I liked Becca Pike's presentation about a Promethean board. It's like an upgraded version of a smart board. You can save a shared or interactive writing post on it, which I am just amazed by, as I did not have a Promethean board in my classroom. Becca did a lesson where they learned steps of writing and the students were able to use this board to highlight, make corrections, and implement various editing techniques.
Katie Warning used a video from national geographic about jumping spiders. She also used a page of pictures from google. She said the students were engaged in this topic. Katie made great use of the technology she had in her classroom (her school had very little technology).
I also loved how Lexy used a game from the Blue's Clues website to teach the concept of "sink vs. float." This was a very engaging game for her students (from what she shared) and she maintained management in her class while doing it by giving the students spoons to hold up to show their guess of an object either sinking or floating. Great idea Lexy!
My teacher did not want me to take pictures in my classroom so I posted the power point that I used to teach the concept of symmetry. The learning objective for this lesson was Standard 2, Objective 1 c. which says, "Identify, create, and label growing patterns using objects...and pictures." I taught the concept of symmetry using various objects like globes and stars as well as people and insects like Hannah Montana, butterflies, and ladybugs. Then I related symmetry to artwork and had the students apply symmetry to their butterfly art piece.
I used a power point in my classroom to teach this concept since the school was pretty limited in the technology that it had (in 1st grade at least). I identified what symmetry was for the children and showed examples and non-examples of it through using objects, insects, and people to illustrate the concept. Using a power point was the most practical thing to use and it greatly enhanced my lesson. It saved me time (in not having to draw every object on a dry-erase board and show its symmetry) and it made the lesson more colorful, interactive, and engaging.
I felt like this lesson of projecting the power point presentation on an LCD projector went very well! The students were able to come up to the screen and show me where they thought an object, insect, or person needed to be divided in half in order to make them symmetrical. The power point helped to show them the error of their ways if they were wrong, which further helped to promote a discussion amongst the classmates about why it was wrong. The power point was colorful, vibrant, and interactive, and really helped to engage the students in the symmetry lesson. In the future, I would change my approach of having the children come up to the screen and show how to make objects symmetrical by giving them more opportunities and making the lesson even more interactive. This technology integration was especially great in matching up with each of the four principles of technology (i.e. technology. pedagogy, and content knowledge).
I chose to read the article by Brad J. Bushman entitled, “It’s ‘Only’ Violence.”This was published in the Ensign in June of 2003. This article discussed the media’s effects on aggression.Not long ago, Bushman, a psychology professor at Iowa State University, carried out an informal survey, which sought to find out Church members’ views on television and movies. When he asked the members about what made a movie offensive, the common answers to this question were sexually explicit scenes or profanity- the members in his studies did not mention violence as being something objectionable.
In his article, Bushman first discusses the spiritual consequences of being exposed to media violence. He states that “the Spirit is offended” when we watch violence in the media- regardless of if it “causes us to commit violent acts.”Bushman next talks about how much violence children are exposed to in their daily lives.He cites a U.S. study, which reveals that the average American child “spends about 40 hours per week watching TV and videos, playing computer games, and so on.” What was even more disturbing for me to learn from this article is how much violence a child will have been exposed to upon leaving elementary school.“By the time the average American child graduates from elementary school, he or she will have seen more than 8,000 murders and more than 100,000 other assorted acts of violence, such as assaults, on network television.The numbers are even higher if the child has access to cable television or a videocassette or DVD player, as most do.”It is astonishing to me that a young child could be exposed to such a high amount of violence in the media. Surely, this amount must make them become desensitized.Bushman also discusses the detrimental effects of playing violent video games by stating that they cause a child to take on the role of a violent person and often times, reward the child for exhibiting violent behaviors in the game.
In the bulk of his article, Bushman discusses myths associated with media. Myth #1 states that “the mass media simply mirror[s] the level of violence in the real world.” This is false.Bushman cites research to back up this point which states, “The largest discrepancy between the real world and the world depicted on television was for murder—the most violent crime of all. Only 0.2 percent of the crimes reported by the FBI are murders, whereas about 50 percent of the crimes shown in reality-based TV programs are murders.” It is so unfortunate that children and adults alike are being subjected to violent material in the media. From the quote above, it can be determined that the media does not mirror reality- murders do not take place near as often as they are shown in the media.
A second myth, mentioned by Bushman, which I liked, asserts, “Viewing violence has a trivial effect on aggression.”Many people believe that society is not affected by the violence children and adults alike are exposed to in the media- that somehow, it is not at risk when people view violent material.This is false.I love a quote that Bushman cites which states, “…the research evidence indicates that the effect of violent media on aggression is stronger than the effect of calcium intake on bone mass, the effect of asbestos on cancer, the effect of lead exposure on mental functioning, and the effect of secondhand smoke on lung cancer.”I thought this quote was very powerful! Indeed, being exposed to violence in the media is far more powerful than one would believe.This brings me to the final myth, which I found to be very interesting in Bushman’s article.It declares, “’Media violence doesn’t affect me!’”Bushman makes the point that even if a small percentage of people started to become violent upon seeing violent material in the media, it would greatly affect society.He says, “Suppose 20 million people watch the program. If the program increases aggression in just 1 percent of viewers, then 200,000 people will behave more aggressively after watching the program.” This thought really opened my eyes to the great effects violence can have on people.Even if I, myself, am not watching violent things in the media, I am still affected by the people who do.Bushman concludes his explanation of this myth by stating that scientific studies have proved what general authorities have been saying for years- violence in the media causes people to become desensitized.
This article will influence me as a future parent and teacher in guiding me to know what sorts of guidelines to set for my children and my students. Bushman states that “children are the most vulnerable” to be affected by violence because of their inability to tell the difference between fantasy reality. Bushman suggests that parents have a set of DVDs and computer games on hand so that if their children want to play or watch something, the parent will know that it is appropriate.He also suggests that parents monitor the amount of time children watch television or play video games. A final suggestion that he gives, which I feel is especially insightful is that parents and older siblings should avoid violent material themselves, as their viewing of it often exposes the young children to it at the same time.
I can use what I read in this article to be mindful of the violence my future children and students view. I will do my absolute best to set a good example for them by avoiding violent material in my own life and ensuring that they have appropriate media to watch or play with. I can also help my friends and family to promote a positive outcome in their children’s lives by giving them the advice I read about in this article. I think that my friends would be very impressed by the material that Bushman included in it and the beneficial suggestions he gives for us to follow. In essence, I think that I will be able to impact children’s lives for good as a result of reading this article. It was very useful to me.
I watched two of the Netsmartz videos, all of the Frontline PBS Documentary, and the BYU iKeepSafe Faux Paws clip. When I watched these videos about internet safety and the dangers that lurk on the internet, I was astonished at what I watched! I have a facebook and am decently knowledgeable at working with technology, but I was amazed at how many young people get onto the internet too!One of the clips I watched showed a 13-year-old boy who was on myspace- frequently checking his friend requests and other material on the site. Another showed a Goth girl, who posted half-naked pictures of herself as a way to feel good and appreciated by others (since they wrote compliments on each of her pictures).
I talked to my Mom about internet safety and I feel that the conversation went very well. My Mom is not the most tech-savvy woman and she does not really know how to use a computer so a lot of the things that I told her about were simple enough for her to learn and understand- regardless of her computer skills. I shared with her the many sites I watched videos on and the information they revealed about how the internet consumes peoples’ lives- young people in particular. I told her about the kinds of things people post on the sites and how it is imperative that she monitor my little brother and sister, who are still living at home. I advised her to closely monitor the amount of time that they spend on the computer and to ensure that the computer be located in a place that can be seen by all. I think what most impacted my Mom was the same thing that impacted me when I watched the videos- how scary and real internet bullying is. When I told her the story about the young boy who killed himself because of internet bullying; the boy who had parents that loved him and had absolutely no idea that this was going on- it broke my Mom’s heart. She said that she had never considered or heard much about internet bullying before, and thus, was so grateful to me for sharing that information with her. As a result of the many things that we discussed, my Mom has resolved to learn how to use the computer better and in a way that will help her to monitor my siblings. I am grateful to have had this opportunity to share with her things that I now feel strongly to be extremely important and pertinent to our everyday life. The internet will not go away or disappear- such a thought is obvious. This notion gives me all the more resolve to want to help children to understand the appropriate, safe, and healthy use of this technology.
The Friday before my practicum ended, I was able to do an awesome lesson that used technology! I used the computer and an LCD projector in order to teach my 1st grade students about symmetry. I used a power point presentation I had created to teach the students about symmetry. I tried to make it as colorful and interactive as possible in order to ensure that the students would be engaged. The students were able to see various examples and non-examples of objects and living things that exhibited symmetry. Their participation was incorporated into the presentation, as they came up to the screen and showed me where symmetry existed on the objects I showed. Using technology in my classroom provided me with an activity that the students really enjoyed! They loved seeing the examples of symmetry and especially loved that I chose objects they were familiar with. For example, I used a picture of Hannah Montana, which a lot of the girls in the class loved. And the class had been learning about insects and butterflies in the week prior to my lesson so I showed a butterfly as an example of something that is symmetrical. I hope that in my future school, I will have the ability to incorporate technology into my lessons. It makes all of the difference in the students' engagement in lessons!
This is an example of a lesson plan that I taught in the classroom a couple of weeks ago. Instead of making a poster and doing a writing activity at the end of each lesson with the students over the course of three classes, I would like to implement and use a power point presentation to teach this topic. I think that a power point could make the information come alive for the children more than a poster could. Through using this technology, the students will be able to see the important concepts from "Jamie O'Rourke and the Pooka." The power point presentation will further help the students to remember important parts of the story (retelling- an important comprehension strategy).
I am in a 1st grade class and upon doing my technology inventory assessment, I was surprised to find that there was not as much technology in the classroom I've been assigned as I thought there would be. However, the children are in first grade, which makes sense as to why they would not be surrounded by a vast amount of technology at this particular point in time. There is one computer in my classroom. This computer can be hooked up to a projector and used to show power points to the children. The students also have access to television sets, which can be brought into the room to show them educational videos. The students have access to a computer lab that is estimated to have about 30 computers in it. The students are able to do a variety of activities on these computers ranging from math problems to writing to reading comprehension activities. The possibilities are endless for the children.
We live in a day that teaches children about technology at a very early age. I marvel at the things that young children are able to do on the computer. I think it is extremely beneficial to teach them computer skills early, as it promotes a concrete knowledge for them in their futures. Technology surrounds students and the day we live in requires that students are exposed to technology often, as it helps them to understand and internalize various subjects. Not only does technology help students to learn subjects better, but it also makes subjects much more interesting for them. Rather than merely hearing a direct instruction lesson, students have the ability to apply the concepts they are learning to their lives through the use of technology. I have seen the faces of the students in my class beam with huge smiles of excitement each time they have been given the opportunity to go to the computer lab. For example, on one particular day, the students were able to do math problems and they were able to complete the problems given to them in a fast manner. I believe that this had to do greatly with the students' eagerness to use technology. If it can enhance students' learning and help them to be more engaged, technology should definitely be implemented into the classroom starting as early as possible. I have seen the positive outcomes of technology first hand with the students I teach. I cannot wait to use it in my classroom!
