This week in our class we have been learning about evaluating websites and learning internet safety. I guess I never really thought about how important those two things really are until we started focusing on them.
When we started on the webquest activity I realized that I need to teach the same information to my students. The internet is a wonderful tool, but it can be dangerous. I plan to teach my students how to evaluate a website so they know what information is good or bad. They need to know how to evaluate in depth and ask themselves questions like: What is the purpose of this website? Is the author credible? When was this written or last updated? Are there sources? With this information they can decide what is appropriate to use for research and report purposes.
It is also important to teach children to be safe using the internet. I hope to use the internet safety activity that I created for my UEN website in my classroom someday. I think students can learn a lot from those activities and they will enjoy them too.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
UEN Reflection
Libby Tenney
Edel 2200-01
UEN Reflection
When I first started on UEN I was very overwhelmed and felt it was too much for me to use let alone my students. I was very skeptical of the different databases that could be used and if they would really be useful. After playing around for a few hours I realized how great the many tools are, and how much is available to not only teachers, but students as well.
I loved going through and finding lesson plans and ideas for interactive ways of learning. One of my greatest fears in teaching is that I won’t find something that will engage my students in the subject they are learning. I don’t want to plan a lesson that is boring or totally wrong for what the students should be learning. I found the core curriculum to be very helpful because it spells out exactly what is expected of each student and then the website gives helps to teachers for accomplishing those goals given by the state. When I have my own classroom I will definitely be using the lesson plans and helps found on the UEN website.
When it comes to using the UEN resources in my classroom for my students, I will probably use the Pioneer Online Library the most. There is so much in all of the different databases for students to use when researching and exploring different topics. I would love to teach my students how to research, even if it’s just a little bit. Fifth graders don’t really need the researching skills high school students need, but introducing them to research will only better their skills when they are a little bit older.
I loved using the eMedia library! I had no idea there was anything like that out there for teachers to use. I really want to use this in my classroom for class presentations. I can have students research a topic to present to the class and maybe they can use the movie clips found in the eMedia library to actually show the class what they learned. I loved that there was so much out there that is new and updated. Students could actually enjoy learning core curriculum material through these film clips because they aren’t outdated and boring.
Overall, I think UEN is a great website and a wonderful tool for students and teachers. Hopefully over the next few years that I am still in school I can get familiar enough with their programs to be comfortable enough to teach it someday. I love that I have access to all of these great resources, they will help me become a better teacher for my students before I even step into a classroom.
Edel 2200-01
UEN Reflection
When I first started on UEN I was very overwhelmed and felt it was too much for me to use let alone my students. I was very skeptical of the different databases that could be used and if they would really be useful. After playing around for a few hours I realized how great the many tools are, and how much is available to not only teachers, but students as well.
I loved going through and finding lesson plans and ideas for interactive ways of learning. One of my greatest fears in teaching is that I won’t find something that will engage my students in the subject they are learning. I don’t want to plan a lesson that is boring or totally wrong for what the students should be learning. I found the core curriculum to be very helpful because it spells out exactly what is expected of each student and then the website gives helps to teachers for accomplishing those goals given by the state. When I have my own classroom I will definitely be using the lesson plans and helps found on the UEN website.
When it comes to using the UEN resources in my classroom for my students, I will probably use the Pioneer Online Library the most. There is so much in all of the different databases for students to use when researching and exploring different topics. I would love to teach my students how to research, even if it’s just a little bit. Fifth graders don’t really need the researching skills high school students need, but introducing them to research will only better their skills when they are a little bit older.
I loved using the eMedia library! I had no idea there was anything like that out there for teachers to use. I really want to use this in my classroom for class presentations. I can have students research a topic to present to the class and maybe they can use the movie clips found in the eMedia library to actually show the class what they learned. I loved that there was so much out there that is new and updated. Students could actually enjoy learning core curriculum material through these film clips because they aren’t outdated and boring.
Overall, I think UEN is a great website and a wonderful tool for students and teachers. Hopefully over the next few years that I am still in school I can get familiar enough with their programs to be comfortable enough to teach it someday. I love that I have access to all of these great resources, they will help me become a better teacher for my students before I even step into a classroom.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Microsoft Word
When we started learning about Microsoft Word in class this week I thought I knew everything there was to know about the program. Until I found out how much the program had changed from an older version to the current version.
I had so much fun playing around in that program this week, I immediately wanted it. Right now my mac at home doesn't have Microsoft Office and I was pretty sad about it. I even tried to convince my husband to purchase it for me :)
Playing around on the new Microsoft Word made me realize how useful it is for students. I love all of the features in Word that can help make a paper great. Students could easily learn to use it and be competent very quickly. If each classroom had Microsoft Word students would learn about writing and do it well earlier in life. I think most adults and college students don't enjoy writing academically. We aren't sure of how to set up our papers and what tools there are to make the process even easier. But, Microsoft Word has made things so easy for us. I would love to have some computers in my classroom so students can take turns becoming familiar with Word. The writing experience would be much easier and give students an independence when it comes to writing.
Most fifth graders I know, have to have their parents type up papers and projects. The only problem is, most of their parents don't understand the program they have. With Microsoft Word in the classroom students can prepare for future classes, learn how to write academically, and become literate in a computer program. I think someday we won't be writing letters or using whiteboard or even paper in the classroom. Technology is so advanced now and getting better everyday. Teaching Microsoft Word in the classroom will only help benefit the children of today and open the way for complete technological communication in the future. I plan to teach my students how to utilize the technology that is so easily accessible so that they can be the ones changing the world for a better tomorrow.
I had so much fun playing around in that program this week, I immediately wanted it. Right now my mac at home doesn't have Microsoft Office and I was pretty sad about it. I even tried to convince my husband to purchase it for me :)
Playing around on the new Microsoft Word made me realize how useful it is for students. I love all of the features in Word that can help make a paper great. Students could easily learn to use it and be competent very quickly. If each classroom had Microsoft Word students would learn about writing and do it well earlier in life. I think most adults and college students don't enjoy writing academically. We aren't sure of how to set up our papers and what tools there are to make the process even easier. But, Microsoft Word has made things so easy for us. I would love to have some computers in my classroom so students can take turns becoming familiar with Word. The writing experience would be much easier and give students an independence when it comes to writing.
Most fifth graders I know, have to have their parents type up papers and projects. The only problem is, most of their parents don't understand the program they have. With Microsoft Word in the classroom students can prepare for future classes, learn how to write academically, and become literate in a computer program. I think someday we won't be writing letters or using whiteboard or even paper in the classroom. Technology is so advanced now and getting better everyday. Teaching Microsoft Word in the classroom will only help benefit the children of today and open the way for complete technological communication in the future. I plan to teach my students how to utilize the technology that is so easily accessible so that they can be the ones changing the world for a better tomorrow.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Blogs Rock!
Before I even started this class I loved to Blog. For me and my family it is a way to stay in touch and keep up on everyone's lives even though we don't have time to see each other. But, I didn't realize that blogging could be a great use in the classroom.
I want to teach 5th grade and most parents might freak out if a teacher asked their child to get a blogger account, but I think it would be a great tool. Blogging is a form of journal writing in my mind. Whether you like to write poetry, songs, a play-by-play of your day, or to just cover big events in your life, it is a wonderful thing.
Most teachers have children write a journal entry or do some form of writing in class each day that takes about thirty minutes. I think blogging could be the new form of that in class writing, to be done at home. I know that whenever I was an intern in a classroom, teachers always wanted more time for one subject or another. If we took that simple writing time out of the classroom, teachers could have more time for other things.
Also, another great point could be made with having students do a daily journal entry at home. When I was a kid, I didn't realize that writing was important and needed to be used outside of the classroom. I learned to enjoy writing and keeping a journal of sorts when I was in high school. I think that if we have kids blogging at home they will learn to apply writing and what they are learning in school to their own lives much faster.
Although parents may be skeptical there are other positive things about blogger that I haven't mentioned yet. Blogger is a secure site, students can all have their pages available to the teacher and fellow students only. Using this internet site can help children become more familiar with using different tools on the internet. The way fonts, color, and bullets are used in this program are similar to many word processing programs that kids will have to use to write papers.
Each child could benefit from blogging in accordance with their classes. Blogger is a great way for children to learn more about computers and how they work, to apply writing to their own lives, and to have fun while doing school work and learning. In the future, I hope to be able to incorporate some sort of blogging into my own classroom.
I want to teach 5th grade and most parents might freak out if a teacher asked their child to get a blogger account, but I think it would be a great tool. Blogging is a form of journal writing in my mind. Whether you like to write poetry, songs, a play-by-play of your day, or to just cover big events in your life, it is a wonderful thing.
Most teachers have children write a journal entry or do some form of writing in class each day that takes about thirty minutes. I think blogging could be the new form of that in class writing, to be done at home. I know that whenever I was an intern in a classroom, teachers always wanted more time for one subject or another. If we took that simple writing time out of the classroom, teachers could have more time for other things.
Also, another great point could be made with having students do a daily journal entry at home. When I was a kid, I didn't realize that writing was important and needed to be used outside of the classroom. I learned to enjoy writing and keeping a journal of sorts when I was in high school. I think that if we have kids blogging at home they will learn to apply writing and what they are learning in school to their own lives much faster.
Although parents may be skeptical there are other positive things about blogger that I haven't mentioned yet. Blogger is a secure site, students can all have their pages available to the teacher and fellow students only. Using this internet site can help children become more familiar with using different tools on the internet. The way fonts, color, and bullets are used in this program are similar to many word processing programs that kids will have to use to write papers.
Each child could benefit from blogging in accordance with their classes. Blogger is a great way for children to learn more about computers and how they work, to apply writing to their own lives, and to have fun while doing school work and learning. In the future, I hope to be able to incorporate some sort of blogging into my own classroom.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
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