Monica Burns assignment 12a

I found a technology that Crayola is coming out with, to help beginning students with learning to type and use the mouse effectively. Crayola has made a keyboard and mouse designed with the beginning technology learner. The keyboard is colorful and has bigger keys to help the student learn to type easier, while at the same time keeping their attention of the lesson because of its colorful design. They are also creating a mouse to go along with the keyboard that has a bigger design with bigger right and left click buttons to make it more user friendly, an encourage greater movement control. It is also made to catch the users attention because of its light up mechanisms and globe of water at the end with an island inside. This type of technology will encourage the students to want to use the computers due to the "fun" learning environment that is created by the colorfulness of the technology.

Dayna, M. Assignment 12a, #14 page 236

Reflection of Podcast Use as an Effective Educational Tool
Assignment 12a, #14 by Dayna Moriarty

Knowledge: Podcast technology was recently introduced to me during EDCI 320 class. Although I found it to be a “cool” technology, I questioned the use of it for educational purposes.
Persuasion: I currently have a favorable opinion of integrating podcast technology within the classroom. I intend to receive a Reading minor upon graduation and realize that I can incorporate the use of podcasts to asses not only content and technology learning objectives, but individual student reading progress as well.
Decision: I have thought of some ideas in how to incorporate students’ use of podcasts for effective content objectives, discussions, and assessments.
Implementation: Podcasts could be used to establish a weekly “Classroom News Radio”. The teacher could incorporate this into basically any content material where a small number of students participate each week with their contributions. All students would be able to participate in this over the course of a month or two, depending on the size of the weekly producing group of students. An educator could also use this technology to record each student’s oral reading ability at the beginning of the school year and then again at the end of the school year. This could be used to assess oral reading skill improvement which may motivate the reader who doesn’t like to read out loud.
Confirmation: I have not had the opportunity to confirm my favorable decision regarding the use of podcast as an effective educational tool, but optimistically look forward to it in the future.

Marissa S. Assignment #4c

The unit we did on Indian Education for All was very interesting. I learned a number of new things. Specifically, different ideas for alternate teaching styles that will help us as teachers in the classroom. It is important to understand different culture. Not forcing students to answer questions or singling anyone out, even if it is for good reasons. It is important to understand their family and cultural up bringing. I was also reminded of the importance of finding significance in you teaching so students can connect what you are saying to their life, do not just focus on the “Euro-American” side of things.
In my classroom there are many ways to incorporate Indian Education for All. I am focusing on secondary Art and History. As an art teacher I could spend time teaching Art History and allowing students to take styles and techniques discussed and create their own works. As a history teacher I think it would be most important to make sure I tell the whole story and spent extra time telling their histories.

Brielle C. Assignment #4c.

I find Indian Education for All to be a very useful and needed part of education. The children of Montana are very unaware of the history of Native Americans, which leads to discrimination and misunderstandings. Growing up on a reservaton, I have seen firsthand, the effects of lack of Indian Ed. It contributes so much to the community when everyone of all ages is able to understand others.
In my classroom, I would have each student pick a tribe that they find interesting, research that tribe, and complete various activities that I would provide for them. They could pick out of many activities such as a slide show, Power Point presentation, drawing/painting, or any other means of protraying their specific tribe. I think it would be fun to make the assignment into a multi-genre activity, where the student could pick different ways to portray the tribe as long as it is approved by the teacher. I feel that this gives the students more freedom in how they present to the rest of the class.

Marlee W. #4c

Wednesday’s class was very informative about Indian Education for all. I was reminded of several things such as cultural differences and the bias towards Indians through a Euro-American education. This class helped to reiterate how important it is to keep in mind that my Indian students may react and act differently because of their culture. I will also need to examine the textbooks I give to my students so that I can be sure to teach around any biases.
I would like to incorporate several activities to encourage my student to understand different cultures and other students in their class. I think it would be very interesting for my students to break off into small groups and research a particular tribe’s customs such as stories of their history, their musical culture, and how they have been affected by westward expansion. As a lighter assignment I would have students do what I did in my group, which is to read a variety of books and examine the different points of view that the characters take and why they feels the way they do.

Kyle N. #5

Indian Education for All is definetly a good program for students. I learned first off, that people's perceptions of Native Americans is today's world can be distorted by an array of mixed messages. For example, children's books rarely show the reality and harshness that the Natives suffered during their relocation period. They seem to show romanticized versions of what really happened, and this can be detrimental to a child's understanding of Native Americans. A good way for me as a teacher to combat this, would be to have my students read real accounts from a book or two that shows the truth of what really went on. Another thing I learned, was the way that these Native kids are raised can make it difficult to teach in a normal classroom setting. One example shown during class was, that certain students don't like it when they are looked directly in the eye. An excellent way to teach this to students, would be to have them do some of their own research to figure out the different clan systems within the tribes themselves. Maybe by doing this, people from different backgrounds than the Natives would have a better understanding of their cultures and ways of life.