Look at me now!

I didn't even know this blog still existed. I had forgotten all about it. I only made it because I had to for an educational technology class when I was going to school at UVU. I am pretty sure that there is not a single person in the world who is following, reading, perusing, or even glancing at this blog, so I am going to have some fun with this.

So, who am I now. When I started this blog, I thought I would be a teacher by this point, having immense amounts of fun teaching history to jr. high age kids. Well, I did for one year, and I did have a blast with the kids. The other history teachers were JERKS!!! But, I am going to try my best to focus on the good. I think history should be fun, fun, fun. Just look at the great shows on the History channel and how many people watch them. Sure we all love Chumlee on Pawn Stars because he is such a lovable dope, but I think that show is really watched because we have an innate love of the past. So, why do history teachers RUIN it???? Really, it is possible to teach according to the State Core and still really have fun learning and teaching history, but most teachers just say, "Take out your textbook and read these pages and answer these questions on this (stupid) study guide and then when you are done take out a book and read silently." BORING!!!!!!

I taught history with a passion!! I had students say things like, "I used to hate history and now I really like it," and "Why haven't I ever heard about anybody who wasn't white fighting in the American Revolution. This is so cool!" "I want to be back in your class because the teacher I have this semester is boring!" and so on and so on and so on.

So, why am I not teaching history now? Apparently I wasn't good enough. Even though EVERY evaluation I received said I was great and I had high scores. I still really want to teach history and I hope that I do get the chance because I KNOW I am really great at it and that I am very good at helping students love it, too.

my digital story

http://blip.tv/file/522313/

WebQuest Reflection

The webquest was too much work, but it was a lot of fun. I really liked the group I had to work with; they are all good and dependable. I really like doing the activity where we looked at the 4 different webquests. This gave a great introduction of they are and what they should do. It was also very helpful to use them as patterns. I also liked the way we each took a different view and then analyzed the webquests according to that view and then shared it with each other. I liked how we used these different viewpoints to rate the webquests.
I did think that it would be much harder to build the webquest than what it was. Our group did a really good job of splitting up the work and finding what we needed and then bringing it all back together again. We all really liked how we could be researching 4 different things and sharing what we found immediately using Google Docs. That was a great tool in getting this done quickly and efficiently. My group really was great and we all contributed in several ways, making this assignment much easier than I thought it would be.
I really liked how our webquest turned out. With each of us combining our strengths and ideas, I think we came up with a great project; much better than I could have done on my own. I am using this as part of my technology-rich lesson plan. When we were trying to decide on a topic, nobody offered any so I piped up and gave this idea so I could use it. What foresight.
The only thing that I did not like was I felt very lost in the beginning of the project, even with the webquest on webquests activity. I really just do not have enough schema on technology. I have much more now than I did, in case you were worried that I have not learned anything. Once I began to get it, the project flowed really smoothly for me. I already mentioned several things that I liked such as my group, the way it turned out, and the way you introduced the project.

Homepage Content Directory

Homepage Content Directory

Annotated Bibliography Part II

Anna Freeman
11/06/07

Annotated Bibliography

Lessons Learned: Findings from MIT Initiatives in Educational Technology (2000–2005). Breslow, Lori. Journal of Science Education & Technology; Oct2007, Vol. 16 Issue 4, p283-297, 15p.

This article reviews a group of projects that produced educational technology applications for use in the classroom or for classroom-based activities and were assessed by educational researchers in the Teaching and Learning Laboratory. Found three major findings on the role and impact of educational technologies: 1) the most successful educational technologies meet a specific instructional need that has been unmet or poorly met by traditional media; (2) too much technology or technology that does not work well can be detrimental; and (3) there are important relationships between the technologies and the learning environments in which they operate.

What added value does a 1:1 student to laptop ratio bring to technology-supported teaching and learning? Dunleavy, M., Dexter, S., Heinecke, W.F. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning; Oct2007, Vol. 23 Issue 5, p440-452, 13p.

The purpose of this study was to document typical use and configuration of 1:1 computing in two schools focusing on the added value and unique challenges these uses present. Results indicated that online research, productivity tools, drill and practice, and eCommunications were the most frequent uses of computers in the 1:1 classroom. n order to create effective learning environments, teachers need opportunities to learn what instruction and assessment practices, curricular resources and classroom management skills work best in a 1:1 student to networked laptop classroom setting.

Digital Games in Education: The Design of Games-Based Learning Environments. Gros, Begoña. Journal of Research on Technology in Education; Fall2007, Vol. 40 Issue 1, p23-38, 16p.

This article takes into consideration that multimedia design for training and education should combine the most powerful features of interactive multimedia design with the most effective principles of technologically-mediated learning. It also looks at the main obstacles and challenges to the use of games for learning.

5 ways to use publisher

5 Ways to use Publisher to teach History topics

Advertisements-students could create advertisements that would sell different historical misconceptions or the correct version.
Calendar-students could create calendars that could be used to timeline events such as the events leading up to and including the Boston Tea Party.
Resume-students could create a resume for different historical characters such as Napoleon or Alexander the Great.
Award Certificates-students could use these to give awards to outstanding historical characters for different achievements they had.
Newsletters-students could create newsletters that would provide different parts of historical stories such as the Civil War battles.

Anna Freeman

Annotated Bibliography


Technology as a Change Agent for the Teaching Process. Michael J. Johnson; Richard L. Schwab; Lin Foa. Theory into Practice > Vol. 38, No. 1, Redefining Teacher Quality (Winter, 1999), pp. 24-30.

Technology is used to empower teachers and students to create dynamic learning environment and experiences. Institutional transformation to a more student-centered educational process.


Classroom Effects Walter Doyle. Theory into Practice > Vol. 18, No. 3, The Complex Classroom: A Research Focus (Jun., 1979), pp. 138-144.

Studies the effects of learning in a classroom aided by the use of technology versus learning in another environment using technology (e.g. the home or library).

'Just Don't Ask Me to Define It': Perceptions of Technology in the National Curriculum Colin Mulberg. Journal of Design History > Vol. 6, No. 4 (1993), pp. 301-305.

Defining technology and its need and uses in the classroom. Getting people to understand the social and economic effects of technology in a school curriculum.