Digital Movie

My Podcast

After registering for this program, my whole outlook on teaching has changed. I was more or less a traditional teacher using the traditional white board marker, calculator and basic computing skills. But by the time I completed this course, I could definitely see myself as a tech savvy teacher able and willing to learn new technologies.  

How can we actually make a difference with technology in our classroom teaching? This question was very significant for me, as I’ve always strived to stay at the top my game.  The internet has always been an invaluable tool for me, allowing me to stay abreast with the latest in teaching methodologies.  I did not just register for this course to gain another certificate, but also to learn and to apply this learning into my day to day teaching.

From Web-Quest to making websites and the entire Web 2.0 transformation, in CEP 811, enabled me to become an educator of a different league. An educator who is prepared for the future, able to use the endless resources and possibilities available through IT and the web to completely revolutionize the learning process.  CEP812 took me a step further by introducing me to TechQuest, online surveys, creating Podcasts and Tech Plans and learning about the importance of copyright laws.

Web-based technologies were very helpful, as they promoted collaborative learning tools such as Class Wikis, Blogs and Website Publishing, which I have done as part of my Techquest. These are not only cost effective but also significantly enhance learning. The Surveysconducted were very usefully, as theyallowed for a feel and direction before project implementation. The Website I developed for the SAT project was another invaluable learning experience, and really taught me how all of this theory can be put into very practical use, quickly and effectively.

This course has been an invaluable journey for me, opening so many windows of opportunities for personal and professional growth.  No blog entry, no matter how elaborate, can really express or measure the sense of achievement I feel as a result of this course.  As an educator, I feel a teacher’s learning is never done.  This course has actually taught me HOW to learn more and more, how to teach more effectively and, of course, how technology can play such an immense and important role in the learning process for not only students but teachers as well.  As Francis Bacon put it, Knowledge REALLY is power!

Catering to SAT1 students is not an easy job as the talented and the brightest student go to America for further studies, US statistics were very important and so I did MSU library search and peer reviewed article help me a lot to understand the admission procedure for major universities in America. Lawlor, S., Richman, S., & Richman, C. L article the validity of using the SAT as a criterion for black and white students’ admission to college. College Student Journal. 31, 507-15.

“Wake Forest University, like many other academically competitive, private, liberal arts colleges and universities, attempts to select promising applicants based on their level of achievement in high school. When striving to ensure non-biased admissions, determining the strongest predictive measures for all students is an important factor to consider. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the SAT contributes as an unbiased predictor of college performance; and, if possible, to discover the strongest assessments of a future applicant’s success in college” What I have learned is that working on Google forms in not a long term option as I wanted finally write basic html code so as that student’s visiting my website would get answer instantly rather than depending on Google forms.

To approach another project I would do more research in terms of conducting surveys and asking them what they want from that particular project, I am designing so as to deliver a better product. Secondly I would defiantly plan out for my resources in terms of technical support and monetary support so as I should know how much time and how many finances are required to continue work on that project. Also as technology is a very powerful tool which could be used in many ways to enhance learning I would defiantly plan using more technology in my other Techquest.

Lessons that others might benefit are always to do research prior to starting any project. A survey of the people that reflects the audience requirement is a very important factor. Also from the beginning of the project try doing your home work in terms reading through the peer reviewed article from a good library. Try always to run the project in pilot form, if your ambitious it is good but always try to figure out the finances and your technical abilities. Asking for opinion from colleagues and students` always help as every contributes points or opinion which can’t be missed. Always make it a team effort so everybody is given a part in the project and everyone contributes their part and also gets credit for their work.

The longings for love, the search for knowledge,
And unbearable pity for the suffering of [humankind].

Love brings ecstasy and relieves loneliness.
In the union of love I have seen
In a mystic miniature the prefiguring vision
Of the heavens that saints and poets have imagined.

With equal passion I have sought knowledge.
I have wished to understand the hearts of [people].
I have wished to know why the stars shine.

Love and knowledge led upwards to the heavens,
But always pity brought me back to earth;
Cries of pain reverberated in my heart
Of children in famine, of victims tortured
And of old people left helpless.
I long to alleviate the evil, but I cannot,
And I too suffer.

This has been my life; I found it worth living.

Bertrand Russell

knowing or unknowing we all reflect the things we do some time or other. Our path in life is nothing but the reflection of what experience we have gone through as human being.

So when I wrote my refection assignment for the first time in course CEP 810, it was quite overwhelming experiences as the new things in the realm of learning were absolutely great.

The new course (CEP 811) was a new experience and after completing it, I was completely charged up. And when I look back I see the journey was so beautiful there was a lot of hard work though. It was a mix of blithe moments, frustration and occasional bouts of strife and strain. Having said that, the amount of learning that accrued was no less wonderful. They were beyond all expectations. What I have observed is that when I am doing this course I am not only recuperating in my teaching skills but also I am growing as human being. The success was that I could feel the pinch of my skills on many occasions during the program. Not only did I learn what a CBIO is but I deeply understood its applications and practical affiliations. When I designed a StAIR it was a great experience . It involved everything including basics of trigonometry theory to technology things like embedding a video from You tube on to the power point slides. It was a great learning and growing experience. Then came the phase of making a web site and it was great to learn Dreamweaver and basic html code the whole concept of WYSWYG which was very new and very practical. When I look at my web site I feel so accomplished that I can design a web site and upload it in space. This is just a beginning and I would defiantly be designing many more web sites in coming times.

Designing a web quest was a challenge as I found out that while doing my research there are very few Web quests which purely address the core math topic so I decided to make a web quest which helps students learn how to solve Simultaneous equations . After having gone through the whole Web quest, I felt accomplished as I have made something which really makes sense and I or for that matter any teacher can teach simultaneous equation using my web quest.

Continuing with Net vibes was great part of the learning experience in CEP 811.

Web 2.0 was something which came as a surprise to me. The whole concept of creating a class wiki, RSS feedback, electronic portfolio was a totally new concept for me. And class wikis and writing on it were equally amazing. Many ideas have come in my mind on how to use wiki in my educational set up. Idea based learning and the whole concept of constructivism were also interesting as it strengthened my belief in how one can teach adding on students` previous knowledge.

To top it all, many of the guest Speakers who come on every alternate session gave us information on Educational technology and it application was really helpful.

This course CEP 811 was a journey which was as eventful and compulsive as an educational quest. It is not always that one finds such a proportionate blend of intellectual work and practicality in knowledge spheres.

I have been using Wikipedia for quite some time. Whenever I wanted to know about something or someone I would search it on Wikipedia. It could be an array of topics like movies, education personality or place. After registering for this course, I made my own Blog. I wondered after all this was technology taking us to new realms as teachers. I wanted to reflect on the topic of online experience and look at it objectively rather than subjectively. Let me try to analyse two of the Online experience Blogs and wikis.

When we reflect on class wiki, it is an excellent way for collaborative learning, students can do research on a particular topic, write on their own and rewrite if they get better answer and their peers and teachers can improvise on it. So it definitely promotes collaborative learning. Teacher can take burden off the students` shoulder and distribute the whole topic among students so as for each student to do his part successfully. Students get an exposure to writing on class wikis and this will definitely enhance their writing skill and their ability to use internet as a learning tool. In a way, it prompts them to be a lifelong learner. As far as teachers` role is considered they are very much involved, they are the ones who will monitor and moderate the class wiki they can also know who is adding what and thus have a sounder knowledge of the thought process of students. It can also be used to give guidance to students not only in academics but also in terms of career path as from their contribution towards different topics we (teachers) can know about interest level a student has on different topics.

Blogs are definitely very interesting media of learning with fun. There are numerous teachers` blogs that cater to different topics in teaching and learning. As teachers we can maintain our blogs, in this way we can write on it everything from what topic we are teaching, to what is the new trend in teaching? What students can expect from us in the coming weeks in terms of theory and assignment. We as teachers can also encourage students to maintain their own blog as by doing so they can reflect on their ideas .We can encourage them to write on by telling them that it their own personal space on the Internet .

Teachers can visit their student’s blogs and comment on it. Many aspects of teaching like collaborative learning, lifelong learning skills are developed. Over a period of time students can improvise and write new things and in this way they can use internet as a learning tool.

I was surprised to see the applications a Google notebook has. I can use this tool (Google Notebook) in number of ways.  As a teacher whenever I wanted to copy something I merely use to right click and copy, then I used to save it on my desktop or in some folder which was randomly made.  Many a times, I used to forget what I have saved and could not access it when I needed them the most as of it was saved on my laptop, on a USB or on my work PC. When I was travelling sometimes I needed to access my stuff that was researched and stored on one of the mentioned places but could not figure out the way to solve this problem. Google notebook comes with answer to this entire predicament. As a teachers  we need to share a lot of information this tool that is Google notebook gives us a brilliant way of sharing things or accessing things from anywhere around the world. The reason I am using this word tool is because many times technology is just there it exist but it is very difficult to incorporate it in our daily life or in other words apply it in day to day activity.

Let me tell you how you can use Google notebook to solve all the above mentioned problems, for example I am on website which gives information about SAT exam and there are few interesting Math question. I can copy that and save it on my note book and label it as SAT math question. If I find something more interesting  sums related to the same topic then I can add it to the existing notebook or I can make new note book depending on what is more appropriate. Besides this I can also save the website address so as I can revisit it anytime.

The most exciting part is that I can share it with another teacher or with any student by using the Sharing option which is at the top right hand corner of this page. As for as students are concern I would make them use this as a research tool. Like if they are doing research on application of trigonometry then each one collect information on particular application and then share it with rest of the group in this way no one person would be burdened to do all the work, and finally everything can be complied and can also be presented  as a web page. So Guys I have given a bird`s eye view on Google Notebook so what are you waiting for go and explore it. www.google.com/notebook

                       Computer Based instructional objects

Computer Based instructional objects are like Web quest. Stand alone instruction resource commonly called as StAIR.

Today through this article I am going to tell you about Web quest.

 When I was exposed to the whole new concept of web quest I was absolutely thrilled and felt the idea was potentially interesting. I think Web quest is a revolutionary tool to teaching any topic.

First of all, let me tell you what a Web quest actually is. It is an Internet based project that uses information on the internet to make students learn the whole topic on their own.  For example, a teacher gives minimum information about the topic and then leaves it to the students to collect it from various websites listed on the Web quest. The web quest uses a teaching technique which is termed as the scaffolding method that helps teachers provides students with individualized instruction. While engaged in scaffolding, a teacher becomes facilitator, a coach or a tutor of learning in an instructional dialogue based on flexibility, students can learn at their own pace.

Beyond an iota of doubt, I can say that this web quest is a more advanced method of teaching than the traditional methods like the didactic one, as it promotes a sense of independence in learning and inculcates an urge for thinking in students. Additionally, it motivates students to take apt actions as well.

By now, you must be brimming with curiosity as to how it will impress to make one for your own students. The best way to learn how to design a Web quest is by visiting different Web quests. As beginners you should visit this website http://webquest.org/index.php  . 

1) With the hate groups and racial segregation, we see that students are becoming more polarized. So I think with Web quest like these we can increase their tolerance level and empathy towards others.

http://www.jigsaw.org/

2) What skills do Students as workers need for future careers?

Students are always puzzled if the whole bookish knowledge they have acquired will ever get them to right job they are looking for. As a group they are going to explore the topic of Preparing for Careers. Visit this Web quest to get an answer to this question   

 http://www.web-and-flow.com/members/jbowman2/careerwebquest/webquest.htm

3) How to Develop a Web quest?

Teacher like me who are developing a Web quest for first time this site provides an excellent opportunity to  get  inside of how to develop a good one in only 90 min worth a try .

  http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestwebquest-hs.html.