Weblogging

The semester has come to an end. I've have thoroughly enjoyed my time in IT 3210. I definitely will use what I have learned in my future career as an educator. Weblogging was fun and I will keep up with it and continue to blog.

E-Portfoloio

My Learning Environment E-Portfolio can be found here.

Final Reflection

Compared to the beginning of the semester, I feel completely prepared to enter the classroom and use technology in a lesson. I have been introduced to many new technologies and ways to implement them. Before taking this class, I only knew of Microsoft Office products, Corel Draw, the Internet and a few others, now my "library" is growing.

Being that I now have the knowledge of the technologies available, the only thing I think could help me use it in the classroom would be access to the technologies. I am fully motivated and eager to use technology in the foreign language classroom; however, should I be employed in the future at a school that does not have technology resources available, I may not be able to use all of what I have learned in this class. I don't think that the lack of technology resources will have a great impact on my teaching because students were being taught before technology was present.

In my opinion, technology can help teaching and learning, if used correctly, because it provides alternate methods of teaching and learning. If the capabilities of the technology are not known, then it will not be helpful. To keep up with the changes in technology as I move through my teaching career, I plan to continue to blog and research. Many internet resources were presented to me in this class and I plan to use them.

I really enjoyed this class and am glad that it was a requirement for education majors. I intend to use everything I have learned here in my future. Not only the software presented, but also the Internet resources that Mrs. Davis shared with the class.

Software and Website Evaluation

I chose to evaluate Inspiration Software (you can read about Inspiration here). I would recommend this concept mapping software because it is fun and easy to use.

The website I chose was Spanish Grammar Exercises. I would definitely recommend this website to Spanish language teachers and learners alike. This website provides many different drill-and-practice activities as well as listening activities. It is easy to navigate and not too busy.

Digital Divide Network

Are there ways in which we can help low-income parents become more active
in their children’s learning? Are there simple tools or resources that can make
a difference? At Computers for Youth (CFY) we are pursuing the answers to these
questions. A non-profit organization, CFY has provided nearly 5,000 low-income
children and families in New York City with home computers and many support
services over the last five years.

This is from an article in The Digital Divide Network by Kallen Tsikalas and Elisabeth Stock. Their research found that by providing these low-income homes with refurbished computers, the parents/caregivers are provided with new ways to participate in the child's education. Parents use the computers to push the child to higher learning. I think it is important for each child to have access to computers, if they are guided on how to use it. If the child only knows how to play games on the computer, this is not elevating their learning. CFY provides the students with free technical support, which I think is good to keep them encouraged to try new things with their computers (i.e., programming, research, web page design).

Spreadsheet TIPS

Project Name
What vowel occurs most in the Spanish language?

Description of Learning Goals and Standards
Grade Level: Any beginning level class, Content: Spanish
- Upon completion of this activity, the student will be able to create a spreadsheet and include charts/diagrams.
QCC Standard:
18 Topic: Communication: Presentational: Present information orally and in writing that contains a variety of vocabulary, phrases, and patterns.
Standard: Present information gathered from a variety of sources such as informal conversations, class presentations, interviews, readings, and media sources.
NETS-S Standards:
1 Basic operations and concepts
-Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
-Students are proficient in the use of technology.
3 Technology productivity tools
-Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
-Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

Rationale for Technology
Bringing Exel into the foreign language classroom was a difficult task, but it allows students to learn a new software that they can use in other classes. An advantage of this technology is that students work together to solve problems and to create presentations. A disadvantage is that Excel would probably not be used (by students) in the foreign language classroom a lot.

Description of Lesson Implementation
-Students are randomly put into groups of 4-5.
-The teacher reviews vocabulary from previous chapters.
-Students are asked to hypothesize the occurrence of each vowel (a, e, i, o, u) in the Spanish language.
-Each group will share with the class their numbers and each group will create a spreadsheet in Excel containing the guesses of their classmates.
-The spreadsheet should contain: group guesses, minimum number, maximum number, average, and actual findings.
-Students are directed to the “Data Sheet” worksheet which contains 20 random vocabulary words previously chosen by the teacher.
-Each group calculates the occurrence of each vowel and creates two charts to be inserted into the spreadsheet. The first table is of the actual findings and the second is the average of the class guesses.
-Students are to write a brief statement of their findings and print the worksheet to be turned in.

Assessment
Students will be assessed on: completion, formatting, formula usage, followed directions.

Other Places to Use this Solution
Excel can be used in the classroom to keep grades and attendance.

What I Learned and What I would Improve it Next Time
While creating this assignment, I learned how to create a spreadsheet and incorporate charts. I’m not sure how else to bring spreadsheets into the foreign language classroom.

References/Resources Used
Microsoft Excel
Georgia Learning Connections
NETS-Students

All About Blooms

Knowledge - Describe your family using the correct spanish vocabulary.
Comprehension - Explain the uses of 'por' and 'para'.
Application - Give an example of a formal command and an informal command and when to use each.
Analysis - Contrast the preterite tense and the imperfect tense.
Synthesis - Plan your family vacation: where will you go, what will you do, what will you bring?
Evaluation - Recommend places to visit while on a family vacation. And tell why.

Publisher TIPS

Project Name
Viva Espana!

Description of Learning Goals and Standards
Grade Level: 9-12, Content Area: World Geography
-Upon completion of this activity, the student will be able to describe a country of his/her choice. The student will be able to describe the country in the form of a brochure or newsletter listing country location, interesting facts, and culture.

QCC Standards:
4 Topic: Physical Geography Cultural Geography
Standard: Explains how regions may be defined by cultural or physical features or by combination of both.
13 Topic: Location Place Interdependence
Standard: Explains how knowledge of locations and their characteristics is a key factor in understanding human interdependence
30 Topic: Cultural Characteristics
Standard: Identifies the cultural characteristics of a region (e.g., Europe: Romance, Germanic, Slavic languages; three branches of Christianity; Industrial Revolution; economic development; 20th century wars; Cold War; and European Union)
44 Standard: Determines appropriate map, globe, or chart to illustrate a data set.

NETS-S Standards:
Technology productivity tools
Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

Rationale for Technology
The use of Microsoft Publisher allows the student to demonstrated knowledge of the content area while learning new software. An advantage of this technology is that it allows the student to be creative.

Description of Lesson Implementation
The day before students are instructed to pick a country of their choice and brainstorm about the country (i.e. location, culture, currency) and are guided through Microsoft Publisher, demonstrating how to use it. When students return, they are allotted 50 minutes to create brochure/newsletter and publish. This is a self guided activity.

Assessment
Students will be assessed on completion of the activity, use of Microsoft Publisher (graphics, design, and content). Students should be creative and use complete sentences to present the information.

Other Places to Use this Solution
This solution could be used as a review at the end of a unit. Teacher/students could create newsletters to send home to parents.

What I Learned and What I would Improve it Next Time
I learned how to use Microsoft Publisher and how to incorporate it into the classroom.

References/Resources Used
Georgia Learning Connections
National Educational Technology Standards for Students
Fodor’s See It Spain

Visual Literacy

On Annette Lamb's webpage she talks about different ways to incorporate visual literacy into the classroom. One activity that caught my eye was Science Speculations. In this activity the teacher is to copy science related photos that would be good for discussions about some aspect of science and paste them into a PowerPoint presentation. Use the pictures to start class discussions or use in journal writing. Mrs. Lamb provides several links from which to find pictures. I like this activity because it is thought provoking. Can you think of other ways to incorporate visual literacy into the classroom?

Powerpoint TIPS

Project Name: Que haces en el fin de semana?

Description of Learning Goals and Standards:
Grade Level 9 – 12, Content Area: Spanish
-Upon completion of this presentation, students will be able to list activities they like to do on the weekends as well as discuss weather using correct verb tense, plurality, and gender/number agreement.
-QCC Standards:
2 Topic: Communication: Interpersonal: Exchange simple spoken and written information in the target language, utilizing cultural references where appropriate.
Standard: Express likes and dislikes, emotions, and agreement and disagreement.
15 Topic: Communication: Interpretive: Understand simple spoken and written language presented through a variety of media in the target language based on topics such as self, family, school, etc.
Standard: Demonstrate Novice-Mid proficiency in listening, viewing and reading comprehension.
19 Topic: Communication: Presentational: Present information orally and in writing that contains a variety of vocabulary, phrases, and patterns.
Standard: Give basic information about self and others including school, family, activities, etc.

Rationale for Technology:
The use of PowerPoint to introduce this new vocabulary provides an alternate method of presenting the information. The presentation provides visual examples as well as asks questions while allowing the students time to respond. An advantage of this activity is that it provides the teacher/student an alternate method of teaching/learning material. A disadvantage is that having the lights off in the classroom provides students with an opportunity to not pay attention.

Description of Lesson Implementation:
Step One: The teacher shows PowerPoint, reading the questions while students respond. Students are to only respond orally, there is no writing in this step of the lesson.
Step Two: Teacher will present a number of photographs collected before hand. The teacher will select two objects and ask students, "¿Te gusta hacer____en el fin de semana?" ("Do you like to do _____on the weekend?") Students will respond affirmatively or negatively in a complete sentence in Spanish to express their preference for the item. The teacher will then ask the class to remember the preferences expressed by their peers, "¿Le gusta ______ en el fin de semana?" ("Does he like_____on the weekend?") The activity will conclude with students asking the teacher her preferences for the items.
Step Three: Students will be given a handout in which they work in pairs to complete. The students will draw a picture depicting the items/activities listed on the worksheet and write sentences expressing whether or not they like the items/activities. Students will hand in worksheet at the end of class.

Assessment:
The handout will assess the students’ learning. After completing this activity, the students should use correct verb tense, plurality, and gender/number agreement when expressing likes/dislikes of items/activities.

Other Places to Use this Solution:
This solution could be used with upper level Spanish students as a review and also at home with parents.

What I Learned and What I would Improve it Next Time:
I learned that presenting lessons with other methods (PowerPoint versus lecture alone) keeps students attentive and more involved.

References/Resources Used:
Georgia Learning Connections
PowerPoint Software

Mid-Term Reflection

Since I wrote the Initial Reflection Paper, my expectations for what I hoped to learn in this course have changed greatly. I knew I wanted to learn new programs, but never imagined the possibilities. I never thought that I would design a web page, let alone a web page for use in the classroom. I was introduced to web logging and Blogger. The term “blog” was still new to me (had only heard it once or twice before this class). My summer will be spent studying abroad and I plan on using a web log to share my trip with friends and family; something I would not have know much about before taking this class. Upon completion of this course, I intend to be fully capable of integrating technology into the foreign language classroom. This was an initial concern of mine–how does one incorporate technology into foreign language learning beyond overheads and PowerPoint? In the past few weeks, I have answered that question.

I feel I have grown tremendously in the course to date. I look forward to going to class each week. When the semester started, I was unsure of myself (with the use of technology), but I am much more confident now. I have learned a great deal about the technology resources available to teachers (i.e. Filamentality and RubiStar) and ways to incorporate them into the classroom.

I feel I have gained a better understanding of how to tackle challenges. The main challenge being to keep students interested in the content. Had the technology of today been available when I was in school, I would have paid much more attention in history and English class. WebPages and Inspiration are great tools to keep students interested in the content by doing hands on activities.

The things I am doing differently with technology than before I took this course are blogging, webpage design, creating rubrics, and using Inspiration. All wonderful tools that I never imagined using (or imagined they would be so easy). I am glad to have taken this course early in my curriculum for I believe it will help me with my student teaching.

Inspiration TIPS

Project Name: Hola, Que Tal?

Description of Learning Goals and Standards:
Grade Level 9 - 12, Content Area: Spanish
-Upon completion of this activity, students will be able to list ways meeting/introducing people (both familiar and formal), list expressions of courtesy, and different ways of stating greetings and farewells in Spanish.
-QCC Standards:
1 Topic: Communication: Interpersonal: Exchange simple spoken and written information in the target language, utilizing cultural references where appropriate.
Standard: Use basic greetings, farewells, and expressions of courtesy, in both oral and written forms.
10 Topic: Communication: Interpersonal: Demonstrate skills necessary to sustain brief oral or written exchange in the target language.
Standard: Use formal and informal forms of address.
-NETS-S Standards:
1 Basic operations and concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
Students are proficient in the use of technology.
3 Technology productivity tools
Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

Rationale for Technology:
The use of Inspiration in this activity gives students an alternate way of doing a worksheet. The students have fun using technology while learning the content.

Description of Lesson Implementation:
-As students enter the classroom, they are directed to keep their textbooks closed.
-The teacher reviews the material: describing ways to say hello, goodbye, expressions of courtesy, introducing yourself and others, and asking how someone is doing (pointing out both the familiar and formal forms). (15 minutes)
-Students are assigned a number from one to six (depending on the number of students in the class, there should be four students per group). Each group is assigned a computer station.
-Students are directed to the Hola, que tal? activity.
-Within each group, students take turns at the keyboard and fill out one of the four family nodes. (20 minutes)
-Students discuss their answers with classmates.
-The activity is printed and turned in at the end of class.

Assessment:
Students will be assessed on the use of Inspiration and completion of the activity with correct responses.

Other Places to Use this Solution:
This activity could be used as a review for upper level Spanish language learners.

What I Learned and What I would Improve it Next Time:
While creating this activity, I learned how to use Inspiration in the foreign language classroom. How I would improve this activity next time is upload pictures representing each family group.

References/Resources Used:
Georgia Learning Connections
NETS for Students
Inspiration software