Custom Made Software

This article that I read today was a really cool idea to read about. It basically said that there is a school in Province that has a class creating software for teachers based around individual teachers needs and curriculum. I like this idea because the teacher knows that the software that they are getting is specifically tailored to the individual teachers needs. The article went on to quote some teachers and administrators responding to the class and the software that they created. I think more colleges should be doing this. U.F. is so good about helping teachers and schools around them that they should look into this kind of class. As a teacher I can tell you that I would love to get some software that helps teach the students the curriculum.

Here is the link to the article if you want to read the article: http://www.brown.edu/Administration/ George_Street_Journal/v20/v20n30/software.html

Evaluating Software

Now that I have talked about the importance of software for the past couple of weeks. I have decided it is time to move on to software and the use of software in the classroom. The web page that I checked out this week was for evaluating educational software. This is a good site to check out for both teachers and administration. It is pretty much just a check this of ideas that teaches need to keep in mind when finding software to use in the classroom. It was good to look at and study, but for me some of it was had to understand. The concept although was great and I do believe that software needs to be evaluated before teachers use it in class and I also believe that teachers need to make sure that they are using software productively in class.
Here is the link to the site: http://www.masterteacher.com/standards/charts/1283.pdf

Evaluating Technology

To finish up this week read an article that is from Indiana and states how technology needs to be evaluated in education. This is important because we need to hold teachers accountable that the technology that is being used in the classroom is being used for a good reason. As most would assume technology needs to support the criteria in which it is being used for. computers, software, and other technologies can provide a better and stronger learning environment for all students when used correctly. This speaker states that the main reasons for using the computer in school for instruction would include: curriculum development, instructional design, and assessments (Frick 2006). He also states that it can be used for school organizational systems by: offering leadership, professional development, policies, resources, and development of learning communities (Frick 2006).
This was a great article just to read up on what another state expects as we incorporate more and more technology into the classroom.

Frick, T. 2006, "Criteria for Evaluating Use of Technology in K-12 Education".
March 17, 2007 from: www.education.indiana.edu/keyfrick.html

Making Computer in Classrooms Work

I found this paper online that it seems a student wrote. I was sure if I was going to use it, but it did state some good points and after talking to my wife she said it might be useful for others to know what is needed. To me is was mostly pretty obvious, but he had many numbers and statistics to back up the information that we already know.
Basically this paper stated that computers are becoming more and more regular in the classroom and that the lack of knowledge of computers is hurting the incorporation of computers in the classroom. We all know that technology can frighten away people before they even try it. I think that is why I'm so interested in learning facts and ideas to get other teachers on board for the use of technology in the classroom. This scare makes it hard to use technology and computers to the fullest extent and get the most out of them. This problem needs to be fixed and fixed fast since computers are becoming very popular in society. One of the interesting statistics the write has is that, "80% of students with family incomes of 75,000 dollars or more use computers at home , while only 10% of students use computers at home with a family income of 10,000 dollars (Lee 1999). This means that there is a gap of students that are not getting any interaction with computers and technology, so we as teachers need to get it to them. In order for this to happen though teachers need the right training to use the computers and technology appropriately. The problem goes back to teachers being scare of technology, so what can be done. I laugh because I think of Bransford from our reading this week and picture his answer for this problem would be close to locking teachers in a room and tell them they can't go home until they figure out how to work computers and programs. Not getting to go home at the end of a day would really get that anxiety going.
Anyways, it was a good read to see what information in number form on information I already knew.

Here's the link:
Lee, N. 1999, "Computer Technology in the Classroom."
Retrieved March 13, 2007 from: http://www.msu.edu/~leenicho/paper4.htm

WI-FI Issues

Hey guys. I was recently talking to my head tech guy at my school and we were discussing the use of WI-FI in the school. You see out school is being drastically overhauled in the up coming years (which is really needed) and I was wondering if there were plans to make the school wireless. After that I ran into this article on the web about places trying to ban wireless. The article claimed that some schools reported that student had loss of concentration, headaches, memory loss, fatigue, and even behavior problems (Burson 2006). This has caused the school to chose not to use the wireless connections in which the school is ready for and have Burson 2006).
What is your feeling on this subject? I have a wireless connection at home and it is always on and I don't have these symptoms. At least not that I can remember (Ha-Ha). have you ever heard anything like this?



Burson, S. (2006). "MP Urges Ban On Wi-Fi Technology In Schools"
March 16, 2006, from http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/printable _version

Using Technology In The Classroom

The last article that I read for this week was an interesting article. It was from the Kentucky Department of Education and was posted as a PTA bulletin. What I liked about the article is that for me it gave me a comparison on what the belief of technology should be and where it is going in Florida and what other states are doing or planning to do with technology. It also gave me as an educator a chance to see what parents were expecting to see with the use of technology in the classroom. While there were many ideas and beliefs in this article from Kentucky that we in Florida are already using and implementing, there were a few new ideas and thoughts that I found interesting and feel we as a country should keep in mind as we continue as educators to integrate technology into the classroom.

Here is the web site to read the whole article:
www.education.ky.gov/KDE/Instructional+Resources/Technology

Computers In The Classroom

Getting computers in the classroom may seem like the tricky part of the using technology in the classroom, but that is only half of the work. Once you have computers in your classroom it is important to use them in a positive and rewarding way that supports the growth of your students.
The web site that I checked out for this blog had a simple list of ten things to remember when integrating technology into the classroom. The list was very informative and kept simple. The creator of the web site definitely wanted the reader to enjoy the reading and not feel over burdened by lengthy paragraphs. This web site was a great place that gives the reader ideas on how to start using computers properly in school and the classroom.

Here is the link to visit and check out the web site:
http://pigseye.kennesaw.edu/~snoviell/integrating.htm

Computers in Education

The article that I read had a simple thought that it wanted the reader to think about. Simply put the article takes a look at two schools one school has a laptop for each school and the other has one computer for every three students. The later of the two schools couldn't keep up with the cost of technology. The thought of the reader is to figure out if technology makes a difference in education.
I chose this article because it seemed like a good place to start this course at. As we are about to study technology and the uses of it in the classroom it is important to know that we as educators must take full advantage of the technology and make sure to get as much out of it as possible. Sure it is possible to teach the curriculum with out computers and technology. But having it can make all the difference for some students and mean a passing grade and a better grasp of the concepts being taught, as opposed to failing and not understanding the materials. Technology needs to be seen not as a necessity of teaching the curriculum (books, lectures, and worksheets can do that), but a necessity of teaching to all children and giving every child the best opportunity to succeed.

Topic of Study

My topic of study is the use of technology in the educational field. I'm currently taking my last two classes to complete my Master's Degree. Technology is something that I really enjoy and strongly believe in. Education, in my belief, needs to get as much technology into as possible. technology can only help students learn and participate in ways that regular textbook teaching can not. Throughout my semesters, while completing my masters, I have read and learned many ideas in which I have incorporated into my classroom and in doing so I have inspire the students and help some, if not all, understand the subject matter better.