TAC update

well we have been quite busy in the tech course exploring Web 2.0 tools, creating personal sites, and working on the collaborative community projects that are specific to your subject and authorization areas. I look forward to seeing those on presentation day. In the meantime here is a summary of our course using a cool presentation application called prezi. Enjoy...

Exploring Web 2.0 in Educational Practice on Prezi

Learning Technology by Design

I liked reading the "Learning in the Design Approach" section. These points were very clear to me once I finished my video and podcast. I also did these things before class so I was on my own. It took me awhile to actually figure out how to use iMovie; recording was the easy part. I think this was a great experience for us because it's just the beginning of a whole new teaching style. Using technology like this to enhance learning just makes kids more motivated and eager to learn. You are not only encouraging skills like independence and creativity, but allowing students to gain knowledge of technology and what you can do with it. I completely agree with the article about how technology is a continuous process and providing time for these projects is crucial.

Learning by Design

I read this article after I had already started my projects for class because I obviously was not at class on Saturday, I was in Angels Camp, CA at Furthurfest. I would recommend that everyone go to the Calaveras County Campground once in their life...it is completely gorgeous and is the site of the Jumping Frog Contest. Anyways, back to my summary of this article. I found this article interesting because I was frustrated with having to create and edit a video without any previous knowledge of this subject area. I just wanted directions or guidance, but once completing the task realized that I am my best teacher and need to find resources myself (which I did). I had my boyfriend Dan help teach me a few tricks and lets just say I learned a ton! I would have been happy with just a typical video with an intro and credits page, but what I ended up with was something much better, once I post it you will see what I am talking about. After doing this video it made me think of ways I can use videos for Math class and also have my students create videos or just take pictures of things with relation to the area of Math we are looking at. There is so much opportunity out there and I think we as educators have responsibility not only to ourselves, but also to our students, to be up on the latest technology and utilize it in the classroom.