PLN's

Throughout CEP 416, I have explored numerous of tools that I can use as Personal Learning networks, such as Twitter, Delicious, Google Reader, and Weebly. I believe that using personal learning networks can be very helpful and beneficial in the education world. As technology is increasing, it is becoming more and more implimented in educational lessons planning. Personal learning networks will allow me to be in touch with other colleagues from my department of focus, with my students, and with my co-workers. They are easy and free tools to use, that anyone can access if they have a computer. These networks connect people from all over the world! Personal learning networks can also be challenging because there are many problems associated with technology use. If you are relying solely on a PLN to hold a meeting or discuss projects and the computer crashes or you do not have access to the internet or computer, this is an issue. It also takes time and effort to maintain a PLN. For example, I am now a member of Twitter, but it does take time to search for groups and people I want to follow and make sure they are what I'm looking for. Blogs take up a lot of time-- since people are constantly posting and commenting on blogs, it is essential to keep checking and adding to your blog. Maintaining personal learning networks are extremely beneficial, if you have the time and knowledge to keep up with them.

Voice Thread!

My Presentation using SlideShare and VoiceThread!

My Zoho Show!

The Five Sense URL

Special Education Misinterpretations

We have been focusing on specific cases studies in our textbook for one of my special education courses, and I have noticed a pattern that occurs in most of the evaluation processes. Many of the teachers and school boards that are discussed in this book have placed students in special education who do not necessarily need to be. There was one case, for example, where a student, named Miles, was absent 28 times from kindergarten due to asthma. Due to the lack of communication between Miles's mother and the school and between the teachers at the school, the unreasonable IEP goals, and the minimal one-on-one attention given to Miles, he had to re-take kindergarten and was placed in special education. It was clear that Miles did not belong in special education because he was above grade level in most subjects and achieved his IEP goals extremely fast. I believe that incorrect placements happen all the time in special education, and it is a huge issue we need to carefully look at.

Technology Lesson Plan

For my first formal lesson plan that integrates technology in CEP 416, I want to make a video on the World, teaching Special Education students key characteristics and unique qualities about each of the 7 continents. Because I am very interested in traveling and teaching abroad, I think it is important to get to know the world around me and to get my students interested and familiar with the world they live in, beyond their own city. I might use a video/slideshow tool that is easy to use, such as imageloop or scrapblog. Using technology to "explore the world" is a great idea because we can use GoogleEarth to look at maps and street views of any location around the world. We can Google information about various countries and continents. As technology is increasing each day and becoming more involved in our lives, it is important to think of ways to teach lessons, other than what we are used to, such as flash cards, maps, and worksheets.

My story through Prezi

My Australian Adventure on Prezi

While creating this story, I thought of how using free, online tools would be a great thing to teach to my students. Whether students want to write a story on their pet, a favorite vacation they went on, or create a new story, this format of writing a story expands children beyond what they are used to, which is usually microsoft word, or writing and illustrating a story on tangible paper. If a student wants to incorporate pictures from their computer or a digital camera to enhance the quality of a personal story, they can do so with the web 2.0 tools.

Prezi has a very unique way of organizing the story you are creating, which can be both a positive and a negative to this program. It starts you off with a blank screen and you can add text or images anywhere you'd link. You have the freedom to expand, shrink, twist, and turn every word and picture at your leisure, making your story more visually engaging. Prezi can also be very confusing, because there is no exact format to follow. I got very frustrated at first because I did not understand the organization of my story and had a hard time previewing it.

Child Study (week 3)

I have met with my student 3 times now. We have been focusing on Concepts of Print and Phonological Awareness. I have done a few different assessments that help me get a feel of where he is at and what his strengths and weaknesses are as a literacy learner. These assessments are going to be great tools to use in my future teaching. I am becoming familiar with evaluation, counting miscues (the correct term for mistakes or errors), and different forms of assessment. I am also figuring out the most beneficial ways to adapt lessons and assessments to meet the needs of my assigned student. I am looking forward to working with him every week and learning more about his literacy development.

Exploring the World through Google Earth

Exposing children to the world they live in is essential for their personal and academic growth. I feel that children these days do not learn enough about geography of the entire world, and their lessons are narrowed on the country and and the state they live in. I took a geography course last year at MSU that really opened my mind about what things I can teach in terms of world geography and how I can teach it. Google Earth is an excellent way of providing a visual to students. Instead of just informing students about a particular culture or landmark, you have the original image on Google Earth. Google Earth allows users to view maps, terrain, 3-D houses and buildings, and even galaxies in the sky. It has special features that allow you to "tag" the places you have been, save places, and share them with others.

However, there are a few disadvantages to Google Earth. A season to not use Google Earth might be because it allows anyone to locate any place on Earth, and can be a method of stalking, etc, since it is so exact. Google Earth might also be a tool that is too advanced for some special education or early education classes. The computer and search engine skills needed could confuse young children, whereas a tangible map or picture might work better.

As a future teacher, I could create lessons that incorporate the usage of Google Earth. We could focus on all seven continents and the countries in them, and I can provide visual images of places in each country (for example, the Great Wall of China, Sydney Opera House, Eiffel Tower, Egyptian pyramids, even local shops and houses in those areas). When I was studying abroad in Australia this past summer, we visited an elementary school in the city of Canberra. While in one of the first grade classrooms, we used Google Earth to show the students Michigan State University! We were able to show them some of the dorm buildings we live in, Spartan Stadium and the MSU library... and the students loved it! The students were able to get a feel of a large university in America and compare it to schools in Australia. I am very interested in travel and teaching abroad, so I definitely want to use Google Earth with my students. Google Earth is exciting, educational, and remarkable!


Click here to see a street view of the Eiffel Tower!

SmartBoards

In my CEP 451 course, I am doing field placement in a special education classroom at an elementary school in Okemos. The classroom consists of about 8 students and has a Smartboard! Although I have not seen them use the Smartboard yet, I asked the students what they thought about it. "The Smartboard is so fun! I like to use the marker to circle the answers and write on it!" exclaimed one of the students. "The Smartboard is big so we all can see it and it makes noise so we all can hear it." The teacher and parapro both added that whenever they use or even talk about using the Smartboard, the children light up and are always eager to learn. It is very important to incorporate interactive tools in the classroom. Smartboards are an excellent way to help maximum the success in both general and special ed students.