Discussion Questions

I found the discussion questions a good way to express my feelings on pertinent technology issues, concerns, and professional ethics. Each person has his/her own view point. However, there is a central thread of understanding on each topic. I guess, that explains why we all would take a class like this one. I think of technology as being a combination of pros and cons. Things that you like and enjoy about new technologies and things that may have imperfections. But things keep changing, and it seems as soon as you understand how to use on software tool, then something new evolves. This is how I feel about Microsoft Office 2007. I was so comfortable with 2003 that it was difficult at first to change to 2007. Now 2007 seems a lot easier to use.

Slideshare - Academic Research on the Internet for Rural Schools

This assignment was enjoyable. The subject of the assignment was personal to me. I work in a school district that is almost 40% at-risk. Many students do not like to read. However, they love to search the internet. I understand that teaching students safe techniques and good evaluation methods will help these students become better informed and more computer savy. I wanted to edit the slideshow with a podcast; however, I was just glad to get the assignment done. I had to recreate much of it since I obtained a virus last week. Any how.... I will try add audio at a later time.

I think this software can help teachers to create powerpoints for students to access at home or at school. http://www.slideshare.net/my-slideshows?updated=523290

Internet Research Assignment 1

As I review my IT648 Telecommunication blog, it occurs to me that I had forgot to write a blog on the first assignment, Internet Research. I love to do research, therefore, this was a very enjoyable assignment. This topic should be taught, repeatedly to students. Students need to understand how to evaluate websites. Also, they need to understand that everything that is posted on the web is not the truth. As students use the internet for more academic reasons, they need to understand how to research for the purpose of each assignment.

The internet is a wonderful place to research and learn from. The internet is also a place that needs to have students to be safe and caution about predators, bullying, and stealing indentities. After students learn to practice safe surfing they will find out that the information from the internet will expand their knowledge.

Everyday, I use the internet to learn something new. It is immensly valuable to have the internet at your fingertips. Earlier this summer, I say a snake in the yard, I looked on the internet to identify what kind of snake it was http://www.phsource.us/PH/ME/Snakes/index.html . My daughter has a pregnant sorority sister who was craving a Butternut Squash Recipe that I had made for the girls about 18 months ago. I could not remember the recipe but had got if from the "Barefoot Contessa" cooking show on the Food Channel. I went to the Food Channel website and found the recipe from their archives. Here is the recipe, it is simple yet tasty http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_25285,00.html.
I also use the internet for academic searches using google scholar for many of my science class articles http://scholar.google.com/schhp?hl=en&tab=ws. Finally, I am from a medium size town on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. When I get homesick, I logon to my local newspaper to see what new and what's happening ( http://www.observer-reporter.com/ ).

How did we do without all of this knowledge. In my hous we are technology savy. Two years ago, for a family christmas gift, my husband purchased wireless satelite service for everyone. So, we can all be connected at once and in different rooms without waiting in line for a turn at the internet. This was such a great gift. This morning, as I was outside creating my video conferencing email, my hubby was faxing information to my son in Tennessee.

I try to learn something new or find an answer to a new question, at least once a day.

Video Conferencing (IVC)

This is an interesting option for computer users. I live out in the country, therefore, I bought a laptop video camera and headphones, so I would not have to travel to campus to complete the assignment. Installing the camera and microphone was easy. Accessing the video software Eyejot was easy to read and following the simple instructions. However, I found that my microphone had a short and was not working as well as exspected. Inspite of this, I enjoyed the assignment and se
nt a copy to my sisters, who enjoyed it tremendously.

As an assignment for my students, I may try an inclass project with student creating a video for me based on a general question about their favorite subject and why. This experiment will not require to much time or reseach. However, cellular phones with audio/video options on most phones already have students familiar with this technology.

http://www.eyejot.com/mview/964C1EE75E9A43ADA4FA88F2C9F571752E7B4008EA1EB43A7FD52FD1E58A1EFD

Making History Presidential Campaign Webquest

This was an excellent assignment. I decided to use the democratic race between Senator Hillary R. Clinton and Senator Barack Obama as the subject. The students in my computer applications class will get a chance to learn to use many of the technologies that I learn to use from my instructional technologies classes. For instance, the project includes a timeline, a powerpoint, and an internet research assignment. Using Google Page Creator for the second assignment, I tried to "kick it up a knotch" by adding the print and return buttons that required adding html code to the webpage.



As with all webpages, it required lots of planning ahead for success. Add a teacher's notes section was a capsule view of the total project. I choose not to add a lot of images, I was more interested in the content. Although, many webquest sites are filled with great clipart and animation, I believe it should be subject and age specific. As a high school teacher, I do not feel a need for as much clipart as an elementary or middle school teacher might use.



I hope that the student will get involved in the topic and view themselves as researchers trying to decide what history will remember about the candidates. This assignment will get them thinking not just about technology but also about history, english, and the American government and the importance of voting. This is as much about citizenship as it is about the technology skills to accomplish the assignment.

http://it648webquest.googlepages.com/home

Creating a Time Line (CircaVie)

This assignment came just in time. I needed some assignment that was just fun. It is not labor intensive. Teachers and students can use this software with relatively little directions. After completing the assignment, the students will have mastered the objectives. Creating a time line that allows pictures, videos and text is a great teaching tool.

This software addresses several learning styles. Learning can be fun. View my time line using one of my favorite recording artist, Eric Clapton. This is another reason why there are many good reasons for having a youtube account.


http://www.circavie.com/timelines/27c8c00e-4413-5a72-be7c-d0d712e0cc34

Using Google Page Creator

Google Page Creator is a free tool that lets you create web pages right in your browser and publish them to the web with one click. There's no software to download and no web designer to hire. The pages you create are hosted on Google servers and are available at http://yoursitename.googlepages.com for the world to see.

There are some things about using Google Page Creator that needs to be considered when using the application. First, it is built around templates. So, as a learning tool, it is very predictable. However, the more you want to experiment with the web page, the more applets or independent coding has to be incorporated. As a fledgling web designer, you may not understand or know how to incorporate your creative ideas into your code. If you have expereienced creating webpages with other software platforms, it may be easier just to design what you want.

The advantage of not having to worry about a hosting site makes Google Page Creator an attractive offer. The ease of using the templates invites many new users to the internet. I think of this as a great learning tool for a first start.

I have googled discussion boards and found out that Google is entertaining the idea of comming out with an updated product or new version that affords designers more control to what they may need in the design of thier final product. The site below was created completely using google page creator.

http://usmit648.googlepages.com/

Blogfolio Introduction

This is the introduction for my blogfolio for the final project of IT 648 - Telecommunications in Education. This blogfolio serves as a reflection on the different assignments that I will completed in the course. I will provide a post of a reflection on each individual assignment as well as a post that includes an overall reflection.

My first assignment was a Web searching exercise, exposing us to searching techniques that are more advanced than using the traditional search line for your ususal search engine. Searches for individuals, authors, and how to narrow searches to retrieve specific bits of information are very benefical skills to have.

The second class assignment was the creation of this blog. This blogg was created using Google Page Creator. I will also be experienceing, a story and interactive time line using circaVie, a WebQuest, a video message with Eyejot, and an online presentation using slideshare. I am excited and look forward to experiencing some of these new tools. I will add these new tools to my toolbox of educational activities that I can use in my classroom and share with other faculty and students.