Project Eight


Taking EDU314: Teaching with computers in elementary and secondary schools, has taught me many new things about using computers.  I have learned so many new technical skills when it comes to designing my own web page and projects to create for my students.  I feel extremely comfortable using NvU to create my own webpage.  This program was very easy to navigate and easy to figure new tricks out on my own.  This course has also introduced me to Filezilla, which is very helpful in publishing my own website.  I also learned many new things about using MS Publisher to create my own handouts.  This new technique of including an image alongside text that I learned has helped me to create a handout for a lesson plan I created in science this semester.  It was also beneficial to use when I created a powerpoint and poster for my science project.  Another tool that I learned to use was taking a screen shot of an image.  I have used this technique to link an image to every one of my projects.

As a result of this course, not only have I grown in being able to learn new technical skills, but I have also learned new things about myself.  It has taught me that you must have patience when working with computers.  All programs can run you into technical difficulties, and you must be willing to work around these problems.  I have also learned to not become easily frustrated when dealing with programs that I am unfamiliar with.  It is important to be open to trying new things and to overcome new obstacles.  I have learned this through learning how to use GoogleSites.  At first, I did not want to use the program at all.  I was very comfortable with NvU, that I did not feel like wasting my time to learn how to use another program.  However, after spending time working with GoogleSites, I realized that it wasn't so bad after all.  Once I learned how to use the program, I became more comfortable working with it.  I have not yet mastered this program, but I would like to learn more about changing the fonts and themes of each page.  This is what I found most difficult about this program.  I couldn't figure out how to design the site exactly as I would have liked it to appear.
 
This course was important in learning new and creative ways to display information for your students.  I have learned how to make information look appealing for my students.  This is important because it will make students more excited and willing to learn if information is displayed in an attractive way.  Computers are used daily now in the classrooms and what I have learned will greatly help me in my future teaching.  Not only will I be able to teach my students new techniques, but I hope to learn new things from them as well as technology is rapidly growing.

I really found the digital story telling project to be the most exciting.  I was able to choose something that means alot to me, which is my family.  The program I used allowed me to be as creative as I wanted in displaying all the images.  I found GoogleSites to be very frustrating because I couldn't figure out how to change the fonts and backgrounds as I would have liked them to appear.  At the same time, NvU frustrated numerous times.  Thr program would often freeze, I would have to close the entire program.  I never lost any information, but it was annoying to have to keep closing the program.  My group also chose to use NvU to create our webquest, which also brought upon many frustrations.  We created the project on one members (U) drive and the rest of us members had to copy every page when it was completed onto our own (U) drive.  After doing this, every single link needed to be re-linked.  This was very frustrating because the font kept changing.  It was difficult to get the font back, especially when the link would remain blue.  I wish my group had chosen to work with GoogleSites instead.  

Teamwork and individual work was used for different projects throughout this course.  An example of using teamwork was on the webquest.  Each team member was resposible for completing a certain page.  It was nice to work in a team because it lightened the workload for each of us.  By combining each of our pages, our webquest was completed in a timely fashion.  An example of working individually was on my elementary school website.  I enjoyed working individually better because I was able to create my site the way I wanted to.  I was able to choose my own school name, colors, and layout.  I prefer working individually in terms of learning.  It allows everyone to work at their own pace and to create things their way.  

I feel that working in small groups is powerful because it allows students to work cooperatively and to learn new things from one another.  I enjoyed exchanging new ideas in this course, by demonstrating a technique in front of the class.  In the beginning of the year I can recall a student showing the class a website that provides a pedometer to calculate the distance of an exact route.  I have used this website numerous times after being introduced to it.  In my future teaching, I can use group work with presenting a webquest for my students.  They will be required to work with one another.  I will also make it required that each group give me feedback on what each student has contributed to the project, to make sure that each member is particpating.

I can also create small groups of teams for learning projects, such as having them create a powerpoint presentation.  I find this to be an effective way of introducing new material for students, and I would assign each group a topic to present.  I would have the members of each group assign their own roles for their own convenience.  Once again, I would make sure that the students have informed me of everyone's roles and check in daily with what each student has completed.

I have mastered so many new techniques that I will take with me as a future teacher.  Technology is apart of almost every child's life and it is important to incorporate it into your classroom.  It is also an effective way to communicate with your student's parents.  I really enjoyed this class and the freedom to be creative.  This will definately help me in the future and I am looking foward to involving technology in my student's education.