Wiki- Storymash NETS I, III, & V

For this Wiki assignment I used wetpaint.com to pick a technology tool that I would like to develop in my classroom. I chose to read further into Storymash. Using storymash students and teachers can collaboratly read and write a story via the internet at storymash.com. After I completed the tutorials I used embedit.com to post it to my blog.

Spread Sheet. NETS I & III

I created this spread sheet using Microsoft excel. The crossword puzzle is bbased on geometric terms. I chose to do an acedemic subject such as math so that I could practice because I plan on using spread sheets with my future students. This was a fun and creative way to learn and get comfortable with excel.


Geo Crossword Ra

JCCS Internet Safety NETS VI

Utilizing Google docs I was able to work collaboratively with my peers to research and gather information regarding Internet safety. I was able to do research the topic of cyber bullying and identity safety. All the topics listed in this assignment will serve as a good reference piece for as a future teachers to refer to.


Internet Safety

PSA- Hate Crimes. NETS I, III, IV, & V

I created this quicktime movie using imovie. This was a Public Service Announcement to raise awarness of the hate crimes that have been taking place on campus. The movie incorporates the definiton of a hate crime as well as footage from on campus, here at Cal State University: San Marcos.

Journal #9 "Playing With Skype" NETS I, III & IV

This journal was an introduction to skype, for me. I learned what it is and how I can use it in my classroom. It is an innovative way to bring technology and education together.



Weller, T. J. (2010). Playing with skype. L&L—Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25508&DirectListComboInd=

By Travis J. Weller


Pisano and Weller invited Jason Davis into their music class using Skype. Davis, a musician, talked about copyright laws, the music business, and censorship. In order to make this happen in a classroom some things are needed. The equipment that is needed in order to play with Skype is, a computer with internet, a data projector, at least one microphone, a webcam, some sound adaptors, and a projector screen. It may seem like a lot but almost all of the materials are available at your school though grants. Then go to www.skype.com , sign up and install. It is simple to you and very enriching. Skype gives educators the opportunity to connect with experts and utilize them in their classroom.

Two questions that came to mind were:

1. What is Skype?

According to Wikipedia Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice calls over the internet. I think it’s like chat, because you can see the person on the screen and they can talk to you.

2. Is there a time limit to how long the program will allow you to Skype?

According to Yahoo answers, as long as both parties have Skype there is no time limit, unless one party I overseas, then it tends to cut off after 30 minutes.

Journal #8 "Navigating The Digital Rapids" NETS VI & V

Lindsay, J., & Davis, V. (2010). Navigate the digital papids. L&L—Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume3720092010/MarchAprilNo6/Navigate_the_Digital_Rapids.htm

By Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis


Digital citizenship can expand far from an educators grasp. The digital world is constantly changing, so how does one know what to teach and what is appropriate to teach? Will encouraging students to explore and engage in global collaborative environments soon get a teacher in trouble? These are just two of the questions that were mentioned in the article. The answer is to transform yourself into a professional who can effectively research technology trends, monitor the uses of technology, avoid the fear, and empower student centered learning. Customization is key. When students have the opportunity to customize it changes their learning experience. Standards and customization can coexist. Web 2.0 tools are efficient because they provide a foundation for a personal learning experience. Monitoring and engaging is a must when incorporating technology. It is the teacher’s role to lead by example and make sure the students don’t cross the line. Have a plan of action if a student does cross the line. In 2006 the authors of this article started the Flat Classroom Projects to bring together middle and senior high school students in a global collaborative effort. It is a place to collaborate with other educators.

Two questions that arose while reading this article were:

(This article was very well written in my opinion and it was hard to come up with questions.)

1. When teaching children the wonders of the internet what class time will this take away from?

I’m thinking that whatever subject matter that the teacher is planning on using the internet for, it would come out of that class. Another option is if the school as a whole plans on incorporating intercept use, there can be an assembly of some sort.

2. How will educators stay on top of the up and coming technology?

Even as a social light I can’t even stay on top of technology. I’m not exactly sure how they would stay one step ahead of their students. Any input on this one?

Journal #7 “The Beginner’s Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips” NETS I, III, & V

Zanetis, J. (2010). The Beginner's guide to interactive virtual field trips. L&L—Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=March_April_No_6_1&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4516&ContentID=25443&DirectListComboInd=D


By Jan Zanetis


Virtual field trips are growing more common due to the fact the real field trips are costly and most places that are desirable are inaccessible. Virtual field trips are field trips that don’t require students to leave the classroom. They can be conducted in several ways, by browsing a historic site, observing experiments, watching live demonstrations, and many more. Virtual field trips are internet based. Asynchronous virtual field trips are websites that devote themselves to specific topics, but the quality levels vary. Interactive virtual field trips are synchronous. It is when students that are in one place learn from people that ate in another location, using an h.323 videoconferencing technology. 30% of U.S schools already have this system so you may be able to obtain it for no additional cost. For the other 70%, grants and demos may be available.

Two questions that arose while reading this article were:

1. Do all the classrooms already have a television in them and/or a computer?

I found out that the h.323 is an accessory, so that doesn’t mean that a television would be readily available. Would the school have a television that can only be used with the videoconferencing tool? With everything being so costly now we have to keep in mind that although these technology based field trips are a great alterative to actual field trips, they may not be as realistic as they come off to be.

2. What training would take place for the educators?

Many old fashioned teachers still try to stay away from computers, and now we have a videoconferencing tool available. People are scared of the unknown, so how would this be marketed to make it appealing to all teachers. As the future generation of teachers move forward we are learning new technologies to incorporate into the classroom, but with each school district it would be ideal to have a training class.

Journal #6 Interactive Whiteboards NETS III & V

Classroom 2.0
Interactive Whiteboards
An interactive whiteboard (IWB) is a large display that connects to a computer and a projector. It is usually posted on the wall or a large floor stand. The projector displays what is on the computer’s desktop. Users can control the computer using a pen, a finger, or something along those lines.
The first thread that I followed was titled, “Are interactive whiteboards necessary?” In Mike’s opinion, the author, he does not see the need for an interactive whiteboard after using tools such as a projector, and a wireless drawing pad. Other minor tools he had used in the classroom are: Sketchcast, imagination Cubed and mu blog. He explains how these tools are significantly less money.
The second link that I followed was, “Interactive Whiteboards vs. Wireless Slates.” The question she proposed was, should classrooms be equipped with a projector and an interactive whiteboard or just a projector and a wireless slate. The best response that I read said that both would be beneficial with the right professional development. The only downside to using the slates is that they tend to become a teacher-focused tool instead of a student focused tool. Basically it said that it depends on the factuality and their training and abilities.

Journal #4 "Finding Students Who Learn Through Media" NETS I, VI, & V

Bull, Alexander, Fester, G. C. B.(2010). Finding student who learn with media. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25255&DirectListComboInd=D



By Glen Bull


In 2005 a program was piloted using PrimaryAccess MovieMaker. The students were able to use their own text along with some primary source images to create a short online film. This program was geared towards the social studies standards. Since 2005 more than 10,000 students worldwide have incorporated this program into their schools and have created more than 20,000 short films. The Smithsonian American Art Museum allows students to use this movie maker to create documentaries in regards to the 1930s. Using the PrimaryAccess MovieMaker teachers are able to integrate student-authored media into their schools. It was revealed that approximately 40% of the students were engaged in both the historical content and the storyboard activity. So with careful planning it is possible to increase student engagement by incorporating student-authored media into a classroom setting.

Two questions that arose while reading this article were:

1. Were the students informed about citation and plagiarism?

Citations and plagiarism is a huge issue in our society. If the students were using primary sources, I would think that they would be taught the appropriate way to cite their sources. It wasn’t mentioned if this actually took place and if it was, was the time it took to learn proper citations taken into account.

2. What level of schooling was this program introduced to?

The article does not give a specific school in which this program was launched from. I’m thinking it was middle school because for this to be launched at an elementary level would be hard to believe considering how it was in 2005. Also middle school students would be more familiar with primary sources.

Journal #3 "Keeping The Peace" NETS IV & V

Levinson, M. (2010). Keeping the peace. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25237&DirectListComboInd=D


By Matt Levinson


In 2007 it was brought to attention that technology was no longer only for information and communication, but also for entertainment and socializing. When an instant messaging program was installed into the computers at school it brought up the topic of what was the appropriate use of technology at school. This controversial issue had well thought out reasons for both sides. One side which consisted of some faculty and parents, argued that exploration is a good learning method, while the other side which also consisted of some staff and parents argued that it isn’t safe and can be a distraction for some students. The decision was finally made to block ichat from the computers and the public did not hold their opinions. A year later a technology program was put into place to teach about technology and its benefits. A “boot camp” was put into place, so that every year the students participate in activities to learn about physical care, appropriate use, and ethics.

Two questions that arose in my mind were:

1. Were there different guidelines for the various stages of middle school?

I think that this issue should have been brought up. Sixth graders do not have the same maturity level as eight graders, so eight graders should have been allowed more freedom. I can see how a parent of a sixth grader would be concerned with their child chatting with an older student.

2. Would their ichats be monitored?

If a staff member was with the students after school and monitoring them, I doubt that they would risk getting caught using the program inappropriately. It was after school and the students did have access to the computers, but just because it is after hours does not mean that they can do as they please on the computers because they are still on campus and using a public computer.

Journal #2 “Using Podcasts to Develop a Global Perspective” NETS I, VI, &V

Maguth , BM, & Elliott, J. (2010). Using Podcasts to develop a global perspective . Learning and Leading with Technology, 37. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25244&DirectListComboInd=D


By: Brad M. Maguth and Jeff Elliot.


In a science and math class at a Columbus, Ohio high school they are using digital technologies such as podcasting to engage students. Podcasting allows students to interact with digital technologies and to apply what they know and reach a wider, even global audience. There students had been given the task to research a global issue from different perspectives and record their findings in a journal. Podcasting involves a lot of planning, researching, writing, and editing and all this is before the students could use the podcasting software. After the research phase students predicted how global experts and actors would respond to their debate questions, and then they would write a script. Once all of this is done the students created effective and well-aligned scripts then began recording their debates. They used the software in postproduction to edit out mistakes and to incorporate features, such as background music. By adding music they gained the skills to lower volume levels and rearrange audio clips. The final phase of the project was for the students to showcase their work on the internet.

Two questions that came to me while reading this article were:

1. Is postcasting only used to record debated subjects?

No. Anyone could podcast as long as they have the software. It can be audio only or audio with graphics.

2. Since podcasting is through Apple, does someone need a Mac in order to get the software?

Yes. They can play on your computer or audio player if it has video capabilities.

Journal #1 Computing In The Clouds NETS I & V

Johnson, D. (2010, December). Keeping the peace. Learning and Leading with Technology, 4, Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/

 By: Doug Johnson


Cloud computing is when you can compute from many different computers, without using emails or flash drives. Nothing is saved onto your hard drive, meaning more storage for other things and your computer can run faster. A huge benefit from this is that you do not need a word processor on your computer, and we all know that these can be pricy. Basically the article is suggesting that schools switch over to using Netbooks because they are lightweight, small, they have static memory, smaller keyboards, wireless internet, webcams, microphones, speakers, they contain USB ports and memory card slots, and you can purchase one for under 400 dollars.

A downside is that if students are using these then that suggest that the teachers know how to work with them also. Educators would have to be trained not only with the device itself but also on how to teach using this device.

Two questions that came to mind while reading this article were:

1. Would there be some type of financial aid available for those that can’t accord it?

If this reached a national level I would assume that FAFSA would drop and be available to non-college students as well. Although 400 dollars doesn’t seem like much money to some people, it is a lot of money for families that struggle just to put food on the table.

2. Who would be responsible for a lost or stolen Netbook?

If schools are encouraging students to bring these to school, they should provide some sort of safe keeping for them. As adults we can be held accountable for our actions and held responsible for our belongings, but younger students should not be held full responsibility. I suggest that the schools provide lockers and some sort of contract that holds both the school and the student liable.

Inspiration NETS III

Using the program Inspiration I was able to make this web diagram. This web diagram helped me organize my thoughts and ideas for my taskstream narratives. I linked two artifacts with each of the NETS standards.