I will keep playing with Google Sites when I get home as I don't feel completely comfortable with it yet. It isn't necessarily difficult to use, but I want to explore the functions at a deeper level when I have less time constraints. Overall, this function is going to be very helpful to me in the future. Here is the link to my page:
https://sites.google.com/site/gaintest11/home
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Game-Based Learning
This is an area of personal interest to me. I am a life-long gamer and am amazed by the overall progression of the gaming industry over the course of my lifetime. I enjoy all genres of games and am excited about researching how game-based learning will continue to develop and give students an opportunity to engage their own studies in new and interesting ways.
I was interested in the premise of SuperBetter and how it applied to real world obstacles. The game was developed by Jane Mcgonigal who has spent the past ten years as a game developer. A quick Google search of her name and her appearance on The Colbert Report and a Ted Talk convinced me that Game-Based Learning is clearly having a cultural impact. SuperBetter uses the basic tools that make gaming addictive to help motivate the user. There are goals, quests, and tasks that help create a sense of urgency. Whether we like to admit it or not, lists are not an effective tool to accomplish tasks in a timely manner. SuperBetter is now a downloadable app for the iphone which helps users stay accountable when they are away from their computer. It is a great idea that could be used in a classroom setting in a variety of ways. It could be set up to track the progress of work over the course of individual units. Each unit could be a task that must be completed and eventually, the final task (or test) would be the ultimate obstacle. This feature is very interesting, and I intend to sign up and download the app as soon as I upgrade to an iphone in September.
I really liked the layout of the CPED 5401 gamefied course. The idea that is presented could be used as a template for further implementation. For instance, instead of the same old language used on a syllabus, a teacher could develop a syllabus with this type of language and visual images. Students may roll their eyes, enjoy the change, or remain indifferent, but the difference in format and language could influence their engagement to the course and consideration of its material. Overall, there is so much potential with game-based learning and I look forward to researching it in the Expand portion of the course.
I was interested in the premise of SuperBetter and how it applied to real world obstacles. The game was developed by Jane Mcgonigal who has spent the past ten years as a game developer. A quick Google search of her name and her appearance on The Colbert Report and a Ted Talk convinced me that Game-Based Learning is clearly having a cultural impact. SuperBetter uses the basic tools that make gaming addictive to help motivate the user. There are goals, quests, and tasks that help create a sense of urgency. Whether we like to admit it or not, lists are not an effective tool to accomplish tasks in a timely manner. SuperBetter is now a downloadable app for the iphone which helps users stay accountable when they are away from their computer. It is a great idea that could be used in a classroom setting in a variety of ways. It could be set up to track the progress of work over the course of individual units. Each unit could be a task that must be completed and eventually, the final task (or test) would be the ultimate obstacle. This feature is very interesting, and I intend to sign up and download the app as soon as I upgrade to an iphone in September.
I really liked the layout of the CPED 5401 gamefied course. The idea that is presented could be used as a template for further implementation. For instance, instead of the same old language used on a syllabus, a teacher could develop a syllabus with this type of language and visual images. Students may roll their eyes, enjoy the change, or remain indifferent, but the difference in format and language could influence their engagement to the course and consideration of its material. Overall, there is so much potential with game-based learning and I look forward to researching it in the Expand portion of the course.
Searching
I was aware of how Google Advanced Search works but was not aware of the image search ability. This function could be useful when creating a presentation with visual supplements. The search allows for specific size, color, and type of image. I did a few random searches with very specific terms and was surprised with the accuracy and large sampling of images that successfully popped up. It is also nice to see that you are able to put domain based terms such as sites that only end in .edu, .org, or .gov. This app could also be helpful if looking for a specific picture that I have seen in the past but cannot remember the search terms that led me to it.
I also learned about Google's Custom Search Engine that can be set up on a user created webpage. This application allows the administrator to set up a list of possible websites that will be searched when the toolbar is used. This helps teachers direct their students' online activities without playing Big Brother. There is also a function called Refinements that allows for a deeper set of customization options on the toolbar. Refinements act like labels, not unlike the label applied to this particular blog post, that help guide students to the specific sites that holds information on this particular label and excludes searching the other label. Again, this function would work well as it would allow for student choice while maintaining control over the parameters of a specific task.
The last Google search function I explored was Google Bookmarks. This is another cloud based application that allows users to have their bookmarks show up on any device they log into. This seems very similar to Google Chrome, but I guess the reason this option is still available is to cover the computers where Chrome is not already an option. With Bookmarks, users still have the option to log into their Google accounts and have the personalized experience they want. This is a handy application that could help speed up class time by having direct links to sites that may be worthwhile to view in a lecture or presentation.
I also learned about Google's Custom Search Engine that can be set up on a user created webpage. This application allows the administrator to set up a list of possible websites that will be searched when the toolbar is used. This helps teachers direct their students' online activities without playing Big Brother. There is also a function called Refinements that allows for a deeper set of customization options on the toolbar. Refinements act like labels, not unlike the label applied to this particular blog post, that help guide students to the specific sites that holds information on this particular label and excludes searching the other label. Again, this function would work well as it would allow for student choice while maintaining control over the parameters of a specific task.
The last Google search function I explored was Google Bookmarks. This is another cloud based application that allows users to have their bookmarks show up on any device they log into. This seems very similar to Google Chrome, but I guess the reason this option is still available is to cover the computers where Chrome is not already an option. With Bookmarks, users still have the option to log into their Google accounts and have the personalized experience they want. This is a handy application that could help speed up class time by having direct links to sites that may be worthwhile to view in a lecture or presentation.
Monday, July 16, 2012
iPads
The Dictionary application would be a useful tool for any student who is having difficulty with a word they do not recognize. I have this application on my blackberry phone. It has several interesting features that I enjoy looking into like the word of the day. It also allows for users to create favorites, it remembers past searches, gives examples of different usages for words, and examples from works of literature. A dictionary is an indispensable asset for any student in a Language Arts classroom.
The Shakespeare app would benefit either a student reading a play or a scholar doing research for an article. Shakespeare's entire work is cataloged and searchable. Brief summaries of characters in each play are given. There are also scene breakdowns that could be used to find a specific passage. This app is like a portable version of Sparknotes. You can also run searches by key terms that will generate passages where the term was found. This is an amazing application that really helps to keep track of an assortment of information that is difficult to manage when dealing with Shakespearean language. This application could easily be used as a reference for students who are reading a play and need help keeping up with the characters. It also is a great resource for finding passages that could be quoted in an essay.
I tried to use the Wikihood app which looked like a great way to learn about the world. Users can use this app to search for places throughout the world and it will gather, sort, and present data on the geographic location. Unfortunately, whatever city I tried to search for would attempt to gather the information and then shut the program down. It may have been down for maintenance or this may have been just a preview version. From the looks of it, the app would be a great asset to a social studies course or a nice way to introduce students to other parts of the world through cultural studies.
I also tried out both virtuoso and Piano Free and enjoyed the programs. I could see both of these apps help teach a learning student the fundamentals of chords and different keys. I wanted to see how these programs functioned as I took piano lessons at a young age. I think these applications would be a good way for a new student to practice when they were not able to sit in front of an actual piano.
The Shakespeare app would benefit either a student reading a play or a scholar doing research for an article. Shakespeare's entire work is cataloged and searchable. Brief summaries of characters in each play are given. There are also scene breakdowns that could be used to find a specific passage. This app is like a portable version of Sparknotes. You can also run searches by key terms that will generate passages where the term was found. This is an amazing application that really helps to keep track of an assortment of information that is difficult to manage when dealing with Shakespearean language. This application could easily be used as a reference for students who are reading a play and need help keeping up with the characters. It also is a great resource for finding passages that could be quoted in an essay.
I tried to use the Wikihood app which looked like a great way to learn about the world. Users can use this app to search for places throughout the world and it will gather, sort, and present data on the geographic location. Unfortunately, whatever city I tried to search for would attempt to gather the information and then shut the program down. It may have been down for maintenance or this may have been just a preview version. From the looks of it, the app would be a great asset to a social studies course or a nice way to introduce students to other parts of the world through cultural studies.
I also tried out both virtuoso and Piano Free and enjoyed the programs. I could see both of these apps help teach a learning student the fundamentals of chords and different keys. I wanted to see how these programs functioned as I took piano lessons at a young age. I think these applications would be a good way for a new student to practice when they were not able to sit in front of an actual piano.
Google Drawing
Google Drawing is an interesting new application that is easy enough to get acclimated to. It does seem to have very similar features to other programs like Paint. What makes Drawing stand out is the usual features that are associated with Google Docs. The primary benefit to using Google Drawing is the ability to share the application and collaborate on the development by using the chat function. Users can also open any previously saved documents from their computer and add drawings into the document. As one video stated, this application is a dedicated space strictly created for the implementation of adding a drawing to a new or previously created document. So it is an expanded space that is probably meant to be more user-friendly and utilize the other collaborative tools that Google Apps utilizes.
I had trouble visualizing this application being used in a lesson plan until I thought about a lesson plan I reviewed last week. The premise was for three students to be responsible for the creation of a weekly classroom newsletter. They would collaborate on the project at home and present it to the class on Friday. This program would certainly go a long way in facilitating the creative aspects of that project. Students could personalize the look and format of their newsletter through Google Drawing. Drawing is a good application to keep in mind for projects like this as it helps personalize and foster creativity in the development of assignments.
I had trouble visualizing this application being used in a lesson plan until I thought about a lesson plan I reviewed last week. The premise was for three students to be responsible for the creation of a weekly classroom newsletter. They would collaborate on the project at home and present it to the class on Friday. This program would certainly go a long way in facilitating the creative aspects of that project. Students could personalize the look and format of their newsletter through Google Drawing. Drawing is a good application to keep in mind for projects like this as it helps personalize and foster creativity in the development of assignments.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Delicious
Delicious is a social bookmarking site. It allows users to bookmark sites of interest and share them with other users. Delicious is a free site and allows bookmarks to be stored online. It is an improvement on a traditional search engine as user feedback is given on a particular search term making it easier to decide whether or not a website is substantial. The layout reminded me of Pinterest, a site my wife is addicted to. Users are able to "stack" different websites together by topic and publish these to be seen by other users. It was very easy to get started. I searched a few times for various terms that all led to a wide variety of sites. The education search led to some interesting sites like Kahn academy. Delicious looks like a great resource and has potential utility for teachers looking for educational information.
Google Reader is an interesting tool with a wide-variety of uses. It is an RSS feed that allows users to have information from their favorite websites sent directly to them. It is absolutely something that must be managed or it could get overwhelming. I've used various RSS feeds through my desktop in the past and they would typically get overlooked as my home page went directly to my favorite news source and I would browse to all the sites I was subscribed to. It is a nice way to get information quickly, and it looks as though Reader can be accessed by smartphone. So that is one nice prospect of this type of application.
The last site is LibraryThing. After going through this site, it looks very similar to goodreads, which I have been a member of for around a year now. These sites are outstanding sources of information. They catalog your personal library, or they can catalog the books you have read in the past. Based on your reading history, suggestions are created to determine other authors and books you may enjoy. Your "library" is also accessible to other users. This is extremely helpful when looking for new books. You can simply look at other users with similar libraries and use their reading list for help. It can also serve as a motivator. You can set up a list of books you want to read and set goals for when they will be read. This type of site is outstanding, and I really am glad I've been on another that is very similar.
Google Reader is an interesting tool with a wide-variety of uses. It is an RSS feed that allows users to have information from their favorite websites sent directly to them. It is absolutely something that must be managed or it could get overwhelming. I've used various RSS feeds through my desktop in the past and they would typically get overlooked as my home page went directly to my favorite news source and I would browse to all the sites I was subscribed to. It is a nice way to get information quickly, and it looks as though Reader can be accessed by smartphone. So that is one nice prospect of this type of application.
The last site is LibraryThing. After going through this site, it looks very similar to goodreads, which I have been a member of for around a year now. These sites are outstanding sources of information. They catalog your personal library, or they can catalog the books you have read in the past. Based on your reading history, suggestions are created to determine other authors and books you may enjoy. Your "library" is also accessible to other users. This is extremely helpful when looking for new books. You can simply look at other users with similar libraries and use their reading list for help. It can also serve as a motivator. You can set up a list of books you want to read and set goals for when they will be read. This type of site is outstanding, and I really am glad I've been on another that is very similar.
Forms
After viewing a brief video and reading different links on how to create a quiz using Google Forms, I set out to make a test quiz. The first run through, I quickly created a rudimentary quiz with a custom background. After getting a feel for the process, I made a four question quiz for Mirna and sent it to her email. She completed it and I was able to quickly see her answers in Spreadsheets. The format was very straightforward and user-friendly. I did leave out the answer key and a place for Mirna to type her name, but this is just part of the learning curve. I had no problem creating the quiz or understanding her answers. Unfortunately, I had a bit of trouble figuring out the details of self-grading the quiz. After a bit of trial and error and the creation of an answer key, I figured out how it was done. With a little practice, this system seems very efficient and an excellent way to quickly create graded tasks for multiple classes while allowing for quick feedback.
I viewed one lesson plan created for a High School Language Arts class. The lesson plan was titled, Writing for Context, Audience, and Purpose. The basic idea is for students to create a weekly newsletter about the classroom. Three students will be responsible each week to gather, organize, and synthesize information based on the following: The editors will design a poll for the class based on shared readings, pop culture, news items, or events in the class or school or local community. They will get responses using Google Forms. They will also discuss weekly activities, create a theme for their newsletter, and share it in class with their classmates. There is a rubric to grade the students' work. This lesson plan is a very creative way for students to take ownership of their classroom. It seems like an efficient tool to build a community environment as students work together and create written material for the class to observe. I really enjoyed this idea and could see this being implemented in some fashion in a future class.
I viewed one lesson plan created for a High School Language Arts class. The lesson plan was titled, Writing for Context, Audience, and Purpose. The basic idea is for students to create a weekly newsletter about the classroom. Three students will be responsible each week to gather, organize, and synthesize information based on the following: The editors will design a poll for the class based on shared readings, pop culture, news items, or events in the class or school or local community. They will get responses using Google Forms. They will also discuss weekly activities, create a theme for their newsletter, and share it in class with their classmates. There is a rubric to grade the students' work. This lesson plan is a very creative way for students to take ownership of their classroom. It seems like an efficient tool to build a community environment as students work together and create written material for the class to observe. I really enjoyed this idea and could see this being implemented in some fashion in a future class.
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