Kasey+Thalhuber

EDU 240 Kasey's FINAL ** 1.    As **//COGNITIVE MEDIATOR//**, the educator helps students to become independent learners who construct meaning by combining new information with their own background knowledge. **Discuss two assignments that you completed using a South Dakota State Standards topic in your major area of study. Describe each program and then tell how you could use that program with your students to enhance their technology skills when you start teaching.
 * TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION

A.** One assignment that I completed using a South Dakota State Standard is the Publisher Brochure. For this assignment chose the K.G.2.1. Standard, which was about describing positions like above, next to, and below (for Kindergarten-2nd grade) and made a brochure on it from the program Microsoft Publisher. Publisher is a great program that lets people create publishing articles such as newspapers, brochures, and labels. I can have my students learn to make brochures about the topics we are learning and the students can show others and their parents about what they are learning. It is also a great way to get the students to be creative with their learning. 2.    As **//RESEARCHER//**, the educator seeks to improve educational practices within the school setting, using an inquiry approach to serve students more effectively. ** By completing many different types of researching like reading the textbook, searching internet sites, and listening and creating class presentations I have become a better teacher candidate. For example, from searching some sites on the internet, I have found some great sites that can help me teach differently than all other teachers and really get the students involved. I have also found some great sites that can assist me in making tests, worksheets, and crossword puzzels that way I don't have to spend a lot of time working on those little tasks. I have also learned so much about how to incorporate new technology into the lessons. Also, the class presentations were very helpful in learning more about all the programs on the internet that are free to use, and I will be a better teacher candidate because I can be very creative with the programs. Another great thing about the presentations were the handouts, because when I want to do something fun with my students and can't think of anything, I can look back on the handouts and it will give me instructions on how to use the program. 3.    As **//COMMUNICATOR//**, the educator is skilled in modes of communication that will enable effective communication and collaboration with other educators, parents, and families. **Discuss one Internet site and one technology program that will help you to communicate to your students and their parents when you become a teacher? Describe how you could use each one to communicate to either students or parents when you are teaching.
 * B.** Another assignment that I created was a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation on the K.A.3.1. Standard where I taught about more than, less than, and equal to for Kindergarten through second grade. The program PowerPoint helps people to create slideshows with information and pictures and also become creative with the material. My students someday can make PowerPoints to teach their peers about different subjects instead of me teaching all the time. This way they are learning to be creative and learning other ways of how students learn.
 * How has completing research in this class (reading the textbook, researching sites on the Internet, creating a presentation for class) helped you to become a better teacher candidate?

A.** One internet site that I believe would help me communicate to my students and their parents would be a Wiki site. I chose this because the students can post their work to that Wiki, and the parents can have access to the site to view what is going on in the class. Also, it is a great way for parents to make sure that their students are turning in their work. Overall, I believe it is a great tool for teachers to use in order to communicate with the students and parents. 4.    As **//EVALUATOR//**, the educator maximizes students’ learning by using a full range of formal and informal information-gathering processes in order to respond appropriately to student individual differences. **Discuss one web site and one technology program that you used and evaluated this semester? Why did you find each one useful and how might you use them in the classroom when you start teaching?
 * B.** The other technology program that I would use is Microsoft Publisher, that way I can create monthly newsletters to send home with the students in order to keep the parents up to date on what we are doing in the class. I think that is a great way to keep the parents involved and that way special announcements can also have a spot. That way if the parents need to sign something or we need volunteers in the classroom, there will always be a place for the announcements. They can also be used for students to see what is coming up. It is a great way for the parents to know what the teachers are teaching their children, that way if they know they are going to struggle with a certain topic; they can help them when they are learning it.

A.**One website that I evaluated this semester was the Webspiration site. This is a great site for all teachers if they want to create outlines or webs for the classroom and make them fun. I would probably use it to have fun handouts for my class. It is also nice that you can do it right on the web, you don't have to download a program, that way you can access it on any computer. The Webspiration was also useful because it is easy to follow, and fun for the students.
 * B.** One technology program I used and evaluated was ScrapbookFlair. I think this would be great for elementary students when making memory books for either a topic, a holiday, or just for fun. It is also so easy to teach and to use, that even elementary students can use it. As the teacher, I could take all the students' pictures and have them create their own yearbook, or memory book to remember the class. It is also a great thing for holidays such as mother's day, father's day, and Christmas gifts for parents. ScrapbookFlair was useful because it is an easy program that I believe students would be able to figure out, and it lets them be creative without ruining nice pictures that their parents want to keep.