On Friday, Sue showed me how to fix some things by looking at my code and comparing it to the code of things that look the way I want them to. I'm certain that this is a no brainer for everyone else, but it was enlightening for me. Dr. Kilborn talked about reading code when she showed us Dreamweaver, but I didn't quite put 2 and 2 together. I wondered why someone would want to mess with something so engineer-like.
Today, as I sit in the Miller Center alone, I am happy to say that I fixed some things by looking at the code! I know- a no brainer for others - a milestone for me :-). Some of my code is so messed up because when something didn't work, I just did them over and over and hoped that somehow, doing the same thing would eventually work. Sounds like a seventh grade answer...
I just wanted to share my enlightenment with anyone in cyber space visiting my blog.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
working on dreamweaver
As I looked over everyone's website, I realized that less if definately more. It seems like the people who have the simplest, most basic websites have the most professional looking ones. I am seeing things now that I would change on mine, and yet it is like a paper that you've worked so hard on -- it is difficult to eliminate things when you know you've worked hard to put them there!
I also discovered that when you label an image with a mouseover, it converts your image back to its original size. At least it does if you've stretched and pulled that image to tweak it to the size you want without using photoshop. Dangit! I've tried to sneak these images over and save time. No so. So either I eliminate those images that took me hours to link and photoshop them, or I deal with them in their original size. So much for shortcuts!!
I also discovered that when you label an image with a mouseover, it converts your image back to its original size. At least it does if you've stretched and pulled that image to tweak it to the size you want without using photoshop. Dangit! I've tried to sneak these images over and save time. No so. So either I eliminate those images that took me hours to link and photoshop them, or I deal with them in their original size. So much for shortcuts!!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Wordle
Cody had a Wordle word cloud on his technology PowerPoint, and I thought this was a really neat thing. Today a coworker emailed me the website and mentioned that she thought it may be a neat way to do book reports. I experimented on the website Very Briefly, but it seems user friendly and would be something I think the students would like to do.
I was thinking about how to use Wordle in an assignment. I think it would be a neat tool to use when having students create character sketches. Also students could describe characters in a novel using these word clouds. Perhaps using Wordle would help students brainstorm ideas for topics for essays. Students could also pull important facts or words from nonfiction selections to create a wordle.
I’m thinking of creating a wordle for my webpage too. Any other ideas for a seventh grade classroom?
I was thinking about how to use Wordle in an assignment. I think it would be a neat tool to use when having students create character sketches. Also students could describe characters in a novel using these word clouds. Perhaps using Wordle would help students brainstorm ideas for topics for essays. Students could also pull important facts or words from nonfiction selections to create a wordle.
I’m thinking of creating a wordle for my webpage too. Any other ideas for a seventh grade classroom?
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Clickers
Yesterday I went to a short workshop on some ways to incorporate the clickers in my classroom. Currently I've used them for our MCA prep. What I found most difficult to get my head around is the fact that there are several pieces of software that can be used with the clickers.
Some teachers wanted to be able to just add interactive slides into their already made power points. However if you choose this option, you are constantly toggling between the two softwares. You must have a good hold, I think, on what each of the softwares are capable of.
Other teachers wanted to learn the einstruction software. This seems relatively user friendly, but again, you are working with two different softwares.
There were also some teachers who wanted to learn the software that came with the cps clickers. This seemed logical; yet it means everything must be "reinvented" into the new software (which seems a bit clumsy and putzy to me).
And (would you believe?), some teachers wanted to use the software called "flowworks" because it came with our Qomo tablet and is free to download from their website.
Aughhh!! I can barely get my head around one software, much less watching four different presentations. It's just too much.
And what really topped off my day of technology was attempting the DreamWeaver software that evening. I think what is most frustrating is that I keep telling myself that the more I learn stuff, the easier it will be to learn new stuff related to technology. But, I'm beginning to question that. Yesterday, Jan was able to trouble shoot and figure out some of my problems with Dream Weaver. I was just plain lost. I don't know if I will ever be able to that trouble shooting stuff. It's amazing how one can come so far, and yet NOT!
Some teachers wanted to be able to just add interactive slides into their already made power points. However if you choose this option, you are constantly toggling between the two softwares. You must have a good hold, I think, on what each of the softwares are capable of.
Other teachers wanted to learn the einstruction software. This seems relatively user friendly, but again, you are working with two different softwares.
There were also some teachers who wanted to learn the software that came with the cps clickers. This seemed logical; yet it means everything must be "reinvented" into the new software (which seems a bit clumsy and putzy to me).
And (would you believe?), some teachers wanted to use the software called "flowworks" because it came with our Qomo tablet and is free to download from their website.
Aughhh!! I can barely get my head around one software, much less watching four different presentations. It's just too much.
And what really topped off my day of technology was attempting the DreamWeaver software that evening. I think what is most frustrating is that I keep telling myself that the more I learn stuff, the easier it will be to learn new stuff related to technology. But, I'm beginning to question that. Yesterday, Jan was able to trouble shoot and figure out some of my problems with Dream Weaver. I was just plain lost. I don't know if I will ever be able to that trouble shooting stuff. It's amazing how one can come so far, and yet NOT!
Monday, April 13, 2009
MCA tests
High school MCA tests are beginning statewide this week. This morning on MPR there was an interesting segment regarding a new test for Minnesota juniors. This is an 85 question math test. Some of the questions are designed to see if high schools are meeting the needs of the students (teacher accountability), and some of the questions are to determine if the student is prepared for life outside of high school. The state is still debating if students who fail this test should be denied their diploma.
What I found most interesting in this segment was a program used at Edina high school. This is a math program where students who are deficient in math are "taught the test." Their areas of weakness are determined via a computer test, then teachers base their lessons on these lacking skills. Students then practice these skills on the computer. It is a differentiated math class, but the teacher still teaches a lesson designed for everyone in the class. Then students work on the computer to complete assignments designed especially for them at their level.
MPR interviewed a few of these students who actually feel confident now that they can pass the test because of this class. Just another interesting way technology is being used to benefit students and offer some confidence to students who are continuously told they are "below average" in ability.
What I found most interesting in this segment was a program used at Edina high school. This is a math program where students who are deficient in math are "taught the test." Their areas of weakness are determined via a computer test, then teachers base their lessons on these lacking skills. Students then practice these skills on the computer. It is a differentiated math class, but the teacher still teaches a lesson designed for everyone in the class. Then students work on the computer to complete assignments designed especially for them at their level.
MPR interviewed a few of these students who actually feel confident now that they can pass the test because of this class. Just another interesting way technology is being used to benefit students and offer some confidence to students who are continuously told they are "below average" in ability.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Clickers
We have a new technology here at school that I've been recently trying in my Resource class. This class is aimed at our "bubble students." "Bubble students" are those students who are within a few points of either passing or failing the MCA's. This is a class I volunteered to teach to see if any techniques would help these kids be more successfull during the MCA's. I am soon to find out.
The new technolgy is something called einstruction clickers. Each student is assigned a clicker--it looks like a small remote control. It allows for every student in the class to answer any question you post on the projector in multiple choice format. Their clicker number on the screen changes color when they have sent in their answer.
Then the program shows the answer and the result of the class in bar graph format. This is really quite useful for me. I can see what percentage of the kids are "getting something." They can't lie because the screen shows me if people have guessed incorrectly. When many students have answered incorrecly, I know that I need to spend more time on that particular strand. This system also allows for me to look at which clickers gave the wrong answer. That way I know which kids are doing well and which kids aren't.
These clickers are very expensive and we have only 5 sets in the entire school. As people figure out how to use them, their will probably be fights over them. The kids like them because it is very interactive and their specific results and confidential. Only the teacher gets to see which clicker belongs to which kid and whose scores are whose. While the system is still "putzy," meaning the software that goes with it isn't very user friendly, I can certainly see its usefulness. Too bad we only have a week left to prepare our kids for the MCA's.
The new technolgy is something called einstruction clickers. Each student is assigned a clicker--it looks like a small remote control. It allows for every student in the class to answer any question you post on the projector in multiple choice format. Their clicker number on the screen changes color when they have sent in their answer.
Then the program shows the answer and the result of the class in bar graph format. This is really quite useful for me. I can see what percentage of the kids are "getting something." They can't lie because the screen shows me if people have guessed incorrectly. When many students have answered incorrecly, I know that I need to spend more time on that particular strand. This system also allows for me to look at which clickers gave the wrong answer. That way I know which kids are doing well and which kids aren't.
These clickers are very expensive and we have only 5 sets in the entire school. As people figure out how to use them, their will probably be fights over them. The kids like them because it is very interactive and their specific results and confidential. Only the teacher gets to see which clicker belongs to which kid and whose scores are whose. While the system is still "putzy," meaning the software that goes with it isn't very user friendly, I can certainly see its usefulness. Too bad we only have a week left to prepare our kids for the MCA's.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Invasion of Technology
We moved into our home five years ago. Because my husband is a carpenter, and did nearly all of the work himself, we were able to build a five bedroom home affordably. It is nothing spectacular, but I never complain that it is too small. On cleaning day, I’d eagerly move back into the 1100 sq. foot house we inhabited for the first four years of our marriage. Currently, our three boys sleep on the main floor in one bedroom. This summer, we plan to move them downstairs into one of the three bedrooms.
As our needs have changed, our house must change. We no longer need a bedroom upstairs. So, we are making plans for our office.
Right now, my computer is on a small, somewhat awkward desk in the very back room in our basement. It is tucked into a corner. Originally, I could hide back there from my three kids, but now they are old enough to seek me out and harass me anyway. I also am not much of a tech buff, so I used it only to do my homework.
Lately I am finding myself more interested in spending time on the computer. Now that I know how to use a scanner and create slide shows and iMovies, I find myself wanting to do those things. I’m interested in twitters and facebook. Only I don’t want to head down into the darkest, most furthest spot from my family. I want to be able to do these things as I multi-task with bills, the kids, the laundry, the cooking. A long hallway and a set of stairs currently prohibits this--or as least, inhibits it.
It’s time to create an office upstairs and accept the computer as a permanent, prominent fixture in our home. My husband and I even have plans for a wall unit that will hold a computer for the kids to play and do homework on. After all, we don’t want them to grow up with the same inexperience and intimidation we have felt about technology. Yikes, the invasion of technolgoy! This is exactly what I wanted to avoid just a few short months ago!
As our needs have changed, our house must change. We no longer need a bedroom upstairs. So, we are making plans for our office.
Right now, my computer is on a small, somewhat awkward desk in the very back room in our basement. It is tucked into a corner. Originally, I could hide back there from my three kids, but now they are old enough to seek me out and harass me anyway. I also am not much of a tech buff, so I used it only to do my homework.
Lately I am finding myself more interested in spending time on the computer. Now that I know how to use a scanner and create slide shows and iMovies, I find myself wanting to do those things. I’m interested in twitters and facebook. Only I don’t want to head down into the darkest, most furthest spot from my family. I want to be able to do these things as I multi-task with bills, the kids, the laundry, the cooking. A long hallway and a set of stairs currently prohibits this--or as least, inhibits it.
It’s time to create an office upstairs and accept the computer as a permanent, prominent fixture in our home. My husband and I even have plans for a wall unit that will hold a computer for the kids to play and do homework on. After all, we don’t want them to grow up with the same inexperience and intimidation we have felt about technology. Yikes, the invasion of technolgoy! This is exactly what I wanted to avoid just a few short months ago!
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