April 2010
1 post
Final Blog (post#12)
Prior to entering this course, I always had a strong interest in technology. In my younger years, I loved to do activities that had a strong technological component within them. However, these interests were never fully supported by my former teachers. They always looked at the use of technology as a form of play without any educational purpose. When this course become available for our course...
March 2010
6 posts
Playing By the Rules (blog#11)
I would like to start off with saying WOW! This powerpoint very well exceeded my thoughts of what a powerpoint is to look like. Over the years I have seen my fair share of them and have made them myself, but never have I seen one that is so interesting. I really enjoyed the way the information was presented and it had me sitting on edge for which direction it page was going to go to next. It...
Songchild.org (blog#10)
I remember while in Danny Bakan’s creative arts class, the mention of this site. I was quite eager to see what it would look like, as one of our assignments was to continue to develop a student based Wiki that had been developed as a tool for our own use. Creating a tool like this for parents, educators, and children is very beneficial as it can be difficult to find a resource that caters to...
Assessing Meaningful Learning (post#9)
When children are engaging in meaningful learning, it can be difficult to assess what they have learned, as each child will have learned something different and perhaps in a different way. This means that regular assessment forms such as tests and quizzes cannot work as accurate evaluation pieces. I found that meaningful learning is best assessed through reflective feedback pieces or through...
Meaningful Learning (blog#8)
I order for meaningful learning to take place, children need to be active in their learning. In order for them to be active children need to be exploring, creating, experimenting and following their own interests and questions. Through this they will create their own connections and be able to make meaning of the information they have acquired. My experiences within school (even to this day), I...
Visualizing with Technologies Through Photographs...
Through my recent interactions with children I have seen an increase in the amount of children who have access to cameras/video cameras. Toy companies such a Fisher Price and Leap Frog have been developing cameras that can withstand a child’s handling. This provides children with the opportunity to learn how to work such devices at a young age and allow them to express themselves through yet...
Designing and Visualizing with Technologies...
Design is something that surrounds us in our everyday lives. Someone has to design the car I drive, the home I live in, the school I attend, the computer I use and even the programs on the computer. Design is the planning needed to construct something before it is built, as it allows ones ideas to be brought to life from their mind. This ties in closely to the constructivist approach as it...
February 2010
3 posts
Experimenting with Technology (post#5)
Experimentation has always been my mode of discovery when dealing with new gadgets and websites. I have almost never used an instruction booklet to help figure something out on my phone or my computer; it has always been trail and error. I enjoy using this method, as I tend to find out more about the product then I initially was trying for. It can take a long time, but I find it more useful in...
Community Building With Technologies (post#4)
Technology is a great enabler of community building. Through its various means (such as Wikis) individuals are able to build all sorts of communities. It helps provide a link between individuals and gives them a space where they can build strong collaborative relationships. Through Wikis, individuals are encouraged to construct an environment that encourages discussions and the building of...
Communicating With Technology (post#3)
When thinking about my own life and the means I use to communicate, it is quite evident that technology is largely involved. Through my daily interactions using the phone, blackberry chat, msn messenger and facebook, it is quite clear that technology helps me communicate with many individuals I may not have the chance to be face-to-face with. In accordance with the text, “media multitasking”...
January 2010
3 posts
Investigating With Technologies (post#2)
Incorporating more time for technology into the classroom schedule is a must. I do not believe that one session a week in the computer lab is enough time for children to educate themselves on how to use technology. I have been using computers on a daily basis for years and I still do not know everything. The minute I think I have figured out a program, I realize that I have just opened up another...
My Early Experiences With Technology (post#1)
For as long as I can remember, I have always had a strong interest in technology. We all loved to watch T.V whenever our parents allowed it, but I knew that my interests were different from other children, as I seemed to be the only one that wanted to take the T.V apart. Whenever a stereo would jam or a CD player would skip, I wanted to open it up and fix it. At first my parents were very much...
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