Internet Safety

1. For my 4th article on internet safety, I chose to read "Fighting Internet Filth," by Mario Hipol. This article was very helpful and gave a lot of great suggestions for specific things parents could do to help protect their families from encountering problems and filth on the internet. The article was great because it described how to do specific things with the internet, and it was in simple terms and in great detail so that any parents could follow the instructions and use it in their homes.

2. I think that the most important thing I learned from the readings is that it is essential to make a commitment NOW to protect my home and my classroom from internet filth. I learned from these articles that there are so many things we can do as precautionary measures so that we prevent problems before they even happen. I recognized through these readings that we should do everything we can to prevent problems so that we don't have to deal with them when they arise.

3. After reading these articles, I have a new resolve to do what I can to protect my future family and my future classroom from all the filth and problems that can occur with the internet. Before I read these articles, I did recognize that there were lots of problems that could arise with the internet. However, I don't think I really realized how important it is to safeguard against these problems and to do everything I can to prevent issues before they arise.

4. I think that the most important thing I can do to help my family members and friends with internet safety would be to share what I have learned and make sure they are aware of all the things they can do to safeguard themselves and their families against the evils that can come up through the internet. I can help my friends and family to know how to get to resources that can help them with ensuring that they are protected from harmful internet content. Also, I can make sure they are aware of different ways they can be knowledgeable about the internet and other potentially harmful technology so that they will be able to protect those they love from problems that can arise.

Plans for Incorporating Technology

My plan for using technology in a lesson is to show a couple of short video clips at the beginning of a guided reading lesson I am doing tomorrow with a group of 4 students. The focus of my lesson is on helping the children to use vocal expression and intonation when they read, as well as reading smoothly instead of breaking up their reading word-by-word. I will be showing them a clip of monkeys making noises to talk about using expression and intonation when we read. Also, I will show them a clip of swans gliding smoothly to talk about making their reading smooth.

I think that this will be a fun way to get them thinking about what their reading should sound like. It will give them a visual and audio example of how to read smoothly and expressively. I think they will enjoy it, and I think it will be a helpful use of technology that will reinforce what I am teaching.

Technology in the Classroom

One idea I have for incorporating technology into a lesson would be to show a video clip at the beginning of or during a lesson to enhance whatever subject or topic is being taught. I think that video clips (digital storybooks, short educational videos, videos incorporating or illustrating whatever is being taught in the lesson, etc.) can often be a powerful tool for teaching children because they get very excited about watching them. Because of this, they will often pay close attention to the video clips and really learn from them. After watching the video clip, you can then guide the children's thinking to relate what they just saw to something that you are studying. Also, you could tell the children before they even watch the video clip what it is that you would like them to watch for in the clip.

Technology Inventory

I am currently doing my first cohort experience at Mapleton Elementary, where I am working in a first grade classroom.  Through doing the technology inventory, I was able to see what all is available to teachers in that school.  I was surprised at just how much the school really does provide to help teachers incorporate technology into their lessons and their classrooms.  Although the classrooms at Mapleton (or at least the one I am in) do not really have computers available to the students, there are two large computer labs in the school that are available for teachers to schedule whenever they are available.  Also, the children have a computer class incorporated into their weekly schedule.  

I was very pleased at how much technology was available at this school.  I know that Mapleton Elementary is one of the more wealthy schools in the area, and I can tell by all the technology in the school that a good amount of this money has been put toward improving technology at the school and making technological equipment readily available.

Link to Virtual Tour

Here is the link to my Virtual Tour in my filing cabinet:

http://sites.google.com/site/dehipt287/Home/virtual-tour

*Or, you can click on "Diane's Filing Cabinet" under My Links.

TPACK for Virtual Tour

3rd Grade Visual Arts Core Curriculum: Standard 1, Objective 1
a. Explain possible meanings or interpretations of some significant works of art.
b. Invent possible stories that may explain what is going on in these same works of art.

The content I'll be covering in my virtual tour will be analyzing art and trying to figure out the meanings of various works of art. In order to do this, we will focus on 4 famous European works of art. The students will read background information on each of the artists who painted these works. Then, they will look at each of the paintings and try to find meaning in them. They will try to come up with possible stories of what might be going on in the images.

The pedagogy I'll be using in the virtual tour will include knowing how to word the explanations of the backgrounds of the artists in such a way that the children will be able to easily read them and understand the meaning. Also, I will need to know how to organize the activity in such a way that it is easy for the children to complete. I will help the children as they work through the activity and be available to answer questions as they go along. Also, I will discuss the paintings and painters with them throughout the activity in order to scaffold their learning and make it more meaningful.

The technology I will be using in the virtual tour is Google Earth. This fits well with the pedagogy and content for this activity because Google Earth will provide the children with a great way to really visualize where these paintings were painted. Also, it will help them to recognize that these painters grew up in completely different cultures and had very different backgrounds than they have had. Therefore, they will need to really think about the perspectives of the painters when they analyze the paintings. As the children use Google Earth, I will be able to increase their learning by asking them questions and guiding their learning. This technology will work very well with the pedagogy and content of this lesson.

IP&T 301: Social Constructivism Lesson Plan

I have decided to adjust this lesson plan to utilize the social learning strategy of Cognitive Apprenticeship. I believe that Cognitive Apprenticeship is a very successful way of teaching children because they have the opportunity to learn under the guidance of an expert or more knowledgeable other. By observing the expert, working with the help of the expert, and eventually working toward an independent knowledge of what is being taught, this learning strategy really helps students to develop a thorough understanding.

More Knowledgeable Other: In teaching this lesson on shapes with the Cognitive Apprenticeship approach, I would be the "more knowledgeable other," or expert on the information the children are learning. Throughout the lesson, the children would have opportunities to observe me and listen to my explanations of shapes and their characteristics in order to develop their own understanding of shapes.

Cultural or Symbolic Tools:
1. I Spy: We will use the common game of "I Spy" to begin the lesson on shapes. I will describe something I see in our classroom by stating the characteristics of its shape, and the children will guess what it is that I am describing.

2. Language: Language will be extremely important throughout the lesson because it will be used to describe and name each of the different shapes. It will help to clarify for the children any misconceptions or misunderstandings they may have about the different shapes. Also, we will use language and singing to learn a song about shapes that will help the children to remember the characteristics and names of each of the shapes we explore through this lesson.

3. Actual Cut-Outs of Shapes: I will provide the children with cut-outs of each of the shapes we will be learning about so that they will be able to manipulate them and really see what they are like.

4. Paper and Crayons: We will do a listening activity in which I will ask them to color each shape on their paper a certain color. This will help them to visualize which shape is which, and it will help me to assess their understanding of shape identification.

5. Riddles: I will use shape riddles to describe different shapes and see if they can guess which shape I am describing.

6. Numbers: We will use numbers as part of our explanations of shapes by describing the number of sides each shape has, the number of corners it has, etc.

7. Chart: As I teach the students about shapes, I will help them to be able to compare the different shapes by making a chart in which we write all the similarities and differences between the shapes.

Zone of Proximal Development: As I teach this lesson, I will make sure that I am always paying attention to how well my students are understanding what I am teaching to make sure that the instruction I give is at an instructional level for them. I will be sure to begin the lesson by modeling shape identification myself so that the students will be able to see what they will be asked to do later in the lesson. After I have modeled shape identification for them, I will then use the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development as a guide for my instruction. I will make sure that my instruction stays within my students' Zone of Proximal Development by first doing a lot of shape identification as a whole class. As they get more comfortable with identification as a class, I will then move into doing shape descriptions and identification in small groups. After they have become very comfortable with the group work, I will then give them individual assignments and activities so that they can show what they have learned. By gradually giving them more independence and more responsibility throughout the lesson, I will be able to keep them in their Zone of Proximal Development and make sure that they are always being pushed a little further to reach their individual potential. I will pay attention to the cues I get from my students during the lesson in order to know when it is appropriate to move to the next phase of the lesson so that I do not move too quickly or too slowly.

Scaffolding: I would use scaffolding throughout the lesson in order to help the children to be able to do a little more than they would be able to on their own. This will help them to then be able to develop the abilities to do the activities they do with my help on their own once they have a full understanding of it. In the beginning of the lesson, the students will need a lot more scaffolding from me because shape characteristics and identification will be somewhat unfamiliar to them. Throughout the lesson, they will get gradually more familiar with the information and the process of shape identification, so they will not need as much help from me. As we work together as a class in the beginning of the lesson, this will scaffold their learning so that they can begin to understand the concept of shapes. We will then move to group work, in which the scaffolding provided will be the assistance of other members of their groups, as well as my assistance as I move from group to group to help wherever is needed. Then, I will give them work to do individually so that they can show me what they personally have learned. However, I will be available to them to scaffold further when my students have any further questions. One final assignment I will give my students will be to go home and explain each shape to a family member. The family member must then find something in the house that is each shape described, and the student will explain why or why not the object is the same as the shape described. In this activity, the student becomes the teacher, but the student's learning is still being scaffolded by the family member.

Dialectical Relationship between Learner and MKO: As I work extensively with my students, I will be able to help them to increase their understanding of shapes and their characteristics. I will assist them in improving their abilities to recognize and identify shapes in their surroundings. Also, I will be able to increase their confidence in their abilities by being encouraging and supportive to them throughout the lesson, as well as through giving them good instruction so that they are able to develop a thorough understanding of the topic. In addition to the information I will give them, I will also learn a lot from my students as we go through the lesson. I will be able to solidify my understanding of the various descriptions of all shapes, and my students will be able to show me many different ways of thinking in order to identify and describe shapes. I will also come to a better understanding of my students, which will help me to be able to further assist them in their learning and development.