Integrating Websites into the Classroom

Ocean Portal: You Navigate

This site provides information all about the oceans. It is most appropriate for middle school or high school level students. Viewers can read blog posts about different life and activites taking place in the ocean, it informs student about current events affecting the oceans through blog posts, podcasts, and links to news articles, it also does a great job of getting students involved in the care of our oceans by informing them of the negative impacts people are having on ocean life, and what they can do to help preserve our oceans. The site is attractive, easy to navigate and well organized, all the posts are categorized under Ocean life and Ecosystems, Photo Essays, The Ocean Over Times, The Ocean and You, or For Educators, so that it is easy for the user to find eaxctly what they're looking for. Ocean Portal has many different ways for users to view information; podcasts, pictures, photo essays, blogs, and news articles, so that there is a media that appeals to each type of learner that views the site. One cool feature is the TOPP, Tagging of Pacific Predators, where students can view a map of the pacific ocean, that shows where real Great White Sharks are moving throughout the Pacific Ocean. Guiding users through the TOPP is an interactive Great White Shark widget named Oomoo.

This site could be used in the classroom by educating students about the negative effects people are having on the oceans, students could collaoratively work together to do something as a class that helps preserve the oceans. The site gives many ideas for wht students could do such as, recylcing, energy conservation, and making sure tires are fully inflated before you drive. Students could also brainstorm to come up with their own ocean preservation ideas. It could also be used as a research tool for students who are writing research papers, giving oral presentations, or making projects about ocean science.

Ocean Portal can be used outside the classroom to change the way that students use enrergy and resources at home now that they are conscious of the impact their actions have on the oceans. Print Page in IE

Telacollaboration

A good telacollaborative activity can greatly increase the quality of learning within the classroom. Telacollaboration allows students other modes of learning instead of simply the teaching given by the teacher during classroom times. Students can learn from each other and from other experts via various technological methods. Telacollaborative activities increase student’s critical thinking skills because it forces them to ask questions to further their own learning. Students will not only listen to instruction but expand their understanding by taking their learning into their own hands. The two highest levels of Bloom’s taxonomy are synthesis and evaluation. Telacollaboration can help reach these two levels of understanding. Synthesis can be reached by students working together with each other and with other experts to invent and develop their own ideas and products. Evaluation can be reached by students peer-reviewing each other’s work through avenues such as e-mails and blogs. Students also have to learn the skill of working together, as stated in the Penn State Article, many students have been working independently for so long that they do not have to skill of collaborating with others to reach a common goal. There are many uses to telacollaborative activities which increase a student’s authentic learning and understanding of a subject.

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My Tech Past, Present, and Future

Past:
Throughout elementary school, computers were introduced to me in other subjects, such as learning how to use Word, search for articles online, or use an online encyclopedia for science, history, or english classes. I also had a typing class in a year of upper elementary school. I was also ocassionally allowed to play computer games that enhanced my learning. In highschool my knowledge of computers was expanded through learning about specfic search engines, how to make graphs and spreadsheats, as well as how to make power points.

Present:
Since I hope to be a kindergarten teacher, I will most likely use technology somewhat less than if I were teaching an upper elementary class. However, my students will be introduced to computers in my classroom. I think that allowing children to first use computers for playing educational games is a way not only to educate them about computers, but it also gives them a positive attitude toward the usage of technology, and encourages them to learn more about it as they grow. Children can also be introduced to simply uses of a computer, such as learning to type their name, and a few cite words into a word program.

Future:
I anticiapte the most difficult part of using technology in my classroom to be keeping updated with the changes in technology. Technology is developing at a very fast rate, and although I will be using simple forms if technology, I will have to find the time to keep updated on the newest versions technology so that my students will not be behind on the current uses of computers. Print Page in IE