My Self-Assessment for EdTech

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhhd58ss_3d2txnghf

Iphoto Uses in the Classroom

Iphoto is an excellent tool for organizing, editing, and sharing digital photos. Students can select their own photos and design photo books—complete with their own text—and publish or print them right from the classroom.

One partucularly great feature of iphoto is that it allows you to search and sort photos by location. This could be an effective tool in a social studies classroom. For example, a teacher can link pictures from around the world to the actual location seen in Google Maps. This provides students with great visual images from places they are studying.

Super Hilarious Ed Tech Video

Reaction to Spreadsheet

Although I was initially intimidated by this assignment, I found the Google spreadsheet very user-friendly and practical. It helped me to efficiently organize student data and analyze the means and standard deviations, as well as filter out information. This process would have taken me hours with just paper and pencil techniques.

I found that when I filtered out student scores that were above the overall mean, the mean of the remaining students’ combined scores (that were below the class mean) were continually improving. As a teacher, I would interpret this to signify that my struggling students are performing better throughout the term and, therefore, learning more.

Analyzing Student Data in a Spreadsheet

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tbUHKeL_v486-fd6CDuXdRA&output=html

Online Video Converter

Yodio - OTEN Conference 2009

Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is a tool that provides services that can be accessed from any computer at any time. This includes word processing, presentations, and audio and video productions. In the future, this will impact my teaching by providing alternative methods to make learning social. For example, my students will be able to create, edit, and share documents with their classmates while improving their technological literacy.

One tool I plan to use is Skype, a program that allows the user to talk to anyone in the world. I think this would be a great tool for personal communication between family members and friends. It can also be used to enhance instruction, however. For example, a class might be able to Skype in order to communicate with a children’s author. This would provide a great opportunity to start an engaging dialogue between the author and the readers. Students might be able to ask questions, discuss themes of the novel, and the author’s writing process. Skyping would not require a lot of logistical effort, like traveling or great expense.

Another tool that I see myself using is Dabbleboard, a web-based white board. Students would be able to upload images to the whiteboard and add text or arrows. Another feature is the “Share and Chat,” which allows students to invite their classmates to sketch with them in real-time and, if they have a webcam and microphone, chat as they work. Dabbleboard would be great note-taking tool where students can create flowcharts, Venn diagrams, and webs. This would be a great tool especially for those students who are visual learners and those who enjoy working with others.

What am I asking myself about about state content tests?

I am conflicted about the merit of standardized testing. I believe standardized tests have a place as a tool to assess student achievement and I understand that it is difficult to otherwise account for the validity of the education across schools, given the many differences in teaching styles and curriculum. Standardized tests are excellent tools that can provide assessment of a student’s mastery of knowledge and can give information about a large demographic of children. Also, scored results can be helpful for college admissions. On the other hand, I think that standardized tests cannot measure valuable attributes such as creativity or initiative. More than ever, these tests are used to define school curriculum and to focus instruction in the classroom. Although I think that there is a place for standardized testing in schools, I am cautious about the dangers of over relying on them to define what is taught in the classroom, thereby taking away much of the teacher’s influence.

What should teachers understand about the state content tests?

Teachers should know that Oregon’s statewide assessments are becoming a significant part of the school lives of Oregon students and teachers. This statewide assessment system’s purpose is to measure students’ knowledge of the Oregon state standards is required to comply with the federal No Child Left Behind law. Oregon sets achievement standards on statewide assessments in reading, mathematics, science and English Language Proficiency. I believe that teachers should thoroughly understand their content standards and become well acquainted with the standardized tests in order to know what essential skills their students need to know to succeed.

Blogging in the Classroom

I think that using Blogs in your classroom can greatly enhance student communication and collaboration. It gives students opportunities for discussion Also, it can facilitate academic learning by providing a channel that most children are comfortable with. One activity for your class, if you are studying a novel as a group, would be for the teacher to post discussion questions and ask students to respond to them on their individual Blogs. The teacher might ask questions about plot, characters, themes, or about the context of the novel. The teacher might also ask students to journal reflections in their Blogs. One advantage of a Blog is that students can read each other’s posts and comment on them. This promotes student dialogue and may encourage positive relationships in the classroom.

Personal Bio

My name is Shannon Murray and I am currently attending Willamette University’s MAT program. I graduated from Willamette this past spring and was ready to continue my education right away. I figured my chances weren’t great for getting a job with just a B.A. in psychology right now, so I decided to not take any breaks from school. Next year, I hope to teach in an elementary school, but will also be authorized to teach middle school Language Arts and Social Studies. I’ve actually really enjoyed working with the sixth graders at my practicum these last few weeks so I might be leaning more towards middle school by the end of the experience.

I was born in Spokane, WA and have lived in the Northwest for most of my life. In my free time, I enjoy the outdoors- I love doing anything and everything outside. I also enjoy spending time with family and friends, reading, and cooking. I especially like to run, hike, golf, and bike. This past summer, I moved up to Portland and am still getting to know the city. I love it so far, though, and have really appreciated being in a more cosmopolitan area.