Chapter 11- Technology in Mathematics and Science Integration

There are many ways to integrate the use of technology into math and science lessons. One technology that teachers frequently integrate into their math lessons without even thinking about it is a graphing calculator. What many teachers do not do however is use the graphing calculator to its full capabilities. Graphing calculators can do much more than just graph a formula. The user can actually write and run basic programs on their calculator.

Another technology integration strategy the book offers for mathematics is the use of spreadsheets to carry out “what if” problems. It is very easy to type formulas into the cells of a spreadsheet and then use that same spreadsheet formula to solve problems over and over again. This is a great way for students to recognize relationships and patterns that come from a formula.

One science integration strategy I found interesting is the use of a GPS. Tracking geo caches is an interesting way to use this technology and to really help students understand coordinates.

Digital imaging tools and simulations are great for science. Slowing down a video of an everyday event would really help students see the scientific forces that are really in play during an action. For example in a Physics class it might be very interesting for the students to video tape each other swinging a baseball bat and hitting a baseball. They could then dramatically slow down the video footage and see what happens when the ball hits the bat. This could be done in younger grades for students to watch how plants grow and in numerous other situations and experiments.

Chapter 8 - Integrating the Internet into the Curriculum

Chapter 8 talks about the use of the Internet in the classroom and how to effectively integrate use of the Internet into lessons. One very important step in the integration of websites into classroom learning is the evaluation of websites. It is very important to make sure websites are appropriate for students and providing accurate material. Important things to look for when evaluating a website are the content of the website, the websites visual and audio design, how to navigate the website, and miscellaneous things about the website. After evaluating these items you can score the website as excellent, very good, fair, or unacceptable.

Out of these four things I think that content is the most important part of the website to evaluate. For example a website may present very misleading information, have an agenda (such as selling a product), have inappropriate material, or have incorrect information. A great website to use to practice your skills as a website evaluator is www.dhmo.org. This website introduces its visitors to a substance called dihydrogen monoxide. It leads site visitors to believe this is a harmful substance that we should all be concerned about coming into contact with. For those who haven’t had a chemistry course this information might come across as frightening. For those who do know that dihydrogen monoxide is simply water, this website seems ridiculous. This is a perfectly good example of a website that should not be used. It presents misleading information as well as tries to sell you stop DHMO products.

Chapter 7 - Distance Learning Tools and the Role of the Internet in Education

Chapter 7 talks all about distance learning courses. There are many benefits as well as disadvantages to distance learning classes although, over recent year distance learning technology has made many improvements. Distance learning is any learning that takes place from a distance.

When I was in high school I participated in several distance learning courses because my school was extremely small and could not offer a wide variety of class choices in the school. I took Spanish via the Internet. Each week we would read an assigned online reading, learn the assigned vocabulary, and then answer online prompts. I became great at writing in Spanish but could not speak a word of it because I never had practice verbally.

I also attempted to take a Calculus class via a distance learning television. Three days into the class the camera and microphones stopped working so the professor could not see or hear us. We simply had to watch and listen to what he was doing and were unable to ask questions because of the technology malfunction. Often we could not see what he was writing on the board because the camera was out of focus of too far away.

Despite my experiences with distance learning there can be many advantages to it. For example, if a student is out ill or has to undergo a surgery that will require a large amount of school to be missed, the teacher can provide online lessons and assignment drop boxes to keep the student on track.

Distance learning can be a very useful option if its use and implementation are considered carefully.

Chapter 6 - Teaching with Multimedia and Hypermedia

Chapter 6 provides a description of multimedia and hypermedia as well as how to teach with it. The chapter describes five types of multimedia and hypermedia resources that are used in education. These five types are presentation software, video production and editing systems, hypermedia design and development software, virtual reality environments, and Web 2.0 authoring tools.

I think that a really interesting one to use in the classroom is video production and editing systems. An example of this would be iMovie for Apple. Using iMovie students can create all sorts of fun projects. Students could use the program to document class field trips. Another way that student could use the video editing system is by creating a commercial for a book they just read.

Another great classroom resource is web 2.0 tools. One of these tools a teacher might choose to utilize is a blog such as blogger.com. Teachers can use blogging as a way to post information about an assignment and to let students comment with questions. Or teachers can post blogger assignments where the students respond to a reading or prompt by using blogger. YouTube is another example of a Web 2.0 software. This is a great place for teachers to find informational videos to enhance their lessons. Also if the teacher has parent permission to video tape and post the videos to YouTube, it can be a great way to share what is happening in class with the parents. Teachers could tape a lesson and post the video to their classroom website.

Chapter 5 - Teaching with Software Tools: Beyond the Basic Programs

Chapter 5 talks about various software tools that will be helpful for teachers and students in the classroom. One of the tools that the chapter discussed is data collection and analysis tools. These are really helpful for teachers to collect and organize data. One of these tools is an electronic grade book. I think that electronic grade books are wonderful tools because they allow much more to be done with the collected information than a paper and pencil grade book would. With an electronic grade book it is not necessary to average student grades by hand. With this tool teachers can easily compare student scores, calculate averages, and increase parent communication. Some common online grade books allow students and parents access to their grades so that they constantly know where they stand academically. If a paper and pencil grade book were being used the student would have to wait for their progress report to be sent home.

Another tool the text talks about is material generating software. These are great tools for teachers so that hey can easily create worksheets, rubrics, lesson plans, and IEPs. I think that an IEP generator would be a very helpful tool to have for a new teacher. Although many students have IEPs, teachers do no have to write IEPs everyday. Software such as an IEP generator would help teachers through a process they may not be as familiar with as they are lesson planning. Even for lesson planning which teachers do everyday a generator could prove helpful. The generator would keep all of the lesson plans in a uniform design.

Chapter 4- Teaching with the Basic Three Software Tools

Chapter four is all about the three basic softwares that are used as educational resources. These technologies are word processing, spreadsheets, and databases. Word processors are programs that allow a document to be typed on the computer. Spreadsheets are useful for manipulating and organizing data and numbers. Databases let people store, organize, and manipulate information. Each of these three softwares has multiple ways they can be use in a classroom environment. Word processors are one of the most common softwares. They can be used for creating handouts and instructional materials, lesson plans, notes, reports, forms, letters to parents or students, flyers, newsletters, and more. Microsoft Word, Notebook, and Google Docs are all examples of common word processors. Spreadsheets can be used in the classroom to keep track of budgets, prepare performance charts, and keep grades. Databases can be used to inventory and locate instructional resources, data mine for planning and reporting, use information on students to respond to questions or perform required tasks, and to send personalized letters to parents and others. I think that word processers are one of the most versatile technologies for education. Many of the newest word processors allow the user to insert graphics, word art, and charts. These graphics can be easily manipulated. Because so much can be done with word processing other than simply producing text they can be used to create posters, banners, brochures and more. I can not imagine what it would be like to teach before word processors were a common educational technology.

Chapter 3- Teaching with Instructional Software

Chapter three discusses different types of instructional software, integrated learning systems, and using instructional software to meet the classroom needs. A computer program can meet one or more of the following five functions of instructional software.

1. Drill and Practice - provides an example problem for students to work and then delivers feedback.

2. Tutorial- gives students an instructional sequence to follow that is similar to how a teacher would typically deliver instruction.

3. Simulation- teaches how systems work by creating a computerized model

4. Instructional games- these games increase student motivation by making learning a game or competition.

5. Problem Solving- These programs help foster problem solving component skills, provide general practice in the approach to problem solving, as well as provide the opportunity to practice.

The chapter also addresses how instructional software can be used to meet the needs of the classroom. I like the idea of using instructional software to replace worksheets. I think that worksheets can become very monotonous and habitual. By using instructional software students might find leaning a subject more interesting because they are playing a game or interacting with the computer. I think that the key to effective student learning is engagement. Instructional software is one way of providing that engagement for students. When I was in elementary school my teacher often used the computers as a reward. I did not realize at the time that the teacher was actually rewarding me by presenting me with more educational material. From previous experiences shadowing in classrooms, students jump at the chance to do anything on the computers.