Greetings fellow classmates, we are group 4 and our mascot is the Buddha. The Buddha represents our quest for truth, compassion and wisdom. We would like to pass on our findings to help the community, the teachers and the students. Together we can influence humanity to prosper and bring about compassion and peace to the world.
Current Event Topic: Identify an online source for expanding your technology literacy.
Here is one of the tools I found interesting on the site, it is called "Scratch" where students learn to program using command scripts. It is like each lego block contains command codes to do an action and you arrange it to make things move, keep score, draw pictures, play music, and make games.
The website we would like to share is from the EdTechTeachers website. Technology can help engage and allow students to take control of their own learning. Most importantly, social application tools can teach students to work together and to share their work with classmates or around the world. This site provides "technology tools for teachers" by organizing web tools for certain learning goals, such as "I want to connect my students to other students around the world" or "I want to create tests, quizzes, and games online". In addition, a list of website tools are listed with example works, a rating of usefulness and a easy-of-use rating (easy-medium-high). Using technology to facilitate learning can help a teacher reach out to students of this generation who are already familiar with some aspects of technology and also to become technology creators rather then just users of technology.
Group Mascot: BUDDHA Click the Buddha's Belly to go to website article!
In your Blog please reflect and respond to the following questions: Prior to this activity did you use any of these software tools? If so which ones.
Yes some, I have used Twitter, iGoogle, and ScreenR before this class. In addition, instead of Diigo, I used a bookmarking tool called Zotero (http://www.zotero.org/), and I have subscribed to RSS news feeds before also, but not through Google reader.
Do you plan to continue managing the news resources that you have gathered in your personal learning network?
Yes, I love to read and absorb information. My friends used to call me Commander Data, the humanoid android robot from the Star Trek New generation. Technology makes it easier to collect and access information from various sources.
Do you think that a refined personal learning network would be valuable to a new teacher?
Yes, because it will keep a teacher updated with the newest strategies and technologies to facilitate in the classroom.
Hello, my name is Jason Nagata and my dog's name is Taro
Answer the following question, what is your favorite technology gadget or gizmo and explain why it is your favorite.
My favorite gaget used to be my IPad2 for school, games, and making music. Now it is experimenting with the Raspberry Pi, a credit card size computer to make electronic projects. In addition, it has renewed my interest in programming again. As a kid I had a neighbor who was a game programmer for a company and let me test the games he made. I ended up spending my allowance money as a kid to buy computer magazines and learned to write my own programs and games. I also attended Kapiolani Community College as a Information Technology major, courses in C.O.B.O.L programming, AS400/RPG programming, network and database etc... long commutes to KCC and long hours writing programs/ and debugging errors burnt me out. I started to miss human interactions. Additionally I feared that one day I might be the one that makes a mistake that causes a company to lose billions of dollars or cause robots to take over the planet.
In this class we will have an online small group project, please
describe your work style and two skills or traits you bring to an online
group.
I can say that I am dedicated and committed to my education and trying to help others succeed. Staight A's for about 6 semesters and only missed one day of class during this time due to food poisoning. I am more of a planner and I timemanage well. I always work to stay ahead in all my classes.
Raspberry Pi video: Integrating technology in classrooms for 21st century learners http://youtu.be/cc2Q0GUVEM0
There are many reasons why i want to become a teacher. I have had many
good teachers and tutors while growing up, but it was not until I
attended college that I decided to pursue becoming a teacher. Through my
experiences and observations, I found that teachers have the ability to
influence and bring about change. For example, by modeling, motivating
and inspiring students, parents, and community leaders to bring about
social change, environmental change, and political change. As a teacher,
I want to model a respectable reputation, empathy, and curiosity for
the love of learning. I believe that teaching shouldn't only be about
creating a mirror image of myself, but to help students to become
critical thinkers and in doing so, to better adapt to a changing world.
I feel I would be a good teacher because I am a life long learner, love
to read, love to observe and love to learn from others to improve
myself and my skills. Most time I can be found reading a book or keeping
up with current events. I feel there are many stories and life's
challenges in the past, but what really matters or holds substance
remains the same. For example, things such as human nature, life
triumphs and tragedies, overcoming adversities, and social conflicts.
Furthermore, Many of the problems we ourselves face today have already
been experienced or talked about by other people, this includes classic
literature, fables, history books, movies and so on, the only difference
today is peoples names, time eras, and locations. I am also a
contributor to the community, by volunteering my time for school clean
ups, the special olympics, and at a group homeless shelter for the
mentally ill. In addition, I would like my students to be aware of
social issues and think about ways of becoming a better person. I would
like them to think about solutions to problems and contribute actively
by helping our environment, and people in our society. An example of
achieving this would be to assign community service learning. Students
would gain valuable perspectives from their interactions with the
community, and develope empathy for people of different ethnicity, age
and culture. As a result this would, help instill school pride and a
positive image of the school by the community.
