anything extra like music and text. The pictures are then turned into a video that goes through them automatically, showing off your treasured memories. These could easily be used in a classroom, getting students to create a digital family tree in social studies, or putting photos to a novel in ELA to tell the story that way. Students can also use these in technology focused classes, to showcase all of their projects in one.
We also looked at how you can edit photos, which is what the top photo on this page is, it is the before and at the bottom is the after of my editing. Teachers can use this in the classroom, since they could add text to a photo to illustrate a key concept, or change a photo and then use that as a starting point for a piece of writing or a discussion. There are many different websites that allow you to edit photos, so it is just a matter of trying them out and seeing which ones you become comfortable with.
Photos are a powerful tool, and the sheer number of photos that are available for use, means teachers should take advantage of them. This means using interesting photos to start a conversation or writing piece in class, or adding photos to a lesson on any topic, as images really grab student attention. Not all the photos a teacher uses need to be sourced online either, teachers should try and draw photos and images from the world around them and their school, since these are very relevant to students. This means teachers should learn some photography themselves and look through old photos. If you have gone on a trip, don't be afraid to bring the photos into class, if they are related to what you are talking about, the students will love to see them.
The next step from photography, is video, and that is next week in class, so I am looking forward to sharing that with you.

How much is enough?

Well, this blog is going to seem a little off topic with the rest of my blogs so far, which has been singing the praises of technology. However, this blog is a little different, since I want to talk about how much technology is used in the classroom. This does stem from the past week in class, where  we were given the opportunity to look at different presentation tools, bookmarking tools and use interactive whiteboards. This was a fun week, since we had the chance to try out these new tools in a fun setting. We discovered that university students like pictionary on an interactive whiteboard, at least as much as kids do. However, looking at all of this technology made me think, is it really necessary to use all of this in the classroom?
I know that technology and all that is offers is just a fact of the world, but should students become so focused on technology that they lose things in the physical world?
I feel that technology has a place in classroom, when it assists instruction and aids in student creativity, but that does not mean that we can ignore what the rest of the world has to offer. Students need to work things out on a piece of paper, long hand, not just be allowed to punch things into calculator. Working things out allows students to understand what they are doing, and then they can use the short cut of calculator. Writing things out by hand gives students a different feel than typing things into a computer, since the ink on paper creates a certain feeling of pride when something is complete. The physical world allows student to look at things through an unobstructed view, since there are no comments at the bottom of the page that scream other people's opinions and there is also a sense of freedom, since the world will not be seeing what you are creating.  
Students also need to remember that there are more options than just turning to the internet to look up anything they might want to know, instead they can look at newspapers, interview a local person, or find information in a book. This is often a big challenge for students, as the almighty Google is the first place they want to look for answers. Google and search engines pose issues since the sources of the information are not always credible, so they are not always true. This means that students need to have other means of verifying information, so that they know what they are learning is true.
Technology can also hinder the social aspect of school, so teachers need to be aware of how much time their students are spending using it during class time. If a student is sitting along, typing on the computer they are not gaining basic social skills like communication and co-operation, which might penalize them later in life. This means that teachers have to either, be aware of how much time students are spending using technology, or make a point of having group technology projects, so that human interaction is not lost.
Finally, students and teachers need to aware of physical harm technology can pose, and factor that into their use of technology during class. The over use of technology can cause eye strain, carpal tunnel, back pain and other injuries.
Overall, I feel that technology has its place, but it can be overused in the classroom, so teacher have to be aware of this and plan accordingly.

Literacy, To Type or Not To Type?

In this modern age, literacy has taken on a whole new meaning, it is no longer about just being able to read and write, now teachers and students face the concept of digital literacy.
Digital literacy is a very broad term that encompasses many different topics, digital etiquette, rights and responsibilities and so much more. This means that whenever we, as teachers are using technology in the classroom, we have to look at what are we actually teaching students about technology. Are we saying, "just use a Google Image because it is quick and easy" or are we taking into account digital copyright laws and making out students aware of these laws. Digital literacy means teachers will have to have conversations with their students about technology and all aspects of technology. To many times, it is assumed that students know the proper way to use technology, so those discussions don't need to happen. This is not the case though, digital literacy is a big deal, since technology, like anything needs to be explained to students. It is much to easy to forget that the digital world is just like the physical world, comments made can hurt people, theft of music or photos is still theft and the rights and freedoms we have in the physical world, still exist in the digital world. These are big ideas, things that can not be assumed, so teachers have to find a way to bring it up in class. This means using teachable moments, like when a student mentions cyber-bullying, or downloading teachers need to talk about it. When you are going to use technology, take the time to talk with students about, learn what they think about it, and how they feel they should use it. Take time to discuss some of the bigger issues that have arisen related to technology, like cyber-bullying, identity theft, inappropriate websites and the potential dangers of chatting and meeting someone off the internet. When you are discussing issues like free speech or the law in class, bring up technology as well, as too often this is pushed aside for more important issues.
Finally, I guess I should tell you about my website, I finished it and it is now published to the web. If you want to check it out, go right ahead, the URL is msmandziuk.weebly.com, though I should warn you it is a little rough still. I was super nervous about making the site, but now I realize that it is kind of fun. I figured out how to add is some extras to it, like video, so that was great. Overall, I would say that creating a website is not that difficult, it just takes some time and effort, so if you have considered creating one, go for it, since you never know until you try.

Social Media, To Use or Not To Use?

This week in class, we had a discussion about our feelings on using social media in the classroom. This is a serious issue that many teachers and schools are facing, is it right to use social media in the classroom, and if we do use it, then what is an acceptable use of it?
As future teachers, my class is very concerned with these issues, since we will have to deal with them in real world settings soon enough. We have discussed the use of Twitter in the classroom, and seen how some teachers are using it. Twitter can be used to get information from around the world, since a teacher can send out a call for people to tweet them back, and people will. Teachers can also use Twitter to communicate with one another, to share ideas and activities that are very successful in their classroom.Teachers can also set up class Facebook pages that they can then use to communicate with parents and students, informing them of what assignments are coming to, when tests are and upcoming events that might be causing students to miss class. Teachers can also use Skype or other video calling programs to talk to people all over the world since many times famous people are holding Skype calls with classes. Photo-sharing sites can also be used by a classroom, since students can see places all over the world, and teachers can use the pictures as starting points for assignments or as additions to lectures. Even websites like Youtube have their uses, since videos can be added to lectures, or students can create videos for a project and post them on-line. There are also plenty of videos that students may find informative and educational on Youtube, or other video sharing websites.
When people hear that schools want to use social media in the classroom, they automatically flash to the idea that students will abuse it, or use it inappropriately. Teachers should instead view this as an opportunity, to discuss with the world the education options that this actually provides. Teachers should teach students how to use social media responsibly, like what you should and should not post, what is appropriate to talk about and how to protect themselves for identity theft issues. This can also give teachers the chance to bring up a very important topic, cyber-bullying. Cyber-bullying is a growing issue in society, and part of stopping it, is to actually have people talking about it, not just pushing it aside. Students need to learn all of the consequences that cyber-bullying can have, not only for the victims, but for those who are the perpetrators. Too many people have been hurt by cyber-bullying, so it is time for us to do something about it, and education is one of the ways try and change the world.

What matters?

This week in ICT class, we looked a designing a web page, something I will be doing next week, so I will have that to show later on. I am really looking forward to it actually since I took a web design class in high school that was a lot of fun. Teachers use websites for their classes to keep everyone, parents and students up-to-date on what is happening in class, and what new ideas they have for their class. More will follow on the website as I get working on it.
On the what matters front though, we had speakers in class on Wednesday and they taught us how to find images that we are actually allowed to use, without violating copyright laws, like my photo above. The website we used for this is compfight.com, which allows us to search flikr for creative commons images. This is some very important information for teachers, since we want our students to be following the law, which includes copyright laws, that in many cases protect online pictures. The picture search was a ton of fun, since it also allows you access to all the creative minds in the world that have decided to share pictures online. My advice, if you haven't tried it, pick a random word and type it into the search engine, you will be amazed at what comes up, and you can use it without fear of copyright laws! Take my picture, it looks really cool, and it is just someone manipulating feather,s such ordinary things, to become extraordinary. Once we picked a picture, we were able to edit it online, which was fun and easy to do. Not only that it was free on the website pixlr.com, something that is always good for schools.
Creativity matters. We were asked by the presenters to fill in this question, Why blank matters?, and clearly I picked creativity. I believe that teachers need to very creative in their classroom, whether that means having ten different ways to explain a math problem, or having different projects available to their students, like a photo essay using photos found online or that the students take, and then edited with a photo editing program or website. Technology offers so many different avenues for students to be creative, like a students who dreads making a presentation to the class can make a video of it and play that or have an automatically running powerpoint with audio recording of them running. Students could also create a website for a novel, or other piece of literature, sort of like a band website, something that introduces the characters and covers all of the information of the novel. They could also create facebook pages or online dating profiles (Romeo and Juliet)  for characters. They could write a blog from the point of a famous explorer, looking at their daily or weekly discoveries.
All of these ideas allow for a lot of teachable moments too, since you have to look at how to use the technology, as well as all of the background information needed for the project. Not only that, but it can lead to discussions of copyright laws, and students could debate both sides of this issue. Students also need to be taught about responsibility when it comes to technology, as far to often it is just seen as a fun toy that doesn't need rules or restrictions. All of these are issues that teachers should address, even if they are not always in a curriculum, as they are pieces of real world information students should have.
To conclude, technology can allow students freedom and creativity in the classroom, and so I guess what matters, is making use of all the resources available to further creativity.

Well the best place to start...

...is the beginning. To begin I would like to introduce myself. I am a first year Education student at Brandon University and have decided to write this blog as an assignment for a course this term. My name is Elizabeth and I hope that this is all going to work right for me, since at the moment, I am not the most tech. savvy person in the world. As I have said this is my first year in my Education Degree, after I have already graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, with a history major and a math minor. The idea behind this blog is to have me try out different pieces of technology, in and out of class, and then blog about it. I want this blog to look at all the different technology I try and find practical uses for it, for both students and teachers, since if technology is being used in a class, it should be used with a purpose, not just used at random.
We have just a had a week of class, but already have discussed one very interesting website that could very useful to teachers. The website is called wordle.net and it allows people to create word splashes using the internet. This doesn't sound like much, but teachers like word splashes, as they can be used to brainstorm ideas, introduce a new unit, or in the case of online ones analyze poetry or other literature. The poetry or literature analysis is done by the website itself, as the word that occurs the most in the original text is larger than all the others in the word splash and usually that word is related to the theme of the piece. The website allows you to play with the image, changing the colour, shape, font or even the language. The images created by wordle can be printed directly, saved as a PDF. There are other websites that allow you to create word splashes, and they all have different features and abilities.
Finally, another piece of technology that I am getting addicted to is Google Plus. It is like Facebook, but is owned by Google, and it is a ton of fun for me. Lots of TV shows and interest groups have Google Plus accounts, so you can find out lots of different information on it. I am currently following an awesome one called Interior Design that has lots of different and unique ideas. Google Plus also has pictures from all over the world, photos that a teacher could use as examples in a photography class, an English Language Arts teacher could use the phots to start a creative writing piece, or science and geography teachers could add them to a powerpoint or lecture.
To conclude, I hope people will find some of the information I post in this blog interesting, and maybe people will learn something or be encouraged to try something new.