Last Blog.........

This is the last blog for my technology class and I must say, I have mixed feelings. I will miss the actual act of blogging. But with this also being the last class I need in order to complete the MAT program, I cannot help but scream YEAH ME!!!!!! This week’s learning centered in on computer viruses and “netiquette”. I have never heard of the term “netiquette” prior to this lesson. I realize why such a term was created. It is so easy for miscommunication to occur in the age of emailing and texting. I have had a couple of “run-ins” with computer viruses. Luckily, the most serious problem was losing technology use for a couple of days. I only have my computer and one other classroom computer in my classroom. Our district has a very strict policy in place. We are not allowed to access sites that could put our computers at risk. Most sites are blocked. There are many YouTube videos that are educational that I would like to use in class, but I am afraid of losing my job! We are told over and over again that it we are found accessing a site such as eBay, or facebook, or another email account, our job is at risk. We are not allowed to stream in any video or music. Our new email system even has chat available, and we are NOT allowed to use that either. I am not sure what kind of security is in place for our district, but I guess it is a good thing that they are so strict with usage. Otherwise, there would probably be viruses infecting our systems daily. For my personal laptop, I use Microsoft Security Essentials. It scans my computer daily and gets rid of any risks that may be lurking. It is difficult many times to identify a virus. Many times, they look just like your security scan popping up to identify viruses. Clicking on the wrong button can cause serious damage, even causing computers to crash. This is an area of concern for me because many times I get so busy doing whatever it is that I am doing, I do not pay attention when a window pops up. So, I just click, trying to get rid of it so I can go back to doing what I was previously doing. I have learned to be more careful with this to protect my computer. I hope that if this happens, my security will catch it before it is too late!

The internet and World Wide Web have had a huge impact not only on society, but on education as well. The web offers many resources for teaching and learning. Software programs are also available for educators. These programs are created to perform specific functions or to accomplish specific tasks. These programs are sets of instructions that control the operations of a computer. Without software, computers would not function. Programming language is used by publishers and manufacturers to design software. There are two types of software: application and support systems. Spreadsheets, databases, web browsers, and word processing programs are examples of application software. Support software provides the computer with general commands. Examples of operating systems are Windows XP, or Vista. Utility programs are those that allow for defragmenting and formatting discs or fixing printer problems. Software that is available for download from the internet is called Shareware. Most shareware is available free for a limited time, and then when the time is passed, the users must pay a fee or no longer use the program. Freeware is software found on the internet that can be downloaded free of charge. Vendors give freeware in order to persuade users to “upgrade” for a price. Educational software can be used in the classroom for educational purposes. Types of educational software include drill and practice, problem solving, creative/critical thinking, tutorials, simulations, image editing and draw/paint.
Immediate feedback is given with drill practice, but new concepts are not taught. Problem solving software challenges students to solve problems based on a prior knowledge. Hints are given and guesses on how to solve problems. Creative/critical thinking software encourages students to explore communications between related ideas. Tutorial programs provide training and practice. Simulation software allows students to experience situations that they may not be able to otherwise experience, due to cost or danger. Image software is used to create, edit, or enhance digital images. Draw/paint software allows users to modify graphics from other sources to create new images. Software should be chosen based on relevance, meeting instructional goals, ease of use, and hardware requirements.
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This past week was our first week of school. A Power Point was used to welcome students to the middle school, and to inform them of school and classroom expectations. The Power Point also included consequences to behavior violations. The presentation was very well received by the students. The major challenge I faced in showing the power point was that computers were down the first couple of days, and when they decided to work again, internet service in my room was down. I had emailed the PPT to my school email to open up and use in the classroom. I had to make arrangements and do something else on the day I planned using this because I had forgotten to bring the flash drive that contained the power point. Always be prepared, because as great as technology is, you never know when there might be a glitch!

Summary of learning for Week 6

Learning this week centers in on the Internet and the WebQuest. Internet users exceed 1.7 billion people around the world and are continuously growing. In order for computers in one location to connect to the internet, telecommunication technologies are needed. These are electronic communication between computers over distance. Modems are translating devices. They are needed whether using telephone cable or satellite to carry a signal between a computer and the internet. They translate digital and analog signals back and forth. Digital subscribers lines (DSLs) are a high-speed option for users at home because they provide speeds faster than a phone line. DSL offers voice and digital communications on a single line. Internet service providers (ISPs) are special networks that have been created to provide home and business computers a way to connect to the Internet. An ISP is necessary to connect a home computer to the Internet. Email is a communication tool primarily used on networks and on the internet. Email is similar to post offices boxes. URLs (uniform resources locators) are designations for specific locations on the World Wide Web. Computer discussion is an asynchronous communication tool that allows users a way to communicate with numerous others. An electronic mailing list is another asynchronous communication tool that automatically delivers email to those who wish to subscribe to the service. Chats are very useful in education as they offer real-time interaction. Instant messaging (IM) is another form of chat that is a one to one that can be started when users are online simultaneously. Videoconferencing software allows users at either end of a synchronous connection to hear and see.
There is often confusion between the Internet and the World Wide Web. These terms are NOT the same. The Web is the most popular of the services available on the internet. It is not a separate network. Web pages and Web sites can be created. These provide information to the user. Web pages are written by using a language called HTML (hypertext markup language). This special program translates the language in which a web page is written into an image on the screen. Pictures and visual images add interest. To use graphics on the web, GIF (graphic interchange format) and JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group) are needed. Audio streaming sends audio in a continuous stream or flow and streaming video allows the user to view video clips. VR (Virtual Reality) provides a three-dimensional graphic environment that can be accessed on the Web. Search engines are programs designed to find web sites and pages based on key words that you enter.
The internet has great potential inside the classroom for both teachers and students. Many services and tools can be used to enhance the learning process. A WebQuest is an online tool developed in 1995 that is hosted online and guides students through the learning process by breaking a large project into smaller pieces. A WebQuest can be developed by anyone. Many models exist for different subject and age levels. WebQuests require higher order thinking skills such as synthesis, analysis, problem solving, creativity, and judgment. The format of a WebQuest is as follows: introduction, task, process, evaluation, conclusion, credits, and teacher page. These individual sections guide students and encourage them to work on problems as they would in the real world. WebQuests help foster collaboration among students. This increases motivation in the classroom because students feel challenged and encouraged. WebQuests also work as a structure for scaffolding learning, which increases success designing a WebQuest requires time and planning, but the result is worth the effort.
The WebQuest I created concerns recycling. To Go Green, or not to Go Green? That is the question is the title of my WebQuest. The WebQuest asks students to create a Power Point, a pamphlet, or a Public Service Announcement to convince the community to recycle. My WebQuest can be found at:
http://questgarden.com/107/90/3/100804200952/