Week 7 Reflection Question

1. What is the Internet? What value does it hold for educators?

In my own words, internet can be described as, “A gateway to the world.” What I mean by this is that there is not a single piece of information that cannot be gathered through the internet. With that said, there is a lot of information that should not be gathered, by the avenues are there. Internet official definition is an electronic communications network of networks that connects computers and organizational computer facilities around the world with a standardized means of communication called Internet protocols. Basically what this is stating is that this connects information from place to place or facility to facility so that everyone can have access from any location to the same information. It is hard to believe that the Internet has grown to over 450 million host computers that distribute information across the globe.

The most valuable aspect of the internet that I have encountered is that with my subject area, I can access information at any point during my class. In geography, there is literally a world of information out there about different places throughout the globe. Not surprisingly, my students tend to ask the most off the wall questions about the most remote locations, and expect an answer. Though I consider myself full of both useful and useless knowledge, I do not have the answer to every question. But, it is with great comfort to know that I can find an answer before the next question is thought-up. Now, we can take ourselves back ten years and see ourselves at a time where this was not as accessible as it is now. Though we did have the internet, many of us relied upon the slow pace of a dial-up modem. With today’s technologies in wireless, cable, and even 3G, my phone receives faster internet than my computer did when I was in high school.

Not only the sheer information that one can gather on the internet on a subject matter, but the internet is increasingly valuable in terms of lesson planning and state guidelines for educators. As a first year teacher, I found it fairly difficult in planning out my day-to-day lesson, but because of the internet and the different sites available to online users, I was able to make reference to hours of planning done by others. In terms of state guidelines, I can make sure that on a daily basis that my lessons coincide with the guidelines set forth by the state of Mississippi.

Week 5 Reflection

3. What are authoring systems? What is the difference between drill-and-practice software and tutorial software? When is it appropriate to use each in teaching and learning?

By definition, an authoring system is a category of software that allows the educator to easily create custom, computer dashed enhanced lessons of all types including multimedia lessons and web based lessons. There are many different brands of this type of software on the market. One of the main, widely used versions of authoring systems is Microsoft PowerPoint. The chapter describes PowerPoint as being a linear design, which is another way of saying that slides are shown in a consistent order. In actuality, PowerPoint can include multimedia elements and provide buttons on each slide to direct you to other slides, which make this nonlinear.

Even though the question specified drill-and-practice software before tutorial software, it is much easier answered by describing tutorial software first. In a classroom, one does not test knowledge or practice on a subject without first teaching that subjects information. This software is based precisely on that concept. Tutorial software is used to present material. Tutorial software uses both linear and hypermedia approaches. This simply means that they can both be used as reserve, meaning straight-line presentation, or interactive, meaning that it gets the students involved.

Drill-and-practice software is used for post-instruction practice. Before moving on to the next aspect of a lesson, an educator needs to insure that the students grasp the initial concept. Now there are many ways of verifying that students understand a lesson. As educators, we frequently test or assess a student’s knowledge directly after instruction. This drill-and-practice software allows an easy access for these assessments. Drill-and-practice software is specifically designed to reinforce previously presented content. The downside to drill-and-practice software is that it can many times be boring or passive. This is where and educator needs to spend time “tweaking” the information to make sure that it is instructional and interesting to students.

As educators, we should have a balance between both instructional and drill-and-practice software. This is where many of our summative and cumulative evaluations allow us to increase or decrease the drill-and-practice. Obviously a student must learn of a subject before practicing the information gathered. This is why tutorial software is more effective during the instructional process. Post-instruction should definitely the practice software. After reading about both of these types of software, I can see how important it is to use different types of educational elements to create a positive learning environment.

Week Four Reflection Question

2. Why is it advantageous for educators to share resources and programs on a network? What concerns are associated with program sharing?

Many of the advantages to shared programs refer back to a simple money and time issue. There are many advantages to using shared resources and programs on a network. The way that a shared program works is that a program resides on a server’s hard disk, and the work stations run the software from there to a network. This allows access to the program from multiple sites, not just the system in which it originated. This in itself is an advantage in that it saves money for multiple transport devices such as jump drives/flash drives or even CD transfers. Another advantage of shared networked software is that many companies offer discounts for network versions of software. In today’s economy, this can prove to be an effective way of gaining technology without the expense generated in the past. One of the final advantages to shared programs, is that every software eventually needs to be upgraded. When shared programs are purchased from a corporation, each software program will receive updates as they are produced along with the support of a technical staff.

Though there is a list of many advantages to shared resources and programs, there are, as with much of technology, negative aspects. Because work stations rely on server software, if anything was to happen to the work station or the software on the server, the complete system would shut down. If this were to happen, one would run the risk of losing all saved information. As a safety precaution, many system owners purchase backup systems to save data if there was ever a technical error.

With the network that was adapted by The University of Southern Mississippi, TK20 provides excellent opportunities for students and professors to communicate and send information via the web. This network allows for students to upload documents that allow the school to have the data needed for NCATE, when that time comes. As I have both seen and heard, there are great benefits to this network. One of the drawbacks is that there is a fee for each student, around one hundred dollars, to activate their personal account. Although the information/data that can be uploaded is endless, there will come a time when the account will expire. When this happens, and the student chooses not to renew the account, all files are then lost. This is an example of shared networks that I can best relate to on a personal level.

Week Three Reflection Question

1. How can an instructional design model help you develop your instructional plan? Identify the steps of the DID model and briefly explain each.

As a teacher that entered the field through the alternate route, I received a crash course in instructional design. To my knowledge, instructional design is along the same lines as lesson planning. This is an aspect that I have seen as a weakness in my teaching. I commonly use the design phase and leave it at that for my weekly lesson plans because nothing more is expected of me by my administration. Many times I have seen that this has proven beneficial in that I do not spend a lot of extra time planning out what goes on in my classroom, minute by minute. I have always possessed the ability to find my way through my subject areas that I am teaching. The negative aspect of this is that many times I feel unprepared when situations do not go the way I had planned. Chapter two of Teaching and Learning with Technology points out many different aspects that I can use as a teacher to not only incorporate technology into my classroom, but also enhance my preparation for each unit.

The instructional design model that chapter two discusses is used to guide educators in the planning phase of their unit. As I have described in my first paragraph, this is where I usually stop my preparation. According to the three step plan, an educator should design, plan, and then act. Each step provides a more specific plan of action to teaching a unit. According to the text, the instructional design model is a plan of instruction that results in a complete and precise blue print of what should happen and how to arrange the key critical components necessary to design effective instruction. By using the instructional design model, I can rearrange my unit to effectively instruct according to my students learning styles.

The first step in the DID model is to know the learner. What is meant by this is to understand the different styles in which the students comprehend information. The second step requires an educator to state his/her objective in a clear manner, so that a student will understand what is expected. Thirdly, an educator must establish a learning environment. This learning environment could mean everything from the arrangement of a classroom, to the behavior of the individual student within the classroom. The fourth step of the DID model is to identify teaching and learning strategies. This is where technology can become a major asset to an educator and a student. Because each student learns differently, it is the educator’s responsibility to discover what stimulates a student to learn. The fifth step is to identify and select technologies. Many times, in today’s society, these technologies are limited according to funds provided by a school district. Educators must be selective in purchasing different forms of technology for instruction. The sixth and final step of the DID model is the summative evaluation and revision plan. This is where an educator reflects back on the steps and checks to see if they were effective along the way. If not, this is the time to revise your plan.