Todd Oppenheimer

Blog # 11
After reading the article I was a little bit confused to what is going on in the schools. I understand that technology is very important and that kids need to know about it. But to what extend do we need to take away other programs in order to fit the computers? After today’s class I was surprised to hear some of the comments, where they think computers are so important, which yes, they are, but at the same time, we can survive without computers. Oppenheimer said that in one school there was a computer for every three students and I thought that was a little bit too much. My thoughts: as long as there is one computer class in the school, kids are going to learn about computers. They are going to learn how to navigate and the main programs that they need to do in some of the subjects. If they start offering computer classes in kindergarten, maybe only once a week, by the time they get to high school they’ve had a lot of experience. Once they get to high school they can decide if computers are something they want to know more about it or not. If one student wants to be a plumber or a car mechanic, I don’t think he needs to know too much about computers, as the program that he would use he would have not learnt it in school, he would have to learn it in vocational school or at the job. As long as they know how to use a computer would be enough. In my other job I use computers, but I use a program where it is not sold to the public and only the people from the organization know how to use it, so as long as you know how to use a computer is all that there is to it. I don’t think that cutting in programs like music, art or physical education should be replace by computers in order to pay for them.

Techonogy

Blog # 12

After taking this class, I realized that there are a lot of programs that deal with technology, not just the programs I was aware of, like Microsoft Office, but a podcast, a Wiki, a digital story. I thought I knew PowerPoint very well, as in my other job I took a class about it, but at no point they told us about the non-linear presentations. This is very nice to do, it was easy and I can definitely apply it to my class, as a review or to do quizzes. The digital stories are something we can apply it into my curriculum for someone who already knows the language a little bit. It could be like a final project for someone in High School on a second level. For the Wiki I was thinking about creating a story line, where the entire group can create a story. One can start and then all the other kids put parts to the story and create something very creative. And most of all I liked that we were able to create a web site. It is nice that even after we leave the class we can come back to the tutorials website and figure out how to do it, as I am sure that after a while I will forget how to do it. Just yesterday in my other class the teacher was telling us what we could do with technology in the word languages programs and I was very happy to know what she was talking. She told us for what purpose we could use each and it was nice to have now that knowledge about it. It has been a very good experience for me.

Personal reflection

Blog Post # 8

I like this class. I am learning a lot of new things about technology. I really liked that we are learning about all these programs. I think all the programs are easy to handle and do things with it, but the only thing that I think is a little bit negative is that some of the programs we can’t have them for free at home, so we are leaning them and I can’t practice what we have learned during class. Also, right now I am not sure how I would apply these programs to my lessons. I did not like that the lab computers don’t have all the programs, for example, I couldn’t stay one day to finish one of our projects and I came 20 minutes earlier the next day to do it as it was due that day. However once started the computer it was not there, so my assignment was late again because some days I just can’t stay later, as I have to pick up my son from camp. So that was not good for me as that assignment I had to post it late.

Copyright

Blog # 7

Educators have more rights for copyrights than regular people. They fall under a category called “Fair Use”. In the fair use you can use copyrighted material as long as it has four factors; purpose of use, nature of the work, amount used and effect on the market. Educators can use any copyrighted material without permission as long as it has these four factors. If it does not, then educators would be breaking copyright law and they would be subject to the same fines as other people.

UDL

Blog # 5b

UDL or Universal Design for Learning is a new concept where they provide different styles for learning. Now all students learn in the same way. Students have different needs, some have disabilities and some have a different ways of learning. This concept provides different ways of teaching a subject so all the students get a chance to understand the lesson. Some students might be more visually, but if there is one on the class who is visually impaired, he wouldn’t benefit of this way. So the teacher has to think about other ways to help that child. With the implementation of the Universal Design for Learning all the students get the same chance to learn.

My standard

Blog Post # 6

The standard that I am focusing in is under “Communities” Content Standard 9.
I could use digital imagery through pictures of the students. I could set up a project where the students pretend to be in a Spanish speaking country. The project would be that they had to learn a little bit about that particular country. They have to get a picture of themselves with a person of that country in a famous landmark of that country.
As for inspiration, I would set up a concept map to many categories of employment where the target language is needed, with many subcategories. For example: under employment could be translator and under that could have an interpreter to diplomats, written translations of books, oral translations to meetings. In this way they could see all of the different types of employment in which Spanish skills are an asset.

Concept map

Blog Post # 5a

This concept map is very cool! I can do a lot of things with it, not only for school, but for chores for the kids, or for presentations on my other job. I think is was easy to do it. But not having this program at home I'll see if I can remember for our next assignment. The only thing I am not sure of is that we are learning about this program, but unless we purchase it, we won't be able to use it again. Although concept maping is important as we could prepare classes and lesson plans on a concept that if the students have it displayed this way it might be a little bit easier to understand it, but the school were we would be working should have it, otherwise it's a waste...