Concluding Assignment

1. What is the 21st Century Classroom? There are a number of possible answers when responding to this question. However, after reading the text book and and completing the majority of this course, I feel as though there are certain aspects that must be mentioned when speaking about the 21st Century Classroom. One of the most obvious components of what makes up the 21st century classroom is technology. In addition to technology, I believe that change, style, and motivation are all important when discussing this topic. 

 Technology is probably the biggest factor in what makes the "21st century classroom" so much different from education in the past. Over the years, technology has changed and advanced in a number of ways. Instead of using the classic overhead projector or the chalk board to teach students, things such as laptops, smart boards, iPods, iPads, blogging, youtube, etc. are being used to convey information to students. Students today learn better though technology because it is what they are used to and familiar with. Most students have these technologies at home and using them has become second nature to them. So, why not bring them into the classroom and use them as educational tools? A lot of people feel as if technology is hindering education, however, I believe that if you learn how to use it properly and are willing to try new things, that many teachers would find technology quite useful in their classrooms. When our students leave school and enter the real world, the  majority of jobs are going to require their employees to be technologically advanced.
 This brings me to the aspect of change and style. Many teachers have been stuck in their old ways of teaching. Today's learners do not learn by sitting at their desks and copying notes and memorizing facts. Instead, they need to be interactive and completing hands on activities. Teachers of the 21st century classroom need to embrace this change and accept the fact that they may have to change their teaching style to fit their students needs. Effective teachers today are not using worksheets and requiring their students to memorize facts, instead, they are engaging their students in meaningful activities. They find effective ways to motivate their students. In order to be effective educators, we need to change our attitudes about teaching and learning. We need to be willing to become life long learners, after all, that's what we want our students to be, right? We need to lead by example.
A vision of K-12 Students Today

2. The main focus of many educators today is to make educational meaningful. We want our students to be able to relate what we are teaching them to real world experiences. One way that educators can do this is by implementing technology into their lessons every day. Students see and use technology almost everywhere. Almost all of them have cell phones, iPods, computers, game boys, etc. that they use for hours each and every day. What many teachers don't realize, I think, is that you can use these technological instruments in the classroom to create a meaningful learning experience. One simple way to incorporate technology is by using computers, almost all classrooms have computers these days. There are so many opportunities for students to engage in meaningful and educational experiences on the computer. There are things like games and videos that kids can watch, and there are also tools that you can use to blog and create websites so that students can interact and socialize on a network. In addition to the computer, teachers can use interactive materials such as smart boards when teaching their lessons. I think we will find that  more and more students will begin understanding and enjoying lessons when we engage them and make things interactive. Also, because the students today are so used to having technology, using it in the classroom will help them make those real world connections that we are looking for. Therefore, if teachers take the time to learn how to use such technologies as the ones mentioned, I think they will see tremendous differences in their students performances.
 Not only can technology benefit the students in the classroom, but it can also become very beneficial for teachers as well. Teachers can use technology to keep track of grades and it can help them assess their students. As long as the teachers keep up with the changing times and continue to learn how to use the new technologies that are becoming available to them; I think that the students will continue to learn and benefit as well.

iPad's in Education

For this week, I decided to look at a fairly new technology, the iPad. The iPad, as well as any Apple electronics, can be used in education in a variety of ways. The iPad in particular, however, can be used in the same ways as laptops or iPods. I explored the Apple website and found that there are a number of apps that you can download to your iPad that are very educational. There are interactive lessons, study aids, and productivity tools. The iPad can be used both inside and outside the classroom. In addition, like the iPod, you can access iTunes and download podcasts and music to the iPad as well. There is also something called the iWork page, which allows both teachers and students to create professional looking documents on their iPad. Lastly, something else you can get on the iPad are books, you can download and read almost any book out there. 

I thought it was a cool thing to look into, most kids know how to work an iPod, so I am sure they would be able to figure out how to use the iPad as well. It's something schools should look into!

Rubistar!

Lauren and I have researched the online tool called Rubistar. Basically what it is a place where teachers and students can create their own rubrics for projects. I first heard of this tool in my social studies class when we were assigned to create our own rubrics. 

I thought that this tool was extremely useful and helpful. There are pre-made templates that you can choose from according to what type of project or assignment you are assessing. I think that this tool can become very handy for teachers. It is important that our students know exactly what we expect from them when we give them an assignment. Creating your own rubric allows us to explain to our students exactly what we want from them. 

I think that everyone should check this website out. I think that you will all find it helpful and useful in your future experiences in the classroom! I am excited to share what Rubistar is all about with the class!

WebQuests

The technology tool that Lauren and I decided to explore this week was something called WebQuests. We first discovered these during our social studies class this semester. Although it was not one of the options that Randy provided for us, we thought that this would be something cool to share with the class. They can be great learning tools in any classroom.

A WebQuest is an online lesson that other teachers have designed for their students. It allows the students to explore a topic on the internet independently. WebQuests are set up with step by step instructions for the students so they know exactly what they are to do for the lesson. It introduces the topic to the student first and then gives them a detailed set of instructions to follow throughout their quest.

WebQuests are great to use in any classroom. I have only really looked into how to use them for elementary school classrooms but I am sure that secondary teachers could use them as well. I think that these are great for students who are just learning how to explore and research on the internet. It provides them with enough guidance however it still gives them the independence to work on their own. I think that WebQuests are easy for teachers to use and that it is an easy way to incorporate technology into the classroom.

Google Docs!

Lauren and I have done some exploring about Google Docs, what we found was pretty cool! One of the things we discovered was that you can make and design your own personal quizzes and tests. This we thought would be a great tool for both teachers and students. Teachers can design their own quizzes and so can students, having students design their own quizzes is also a great way of assessing whether or not the student understands the material. We also found out that you can upload your own lesson plans, while also viewing other teacher's lesson plans. This allows for more creativity and diversity among lessons. 

We tried to create a little quiz of our own, however we were not able to figure out how to save it and complete it. After some more exploring and experimentation, I am sure we will figure it out. There is still much more to learn about Google Docs! Check it out!

In the past I have been a part many classrooms in which I feel the teacher provided both great teaching as well as wonderful learning opportunities. Unfortunately, however, I have also been in classrooms where teachers were not enthusiastic about their jobs and therefore, did not provide as many learning opportunities as I would have hoped for. From these experiences, I have noted which practices I as a teacher would like to preach and I promised myself that I would try my hardest to be the best teacher I can be and make learning fun and exciting for my students. 
To me, great teaching takes a lot of hard work. I feel as if you have to be truly passionate about wanting to teach in order to be an effective. In the past I have had teachers who I could tell really did not want to be there. These were the ones who would just sit in the back of the room at their desks while we took notes from the board or watched a movie. As a student in these classes I did not feel welcomed or excited to learn the material and I feel as if my grades in these classes reflected these feelings. I was never excited to go to these classes. As the teacher, I feel it is our job to instill the value of learning in every student and to make the students want to be in school and learn. The teacher should facilitate learning and allow students to explore and figure out solutions on their own. I hope that my future students will feel the positive energy that I hope to release inside my classroom. I hope that I am able to get students excited about learning and keep them engaged in interesting topics. In addition, I think it is important to teach students every day skills along with the required curriculum.
There are always going to be obstacles and situations that are sometimes hard to deal with. However, I believe that teachers need to try their best to reach out to every student in their class. Every single child that enters the classroom should have the same opportunity to learn and succeed. It is our job as teachers to shape the younger generation and to mold them into acceptable members of society.
 

First Blog

I hope this is fun!