I think technology is an amazing tool to be able to use in any Unit Plan. Students are able to have classroom interactions because of techology that in the past, we never could have dreamed of. Students can do research right in the classroom on a computer, without having to go to the library and look up information in multiple books. They can collect data, create and analyze graphs and word process an entire report very quickly. They have access to resources all over the world. This is such a great advantage for our students.
Whats challenging in creating a unit plan that involves technology is that at some point, there has to be a limit. You can create projects or papers or experiments... by just looking it up. There is no exploration there. I truly believe you only learn if you're finding out the information yourself. Sure, you can look it up but that won't help you to remember. There has to be a line when it comes to too much technology, or using technology in a way that won't benefit the student. That seems to be my main concern when it comes to creating a lesson plan like this.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Cellphones in the Classroom
If I did decide to use cellphones in my classroom, I think one of the points the article brought up about being able to take pictures is an awesome tool, and one that I use now as a college student. In my classroom, when we are doing lab, I will definitely allow students to take pictures of their experiements along the way. I do it now and I find it to be extremely helpful. A lot of labs ask you to "draw" your results - but I am not the best artist, and sometimes despite understanding, my picture STILL isn't what I wish it looked like... but if I had a photo I would have more time to draw it than just sitting in front of it. So, for that, I will definitely allow cellphones in my class.
Beside that, I think that I would like to use cellphones as a pre assessment to see what students know about the subject before I start the lesson. If I assign them to pre-read the chapter for the lesson to be taught the next day... I could (as a daily thing) have them come in and take a cell phone poll. I think it would be a good tool for me to be able to know how much I have to include or don't have to include.
Honestly, I was/still am a little skeptical about students using their cellphones in the classroom. As a current student, I know what looking at your cellphone means. The minute I look at the phone and see a text, I have to check it and answer it - and then I spend about 3 minutes thinking about the text/context before I go back to thinking about the class. This is why I keep my phone in my backpack. Now, add to that distraction "high school drama" - no thanks. I understand that students will probably use their cellphones in class anyway, and I see that there are truly beneficial ways to use cellphones in the classroom - but I'm just... skeptical.
Beside that, I think that I would like to use cellphones as a pre assessment to see what students know about the subject before I start the lesson. If I assign them to pre-read the chapter for the lesson to be taught the next day... I could (as a daily thing) have them come in and take a cell phone poll. I think it would be a good tool for me to be able to know how much I have to include or don't have to include.
Honestly, I was/still am a little skeptical about students using their cellphones in the classroom. As a current student, I know what looking at your cellphone means. The minute I look at the phone and see a text, I have to check it and answer it - and then I spend about 3 minutes thinking about the text/context before I go back to thinking about the class. This is why I keep my phone in my backpack. Now, add to that distraction "high school drama" - no thanks. I understand that students will probably use their cellphones in class anyway, and I see that there are truly beneficial ways to use cellphones in the classroom - but I'm just... skeptical.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Thinkfinity and SAS Curriculum Pathways
Thinkfinity
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/interactives/3djigsaw_02/index.shtml?organs
This tool is to have the students go through and put organs in the right area and at the right angle in the body. Students cans use this to better visualize where in the body these parts go. I thought it was also interesting because students can choose male or female. So, they can choose their own gender to see what organs are like in the other gender. I also thought the visuals were very correct. The students could use this as a supplement during an anotomy lesson or as a study tool for a test or quiz on human anatomy.
SAS Curriculum Pathways
http://www.sascurriculumpathways.com/portal/Launch?id=6
This tool is all about cell division and mitosis. It allows students to see a step by step view of a cell during each stage of mitosis. Each visual also has a description. Then, it lets students take a quiz by designing a cell at each stage of cell division. Cell division is a difficult topic to visualize in a way that students can understand. I could use this tool right after a lesson so that students could further their understanding and then check their understanding about mitosis before we start on learning meiosis.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/interactives/3djigsaw_02/index.shtml?organs
This tool is to have the students go through and put organs in the right area and at the right angle in the body. Students cans use this to better visualize where in the body these parts go. I thought it was also interesting because students can choose male or female. So, they can choose their own gender to see what organs are like in the other gender. I also thought the visuals were very correct. The students could use this as a supplement during an anotomy lesson or as a study tool for a test or quiz on human anatomy.
SAS Curriculum Pathways
http://www.sascurriculumpathways.com/portal/Launch?id=6
This tool is all about cell division and mitosis. It allows students to see a step by step view of a cell during each stage of mitosis. Each visual also has a description. Then, it lets students take a quiz by designing a cell at each stage of cell division. Cell division is a difficult topic to visualize in a way that students can understand. I could use this tool right after a lesson so that students could further their understanding and then check their understanding about mitosis before we start on learning meiosis.
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