Teaching_With_Technology-5364

=Web Conferences=

These web conferences are a useful tool in many different ways from getting people together from far away, to sending documents and pictures instantly, or for just having a friendly conversation with a friend. When you have to meet with people from all over, one good thing about web conferences is that the most you have to travel is to your computer. You can have meetings with co-workers who have family and cannot stay after work. Teachers can use web conferences with students to help answer questions they may have about a lesson. You can send files over the web conference for people to see the agenda or other presentations and then they can have a copy for themselves. Web conferences are an easy way to get people together and make sure everyone is on the same page.

=Week One Reflection (from the reading, video and discussion)=

Through the readings, videos and discussion, one thing I learned was about the three different types of theories: connectivism, constructivism, and cyborg theories. These theories were very interesting to learn about. I already had an idea on constructivism and even a little on connectivism. The one that took me by surprise was cyborg theory and to be honest the video kind of scared me a little just in the fact of putting computer chips in me. I did find it very interesting that Keven Warwick has experimented on himself and with his wife. The idea of having a computer chip implanted in your mind and then all you have to do is download the information is both exciting and scary for me. Exciting with the fact that everyone might have the chance to learn a whole host of things. Scary in what happens if it goes wrong. The idea was brought up that you would never have to travel anywhere and the memories would just be downloaded. To me, I love to travel to places and see it first hand so I don't know if I could do that part. Warwick says there will basically be two types of people the cyborg hybrid and the average human. I do not know which side I will fall on but right now I'm leaning toward average human. Nothing against anyone else, I would just like to use my brain for what it was intended to and not get the download.

=**Week Two Reflection (from the reading, video and discussion)** = After reviewing this weeks readings, videos and discussions, I have learned more about the importance of intergrating technology into the classroom the correct way. Using different types of technology to enhance the lessons in the classroom to get the students more engaged is very important to me. I like using the technology in the classroom almost as much as the students, but I need to make sure that I’m using it the correct way and that they are getting something out of the lessons. Using the technology in the classroom I have seen students gain positive impact on their work because they want to use it and want to keep using it so they do the very best. This transfers over to when we do things that does not use technology as well; they are more engaged with the lessons. The other thing from this week is that I want to learn more about finding technologies that will help students with disabilities and making sure other teachers know how to reach those students as well. As teachers, it is important that we make sure every student is a part of the lesson and is activity engaged.

= Week Three Reflection (from the reading, video and discussion) =

** After this weeks’ readings, videos, and discussions I really enjoyed looking and hearing about students using technology. Luis and Cameron showed that technology can be done by our students and that they can help the teacher teach a lesson with technology. Cameron, only 11, clearly knows more about certain aspects of technology than I do and I am comfortable enough to say he could help me out with technology in my classroom. One thing a lot of teachers will never admit is that students know more than them, but if they do admit it and have students help out with the lessons, it will get more students engaged and active in their classroom. It is important to use activities in your classroom that allow students to use some of the technology. For example, using [|www.polleverywhere.com] to ask questions and then students text the answers and you see results on the screen as they vote. I truly believe that it is important to get our students engaged and involved in the lesson and to do this will equal greater learning. **

=**UDL Lesson Reflection-[|UDL Lesson]**=
 * This UDL lesson that was created for Math deals with learning how to make a graph, why we use bar graphs, and how to interpret bar graphs. It is important to understand how to do this because when you are comparing two or more items, it helps people understand the numbers when looking at a representation. The CAST lesson Builder helps to store the lessons and helps to make sure that you, as a teacher, are covering all of your bases and not forgetting any part of the lesson. Storing these lessons can help keep track of your lessons for the future and you can also go back and add things that might work better and remove things that just did not work out in the lesson. Using this program has helped me take another look at what I am putting in my lessons and making sure that I do have something for everyone. **

=eBook Creation-[|eBook]=
 * In creating this book, it has given me yet another resource that I will be able to share with my students. Giving the project of having them create an eBook will further engage them in the lesson and allowing them to add pictures, sounds and even voices to their projects would make for an interesting interactive lesson. With them creating these books and then sharing them with other students, it will help them not only be engaged while creating the book but after when they are reviewing other books. Students can see what others did and then make changes that further their original ideas. In a way, they will be working together to improve their own projects and make them more interactive and more detailed. I believe this would be a good way for students to improve not only the products they put out but their ability to work well with others. **

Week Four Reflection (from the reading, video and discussion) After reading the articles, watching this weeks video and looking at the discussions, something I take away from this week is the importance of using our students and really looking at project based learning activities. Using our students is really important because they all come from different backgrounds and have different skills that they bring to the table. Having them work in collabrotaive groups to work through a problem will help in keeping them engaged and working together to solve the problem. With project based learning activities we, as teachers, need to look at giving our students a chance to use all of their skills. Giving them a project and having them research the topic, then create a report on it, and then presenting it to the class. This would help students build self confidance when they present the topic and would help them in the future because now they know how to create a presentaton.

Week Five Reflection (from the reading, video and discussion) After reading, watching the video and looking at the discussion this week the key thing that I walked away with was the importance of effort. Effort on both the teacher and students part is necessary to have a successful education. If the students are not putting forth the effort in the classroom it is the responsibility of the teacher to get them motivated and engaged in the lesson. If the teacher is not putting forth much effort then administrators and other leaders on the campus need to step up and make sure the effort is there with the teachers. The teachers need to model the effort they want their students to put forth and if they don’t then the students will not want to work and they will not be engaged in the lesson. Effort is one of those things that should not and cannot be over looked in this profession if it is then we are doing a disservice to our students.