As this course comes to a close, many thoughts come to mind. First, I am very glad that I chose this course as one of my electives. I feel very fortunate and much more knowledgeable about the many available web 2.0 tools that are available to me as an educator and as just a regular person. Second, a part of me is glad that the coursework is over but another part of me really wishes the course was longer and we could have more time and opportunities to work in this type of forum. Lastly, I think that this course has changed the way I view how the internet can be used in my future classroom.
My two favorite exercises were definitely the webquest and the blog activity. I had never done anything more than read a blog so creating one seemed like a huge endeavor. However, it was extremely easy to create and it is very empowering to see one's thoughts and ideas on the world wide web. The webquest activity was one that I had participated in before but never to this level. I had a great partner working with me and the completion of the assignment went very quickly but I feel like we really created a workable, fun, and engaging activity that is both thought-provoking and educational. It was also a great activity to just peruse the web for other webquests, the quantity and quality available is awe inspiring. These two activities showed me how easy using web 2.0 tools can be and that the results can be amazing.
One of the unexpected outcomes of taking this course for me was that I know feel like I have actually added many, many different tools to my toolbox as a teacher. Before this course started, I thought it was just going to be a refresher/description of some of the many web 2.0 tools. However, in addition to being that, it was a chance to actually create projects using these tools. So, in addition to the definition and description of what these tools can do, I take with me the actual ability to create a blog, to create a webquest, to use delicious, and many other skills that I didn't think I would have three weeks ago.
In my opinion, there really aren't many improvements that I can think of making to this course. The discussions died out a little bit but I think that may have to do with the shortened length of the course rather than intended participation. I felt I had the ability to discuss things with classmates and Professor Yang if and when I needed to and the description of the assignments and expectations were all done very well.
I have already signed up to take another discovery course next semester so I definitely feel that they are useful and definitely worth the time and effort. I almost think that these courses should be bundled together into some form of mandatory class that takes place over the course of a whole semester, maybe as an undergrad course.
I think the one thing that I have taken away from this course is that in order to be the best teacher that I can be, I need to use all of the tools at my disposal. The numerous web 2.0 tools offer me and my future classes opportunities for better communication, information sharing, added excitement, and sometimes just more fun. I feel very fortunate that this class has started my journey into this world.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Chopping Educational Videos at ChopTube
The ChopTube website is located at http://www.tubechop.com/
Before using any video on YouTube or any other site, it should definitely reviewed to make sure it is appropriate for a classroom. However, tubechop allows an educator (or anybody for that matter) to review a video and chop out parts of that video to share. I can definitely see uses for this in the classroom as a way to streamline a video so that a teacher doesn't have to cue up the starting time and stay there waiting to push the stop button when that specific portion of the video is over. I also see it as a great way to show multiple sections of a longer video quickly and easily.
This is a great site for a teacher who wants to use Youtube to aid classroom learning but is leary about accidentally showing something inappropriate or a teacher who needs to streamline multiple clips. I can see myself using this site as a way to shorten a long video into two or three clips that I think are the most beneficial parts of the longer video. It is also easy enough for students to use as a way to add a little technology to presentations and assignments. This is definitely a useful tool that every teacher should have in their toolbox
Before using any video on YouTube or any other site, it should definitely reviewed to make sure it is appropriate for a classroom. However, tubechop allows an educator (or anybody for that matter) to review a video and chop out parts of that video to share. I can definitely see uses for this in the classroom as a way to streamline a video so that a teacher doesn't have to cue up the starting time and stay there waiting to push the stop button when that specific portion of the video is over. I also see it as a great way to show multiple sections of a longer video quickly and easily.
This is a great site for a teacher who wants to use Youtube to aid classroom learning but is leary about accidentally showing something inappropriate or a teacher who needs to streamline multiple clips. I can see myself using this site as a way to shorten a long video into two or three clips that I think are the most beneficial parts of the longer video. It is also easy enough for students to use as a way to add a little technology to presentations and assignments. This is definitely a useful tool that every teacher should have in their toolbox
Algebra Basics with Algebasics
The Algebasics website is located at http://www.algebasics.com/
The Algebasics website is just that, a basic site on algebra. The site is organized by topics ranging from the very basic elementary topics to quadratics and applications that would be seen in high school. Each topic gives a list of problems to solve. The user than clicks on which problem and the site goes into great detail on how to solve that problem. It is very user friendly and really takes it time in describing how to solve each problem. This site is geared towards giving students more examples and the logic behind how to solve problems. I think it would be a good site to use as part of a math computer lab or as a suggestion to parents of ways to help students at home.
This site is very simplistic and easy to use. The students may run out of problems for each topic before mastery is achieved but if this is used as an add-on to a strong lesson plan, it will be very helpful. There is an adbar on the side of each page to attempt to get you to other sites that sell things but it isn't a big problem. All in all, it is a good, not great website that may really appeal to certain types of learners.
The Algebasics website is just that, a basic site on algebra. The site is organized by topics ranging from the very basic elementary topics to quadratics and applications that would be seen in high school. Each topic gives a list of problems to solve. The user than clicks on which problem and the site goes into great detail on how to solve that problem. It is very user friendly and really takes it time in describing how to solve each problem. This site is geared towards giving students more examples and the logic behind how to solve problems. I think it would be a good site to use as part of a math computer lab or as a suggestion to parents of ways to help students at home.
This site is very simplistic and easy to use. The students may run out of problems for each topic before mastery is achieved but if this is used as an add-on to a strong lesson plan, it will be very helpful. There is an adbar on the side of each page to attempt to get you to other sites that sell things but it isn't a big problem. All in all, it is a good, not great website that may really appeal to certain types of learners.
Snag Films for Science and Math
The Snag Films website is located at http://learning.snagfilms.com/
This site is intended for classroom use and offers teachers a great place to find movie clips and films about individual topics. While not limited to just science and math, the science and math videos on this site are very well done and are provided by high quality sources such as National Geographic, PBS, Explorer, and TBS. There are numerous ways to search for videos including subject, grade level, and source. Each clip summarizes with grade level and topic.
This site is organized well and since it is educationally based, the videos should all be safe (however, a previewing by just the teacher is always the way to go). I think that it can be an invaluable resource in both lesson planning and a great way to fill in any time at the end of a lesson with a quick video that reinforces that lesson or sets the stage for a future one. It was very, very easy to use and should be a resource every teacher utilizes.
This site is intended for classroom use and offers teachers a great place to find movie clips and films about individual topics. While not limited to just science and math, the science and math videos on this site are very well done and are provided by high quality sources such as National Geographic, PBS, Explorer, and TBS. There are numerous ways to search for videos including subject, grade level, and source. Each clip summarizes with grade level and topic.
This site is organized well and since it is educationally based, the videos should all be safe (however, a previewing by just the teacher is always the way to go). I think that it can be an invaluable resource in both lesson planning and a great way to fill in any time at the end of a lesson with a quick video that reinforces that lesson or sets the stage for a future one. It was very, very easy to use and should be a resource every teacher utilizes.
The Why Files for Science
The Why Files website can be found at http://www.whyfiles.org/
This site attempts to explain the science behind current events and happenings. It seems like a great way to link major events (the BP oil spill, an earthquake, hurricane, etc.) to science classroom learning. This site seems to be intended for adults as some of the articles are of an adult nature (an article on hangovers seemed inappropriate for children), however, by most of the articles I read were ready for classroom use. If a teacher takes the time to read over the articles, this is a great site to link current events with learning.
I think I have found a great site that I will frequent whether I am looking for classroom ideas or for personal enjoyment. There are virtually no ads on the site aside from a link to buy the Why Files paperback book. I found this site to be entertaining, current, and very enjoyable and can give an elementary teacher another option to discuss and learn about difficult science topics.
This site attempts to explain the science behind current events and happenings. It seems like a great way to link major events (the BP oil spill, an earthquake, hurricane, etc.) to science classroom learning. This site seems to be intended for adults as some of the articles are of an adult nature (an article on hangovers seemed inappropriate for children), however, by most of the articles I read were ready for classroom use. If a teacher takes the time to read over the articles, this is a great site to link current events with learning.
I think I have found a great site that I will frequent whether I am looking for classroom ideas or for personal enjoyment. There are virtually no ads on the site aside from a link to buy the Why Files paperback book. I found this site to be entertaining, current, and very enjoyable and can give an elementary teacher another option to discuss and learn about difficult science topics.
Science Made Simple
The Science Made Simple website is located at http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/
The purpose of this site seems to be two-fold. One is to entice and excite students and teachers about science projects and ideas and the second is to sell either the materials or a subscription to the online newsletter which gives complete information on science activities and experiments to reinforce learning on certain topics ($11.99). There are some activities and ideas given by the site for free and there is a great metric conversion tool that is great to have on hand. I think this site is mainly intended for parents and students who are looking for ideas for a science fair or open ended science project. Teachers could benefit from this site to gather ideas on how to show certain concepts and then decide if they wanted to pay for them or come up with ways on their own. Available topics range from experiments for very young children up through high school age and even some experiments that I would like to do now, but I probably won't pay for them.
This site seems a little dated and with the wealth of information available on the internet now, I can't imagine somebody getting a topic and not doing a search and finding the information on the experiment for free instead of paying for it. All things considered, this is a great site for science ideas and a great avenue if you need to get something quick and ready to use
The purpose of this site seems to be two-fold. One is to entice and excite students and teachers about science projects and ideas and the second is to sell either the materials or a subscription to the online newsletter which gives complete information on science activities and experiments to reinforce learning on certain topics ($11.99). There are some activities and ideas given by the site for free and there is a great metric conversion tool that is great to have on hand. I think this site is mainly intended for parents and students who are looking for ideas for a science fair or open ended science project. Teachers could benefit from this site to gather ideas on how to show certain concepts and then decide if they wanted to pay for them or come up with ways on their own. Available topics range from experiments for very young children up through high school age and even some experiments that I would like to do now, but I probably won't pay for them.
This site seems a little dated and with the wealth of information available on the internet now, I can't imagine somebody getting a topic and not doing a search and finding the information on the experiment for free instead of paying for it. All things considered, this is a great site for science ideas and a great avenue if you need to get something quick and ready to use
Elementary Science Coalition
The elementary science coalition website is located at http://elementarysciencecoalition.org/
The Elementary Science Coalition is a not for profit group of educators, publishers, and corporations with a vested interest in a strong scientific workforce, working together to bring national focus to elementary science education. This site seems to be a soapbox for a great cause, to increase science education. It states that it's main cause is to increase science education 3 times more than it is taught now. There are no worksheets, lesson plans, or any classroom material but there is a ton of information about the reasons why we should increase science in the classroom.
This site definitely has a political nature and some of the articles are a little hard to follow but it is hard to argue with such a great cause. The support that it receives from the Carmen Group, which is a leading federal lobbying and government relation firm makes me wonder about eventual intentions and future developments. The membership fees for a company to support the site are very high, ranging from $2500.00 to $4000.00 per month. All in all, I can't say that this is a great website for uses in the classroom but it is definitely a great cause and I really hope that it reaches it goal. It is a great way to stay in touch with science education.
The Elementary Science Coalition is a not for profit group of educators, publishers, and corporations with a vested interest in a strong scientific workforce, working together to bring national focus to elementary science education. This site seems to be a soapbox for a great cause, to increase science education. It states that it's main cause is to increase science education 3 times more than it is taught now. There are no worksheets, lesson plans, or any classroom material but there is a ton of information about the reasons why we should increase science in the classroom.
This site definitely has a political nature and some of the articles are a little hard to follow but it is hard to argue with such a great cause. The support that it receives from the Carmen Group, which is a leading federal lobbying and government relation firm makes me wonder about eventual intentions and future developments. The membership fees for a company to support the site are very high, ranging from $2500.00 to $4000.00 per month. All in all, I can't say that this is a great website for uses in the classroom but it is definitely a great cause and I really hope that it reaches it goal. It is a great way to stay in touch with science education.
Internet 4 Classrooms
The Internet 4 Classrooms website is located at http://www.internet4classrooms.com/index.htm
Internet 4 Classrooms attempts to provide a free web portal designed to assist anyone who wants to find high-quality, free Internet resources to use in classroom instruction, developing project ideas, reinforcing specific subject matter areas both in the class and at home and even for online technology tutorials. It is designed by two teachers and is loaded with helpful links and also includes some for cost prep courses and training. The site is set up very well with links on the home page leading to each of the main sections. These sections include specific help for topics in certain grade levels, practice modules, links to k-12 help, and many others.
All in all, this seems like another great site that was made with good intentions and offers numerous ways to help teachers, students, and parents. The site seems very busy and it is a little easy to get sidetracked with ads, banners, sidebars, and many other things but all in all, this is a great site
Internet 4 Classrooms attempts to provide a free web portal designed to assist anyone who wants to find high-quality, free Internet resources to use in classroom instruction, developing project ideas, reinforcing specific subject matter areas both in the class and at home and even for online technology tutorials. It is designed by two teachers and is loaded with helpful links and also includes some for cost prep courses and training. The site is set up very well with links on the home page leading to each of the main sections. These sections include specific help for topics in certain grade levels, practice modules, links to k-12 help, and many others.
All in all, this seems like another great site that was made with good intentions and offers numerous ways to help teachers, students, and parents. The site seems very busy and it is a little easy to get sidetracked with ads, banners, sidebars, and many other things but all in all, this is a great site
Math Fact Cafe--The Fact Sheet Factory
The Math Fact Cafe website is located at http://www.mathfactcafe.com/
The Math Fact Cafe is a site that focuses on math worksheets and tips and tricks. There are many sections that contain ready to print worksheets on most math topics for students in grades one through four. One of the great features of this site is that there is a generator that will produce worksheets and even flashcards based on criteria that you enter.
I really can't say anything bad about this site. There is a small section that explains that the site is run by donations and there is also a link to a store that is run by the creators to raise funds. The site is very easy to use and seems like a great place to find extra worksheets on a topic and a way to build customizable worksheets and flashcards to help students of all levels. The only bad thing that I can think of is that it only has ready to print worksheets for grades one through four
The Math Fact Cafe is a site that focuses on math worksheets and tips and tricks. There are many sections that contain ready to print worksheets on most math topics for students in grades one through four. One of the great features of this site is that there is a generator that will produce worksheets and even flashcards based on criteria that you enter.
I really can't say anything bad about this site. There is a small section that explains that the site is run by donations and there is also a link to a store that is run by the creators to raise funds. The site is very easy to use and seems like a great place to find extra worksheets on a topic and a way to build customizable worksheets and flashcards to help students of all levels. The only bad thing that I can think of is that it only has ready to print worksheets for grades one through four
Awesome Library
The Awesome Library Website is located at http://www.awesomelibrary.org/
The awesome library is a great idea. It claims to organize the web with over 37,000 carefully reviewed resources. This site is not limited to just math or science but includes math, science, english, the arts, health, and many others. This site is intended for teachers, parents, and kids. The list of links for each subject is extremely extensive and each major category leads to many subcategories, and then individual topics. These topics cover grades from k-12.
While awesome library is a great idea, the execution still needs a little work. With an endeavor this grand, there are sure to be some problems. When searching through a topic, there seems to lose a little rhyme and reason as to the location and content. For example, when examining the section on fractions and decimals, you are lead to flashcard link (for students), lesson plans (for teachers), papers (for teachers and students), and then a part on worksheets (for teachers). It seems that it would be beneficial for each section to break off further into a student section, a teacher section, and maybe a parent or home section. All in all, this is a great site with loads and loads of great information but I think the organization of the info could be better.
The awesome library is a great idea. It claims to organize the web with over 37,000 carefully reviewed resources. This site is not limited to just math or science but includes math, science, english, the arts, health, and many others. This site is intended for teachers, parents, and kids. The list of links for each subject is extremely extensive and each major category leads to many subcategories, and then individual topics. These topics cover grades from k-12.
While awesome library is a great idea, the execution still needs a little work. With an endeavor this grand, there are sure to be some problems. When searching through a topic, there seems to lose a little rhyme and reason as to the location and content. For example, when examining the section on fractions and decimals, you are lead to flashcard link (for students), lesson plans (for teachers), papers (for teachers and students), and then a part on worksheets (for teachers). It seems that it would be beneficial for each section to break off further into a student section, a teacher section, and maybe a parent or home section. All in all, this is a great site with loads and loads of great information but I think the organization of the info could be better.
Math Forum Website
The math forum website is located at http://mathforum.org/teachers/elem/.
This is a site intended for elementary school teachers. Instructional material is broken up into two grade ranges (K-2) and (3-5). There are also useful links that can be used directly in the classroom such as Ask Dr. Math, a student center, and tricks and tips. There is also a great section that links teachers so that they can share ideas and resources, classroom materials, lesson plans, and reviews. Lastly, there is a section on professional development that includes degrees and certifications, journal articles, and professional organizations.
This site seems simplistic at first look as it lacks many of the high tech features some sites utilize. However, I think overall it provides a great mix of helpful features for any grade school math teacher. All of the links work and there aren't a lot of ads. The site was made by Drexel University and while there may be some minor attempts at getting new students, overall this site is intended to help math teachers first and make money second.
This is a site intended for elementary school teachers. Instructional material is broken up into two grade ranges (K-2) and (3-5). There are also useful links that can be used directly in the classroom such as Ask Dr. Math, a student center, and tricks and tips. There is also a great section that links teachers so that they can share ideas and resources, classroom materials, lesson plans, and reviews. Lastly, there is a section on professional development that includes degrees and certifications, journal articles, and professional organizations.
This site seems simplistic at first look as it lacks many of the high tech features some sites utilize. However, I think overall it provides a great mix of helpful features for any grade school math teacher. All of the links work and there aren't a lot of ads. The site was made by Drexel University and while there may be some minor attempts at getting new students, overall this site is intended to help math teachers first and make money second.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
AAA Math Interactive website
The AAA Math website is located at http://www.aaamath.com/
The AAA math site is an interactive site that covers virtually any math topic that a student in grades K-8 may encounter. This site is loaded with activities that attempt to help student achieve competency in different areas. There are worksheets, games, and sometimes just notes on topics such as fractions, graphs, equations, statistics, exponents, and many more. Even though this site is aimed towards giving students more opportunities to practice skills, there are many manipulatives and lesson ideas that an elementary teacher would use.
While there are many instances where they are trying to sell you cds and other learning manipulatives, this is really a great website that is almost sure to help any student with virtually any math subject. AAA math did a great job developing an easy to use, user friendly website that is filled with great information for people of all ages.
The AAA math site is an interactive site that covers virtually any math topic that a student in grades K-8 may encounter. This site is loaded with activities that attempt to help student achieve competency in different areas. There are worksheets, games, and sometimes just notes on topics such as fractions, graphs, equations, statistics, exponents, and many more. Even though this site is aimed towards giving students more opportunities to practice skills, there are many manipulatives and lesson ideas that an elementary teacher would use.
While there are many instances where they are trying to sell you cds and other learning manipulatives, this is really a great website that is almost sure to help any student with virtually any math subject. AAA math did a great job developing an easy to use, user friendly website that is filled with great information for people of all ages.
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