Week 13: Online -Thanksgiving

A teacher is a designer from the very start of their profession. From the beginning of the school year a teacher is busy at work setting up the classroom so that the learning environment will be as effective as possible. When the classroom is set up then the teacher must be at work designing effective teaching programs in order to use classroom time wisely. It is important to design the class and lesson in a way to engage the learners.

A program that I feel would be useful in the class room is "Sketch Up." I like this program because it can generate interest in design and building. A student can design the interior or exterior of a house or building. One can even use this tool as a landscaping devise and design and overall project by planting trees and shrubs. Sketch up allows the learning designer to actually see what is going on in their own personal design.

Digital story telling is where the students work together on a digital project like a movie. Each student will have their own role and part in making it all come together. They will collaborate with on another expressing their ideas in a digital setting and once the script is complete they will watch and share it with the other students to see how well they did. I feel this would be a useful tool that would engage the learners because it allows them to share their work with other students.

Another strategy that the book discusses in helping students with math is a program called "TinkerPlots." This allows the students to visualize the data and move it around digitally. "TinkerPlots" is a program designed for students grade 4-8 which allows them to reason with data. "TinkerPlots" allows the students to visualize graphs and become more familiar with modern technology.

I feel that students can not learn from TV alone. Everything must be in moderation too much of anything is not good. Some students are hands on learners like myself it is better for me to actually do the assignment than hear or see about it. Too much TV makes one lazy.

Jonasse D., Howland J., Marra R. M., & Crismond D. (2008). Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Chapter 3

There are many principles important for education but I would like to discuss three that are important to me. First, Active learning is important because kids need to be engaged and encouraged. If video games will engage the learner then we must incorporate this idea. Second, the principle of Identity is important because this allows students to make real world choices. Virtual identity is a form of online identity where the learner can see themselves in a real world setting. Third, the Discovery principle will allow the student to make their own discovery and when student discover their own things they retain the information better.

Simulations are a very useful form of learning. In my college history class we simulated the early settlers coming to America and the students were engaged in this activity because it was a new form of learning. I like the Urban simulation because this is a virtual city block where normal everyday life is happening. For instance you are in a First Aid and Safety Class, one Variable could be manipulated in this because you could add real life situations like if you wanted to manipulate someone needing help, you could call 911 and tell them what type of help you need and where you are.

In Conclusion, both learning principles and simulations go together and should be discussed in the classroom. These topics are also good blog topics because you can interact more effectively. Chapter 3 in the book Meaningful Learning With Technology was very good in explaining useful learning principles and simulations.

Jonasse D., Howland J., Marra R. M., & Crismond D. (2008). Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.