CH. 6 & 11 Reading Responses Blog Assignment

Chapter 6 Response:
After reading through chapter 6, I would definitely want to teach in a classroom with more technologies than less technologies. For students they are a fun, interactive way to learn in classroom. It would make students pay attention more than they would in a regular lecture based curriculum. More and more adolescents have smartphones in which they can use in a classroom because they are like "computers in your pocket," even though it is hard to try to integrate that idea to schools at the moment. But technologies like mini-laptops, electronic whiteboards, scanners, and digital cameras allow students to have fun and learn at the same time. Right in the beginning of the chapter it talks about how "you can scan leaves from your nature walks" which would be fun for students because they would be able to compare different leaves and remember how they saw them in nature and go back on what they learned on the nature walk. Technology in the classroom makes learning easier for students and teaching better for educators.

Chapter 11 Response:
For a traditional audio technology, I like the audiocassettes. Just like when I was in school I would like to use audiocassettes to read stories to my students and have them follow along in the book (depending on the age group). But for an emerging audio technology I would integrate internet radio. As a social studies teacher I would be able to have students listen to the current events going on in the world and hold class discussions on what they think; or have them get into groups and do a group project on one event.

For a traditional visual technology I like the recorded video because they are inexpensive and have a still work for history lessons or other educational lessons. I would use the recorded video maybe to have students watch a video and answer questions as they go through it. But an emerging visual technology I would use would probably be live cams. I would try to set up a "pen pal" kind of idea and try to connect with a classroom from another country so students could interact with others and get an idea of other countries cultures.

All About Me

Major: Middle Grades Education: Math and Social Studies

1. I want my friends to describe me as: Fun and caring  
2. Memorable learning experience: When my eighth grade social studies teacher did "your mama" jokes in the middle of class.
3. My favorite subject at school and why: Math because I always get lost and just enjoy working with numbers.
4. Accomplishment I most cherish: All-American pitcher in baseball when I was 11.
5. My work habits can best be described as: Procrastination          
6. Three words that describe me best: outgoing, funny, short.
7. People may be surprised to know: I live in North Carolina.        
8. What I hope to be doing in ten years: A successful teacher and/or chef.
9. What I do in my spare time: Play video games, watch TV, spend time with friends, read.    
10. Things I can do without: drama, the Twilight movies
11. My all-time favorite movie: The Bourne Ultimatum              
12. BG’s best kept secret: members of sic-sic  
13. Three things always found in my refrigerator: milk, cheese, fruit
14. Person I would like to meet: Matt Damon
15. What are your general expectations about this class? I will do well because I like technology.
16. How comfortable are you using Windows? How comfortable are you using Macs? I am very comfortable with both
17. Which application(s) do you use the most? Google Chrome and Microsoft Word
18. Which application(s) do you want to learn how to use? Specific Mac documents
19. Is there anything I need to know about you? I am quiet in the beginning but become more outgoing as I get to know people.
20. What is your attitude about using technology? Positive, I love working with it.