At the moment, I feel like the idea of Smart Board learnign is going into the right direction, but I think the product isn't ready for every school and every teacher. There are too many flaws that I see the smart board giving teachers problems and taking away time from the students. Also the price range is pretty stiff for most schools. I think we the teachers can use other technology we have alreadied mastered.The technology can constist of powerpoint, blogs, and websites. While at the same time use old fashion things such as games, chalkboard, and projectors. So a couple of years, to get the bugs out of the smart boards will give the teacher a chance to learn how to input information into a steady lesson plan. We teachers need to put together the best to give the student a better learning enviroment.
-Mr. Gibbs
Friday, November 12, 2010
Pros and Cons of Smartboards
While doing research on smart boards, I found that there are many pros and cons about this technology.
Pros
• With the SMART Board, you can control any application through the touch board. So instead of working from behind the computer keyboard, you (or your students) can be at the front of the classroom physically interacting with the display.
• You can use any of the 4 colors of markers or the eraser to write in digital ink over applications, web pages, or moving video. The SMART board still works if you lose the pens. (There are 4 colored pen holders and one eraser. When you lift the pen out of the slot, it selects the color or the eraser. When you touch the screen, it uses the selected color or the eraser.)
• Like other digital ink software applications, you can save your work into a notebook file, and you can convert handwriting into text.
• Allows the teacher to touch and interact
• You can upload these files to the internet or other databases used for student resources or professional development opportunities
• The students are able to use the board as well. This gives them the opportunity to want to participate in classroom discussions and lessons.
• Some boards are mobile allowing the teacher to put it away or off to the side when necessary and bring it out when ready to use.
Cons
• Hard to write. The biggest disappointment with the digital ink comes from the fact that a SMART Board is a front-mounted projection screen. This means that your data projector is set up in front of the screen (like an overhead projector). Sure, it was cool to interact with programs by touching the screen, but it was hard to write notes because you were constantly blocking the image.
• Hard to write neatly. To be perfectly honest, it was a little disappointing how our handwriting turned out on the SMART Board. Better than our experiences with the other digital pens, but the handwriting was still large, blocky, and messy. One of the things you have to train yourself to do is to not lean up against the SMART Board. When you write on a blackboard or white board, you typically rest the edge of your palm on the board. If you do that on a touch screen, the cursor jumps to your palm and it doesn't work out. You have to train yourself to just write using the tip of the pen. The marker worked fine if we wanted to underline or circle key ideas, but if you wanted to edit or revise a 12 point, double-spaced Word Document, you'd have a hard time getting the control required.
• You still have to move back and forth from the keyboard to the screen. We could start up our web browser by touching the SMART board, but when it came time to enter in the website address, we had to go back to the desk to type in the URL.
• Need to supply own data projector. A decent one can cost anywhere from 500- 1,000 dollars
• • May want to upgrade wireless internet connection.
• • Like any type of technology, there are "quirks" that can come up.
• • Because it is hard to write neatly, the board can in turn cost more time for the teacher as he or she may have to re-write or re-type several times.
• • Takes up extra time and money for staff at each school. Training sessions cost time and money for everyone involved.
Pros
• With the SMART Board, you can control any application through the touch board. So instead of working from behind the computer keyboard, you (or your students) can be at the front of the classroom physically interacting with the display.
• You can use any of the 4 colors of markers or the eraser to write in digital ink over applications, web pages, or moving video. The SMART board still works if you lose the pens. (There are 4 colored pen holders and one eraser. When you lift the pen out of the slot, it selects the color or the eraser. When you touch the screen, it uses the selected color or the eraser.)
• Like other digital ink software applications, you can save your work into a notebook file, and you can convert handwriting into text.
• Allows the teacher to touch and interact
• You can upload these files to the internet or other databases used for student resources or professional development opportunities
• The students are able to use the board as well. This gives them the opportunity to want to participate in classroom discussions and lessons.
• Some boards are mobile allowing the teacher to put it away or off to the side when necessary and bring it out when ready to use.
Cons
• Hard to write. The biggest disappointment with the digital ink comes from the fact that a SMART Board is a front-mounted projection screen. This means that your data projector is set up in front of the screen (like an overhead projector). Sure, it was cool to interact with programs by touching the screen, but it was hard to write notes because you were constantly blocking the image.
• Hard to write neatly. To be perfectly honest, it was a little disappointing how our handwriting turned out on the SMART Board. Better than our experiences with the other digital pens, but the handwriting was still large, blocky, and messy. One of the things you have to train yourself to do is to not lean up against the SMART Board. When you write on a blackboard or white board, you typically rest the edge of your palm on the board. If you do that on a touch screen, the cursor jumps to your palm and it doesn't work out. You have to train yourself to just write using the tip of the pen. The marker worked fine if we wanted to underline or circle key ideas, but if you wanted to edit or revise a 12 point, double-spaced Word Document, you'd have a hard time getting the control required.
• You still have to move back and forth from the keyboard to the screen. We could start up our web browser by touching the SMART board, but when it came time to enter in the website address, we had to go back to the desk to type in the URL.
• Need to supply own data projector. A decent one can cost anywhere from 500- 1,000 dollars
• • May want to upgrade wireless internet connection.
• • Like any type of technology, there are "quirks" that can come up.
• • Because it is hard to write neatly, the board can in turn cost more time for the teacher as he or she may have to re-write or re-type several times.
• • Takes up extra time and money for staff at each school. Training sessions cost time and money for everyone involved.
The importance of Website in the classroom
I feel that websites will be very important in the classroom in the next century or two. I feel this way because a teacher can do so many things with their students and parents. This will give the teacher the ability to contact and talk to the students or parents outside the classroom with out having a parent teacher conference. This will also be able to show the students work off if they are doing well, this may eventually boost the students self-esteem. It will also encourage the student to continue working hard in the classroom.
Websites will also give the teacher the ability to post homework and assignments online, if the student might forget what he needs to d ofor homework. This will bring a new element to the classroom. It will improve the students learning because you can do many things online. One can do homework assignments online, while others can go to different learning links that will help the student through fun games.
I feel that this technology method will be more effective because, in this day in age everything is done by technology. This will give the parents a chance to see how their child is doing without having to call and see the teacher. It gives teachers a better way to have contact with their parents and students. This will also give the teacher a better relationship with other teachers by putting teaching materials on your website will enhance their teaching also. So many teachers need to get into the technology age and begin using it to their advantage.
Websites will also give the teacher the ability to post homework and assignments online, if the student might forget what he needs to d ofor homework. This will bring a new element to the classroom. It will improve the students learning because you can do many things online. One can do homework assignments online, while others can go to different learning links that will help the student through fun games.
I feel that this technology method will be more effective because, in this day in age everything is done by technology. This will give the parents a chance to see how their child is doing without having to call and see the teacher. It gives teachers a better way to have contact with their parents and students. This will also give the teacher a better relationship with other teachers by putting teaching materials on your website will enhance their teaching also. So many teachers need to get into the technology age and begin using it to their advantage.
New Smart Boards in the classroom
One may ask what a smart board is?
The Smart Board interactive whiteboard is an interactive whiteboard that uses touch detection for user input – e.g., scrolling, right mouse-click – in the same way normal PC input devices, such as a mouse or keyboard, detect input. A projector is used to display a computer’s video output on the interactive whiteboard, which then acts as a large touch screen. The Smart Board typically comes with 4 digital pens, which use digital ink and replace traditional whiteboard markers. Most Smart Board interactive whiteboards register only one touch at a time.
With the smart board, I want to discuss and research if it is really good in the teaching field and will it take teaching students to the next level. By this I mean that will the smartboard really enhance the students interest about a certain subject.
The Smart Board interactive whiteboard is an interactive whiteboard that uses touch detection for user input – e.g., scrolling, right mouse-click – in the same way normal PC input devices, such as a mouse or keyboard, detect input. A projector is used to display a computer’s video output on the interactive whiteboard, which then acts as a large touch screen. The Smart Board typically comes with 4 digital pens, which use digital ink and replace traditional whiteboard markers. Most Smart Board interactive whiteboards register only one touch at a time.
With the smart board, I want to discuss and research if it is really good in the teaching field and will it take teaching students to the next level. By this I mean that will the smartboard really enhance the students interest about a certain subject.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Classroom Management Plan
Making a Classroom Management Plan
A classroom management plan is a key essential for new teacher. It gives the teacher a chance to imagine how these classroom and students will work. A classroom management plan will also make a teacher think of things that may go wrong and how will one fix the problem. It will also make one provide an image that their classroom may look.
One can do so much more than they think with a classroom management plan. The Teacher can put their rules and regulations, exit and entering assignments, etc.. For more details, I will be attaching my classroom management plan.
~ Mr. Gibbs
A classroom management plan is a key essential for new teacher. It gives the teacher a chance to imagine how these classroom and students will work. A classroom management plan will also make a teacher think of things that may go wrong and how will one fix the problem. It will also make one provide an image that their classroom may look.
One can do so much more than they think with a classroom management plan. The Teacher can put their rules and regulations, exit and entering assignments, etc.. For more details, I will be attaching my classroom management plan.
~ Mr. Gibbs
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
How my movie helped me for my future classroom.
How Movies can enhance your classroom.
Just finished my movie for my instructional design class. It actually turned out very good. I really didn’t expect it to turn out so well. Now I see how this could be very interesting in your classroom. The students, I feel will have a great time putting something together with their fellow classmates. I think everyone should try this at least once with their students. Once we put it online, I will put it on my blog so look out.
I like the idea of doing movies with the students. This will give them to open up and be themselves in front of the video camera. This will also give them a chance to wind down and have old fashion FUN. I also feel that this has huge potential to improve students learning. The key reason in that is because they are in the movie, they know that its themselves that are making the movie. This project also makes them think outside the box and do something new. The traditional method is just sitting in the classroom writing while the teacher is teaching, and a lot of busy work. While the technology method give them a chance to be themselves and use their social skills for their advantage. The technology route will always have the advantage because it gives them to control the path they want to take.
-Mr. Gibbs
Just finished my movie for my instructional design class. It actually turned out very good. I really didn’t expect it to turn out so well. Now I see how this could be very interesting in your classroom. The students, I feel will have a great time putting something together with their fellow classmates. I think everyone should try this at least once with their students. Once we put it online, I will put it on my blog so look out.
I like the idea of doing movies with the students. This will give them to open up and be themselves in front of the video camera. This will also give them a chance to wind down and have old fashion FUN. I also feel that this has huge potential to improve students learning. The key reason in that is because they are in the movie, they know that its themselves that are making the movie. This project also makes them think outside the box and do something new. The traditional method is just sitting in the classroom writing while the teacher is teaching, and a lot of busy work. While the technology method give them a chance to be themselves and use their social skills for their advantage. The technology route will always have the advantage because it gives them to control the path they want to take.
-Mr. Gibbs
Monday, November 8, 2010
The Importance of A Creative Learning Environment
The Importance of A Creative Learning Environment
As teachers, I believe we have the chance to educate our future and we need to use every teacher tool possible to do this. I have learned of many different tools we could use in our classroom in my instruction design class. I feel like if we had some of these tactics when I grew up, I would be able to do many things in the work place today that would propel us through the ranks. Some of these teaching tools are power points, blogs, teacher websites, and porta portals.
As teachers, I believe we have the chance to educate our future and we need to use every teacher tool possible to do this. I have learned of many different tools we could use in our classroom in my instruction design class. I feel like if we had some of these tactics when I grew up, I would be able to do many things in the work place today that would propel us through the ranks. Some of these teaching tools are power points, blogs, teacher websites, and porta portals.
On how to use blogs in education, the main points are to use:
- blogs "as key, task driven, elements of your course" (that is, provide structure and purpose)
- assessment that promotes, or at least allows, personal pursuits and expression
- blogs for what they are good for
Use Powerpoints towards their strengths
- Use it as a visual aid, not to read off of
- Reading straight off the power point is very boring and shouldn’t be done.
- The viewer will see this and will probably loose their attention quickly
- Also Move around, make sure the attention is on the person giving the presentation
With Teacher Website
- This can be very important for the teacher. This gives them the ability to let the parents see what their child is doing in another way besides phone calls.
- It can also show what is coming up with school events and events that the parents need to know such as field trips.
- It can also give other teachers links that will help them become a better teacher.
- This could also be a great use for a online portfolio.
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