Really Google? :(

Well since we had to switch to WordPress, here's my new blog!

Ciara Hoffman

Just in case, this time I used my personal email instead of my school email. Google is dumb. That is all.

Podcasts

I never thought I would like podcasts until I learned about them recently, and they have definitely been growing on me. They are so easy to make, as long as you have a good microphone (unfortunately, I discovered that I don't have one of those), and they're nice to listen to in the car or at home while you're doing chores. They're nice for when you're alone, because then you feel less lonely.

As far as use in the classroom goes, I could totally create my own podcasts for my kids or use others that have already been made. I found these really fun Sesame Street vodcasts on iTunes, and I think those would be great to use for learning new words and letters.

This week we looked at multimedia, mostly videos and a little bit of podcasts. 

As far as videos go, I think I could really use them in my classroom, especially with the primary grades I want to teach. I remember when I was in 3rd grade, every Thursday after lunch we would watch either Bill Nye Science Guy or other videos. And I absolutely loved that! Kids watch so much television at home, it's completely ingrained in their daily lives. Part of me wants to say they spend so much time in front of the TV anyway, why have it at school? But the simple fact is, we need to bring learning to their level. By the time we start teaching, we will have had so much schooling that there's no way they can come to our level. So why not have TV and bring learning in a way that intertwines with their daily lives?

I can totally see me making like a TV show that I show my students every week, with like some super hero lady teaching them all about whatever they're learning that week. Which is why I absolutely love primary grades! <3

As far as podcasts, I think that's more of an older elementary age and middle school tool. They have a bit more of an attention span, and won't necessarily need a video to watch to retain the material. Because they have been used recently in my bible study, I totally understand the positive uses of podcasts, as long as they are used correctly. 

Photo Sharing/ Flickr

I want to teach primary grades. So I’m not entirely sure how well I can integrate technology in my classroom. But I know I can use photo sharing. I’m not sure I want my students to use it, but I can use it with them. I really enjoy the story telling idea. My group in class discussed that a great way to use images is to show things that start with the letter we are learning that week, or the number we are learning. I can show my students pictures from projects they’ve done, or field trips they’ve taken.. And I really think it would be great for parents to see that as well. Keeping parents up to speed on what the classroom is doing is extremely important, and I think looking at pictures would be so much more interesting for them than just reading a blog or something similar. And it has become a saying that what goes on the internet will never totally go away. So someday, I will be able to look back at my first year of teaching as long as those sites still exist. 

Copyright Is Important!

I touched a little bit on picture copyright in an earlier post, but I would like to talk about it a little more.

As a teacher, I must model good and positive behavior. Students will look up to me, and I have to be the best person I can be. If I do it, why can't my students?

And how hypocritical is it for us to say that our students can't steal a paper from the internet, but we are at liberty to take whatever we want without even asking? It's really not that hard to just ask the owner of whatever you want to use. Or better yet, create something yourself.

Honestly, I learned about stealing Google Images from a teacher I had in high school. I think I actually had an assignment where he asked us to use a Google Image. And I definitely don't want to be that teacher.

This week, I explored with Prezi a little bit. I'm not sure I liked it, it seemed a bit complicated to use. But my presentation is fun! Most normal girls wouldn't write about checking your own oil, but this girl did!!

How To Check Your Oil

Copyrighted pictures

For as long as I can remember, I have just used Google images for my presentations and anything else you can think of (computer backgrounds, pictures of celebrities for haircut ideas, things to post in my facebook friends' walls). I had no idea how bad that is! It is a total violation of copyright infringement, which I guess I've never really had a problem with. But as a teacher, I must set an example and I do not want my kids to do something illegal and think it's okay.

So my Technology in Education instructor showed us some really fun guilt-free picture downloading websites that are easy to use.

This one was my favorite because it is the most like Google images. You just search what you want to search and it will give you tons of options!

http://www.dreamstime.com/?gclid=CIPPj9-f4bYCFSU6QgodVE4Aww