My Beliefs

I think technology is essential now a days.  It is something that we need in everyday life and our students should be using it in our classrooms.  Technology can accomplish so much in the learning process.  I believe that we should use technology in our instruction and that our students should use technology in their assignments. I think technology use in the classroom is beneficial for the parents of my students.  It allows them to be a part of our classroom through a classroom website, podcast, and blogs.  I will incorporate technology in many areas of my curriculum and believe it will help me engage my students and be a better teacher.

Lessons Learned

I learned a lot about why technology is so important in the classroom.  I had only thought that it was important because students enjoy it.  It never occurred to me that they NEED to learn and use it to survive in the world.  They need the skills to better our world.  Technology is constantly changing and improving what we know.  We need to encourage our student to use and explore technology.  We never know what contribution it may have on our future.

Strengths and Weaknesses

After completing the UNI survey, I felt like I was facing a new reality.  Some areas that I previously would have considered myself to be an "expert" I discovered I was in fact a practitioner.  There are a few areas that I would still feel confident in calling myself an expert.  I feel accomplished in the areas of operating a multimedia computer system and using the internet to find reliable information.  I also became aware of some areas where I was very weak.  I am very weak in using spreadsheets.  I would say my skill level is Novice.  I understand why we use spreadsheets and can create simple spreadsheets but I know that my skills do not take full advantage of what programs like Excel have to offer.  My husband is what I would consider to be an expert with spreadsheets.  In the past, I have just had him create what I need but I know that he cannot always do this for me.  I can have him give me a crash course in excel and I can also use the free tutorial at www.LearnMicrosoftExcel.com  this will help me in reaching higher levels of knowledge with the program.  I would like to be able to use excel for formula and inputting information relevant to my students for health calculations such as BMIs or other things relating to health.

PowerPoint Activity

This week, we were introduced to the PowerPoint Activity.  We are creating an activity for our students to do.  Our ideas will also be included in Doc. Waters' PowerPoint Activity Project.
At first, it was difficult thinking of a PowerPoint assignment that hadn't already been done.  Once I started looking through other people's ideas and ideas online, I was able to come up with an idea that I think my students will get excited about.  We are doing this activity so that we can see and utilize all that PowerPoint has to offer.  Our students' will enjoy this because it will allow them to get involved with what they learning, while using technology.
As a teacher, it is nice that I will have access to share and use others' ideas to implement and improve my classroom.  I can also share the site with my colleagues so that they can use the ideas for their classroom.  PowerPoint, with a little creativity has so much to offer.  We can make our lectures more exciting than just slide after slide.

Picassa

This week we went around UVU and took pictures that we were able to manipulate using picassa.  We then used the pictures to create a collage and story using PowerPoint.

We are learning this because it is another tool that we can incorporate into our classroom.  It is not only a useful tool but a fun tool.  Picassa has always intimidated me.  I never really understood it.  I appreciated this opportunity.  I learned a lot about the cool things I can use the program for.  It will be a great tool that I can show my students.  I really enjoyed the collage.  It was my favorite part about Picassa.

I think it would be a great idea to have the students use picassa to create a collage about themselves for their first assignment as a way for not only me, but their classmates to learn who they are.  I would also like to use the collage assignment for the students to do a collage of their favorite lessons from Health during the semester.  I also think that the students would enjoy using technology to create a fun assignment.

Week 11

This past week we learned about internet safety.  We watched some videos that were about the different aspects of internet safety.  We also had a class discussion about what we read and watched.

Internet safety is a big issue this day.  You never know who you are speaking to and what information people are able to obtain about you to find you.  The internet has provided us with great technology but there are a lot of people out there who use the internet for inappropriate reasons.  It is important for us to teach our students about internet safety and the risks that are associated with being online.

Internet Safety is actually part of the Health core curriculum.  I plan on educating my students about the risks of being online.  I will also inform them about what is appropriate to share online and what is not.  It is also important for them to know what is internet etiquette.  They need to know that cyber bullying is not acceptable.  I will allow my students to ask questions anonymously if they are concerned with cyber bullying.  I want my students to know that I care and hopefully they will be comfortable enough to speak to me in person if they feel threatened online.  

Service Learning Project

    Lincoln Academy is a Charter school in Pleasant Grove, Utah.  We have been working with Mrs. Larsen in her health class.  The class is fairly small compared to other classes.  The number of students is 24, making it convenient for teaching purposes.  The class is not too big, nor too small.

    Mrs. Larsen has been an excellent teacher to work with.  She has been helpful at providing ideas of what she would like for the classroom.  We all get along well and have never felt uncomfortable to ask her questions and get feedback on the digital story that we are working on. 

    Our digital story was an introduction to her unit on drug use and abuse.  Mrs. Larsen loves our video.  She likes that we were able to show pictures of what a particular drug looks like and then what it does to a person.  She was glad that we created the video for her classroom use.   Mrs. Larsen was impressed with our work and thought it was very well done.  She expressed that it was a great piece of material for her classroom.
    The lesson that we completed fit perfectly with what she was looking for.  It was a great introduction to her unit.  I think that she enjoyed that she was involved in the process of creating the video.  It enabled her to tailor the video to her needs and what she wanted.  Mrs. Larsen was able to gain new ideas for making learning exciting and received new materials that will capture her students’ attention.

The training session did not go so well.  She was not very interested in learning how to create such media herself.  She was able to see how media can be incorporated to enhance learning but felt like it was too much time and effort.  She appreciated the media and was interested in having media in the future but felt that it was not worth the extra time and effort.  We showed her some very simple ideas such as Photo Story, for quickly creating digital media for the classroom.  She was impressed with how simple it was but I don’t know that she will use it in the future.  Not because she doesn’t see the value, but because she feels the short amount of time is not worth it.

We felt that this experience was a little time consuming and it was hard to be able to get together with each other to collaborate and put the digital story together.  We liked the having Mrs. Larsen give us feedback on ideas that we have had on the project.  We enjoyed working with her and how observing how she may incorporate these technology-based lessons into her health class.

From this experience we were able to see other ways of teaching a lesson through technology.  Although we are both unsure if we are going to use this information that we are learning in each class in our future lessons, working with Mrs. Larsen has helped us with trying to see how technology can be used to introduce a lesson.  By being creative in lesson planning and bringing different teaching styles into the classroom even though she wasn’t really interested in it herself is a great learning tool for students.

We both had mixed feelings about this project.  Me as a PE teacher, I don’t find this information useful for my future lessons because we will be participating in physical activity pretty much every day.  Taylor thought that this project would be beneficial to her for her future lessons.  We did like working with another teacher to see how it could be used in an actual classroom setting, but we both are still a little unsure as to how often we will use technology lessons, like these digital stories in our classrooms.

Week 9

This week we continued working on our key assignment for our portfolio and learned about Creative Commons.  We are making a video that we can use for instruction in our classrooms and creative commons allows up to copyright our work.

This project will benefit me as a teacher to have media materials.  However, in creating media materials I need to be aware of copyright laws.  As we have been learning about obtaining permissions and finding out where to obtain "free" information I realized how much stuff is out on the internet illegally.  These videos are a great resource for our students and a quick, yet different way to get them the information they need but it is important to make sure that we are getting the proper authorization for the material. 

I want to make learning enjoyable.  This technology will enhance my teaching and make me a better educator because I am able to teach in a way that relates to me students.  Students enjoy technology and any way that I can incorporate it into the classroom will be beneficial to them.  It will also be beneficial to me because I am keeping up with technology and taking advantage of what it has to offer but doing so legally.  The last thing I want is to get in trouble with the law.  Not only for the complications for me but also the poor example it will set for me students.

Week 8

This week we started working on our key assignment for our portfolio.  We are making a video that we can use for instruction in our classrooms.  We will also be sharing these videos in the classroom that we are providing materials for.  The teacher we are working with is excited for our video.  We are doing it as an intro to the drug unit.  She is really excited about our idea (it is a surprise).

This project will benefit me as a teacher.  I was intimidated about making videos because I thought that it would be extremely difficult.  Now that I am learning how to make them through PhotoStory and Microsoft Movie Maker, I have come to understand that it in fact is not that difficult.  These videos are a great resource for our students and a quick, yet different way to get them the information they need.  I believe students will be more interested in these videos than they would if we were to do just straight lecture.

As I stated above, these videos will help me to reach another type of learner.  After some of the examples given in class, I like the idea of being able to show one and the beginning of the yet to get students excited about what they will be learning.  I want to make learning enjoyable.  This technology will enhance my teaching and make me a better educator because I am able to teach in a way that relates to me students.  Students enjoy technology and any way that I can incorporate it into the classroom will be beneficial to them.  It will also be beneficial to me because I am keeping up with technology and taking advantage of what it has to offer.

Vidcast

            Vidcasts are excellent tools in education.  For the purpose of this assignment, we chose to do a series for Standard 4 of the Health core curriculum.  We created a vidcast using PhotoStory about how to perform Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).  When in a situation where CPR is to be performed, it is easy to freeze up but by remembering our video “Dr. ABC” the steps can be easily recalled.

            Standard 4 states: Students will demonstrate the ability to apply prevention and intervention knowledge, skills, and processes, to promote safety in the home, school, and community.  Proficiency in CPR is an indicator for the second objective; recognizing emergencies and responding appropriately.

            CPR is a necessary skill for everyone.  This is a video that I will use in my high school classroom. The students can follow along with it and perform the steps on a mannequin so that they aren’t just watching the video; they are able to get actively engaged.  The best way to learn CPR is to do it but you have to be given instruction on how to properly perform it.  By doing this it connects to the INTASC Standard 2.  Students will be demonstrating what they have learned and appropriate resources will be used to facilitate their learning.

            This lesson also allows for differential learning for many students, meeting Standard 3 for the INTASC Standards.  The video will accommodate the visual learns.  The bodily learners will enjoy and be engaged by hands-on performance of the activity.  It will also meet standard 3 by being available on my classroom site, this will also the student to share with their families what they have learned and teach their family members.

            Vidcasts are materials that I will be using in the future.  It is a great technological tool for teachers and many do not take advantage of the resources available to them in the classroom.  It is great for “How To” instruction and tutorials as well as other areas.  My students can also use this to present to the class.  Vidcasts is something that I am looking forward to implementing in my classroom.

Reflection-Week 6

What?
This week in class we began working on Vidcasts.  At first I was nervous with Vidcasts.  I was nervous to use the technology.  We are doing it in sections so it is not as bad as I first thought.  We are making a Vidcast through Photostory about CPR for Standard 4 which is about Safety. 

So What?
This is an easy way to to teach, especially things with steps such as tutorials.  My students will enjoy it more because there are images they can look at and music, along with audio instead of just being lectured.  My students will also enjoy the use of technology.  Students are able to relate to technology and enjoy it when it is incorporated into the curriculum.  We are doing this to give us additional resources so that we don't have to lecture all the time, students have a resource to find information, and so that students don't get bored by being lectured to all the time; it adds diversity.  


Now What?
This means a lot to my future students.  This technology is definitely a resource I will use in my classroom.  I will use this vidcast in my classroom for the students to follow along with when learning about CPR.  It will help the visual learners and by following along and participating in the activity, kinesthic learners will be addressed.  This is also a great tool that I can use in my other class or that my students can use for reports or projects.  It will give them a new way to present materials and I think the students will enjoy it.

Podcasts

What?  
This past week we learned about podcasts.  This is something that I have no experience with and was a little nervous about it.  I was surprised how simple it was to do a podcast.  We came up with a script for a public service announcement about our core subject.  We then recorded it and posted it on our google site.  

So What?
 As a teacher this technology can be helpful in the classroom.  Podcasts are available 24/7 making it convenient to listen to anytime and anywhere.  I can record my lectures and post them online if someone was absent; assisting them in being able to catch up on the material that was covered that day.  Students can also use the podcast of lectures for reviewing.  When my students are studying for a test, they can listen to the podcasts.  This may help them to recall information or answer questions they have.  Parents will also benefit from the podcast because they will be aware of what their child is learning in the classroom.  

Now What? 

As I stated earlier, I was nervous about podcasting but it is actually very exciting and can bring a lot into the classroom.  Podcasting has become an effective way for teachers to interact with students outside of the classroom.  It helps teachers reach their students in a way that the students are familiar with and that is cool.  An idea I have is to use the technology of podcasting for announcements; this will help parents and students know what is going on at the school and in my classroom.  By keeping up with technology and using it in the classroom, it will help me to engage my students.  I can also share the technology with my colleagues to help them engage their students.  We can share podcasts of public service announcements that we either make ourselves or that we find.  One thing that I am very excited about it using podcasting to have my students make their own public service announcement and turning it into a podcast for either a homework assignment or extra credit.

UEN and the Classroom

This week we did a UEN Scavenger Hunt to get us familiar with UEN.  Prior to this experience, I was aware of all the many resources that UEN has to offer.  The resources they offer or not only great for teachers, but students as well.  As I was doing the scavenger hunt, I got so excited about everything that was available to me.  I had no idea UEN provided teachers with so much material.

As a teacher I am excited about the access that  I have to lesson plans and that as teachers we have a resource where we can exchange lesson plans to keep learning exciting.  Writing lesson plans is hard because you want your students to be engaged and by being able to collaborate with other teachers helps give insight of what we can do as teachers to improve our lessons.    It is great that they follow along with the Core curriculum as well.  You can look up the curriculum you are teaching online and have links to lessons that correlate with the standard you are wanting to teach.  This is also great so that parents have access to know what their children are learning in class.

As a student, I enjoyed having access to Pioneer Library.  It is a great way to get reliable sources to use for research.  I will have my students use Pioneer Library to find articles relevant to our course that they can share with the classroom and to write reports.  I will also let them know they have this option available to them for other classes. 

I love the interactives tools that is available on UEN.  It is a great way to help students understand the content that they have questions on.  I will use interactives as homework assignments.  I believe students learn better when learning is enjoyable.  Teens today love to be online and having online homework will reach them and motivate them more than some of the other homework assignments I could assign.  I also like that it gets them involved in their learning. 

Above all, the thing that excited me the most about UEN is the access to so many fantastic videos that I can incorporate in my classroom.  As I was looking through them to put on my google site, there were so many that I want to incorporate in my teaching.  I watched around 5 videos and they had such great information in them but were still entertaining.  Videos are a great tool to relate the topics we cover in class into real world issues.  

I am so glad that we were able to do this assignment.  UEN is amazing!  It is a great tool for teachers and such a great help.  It is nice to know that as a teacher, I have somewhere to turn for great materials and suggestions on improving my lessons.

Week 3 Reflection

This week in class I learned more about creating a google site.  I was required to make a site for my future classroom that has a calendar,announcements, homework file, resources for my students, and a file cabinet.  It is really exciting all the things we are able to do with these sites and will be a great resource for my classroom.  We also sent letters to teachers asking to make media materials for their classroom.

The google sites have gotten me really excited to have my own classroom.  The students will enjoy the site because they will have instant access to what we are doing in class if they are absent.  It will also help me as a teacher so  that I can hold the students responsible for going online to see what they missed.  Other teachers will enjoy this site because they will be aware of what I am teaching in the classroom so hopefully other health classes will be covering the same unit.  Parents will also enjoy access to this site because they will know what is being covered along with being able to know who is teaching their children with the "About Me" section and how to contact their student's teacher.


My future students will be able to relate to my classroom more by being able to have access to classroom material online.  I can give my students assignments that correlate with the resources listed on the site.  This will help keep them engaged by having homework to do online while keeping them exploring websites that are educational and have correct information.  In health, there are so many misconceptions and teens are given false information.  By giving them the tools to find the correct information, they will be able to make knowledgeable decisions about their life.
 

Week 2 Reflection

This week in class we got familiar with google.  I created a google site and learned how to make a google calendar, google document, google form, and many other great tools that google has to offer.  I had no idea that google offered so many different tools, I thought that google was strictly used a search engine and for email.  We are currently working on google docs with our partner.  We are writing a letter that will be sent to a local charter school to see if they would be interested in having us prepare media materials for their classroom.


Google is such a great tool and I am really excited to use it.  I am able to organize my schedule and have several calendars for my different activities.  My favorite thing about the calendar is it is color coded which helps me remain organized.  This is a great tool that I will use in my classroom.  It is a way for students to know what we are covering in class and when assignments are due. 


Google Docs is a tool that I can use personally as well as professionally.  It allows me to keep documents online so that I can access them everywhere and I don't have to worry about losing the data if my computer crashes or carrying around a flash drive.  Google docs will be useful in the classroom for group work.  It easily allows people to work together on an assignment on their own schedules.


My favorite part of google is the google forms.  This allows me to ask questions and have it directly entered into a spreadsheet for quick reference.  This will be an excellent tool in the classroom for me to get information from my student's.  I am excited to get more familiar with this part of google.


Technology is quickly changing and my students will be more proficient in technological skills than I will be.  I have discovered that there is so much that I am unaware of and it is important for me to keep up-to-date with technology because it is what my students will relate to.  I want my students to be able to incorporate technology into the classroom.  I plan on having a classroom site where students can access information on the course.  I am enjoying having a blog and am considering having my students write their thought on a blog instead of a journal.  

My Ideal Classroom

If I could design my own classroom, I would like one with lots of windows to let in the sunlight.  In high school, my health class was in the basement with no windows.  It made learning difficult because I felt shut off from the world and my teacher would play a video for the entire class period.  I felt as if I was just wasting my time.  I will not let my classroom be ran like this.  I want my class to be lively and exciting, not a class where students come to sleep or do other homework assignments.  In my ideal classroom, students will look forward to the lesson I have prepared for them.  

In my classroom, in order to keep the students involved, I will incorporate several learning techniques.  I know that each student learns differently and it is important to me to ensure that I reach each student and make learning fun.  I will get the students involved in activities to make class enjoyable but yet productive. I believe that each student can learn and still have fun and that is how learning should be!

I would like to have a "smart" white board to display notes, PowerPoints, videos, and other media materials.  Technology is a big part of education today and I want my students to have access to this technology and experience how it can enhance their education.  I will give my students opportunities to use technology to understand health concepts.  They will have opportunities for media presentations through PowerPoint, making videos, sharing a song, or anything else that may help them demonstrate what they have learned.

I will have projects that my students have done posted on the walls in the classroom.  I want my students to see their hard work and know that my classroom is also theirs.  I will also display interesting posters, quotes, pictures, or anything else that may go along with the course standard that we are covering in class.

In my classroom, my students will feel safe.  From day one, as a class we will develop classroom rules that we all agree to and can abide by.  It's important that everyone can learn in a safe environment.  I want them to feel safe enough to ask questions, express ideas, and share opinions.

As a teacher, I don't only want to get my students involved but also their parents.  I would like to have a parent night once a semester to help parents understand what will be discussed during the course and give aides to help parents talk to their children about important health topics.  I would hope that all parents would accept this help and assist in educating their child.  Education is a joint effort and is beneficial to students.

I will work with my colleagues sharing ideas and lesson plans to help make health education interesting.  As a teacher, I look forward to learning from experienced teachers and once I have been in the field for awhile, learning and getting new ideas from new teachers.

As I am approaching my last semester of courses prior to student teaching, my dream is becoming a reality as I am getting closer to becoming a teacher.  I look forward to sharing my passion of health with students and having a classroom that I can make my own.