Tara+Hofer

EDU 240 Tara'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.
 * TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION
 * 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.

A. I made a powerpoint for one of my assignments about the weather, colors, seasons and clothes to wear during the seasons. I really enjoy the Powerpoint program because it is really easy to use and easy to teach. In the classroom, students could create short powerpoints over the subjects taught in class. The students would learn how to navigate around powerpoint, how to make slides, and how to finalize that power point with transitions. This will teach the students listening skills as well as technology skills using the powerpoint program. They will also be able to learn more about their specific topic. **


 * B. I created a brochure in Microsoft Publisher that was about animals and their offspring. The students would have to match the parent to the baby animal. Publisher can be used for a variety of things such as creating brochures, flyers, newsletters and many more. This program could possibly be a little advanced for elementary students due to all the detailed options. I could have the students make a very simple brochure of newsletter over a particular subject just using the basic functions of Publisher. This could help the students become more familar with the program and have some basic knowledge of how to use it.**

2.    As **//RESEARCHER//**, the educator seeks to improve educational practices within the school setting, using an inquiry approach to serve students more effectively. ** I have learned a lot about different technology programs and sites that can be used in the teaching world. I have learned a lot from this Tech in Edu class like how to create brochures, create scavenger hunts, make clickable worksheets, as well as learn about all the technology opprotunities out there for teachers. I feel that I have gained more knowledge on how to get technology involved in the classroom as well as how to use the variety of programs that are available. I became more comfortable talking in front of people because I gave a presentation in this class. I definitly learned skills that can help later on when I start my career. 3.    As **//COMMUNICATOR//**, the educator is skilled in modes of communication that will enable effective communication and collaboration with other educators, parents, and families.
 * 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?
 * 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.

A. Wikispaces is an Internet site that is used for blogging. Anyone can view the different posts and comment on them as well. Wikispaces would be a great way to communicate with students and parents because they can know what their children are learning and both the parents and the students can be involved by posting replys on a wikispace. Anything could be posted on a wikisite, like a cirriculum or even a schedule of what the students will be learning. That way both the parents and the students will be up to date on what is being taught, they will just get on the wikispace and look.

B. Microsoft word is a program that can be used for a variety of reasons. Using word, you can write papers, make checklists, create brochures and flyers ect. As a teacher, I could make short newsletters about what the students are learning so that students can take the newsletter home to their parents. There both the parent and child can review the letter. It is a great way to communicate to both the students and their parents. The posibilities using Microsoft Word are almost endless. **  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?

A. I evaluated the Earth Album website while working on evaluating "awesome sites". Earth Album is a really cool website that anyone can use. Earth Album has pictures from so many places around the world. It is really cool to look at all of the pictures of places that you have never been. Students would really enjoy learning about a country and then looking up pictures of the environment on Earth Album.

B. One technology program that I evalulated this year was the Pixer.us. Pixer.us is a website but is also a technology program used to edit personal photos as well as many other features. The program was fun and easy to use which is helpful when teaching. Students could bring in some photos and create a collage using Pixer.us. They could also learn how to change the color of the photo as well as crop the photo and resize it. **