Web 2.0 & Pay Attention!!!

Until recently I didn’t know what “Web 2.0” meant. I now understand its meaning and why it is important in the classroom. Today’s world has become a digital one; therefore, it is not hard to understand why we need to use more technology in the classroom. Today’s student is more technological inclined than any other previous generation. We, as teachers, should use every method available to us to engage and enrich our students; including technology. I love the example used in the Pay Attention video about using cell phones. Even the widely banned cell phone can be used to learn in the classroom. We need to open our eyes to the many possibilities technology offers!

Wiki is wonderful

I have been exploring our class Wiki for a few weeks. Now that I have played with it I can see its potential. As a student I can see myself using it to organize group projects and meetings. As a teacher I can see myself use it to communicate with parents! It could be used as a virtual meeting place for parents and a teacher. It is great that you as the administrator can limit the access to the members.

Wiki has much potential, and I can’t wait to use it.

Fun Science with Steve Spangler

YouTube is one of the few web-sources that allow a person to take and use without copy-write issues. You can find almost anything on YouTube and as a teacher and as a student, there are many resources you can use.

Podcasting

I found some useful information about Podcasting that is available at this link:

http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/sites/sites074.shtml

Enjoy!!!

Fun with Flickr

I just finished watching the videos about Photo Sharing and Flickr. As could be predicted, as soon as I was done learning about Flickr, I went into exploration mode. I have been playing with Flickr for a little while now and I see potential this type of service could have as a teacher. In every classroom, there are students who need visual aids (like pictures) to help them understand something. I now realize how easy it will be to find the appropriate photo using Photo Sharing sites like Flickr. It is so very useful to be able to search the photo database by tags in order to find specific photos. Another potential use these websites have is to help find pictures for use in projects. As a student, I (and in the future, my students) will be able to use pictures from Photo Sharing website in my projects (as long as they are not copyrighted).

My Aha! Moment ... RSS Readers!!!

OMG … I can not believe I did not know about RSS before now! I’ve been seeing the little orange icon here and there, but I never paid much attention to it. I will be setting up my Google Reader page today and from now on I’ll be using my time on the web efficiently. I think having my favourite websites come to me is an amazing idea and I agree with the video announcer: “It will be addictive” but so much fun!!!

Importance of Technology in the Classroom

After having watched the “Pay Attention” video, I realize I very rarely encounter the useful use of technology in the classroom. When I was in grade school, the only technology being used was videos. I still remember the level of excitement getting elevated when the teacher would wheel that monstrous television and VCR into class. This memory proves that students crave technology in the classroom; even if it is very rudimentary!

Even at the university level, professors seldom use technology of any kind. I am a very visual learner (or at least I thought I was until I did the Memletic Style Quiz … Ha!); therefore, I need some visual support. For this reason, I enjoy lectures supported with PowerPoint or even slides. Nevertheless, I now realize that there are so many other ways to present a lecture visually involving technology.

I have to agree with the video’s main point: It is important to ENGAGE students! I feel technology is not the only way to accomplish this; but it is definitely one very real way to. Podcasts, Cell Phones, Computers and Smart Boards are just a few ways to get students actively involved in learning. When you’re having fun, you don’t even realize you are learning; and most students have fun with technology!

As a future teacher, I see the potential that involving technology in my classroom will have. As a result I am eager to begin engaging my students!

Memletic Style Quiz

I have recently completed the Memletic Styles Quiz. I do have some previous experience with Learning Styles Tests; however, all previous Learning Style Tests I have completed were designed to differentiate between three different learning styles (Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic). My results have always shown that I am a very clear Visual Learner (almost always 100% Visual Learner). A major difference between the previous Learning Styles Tests I have completed and this quiz is that the Memletic Style Quiz is designed to find which learning style you are among seven different styles (Visual, Aural, Verbal, Physical, Logical, Social and Solitary); therefore, I was not sure what to expect.

According to the Memletic Style Quiz Results, I am most strongly a Verbal Style Learner (with a score or 18/20) and an Aural Style Learner (with a score of 16/20). I am in shocked to see that I only score 10/20 in the Visual Learning Style and that this is my second lowest learning style (only Physical Learning Styles was lower).

I did research the definition of Verbal and Aural Learning styles to see what they mean. I now agree that these are definitely on point with my personality. A Verbal Learner is someone who loves reading and writing. Also these learners enjoy word games, rhymes and limericks. An Aural Learner is someone who is passionate about music. There are two activities in my life that I am passionate about. I love to read. I am most happy getting lost in a good book. But more important: Music is in my blood. I have been a member of a choir, a band and an orchestra. I listen to all types of music and enjoy them all for different reasons. I can’t not tap my toe to the music, nor can I stop myself from humming along. I often made up songs to help me memorise things (like the Periodic Table of Elements). Now I see that I am indeed a Verbal Learner and an Aural Learner!

My First Blog!!!

I am a UNB Saint John student who is currently entering my third year. For years I have been pondering the age-old question: What do I want to do with my life? I recently realized that I want children to be able to look to me for guidance and feel that they can trust me. In essence, I want to be a role model. A Teacher!
With this revelation came my enrolment at UNB and my consequent move to Saint John. I have experienced many challenges since arriving; however, I feel it has all been worth it and I look forward to realizing my dreams.