Week 8- Computer Security Blog

I have often been bothered by the pop-ups I get from computer security software. It seems the paid subscription or free trial has expired then the software will no longer defend you against website and email threats are constantly interrupting me. After a few years, when my first computer crashed, I found that if the software is always alerting you don’t ignore the messages or turn it off – it’s trying to protect your computer and save you from the hassle of cleaning up after an infection. I have my own internet connection at home. My laptop is connected to internet vie LAN. All Security essentials that came with Windows Vista like Firewall, Defender, Automatic updating, and Malware are active or turned ON. And one free anti-virus software program called Avira is also scanning my computer 24hrs a day. It seems to work, thus I haven’t had any problems since my last crash.

When it comes to our school, the alerts seem to be at a minimum. Our school uses Microsoft Windows Defender, Windows Defender is software that helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software. The real-time protection monitors the system, makes recommendations, minimizes interruptions, and helps you stay productive. Hancock County schools also use PC Tools Anti-Virus. With PC Tools Anti-Virus you are protected against the most nefarious cyber-threats attempting to gain access to your PC and personal information. The best thing about using the software company’s security is the fact that all I have to do on my computer at school to renew the schools system is click 3 buttons. To make it even better, our school Computer Technicians email use the dates to upgrade. It is easy and no hassle. I think our Technicians are second to none!

Week 7- Web 2.0 tools

As educators, the use of Web 2.0 tools is transforming our work, and more specifically the way we support students in the classroom. We bring more technology into classrooms, and put more technology in their students’ hands. So we should make sure teachers and students are prepared for the constant and quick technology evolution we are currently going through at the present time. I believe the State and National Standards are going to increase and update their requirements of technology each year. For my first lesson of the school year, I chose Glogster. Just a reminder, Glogster is basically an online poster web page.  Students can combine text, pictures, graphics, video, and audio to create an interactive online poster. I had my students create a poster of the things they did this summer, but it wasn’t that easy.

First, on Thursday, I presented Glogster to my class, and showed them examples of how the website works. We then all tried to create an account. My students are range in cognitive capabilities, so creating accounts wasn’t that simple. However, everyone got an account up and going. The next class, I gave the students a hard copy of instructions to guide them through the process. Some read and used the instructions well, others didn’t. After the second day, I had 2 students finished. The next day will be tomorrow, however, I wasn’t planning to spend 4 days on this exercise. I wanted to spend 3 at the most, but I need to make sure all the students have an opportunity to finish. My plan was to view and talk about all the students’ summers in when they finish.

There are many things I would change in this lesson. First, I would give the students a whole class period, just to play and get used to the website. Second, I think I would make a minimum number of media allowed on the Glogs. Many students had a picture and one word and then they said they were done. Next, I would make sure I was friends with all my students on Facebook. I could have my Facebook account projected on the board. The reason, many students got on Facebook, by being their friend, I could monitor many movements on their Facebook pages. So, if the make a comment, if would ding on my board and I would know who is working or not.

Things that went well included student interest and the level of the task. The students wanted to work and use the computer to do the assignment. Also, the level of work fit all the cognitive capabilities of my students. There was no wrong answer when the students had to explain them to class.

I thought it was a good first run, but practice makes perfect. I’ll try it again in the future, with alterations. Have a good week.

Week 6 - Webquest                      http://questgarden.com/147/16/5/120805080920/

Webquest was the theme of the week.  I read and found out quite a bit about the site. Webquest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. The internet, which is interactive focal-point of the lessons, is interactive and accessible to a great deal of people at once. It has the ability to provide endless amounts of information that can be used to motivate students to conduct investigations on any given topic. As an interactive tool for learning, teachers can use the Internet to stimulate creative thought and guide students to develop critical thinking in their "quest" for knowledge. WebQuests are a great way of introducing students to a variety of points of view, and help encourage critical analysis of both the point of view and the website that holds up that point of view.  Webquest also allows the teacher to clearly state and outline state and national standards.  Very useful educational tool!

However, when I sign-up to use Webquest, I had some problems. First I had issues registering. I had to reload the page 3 times. After I finally was a registered client, I started to get to work. The template was easy to read, but I had problems right from the start. The overall design only displayed 26 topics. I had to read around the website, to understand that the design only has these 26 templates. I finally choose one and continued on. As far as myself, I only struggled in one other area: clip art. I couldn’t place a picture in my Webquest that I wanted. If I picked the picture I wanted, the format was wrong. It wouldn’t fit. This may not be a Webquest problem, it may just be me; but I have used many sites where I have to upload pictures. I felt pretty confident, but I couldn’t do it.

Problems that I heard others have included time. WebQuests can take a considerable amount of time to develop, and teachers may not have the skills needed to create the required web pages. The news from the web also questions the authenticity of the information. People can write anything they want, so validity could be in question.

All in all, I think Webquest is loaded with a wealth of educational information that I can use for my students in the classroom. The cross-over from lesson planning along with technology, makes Webquest a 21^st century technology.

Week 5

What a long strenuous week. Way to many assignments between my two classes. However, I felt I did learn a few things. The main concept that stuck out was Visual Literacy, including Martin Scorsese video. Visual literacy is the ability to understand and use images. This includes to think, learn, and express oneself in terms of images.

Currently, I include videos in my lessons and curriculum already, but he gives a analytical perspective that can, or hopefully will enrich my lessons. Scorsese suggests that vocabulary is as valid to know as the vocabulary used in literature. I never look at  multi-media films in this manner, but it makes total since. when students read stories, many teachers introduce, explain, and use vocabulary terms from the story they are read. This can be very similar to a film, it is telling a story, vocabulary is diverse and used. Why not tackle vocabulary in the same way as you would a novel. It is a great perspective. Another point Scorsese's proposes is that there is a  need for our youth to understand the good and bad use of film. He believes it will prepare students to be critical, well-informed viewers. I think this is an avenue I'm going to explore when I create my curriculum before school begins.

Visual culture is a constant in students’ daily lives.

As a group they spend more time watching television and interacting with a computer or other devices such as smart phones or netbooks than attending school. We as teachers need to take advantage of this. National and State Standards are starting understand and incorporate visual literacy in the curriculum. Visual Literacy to be has been implemented in at least three of the ISTE standards:  Digital Age Work, Digital Age Learning, and Student learning. Also, in Kentucky in its College and Career Readiness Standards it includes objectives such as:  Make use of digital media and visual displays to express information and enhance the understanding of the presentation. 

I think the best way visual literacy will help me is the style. Most of my students are visual learners. The have cognitive disabilities, and the use of visual stimulants help spark interest, and hopefully their minds. A good example would be vocabulary. When I have students try and learn new words; I require them to do 3 things: 1. Know how to use the word in a sentence. 2. Know what the word means. 3. Draw a mental picture of what you think the word means.  The visual support of the picture has improved our student’s vocabulary on a consistent basis.

Each week I feel that I am getting exposed to thinks I may never have come across. I feel this will be very beneficial to my future professional growth.

Have a good week!

Week 4 Class Blog

Week 4 brought more challenges and exposure to more technology. The TED website to me is a multilateral Professional Development page. The PD's I have been through over the last 13 years would have been better served through this website. Anything a person needs pertaining technology, subject content, or teaching styles are at your fingertips.


As for the PowerPoint  assignments, I felt were pretty easy. I am familiar with and use Microsoft PowerPoint quite frequently. One I have presented to my class entitled 'personal emotions.' I presented it to my sixth through eighth grade social skills classes each year in the first 3 weeks of school. I try and remind and teach my students it's alright to feel all these emotions, but how you handle them is what matters. When I introduce the PowerPoint, my first slide includes the Common Core State standard 2.29- Students demonstrate skills that promote individual well-being and healthy family relationships.with objectives. This slide let's the students know what I expect them to know and learn when the presentation is over. It is a simple PowerPoint showing a range of emotions; used to promote discussion around feelings and what we can learn about how a person is feeling from their body language and facial expression. I use animations, real-live pictures, and sound effects. I think the best part about the PowerPoint are the sound effects. I created facial pictures and put random voices to them. The included different screams, grunts, cries, and others.

When I first presented it, I felt it was too long. All my text was on different slides that the pictures. I was using the space bar, so I had to talk too much time tapping the bar. This was something I changed for next year. However, I felt the students were engaged and stimulated. The quiz I gave at the conclusion should positive results.


To mention one more thing. I found the website comiclife.com very interesting. I don't quite like the price, but this program, I believe, would get every student excited about technology and interested with the content they would be working with. Great website!

Week 3 - Word Processing and DTP


This week I learned how frustrating technology can be. I had a hard time with Powertalk and placing my documents into this blog. You will read more about the blog below, but these two things were very time consuming and just flat out hard. As for Powertalk, I couldn't get it to download. When I didn't get it downloaded, I couldn't get it to work. Hours later, I finally finished.


Other parts of this week assignment went well. i enjoys the technological Bloom's pyramid. It placed technology, with 1950's material, into a nice teaching tool. The DTP assignment was easy on the surface. I have been using these things for 10 years and felt good about them. But I did encounter problems. as you will read.


Two times year I have a fundraiser for my classroom to help expenses on field trips and rewards. I send out a flyer to all students about a Dodgeball Tourney we have. My Special Ed Students are required to come and help work the tournament, as well as participate. In the past, I would put the information down on half of piece of paper and hand them to the students. The flyer was pretty boring, not to mention small and easy to lose. The only thing appealing about it may be the title.


On my new flyer, I decided to make a splash with color. I found a great picture that would tell the story of the flyer with one glance, as well as, catch the readers' eye. I also wanted to give it informative direction with bold titles, such as date, time, and cost. This allowed me to know that all the information on the flyer is visible and direct. Another idea I had was to enlarge the food menu we planned to serve. Most all kids love pizza, so I pushed it up a couple of fonts and made it bold with asterick on both sides. Everyone who touches the flyer should know we will be serving pizza.


Overall, I think the flyer is exactly what I wanted. The picture tells the story without even reading the words!


Troubles-I created my flyer in Microsoft Word and had a heck of a time saving it into JPEG. After and hour messing with it, I figured a way to get my flyer into JPEG. I don't know if anyone else had a problem, but here is what I did. Please let me know if there is an easier way.

• When I saved my completed flyer, I could not find JPEG, or it wouldn't allow me to save in JPEG.
• I then saved it as a PDF file
• I went into the PDF file and took a snapshot of the flyer.
• I then opened up a JPEG file I had. I went to edit that picture.
• Once I was on the editing page, I hit paste. My flyer took to the whole page.
• I then saved it under a new name and in JPEG.

This sounds easy; however, like I said previously, it took me an hour. I hope everyone else had a easier time than I did. If you want to look at my work, it is in the right hand column. I also attached the original.


I learned this week Technology will always come as a benefit, as long as you have time to put the hours in to learn it. Have a good Week!

Week 2

googledocs.com

Google Docs is an awesome website that I use and continue to use. Each time I go on it seems I learn something new. For this assignment, I went in and played with the designing, creatively of different times of forms. The site had many different templates, almost 72. I used old forms and made them look Grand.

For my classroomI used Excel spreadsheet to score and assess my classroom assignments, tests, quizzes, and surveys. I piggy-back with Google Docs to create the type of form I want to use. When the students answer their form, all the answers go straight to an excel spreadsheet. The great things with having the answers go to a spreadsheet include the following:

• Students enjoy doing assignments and tests online, with no physical handwriting
• I can grade looking at on single piece of paper. No flipping pages.
• Excel has formulas to compute class averages on a single answer or the assignment as a whole
• Excel can let me graph the results if I would like
• Answer immediately goes to spreadsheet, no missing assignments. I can look before anyone leaves at one page to make sure students have submitted theirs.

Since I am a special education teacher, we have to monitor IEP progress of each student’s goals. I use mathematical percentages for mine. I send a form to all teachers and have them fill it out on each student. All the information goes straight to the spreadsheet. I can grade all the answers on one sheet.

Week one of my Tech 533 class was an eye opener, in a positive way. I realized that I am actually pretty technologically above average. This is great coming from a guy who has had only 2 cell phones in his life, neither of which is connected to the internet, they are just phones. I just started texting 3 years ago. My confidence came with the Technology literacy checklist. I checked "yes" on all but 2. The two I didn't check, I now can use and have used them. Enough patting my self on the back. I did learn a lot about Wikis. I just thought Wikis was wikipedia, little did I know it has a broad range of resources.

I learned with Nets how collaboration with colleagues and students with technology. In my class, through my ready of NETS, I'm going to have the students introduce their own technology they think could be educational in our class. It could be an IPAD, IPOD, Cellphone, Website or anything technological. Their assignment is to present their technology in a beneficial way for our class. I believe this will spark interest in all students and can be productive for me in future class lessons. The trouble with this idea could be that the students will use the technology they have to play games, text/chat, or do other things not relevant to the task at hand. To remedy this method, I need to have trust and monitor as best i can with a questionnaire about each students project introduction.

The text exploration on tumblebooks and TikaTok were very beneficial to all students. This is an perfect for a special education teacher whose students have reading and writing deficiencies. I think the website is a built accommodation to bridge gaps for special needs children. I plan to use these sights starting the next school year in my classroom.


On to Lesson 2

Welcome

Welcome to Jeff Kessans new Blog for Ed. Tech 533.