Virtual High Schools: Pros and Cons

Pros
• There is a diverse amount of courses offered.
• Allows for an exchange of ideas and collaboration throughout different cultures and across time zones.
• Allows for scheduling flexibility, students can attend class any time and anywhere 24 hours a day.
• Allows for professional development courses for teachers to learn and master the delivery of online courses.
Cons
• No face-to-face interaction between teacher and student.
• Requires self discipline by student.
• Less social interaction, no classroom environment, less social development.
• Expensive
• Time consuming.

Emerging Technologies in the Classroom

Nintendo WII

The gaming console Nintendo Wii is great way to further engage the students in a physical education classroom setting. The game Wii Fit is provides students with testing their BMI, weight, and height tracking it throughout each workout through the use of a balance board. Activities range from Yoga and aerobic exercises to muscular endurance and balance (body management) workouts). This activity can be done on Wednesdays known as "Wii Wednesdays".



Other games can be used for learning and activites in the classroom. Some are wii golf, tennis, and baseball. All of these through the use of the Wii Remote require the students to accuratley perform the correct motion of the sport. This will help with students who may be timid in participating in the actual activity. This can also be done if the weather doesn't permit the class to go outside. This will really interest the students because it is a video game and create an overall general excitement about coming to class on wednesday.

http://www.wiiclassroom.com/index.html



Moodle

Moodle acts as a virtual classroom for students to post assignments, view calendars, and syllabi. Personally, I am taking a foreign language course here at WSU and Moodle was just introduced this semester. It proves to be a much more efficient system as a virtual classroom. A foreign language class requires many handouts, and since they are all electronic acessed through moodle, it allows for a more efficient system for studying. We also have to complete audio recordings of readings, so we can post those files onto Moodle.



Moodle can be used for any content base. I think it would be best suited for a class that has many handouts and meets everyday (such as foreign language). It has even improved the communication level between the teacher and students because there is a calendar of lecutres, quizzes, and exams.

http://www.stevenbowden.net/2007/07/11/emerging-technologies-in-the-classroom/



Skype

Skype allows you to talk to another user through the computer. Just as moodle, skype would be great for a foreign language. Classrooms could connect globally and have language exchanges. The best way to learn a language is to actually communicate and Skype allows for this in a intercultural exchange. Cultural exchanges can also be done where both classrooms learn about one another. Students could even have pen pals, instead of writing they would chat through Skype.



Skype can also be used to communicate with other classrooms in the same district or city. Classrooms can collaborate through large projects where they use Skype as their medium of communication.

http://www.stevenbowden.net/2007/07/11/emerging-technologies-in-the-classroom/

Teacher Web Reflection

1. The use of a website such as Teacher Web provides a valuable opportunity to communicate and additionally engage your students through technology. The teacher website has several applications that will help with communication, such as the web calendar, announcements, and newsflash. The use of review quizzes and reflections through Teacher Web allows to students to check their answers and submit essays. Class handouts can also be posted on Teacher Web, to supplement information in class. The Teacher Web also links to PB Wiki, which contains many collaborative projects. The additional web links provided gives the students multiple resources for health content. I think one of the most important features of Teacher Web is the class grades. This is extremely helpful for communication of grades between teacher, students, and even parents.

2. I think two of the biggest advantages for using a Teacher Web classroom website is communication and supplementation. As stated above, the newsflash allows students to receive updates via their email or even text message. This gives students no real excuse to not be informed of classroom assignments. The other advantage is supplementing the class with more specific information regarding health topics. In addition to the pb wiki, students have many resources for seeking out information. One activity that could be done is a resarch presentation on a certain health topic, which would be found through the links provided.

Two disadvantages of using a class website would be technology difficulties or lack of machines. Often times there may students who do not have 100% access to a computer at home. If they are required to do assignments online, it would not be fair to those who don't have computers or high speed internet access. I could also see possible technological difficulties in running the website, but I dont think it would be a huge problem for students navigating the site.

Blogs and Wikis in Education

1. Classroom management is one simple way that blog are used in K-12 classrooms. The teacher could simply post classroom announcements and students could check the blog page for new notices made by the teacher. The blog site could also feature links to additional content regarding the course.

One way that blogs/wikis are being used in K-12 classrooms is through the use of online "journal-keeping" by students. A teacher can have an assignment where thoughts and reflections regarding a specific topic (for example: current events) is discussed on blog posts. Each week would feature a different news topic/event that currently is going on in the nation. This could be simply a link to an article or a youtube video of the news story. Students could instantly post their reflections on the topic and be required to comment on other students views. This would work very well for a civics/social studies high school classroom.

Another way that blogs could be used is involving the parents. A teacher could have a private blog site and post updates to the parents. This would allow for a smooth communication medium for both parents and teachers.

2. One unique way RSS readers/aggregators could be used is through its podcasts capabilities. Students in the classroom could broadcast their own weekly/monthly podcasts. This could encompass a number of activities, such as poems, music, news reports, discussions, weather, or book reviews. This could be done in any classroom K-12.

3. Pros - Students are able to instantly interact with one another through the medium of the World Wide Web and computer. Wikis allows students to edit pages collectively as a classroom and also allow for collaboration and sharing of ideas.

Cons- Wikis and Blogs open the classroom discussion to the whole world. This is a great concept, but students’ privacy must be noted.

A student may also have a problem with not having access to the technology of the internet or computer. This could pose a problem if you required students to post daily and they may not be able to afford the luxury or a home computer.

Concept Mapping

(A concept mapping template used for goal setting).










The use of concept mapping is an important aspect of displaying information in a visual form. I feel that using concept maps in my health class will further help students with understanding specific concepts discussed in class.

One idea, is using a concept map to explain the global transformation of viruses (such as HIV). Through image mapping, it could cover the history, significance, and reasons for the virus spreading.

Another idea I have is using goal setting through concept maps. This would be useful in the physical education setting, having students set goals for their physical fitness tests along with dates that they want to achieve the specific benchmark. Another idea encompassing physical fitness is through the use of concept maps is explaining the history of a sport. For instance, a brief history of baseball in America could be covered through visual images in concept mapping.

I think that the impact of concept mapping in my classroom will be able to support student learning. At a first glance, I felt that concept mapping may not be very useful, but I realized that much of p.e. and fitness involves goal-setting. Mapping out certain students' individual goals along with classroom goals, will provide the students with a sense of self-efficacy and self-reliance for the specific activity or assessments. I think it would be useful to for students to work on their personal goals rather than ranking the class individually.

I would have to decide whether or not concept mapping is useful for a specific lesson. In teaching a health classroom, I could find many more ways to integrate concept mapping. If the lesson touches on an environmental or worldwide issue, I think concept mapping would be of great use. For the p.e. setting again, goal setting for assessments would work well, but other than a covering a brief history of a sport, I don't think concept mapping would be of much more use.

Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom

1. Kinesthetic core characteristics that describe me are sensory, reflexive, and task oriented. I find that I learn best by doing things hands-on. I feel that I can physically react quickly to any stimuli. I also notice that I can grasp and convey information through body movements.

2. Students with strong kinesthetic intelligence enjoy hands-on activities, interact with their environment, and enjoy group games. These students differ from those who may been seen as hyperactive.

3. I will support this intelligence in my classroom by providing hands-on activities. Being that my content area is physical education, this will not be difficult. I will also seek to keep students engaged in the activity be it something they particularly enjoy or dislike.

4. Among some of the technologies that will stimulate kinesthetic/bodily intelligence are: tools, mouse, joystick, kitchen utensils, and PE equipment. Many of these can be useful in a science or fitness based setting.

5. My attention to Multiple Intelligences can allow me to be more aware of different types of learning styles and behaviors in the classroom. If a student is more linguistic I will know that they may possibly be interested in writing. If a student shows signs of existential intelligence I will know that they may be more interested in art. As a teacher, I feel that it will be important to recognize these different multiple intelligences in the classroom and adapt accordingly.

Day 1 - Tech Class

Welcome to my blog. This is a blog made by me. This is for a class. I am not a huge fan of blogs, but I guess it can't hurt.