Andrea+Petrik

EDU 240 Andrea'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.** I created a brochure in Microsoft Publisher based on the state standard that related to map concepts. I used the three-fold layout to explain key terms and to show examples. Publisher is a program that can be used for a variety of projects: newsletters, certificates, flyers, etc. I feel that this program is more suitable for a higher age group due to its detailed options. Once students become comfortable with the basic functions, I could encorporate this technology based program into my curriculum.

2.    As **//RESEARCHER//**, the educator seeks to improve educational practices within the school setting, using an inquiry approach to serve students more effectively. I feel that I have become a better teacher candidate as a result of the research completed in this class because of all the knowledge that I have gained regarding technology and its endless possibilities. I will be entering the work field in a time where technology is valued and is encorporated into the classroom daily. Reading the textbook has introduced certain features that can be encorporated into the classroom. Researching sites on the internet proved to be a useful task, as I have found many useful resources for both teachers and students, that will help enhance the learning experience. I feel that teachers are expected to know about technology, and this course has introduced me to many new features that were unfamiliar to me. The sites and tools that I have come to feel comfortable with will be resources that I will continue to use throughout my education process. 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 clickable worksheet in Microsoft Word. In this document I inserted a 3x4 table and typed one question in each box along with providing a link. The website that the students were directed to contained the answer. Word is a program that is easy to manage once a basic understanding in attained. Completing an activity like the clickable worksheet, which uses both Word and the Internet Explorer, students gain experience using technology tools. Since the links that were provided on the worksheet took the viewer directly to the website and answer, there was no need for students to complete a search. Because the student did not need to have prior knowledge of how to complete a search, this activity would be great for introducing younger students to the internet and how to use the web to answer questions.
 * 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 program that I have observed other teachers using in their classroom for communication purposes is Microsoft Publisher. With this program, an educator can create newsletters to send out to their classroom students. When I have my own classroom, I will try to send out a newsletter to the students/ parents prior to the start of school to introduce myself and provide each with a warm welcome. In the newsletter, both prior to the school year and during the year, I could include information about what is going on in the classroom, goals that we have as a whole, and upcoming events. Once the year is started, I think it would be benefitial to send out a newsletter each month to keep the parents updated on their child's experiences in the school setting.

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 newseltter would be a tangible item used for communication, and a classroom website could be used as an electronic form of communication. Like a newsletter, I could provide a personal biography of myself for parents and students to read prior to the start of school so they know a little about myself. During the year, I coud use the website to post notices and list upcoming events, upload picture that were taken during class activities (with student consent), or provide a weekly overview of what was focused on in the class curriculum. The website would provide parents with frequent updates as to what the student is accomplishing in the school settting. It would provide updates that wouldn't necessarily be given by teachers otherwise. This would keep parents involved in their child's education. I think that providing a forum on this website would be useful so that students could talk with one another about school related topics when outside of class as well as for parents who want to organize class activities with other classroom parents. The website would provide a common place for parents, students and the teacher to communicate with one another.

A.** One website that I was exposed to during this course was RubiStar.com. I felt that this site would be very helpful when creating rubrics in my own classroom. Creating rubrics can be a time consuming and detailed tasks. This site guides the creator along the process.


 * B.** A technology program that I used frequently this semester was Microsoft Powerpoint. I have had experience working with this program in the past, but I have learned about new features that it has. Prior to class, I used it mostly just for presentations. I have discovered that an individual can create photo albums. The options can also be adjusted so that an individual can create a layout like the game Jeopardy. I could use the program in many ways when I start teaching in my own classroom for presentations and game activities.