Post Closed

My blog is complete and is now officially closed!

Things I've Learned

In EDM310 I learned:
how to make a website by html
how to blog
about new technology
about igoogle
how to better use excel
how to use all of microsoft word processing features

Igoogle

5 Things on igoogle that can be used in education:
Language Translation
Current News
Notebook can be used to prioritize tasks
Allows students to view videos
View weather forcasts

Blogs

At first I though the blogging assignment was kind of pointless but as the summer progressed I realized that it could be very helpful. The most helpful aspect was getting other classmates to comment on my blog. Seeing other students opinions of the same topics and even being critiqued on my webpage was very helpful. Using blogs in the classroom seems like a great homework or in class assignment. Students can share their thoughts and opinions with their peers, but I think this should be monitored very closely because blogging can be abused.

My Website

Well...I am finally finished with my website! My website is all about my favorite wedding things that I have been doing this summer. I am not completely sure what I would change about my website. I might would change the background to a cute layout if I knew how to do it or use some different buttons. Overall, it was a pretty neat project. Here is the link to my website...http://www.johnstrange.com/edm310summer07/gilbert/

iphone

Most schools at this point are banning the iphone, but many see the iphone as an educational advancement. If schools decide to implement the iphone it will cost school funds a ton of money by having to add wifi. This seems very expensive and very excessive.

Spreadsheets

When searching for a source that uses spreadsheets, I found that a majority of schools use spreadsheets for charts and graphs. I found a website that is very informational when it comes to spreadsheets. The website listed below gives several tutorials, guidelines, assessments, and ideas for spreadsheets. This website also provides links to site that offer lesson plans on spreadsheets and for different grade level.
The website also offers several "tools" that help create spreadsheets and resources that provide handouts for the students. This also offers real time data which allows you to have access to current news such as weather and other news stories. It looks like a great thing to incorporate into your classroom.
Click here for the link.

Ipods

The first step to operating an ipod is to download itunes software to your PC or desktop. Next you must download songs from itunes or from CD's that you already own. This is a very easy to use piece of software. You then create playlist that allow you to re-write CD's or to download onto your ipod. You can then import or export songs to your ipod.
There are several things that you can use an ipod for such as: downloading music, videos, games. Plus there are several different adapters that you can buy to play your ipod on such as: ihome and car adapters that allows you to play the ipod through the speakers of your car. I think that in the next few years this will be the only means of listening to music.http://www.apple.com/support/ipod

Seymour Papert

Professor Seymour Papert seems to be a computer genius. Papert invented a new programming language called LOGO along with many other computer accomplishments at MIT. According to papert.org, Papert is also cofounder of the Artificial Intelligence Lab and one of the founding fathers of the MIT Media Lab. Papert is a huge advocate for children and technology. He focuses strongly on technology for children on the MaMaMedia board.
It seems like Papert's latest endeavour is the MaMaMedia program. He is seriously backing this website for parents and children to better understand the computer. With channels titles ROMP, ZAP, SURPRISE, and E-HUGS you can send cards and have interactive computer time with your children. This seems like a very educational website for parents and children alike.http://www.papert.org

International School Blogs

The first international school I found that used blogs was a school located in Hackney, London called Grasmere Primary School. This website was very up to date. Grasmere offers several different summer programs such as sporting events and teams. This blog even gives after school programs that are offered and school meal news. Quizzes, clubs, and road safety, this blog has it all.

http://educational.blogs.com/edbloggerpraxis/primary_school_blog_news/index.html
*This is the website that I found both of these schools at.

The second international school I found is Sandiag Primary School located in Glasgow, Scotland. This blog is very descriptive, but very difficult to understand because of the language. This blog shows comics and art along with telling about their school radio broadcasts. I am not sure what else to say about this blog other than it must just be meant for them to understand.

US School Blogs

Although it was very difficult to find actual blog sites of schools, I finally found a few. The first one that I found within the US was Eaton Elementary School. Eaton Elementary is mostly using their blog site for announcements. One post that they have is on their upsoming musical presented by the fourth graders. Another posting is about their Walk-a-thon thanking those who participated and informing people about how much money was raised. There are a few posts that are password protected for safety purposes.
http://eatonblog.edublogs.org

The next school I found that uses blogs is a high school. Albany High School in Albany, New York is using blogs also to announce upcoming events and fundraisers such as Albany High Idol. This blog posts interviews of students and what they do. One students writes on the blog of the pros and cons of the high school. On the more serious side, some students write of things in the news and topics such as "changing the world." This high school uses it's blog for many purposes which could be very beneficial.

http://blogs.timesunion.com/albanyhigh/

ACCESS

ACCESS is an advanced placement opportunity for high school students. ACCESS stands for Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide. According to accessdl.state.al.us, "ACCESS provides high-quality classroom courses and teachers, via technology." This new computer based program is designed to provide advanced diploma courses, offer additional courses, advanced placement, dual enrollment, remediation, supplemental resources, boost existing sources, and provide teachers with extra multimedia and technology tools, etc.
ACCESS also provides teachers with additional resources. It gives technology help, motivational tools, and allows you to share your own insight with others. Teachers can also download "videoconferencing, virtual field trips, and can participate in them." Also teachers can download brochures and presentations. All of this can be accessed through ALEX. It appears to be a great teacher resource.

In the Classroom

There are several ways to use ALEX in the classroom. The major thing other than the Alabama Course of Study that will be useful to me when I teach is the Lesson Plan section of the website and the Web Links section. The lesson plan search is very specific. You check boxes that specify what subject and grade level and it pulls up several ideas for you to work with. The web link section also asks you to check a box for a subject and then it pulls up several different sites that have worksheets and extra help pages for your students.
The Alabama Course of Study is also one of my favorite parts. I do realize that this is a state requirement, but is a very halpful one. It halps you to organize your planning book and shows you what the children in your classroom should be doing by now. The personal workspace is also a wonderful tool. It allows you to save and remember items from the site and parsonalize all of your work. This, again, is a great website and wil be very beneficial when I become an educator.

ALEX

ALEX is a very unique tool for teachers in Alabama. I do not quite understand all of what ALEX is, but I know one of the most important parts is the Course of Study portion of the website. The Course of Study are the requirements for each grade level that the students must achieve throughout the course of the year and by the end of the year. Each part of the ALCOS has a web link that you can go to and a lesson plan number. It also describes, starting with a verb, what the student should be able to do after the lesson.
The next few parts of the website are general help for teachers. ALEX has postings for web links, lesson plans, distance learning, a help menu, it even has a search engine, and a place for teachers to log-in to their own personal account. the layout of the website is very easy to use and is very accessible. This website has many great features and is helpful to all teachers.

Welcome!

Hey Everybody! My name is JulieAnna Gilbert and I would like to welcome you to my blog!