Wikis-R-Us

Please take same time out to view the wiki created by my group and I at http://wikistudious.wikispaces.com/home
Wikis are very useful instructional aides that can be used to actively involve your students in the co-operative learning process by allowing them to combine ideas and share them with the world. Wikis could be used by both teachers and students to improve classroom instruction by giving the teacher a way of assessing the children while they are able to write freely about presented topics while combining knowledge. This way, students learn from each other and the teacher is able to use that medium as a channel of overtime assessments rather than the pencil and paper assessments.

Reflection
The piece produced for portfolio #7 was a Wiki based on the effects of humans on the environment and what we can do to help restore a balance to Earth. It is to be use as an instructional aide for the grade six level. One challenge faced when creating the piece was simply learning how to navigate the site and understanding in its entirety how Wikis work. This challenge was overcome by group co-operations and members working together: discussing the ideas about Wikis and relating information about tasks they were able to complete using the Wiki for the completion of this piece. The piece could be improved by putting more detailed information on each page and by finding other ways of making the pages attractive - such as the general layout of the pages.

Let's Make a Movie

The video produced is titled "Saving Earth" and depicts four different aspects of earth: how earth was before, the effects of negative human impacts, the natural response of earth to these negative impacts and what we as individuals can do to help to save our planet. The intended audience is a Social Studies class. Students may be from grades three through six. 

It is a known fact that technology is becoming increasingly popular with adults and children alike. It is also true that some students spend more time in front the television than they do with parents. As such, using videos in the classroom is a good way to associate with the interest of the children by combining visual technological media with learning.

Reflection

The piece produced was a four minute video titled "Saving Earth" to be used as an instructional tool for a Social Studies lesson for students from grades three through four to familiarize then with the effects of negative human impacts on our environment. It will be used to demonstrate the extent at which the pollution occurs, the way in which pollution occurs and the measures that one could take to save our planet. One challenge faced when creating the piece is that the movie maker kept experiencing and error forcing the program to be closed and losing information. We were therefore forced to save after every edit that was made. Another challenge was getting all the information that we wanted to cover within the allotted time. One way in which this piece can be improved is by including cartoon pictures to effectively bridge what the younger children especially, are accustomed of seeing and prefer to relate to.

Multimedia to "Feed Ya"

A podcast is an essential learning tool because it enables the children to receive information in a fun and innovative way rather than the old fashioned "chalk and talk" which is increasingly becoming more and more ineffective. When allowed to be actively engaged, especially in the collection on information for the podcast, students get first hand knowledge and are able to identify with the information whether they happen to agree with what is being said or not. Podcast is a way of giving students a voice, and for those students desirous of becoming news reporters or related professions, a podcast is a good way to start.

The podcast produced by my group served to inform persons of a current issue challenging the education system in Antigua and Barbuda which is the circulation of pornographic videos involving school-aged children in their uniforms and adult participants. It was also aimed at sharing the views of persons within the education system – highlighting to those in authority the urgent need for this situation to be dealt with.

In the classroom, a podcast can be used in collaboration with other methods to deliver information on various topics. In some instances the words of the teacher does not carry as much weight as the words of others. Another way a podcast can be used is to replace the customary forms of essay writing. Students can be given guidelines and asked to satisfy all criteria using a podcast production.

In Living Colour!

 For this portfolio piece we were ask to work in small groups in which we were to    write a lesson plan and create and instructional, visual piece that would assist in teaching the lesson. However, this visual was to be computer generated, meaning that there should have been absolutely no writing during the creation of the piece. My group created a chart and lesson plan on “The Butterfly Cycle” geared towards grade 3 students.

This visual on the cycle of a butterfly will serve as a means for the children to be able to see the stages of the cycle while they are being explained and be able to associate the pictures with what is being taught about the various stages. During the early years of life, most children learn by being able to view colourful pictures that capture their attention so the visual will serve to carry out that function. Students will be able to revisit the instructional piece from time to time in order to complete homework assignments or to use as a guide in completing a visual of their own about another insect or even an animal cycle.

Not many challenges were faced when creating this piece. I think our biggest challenge was deciding on what our piece would be about. After deciding on a piece we came up with the layout and came together to put it all together. The other challenge was writing the ASSURE model lesson plan to compliment the instructional piece, but we employed the use of www.google.com and the EDET book that we were given and in not very long we were able to complete the lesson plan.

After completing the piece I realized that for the age group with which we were focusing, that the print on the piece might be a little too small. Therefore to improve the piece, we could use bigger words both for the names of the stages and in the description of each stage

5 P's - Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

The title of my blog post is the most accurate and "to the point" reason that I could think of for the planning of lessons. Adequately planning your lessons not only helps you to control your classroom but it also helps you to help the children by clearly identifying your objectives and how you plan on going about helping each child in acquiring the concepts to be taught.As an educator, whether you have been in the classroom for two(2) or twenty (20) years, there is no time that your classroom is made up of exactly the same educational composition in terms of the students' knowledge and abilities. As such, you must always prepare for your students. Changing times also calls for changing of methods. With each passing era, children are sensitive to different methods of learning. Educators must be able to effectively reach the target by catering for the needs of every child; it doesn't have to be all at once, but writing of lesson plans WILL help you to be successful .

Classroom Blogging

I can really see the benefits of incorporating blogs into the classroom. However, due to the fact that I am in a primary school setting, I believe it will be most effective within the upper classes (grades 5 & 6).

Due to the seemingly complicated nature of just setting up blogs, persons will require a reasonable level of understanding. Grade five (5) and six (6) students however, can learn the basics and be able to use the blog to check on homework and assignments, and also to discuss topics before and after class for better understanding. I will be able to post links so that my students can receive visual aids for learning, especially as it pertains to watching videos. Blogging can also help students to become better at expressing themselves in a more comfortable setting as there is not the feeling of scrutiny for everything that is posted although the blogs should be monitored. In addition to this, blogging can also improve and encourage reading; in order for students to make valuable contributions to their friend’s blogs, they would have to get into the habit of reading and comprehension.  This will compliment my classroom methods of teaching because students will have other avenues of receiving instruction and concepts should be easier for them to grasp. 

Welcome to My EDET World!!

Welcome!!                                     Welcome!!                                   Welcome!!
Innovation, creativity and precision are just a few of the traits that you can expect to see in my blogs. Working towards becoming a 21st century learner AND teacher, I will be aiming to fully utilize the benefits of blogging. Young, energetic and straight-forward are just a few words that I use to describe myself. I was an Information Technology Teacher attached to the Greenbay Primary School, teaching grades 3 through 6. Although i have a tough disposition, I am very friendly and approachable.
I am looking forward to sharing and pooling ideas as we work together towards success not only in this course but in other courses and when we go off to or various schools.