Blogs in the K-12 Classroom

The first website i found in discussion of blogs used in the classroom was actually a blog itself talking about the successful use of blogs for teachers and students in Michigan and New York. The blog's purpose is to connect 2 different schools to each others opinion about an article. The teacher used this as a way to communicate with other students in the country, and also to get the kids minds working to respond and give feedback on what they had read. The site mentions that the teacher went to the library at her school and set this clog up solely for a particular assignment that she knew would interest her students more this way. The site also stresses that the blog is used because of the information and communication it provides, not just for added technology.http://schoolof.info/infomancy/?p=104 (This site did not contain any pictures.)

The second website had a simple picture of a school bus. This representing that an obvious block portal for students called "Young- Blocks 4/5/6". This site is sort of anonymous in several ways. It does not list the school or particular details about the classes, except that they are science related, but it does list the assignments for the students and the updated news for the classroom posted on the right. The blog also has a set list of rules which include not using last names, addresses, etc., or any personal information. It also asks the students to use appropriate language, and respect classmates' comments. It reminds them to get use to using a computer and use this particular exercise to practice their skills. The students have individual blogs where they can communicate back and forth with each other, and their teacher about nearly anything related to class and keep them in touch with whats going on.http://young456.21classes.com/

ACCESS

ACCESS is a program that provides students with online courses that are equipped with high quality instruction that will challenge them more in their studies. However, its main appeal is the up to date technology that can aid teachers in guiding students through these courses. No matter where the students and teachers are, they can still have "access" to this program, because it will eventually be available to everyone in the Alabama high schools. Hopefully by 2010 they expect to have this in every high school in the state. Its main goal is to provide the concept of distant learning for every student. They want every student to eventually take at least one distant learning course in high school and to give them opportunity to be fluent in the usage of 21st century technology to use to their educational advantage.
The ACCESS program is designed to combine traditional, IVC, and online instruction. Teachers have the opportunity to become familiar with 21st century technology too and use it for the greater good of instruction. They are provided with extra credits for students in a school year, and classes for extended day schools, summer schools, night schools, and home bound children. They have multimedia and reference tools to enhance their instructions. They can also offer advanced placement courses or just basic core courses. Overall this type of teaching will promote connectivity with other teachers and students all over the world via computers.

How i might use ALEX

As a student myself i like to work with others and compare ideas and help each other out with assignments and study together. I learn best through discussion and hands on stuff as well as studying alone only when it comes time for an exam. So, ALEX would be very useful to me in that i would use it to get ideas from other teachers and compare mine with theirs as well. I think especially at the beginning of my career i would want to think of exciting ways to teach and gain my students attention so i would know what would work for their grade level and what wouldnt. I think that everybody needs a little help and advice in the beginning and this is a fast and easy way to connect to those in the same profession as you without even leaving your home or school.
I would like to introduce it to my students too to make sure they knew there are resources like this to help with areas of interest or problems for them in their school subjects. It also teaches them to use and rely on the internet more and get excited about learning. I think the Distance Learning feature would be useful for kids who might get bored with the curriculum and wanted to be more challenged in class. ALEX would offer more advanced studies if their school did not offer any. I would definitley use the Personal Workspace option because i am constantly trying to find ways to organize my work and store it in a place i know it will not get lost or destroyed. Overall i think i would have everything i needed as far as outside help in my teaching career with ALEX right at my personal computer, how convenient.

The Alabama Learning Exchange

The Alabama Learning Exchange is a useful online resource for teachers and students designed by the Alabama Department of Education that provides many tools and materials on the web, some introduced by certified teachers themselves, that one can use as a fast reference for learning. There is alot this site offers to better organize the information you find useful to you. Its appeal and focus is that it finds easy and fast ways for you to improve the way you learn or teach by sharing methods and new information or knowledge.
ALEX has many options to make your experience organized and convenient. The Course of Study option allows to you zero in and choose a particular suject or grade level to focus on. The WebLink option divides the suject matter into separate links that are grouped together by teacher, student, and administrator's sections whatever your status may be.The Lesson Plan option has the choice of searcing lesson plans used by different teachers and schools on every grade level and subject you need. It also allows you to write and save your own lesson plans to add to and use in the future. The Personal Workspace option lets you store your finds from the searches you used and the work you responded with such as your lesson plans. This feature lets you keep your work and share it with others for as long as you need it. The Professional Learning tool allows you to read news, and check out groups that promote development of learning for certain types of study. It shows ways to allow access for better growth and communication in your particular profession. The Access Learning feature which is really A-labama C-onnecting C-lassrooms E-ducators and S-tudents S-tatewide is a helpful way to provide speacial programs such as advanced courses for students through audio and video teaching to challenge them. These are opportunities that their school may not necessarily provide or require for them. They are all in the content of the Distance Learning tool.

My Response to the Fischbowl Movie

I thought the movie was very informative. I learned things that i never knew and that were interesting and got me thinking about thte future. I had no idea how many other countries spoke our language and were also in tune to the rest of the world when most of the U.S. only speaks one language being English and that in that way are not as connected to countries other than ours. However, i was impressed with the statistics about the advancement of computer knowledge and usage in the past 10-20 years in the U.S. I feel it has and will continue to aid in the education and development of my children and those that i teach.

Email Me

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My Powerpoint Presentation

In my powerpoint presentation i will discuss how my family members are and how they have influnenced me and made me into the person i am today. I will state what each of them have taught me and how it has helped me through life so far, as well as introduce them and myself in pictures on the slides.

2nd Day of Class

Today is the second day of class and I just got my picture taken. I am an elementary education major here at south, and i am doing so because i love children, they are my passion. I am also here because i wanted a job that would be rewarding and that i would enjoy every day.I am 25 years old and have lived in this area all my life. This is my second time in school. I am just now a junior and once i graduate i would like to get my masters degree as well.

My First Post

This is the first day of class in EDM310.