Involving Students in Creating Websites

Creating a website can sound very boring when you're reading about it or if it is being explained to you.  There are some things that are better hands on then hearing about it.  I feel creating a website hands on is such a great experience and it encourages students to do readings about it on their own.  I'm a very hands on person and I get bored easily when I'm being told how to do something.  If someone wants me interested in that topic I need to experience it for myself.

Involving students in creating websites are a great idea.  This can be a great project for groups of students to do.  The book states the process of creating a website very clear.  It explains that before you can create it you have to come up with a plan first.  First one must know what audience they want to cater to, then what kind of information they want to provide and last how they want the information arranged on the website.  This is not even all the steps.  This is only the beginning stage.  What comes next is deciding how you want the website to look.  This is another process that has multiple steps in it.

The website they create should be something educational but it should be their idea of how they want to do it.  The teacher should not get involved in the planning unless their giving the students constructional feedback.  Having the students do it by themselves gives them a sense of ownership and pride.  They are not being told what to do and how to do it, but instead just being guided in the direction they are trying to head to by their teacher.

I believe students who are creating educational websites will do a better job than adults.  Students know what they find interesting when it comes to learning something.  By them creating these websites they are, in a way, telling creators of these educational games what they find interesting.  Sometimes peers learn better from other peers than the teacher and this is okay.  This is a great strategy in the classroom.  Having peers help peers is less stressful on the students who do not understand because it's less pressure on them if a fellow student is helping them.  
 

Integrating Educational Software into the Classroom

Integrating these educational software into classrooms are wonderful ideas.  They encourage students to participate during class and it encourages them to learn.  Many of these educational software programs bring out the curiosity in the students.  They make them think about how to solve a problem.  They are learning problem solving strategies as they are playing these games.

Depending on the subject the students are learning will depend on how they go about playing the games.  For instance, the science games encourage students to think about what the causes could have been for a problem which occurred.  They are also encouraged to think about ways to solve these problems.  If the teachers allow team work during these games it increases the students drive even more.  They are not only telling their thoughts but also hearing others thoughts.  They say two heads think better than one and when people are collaborating they will come up with an even greater idea.

The only thing that can go wrong with these games will be if it's an older group and the game is too childish.  That is something that the teacher has to be very aware of.  The content of the game needs to suit the age of the students.  I understand that the educational games are not as alluring as the video games they have now, but maybe one day these gaming companies can make educational games that look like the cool video games they have now.   

Using Games to help children learn

When I read section 6 and chapter 10 I felt they had great ideas.  Section 6 was about using computer games to help children learn.  The thing that caught my eye was they were using games to help students understand history.  History is a topic that if it's not made interesting you won't want to learn about it.  I am speaking about myself on that note, but I'm sure other people can relate to it also. 

The study was done on was low performing students who didn't like the subject.  What made the game interesting to me was the students can play games in different periods in history.  While they play they are learning about that time period and the effects it had on the people living during that period.  These games made the students interested in learning history and built up their curiosity about history.

The part that's not so great is that the teacher doesn't teach it at all.  I still believe learning should be partially teacher centered.  In this article the teacher asked critical thinking questions and the students have to think about an answer based on what they learned from the game.  I don't necessarily believe a game can teach you everything and that's why the teacher plays a major role in the classroom.

Using games can prove to be very useful for all subject areas.  I believe using games to help teach math and science are also great ideas, along with the teacher teaching them also.  The gaming device is just to get them interested in learning the subject.   

Using Various Forms of Applications to Collect Data

In Chapter nine, I like the idea of having students use spreadsheets, pie charts, bar graphs and etc. to input their data in.  There was an example of a math activity, in which, the student had to figure out how long it will take Emery to save up and get a skateboard.  Various scenarios were given and they had to figure out, in that scenario, how long it will take for Emery to save up for that skateboard.  What I love about this is it gives students a chance to calculate the different options they came up with and discuss it as a group.  They are not only learning how to figure out how many weeks will it take for Emery to buy the skateboard, they are learning a real life lesson.  They are learning about money.

Many students do not like nor want to do math, but little do they realize that math is in our everyday lives.  If I were to give my students a lesson like this, they can compare it to their lives.  They will then think about what they want to buy for themselves and how long it will take them to save up for it.  They will also think about if they spend less on certain items, how much more money will they be able to save each week for the item they want.  This is a great lesson because it also teaches them the value of a dollar.  Many children don't understand the value of saving money for something you want. This is a lesson that can relate to everyone in the world.

Showing the students how to use spreadsheets, pie charts and bar graphs are beneficial to them.  It helps them to become organized and also teaches them how to read graphs.  The ability to read graphs is something that is taught and many students still have a problem with it.  When they create their own graph it will definitely help them learn to read a graph because they are the ones creating it.  Having the students use spreadsheets are also beneficial to them.  They will realize that spreadsheets can be used to put down all their expenses and a person can see how much they spend in a week, month and year.  I believe projects dealing with money will have so much impact on the student's lives and spending habits.  Even if they don't change their spending habits they will be more conscious of how much things cost and understand what they have to do if they want to save money. 

Technology for people with disabilities

I personally believe this is a great thing for anyone with a disability that can limit them.  The four main disabilities that may require technology  to assist them are: 1) hearing loss 2) vision impairment 3) speech disorders 4) learning impairment.  Technology for people with disabilities are so advanced.  Some of this technology can speak for someone who can't.  All they have to do is type what they want to say.  There is some technology that you can speak into and it will type what you said so someone who might be hard of hearing can read it.  There are even magnifying glasses you can connect to the computer screen for the visual impaired to use.  Technology has come a long way and I only see it progressing as new devices are coming out for people with disabilities.  I look forward to seeing the new devices that will come out in the future. 

The revolution of computers

The computer has really changed over the many decades.  The computer was introduced in the late 1930's.  Over the generations that has passed the computer has changed drastically.  The things that has changed was the size, weight and the way they make it.  The people who are making the computers are finding ways to make them smaller and weigh less.  I feel that computers are eventually going to be the ways of the future.  The computer will always change and that's why people have to keep up with learning how to work it.  Most jobs want people to be computer savvy because everything is heading towards technology.  I like to think I'm computer savvy but there are plenty of things I don't know about it still.  The future of computers seem to be very bright, not only because they are getting smaller, but because smartphones are like mini computers. 

Why technology?

Section 2 of the reading packet discusses the pros and cons of bringing technology into the classroom.  I have a mixed opinion about this topic.  I do believe bringing technology into the classroom will get the students more excited and willing to work.  Yet I feel learning would not happen if it's based on mostly using technology.  I like using technology but if I had to choose between a strictly online class and non online class I would choose a non online class.  I feel I get a better understanding of the work instead of solely using the computer.  Some children learn better using the computer.  I do believe all children learn differently but I also believe that some things the computer cannot do.  One of the main things that should be done by teachers are assessments.  The computer will never really know how much a child knows and cannot challenge a child academically as the teacher can.  I understand the article says that using the computer doesn't make them feel judged but learning should always be more teacher related.