I believe the school WAS infringement of the copy right laws because...
1) As far as the explanation goes, the teacher's who were having these movies on all day did not seek out permission from the owners of the movies in the first place. Throughout my time working at the daycare, we had to seek out permission from the specific owners of the movies in order to play them on a large screen for multitudes of people. That is step one as to how they were in copyright infringement.
2) Even though the times and order of movies was not given, it does not make it acceptable to show the movies to a group of people without permission. Just the fact that the sound was being heard and people could watch the movie without permission puts them in infringement.
3) Even though there was no movie theater in town, the fact that they were showing movies without permission is the problem. Although there were most likely not as many people who were going to see these movies being played, it still is the fact that they were being shown to multiple people.
4) One saving factor could have been whether the movie was played on a large screen, or a smaller tv. How many people are watching these movies at a time. However, without the permission to show the movie they were still in infringement.
5) Fair use states that there is a limited use of copyright material used without permission. If they would have played the movies all one time then they could have gotten away with using this excuse. However, since they were playing three movies and they were on loop, the fair use law is not relevant in this situation.
Ultimately the teachers needed to get permission from the movie owners in order to show these movies on this day to large crowds.
Friday, June 5, 2015
Gap Steal
It is always important to not just pull a picture off of the internet and think it is acceptable to use in any situation. Further investigation must be done in order to decipher whether that picture is free game or not. In this situation, there was a picture posted on Flickr of a car and Gap stripped the excess parts to the picture and just put the car on a onesie for a baby. Gap did not seek permission, nor did they do investigation to figure out who's picture it was to put on this onesie to sell. Gap is certainly in copy right infringement because they did not do any investigation, and it was not a image that was free game for anyone to take. Especially for a large company like Gap, researchers and designers should have the knowledge of the copy right laws and should understand what they are. Unfortunately Gap did not seem to care whether they used a image that was owned by someone else. It is also interesting that many other companies have been caught for doing the same. It is sad that people who are getting paid to design clothes are not creative enough to come up with their own designs, or they aren't smart enough to make sure they are not stealing someone else's work when putting it on something they are going to sell in their stores.
Again, it is important to not take other people's designs in the classroom as well. It is important that when we use other's designs, lesson plans, or anything for that matter we make sure that we give credit where credit is due. We also need to teacher our students this principle as well.
Again, it is important to not take other people's designs in the classroom as well. It is important that when we use other's designs, lesson plans, or anything for that matter we make sure that we give credit where credit is due. We also need to teacher our students this principle as well.
Controversial Billboard
This situation is one that is much harder and challenging to understand. However, its plain and simple. The mother took her daughter to a modeling agency, giving that agency the rights to take pictures and do with them what they want. This situation is very sad that the pictures of this beautiful child were used in a harmful way. This is one of the reasons why the world has become so corrupt. The billboard was not in copyright infringement simply because the pictures were taken for public use from the modeling agency. It is sad that this young girl and many others have been subjected to this type of situation, and then have to live with that happening. The billboard was removed after the hassle of the situation, however the advertisement did not necessarily have to be removed because those pictures did not belong to the mother and child after they were signed over to the agency.
We need to make sure we are aware of what we are doing when posting things on the internet, or giving pictures to different agencies. After signing the papers saying that its okay to use those images, they are out of the hands of the person who is in the pictures. This can be something that is affected in our classrooms as well. Publishing any type of work can effect the students in a negative way, so it is important to have parent consent and know what is being put where.
We need to make sure we are aware of what we are doing when posting things on the internet, or giving pictures to different agencies. After signing the papers saying that its okay to use those images, they are out of the hands of the person who is in the pictures. This can be something that is affected in our classrooms as well. Publishing any type of work can effect the students in a negative way, so it is important to have parent consent and know what is being put where.
A Family Christmas Card.
When reading the first situation, two questions popped into my head. First off, what was the Grocery Store owner looking for exactly, and why is the picture on whatever place he was looking. The article does not share how the family posted the picture onto the web, which negates the fact that the picture is owned by anyone else. The article also states that the man was looking online and thought that the picture was generated online. He did not mean to use the picture in any harm, however I do believe Grocery store owner was in copyright infringement.
Although the man did not mean to use a picture that belonged to someone else, it was not his picture to use for advertisement. He would have had to get permission from the family or should have done further investigation to where the picture had come from in order to use it. The situation seemed to be quite peaceful though, seeing as how he wanted to apologize for the situation.
Although the man did not mean to use a picture that belonged to someone else, it was not his picture to use for advertisement. He would have had to get permission from the family or should have done further investigation to where the picture had come from in order to use it. The situation seemed to be quite peaceful though, seeing as how he wanted to apologize for the situation.
Tablets Disciplines In Education
Language Arts:
I began with looking at the app called Be Smart Kids Fun Pack. I looked at the first Pack 1, which is striving to make education fun. This application is for kids who are not quite in school yet, or who are in preschool/ maybe kindergarten. It begins looking at colors, letters, music, and objects with the children. This is a developmental application that can help children work on basic knowledge before they head into the school system. I certainly wouldn't use this with the students that I want to work with, but I think this could be good for students who are in young primary grades. This would be very helpful to work with the students who are behind in knowing their colors, shapes, letters, etc. This is a creative and innovative way to grab these students attention and help them to learn what they need to know for school.
Read Me Stories
My favorite subject to teach is Reading/ L.A. so I continued to search through the apps that are in this section. I came across the Read Me application, which seemed to be something great for younger students who are learning ABC's, phonics, and pronunciation of words. This app is for the beginners who are learning to read. This program goes at their own pace and helps the students work on their vocabulary. I would use this app to give the students quiet time during reading. This would be a great way for each student to take that time to be by themselves and to listen to stories while they are relaxing. This is a great application for many reasons.
Mathematics:
I looked into the app called iMathematics, which has been deemed one of the top 10 best apps for school. It is a great way to help students get a personal tutor to what they are working on. I would use this app for any grade level, seeing as how it has many topics and explains the process of the problems. This certainly would have been helpful for me while I was in math classes because I needed an instruction guide that was designed to be at my own pace. I think this app could be helpful for students to take home with them and have the reiteration of the instructions. Many times I would hear the instructions, but in the time that it took me from math class to homework that evening I completely forgot what I was supposed to do for the problem. This would be great to have those instructions written out again.
Science:
The Weather Channel would be a great app to use while the students are studying weather in school. This past semester, my classroom that I observed in studied the weather. They got all different angles because they first talked about what the weather was like when they came into school, then they talked about what it was like at that time through their window. They they looked at the Weather Channel to see what the forecast was. As a teacher, I would then talk with the students about what the difference in a forecast actually is, especially since it is always changing. I would use the weather channel to watch the weather and to document each day what it is like. I would also create a document for the students to compare forecasts and things like that.
Social Studies:
Stack the States/ Countries was a fun app to play with where it taught you about the states of America. The students placed the state where it belonged and they learned both the names of the states and their capitals. This is also available for the countries. I think this is an app that is very much something that can be used no matter what age. I used this app when I was preparing for my geography tests in college, but it could also be fun to use with the students when they are doing geography.
Technology is very useful and helpful for incorporating into the classroom. The hardest part is staying up with the times and what new apps are being produced. I would use all of these apps in my classroom to help the students with their understanding and to encourage them that learning can be fun.
I began with looking at the app called Be Smart Kids Fun Pack. I looked at the first Pack 1, which is striving to make education fun. This application is for kids who are not quite in school yet, or who are in preschool/ maybe kindergarten. It begins looking at colors, letters, music, and objects with the children. This is a developmental application that can help children work on basic knowledge before they head into the school system. I certainly wouldn't use this with the students that I want to work with, but I think this could be good for students who are in young primary grades. This would be very helpful to work with the students who are behind in knowing their colors, shapes, letters, etc. This is a creative and innovative way to grab these students attention and help them to learn what they need to know for school.
Read Me Stories
My favorite subject to teach is Reading/ L.A. so I continued to search through the apps that are in this section. I came across the Read Me application, which seemed to be something great for younger students who are learning ABC's, phonics, and pronunciation of words. This app is for the beginners who are learning to read. This program goes at their own pace and helps the students work on their vocabulary. I would use this app to give the students quiet time during reading. This would be a great way for each student to take that time to be by themselves and to listen to stories while they are relaxing. This is a great application for many reasons.
Mathematics:
I looked into the app called iMathematics, which has been deemed one of the top 10 best apps for school. It is a great way to help students get a personal tutor to what they are working on. I would use this app for any grade level, seeing as how it has many topics and explains the process of the problems. This certainly would have been helpful for me while I was in math classes because I needed an instruction guide that was designed to be at my own pace. I think this app could be helpful for students to take home with them and have the reiteration of the instructions. Many times I would hear the instructions, but in the time that it took me from math class to homework that evening I completely forgot what I was supposed to do for the problem. This would be great to have those instructions written out again.
Science:
The Weather Channel would be a great app to use while the students are studying weather in school. This past semester, my classroom that I observed in studied the weather. They got all different angles because they first talked about what the weather was like when they came into school, then they talked about what it was like at that time through their window. They they looked at the Weather Channel to see what the forecast was. As a teacher, I would then talk with the students about what the difference in a forecast actually is, especially since it is always changing. I would use the weather channel to watch the weather and to document each day what it is like. I would also create a document for the students to compare forecasts and things like that.
Social Studies:
Stack the States/ Countries was a fun app to play with where it taught you about the states of America. The students placed the state where it belonged and they learned both the names of the states and their capitals. This is also available for the countries. I think this is an app that is very much something that can be used no matter what age. I used this app when I was preparing for my geography tests in college, but it could also be fun to use with the students when they are doing geography.
Technology is very useful and helpful for incorporating into the classroom. The hardest part is staying up with the times and what new apps are being produced. I would use all of these apps in my classroom to help the students with their understanding and to encourage them that learning can be fun.
Google Sites
Sites Link: https://sites.google.com/site/mswoodwardsclassroom2015/
I believe that having a website like this is one of the best ways to keep connections between the teacher and parent, as well as the administration and the teacher. Keeping this website up to date with all of the information that is happening throughout the year, as well as keeping homework and news letters and such up to date can help the parents stay involved with their students. I think this is also important for the teacher's credibility. If the parents know that they have this and can always rely to get on it no matter what time and see what their child is learning, it can help them understand. It is also a way to find ways to communicate with the teacher.
While creating my website, I really enjoyed how easy it was to use this program. It was simple to figure out and very helpful when adding pictures and extra resources. I love the idea of having a webpage that is somewhat private as well, and allowing students to use the website to make comments or blog posts for what they are learning. This is also an easy way to help the parents communicate with one another for any parties or situations that are being planned. Using this site can enable more communication with one another, which is something many classroom teachers and parents struggle with. This is certainly an application that I intend on using within the limits of my classroom.
I believe that having a website like this is one of the best ways to keep connections between the teacher and parent, as well as the administration and the teacher. Keeping this website up to date with all of the information that is happening throughout the year, as well as keeping homework and news letters and such up to date can help the parents stay involved with their students. I think this is also important for the teacher's credibility. If the parents know that they have this and can always rely to get on it no matter what time and see what their child is learning, it can help them understand. It is also a way to find ways to communicate with the teacher.
While creating my website, I really enjoyed how easy it was to use this program. It was simple to figure out and very helpful when adding pictures and extra resources. I love the idea of having a webpage that is somewhat private as well, and allowing students to use the website to make comments or blog posts for what they are learning. This is also an easy way to help the parents communicate with one another for any parties or situations that are being planned. Using this site can enable more communication with one another, which is something many classroom teachers and parents struggle with. This is certainly an application that I intend on using within the limits of my classroom.
GAIN Forms
Forms Link: https://goo.gl/1iy5Oj
Sheets Link: https://goo.gl/xYXgEa
Google Forms is a great way to help the students have an online assessment for the teacher to see and lets the students take the quizzes at their own time. There are many ways to match Common Core standards with using these quizzes because it can help assess the understanding of the students and where they are at with the information. Although there were not many examples in the book of the pairing with Common Core, it would be easy to incorporate many of the standards into using these types of quizzes. Students are always being assessed, which is always helpful when studying how Common Core is affecting our students. Many CC standards ask for understanding and applying from the Bloom's Taxonomy levels, and this is a great assessment of whether the students can appropriately use these levels to understand the content. Using assessments in this way with the online capabilities can help make life easier and be more efficient for time with the students. It would be easy to incorporate reading quizzes, math quizzes, or any other sort of quiz or survey to help the teacher and students know what they have accomplished. This would also be a great hook activity for a lesson with the students. Teacher could easily set up a KWL type questions to help assess where the students are with the information.
Teaching myself how to use this program was pretty challenging. I have had experience with setting up a quiz, and so that was easily finished. However, creating the self grading portion of it on the Google Sheets was challenging. I loved the model and way that Forms is set up. It was fun to create and easy to design a page in order to develop what my quiz was about. Google Sheets was the challenging aspect to it, seeing as how there were no instructions in the book. When I set up my classroom, it will certainly take time to figure out Google Sheets, but I think that it is a tool that I will certainly want to use in my classroom.
Sheets Link: https://goo.gl/xYXgEa
Google Forms is a great way to help the students have an online assessment for the teacher to see and lets the students take the quizzes at their own time. There are many ways to match Common Core standards with using these quizzes because it can help assess the understanding of the students and where they are at with the information. Although there were not many examples in the book of the pairing with Common Core, it would be easy to incorporate many of the standards into using these types of quizzes. Students are always being assessed, which is always helpful when studying how Common Core is affecting our students. Many CC standards ask for understanding and applying from the Bloom's Taxonomy levels, and this is a great assessment of whether the students can appropriately use these levels to understand the content. Using assessments in this way with the online capabilities can help make life easier and be more efficient for time with the students. It would be easy to incorporate reading quizzes, math quizzes, or any other sort of quiz or survey to help the teacher and students know what they have accomplished. This would also be a great hook activity for a lesson with the students. Teacher could easily set up a KWL type questions to help assess where the students are with the information.
Teaching myself how to use this program was pretty challenging. I have had experience with setting up a quiz, and so that was easily finished. However, creating the self grading portion of it on the Google Sheets was challenging. I loved the model and way that Forms is set up. It was fun to create and easy to design a page in order to develop what my quiz was about. Google Sheets was the challenging aspect to it, seeing as how there were no instructions in the book. When I set up my classroom, it will certainly take time to figure out Google Sheets, but I think that it is a tool that I will certainly want to use in my classroom.
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
GAIN Google Drawing
Google drawing is one of the most valuable tools that is offered through Google in my opinion. It is a great resource in all different types of ways. When I examined the lesson plan for the elementary school and played with Google drawings ideas were flooding into my head of so many ways that I can use this app to enhance my students learning experience. When looking specifically at the lesson plan, I noticed that one of the standards that was in the lesson were talking about the attributes of different geometry shapes. Using Drawing is a great tool to help the students learn the attributes. Being able to play with the shapes, move the shapes around, and examine all sides of the shapes can help the students really get a feel for what that shape looks like. It is also a great way for graphic organizers, templates, and many other useful tools to help the students work on presentations or a paper of some sort. It can also be paired with other types of math, not just including geometry. It can work with puzzles and other things like that to help the students learn and get the hands on experience. Flow charts are another tool to incorporate the drawing with along with math and science, which gets the students more excited and involved in learning. This could be a great tool to use with Centers in any form because it gives the students a change to create their own creations, and gives the teacher a way to look at what they are doing. Common Core standards ask for recreating or retelling of stories, and I think this could be a great tool for the students to use to recreate what they are reading about. Although the book does not specifically give standards that can be paired along side of the Google Drawing, it gives examples and explanations of how to use the program along side of Common Core Standards. Using Google Drawing can help enhance the students experience and develop their learning through technology. The standards from Common Core are easy to pair with and develop standards and objectives that match using Google Drawing. I will certainly use this app in my classroom.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
GAIN Spread-SHEETS
GAIN SpreadSHEETS
My Gradebook Link:
https://goo.gl/jfZ46N
I found spreadsheet to be very challenging to use, however I do believe that this is because it is my first time using any type of spreadsheet in this way. Throughout High School, I was introduced to the very basic uses of Excel but I did not have the opportunity to make more complicated spreadsheets. I had a couple user situations where I had to figure out what my personal preference was to the creation of the document. It took my partner and I a while to figure out exactly how we wanted to portray the information and what way would work best. The next user situation I had to figure out was the fact that the grading aspect of being a teacher, I very much so struggle with. I do not fully understand how to use the grades and percentages. Having had the time to productively struggle with sheets, I feel much more equipped to use this as my grade book in my future classroom. Although I do think it will take me a while to fully learn how to use the formulas and all the tips that it offers, I think it will alleviate me having to use my calculator every evening to keep up with the grades. I enjoyed using the software when I fully understood what I was doing. The easiest part for me, which actually was the hardest as well, was the fact that I could enter in formulas to do the math for me. Anything that lets me off the hook for doing the actual math is a keeper to me. The hardest part was figuring out what the formulas were to create the equation that I needed. The formulas made it easy to check the grades as well, since I would get a very screwy number if I created the formulas the wrong way. This was a way to double check that the grades were entered in correctly.
Using Google Sheets to match with common core can be very exciting for the students. They can incorporate all different types of math when using this software. This is a great tool to help students use math in a real world setting. Standards will ask the students to use collect data and create graphs. Using the sheets is a great tool to help the students build that data and create ways to present the information. Statistics was also something that I struggled with the understanding aspect throughout my math classes. If students use this software, it can help them understand, create, and present statistics that they have created themselves. A couple examples of using sheets in the classroom to match the common core standards would be: charting measurements, surveys, charts, drawing geometric shapes, and many other tools. It is also a great tool because it lets anyone get on to see the progress. The teacher can get on and check the progress of the students and make comments to help encourage their learning experience. Spreadsheets is a great tool to match along side of the common core standards and create an over all experience for the students to apply what they are learning to real life situations, which should be our ultimate goal as teachers.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Tablets Literacy For Education
Tablets Literacy For Education
Dictionary:
I explored the Dictionary app further, although this is the App that I use on my phone. I always enjoy using this app because it has many fun options to it. It begins with a word of the day. This could be fun to use with the students, possibly making a game out of it. It of course has the easy to use search bar and gives all of the different translations of the words. It also enables the students to have a Thesaurus and a Translator as well. This could be easy for the ELL to use because it is all right there together for them to work on their language. Thesaurus' are great tools to use as well when learning the English language. It is important that the students know what a Thesaurus is and how to use it. They also have slideshow options on interesting language tools, such as "7 Ways to Say Thank You." This could be fun to begin a language lesson with the students and show them one of these power points, then have them create their own.
Non-Dictionary App:
I explored the My Spelling Test app on the iPad. This app enables the children to take a spelling test on the iPads instead of having to use paper. This app lets a teacher create a list of spelling words and then the teacher can record themselves saying the spelling words and a sentence (or however they conduct the test). The student can then individually the the spelling test, with just the iPad and head phones. The student will type the spelling words into the lines, and will have them listed out just like on paper. This is a great tool for the teacher to have because it gives the students the time that they need to work on the words on their own. They aren't embarrassed to ask the teacher to repeat because they can control the iPad themselves. They also have the opportunity to take as much time as they need. The teacher does not have to feel like they need to find the advanced student something to do while they wait. It is also a great tool for the students who are absent on spelling test days. The student can use their recess or free time to take their spelling test the next day without the teacher having to participate. I also like the fact that the iPad connects to the Smart Board. This is a great practice for the students, or even an introductory to the spelling words. This is a great tool for the teacher to spend time with the students in a bigger classroom setting, or it can be a center where the students are using the Smart Board on their own (which we all know they want to play with it).
Visual Presentation App:
I had the chance to play around with the Drawing Pad app. There are many different options of tools to use such as: marker, chalk, crayon, pencil, eraser, paint, etc. The user can also use movie reels or different stationary background to create something. This could be a great tool to use for creating posters or story telling maps for the students in the classroom. This could be a great tool for students to illustrate their own pictures for books that we read in the classroom, or give students something to do during the down time.
Story Apps:
Puppet Pals was a lot of fun to play around with. You began creating your story by picking different characters to go into your fairy tale. Then you got to pick your backdrop of where the characters were. Then I had the opportunity to record a story that goes along with the characters and the backdrop. This could be a great way to work on visual story telling with the students. They can create their own presentation and then share it with the whole class. This is a creative way to work on story telling aspects such as plot, climax, etc. It also can be used as a group project that could help the students to learn to work in a group setting. This is a fun tool to use in the classroom, and help engage the kids while they are learning.
GAIN Google Presentations
GAIN Google Presentations
Google Presentation Link:
https://goo.gl/6ME9xr
Microsoft Office vs. Google Presentations:
- Microsoft Office and Google Presentations are both user friendly and great for presenting information. Both have creative slide templates and great color schemes to choose from to present the information in any way they would like. Microsoft Office is a very developed program, with many more options than Google Presentations. Presentations is the lightweight version when comparing both softwares to each other.
- Both Office and Presentations have similar set up to helping the user create a powerpoint full of information, pictures, graphs, etc. They have a slide set up to the left of the screen that helps the user choose which template they would like, what order they would like, what special effects the slide could have, and many other options.
- Office is an older software, especially if the computer is still running Office 2007 software. Therefore, the creativity is limited when using Office. Presentations has more creative slide templates, but they have more basic themes and slides.
- Office gives the user the ability to use charts, graphs, action buttons, and many other helpful tools when creating the powerpoint. Presentations does not give as many options to develop a creative powerpoint. The software creators wanted to create a software that made powerpoint quick and easy to create.
Google Apps Meet Common Core:
- Presentations are something that students are going to have to do through out high school, college, and potentially throughout their lives. It is important to be able to public speak and know how to present information in a way that is understandable and receivable to an audience. Common Core standards have created many standards that require students to use digital media and visual displays to present information. Using either Powerpoint or Presentation can help the students to develop their skills.
- Writing standards for Literacy asks the student to use technology to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently. Using these softwares would be a great tool to help the students publish their writing in a creative way. Students can be creative with the way they present their stories, and could put illustrations, charts, pictures, etc. on the powerpoint and create their own virtual story book.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
GAIN Google Docs
Documents-Chapter 4
1) Comparison of Word and Docs.
Google Docs has many features that Microsoft Word does not. The creators of Google Docs have upgraded the software to enable it's users to be more mobile. Google Docs is a word-processing software that is free and has practically unlimited storage for the Docs. Google Docs is used through the internet, which enables the document that is being created to be saved in Google Drive. This is something that is accessible to device that has internet. Computer, tablet, phone, etc. can be used to access these documents, as well as edit them. Microsoft Word does not have the capability of using the internet for access. Google Docs has also enabled it's settings to have multiple users on at a time. Up to 50 people can have access to a document and be working on the document at the same time. This enables groups to work on their own computers, but all have access to working on the assignment. Sharing with different people can also enable to teacher to get onto the site and monitor the progress of the assignment. Microsoft Office has to be emailed or downloaded onto a hard drive in order to share the information with others. It also has made it where combining work between multiple people is difficult because of the changes that are made to the document without the others knowing. Immediate feedback is available with Google Docs because the teacher can comment on the post as the students are working, however because Office must be emailed to the teacher they have to wait for the feedback. Google Docs also has templates for the students to create different things with the documents. For example, they can put together an electronic portfolio that displays what they learned throughout the year. They can include pictures, documents, and other things to help display their knowledge. One of Google Docs weakness in its software is the fact that internet is required in order to use the software. If a device does not have internet, the user can not get onto the website to find the document.
Throughout my time at Johnson, I have used Google Docs many times in my classes or in group projects. For one class, my group had a Google Docs note pages where we all took notes on the lecture and could share them with one another. This enabled me to read other people's notes and to understand what importance they got out of the lecture. I also used this site for my Capstone group presentation. A group of us were required to research a topic and then to present our arguments and our theological views on the subject. We utilized Google Docs to share the information and research that we had accomplished. This made researching the topic on my own better because I went to see what my cohorts had researched and what websites and books they used. Google Docs is a great tool to utilize in the classroom.
2) Common Core and Google Docs
Common Core has specific Anchor Standards for Writing which ask the students to develop and strengthen their writing. They are required to use planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach to develop their writing. These are easy to practice with the use of Google Docs for many reasons. Google Docs saves the work every two seconds, and then keeps a record of what was done to the document. This is a great tool for the teacher to use to read and see the progress of the students. It is also a great way to save the work and to work on each of these steps. Having to rewrite out the whole document can be a challenge, but it is important to have the original first copy. Using Google Docs, you have the ability to go back and see what the first draft was but yet make edits to the draft in order to perfect it.
Common Core also gives the standard to use the internet to produce and publish writing. Using Google Docs enables students to use the internet through the software to write and then to share the document with whomever needs to see it. One of the last steps to writing is publishing the materials. Google Docs can be a way to publish the materials because they share the documents with others. Peer editing and review can be easily done through Google Docs, when shared with the students in the class. They can make comments about their thoughts, or suggestions to what the author has said without having to write all over a printed out copy. The teacher can also give easy feedback to the student as well.
Common Core also wants students to be using information from print and digital sources, then to summarize the information by using a note form. Then the students should prepare a list of sources. Using Google Docs is a great way to enable students to have their work on front of them. They can use different tabs on the computers to do research and then create the Google Doc with the information that they found.
3) As I said earlier, I had the opportunity to use Google Docs in a real classroom setting. I loved the easy access to collaborating with my teammates on the material that we were researching. Having the capability to comment in the document and have the changes immediate to the document made the assignments easier. We spent less time worrying about the actual document, and more time researching. It was much more convenient for each of us to work on it whenever we had time. We used the chat capability to meet together as a group and talk about the research that we had accomplished for that week. This lead to less travel times and things like that, making our group time be from our own homes. The comments capability was very helpful because we would make comments to each other as we found more information on our topic, or the specific idea that each of us were studying. I have really enjoyed using Google Docs for all types of projects and situations. It has helped make group projects much easier.
Tablet: Keynote verses Powerpoint
Keynote Verses Powerpoint
Similarities:
1) Keynote and Powerpoint are both great tools to use with presentations. They both have the display settings in order to present information, pictures, videos, charts, etc. Both softwares have templates that help the user create slides with any information they need on them.
2) Both Keynote and Powerpoint have easy presentation features to enhance the information. There are many different aspects such as templates, transitions, animation, and other features that help the presenter make the presentation more memorable and entertaining. This can help keep the attention of the audience, but it is also something that could be distracting if it is overdone. In the classroom, it is important that the students know how to present information to an audience. Students need to practice picking out important information and teaching their audience about the information in a quick and easy to remember way. Using both of these softwares can help the student practice this idea.
3) Keynote and Powerpoint both have sharing capabilities to send the presentation to anyone they want. Although the way that they can be shared is different, both softwares have a sharing capability in order to give the presentation to other people. When using iCloud, Keynote can be transferred to any device and enables the author to work on the presentation at any computer. Powerpoint can be downloaded onto the Microsoft server and can be accessed on any tablet or computer as well. This is also the way that the powerpoint can be shared with others as well. Keynote can be mailed or messaged to other people. The Microsoft server enables the sharing of the powerpoint with others as well. The sharing aspect is very important to creating a presentation with people, because it gives them the opportunity to go back and find the research that has been done.
Differences:
1) Keynote's design and upgrade has given the user more access to be creative when using Keynote. It has also been seen as the most user friendly and has great tutorials to help the user. Keynote has more modern templates, and gives the user more avenues to be creative.
2) Powerpoint has the capability to be downloaded onto the Microsoft server, and then others can access the powerpoint and comment on the presentation. The viewers can put the powerpoint on their own computers with the software and then can view and critique the powerpoint. This is a great tool to use in the classroom, in a business meeting/ setting, and in many other ways. Keynote does not have this capability, and has to use iChat to communicate about the presentation.
Box
Box is a great resource to use instead of Drop Box. It enables the student to transfer documents, pictures, files, etc. without having to use a flash drive or iCloud. This is an app that can be downloaded onto any tablet and save the work of a student. This would be a great resource for students to work on larger projects where they may start in the library or the classroom, and then want to work on the assignment at home. They can save it to their Box and then pull it up at home on their computer. This makes accessibility easy for the student and for the teacher. This would be a great tool for the teacher to have accessibility to the information or assignments as well.
iThought
I found iThought to be a great resource for any situation. Many times when I am writing a paper or doing a research project, my mind is racing when thinking about that topic. This could be a great tool to writing what thoughts I have down and organize them into a paper. We have always been taught to map out our thoughts before they go through with the actual first draft. Most of the time, I am thinking about my topic at a time when a computer is not accessible. Having this app on my phone or tablet could help me organize my thoughts and create a more fluid paper. In the classroom, this app could easily be used to help the students organize their thoughts and do a brain mapping. This could also be used for hypothesis' in Science or mapping out their process of how they are doing an experiment. I really enjoyed playing with this app because it puts the outlining and brain mapping onto something that is reliable and it is recorded.
Rover verses Safari
Rover is a internet browser that has a security setting to filter out inappropriate content that is on the web. This goes for all inappropriate websites, as well as pop up adds that tend to find their way onto web pages. Safari internet browser needs protection to go along with it for students to not be able to find inappropriate content, whether on accident or not. In a school setting, it is a great idea to encourage students to use the Rover because it helps them stay on track and be looking at appropriate information from the websites. With today's world, if the students are doing research on a project you never know what they might accidentally stumble upon. You do not want to have to have those conversations with the students or have to explain to the parent about the situation. Safari and Rover are both web browsers, that enable all times of web pages for the user. As an adult, Safari is needed because of the research that is needed to be done. Although my eyes are not necessarily protected, some things that the Rover may deem inappropriate is essential to the research of a project. As a teacher of older grades, I would certainly encourage the students to use Rover as long as possible, however when doing some types of research the student may have to transition into using Safari. This is a teacher's call on what the topic is.
Tablets Options/Uses
Tablet Options/ Uses
iOS Apple
Pros:
1) iOS Apple products are very versatile. It is easy for the operator to transfer their work from any tablet with the use of iCloud and their apple ID. There are many different Apple products that the user can use, i.e. MacBook, iPad, iPhone, iPod, iWatch, etc. Many people tend to prefer one operating system over the other and so they end up with multiple devices of that operating system. Teacher's can easily use iOS Apple on one of their devices while at school and then be able to save it to their iCloud and find it when they get home. It makes homework easier to access and traveling lighter.
2) There are multiple size options for the operator to choose from. They can choose from the large Mac desk top computers where they are stationary. This would be good for a teacher to have access to in their classroom. Then they are the laptops (also with many different options) and iPads that are easier for travel purposes. Then they have the smaller iPhones and iPods that can easily be linked. Having these devices can help the teacher stay plugged in through all their devices. Using the calendars on your phone can easily be transferred to their desktop computer at school.
3) Apple creates brand new software updates every year, as well as updates of bugs and other problems that happen in the software. This is convenient for evolving times. Having these updates help the user to find new things to use with the tablets.
Cons:
1) A con to Apple products is the expense. Most Apple products are expensive because of what you get. If an Apple connoisseur, it is typically worth the price. But all products certainly are expensive. Within the school, buying Apple products for each student is expensive. Especially with the student use, kids are going to drop them or spill something on them. It is inevitable that they require some sort of protection, but in a warranty type deal and a case for the devices as well.
Android (Google)
Pros:
1) Along with the Kindle, Amazon Prime is available to stream videos. It is a one time fee a year, which could make it easier for a teacher to buy for her class. It also gives the free shipping aspect, which is very convenient for any user when buying of of Amazon.
2) Android has different types of devices that are paired with Barnes and Noble and Amazon to promote reading. The Amazon book store and Barnes and Noble are both literature based devices, and have thousands of options of downloadable books. This has made buying books cheaper and has made them more accessible. This would be great to have in a classroom to use with reading. It is important for students to learn to love having actual hard copies of books, but students who struggle with their interest in reading may find reading on a tablet more appealing.
3) There is a wide variety of devices for the user to pick the one that is best for them. Buyers have many options to pick which Android they would like and how it fits their lifestyles. This is appealing to the buyer because they have options as to what they want. This can be easy for a teacher to choose different types of the Android to have in their classroom. They can choose different styles of the device, which could make monitoring the students and give a way to implement classroom management.
Cons:
1) Because there are so many different types of Android, the software updates from Google do not always work for every device. This can be a problem when the device gets older because not all will receive an updated software.
2) The Barnes and Noble's Nook does not have music accessible to it. The basic Nook is specifically meant for reading. This can be a con because it does not give the opportunity to listen to music while reading like many of the other devices do. Music could be good for the students who are easily distracted while reading, therefore it is important for teachers to consider this before buying the Nook.
Windows (Microsoft)
Pros:
1) Microsoft has the largest tablet, Surface Tablet. This is both a pro and a con. For the schools, it might be acceptable to need the bigger screens for the bigger students who handle them easily. This might also be a good exchange for a computer lab, or a classroom set. This could be easier for AR reading tests or practice tests for their state tests. Having the larger screen could be easier accessibility for the students to use.
2) Windows software is something that is very familiar to most of us. I know that I grew up using Windows, Excel, and other software on Windows. I did many of my elementary school projects using these softwares, and so I feel like they are easy to use. Although the students may not be as tech savvy with these softwares, I feel like they are easy to explain to them. Pages (similar Apple software) is more complicated to use, therefore I feel as though
3) The Microsoft Surface is the most like a computer in a tablet form possible. Microsoft wanted to create a tablet that was as close to a computer as possible. It has the slim keyboard built in the case, it swivels which makes it easy to watch movies or share the screen with friends. It also has many USB ports, which enable the user to plug things in and download them onto the tablet.
Cons
1) Microsoft has one size tablet, which gives the operator only one choice of size. They do not have the options like the other two operating systems do. Young children will struggle holding these large tablets, because they have smaller hands. Although this is preference to the operator, having the larger tablet can cause the price to be more expensive as well.
2) Windows is very susceptible to getting virus' and things through their software. This is something to consider when buying windows products. Virus' can be fatal to the life of the device and software, therefore it is something that requires protection which can be an added cost.
Cellular Connectivity:
Cellular Connectivity enables the tablet to connect to a cellular tower in order for the tablet to connect to the internet without having Wifi. If the students are given iPads to take home with them and are given assignments to do on the iPad that require internet, it is important to understand that not all students have this at their homes. Having the Connectivity it enables the students to connect to a tower and gives them internet to do the assignments. However, having and using this connectivity is an expensive add on to all tablets. Most times it is a set limit to how much data can be used and if students are going over their data, then they are costing the school more money. This may be something to look into having a set number of the tablets to have this capability, instead of having it on all tablets.
In Closing:
In the changing times, many schools are using the tablets as a useful tool to make books and other necessities cheaper. Tablets enable students to carry their work with them where ever they go, and it encourages the students to want to do their homework because it is using technology. Teacher's and schools have a lot of choices as to which devices and softwares work for them and the level of students that they are teaching. Having tablets in the school is something that can be very helpful to the students because technology is something that they need to be very efficient when working with because they will be required to use it in their futures.
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