Monday May 31

Memorial Day, a day to remember those that have lost their lives in defense of the freedoms we experience each and every day.

I have gotten to spend a lot of time with the family this weekend which has been great since my daughter took a job this week in Albuquerque which is 4 hours away. We have had our grand children less than for blocks away since Naaman was born 8 years ago! It has been a rough one for the wife and I to wrap out heads around. We will do all we can to hep the kids adjust to the change as we do ourselves.

School is extremely busy for me now that school is out. I will try my best to stay up with it but we are opening a new school and rotating 4 grade levels so we can demolish two older schools, busiest time in my six years as a director.

I am going to take 2 weeks off after this course to breath a little. I would have taken more but can't do to financial aide. I am really going to miss all the folks I have been working with the last three courses but I have to have a break.

I have one more chapter to read and then I will get started on the PowerPoint for Module 5.

Monday, May 24

I have been working on the Module 4 paper for a couple of days and am really struggling. Writing is just not my forte. I am going to keep plugging while thinking on the Module 4 Post.

Module 4 Reflective Blog

How can visual literacy and the use of the Internet impact the teaching and learning process in the classroom?

According to the International Visual Literacy Association's definition of visual literacy it is a fundamental part of normal learning. I hope that teachers have been making sure that students are visually literate for as long as their have been teachers and students. The introduction of the Internet into the teaching environment has given the teacher many more possibilities for achieving visual literacy. The internet provides endless resources for incorporating visual content into any lesson being taught. The impact of the Internet on visual literacy is limitless, all of the resources that teachers had to find, borrow, or buy in years past are readily available on the Internet for free. Students can be given still pictures of anything in the world and the video resources for virtual tours grow everyday.

What are some visual-thinking strategies you would like to use in your classroom?

One of the sites in my research stated "Many students respond to visual learning techniques today because they are growing up in a image driven culture." (Noval, 2007) This sums up today's students as well as any I have read. Today's student needs to be stimulated visually to keep them engaged in the learning process. The two most common strategies and the one's I would most like to incorprate into my teaching are using PowerPoint presentations to introduce new topics to the class and using Inspiration to have students make a plan for there parts of the school website. I have spent most of my teaching just showing the students the tools to do the work and not using other visual tools to help re-enforce the concepts. This is something I hope to cahnge in the next term I have the opportunity to teach.

What role do you want the Internet play in your classroom?
The internet is critical to my teaching, seeing as I teach Web Design. The most important thing I have learned during this course is to find different methods and tools to present material. Students in my course normally watch me perform a skill on the screen and then are asked to duplicate the skill. I have learned that it would enhance the opportunity if I add other visual elements while introducing material. The use of a PowerPoint or video of examples of the skill about to be introduced could help students make real world connections to the material being presented.

Note: I am not sure as to whether or not this is how the blog is to be done or not since there has not been a grade for the post from Module 2. I hope that linking to sources in a blog is sufficient citing since a blog is supposed to be one's thoughts and opinions on a topic. If it need to be different please let me know.

Mike

Sunday May 16

Just wrapped up a conference call with my Red team for Week 3 module. I don't think any of them were familiar with Office live workspace. I introduced them to it and explained how well it integrates with our live accounts at GCU, I think they liked it. Meeting went well and work was assigned. I will wait until tomorrow and see what all gets posted and stay on the group if progress is not being made. Going home now to finish reading Chapter 9 and water the garden(finally got it palnted yesterday)

Saturday May 15

Just posted DQ for Module 3 and responded to 2 others, will do more tomorrow there. Read Chapter 3 this morning and going to start chapter 9 in a few minutes. I have requested a conference call with Team Red tomorrow so we can divide up the work for Module 3.
Really bummed about kathryn being drop when it was not her fault, it is kind of scary that it could happen to any of us when a course starts. This will make our team work a little harder but it is a fine group and I am sure it will be fine.

Tuesday, May 12

I am really struggling with the table assignment and the requirement to add another element to my blog. I found an animated graphic and inserted it here but it doesn't move when I view it, so it is gone. Will try somthing else after the admin meeting. I found a video from Marzano on TeacherTube discussing teaching strategies that I found interesting.

Sunday, May 9th

Just completed the Module 2 blog. This text has been very helpful and is full of great information. I am just about done reading Chapter Two. Completed the DQ#1 last night and will do #2 On Monday. I checked in with my CLC group last night and put my information on the agreement, will address that more later in the week. Fortunate to be placed with a great group of ladies for this project and I am sure it will go very well. The posts continue to provide valuable resources that I share with my staff. I will be working on the table assignment this afternoon. Will try to wrap up this weeks work by Tuesday so I can start doing more with the CLC assignment.
I have yet to see the need for turnitin drop box. Not sure if I should have used it for the blog or the table but very little comes from outside sources and what does is cited so I will continue plugging along until I get feedback to the contrary.

Module 2 Post

Describe the importance of the using a variety of instructional strategies and the value they add to education of students in the 21^st Century. Evaluate the role technology plays in the implementation of various instructional strategies. How will this impact your teaching of students?

Teaching today requires the use of a variety of instructional strategies that address the diverse learners we have in today's classroom. Today's learners have much more diverse backgrounds than past generations and we now have the knowledge to reach students with different learning styles if a variety of instructional strategies are used in creating lessons. The days of a teacher standing before a group of students and lecturing for half an hour, making and assignment from the textbook each day, and then testing comprehension at the end of the chapter with a test are no longer acceptable. As stated by Smaldino, Lowther, and Russell ( (2008) well-planned instructional strategies incorporating technology and media promote learning regardless of the subject matter, the learners, or the learning environment. The value of using a variety of strategies is of increasingly great value, teachers will not be able to facilitate learning without variety. Variety is required not only in the instructional strategies but in the teachers ability to reach students using different educational perspectives.
The 21st century learner is a different creature than learners from other generations in that technology plays a huge role in their lives outside of the classroom. This generations is carrying around cell phone in elementary school which they use to text and call family members and friends. They also use them to play games and listen to music. Many students have computers at home and are allowed to use them to interact with other on social networks and again play games. This being said, teachers must use technology when designing the teaching strategies or they will not be engaged wit the material being taught. Today's classroom must incorporate edutainment to keep students involved in the lessons.
In conclusion, a variety of instructional strategies that are technology infused and that address all four educational perspectives are essential for success in today's educational system

Wednesday, May 5

Wrapping up a very busy week. Board meeting Monday night, City Council meeting Tuesday night, and my Web Design class tonight. Not sure my wife remembers what I look like sometimes!
Grades are final in TEC537, this is the second course that the last assignment is the first one any points were deducted, falling to an A- when there had been no other deductions and no criticism of the final assignment. Guess I should do what my wife says and just quit whining about an A.
Still confused about where to post the URL for this blog. I posted it in DQ #2 from Week 1 and will post it in the week two assignment tonight if I don't get feedback on when and where.
Just about to finish up reading Chapter One of the textbook, very interesting just haven't had a lot of time.
Still second guessing what to be doing in this blog, am sure feedback will come after week 2.

Getting Started

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Just found the New Post link and am trying my first post. I have tried a blog once before but wasn't sure what to do. I am going to post my thoughts about the course each day and see where it goes.

It was obvious from Day 1 that this course is going to be very organized and easy to tell what is expected. The response to questions and posts has been great.

Still thinking about the early CLC idea. I am okay with week 8 as long as the group all works together, kinda scary if they don't.

I am so happy to finally be seeing faces of the folks I have spent the last two courses with, I just can't wait to see more.

Guess I will keep posting daily and submit the URL on Wednesday.

I am still a little concerned about citing work on DQ's but will continue to work on it.