Project-Based Learning

Three important things I learned from the reading are that problem-based learning challenges students to solve problems or do simulations that mimic real life, projects tend to be more open-ended than problem-based learning, giving students more choice when it comes to demonstrating what they know, and teachers may benefit from professional development to help them expand their classroom "tool kit" of teaching strategies, but the most important thing I learned is that knowing how to solve problems, work collaboratively, and think innovatively are becoming essential skills.

This picture represents the essential skills that students should know. These skills, as mentioned before, are how to solve problems, work collaboratively, and think innovatively.

Essential Questions

How is geometry used in the real world?

Why is it important to understand geometric constructions?

Why are geometric formulas useful in solving real-world problems?

Diversity Poster

This is my groups poster on diversity!

UDL Book- Where I Am From

This is the first page of my UDL book! Click on this picture to see more! 

A WebQuest About WebQuests

Your Role

___Efficiency Expert

___Affiliator

___Altitudinist

__X_Technophile

Your Impressions

WebQuest	Strengths	Weaknesses
John Wilkes Booth	The pictures in this WebQuest are a sufficient size. There are also many resources used to complete the WebQuest. I like the use of color. The color of the background and the font do not seem like they would be a distraction to the reader.	The pictures in this WebQuest do not completely give the reader visualization of what the time was like. Without the links the WebQuest would not have a lot of information.
Landfills	There are a lot of pictures used and the WebQuest is not dull. It contains color and I think this helps keep the reader's attention.	The pictures are very small and seem somewhat irrelevant. There were not any links that gave the reader access to learn more. This WebQuest could have been printed out and given as a worksheet.
Ancient Egypt	This Webquest provides beneficial resources which helps include all of the readers no matter what background knowledge they have of the topics. The readers are even led to use Powerpoint to complete a portion of the WebQuest. This WebQuest also provides eye catching pictures that keeps the reader focused on the task at hand.	Some of the words are colored in different shades of blue. It may be more beneficial to the reader if one of the shades of blue was changed to black. This may catch the reader's eyes better.
Creative Encounters	This WebQuest uses the pictures to involve the reader. Some of the pictures are animated which grasps the readers eyes. There are resources that lead the reader to more information.	The pictures are so small in some of them it is hard to decipher what the picture is. It is also hard to read some of the words because of their colors and the background. The animation of a few of the pictures is so fast it may distract the reader from the task at hand.

My group decided that the best WebQuest is John Wilkes Booth because it allows students to remain on task by not giving them anything too ahead of their level. The pictures provide quick visualization which helps the readers remain on task and interested in the topic. My group also concluded that the worst WebQuest was The Environmental Problems With Landfills because of the lack of focus and the poor quality. We thought that this WebQuest was a little over middle school student's heads. The WebQuest is not thorough enough for student's at this level to follow.

The Learning Power of WebQuests

In the article titled, "The Learning Power of WebQuests", three important ideas or things from the reading today are that when teachers use the Internet in this way it helps the students develop their active understanding of problems, prompting students at crucial stages of the process inspires confidence, and open-ended questions activate students’ prior knowledge and create a personal curiosity that inspires investigation and brings more understanding of the material, but the most important thing I learned is in a real WebQuest, newly acquired information undergoes an important transformation within learners themselves.

                                                        Every piece is important!

Song Analysis

I think that We're Just Like Crayons, My Wish and Gold all represent the importance of diversity, but the one I like the most is. In the music video of the song there are different situations where people are treated like they are an outcast. Situations took place in school, during a football practice, and late at night. Each time these situations would happen the person being treated like an outcast would be taken from the situation and join others that struggle with the same feeling. It is sad that people are treated like an outcast. I like how the people treated this way are shown that they are not alone. I like the encouraging lyrics. I think that they help people to hold their head up. Part of these lyrics are, "you're worth more than gold." The artist may have felt like an outcast at times in her life. This is shown in the video because at the end the artist was with all of the "outcasts."I think this song was made for people who are treated like they do not fit in or for people who are called hurtful names. The song is very upbeat and the song is catchy. People may be reminded of their past so in sections it may make people remember hard times in their life, but after that people will be happy because they will feel accepted. The tone is joyful and encouraging. This fits with the lyrics because she sings, "It's your time to shine." This song explains how life is hard sometimes for teens in high school. In America, everyone has a different personality and enjoys doing different activities. Everyone is not the same. If a students does not feel like they are accepted it may hinder the way that the perform in the classroom. Their grades may drop and they may feel alone in the classroom and not accepted and comfortable.

This song incorporates the stereotypes directed towards teens and informs them that they are important. Both boys and girls are included in this song and encouraged to shine no matter what others may say about them. The song convinces the reader that they are, "worth more than gold." In the article, "Precious Children: Diversity in the Classroom," the teacher's example is mentioned to be very important. Teachers should set the example in the classroom and not treat student's any differently because of their background. Teachers also should encourage their students to accept others and allow students from different backgrounds to communicate in order to break down the stereotypes shown in this song.

How Diversity Makes Us Smarter

Some of the things that I learned in the reading, How Diversity Makes Us Smarter, is that diversity can be difficult. Sometimes diversity can cause anxiety or even conflict. In the classroom a lot of teachers encourage their students to discuss topics with them and their classmates. I also learned from this reading that diversity encourages the search for novel information and perspectives and this leads to better decision making and problem solving. In order to understand the influence diversity has is through informational diversity. When students are put into groups, each student knows different information, has different ideas, and has experienced different things. Lastly, diversity works by promoting hard work and creativity and by encouraging the consideration of alternatives.

I really like this picture because I think that it represents how important diversity is in our society. 

Valuing Diversity

Three important ideas/things from the reading today are that diversity is defined in the dictionary as "the condition of being different," valuing diversity recognizes differences between people and acknowledges that these differences are a valued asset, when you value diversity, you maximize the positive impacts of your program for all children and youth, but the most important thing I learned today is by building positive peer influence, young people begin to change negative attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors about diversity. 

I really like this picture because it represents that children are the future. I think that it is important that teachers value diversity in the classroom. 

Reading Instruction For All Readers

Three important ideas/things from the reading today are content area literacy is important because students read texts from a variety of disciplines, close reading is a beneficial way for students to become effective readers of complex texts, and one of the most important and challenging responsibilities for school is to prepare students to read complex texts effectively, but the most important thing I learned from the reading is when teachers use research-based support from policymakers and administration they can help students at all grade levels to comprehend, draw evidence from, and compare across a wide variety of complex texts. One way my UDL book might support reading instruction for all students is that I am going to try to make it in depth and provide interesting information.

This picture shows students reading on technology and it represents students using digital technologies in order to improve writing motivation and achievement.

Where I Am From Poem

I am from a far off place.
Where the hills are on hills and the woods touch the sky.
I am from the home that hides,
the place where birds sing and gardens spring.
I am from the Rivesville at the Coal Company store the store that had everything a person could need. I am from Green Town named for the 12 green houses built by the coal company and they all looked just the same.
I am from an active faith in Jesus Christ,
worshiping and praying day and night.
Giving and sharing the love He has for everyone.

I am from the small cherry tree,
from jewelry and candles.
I am from the open brick home, strong, and firm.
It felt rough and hard.
I am from trees that surround me on all sides.
from hills and narrow roads.

I'm from the Christmas family gathering and the family sauce recipe,
from Rick Vasicek and Dee Dee Vasicek.
I'm from the hard working and fun loving family.
From the obey your mom and dad and treat others how you want to be treated.
I'm from a strong faith in Jesus Christ and what He has done for all.

I'm from Clarksburg,
from sauce and pierogies.
From the grandma with lung cancer,
the woman that was near death.
I am from Fairmont, West Virginia where the mountains are high.

Here are three photos that I would like to use in my UDL book. The first is a picture of my family. The second picture is of my great grandpa and the third picture is my favorite view from my house. 

Reading: Creating Digital Authors

Three important ideas/things from the reading today are that students have very limited access to technology in the classrooms, students are excited and motivated to learn about using different kinds of technology, and allowing students to create a writing style with technology and not making them use the normal structure motivates them to do the work, but the most important thing I learned from the reading is that once work is completed students are rewarded for finishing their work quickly with  free time and this encourages students to rush.

This picture reflects the importance of allowing students to use digital technologies in the classroom to write. Doing this will increase motivation and achievement.

"Where I'm From" Poem

I am from a far off place
Where the hills are on hills and the woods touch the sky.
I am from the home that hides
the place where birds sing and gardens spring.
I am from the Rivesville at the Coal Company store the store that had everything a person could need. I am from Green Town named for the 12 green houses built by the coal company and they all looked just the same.
I am from an active faith in Jesus Christ
worshiping and praying day and night
Giving and sharing the love He has for everyone.

I am from the small cherry tree
from jewelry and candles.
I am from the open brick home, strong, and firm.
It felt rough and hard.
I am from trees that surround me on all sides.
from hills and narrow roads.

I'm from the Christmas family gathering and the family sauce recipe
from Rick Vasicek and Dee Dee Vasicek
I'm from the hard working and fun loving family.
from the obey your mom and dad and treat others how you want to be treated.
I'm from a strong faith in Jesus Christ and what He has done for all.

I'm from Clarksburg,
I' m from sauce and pierogies
From the grandma with lung cancer
the woman that was near death
I am from Fairmont, West Virginia where the mountains are high.


1. This is a picture of my family. I asked my grandpa the following questions.

Where was the picture taken?

This picture was taken at my aunt Jeanie's (my grandpa's sister).

Who took the picture?

Jim, he is married to my third cousin. 

Why were the people in the photo gathered?

Because we wanted to get a picture together. We realized that we had never gotten a picture all together. 

How are they related?

We are all related through my great grandma and great grandpa. My grandpa's parents started it all. 

Why were they together at this moment?

We gathered in the backyard to take a picture and then we all headed back inside. 

What were they doing?

We were all celebrating the 4th of July.
2. This is my parent's house.

This is my favorite view! I took this picture in the morning just as the sun was coming up. I love this picture. 

There are many views of when looking out of the windows at my house.
Out of the first window I see a hill. At the top of the hill there is trees in a line blocking the view of what is beyond.

Out of the second window I see a driveway. Past the driveway there are more trees and a field. 

Out of the third window it is obvious that the house is on a hill and at the bottom of the hill the driveway ends and the curvy road begins. 

The Cook Brothers helped build this house. This house is only twelve years old. We moved into this house when I was in the second grade. It has a lot of windows and the roof has a lot of peeks. My family is the first to live in this house. 

3. Prickets Fort holds history in my hometown. In 1774 Prickets Fort was used  for early settlers as a place of safety from American Indians. This place still exists today. When I was in elementary school my class would take a field trip there to learn about the history of Fairmont. 

4. My hometown is known for homemade pepperoni rolls.
5. There have not been any industrial disasters. 

6. About me
Who lived in your house with you as a child?
My dad, mom, sister, and brother.

How many brothers or sisters lived there?

I had one sister and one brother.

Can you describe your father or mother as you remember looking at them when you were small?

I have always thought of my dad as a hard worker. He was really strong and tall. I always noticed my mom's pretty blond curly hair. She was usually home with us. 

Who visited your house when you were young?

My grandparents would come over and visit a lot. 

Any relatives remembered? Grandparents or Aunts and Uncles?

My Aunts and Uncles usually did not come over to our house. They just came to birthday parties. 

Who were your favorite cousins?

I love all of my cousins the same, but when I was younger I was closest to Easton. 

Who were your neighbors?

I was never close to my neighbors because our houses have a good amount of space between them, but one of my neighbors was also my history teacher while I was in middle school. 

Did you have any favorite teachers?

My mom was my middle school math teacher so she was my very favorite, but her best friend also taught my English class so she was one of my favorites as well. 

Who was the best cook in the family?

My mom was really the only one that cooks so she is the best. My sister loves to bake and I think she is the best at making desserts. 

Who was the smartest, richest, kindest, or most religious?

The smartest is probably my dad or my sister. 

The richest is my parents. 

We all are saved and choose to follow Jesus. 

Did anyone in the family have some unusual characteristics?
My aunt is probably the one who has the unusual characteristics. She has her own way of doing things. 

7. I interviewed my grandpa.

Can you describe the house in which you lived when you were a child?

My grandpa lived with his grandparents growing up because his father was at World War II. There was a kitchen, living room, and two bedrooms, and their was one out house. The fire place was the only source of the heat at the time.

Do you remember the room in which you slept as a child?

The room was pretty reasonably sized with a bed. There were no closets all of the cloths were in boxes or hung on the door. 

Can you describe the houses in your neighborhood?

There were two rows owned by the coal company. Each row had about twelve houses. The town was called green town because all of the houses were painted green and were built the same. The houses are still in existence today; however, each home is individually owned. 

Where was your favorite place to visit when you were a child?

My grandpa's favorite place to visit was his dad's mother's (his grandma).

Where did you go to school? What was in the classrooms?

Rivesville High School. The classroom contained a blackboard, a desk, and student's desk. Each desk contained an ink well at the top right. There was steam registers for heat. It was coal fired.

Where did you go to worship?

He went to the Rivesville First Methodist Church.

Where did you go to shop for food or clothes?

In Rivesville at the Coal Company store. The store contained food, cloths, and furniture.

Where did you go for fun and recreation?

To the playground. That was the only thing available. 

Where did you go when you wanted to hide?

He says that he never wanted to hide, but he would clime a tree.

Did your family ever move?

The family moved two times, but still lived in Rivesville. 

Describe the house you lived in when you were first married.

They lived in an apartment upstairs. When you walked into the front door you walked into the first apartments living room. They would have to walk through another apartment to get to their own. 

What kind of utensils did you have in the kitchen?
There were spoons, forks, and knives. There was not a microwave.

8. I was born on August 5, 1996. Monday morning my mom woke up and went to her doctors appointment. When her appointment was finished she went to Eating Park where she ate with my grandma and my dad. This is where she began to have symptoms of labor. Since she had already gone through the labor process she knew that the symptoms weren't out of the ordinary and she had time to eat and relax. When she was finished she went to my dad's parent's house to watch a movie with my sister. When she stood up, after watching the movie, she realized it was time to go to the hospital. My dad drove my mom to the hospital and my sister stayed with my grandparents. Four hours after they arrived, I was born. Since I was born late in the day many of my parent's family and friends did not visit until the next day.

9.

The first picture is my mother's grandpa and the second is my father's grandma.

These pictures are of my hometown, Fairmont, West Virginia.

Teachers are Designers

Teaching is like designing because a teacher has many students and constantly has to design different learning styles to meet the needs of all of them so they can learn the material. It is important for all teachers to use UDL (Universal Design for Learning) because of the diversity that may be in the classroom. UDL allows teachers to support all of their students in the classroom.

The three principles of UDL are:

1. To support recognition learning, provide multiple, flexible methods of presentation.
2. To support strategic learning, provide multiple, flexible methods of expression and apprenticeship.
3. To support affective learning, provide multiple, flexible options for engagement.

Whenever I was a junior in high school I took chemistry. My class was given a project with strict guidelines of what was suppose to be accomplished. The project's purpose was to explain why one chemical met the need of a situation. We had to work alone and develop the reason and then write it on a piece of paper. I don't think the teacher incorporated the three principles of UDL into this project. Many of us were left confused. The few students that got the correct answer did not fully understand the information. It was very difficult to even think. I remember all of us were just staring at each other because we were used to working in groups and performing experiments. It was a difficult task to complete that left me unsatisfied as a learner.

I believe that this picture symbolizes that teachers are designers.

Wikipedia Vs. Textbooks Argument

In my elementary and middle school years of schooling I was raised with the old school version of teaching. We used books with a piece of paper and a pencil. Over time technology has progressed and has become very useful when learning. Wikipedia is a more beneficial and informative way for students to learn in schools. Three of the many reasons Wikipedia is a better source for students to learn from are because Wikipedia offers more information, teachers have the opportunity to relate subjects to their students' lives, and Wikipedia is a very reliable source.
In an article titled, "A Textbook Example of What's Wrong with Education," it is written, "most of these books fall far short of their important role in the educational scheme of things." A book source just seems to touch the surface of an event while Wikipedia sources go in depth. On Wikipedia there are hyperlinks that the reader can click on if they want to learn more about a topic or if there is something that they don't know about while in the book the reader doesn't have as many options.

There are so many different styles that teachers could use without using a textbook. According to an article titled, "No Books, No Problem: Teaching Without a Text," a teacher discusses his approach to teaching without a textbook. He writes, "Without a textbook, I can create curriculum that engages students by relating science to their everyday lives. Lessons become clearer when I link the topic to an issue that affects them personally." I think that this is a great way to teach. The students will remember the topic because the teacher connected it to something that they have went through or understand in life. 

Another reason why teachers should use Wikipedia to teach instead of using a textbook is because Wikipedia is very reliable. Noam Cohen includes in his article titled, "Wikipedia Emerges as Trusted Internet Source for Ebola Information," why Wikipedia is a reliable source. He informs his readers, "Only registered Wikipedia editors with at least some experience are permitted to edit the page." He also writes, "much of Wikipedia is not edited by just “anyone.”"

In conclusion, Wikipedia is a better resource for teachers to use. There are so many additional resources for viewers to use when reading an article on Wikipedia. The opportunities are endless for teachers and students when using Wikipedia to learn about topics.

I really like this picture because it symbolizes that you can incorporate learning by using the internet. 

The information I used was found from these three sources:

A Textbook Example of What's wrong with Education
No Books, No Problem: Teaching Without a Text
Wikipedia Emerges as Trusted Internet Source for Ebola Information
Online Education Virtues

Wikipedia vs. Textbooks

What is Wikipedia? -Wikipedia Common Craft
Three important ideas/things from the video today are that 10s of thousands of people contribute to Wikipedia, Wiki is a kind of website that allows volunteers to make changes to pages, and Wikipedia is one of the top 5 sites on the web, but the most important thing I learned today is that every change is reviewed and must abide by two rules: verifiability and a neutral point of view.

Analyzing a Wikipedia Article 
I reviewed two articles with the same topic that are written in very different ways. The Wounded Knee Massacre as a Wikipedia entry and the Wounded Knee Massacre in a U.S. History Textbook.
Some of the differences between the book and the website version are that Wikipedia has way more information on the topic. On Wikipedia there are hyperlinks that the reader can click on if they want to learn more about the topic or if there is something that they don't know about while in the book the reader doesn't have as many options. They are also different in the way that they present the information. The book source just seems to touch the surface of the historical event while the Wikipedia source goes in depth. It is hard for me to provide how they are similar because they both seem so different! One of the similarities that I noticed is that they both provide pictures and the obvious one is that they are both discussing the Wounded Knee Massacre.
Overall the Wikipedia resource on the Wounded Knee Massacre seems to have more potential for meaningful learning. It gives a ton of beneficial information and resources for more information if needed. I think that it is the more beneficial resource for learning about this historical event. 

Is the information reliable?
I think that the information is very reliable. There are so many people that contribute to each article that help construct the final product. People all over the word contribute to make Wikipedia articles. Many articles are examined and from those articles few are chosen to construct the article presented on Wikipedia.

Someone wanted to add to the information given in the Wounded Knee Massacre on Wikipedia, but the information that they proposed contradicted other information that was already in the article. They looked at the source that the new information came from, but could not come to a decision on which information was most reliable. They then decided to take both pieces of information out of the article and asked for help and thoughts on the matter. You can read more about this by following this article.

When I looked over three of the many people that have the opportunity to edit articles I notice that they all have different qualifications. They all provided different types of information about themselves. One of them only stated his/her past professions. This makes it difficult for me to tell if I can trust them or not. One of the two that wrote a lot seemed to be more educated than the other, but this is very hard to tell from just what they chose to write about themselves.

I looked over some of the users on Wikipedias conversations with others. This information shows that the users are in touch with others and this helps make sure that all of the information is presented in the best way and is also valid. Some of the information posted is questioning some of the articles validity. I now feel that the information on Wikipedia is more reliable because users keep in touch and are always trying to make the site better for the viewers. Also all of the information has to have a source that backs it up and it can be questioned or even deleted.

Neutrality on Wikipedia 
One of the examples that I found in the article on Wikipedia on the Wounded Knee Massacre that shows that they try to maintain neutrality is...
"Specific details of what triggered the massacre are debated. According to some accounts, Yellow Bird began to perform the "Ghost Dance""..."According to commanding Gen. Nelson A. Miles, a "scuffle occurred between one warrior who had [a] rifle in his hand and two soldiers. The rifle was discharged and a battle occurred, not only the warriors but the sick Chief Spotted Elk, and a large number of women and children who tried to escape by running and scattering over the prairie were hunted down and killed.""


Wikipedia In the News!
If I were to write an argument paper with the claim that Wikipedia is a reliable source of information three pieces of evidence found from this article that I could use to prove this point would be...

• "Only registered Wikipedia editors with at least some experience are permitted to edit the page."
• "much of Wikipedia is not edited by just “anyone.”"
• "“A key group of us keep an eye on articles that have become more popular to make sure that Wikipedia’s most-read content is of a reasonably high standard”"

Argumentative Essay

Rough Draft

The computer is such a great asset to today’s world. I am a college student and I cannot imagine my life without a computer at my fingertips. The computer helps students learn topics in a different way. I think that the computer allows students to do many things that teachers used to just be able to tell their students. Computers are a great resource for all students for many reasons. Three of these reasons are because there are so many great resources, the internet provides great ways to interact with others, and typing is a great way to write a paper.

Whenever my teacher assigns for me to write a paper or research a topic I am always thankful for my computer. I enjoy being able to read different articles and see which one I think are the best easily. Using the internet is easier and more beneficial than going to the library because of that precious thing that no one can seem to get enough of, time. There are not enough hours in the day to stop and take off to the library to try to find what is needed. There are books everywhere and who knows if you will even leave with what you came looking for. A great alternative is to go to the computer and look up the topic on the internet. This helps students develop the ability to discern which resource is most useful and then provides them to opportunity to learn all there is to know about the topic. There are also many resources and games on the computer that help students improve in all kinds of subjects.

Another great thing about the internet is all of the different ways that anyone can use to keep in touch with their family and friends. There is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or anyone could start a blog on Blogger. These websites are very useful for people who no longer live at home or for the person whose best friend just moved across the world. These social media websites are there to help make your life better, but they never would have been thought of if it wasn’t for the computer. Students can use Blogger to increase their ability to write and then share their writing with others and receive feedback. This is a great idea for all teachers in order to allow their students to express themselves and use their imagination.

The third reason that I believe the computer is a great asset to today is because of all of the documents that can be typed. I have written a ton of papers growing up and many times my teacher would tell me to type the paper. One day a kid in my class asked why she required that the paper be typed. She responded and said that whenever the paper is typed it appears more professional and she went on to talk about the benefits of spell check. We are able to catch our spelling errors with this great resource. I then remembered my cousin telling me that she had to write a paper in order to apply for a scholarship. In many cases it is better if the paper is typed. Many businesses use the computer as well to type papers. As students use this technology growing up they will be prepared to complete whatever the job they have wants them to accomplish.

In conclusion, computers are very beneficial to students everyday life by providing great resources, providing a way for people to stay connected, and giving us a professional way to write our papers. Computers are very beneficial in the development of student’s knowledge. They have the opportunity to put what has been taught into action.  I do not know where this world would be today without computers. I am so thankful that we have computers to help us in our everyday life.

Final Draft: Computers in the Classroom

The computer is changing the way students learn in today’s world. I am a college student and I cannot imagine my life without having a computer at my fingertips. The computer is creating many differences in people’s lives. Three of the differences that I will focus on are that the computer allows students to access a vast amount of information, computers provide them with a beneficial way to interact, and computers allow them to present what they have learned in more multimodal and interactive ways.

The first reason I believe computers are a beneficial asset to the classroom is because they allow students to access a vast amount of information; students do not only rely on the teacher as a primary source of information. According to Maya Simon, Mike Graziano, and Amanda Lenhart, “94% of youth ages 12-17 who have Internet access say they use the Internet for school research and 78% say they believe the Internet helps them with schoolwork” (1). Using the Internet helps students develop the ability to discern which resource is most useful and then provides them resources about their topic. When one of my teachers assigns a paper or a research project I am always thankful for my computer. I enjoy being able to read different articles and easily decide which one I believe is the most reliable easily. Using the Internet is easier and more valuable than going to the library because it saves time. Teachers have the opportunity to incorporate homework assignments for their students involving research on the computer. There are also many resources and games on the computer that teachers can use to help students improve in all kinds of subjects. For example, when I was in middle school one of my teachers showed me a game that I could play to teach me how to type.

Another aspect of the computer being involved in learning is that computers give students a way to interact. There are many resources that students can use that will help further their knowledge and connection to others. One of these resources is called Blogger. Blogger is a website that allows users to write about any topic. Students can use Blogger to increase their ability to write, share their writing with others, and receive feedback. Some teachers may argue that social networking sites should not be included in schools, but I believe that Blogger is a great asset for students in the classroom. Allowing students to have a blog opens the door for imagination and creativity.

The third benefit is that the computer allows students to present what they have learned in more multimodal and interactive ways. There are many different ways to present work by using a computer. I have constructed power points, written papers, and compared two categories by making an excel document. Even though typewriters existed before computers I believe that the computer has made the typing process more efficient. Whenever my teacher would assign a paper she would tell the class to make sure it was typed. Even though typewriters existed before computers I believe that the computer has made the typing process easier. One day a student in my class asked the teacher why it was required that the paper be typed. The teacher responded by saying that when the paper is typed it appears more professional and she went on to talk about the benefits of Spell Check. We are all made aware of our errors through Spell Check. I then remembered my cousin telling me that she had to write a paper in order to apply for a scholarship. In many cases it is better if the paper is typed. Many businesses use the computer as well to type papers and keep documentation. As students use technology, they will become better prepared for their job requirements.

In conclusion, computers are very beneficial to students’ everyday life by allowing them to access a vast amount of information, providing them with a beneficial way to interact, and allowing them to present what they have learned in more multimodal and interactive ways. I believe computers are very beneficial in the development of students’ knowledge. I am so thankful that we have computers to help us in our everyday life and further our knowledge so students never have to stop learning.

Works Cited

Simon, Maya, Mike Graziano, and Amanda Lenhart. "The Internet and Education." Pew Research Centers Internet American Life Project RSS. N.p., 31 Aug. 2001. Web. 09 Mar. 2015. <http://www.pewinternet.org/2001/09/01/the-internet-and-education/>.

"One Account. All of Google." Blogger. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2015. <https://www.blogger.com/>.

I really like this picture! I think that technology should be included in education, but I also like the idea of using just a piece of paper and a pencil.

Learning Styles Don't Exist

Video Notes:

The way that you think about information matters.
If you wanted your friend to help with a house plan:

• Visual learner see plans
• kinsthetic might build a model
• auditory may talk to the builder

The auditory learner learns the voice
Everyone needs to see a visual presentation not just visual learners.
The way that it is applied in the classroom is wrong.
90% believe it.
Teachers don't need to adjust their teaching to individual learning styles.

Multiple Intelligence Notes:

People have very different types of minds. When people realize that they pick favorites on what they like to teach.
Everything can be taught in more than one way.
Teach too many subjects
Once students leave school everything is forgotten
Most important thing about assessment is knowing what it is that you're supposed to do.
Highlight for kids what are the performances and exhibitions that they are going to be responsible for.
School should let kids be able to self assess themselves and not let it be done to them.
1. We need to have good examples
2. Teacher need to believe in this and be able to do it
3. We need to have assessment schemes that show that this is working.
4. Commitment that says this is the type of education that we want to have.
Meaningful information is what you remember.

I took a Multiple Intelligence Survey and found out that I am 4.71 musically. This was no shock to me because I love music! I added the music notes in three of the corners of my picture to symbolize this. The survey says that I am 3.71 in self which explains that I have a knowledge of who I am and I prefer to think things over and reflect on information. I gave my Picasso head features that look like myself in order to symbolize this. I have brown hair and brown eyes. I have 3.29 in logic/math. I enjoy understanding ideas and how things work. I also think that it is very beneficial to me in many situations to learn visually and this is why I made my eyes big and my ears and mouth small.

I do not think that people should labeled with a type of learning style. Suppose when you were in preschool your teacher assumed that you were an auditory learner. Then your teacher described to you how a circle looks. Would you then  be able to draw it? Most likely no. In some cases it is easier to learn materials visually. However, I think that the different types of learning styles are useful for teachers. I think it helps teachers think of different ways to teach information to their students. I do think that some people learn better in some situations, but I do not think that they should have a label as a certain type of learner.

I think that technology would greatly help students improve in all of the different learning styles. To learn visually developing a lesson that involved the camera or a paint app where students could draw would be helpful. For listening teachers could develop a lesson that involved a recording or a music clip would be fun and beneficial. Then to keep the students involved in some lessons the teacher could allow the students to make a video.

Our Brains on Video Games

Video games play a big role in kids lives. 90% of kids play video games. I used to think that video games had a huge negative impact on kids. I thought that parents should give their children limited time to play each day and treat video games as a side activity. However, after watching the two Ted videos on the impact of video games on kids and reading an article about video games in the classroom I have changed my mind. I believe that video games are benefiting kids by making them smarter and healthier.

If video games are played in reasonable doses a lot of learning takes place. When kids interact and play games they begin to develop skills that are hard to teach in a classroom. Games teach kids different types of attention skills and give them the oppurtunity to focus in a different kind of way. Video games also teach kids how to multitask which is very beneficial in real world situations.

Video games keep kids healthy because they are exercising their brains. Many people believe that too much screen time can make your eye sight worse. However, this idea has been proven false. Studies have shown that kids that play video games eye sight increases. Kids who play video games more than five or more hours per week can read fine print, distinguish gray scale,  and their ability to see objects in a cluster increases as well.

I believe that video games would be a great asset to learning in the classroom. Having video games in the classroom would help keep students attention and it would make learning fun!

I really like this picture because it represents that kids are becoming smarter by playing video games.

I received information from Are Video Games Making Your Kids Smarter?, Your Brain on Video Games, and Learning by Playing: Video Games in the Classroom. Also check out this Argument Chart on Violence and Video Games.

Is Txting Making Us Bad Writers???

I agree that texting is affecting many people's grammar. Most people like me text more than they write. As a result whenever we go to write we all of the sudden forget what all the rules are for grammar.

Texting is also making us bad writers because of spelling. If someone is writing an essay using a piece of paper and pencil they do not have auto correct to help them make sure their are no mistakes. When someone is texting there is always that safety net to make sure no spelling errors are made and even if there is no one really seems to care because texting has reached a whole new level of informal writing.

According to Aaron Smith in his post titled "Americans and Text Messaging" 83% of Americans own a cell phone and of them 73% text. This issue is affecting many people, but according to Ted McWhorter bad grammar did not begin with texting.

One of the fun things about texting is that you don't have to worry about grammar and spelling. You can be creative and spell however you want to. This picture shows the creativity in spelling. Most people who text are focusing on how to make their words smaller instead of caring about spelling. Unfortunately we do this so much it becomes automatic and we begin to forget how to actually spell the words when writing a paper. 

Some words, phrases, lines, and ideas from the article "Can Texting Help With Spelling?" are

• "The average American teen, you may not be shocked to discover, texts a lot: 3,339 messages per month."
• "let the connections begin!"
• "2nite"
• "Students change how they spell according to the circumstances and the audience."

These words, phrases, lines, and ideas are very interesting to me because I did not realize a lot of the facts that were discussed. These facts may be very helpful to teachers in order to understand where students are in technology.

Check out this argument chart for more information.

About Me and Technology in Education

I am from Fairmont, West Virginia and I am a student at Fairmont State University in hopes to become a high school math teacher. Technology is continually broadening and upgrading to the next level. I believe that teachers should use technology in their classrooms in order to increase the chances of success for their students. In "Education Needs a Digital Upgrade" Virginia Heffernan writes, "we can't keep preparing students for a world that doesn't exist. We can't keep ignoring the formidable cognitive skills they're developing on their own. And above all, we must stop disparaging digital prowess." I believe that teachers should use technology in order to educate their students. 

This video shows what a 21st century classroom looks like in math education. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htKJ8VHnDHc

I like this picture because it shows the teacher as well as the students using technology while they are learning. 

http://www.thehill.org/educationaltechnologies

This blog describes more benefits of having technology in education. 21st century teaching