Brainstorming for My Technology Integrated Lesson

According to the core curriculum standards, by the end of 8th grade students should be able to generate a spreadsheet to calculate, graph, and present information.  A requirement in my physical education will be to have the students participate in an out of school miles activity.  For a full semester my students will keep track of how many miles they run outside of school, the amount of time it took for them to run the mile/miles, as well as their heart rate after the run. With this information, the students will generate a spreadsheet with their data.  By using a spreadsheet, it will provide the students with a visual of how their miles improved throughout the semester.  Things I will want them to focus on is how their heartrate changes depending on the amount of time it took to run the miles.  This learning activity is going to incorporate technology and allow the students to stay active as well allow them to use their knowledge of creating a spreadsheet.  

Han Laoshi's Website

This week I browsed Han Laoshi’s Class Website.  I looked at both her previous and current site.  Similar to Union County Vocational Technical Schools website, this teacher also has many different links on her webpage providing the student’s with helpful information to help them succeed.  This teacher provides a calendar with the month to month agenda so students are able to see any events or holidays coming up.  I like how this teacher posts her assignments on her website.  Each assignment has an objective, along with notes to students who may have been absent.  She also posts projects and their due date for student’s to access throughout the year.  Another useful resource the teacher makes available is that the notes reviewed in class are posted on her website as well as flashcards that can be used to help review the information.  She also gives ideas on how to study including different vocabulary and reading review as well as an area to quiz yourself.  Han Laoshi posts a link for her students to be able to follow their grades, as well as a link so she can be contacted.  I prefer Han Laoshi’s previous website better then her current one.  Although both of them have helpful links, I think the first one provides a lot more resources for the student’s to help them succeed.  Her previous website provides so many useful resources and links for her students to help them throughout the school year.    

Exploring a Website

The schools website I explored was Union County Vocational - Technical Schools. Union County Vocational Technical Schools consists of 5 separate high schools.  I enjoyed looking at the Academy for Allied Heath and Science (AAHS), because each teacher has their own separate website as well as a separate email address.  This makes it easier for parents and students to get in contact with their teacher.  The main site provides separate links to each academy. This website is effective because it also communicates to students by providing information for each separate marking period.  For example the teacher Mrs. Mirabella provides the 2012-2013 schedule on her website.  This is a useful tool, because students are able to see what they will be covering for the year. The only negative part about The Union County Vocational Technical Schools Website,  is because it consists of 5 different high schools, I feel parents and students are more likely to get confused when browsing for things.  They may find themselves clicking a lot before finding the information they were looking for in the beginning.

My Views on Technology

I never really thought of myself as a tech-savvy person, but my family seems to think otherwise. I am familiar with basic technology and networking sights that many people my age are. My mother who started teaching in 1970 when technology was not used had a very hard time when technology was introduced and required for everyday tasks.  This was something she had no experience with.  I saw the struggles my mother went through to learn everything from creating a webpage, sending emails, as well as doing grades and lesson plans online.  Something that came very easy to me, but was such a challenge for her. I found myself helping my mother a lot as she struggled to move along with the idea of technology being used in the classroom, which was like learning a second language to her. The idea mentioned in the article Students Teaching Teachers by Hsueh-Hua Chuang and Ann Thompson was “students share their skills with teachers who might not have time to infuse technology into a class unit or who might be reluctant to use technology in their teaching because of lack of knowledge or assistance.” My mother had lack of knowledge and assistance, so I spent time with her going over the basics. I feel I grew up in an age where technology was always being used and constantly evolving. As far back as I can remember I always was eager to get the newest product out. I currently have an Iphone which has all my networking sights on it.  Just with a click of a button I am able to access my email, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.  Although I use these sights regularly (and way to often), my feelings are mixed on them.  I miss the days of face to face communication which I feel is not appreciated as much anymore.  Communicating is now done through Facebook chat, text messaging, or emailing.  Instead of sending a handwritten letter, everything is done through Facebook or email.  I also think without face to face communication things being written can be misconstrued.  Although I have mixed feelings about these networking sights, I also feel they can be useful.  On Twitter you can connect with people who share the same interests.  As a future physical education teacher I can connect with other teachers as a way to share ideas.  Twitter is also commonly used as a way to connect with celebrities.  Just the other day when I saw a celebrity, the first thing I did was tweeted to him!  Communicating with celebrities became possible through twitter. Technology integration is using technology in your classroom as a tool to further the students learning experience.  An example of integrating technology in a health and physical education class could be bringing in a Wii system and incorporating DDR into the lesson.  DDR is a game that encourages children to move around by dancing.  By bringing this into the classroom, it will encourage students to move around and stay active by participating in a fun game that many of them are probably familiar with and would be excited to participate in.  

Funny Comic Strips 

Pictures above from:

http://tsvirtualassistant.com/2010/01/12/hilarious-social-media-comic-strips/

About Me!!

- Currently studying to be a Health and Physical Education teacher !

-Enjoy going to see a broadway show in NYC whenever I get a chance

-Studied voice privately for 9 years and still enjoy singing in my spare time

- Love the NY Giants (recently ran into David Diehl at lunch)

-Die hard sushi fan (favorite roll is spicy salmon)

-Play on a volleyball and tennis league

-Recently became an aunt/godmother and loving every second of it!

- Work as a Veterinary Technician and my dogs are my life! (below is a picture of my French Mastiffs)