Chapter 9: Expressing Creativity with Multimedia Technologies

Focus Question:  How can teachers create PowerPoint presentations for maximum teaching potential and learning impact?

 
PowerPoint can  allow teachers to present information to students that can engage students and keep them interested in the material. It can be used for students in every grade level. You can add pictures, videos, charts, graphs, audio, video and cool animations to each of the slides.  Students can print out PowerPoints for them to have a copy of the presentations as well.  Power points allow teachers to teach key points by summarizing the content. Students can get a visual of the material as well.



      In Chapter 9, I read about the different ways that you can use technology in creative ways by using multimedia software and applications.  We can use the digital tools to engage and interest the students. Multimedia learning can happen in many different forms in a class room. Students can become more involved with the class by using these tools such as a virtual field trip, digital cameras, podcast, videos, digital books, and even making a video of their own.
      Technology has really made learning and teaching our students more fun and interesting. We can now improve the computer skills of the students. As they get much older they will be experts of the computer. We can introduce them these multimedia learning devices as early as first grade, of course we will use the proper learning strategies. PowerPoint, which is a very well known software is one that we can use early. We can use these in glass to entertain and engage students. Pictures, charts and. Videos can help them stay engaged.
     I will use these applications as a teacher to help my students be involved in the material. Keeping our students interested in the material is just as important as the way we present and introduce it to them. It actually helps combine all the different learning styles of each of the students.
   










Resources:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Different_Approaches_to_Educate_the_Digital_Native.jpg
Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010). Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.  

Chapter 8: Communicating and Collaborating with Social Media

Focus Question: How would you describe the impact of communications technologies for teachers and students?
 The impact of communication technology for teacher and students has enabled a better relationship between the two. Students can communicate together, alone, even as a class with their teacher and peers. There are multiple software and websites that students and teachers that are used to communicate with one another. With these form of communication it allows us to share ideas and information with different educational purposes. Students and teachers can benefit from this way of communicating by:
1. Teaching and learning after school hours
2. Engage with their peers and teachers
3. Share information with family and friends
4. Build a strong educational environment for everyone to learn in
5. Students can post or blog there work online to show everyone
6. They can improve their writing skills
    In Chapter 8, we learn of the many ways that we can communicate together while using social media sites such as emailing, blog,  texting, teacher made websites, discussion board, and Wiki.
We can improve the way we teach our students by using what's popular. Almost every one today uses some type of social media. So why not use it to our advantage to provide a better learning method for our teachers and students. All of the things that I have listed to communicate have benefited myself as a students. I am able to communicate with my Professors after school hours and if I need more help I can email other students or go to the wiki page that my professor has created to help everyone. Chapter 8 can benefit me as a teacher and a student. I learned how to share my ideas and information in a classroom environment and online environment. We can learn to interact and collaborate via technology. I can now understand how to use websites and blogs for my future students. Blogs can be very helpful for everyone as well as wikis, they can be used as a collaborative learning strategies for everyone.


Resources:
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6053/6354852227_09b6bb7aca_b.jpg
Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010). Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.

Chapter 7 Exploring Problem Solving with Software, Apps and Games

Focus Question: What are digital games for learning and how can students and teachers use them successfully?
 There are many resources on the internet that can help everyone learn and be successful. Not only now can we learn through reading a book, or a video, we can now incorporate learning through various types of games. We can learn math, history, grammar, and reading. Computer games today are popular with the younger students today. Many of these kinds of games can be played while also learning can be an action game, an adventure game, knowledge games, simulation/role playing game, logical and math games, and practice games. These games can enable a student and a teacher to be successfully in and outside a classroom. The games provide a feedback that teachers and students can see their strengths and weakness. In the game they will know what they need to work harder in to improve their score. In my opinion, digital games can help students learn. For example, my 6 year old daughter likes to play the games on the school website. They have many different games available for her grade. She likes it cause it challenges her and encourages  her to keep playing. I like to play these games for example, the free rice game, cause its just the thrill of a challenge that keeps me wanting to play the game but I'm also improving my vocabulary.
Technology has enabled us to learn in many different ways. It helps play a role in the 7 learning styles. In chapter 7, it list some of the software's that are made available to us. Many of the programs have the purpose which is to entertain and educate us. With technology we  can create and problem solving and inquiry learning among the students. We learned that many different software applications can be used for both inside of school and outside. Many of the educational programs and apps are created so that it keeps challenging us and encourages us to keep learning the material. Its made fast, easy and fun so we can actually enjoy learning. Integrating this plus in our class room can help prevent our students from getting bored easily.



Resources:
Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010). Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon. 
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/App_iSkull,_an_augmented_human_skull.jpg