Below are the 12 most recent journal entries recorded in lo3i's LiveJournal:

Monday, June 12th, 2006
3:12 pm	assessing constructive learning I found this chapter extremely interesting and useful. I think that there is a need for rubrics in the education system, I think that it will help keep educatores, parents and children all on the same page as far as what is expected of them. I think that a copy of a rubric if the teacher is going to use one should be sent home to use as a reference, when perhaps completing at home tasks. I like the idea that the assessing is done on the actual product and the learners performance. Since everyone may have a different definition of what 'great or weak' means I think the definitions need to be clearly outlined. i think that rubrics will help parents when it comes time to report card time and there may be less confusion when describing why a child got a certain mark that they did. I also think it is important to keep copies of the work that has been assessed along with the rubric. I will certainly keep this chapter handy when it comes to teaching/assessing my own class, Ilike how the chapter clearly outlined the steps on how to create a rubric effectively. I find more and more educators at least at the school that I am in are using rubrics, I also attribute that to the fact that there are a lot of young teachers at my school. They did learn about these types of assessment and the majority of them quite like them and find them handy to use as well as the more that they create the more they tend to use them. i agree that technology should be used as part of the overall learning environment of a classroom,it helps to enhance the whole learning process. As well as for children with special needs they canbe involved doing similar activities as their peers if i.e. they lack in printing skills or fine motor skills they will be able to follow along with less struggles. The use of technology I feel also helps to bring the children togother to work as a team and therefore will make their learning more worthwhile to them, in turn hopefully making want to learn. This chpater will certainly be kept handy as a resource close to my assessment binder when I have a classroom of my own in the near future. Lori (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, June 5th, 2006
6:22 pm	Learning by exploring microworlds I found this chapter really interesting. The like the idea of children regulating and controlling their own learning a wonderful concept. I like to teach my children that their learning will more worthwhile to them. The idea that children will learn from doing hands on activities. I liked the web site links and would like to try them my kids. This may make them more interested in learning and trying new things. This would also allow for the kids to work as a team and I think more likely to WANT to do it. The idea of using the educational sites in the classroom to help children explore places that they would not otherwise have the opportunity to. I also agree that the idea of studying for a test sometimes doesn't help the children to learn they are totally focused on the studying aspect. Using the newly found skills without unfortunate results I think would make children want to try new things. I feel that the technology is there, but the teachers need to be able to access it and they need to feel comfortable using it. Although the technology is there I think there needs to be teachers that takes the lead role and help the teachers feel more comfortable in the use of technology. It will take a little more time but I think would be beneficial for all parties involved. At one of the schools I worked at there was a teacher that took the initiative to be the tech teacher. If we had an issue she was more than willing to help us and knew sites and ideas that none of us had. She was amazing the knowledge was incredible. She would come into the classroom and show us how to use the educational sites that were available to the staff and how to show it to the kids. It made our learning easier because she spent the time helping us, there were many teachers that did not have the expertise, by the end they were really excited about what they had learned. I hope to be able to access these sites when I begin teaching and hopefully my kids will be open to the idea. Lori (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 30th, 2006
7:19 pm	multi media in education Multi media in education The world of education is changing and the advances in technology regarding education are changing what it seems like is everyday. Its hard to keep up with them, I firmly believe that it is the responsibility of the teacher/educator to keep up to date with the new technology. This will help to better educate the students that we are teaching. The idea of multi media in the classroom is fascinating. It opens up a whole new world of teaching, the fact that children are sop familiar with technology I think would also help the teacher to feel more comfortable. I know that I have no problem asking the kids for help, they always seem eager to help. The world of multi media can help teacher teach the curriculum that is required of them in a whole new way, one that may make the world of learning more exciting to both teachers and children, which in turn makes the whole process more meaningful. Hypermedia I feel would help the children work together as a team, which would I also think make the process more worthwhile. I think that children will want to learn more or at least to try if it is something that interests them. I like the idea that hypermedia can be adapted to children of all abilities. Coming from a background in special education it is great to find something that can be adapted to all the children in my class. Even though the children in my class are non verbal their comprehension is enough that they could do an activity based on the idea of hypermedia. The children in my class would use simple pictures to explain the steps that they would go through to complete the task at hand. The problem solving process for children when constructing their hypermedia link would be great for children to construct a product that was meaningful to them and I think it would be more meaningful to them and something that they could be proud of. I think whole process can make children feel empowered and to make their whole learning experience more meaningful and worthwhile. Lori (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, May 29th, 2006
3:50 pm	learning by visualizing with technology Learning by visualizing with technology The debate over television viewing has been around since I can remember. This will date myself but I remember watching Sesame Street when I was young, my mom has told me that she can remember me counting along with count and repeating things when I was told to, I guess that was the last time I did what someone else told me to do, (ha, ha). I think the debate over how much television children watch may see a shift to how much computer and hand held game time children are now having. I do agree that some people do use the TV as a babysitter, but the odd time when you are cooking dinner or just need some quiet time the TV can be a wonderful tool. Children do not only have to watch mindless TV there are many educational programs out there, and as a parent/caregiver/educator that is our role to monitor and help our kids make appropriate choices. As well as the growing number of violence in children’s program is staggering as well as the language and dress that children pick up from TV are sending kids the wrong message about what are good choices and what are not. The idea of using digital images in the classroom is an important part of my everyday teaching. I teach in a class with 6 boys that have autism. The main communication tool that we use are visuals, everything from their pictures to do attendance in the morning to the toy buckets being labeled to their schedule of what their days activities will look like all come from using a digital camera. By using this camera we can take pictures of the things that are familiar to them throughout the classroom. We also can use these pictures to send home for various activities and stories for them to read with mom and/or dad. All the while using the same pictures so the children get used to it. We also have the capability to print the pictures at school so the visual aid can be used immediately. I was interested to see how video cameras can be used in the classroom to help promote teamwork and to enhance problem solving skills. Its along the same lines when children are expected to be in a drama production some do not feel comfortable being on stage, they can choose to do the behind the scene jobs. This is similar to video making, children may want to be involved but not actually in the video have the opportunity to be producer etc. This activity would coincide well with a trip to the local TV station where the children could relate what they will actually be doing. When I was in middle school, we did our morning announcements in a little room beside the office and in front of a video camera, each of the classrooms had a TV set and the first thing we did in home room before classes began was to watch the announcements. I can remember seeing friends doing the announcements and it being neat to see them on the TV in class. Lori (4 Comments |Comment on this)
3:49 pm	building technology Building Technology Although I found this chapter extremely long I found it very interesting. The idea of supporting people with the tools they need is a great idea. Learning together can make all the difference to whether or not you stick with it, having more than just your ideas helps to enhance the whole learning experience. Especially if you are grouped in a community with people that have the same interests as you also makes it more memorable and worthwhile. Being able to learn on line and have chats in real time can turn a difficult situation into one that helps to enhance your leaning, and I think would make you not afraid to keep trying. If you have a question about an assignment or a particular topic your virtual classmates are right there for you to ask, chances are there is someone else that is thinking or wondering the same thing. The idea of videoconferencing is something quite amazing, think of all the children out there that have missed quality time with mom or dad because they had to go out of town for a meeting that now can be done in front of a computer. Less travel time, less expense for companies and less family stress as far as worrying about how the family will cope when someone has to go out of town. When it comes to personal development and technology as far as educators, the experience of on line learning can help keep teachers up to date with what is going on with technology. This not only helps them in their professional development and continuing their education, it allows them to interact with other professional form all over the world. It is fascinating to learn how other countries teach children the same kind of things that we teach our kids. This allows for a new and fresh way to teach the same thing year after year if that is what you are doing, e.g. if you teach the same grade for many years I am sure that it could get repetitive and boring, which in turn reflects on ones teaching practice and makes it not nearly as fun and rewarding. Sharing ideas on line through many educator related sites can spark a whole new way to teach children new ideas, or to help enhance what you are already teaching them. I have found that sometimes educators get stuck in a rut teaching the same concepts year after year like, spring, holidays and things like farm animals, on line resources help to enhance learning ideas that give new light to the topics that need to be taught throughout one’s school career. These topics happen in everyday life and if they can be taught in new and exciting ways I feel makes the outcome more memorable. Lori (2 Comments |Comment on this)
3:48 pm	human hacking Human Hacking This article I must say I found very eye-opening. I was unaware how vulnerable we are as a society to hackers. Just being on the internet opens you up to hackers. I thought that the idea of hacking was making company computers crash or perhaps stealing software. Hmm clearly that is not all it is about. With the sophisticated technology that we have these days and it keeps getting more and more sophisticated the idea of a person’s internet history staying on their computer and it being able to be accessed is creepy. On one hand being able to look up a person’s phone number or address is a great tool but after reading this article it makes me realize that there is more information available to anyone, e.g. maps of the area, surveillance maps that actually show your driveway, car etc. that is a little weird. The sites that allow you to post photos of yourself, friends and family members can be neat to share with people you want to, but what about strangers? The amount of time that people spend on the computer and the technology out there today makes it seemingly easier and easier for hackers to access personal information, that before the times of computer and the internet would be much more difficult to access and easier to protect one’s identity. I think that we are becoming a society that in the future we will see more and more people, especially children with back, neck and wrist pain from spending so much time on the computer. It seems that there are fewer and fewer children playing outside, they seem too much rather be on the computer or playing with hand help gaming devices. This leads to another issue of parental control over the use of these items, I am all for the idea of having the computer in a common area of the home where there is likely to be more adult supervision. As well as talking to your children about the dangers of the internet, and letting them know that engaging in chat rooms is okay but there needs to be some rules around the use of them. I think giving children their freedom while using the computer but also reminding them of the rules can make for a happier computer experience. Who would have thought that the computer age could be so complicated, I wonder what the next 20-30 years will bring? Lori (2 Comments |Comment on this)
3:46 pm	learning from the internet Learning from the internet I found this chapter really interesting as far as actually explaining what the internet was. It is a lot more than just e-mail. I have a greater understanding of what happens when using the internet, how it actually gets to where it is going and why. The idea of wearing a wireless device sounds very high tech; I wonder how people will get their actual work done if they have access to their personal internet use anywhere anytime. But I guess that is true now with some cell phones and blackberries. I have older family members that constantly say ‘when I was young we didn’t have computer, cell phones etc. and we got along in life just fine. Its funny how you get used to having technology handy like a cell phone, my friends and I feel lost if we don’t have them in our possession, its like we can’t miss that all important call or text message. (ha, ha). I think the idea of the increase of distance learning has made continuing education far more accessible for mare people. I know that personally if there weren’t courses offered on line that it would have taken me longer to complete my degree, although in the beginning I thought that distance education courses would be easier I found that not true. I actually found them more work as far as having to keep up to date with what was going on in the class which in turn meant constantly checking in on line. I think that as far as internet learning activities that children should have assignments similar in idea to our google lab that teaches them how to navigate through the search site and help them to find out that there are many ways to use the internet as research tools; they just need to take the time and explore. I think that cooperative learning is also an important aspect of learning about technology; I feel that when something is made to be fun, not only just work that it is more appealing and satisfying. I believe my role and responsibility when I become a teacher is to give the children in my class the opportunity to do. I also believe that it is my responsibility to educate myself and keep myself up to date with the changes in technology to help my children to be comfortable with learning and using technology. Lori (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, May 10th, 2006
6:35 pm	Problem Solving Problem Solving The world is full of problems, big and small we just need to figure out to solve them. If only life was that easy…ha. Anyway I really enjoyed reading this chapter; I never really paid much attention to how many ways there are to solve a problem. I truly believe that the most meaningful learning comes from actually having to solve the problem. This I believe creates empowerment for people and gives them a sense of accomplishment. I also believe that we as educators need to familiarize and accept the fact that there are many different ways to solve a problem. Some people may feel more comfortable with one way and others may not, and that’s okay. I also think an important part of the problem solving process is learning form our mistakes, we need to encourage children to try new ways of doing things and that we are all in it together, to achieve the same goal, to solve a problem. I think that modeling appropriate ways to do things also makes a big difference to way that children learn to solve problems. They need to determine what the problem is first before they can begin to solve it. As an educator I feel it is my responsibility to give the children I teach the tools to be confident in their own abilities and not to be afraid to try new things. I think as the older generation becomes replaced with the newer generation of teachers coming into the education system, there will be more acceptances of technology and how it can help us. I think when we become more familiar and confident in technology we share that with the others that we are trying to teach. Using I messages and giving feedback is an important way of giving our students the tools to make appropriate decisions in their lives whether it is at home, school or with their peers. The idea that we a re all in this together makes it even more important to have a healthy relationship between home and school. Accept the fact that not all families are going to be thrilled with the idea of homework or school projects. Due to the diverse cultures that we work with we need to understand that not all cultures view the school process as others do. This takes a healthy balance of support and resources between all parties involved. Lori (4 Comments |Comment on this)
3:39 pm	weblogs/technology I found this reading very interesting. Until now I had not heard this term. I guess I am behind the times. The fact that this type of action is quickly becoming a social practice is intriguing. I also found the fact that anyone can edit/create a Wiki page was interesting as well. The idea of people working together as a team is great. Being able to monitor the weblogs I would assume cuts down on the problems with some group work of everyone not pulling their weight. It is right there as plain as day. I agree with the idea that when students are in control of their learning it becomes more meaningful and provides a better understanding of the materials. In the classroom that I currently teach in every we have a portfolio for each child, this helps us to assess the children from term to term as well as being able to show the parents their work when they come in for parent/teacher interviews. The idea of using weblogs to communicate between classmates is a great idea, the fact that if some people cannot make it to class or feel that they are capable of keeping up with the class makes life a whole lot easier. I also believe that most students want to help others in the class succeed. The idea that we as students have the power to have control over our learning and become a member of the learning community instead of just hearing about it makes the whole learning process more meaningful. I think once people get used to the idea that technology is the way of the future and it will help us with learning not hinder us that will be a big step to accepting technology as a whole. It may take a while for the older generation to accept it, but I guess if they don’t want to they really don’t need to. I have an eighty- four year old grandfather who loves the idea of a computer, he has a brand new one, but gets very flustered when something goes wrong and will not turn it on for a couple of days until he forgets about the trouble that her had or he regains some confidence to begin again. I think that technology is definitely here to stay and the more that people are exposed to it and have the opportunity to experiment with it, it will indeed become more widely used. I am interested in the idea of having students helping each other to reach a common goal, while doing it as a team; I will certainly keep this idea in mind when I am teaching. Lori (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, May 8th, 2006
6:43 am	what is meaningful learning? What is meaningful learning??? I believe that meaningful learning depends on who is doing the learning, what is it that needs to be learned and why is it meaningful? Every person is entitled to their opinion and each person will have their own idea of what is meaningful to them. Using the Ontario curriculum as an example why do we teach the things that we do to our children and who are they meaningful to? I agree with the textbook when it states that learning is knowledge construction, conversation, articulation, collaboration as well as reflection. All of these examples help to enhance a child’s will to learn and what we feel they need to learn be as interesting as possible for them. I believe as an educator that it is my responsibility to have the children that I am teaching wanting to learn. I agree with the idea of that learning is an adaptive process and we (or most of us) learn by doing. It is part of the learning process, by which being given the opportunity to explore the things which is what I try to do with the children that I work with. Sometimes it takes a while to get used to the idea that the end product is not what you may want it to be, however it ultimately is the children work and they will have learned it themselves by manipulating the materials instead of being told and shown how to do it and what the outcome should look like. I think that for the most part children are more proud of their accomplishments when they have done it all by themselves because they feel it is their own work, as the text states ‘ the active and constructive parts of the meaning-making process are symbiotic’. The idea of learning with technology these days is so very different than even 20 years ago. Children in the education system will have a hard time managing to keep up with their classmates if they do not have a home computer or at least access to one. So much of today’s learning environment revolves around technology. In the school where I am currently working, all classes from kindergarten to grade 6 all have scheduled computer lab times. During this time the younger children are expected to become familiar with the basics of the computer while the older children in the junior grades are expected to use their scheduled time to do research for various assignments they have been given. Our board even has student e-mail for the students to exchange ideas as well as messages with each other. I believe that technology is a great way for children to support their learning styles. It is interesting how children seem to have very little reservations when it comes to using a computer, they just seem to dive right in. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, May 3rd, 2006
7:02 pm	first entry Hi everyone. today is Wednesday and I just got the book so I have not read the chapter yet, but I hope to post an entry by the weekend. Lori (Comment on this)
6:48 pm	test hi this is a test and only a test! (Comment on this)