Considering I'm planning to become a mathematics teacher, problem solving is going to be a huge obstacle many students will have to overcome. There are many software's and apps that can help students better understand what they are learning. I plan to also help my students as much as possible in explaining anything they don't understand.
At my work, when children are at centers, I always look to see what games they are playing on the computer. Since they are kindergarteners, they don't know many games or how to get to some of the more experienced ones. When I walk around to see what they are on I see games that involve knowing shapes, words, letters, or numbers. Some play games with animals and during the game there is a person talking about the animals they are passing or that they pick to play with. I personally think games like these are perfect for children, it educates them while entertaining them.
A great game to play also is Jeopardy. My teachers used it in the past for science, math, English, any subject. Its a great way to get the students involved in what's being taught while having fun playing a game. They also enjoy the game a little more if there is a prize in the end, which could be something big or small or even just a winning for everyone who participated. I always thought this was a fun game when I was in school and I think most children would enjoy it also.
Work Cited http://flipquiz.me/u/cayward/math-problems
Maloy, R., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2011). Researching and Evaluating Internet Information. In Transforming Learning with New Technologies (pp. 112-141). Allyn & Bacon.
Many students don't know how search engines work. You type something and press search or the 'enter' key and boom a list of different websites come up. When I first stared Elementary school, I didn't know what a computer was or what you did with it. Today at my work, the child ask to go on the computer to play games or do homework. If children aren't taught the proper way to search a topic and know whether there source is authentic or not, then they could potentially get in trouble for plagiarism or something along those lines. Two of the major search engines used today are Google and Bing. You see commercials on TV of people picking the search engine they like the most.
My mind stayed in the same direction for all three of the topics I wanted to reflect about. My next one is ensuring safe online experiences for students. I think it is very important to make sure all children are doing what they should be on the computers and what happens if they aren't following the directions given. In the book says 'To ensure safe online experiences teachers can preselect sites for students to visit' (pg. 126). At the school I work at, they have all search engines blocked except Bing. Teachers and students both have everything blocked, so not only did the teachers preselect the search engine for students but the principal picked and made it equal across the board. When you type something in the search engines, you never know what you are going to see.
The last topic I wanted to reflect on is plagiarism. If students are educated at a young age that plagiarism is serious and something you shouldn't do, then it isn't such an issue as they get older. As a teacher you have to know ways to prevent the students from 'accidently' plagiarizing someone's work. In college teachers use the website Turnitin.com to check that the student hasn't plagiarized anything. My professor recently used this on one of my papers, but I also submitted to Turnitin.com before I submitted it to him. If teachers let their students know that there are websites like this and that they should (don't have to) turn their paper into that before the teacher so they know whether they did plagiarize on accident and where it was at.
I think as long as students know how to use a search engine and how to correctly cite work, they shouldn't have a problem doing research papers for teachers. I wasn't taught until my freshmen year of college how to properly cite and now its simple to me.
Work Cited https://bubbl.us/mindmap
Maloy, R., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2011). Researching and Evaluating Internet Information. In Transforming Learning with New Technologies (pp. 112-141). Allyn & Bacon.
The first method from chapter three that stuck out to me was one-on-one tutoring. Most children don't realize the important of knowing what is being taught. I was one of those students that crammed all the information I could, into my brain the night before a test. I had plenty of opportunities to ask for help from my teacher or the tutor at my school, but I was always too shy. One-on-one allows the children to get the knowledge needed for a subject by themselves. There are no distractions and the children can be open enough to ask the questions they need because they are alone.
The second method is inquiry learning. I like this method because it reminds me of the scientific method. The students don't just learn, they research and find new things out to further their learning. Some students can't just learn from a two hour lecture, they need more. I always liked investigating more on the subject a teacher was teaching and I think students nowadays would enjoy it too.
The third method I enjoyed reading about was Active learning. I really like this concept because children like hands-on and there needs to be more hands on activities for them to do. The school I work at has the child play computer games for math, reading, or writing, but it's engaging them by making them answer the questions to move on. The children ask to play these games when we have tech time and its great to me.
This chapter presented some amazing methods for teaching and I enjoyed it more then most chapter for my other classes. The three methods that I presented I will one day be using in my classroom to engage my students.
Resources
Blog #C by cayw - ToonDoo - World's fastest way to create cartoons! (Blog #C by cayw - ToonDoo - World's fastest way to create cartoons!)
http://www.toondoo.com/cartoon/8426626
Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
The first concept that stuck out to me was digital childhood. I work with children from the ages of 5-11 (Kindergarten to 5th grade). I started working with children when I was 17, so I've seen a lot. When I first started, not many children were interested in technology. Majority of children wanted to be outside whether it was playing a group game or playing on the jungle gym. Now almost every child has at least one from of technology. If they don't have their own technology they know how to use their parents and the parents let them. In the article, "The Emergence of Digital Childhood- Is This Really Wise?", the author pointed out reasons why technology at a young age isn't good. Like giving a 7 year old an iPhone. They now have access to the internet and social media, meaning predators can find them so much faster. I just think all this technology isn't good for children unless parents set rules and boundaries. The video below shows how technology in classrooms is good.
Next would be digital identity, which is a hit and miss for me. I personally will find myself on my phone checking social medias, text messages, or just looking at it because I have nothing else to do. I don't want my children growing up not knowing what the grass outside looks like. That's were I don't like technology, because there is more to life then computers, iPads, tablets, etc. I've watched children cry when a parent takes their technology away. Crying because an iPad was taken away, really? As a teacher I have to learn to work with technology for my students education benefit. I know I will be able to overcome that because as a teacher I can set limits on how much tech time the children get or what they are going on.
The third concept that struck me was what technologies will have the greatest impact on the teaching and learning in the next 5 years. Although I work with children, I also work with teachers 4 days out of the week. I have seen teachers go from using projectors to boards that are interactive now. I know some teachers aren't really into children playing with technology all the time, but there are some that are helping children in ways that will benefit their education. I think schools may start having younger children bringing their electronics to school to do their work on, so their are more computers for the less fortunate to use. The technology is always changing, so by 2020 they could have all new technology for children to be using and teachers teaching them all to use.
In conclusion, becoming a teacher in the 21st century is going to be touch at times but all worth it. I may have children at times telling me how to use technology, but then I can show them ways to use other sites to benefit not only their education on technology but also on some subjects in school. At the end of the day, I will be happy using or not using technology, as long as I'm teaching children.
Resources:
Krashiqi, Justina. (2310, December 17). Digital Technology's Impact on Learning. Retrived from http://youtu.be/x_GnCYZ2NW4
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
Mohler, A. (2011, November 30). The Emergence of Digital Childhood — Is This Really Wise? Retrieved January 16, 2015, from http://www.albertmohler.com/2011/11/30/the-emergence-of-digital-childhood-is-this-really-wise/
