Complete Prezi Presentation and Standard

ISTE NETS -T Standard 2a:Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.

Google Docs is an amazing tool that is a true learning experience that uses technology and digital tools to allow a student to develop a media project in a fun manner. With Google Docs students are able to use their imagination and choose a presentation that expresses their creativity and personality. When I was doing this project I got to choose a Prezi that looked like a map searching for treasure! Google Docs gives a student the option of what grade levels, subjects, and type of lesson plan they would like to do. For example we chose to do a lesson plan that dealt with students grades four through six pertaining to the subject of reading and language arts. Our lesson plan was to write an adventure story about Derek the Daring Leprechaun using PowerPoint. This allowed my partner and I to write a story how we chose to using our own creativity and imagination while using digital tools like PowerPoint. With Prezi we were able to take screen snapshots of our powerpoint and put them in our Prezi presentation. This site definitely promotes student learning through design and technology in a really fun atmosphere!

Here is my personal Prezi Presentation that tells step by step how to construct a lesson plan using Google Docs. I was able to choose a pirate map and was able to create my adventure story using PowerPoint. Thanks to the snipping tool I was allowed to put screen shots of my slides on this presentation. Overall this was a great learning experience for me and I was able to have a lot of fun with this!

Learning with Video Conferencing

Standard III: Model Digital Age Work and Learning B. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.

Video conferencing is a great source for teachers to use to help students use technology to assist in the thrive to be successful and reach full potential. Students who are involved with video conferencing get the experience of learning lessons, communicating with others, or gaining other valuable resources that they might not be able to receive without using the video chat. A student can have a full out conversation with someone and gather all kinds of information. For example when we talked to students using Skype we were able to ask and answer questions back and forth that we wanted to know. The kids also gave individual advice to each of us "teachers" that can even help us when we are ready to teach.

This source discusses how video conferencing is a great tool and method of learning for students to use. It discusses the benefits and how using video conferencing "can break down barriers of time, distance and expense by connecting people from all areas of the globe in real time." The article goes further into discussing the concept of distance learning and how teachers can teach their students lessons without being in the actual classroom, they can teach virtually.

Pzei and Lesson plan partner activity

Lesson plan on Google Apps.

West Virginia CSO: Language Arts- Fifth Grade

RLA.O.5.2.2. Students will:
arrange thoughts and ideas in graphic representations to plan and write a product.

Scratch Project and Reflection

This is what my personal Scratch Project looks right! It might not work like I wanted it to, but hopefully you still enjoy!

Scratch is a great website that really supports 21st century skills and lifestyle. With Scratch, students are engaging and applying information and communication skills, thinking and problem solving skills, and interpersonal and self-directional skills. Like stated in "Learning with Scratch" "This project design combines many of the 21st century skills that will be critical to success in the future: thinking creatively, communication clearly, analyzing systematically, collaborating effectively, designing iteratively, and learning continuously." Through the process of design students are able to use technology while having fun and being interactive in today's techno-savvy society. These skills can help them achieve their goals and become more successful.

ISTE: NETS-T Standard 1A: promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness

Creating a project on Scratch is a great way to promote and support as well we model creative and innovative thinking with inventiveness. Students must be creative and design their own personal project the promotes their ideas and their thought process. The project represents and supports their independent creative way of thinking. Inventing their own design and layout resembles their imagination and their character within. I think Scratch is a very interactive site that expresses one's character and personality. While being creative, these students are also learning and gathering skills in a fun, educational manner.

This Scratch Project I thought it was really interesting because it teaches how to actually play the piano! I never would have imagined that you could learn how to play the piano on this site! This project definitely took a lot of time and focus to get this up and running properly.

CSO: VA.S.2.1: Media, Techniques, and Patterns.
          Students will:

• identify media and materials in creating art
• understand processes and techniques in creating art
• apply problem-solving skills in creating two-dimensional and three-dimensional works of art
• use materials and tools in a safe responsible manner

Scratch really applies to this CSO because the entire website is designed to use technology and different tools to create an artwork. You go through a sample of processes to create two-dimensional or three-dimensional art while using skills. These skills can be used and demonstrated in the real world and teach kids how to effectively solve problems while using critical thinking. 

How do I feel about video games?

Before watching these three videos, my views and attitude towards video games were mainly negative. I thought video games were a huge distraction and caused kids to be less motivated and lazy. However after watching the videos my outlook completely changed. I was so unaware that video games had such rewarding results and actually improved many aspects of one's behavior and learning quality. I now feel video games should be used in school as a learning method.

1. Claim- Video gamers have better eye sight than non-video gamers. I would never imagined that video games would help someone have better eye sight. I would have assumed that starring at the television for such a long time would worsen one's eye sight. I never would have thought how gamers have to be able to read small print or see small details or instruction in order to complete their tasks.

2. Claim- Kids nowadays have to complete many aspects to play the game like chat voice, chat text, short term and long term objectives which make them gather and form more brain matter by the act of learning how to play. This information I found most shocking from this video source. I was astounded that playing a video game causes you to gather and form brain matter by simply just figuring out how to play. Now I see with all the tasks needed to complete to play a game how much thinking a child uses when playing a game.

3. Claim- When students complete the game they realize they have learned and receive a rewarding experience that they completed what was asked which influences them to do well in other work in the classroom. It demonstrates success and accomplishment. This made me realize and remember the feeling I had when I successfully completed something. It made me want to do more and have the same feeling about other work. It created determination in my mind to try harder and complete other necessary tasks. In other words, video games give a sense of accomplishment and determination within a child to thrive for success.

Here is an online source where a school uses and supports the use of video games in their school as a way for a child to learn. For example, in the school students use a software where they are in a virtual made up city called "Creepytown" and have to work out problems that contain math and English. In this game the students do things  like keeping records of missions they complete or what they do, work with businesses, and work on converting or budgeting problems. The systems used in this school really focus on the fundamentals of reading and math.

Video Games and Learning

Your Brain of Video Games
The main argument of this video is that "video games have quite powerful and positive effects on many different aspects of our behavior."

3 Claims that support:

1. Video gamers have better eye sight than non-video gamers because during play gamers but read the fine print and sometimes notice small objects or instructions.
2. Video gamers have better attention spans and ability to notice things quicker and easier due to the amount of focus during gameplay.
3. With all the necessary aspects or characteristics of the game, gamers are better at multitasking due to the fact they have to accomplish a variety of differnet tasks or objectuves during the game.

Are Video Games Making Your Kids Smarter?
The main argument discussed in this video is whether video games make kids smarter and strengthen their intelligence. The speaker states that yes they do.

3 claims that support:

1. Kids nowadays have to complete many aspects to play the game like chat voice, chat text, short term and long term objectives which cause a gamer to gather and create more brain matter by the act of learning how to play.
2. With advancing games and newer technology people must react by challenging themselves which increases their intelligence by the use of their intensive problem solving.
3. At a school where kids were gven math and language video games, in a space of 18 weeks their overall levels of comprehension went from below a third grade level to a mid fourth grade level.

Big Thinkers: Learning with Games
The main argument discussed in this video is that video games are an important and essential thing to have in the classroom environment because they allow a student to play and use technology while learning.

3 claims that support

1. In a fun way students complete game characteristics like vocabulary, problem solving, and multitasking and other aspects that they would use and need to complete in a classroom.
2. Proven facts and research show games demonstrate a kind of interaction that allow learning in the classroom and social relations with each other that they would not have without games.
3. When students complete the game they realize they have learned and received a rewarding experience that they have completed what was asked which influences them to do well in the classroom. It demonstrates success and accomplishment.

Picasso Head

I am a visual and hearing type of learner. I usually have to see it done first before being able to do it myself. When I am trying to learn I block everything else out. This MI is called Body Movement. I am a Body Movement learner. Body Movement learners do activities like:
      Swimming
      Walking
      Sports
      Use Motor Skills
I feel that people do learn better with certain teaching styles or ways but I feel that teaching styles are not needed. I stated earlier that I am a visual and hearing type of learner and that I use body movement to better understanding something. However, I am perfectly capable of learning something taught in a different way that does not fit my learning style. I agree with the first article that "We should not divide the population into a set of categories (i.e., visual and auditory learners). What these various instruments attempt to do is to allocate a person on some point on a continuum (similar to measuring height or weight). In other words, do not pigeonhole people as we are all capable of learning under almost any style, no matter what our preference is." Despite the preference that works better with us, I feel that anyone can learn with any type of learning with any type of learning method so learning styles are not needed.

If I was teaching a lesson I feel that it would be best to teach the lesson, not with a learning style that works best for students, but what method would accurately teach the lesson the best. I would teach my classroom, like stated in the second article, "teachers should worry about matching their instruction to the content they are teaching. Some concepts are best taught through hands-on work, some are best taught through lectures, and some are best taught through group discussions."

My personal MI, like stated earlier, is body movement. I learn better when I am hands on or physically doing the activity. Some activities that follow my MI are swimming, walking, sports, keyboarding, perhaps using a microscope, etc. Here is an example of a teacher who incorporated technology in the classroom that used my MI of body movement. On this website a middle school teacher uses the game system Wii in the classroom to allow students to interact and learn about topics such as: science, geography, sports, problem solving etc.

References
Clark, D. (2012, March 6). Learning styles & preferences. Retrieved from http://nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles.html

Glenn, D. (2009, December 15).Matching learning style to learning style may not help students.
http://chronicle.com/article/Matching-Teaching-Style-to/49497/