computer-assisted instruction and writing

Readingrockets
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/22028?theme=print
The articel is about computer-assisted instruction. It talks about how computer programs are interesting to children because the leassons are animated, and the websites have demonstrations that the children can follow. Students can work with the program at their own pace. It is good for students because they immediatly get freedback on their work. The program provides differentiated lessons to challenge students who are at risk, average, or gifted. It helps students with their writing skills. It good because it helps them learn the writing progress. The article also mentions programs such as kidspiration which is a great site for children because they are having fun while learning. It shows children pictures and colors of things they can relate too.

Education: Today and Tommorrow Video

It was an interesting video. Video shows that education back then prepares people to work in a factory. Today there is so much more technology out there to be used in our classrooms. Years ago they had to make do with tools such as books, flashcards, tape recorders, projectors and record players. I think classrooms need to be updated to have computers with internet access and educational software. Technology in our schools is a fundamental part of our growing educational needs that our students must have to achieve success in our society today.

My Access!

My access is a web-based instructional writing program that provides students the opportunity to develop their writing skills. It allows students to input their assignments into the computer. This guides them through the process of the assignments. It's good because sstudents recieve immediate feedback from the system about their writing. It gives the child motivation to improve writing. It scores the students writing skills. They also have access to a variety of tools such as a writer's checklist, that helps guide students through their writing process. There are scoring rubrics that students can use to self-assess their own writing. The system checks for grammatical errors, gives suggestions and also gives explantions of rules that help students improve tense sense and spelling. As a future teacher I would love to be able to have a program such as this because the students can benefit from it, especially multilingual and ELL students. I wish they had programs like this years ago to help enhance the learning of students. Today it is great to have all of these programs and technogies intergrated class. The students can use these programs to learn and grow and by applying what they learn in their future jobs and lives.

Refreshing the ISTE Technology

I read an article call Refreshing the ISTE Technology Standards by Gary Stager June 2007. The article talks about how the NETS standards should be updated. It says that educators should consider what our students need to know and to be productive in a digital and global society. It asks why did it takes so long to identify creativity and innovation as importance of several of the "noncore" areas of the school curriculum such as the arts and some of the less structured learning opportunities as major forces in developing creativity and innovation in students. It saids "that most stakeholders assumed the U.S. had a lock on world eadership in these two areas". "Chinese nationals made it clear that the world is rapidly cutting into our lead". You need creativity and innovation to generate salaries and employment opportunties in the U.S. workforce. The NETS refresh document targets the audiences of teachers, learning resources developers, school leaders, students, parents and the community.
NETS outlines what students should know about technology and what they should do within the school context. Their are six standards to NETS. This was an article that Gary Stager asked questions of Don Knezek, CEO of the ISTE. They said that the NETS are not mandatory. He says there is a number of consequences they face, if not met. Each state decides its own standards they follow. The schools need to intervene to accomplish NETS results. They say that their is a lot being done at different levels to provide students with the tools to achieve NET standards. They feel that students should learn to use presentation software effectively and need self responsibility with the internet. It talks about how students do not need to know how to program and master computer science. ITSE views corporations as important sponsors of NETS. With the ITSE it always puts the students needs and concerns first.

Internet Safety

I though that the interent videos were interesting. I cannot stress how important it is to proctect yourself and your children from internet predators. Internet safety is defintely a concern for parents today. There are pros and cons with the internet. It is great to research topics, but there are people out there who hack into computers to steal information or plant viruses in people's computers. Then there are the predators who use chat rooms to lure children and teenagers. As a future teacher/parent I think that you need to monitor what the children are viewing, especially if they are in any chat rooms.

Introducation Blog

Hello everyone, my name is Michele. I would like to thank Professor Luongo and Violeta for taking time to help me through my first blogging experience. "A long process." 'Blogging" is a whole new experence for me, first I was afraid I thought I would never get it, now I am eager to see how it goes. Learn as I go. I am looking foward to learning new things in this class that can futher my knowledge. I am looking forward to communicating with my fellow classmates/ professor and learning and sharing new ideas among each other.

Hello

This is my first post.