From Myspacer to Cartoon Maker

From Excitement to Frustration

Once I heard about the assignment to formulate a multimedia lesson plan using the ASSURE model, I was excited and ready to work. After all, I now knew how to use the ASSURE model and I learned from my experience making the first lesson plan. Ideas flowed easily and I was eager to start. I decided to make my lesson related to Language Arts for fourth graders. The students were to type a short biography about one of their classmates, make a timeline, add audio, and post their final products on the class blog. I had a good plan. However, it was just my luck that things started going downhill.

First, all my classes and I do mean all, started requiring more and more assignments and presentations due within days of each other. I started getting overwhelmed but I felt like I was still on a good path when it came to my multimedia lesson plan. I had a plan mapped out and I thought all I needed to do was fill in the slots and I would be done in no time. Once I finished most of the work required from my other classes, I began my lesson plan.
My original thought about simply following my plan was shot. Most of my tools would not work! I had a hard time incorporating audio. My computer’s microphone for some reason did not match the software I wanted to use. I tried looking for other audio tools but they would not work either. I decided to scratch that idea to avoid wasting time. Next, I uploaded a PowerPoint presentation onto Slideshare. The template I used was not visible and I had to edit my original file. I uploaded the file again and it took a long time! I tried this twice more with the same result. By this time I was panicking. I used my friend’s laptop and tried again. It uploaded but it was taking quite some time for the format to match Slideshare’s. In the end despite the amount of time it took to upload, it was able to work. My last problem was related to my timeline. Compared to the other timeline tools I found, I liked the one from OurStory the best. Of course, this timeline would be a problem as well. It was actually more difficult to use than what I initially thought. It also would not post on the blog! I was already past the deadline and decided to just put a link on the page. I had to settle with this lesson plan although deep down I was not truly happy with it.

The assignment to formulate a multimedia lesson plan integrated several NET*S standards. This included 1B, 2A, 2B, 2D, 2E, 3B, 3D, and 4A. For me, I found Standard 1B most relevant. The standard says, “Teachers demonstrate continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and emerging technologies.” I had to continually search for tools that I can use for this lesson plan. It was just too bad that I was not able to use most of what I planned to use!

This lesson plan made me realize how back-up plans are really important. I have always heard my professors say this but it was not until now that the impact hit me. As a student and a future teacher, I need to start practicing this more and more. Despite these low points, I still somehow found enjoyment. It was fun coming up with ideas to use for my lesson and finding tool. It was just too bad I was not able to do what I wanted fully.

Tool Assessments

In this blog entry, I will assess four tools I used in my university’s Audiovisual class. Later, I will also assess four tools of my own choosing that I came upon on the Internet or used in class.

Rating scale: 3 stars =excellent
2 stars= good
1 star= needs improvement

1. Moodle

http://gaughin.thinkingdistance.org

Overall, I found this tool very helpful. It made it easier to communicate with the teacher and classmates. The teacher and each student had a profile page where email addresses can be found. This tool also allowed the users to send each other messages and copies of the messages may also be delivered to the email addresses. I really liked how assignments and their corresponding due dates are easily posted on the Moodle. Compared to the traditional way of the teachers telling the students what their assignments are, the Moodle makes the chances of confusion and forgetting the assigned work less likely. One disadvantage is that students do not have the option of personalizing their profile pages or home Moodle page. The format of the Moodle may seem boring and too structured for students.

Rating: 2 stars

2. Mozilla Firefox web browser

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/

I have been using Internet Explorer since I fist started using the Internet years and years ago. For my Audiovisual class, we were required to try Firefox and now I’m addicted! Users can customize the browser by selecting different themes and by installing add-ons. Users can also choose to automatically save their bookmarks from Delicious and access their bookmarks easily. Firefox also has a pop-up blocker which users can cancel and a toolbar that can “guess” what users are searching for. As a student, I find the tabs helpful. I can research and do different things without losing information. Compared to Internet Explorer, I found Firefox faster, more interesting to look at, more useful, and more efficient.

Rating: 3 stars

3. Delicious

http://delicious.com/

I have never used a website made specifically for bookmarking. Usually when I find a useful site I need, I just add it to a “Favorites” folder. However, using the Delicious site made things easier for me. Instead of hundreds of sites piling up in my Favorites folder, I now have a list that I can organize and easily access. I really like how I can network with other people who share similar interests with me as well. The Delicious bookmarking site is an excellent tool for organizing web pages that need to be readily available. I definitely continue using this as I finish college and throughout my teaching career.

Rating: 3 stars

4. Google Suites

http://www.google.com

Before I took this class, I only used Google as a search engine. I also had a Gmail account but used it strictly for email. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Google has numerous applications I can use. It includes a blog, Google Documents, Gmail chat, iGoogle, and more. I never knew Google was had many features to offer. My favorite applications are the blog and Google documents. The blog was a great place to communicate – whether it was through text, videos, pictures, and even linking to other sites. Google Documents was another form of communication. In a way, it is similar to email but users can communicate in “real time”. Documents can be saved, deleted, and even printed.

Rating: 3 stars

5. Clusty

http:// www.clusty.com

Pre-audiovisual class, the only search engine I used was Google. Google was a great search engine but when it came to searching for specific subjects, the number of hits was too high and the websites given were too general. Clusty the Clustering search engine did just as its name suggests – it clustered results. For research purposes, it is an excellent site. Most of the time I used it, I was able to find what I was looking for quickly. In addition, the site shows other related, but separate results that may pertain to what users need.

Rating: 3 stars

6. Slideshare

http://www.slideshare.net

Slideshare is a website where users can share their presentations. Once the presentations are uploaded, users can obtain the HTML code and post it on blogs, web pages, and more. Users can also view others’ presentations under many categories (i.e. Technology, Education, Finance, and Health). I really liked these features from Slideshare. However, there were numerous times when I had difficulty uploading files and had to repeat doing so. In addition, it took a long time for my files to switch to Slideshare’s format regardless of the amount of KB used. There were also times when I would go to the website using different computers and at different times and places to discover that the website is not available. It irked me because it was not consistent. Sometimes the site was working and sometimes it was not.

Rating: 1 star

7. OurStory

http://www.ourstory.com

I decided to use OurStory for one of my multimedia lesson plans. OurStory allows users to write blogs and place them in timeline formats. Pictures can be added to the blog entries and timelines as well. The timeline can be exported and placed in blog sites, web pages, and other networking sites. However, I did not think this site is user-friendly. I had a difficult time figuring out how to begin my story and timeline. In addition, I did not find the help link helpful. Most of my questions were answered only vaguely or not at all. OurStory also does not guarantee that the timelines would be accepted to all blog sites, which I unfortunately found out while I was doing my lesson plan.

Rating: 1 star

8. Webs

http://members.freewebs.com

For one of my group presentations, we used Webs to create a website. It was easy to create because it was very user-friendly. Icons were large and organized in a simple format. We only had to click a link and we can insert text, pictures, or both. Other things users can add are new pages, videos, calendars, and links. Users have the option of choosing from a wide variety of templates or using HTML codes to make their site. One disadvantage is that sometimes what my group typed in the text box did now show up the same way when we viewed the site. We had to take extra time to fix it. Other than that, this is a good tool.

Rating: 2 stars

A Biography About My Classmate lesson plan

Biography lesson plan*

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own.

Language Arts lesson plan based on the ASSURE model

SlideShare Link

CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE TIMELINE!

Technology Is A Lifeline

For many of us, technology is second nature. Most people have cellphones on hand to make calls. Most people have computers in their homes to use for school, business, or pleasure. We use these technology tools so often that we are not aware of it. For many of us, technology is a given- something we sometimes take for granted. For others, technology can affect lives greatly.

Technology, for those with exceptionalities, can be a lifeline. This is apparent in the video Enabling Dreams, which discusses how assistive technology can change the lives of individuals with exceptionalities. Susanna Martini, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, has a computer with talking software to aid with her homework. She has a wheelchair that helps her navigate through school corridors, home, and the outside world. Without assistive technology, Martini said she "can't exist today." Students, such as those in Redwood Heights Elementary School, rely on assistive technology for their education. Some of the students use handheld devices to control the computers. Some use touch-screen computers with large icons. One student has a disability that affected his limbs and the only body part he can move is his eyebrow. For him to learn and use the computers, a headpiece was wrapped around his head that responds to his moving eyebrow! Technology is not only used for navigation or learning purposes. Lucas Bratcher uses technology as an outlet for his passion in music. He has a special musical horn instrument that he can play despite having stiff joints and unusable limbs.

This video made me realize how technology is seen as lifelines by many individuals with exceptionalities. For many people without disabilities, technology is just a way to do schoolwork, reasearch, or simply as entertainment. Although I do not have a disability, I am now more aware and appreciative of what technology can do. Technology can indeed affect lives greatly.

Cyber Bullying: Prevent it and Take Action!

Prevention & Taking Action

I. The School's Role

• Educate students on cyber ethics and the law
  
  
• Collaborate with parents
  
  
• Closely monitor use of computers at school
  

II. The Parent's Role

• Talk to your children about their regular online activities
  
  
• Collaborate with teachers
  
  
• Parental control filtering software
  
  
• Law enforcement

III. Tips for Kids

• Stop, Block, and Tell
  
  
• Take 5!
  
  
• Don't be an accomplice

* Sites:
http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adult/indexAdult.asp?Area=cyberbullying

http://www.cyberbullying.us/shareyourstory.php

But I Don't Know How to Make a Lesson Plan!

Andrada, Mara

But I Don’t Know How to Make a Lesson Plan!

About three weeks ago, my class was given the assignment to think of things children can count. It sounded like a simple assignment. After all, young students can count anything! I thought of rocks, books, pencils, people, flowers, and more. In a span of fifteen seconds, I thought I was finished. Little did I know that it cannot be that simple. The students are supposed to be able to count something that they can learn from. After participating in the M&M activity, I had an idea of what the assignment really was about. The class was supposed to make a lesson plan similar to the M&M activity but with more educational depth. With the help of the class and Dr. Cyrus, I chose to formulate a lesson plan in which students would survey their classmates about the modes of transportation they use to school. The students would also have the opportunity to survey other kids from different grade levels and would compare their results using a bar graph with each other.

To formulate the lesson plan, the class was required to use the ASSURE model. Although I found an explanation of the model online, I was still very confused about its elements. What does it mean to “utilize media and materials”? How was I supposed to write the lesson plan? I found it very helpful when Dr. Cyrus showed the class sample ASSURE lesson plans from her previous students. Using the notes I took while viewing the samples, I was able to plan the activity with more ease. In fact, I enjoyed being creative with my lesson plan. The most difficult challenge and the part I enjoyed the least was conjuring up the idea for my lesson plan. The part I liked the best was pretending I was an actual teacher and trying to use my creativity to make the lesson plan.

I believe that several of NETS*T standards, such as Standards 1A to 2E, apply to this assignment. To make it more relevant to my experience, I believe Standard 3C is the most applicable. According to the course syllabus this standard states, “Teachers apply technology to

develop students’ higher order skills and creativity”. I had to use several Internet sources, ranging from my Delicious List to the search engines I have never used before, to help me brainstorm possible lesson plans. Upon deciding on my final lesson plan, I still had to make changes to make it more educational for the students. It was indeed a very difficult task for me but I was able to use my critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, and creativity to accomplish the assignment. Aside from enhancing students’ critical thinking and creativity, applying technology also has other benefits. According to a Princeton University website, using technology in the classroom can also improve communication and confidence as well as increase interest in learning.

From this experience, I learned that thinking of fun, enjoyable, and educational activities for students may not seem as easy as it sounds. However once the idea is chosen, the process of lesson planning would come more easily. This assignment also made me realize that every step in lesson planning is important. Not only do I have to ensure all materials are prepared, but I have to continually assess students to see if learning objectives are met. I have to make certain that students actually learned from the activity. Lesson planning did not come easy for me in the beginning but I learned to enjoy and appreciate it.

References

Cradler, J. (n.d.). Summary of current research and evaluation findings on technology in education. Retrieved September 20, 2008, from Princeton University. Web site: http://
www.princeton.edu/~edutech/reports/findings.html