Module H: Copyright Myths

Copyrights are very confusing for both teachers and the students they are required to teach them to. Thankfully, the Internet is full of resources for students and teachers, so that we can understand and relay the important information on to others. Templetons.com clears up ten of the top copyright myths.

For example, creating your own story off of another doesn’t give you the copyrights, because the characters, specific themes, relationships, etc already belong to someone else.

It is important that we educate out next generation of copyright laws because it can get them into serious trouble. Plagiarism can get them expelled from school, and infringing on copy rights, depending on the material, can earn them as high as a felony.

I personally understand the importance of copyright laws because I am a writer. As a writer, I work very hard on developing characters, plots, and new, exciting themes for my stories. It feels like a personal insult when someone just copy and pastes your hard work and doesn’t even give you credit, even if unintentional. Stories are rarely infringed on compared to artwork. I am friends with many artists who have lots of trouble dealing with art theirs. Informing everyone of the creators rights is important because it could give them the knowledge ahead of time that what they’re doing is wrong and the possible consequences of their actions if they decide to go through with it anyway (http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html).

Mod G: How Stuff Works

This week I visited “How Stuff Works” (http://www.howstuffworks.com/). It is important to evaluate any website you’re asking your students to visit, so I first conclude this is not only an interesting, education website but it is also trustworthy. ‘How Stuff Works’ is sponsored/ funded by the Discovery Company.

This website has everything. Just choose your subject: Adventure, Animals, Auto, Culture, Entertainment, Health, Home & Garden, Lifestyle, Money, Science, or Tech. This website has articles and videos explaining how anything and everything works.

On the front page of the Science section, the website has information a nuclear bombs and robots; even a video on how robots are made. This website could be helpful to a wide range of subjects and could be used for a range of projects, activities, and assignments. This website is informative but also interesting. Students will love this website because it offers an entertainment section as well as interesting articles and videos in all of the other sections. In the science section, sci-fi weapons are revealed. Sci-fi videos of weapons and even an article on how laser guns work will help keep students entertained as well as educated. While interesting, the articles call upon scientific information and gets students thinking in a new way.

MOD F Integration: Foreign Language Online Activities

This week there were plenty of interesting websites to choose from. As I explored, I found websites with lesson plans helping teachers integrate technology into their activities and an online science lab, but the most useful page I found was an online page for internet activities dealing with foreign languages.

                                 

During high school, I struggled with Spanish in High School. The online activities and resources this website has for teachers would definitely help future foreign language students.

This website offers help for foreign language teachers to integrate technology in their classroom. This websites offers a ‘how to write activities for the web’ link, in addition to ‘reading strategies for web activities’ and a web lesson evaluation form. This would definitely benefit our students learn, since we've come so adapt to using technology in everything we do, teachers need to make learning adapt to the times and what will make the students successful.

The website also offers a long list of activities for three levels of Spanish and French. There are also activities for many other languages; including Chinese and Italian. These online activities are definitely a better way to learn a new language then being trapped in a text book. The vast list of websites could be great activities for substitute teachers to give out.

 http://www.clta.net/lessons/index.html

Mod E Integration

The Smithsonian History Explorer (http://historyexplorer.americanhistory.si.edu/) is a wonderful tool for teachers. They provide online tours of historical events. This is a perfect activity for when the teacher is out. The substitute or students can easily get it started, and it’s online so there is no worries about dealing with television sets, DVD, or video cassette players.

One of tours I found was on the Brown vs. Board. It included a twenty minute instructional portion and a 30 minute question portion. This is wonderful for teachers because they do not have to worry about writing up questions to make sure the students are paying attention and retaining the information.

The Smithsonian History Explorer also links teachers to other websites with historical information on any topic. For a history class researching the White House, the Smithsonian History Explorer links you to a single website with pages and pages of information including history, art work, and the pets who’ve stayed in the white house.

This website is wonderful for teachers and students. Teachers have access to historical tools to use in the classroom, and students have a go-to resource for all things history. Because this website is funded and provided by the Smithsonian, we can assume it to be scholarly so our students will be learning accurate historical information.



The President's House
George Munger

Why We Cry

I just finished watching Armageddon on television. For some reason the whole movie made me want to cry and then I suddenly wondered why. Just like anyone else with a question, I went to google for the answer. I came along an interesting articles I decided to share.
http://www.gibbsmagazine.com/CryinLaughing.htm
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/why-do-we-cry.html
Check them out! It's pretty interesting.

Mod D Integration: Learning Digitally

Digital Learning

The opportunities for technology and tools for teachers in the classroom are endless. Interestingly enough, something as common to our lives and uncommon for the use of academics, the digital camera is a fun, exciting way to incorporate technology into the classroom. Digital camera’s can be used academically for all ages; they are simple enough for elementary students and yet complex enough for high school students. So how can digital cameras be used academically?

Students can use digital camera in numerous subjects and activities. When learning about numbers, students could photograph groupings of 1, 2, 3, 4…etc. Students learning about colors could be assigned to take photos of objects of a particular color or an array of colors. The possibilities are endless.

When thinking about educational technology, the digital camera is rare to make the list at all. Why not incorporate something so common in our lives today to school. Making assignments fun will get students involved. Digital camera cam be used more in classrooms in our schools today, not only in photography class.

I personally have a cousin who is obsessed with taking pictures; one after the other. Why not use her passion for photography to help her learn her colors and numbers. The assignments are fun and academic. Here’s a website for more ideas if you’re interested: http://www.hardin.k12.ky.us/res_techn/TEC/digitalcamera/primary.htm

Digital cameras can be used as high as the college level as well. For example college sociology classes can be required to take photographs of trends in today’s culture and society. When the lesson is over, the photographs can be deleted to make room for more on the next topic or saved on memory cards in order to make a comparison for a final exam or project.

Mary Cecil's Module C Integration: Safety Land

AT&T hosts a game wonderful for teaching Internet safety to students. Although the game is under the Middle School Corner, I feel this game would be more effective with late elementary students. Students are learning how to operate computers much earlier than when I was a kid. It is important to get safety skills to students early on. Also, the nature of the game would easily bore middle school students. The game, based around a Super Hero, is childish.  Elementary aged children would feel comfortable learning how to stay safe on the internet while helping ‘Captain Broadband’ keep Safety Land Safe.

The game is focused on beings safe when it comes to surfing the web and chatting online. It promotes for the students to contact teachers and/or parents when a disturbing photo appears or if someone requests information over the internet. These skills will be very important to young kids more so than middle school students because the middle school students are in a ‘rebelling’ phase that might provoke them to take risks. If elementary students are equipped with these safety skills, they will be better prepared for their future on the internet, including their ‘rebelling’ phase. The students will know that the internet is a dangerous place when it comes to information and strangers and it will promote communication with teachers and parents regarding the internet.

Go here to play: http://www.att.com/Common/images/safety/game.html

The International Telementor Program

The International Telementor Program (http://www.telementor.org/) is an excellent opportunity for students; whether they are diligently focused on their studies or need that boost to stay focused. Students can interact with mentors in their feild of interest for support and advice on making it into the field. Even if they change their mind later on, the information and interaction will be remembered for a lifetime and no doubt assist them with their new goals. Students can work together with professionals and get inside information on what to do, what not to do, and how to go about doing it. These relationships could also assist students when it comes to internships and when references are needed.

Students of all kinds can benefit! Students who are actively engaged in their studies and who are determined to achieve their goals would obviously benefit by getting advice and information. Students who lack the determination could benefit from the mentor's advice whether it be academic or social. These relationships will allow the students to find a local, real life idol that they can look up to.

I personally wish I had the opportunity to participate in such a program. High school created a lot of free time that I could have spent focusing on gaining insight and skills I would need in my future. The opportunity, although different for others, could benefit students like myself. Even now that I’ve entered college and my time has come short, I would consider interacting in such a remarkable program. The opportunity would provide endless benefits and much needed guidance. This is definitely something I would want to be involved in and would definitely try to promote in my classroom!

Intergrating Technology into the Classroom

Quiz star, an online quiz making resource, is an excellent resource to use to engage student interaction, learning, and solidify computer research skills. Quiz star could be used to allow students to take quizzes at home. The home setting is less stressful and could allow students to perform better. It could also allow students to research answers in their books or online. Using this resource in a in class setting could allow teachers to require students to research their answers online and eliminate the opportunity for students to use their books, thus enhancing their online research abilities and opening up options for future online research assignments for any class.

This resource is potentially a benefit for all teachers. It could be used for research practice purposes, academic testing or quizzing purposes and can be used across the board of classroom subjects and topics because the teacher makes the quiz and available options. The quiz can be easy or difficult depending on the teacher’s knowledge of the students and their abilities as well as their own academic needs. The quiz can also be administered in multiple languages which is important for teachers struggling to assist English Language Learners in their classroom with limited resources.

Blogging in Education, Module A Task

I am Mary Cecil, a writer and student. I plan on teaching English literature and possibly mathematics as well. I love literature so the desire to teach others to love it too comes naturally. Also naturally are my mathematics skills, so I also wish to be certified to teach math in order to share my abilities with others, specifically those who find math doesn’t come as easily.

Communication and Collaboration is important inside and outside of the classroom. The importance for communication outside of the classroom is one of the main reasons it is so important inside of the classroom. In the work force, students will need to use social and communication skills to make the sale or even be the seller. Collaboration is just as important because students seldom work alone in the work force. Inside the classroom, students can share their knowledge with each other to broaden their own understanding of the material or help those around them who are struggling.

Using blogging, I can give students information about assignments and engage them with any questions they might have on the assignment or required understanding of the material. It can also be used to connect students to each other and their peer’s ideas. This provides students with a go-to online resource that I can reiterate material, information, assignments, and most importantly, due dates to them without the restrictions on my own availability. It is also accessible from any internet capable device. Hard Copies can also be distributed to make sure everyone has a copy, but for those who procrastinate and lose their copy, there is an online resource to assist them.

When blogging is concerned, I believe it is the most important for ensuring communication with parents. Not every parent is interested in their child’s education, but for those who are but are too busy to meet or volunteer, the blog provides an online, at your leisure source to keep parents informed on events and important due dates.

Blogging is important for teachers as well. Teachers can use other teacher’s blogs as a resource for solving problems in the classroom. Teachers can also find solutions through blogging and getting responses from their teaching peers. Blogging can also be used as an outlet for teachers to communicate with parents with ease without disrupting their busy schedule or sacrificing their free time.

EME2040Test

This is my test blog for my Technology for Educators class. So far, so good!