Journal post # 7

Focus Question - What are digital games for learning and how can students and teachers use them successfully?

        Digital games for learning are games that emphasized in active learning , sustained  concentration and focus and innovative approaches to problem solving. In order to use the digital games for learning successfully you have to minimize those that teach isolated skills. Choose games that are not solely base on winning or losing points. Discuss game content with student is also important and actually playing games with students.

Tech tool-  Rocket Math

Rocket Math is a game that is available on iPads and iPhones. Kids are able to build and change their rockets base on  how many problems they solve. With the points they earn they can even buy parts for their rockets. This app is a great way to capture the kids attentions and keep them interested.

Summary and connection 

                  This chapter explore the option of softwares, apps and games bring to the education.  At one of my observation at a North Naples Middle School I witness how technology enhanced education today.One of the teacher's had the opportunity to try out an iClass. He was provided with iPads and apps for his students and himself. His whole lesson have to involve technology and at the end he have to report what was good and bad about technology in the classroom. When I asked him what would he report at the end of the year, he simply said as of right now the only bad thing about this is every teacher don't have it in their class.

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010).Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.

Lewis, Hilary. 2012. Photograph. n.p. Web. 25 Feb 2014.

Journal Post #6

What are different types of educational websites available on the internet?

Educational websites are websites that provides digital content specifically designed to support k-12 curriculum learning. There are six types of educational websites, they are lesson plan, student to expert communication, real time and recorded data,archival and primary source, skill/practice and exploration and discovery. Lesson plan websites offers ideas for classroom lessons and lesson plans with step by step methods and procedures. Student-to -expert communication websites are websites where students in K-12 can exchange ideas and information between students.Real time and recorded data websites are present time information about different types of scientific phenomena. Archival and primary source websites allows students to conduct historical investigations skills practice websites offer subject -specific activities for students at all grade levels and exploration and discovery websites provide opportunities for students to engage in online explorations of topics of interest. 

Tech Tools - iNaturalist

This website is an interesting website where students can view and upload photos of animals plans from around the world. There are pictures posted on the website from Africa , Italy, Spain, and many more. To go beyond pictures, there are nature scientists they can communicate with as well. It is an example of real time and recorded data website.

Summary and connection

The chapter was about the various educational websites and app there are and how they are contributing to education and changing the way we teach the children of the future. Cellphone are one of the things we can't spend a day without using in today society, that's understandable because with a simple click we have access to the world wide web. Educational apps made it possible to access more resourceful information easier and quicker. Luminosity is an app that allows people to train their memories and multitasking abilities,I downloaded the app two days ago and I'm obsess with it.I look at it as being a good thing, instead of wasting my time with an app that I learn or gain nothing from, I'm educating and improving myself.

RESOURCES

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010).Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.

Davalos, Mario. 2011. Photograph. n.p. Web. 24 Feb 2014.

Journal #5

Focus Question- How can teachers and students thoughtfully evaluate online information resources , including Wikipedia?

       The association of College and Research Libraries , a division of the of the American library association, list five criteria to consider in determining the quality of a web resource. The five characteristic of how to measure the source are accuracy, authority ,objective, currency, and coverage.  The level of accuracy measures the overall reliability of the information, authority indicates the credential of the author, Objectivity test whether the information is fair or unbiased, currency means the site is up to date with recent information, and coverage suggest the information on the site can be viewed  without difficulties or extreme commercial messages. By using these five criteria teachers and students can thoughtfully evaluate online information  resources.

Tech Link- Sharing Information 

        Creative commons is an online database full of photo and video resources for use by teachers, students and general public. The information on the website have Creative Common licenses,  the purpose of the license is to create a balance between copyright protection for authors and free use by others. With this type of website its impossible to plagiarize on a paper or an assignment. The information is simply there for anyone to use, in other to use that information all that needs to be done is properly cite the information and give credit to the author.

Summary and Personal Connection 

     This chapter is about the information found online  It explains how to use the information properly and how to distinguish if the information is reliable or not.  When I was in Elementary the proper way to retrieve information online was not taught to me, I did not receive the proper training on online information until I was in high school. Due to the fact that toddlers these day are already in the internet  playing games looking things up, the proper way to evaluate technology needs to be taught to them starting from elementary schools to college.

RESOURCES

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010).Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.