Before reading Chapter 14 of M. D. Roblyer's Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching I did not think that technology had anything to do with physical education or health education. I actually thought that technology has mainly had a negative affect on physical health because it has resulted in more people using the computer or television instead of exercising. However this chapter, "Technology in Physical Education and Health Education", showed me many ways that technology could be beneficial in these areas.
New equipment has been developed that allows people to exercise more effeciently. Also, pedometers, heart monitors, and other devices allow people to track their own progress and analyze their own fitness levels. These devices are god ways to motivate those exercising. When showing students how to perform specific exercises, drills, or sport skills, model demonstrations are frequently very helpful. Technology has allowed these demonstrations to be done using videos, and shown over and over, from different angles, etc.
The Internet is also beneficial for students if used the correct way. Students can talk with experts in physical health. They could also research health topics, and effects of certain activities, medications, food, etc. Some software programs, or even programs on websites, can allow students to track their own nutritional status and use programs to help them. Also, videos can be used in PE or health classes to show, first-hand, the consequences of ill-advised choices related to health. Technology can help a physical education or health class in many ways, but it is important not to let technology take over the exercise and actual physical activity of the class.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Chapter 13
M.D. Roblyer's Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching offered special advice about integrating technology into art and music classrooms in Chapter 13. In grammar school and in high school I do not think I ever experienced using technology in an art class or a music class. I was pretty interested in the information that this chapter was going to give, just because I was not really sure what to expect about using technology for art and music.
The chapter first addressed integrating technology into music classrooms. I am not very familiar with music at all, and I never took a music class in high school or in college. However, it seemed like there were many ways that technology could help in a music classroom. I think it is very important for students to be able to create their own music, record, edit, and play it back as audio. New technologies make this much easier and more affordable for students. Another important technological innovation is the development of what I think is called notation software. It is definitely important for students to be able to word process sheet music. Also, I think that music tutorials are great ways to help students learn and practice. They could hear specific sounds, pick out instruments, identify musical notes along with sounds, etc. Technology has definitely transformed the recording word, and can also transform the music classroom.
The next part of the chapter described technology that can improve art education. The text mentioned that funding for art education is at an all-time low. I can definitely see how this can hurt art classrooms and especially their use of technology. However, the text still gave good ideas for technology in art classrooms. One idea that I liked a lot involved the students using the Internet or databases to search for certain images. This could take place in many ways. The teacher could teach about a specific type of art work, an artist, or a period, and then have the students look for specfic pieces of art that fit into that category. This way, the students will probably better learn the topic, if they are looking and sharing themselves. The text also mentioned using PowerPoint presentations to display artwork to a class. This is the only way that I have ever seen technology be used in any of my art classes, and this didn't happen until college. My art history class consisted of the teacher displayed different artworks on the PowerPoint screen and then discussing and asking questions about them. I enjoyed this form of teaching because we were not reading from a textbook, but instead viewing only the work we were studying, and then discussing it as we examined it ourselves.
A fairly new form of artwork that is definitely progressing and expanding rapidly, is that of digital imagery. The software that has been made so accessible to almost anyone can easily manipulate digital imges and even video. Using these types of manipulations in the classroom can allow students to use their creativity to change an image or video. Another way to use technology in the classroom, is to take the class on a virtual field trip to an art museum. I think that this is such a great idea since museums have so much to offer and there is little funding available. Lastly, technology can be used to create collections of works to be displayed. Students can create their on portfolios. Teachers could create websites or PowerPoints consisting of students' work. Technology offers so many ways to compile pieces of art to display for many to see. Though one may not normally think that technology could eso useful in art and music classrooms, it is very interesting to see how technology really does have a place here and can greatly benefit and advance children of all ages.
The chapter first addressed integrating technology into music classrooms. I am not very familiar with music at all, and I never took a music class in high school or in college. However, it seemed like there were many ways that technology could help in a music classroom. I think it is very important for students to be able to create their own music, record, edit, and play it back as audio. New technologies make this much easier and more affordable for students. Another important technological innovation is the development of what I think is called notation software. It is definitely important for students to be able to word process sheet music. Also, I think that music tutorials are great ways to help students learn and practice. They could hear specific sounds, pick out instruments, identify musical notes along with sounds, etc. Technology has definitely transformed the recording word, and can also transform the music classroom.
The next part of the chapter described technology that can improve art education. The text mentioned that funding for art education is at an all-time low. I can definitely see how this can hurt art classrooms and especially their use of technology. However, the text still gave good ideas for technology in art classrooms. One idea that I liked a lot involved the students using the Internet or databases to search for certain images. This could take place in many ways. The teacher could teach about a specific type of art work, an artist, or a period, and then have the students look for specfic pieces of art that fit into that category. This way, the students will probably better learn the topic, if they are looking and sharing themselves. The text also mentioned using PowerPoint presentations to display artwork to a class. This is the only way that I have ever seen technology be used in any of my art classes, and this didn't happen until college. My art history class consisted of the teacher displayed different artworks on the PowerPoint screen and then discussing and asking questions about them. I enjoyed this form of teaching because we were not reading from a textbook, but instead viewing only the work we were studying, and then discussing it as we examined it ourselves.
A fairly new form of artwork that is definitely progressing and expanding rapidly, is that of digital imagery. The software that has been made so accessible to almost anyone can easily manipulate digital imges and even video. Using these types of manipulations in the classroom can allow students to use their creativity to change an image or video. Another way to use technology in the classroom, is to take the class on a virtual field trip to an art museum. I think that this is such a great idea since museums have so much to offer and there is little funding available. Lastly, technology can be used to create collections of works to be displayed. Students can create their on portfolios. Teachers could create websites or PowerPoints consisting of students' work. Technology offers so many ways to compile pieces of art to display for many to see. Though one may not normally think that technology could eso useful in art and music classrooms, it is very interesting to see how technology really does have a place here and can greatly benefit and advance children of all ages.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Chapter 12
Personally, I have never really liked the subject of Social Studies. I have always enjoyed math and even science and English more. However, chapter twelve of M.D. Roblyer's Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching, gave some great ideas of how to use technology to make social studies more interesting and beneficial.
With the emergence of technology, the Internet, and other communication devices, the global world is becoming smaller and individuals have access to more information about the world and the people in it. Due to this, the content of social studies keeps growing, but teachers still only have a certain amount of time to cover all of the information. One problem is that using technology in constructivist ways usually takes more time, and even though it could be very powerful, it doesn't allow for the teacher to cover as much information. Also, the Internet has so much information that it is very important for students to know what is accurate and what is not. The text said that, "Some believe that rather than shying away from hate or conspiracy sites, we should be using them as demonstration tools to teach our students how to become critical consumers of information." Last semester, in my education class, my teacher did an activity just like that. We all had to look up sites that he gave us, mostly hate sites, and see how they gave out information and how they worked to make the viewers believe in them. It was a great way to see the false, but tricky information on the Internet, that younger people could easily believe.
Next, the text talked about good strategies for using technology in social studies. There were a bunch of ideas that I really liked. First, simulated problem-solving environments seemed like they would b like games, fun and exciting, but provided problem solving skills for social studies scenarios. Also, as I have mentioned before, virtual field trips are great for every content area, but they can really add a great dimension to a social studies class. Student telecollaborations seemed like a great way to get students from different places to work together and gain insights about other parts of the world. Last semester and this semester I have worked with the Deliberation in Democracies website where my class has communicated with people from the Ukraine. I feel like this type of communications, if done properly, can greatly benefit students.
Another great idea that the textbook offered, was digital storytelling. I think the best way to integrate this into the classrooms would be to have the students create a digital story about a famous person or era related to what they are learning. This seems like such a fun and simple thing to do. Finally, I think that using drill and practice or instructional games is a perfect way to get students to memorize facts like capitals, locations of states, dates, geography, and famous events. In school, I had never had to learn the capitals of the states, and just this past year I decided that I wanted to learn them. I went on a website and used a drill and prat ice game over and over until I knew all the capitals. I really think that this was a perfect way for me to quickly learn them.
Social studies is a very broad topic that can cover many areas. Though many can find it uninteresting or not fit for them, there are many ways to make it more interesting for all students. Technology definitely has so much to offer in getting students interesting and excited about learning social studies.
With the emergence of technology, the Internet, and other communication devices, the global world is becoming smaller and individuals have access to more information about the world and the people in it. Due to this, the content of social studies keeps growing, but teachers still only have a certain amount of time to cover all of the information. One problem is that using technology in constructivist ways usually takes more time, and even though it could be very powerful, it doesn't allow for the teacher to cover as much information. Also, the Internet has so much information that it is very important for students to know what is accurate and what is not. The text said that, "Some believe that rather than shying away from hate or conspiracy sites, we should be using them as demonstration tools to teach our students how to become critical consumers of information." Last semester, in my education class, my teacher did an activity just like that. We all had to look up sites that he gave us, mostly hate sites, and see how they gave out information and how they worked to make the viewers believe in them. It was a great way to see the false, but tricky information on the Internet, that younger people could easily believe.
Next, the text talked about good strategies for using technology in social studies. There were a bunch of ideas that I really liked. First, simulated problem-solving environments seemed like they would b like games, fun and exciting, but provided problem solving skills for social studies scenarios. Also, as I have mentioned before, virtual field trips are great for every content area, but they can really add a great dimension to a social studies class. Student telecollaborations seemed like a great way to get students from different places to work together and gain insights about other parts of the world. Last semester and this semester I have worked with the Deliberation in Democracies website where my class has communicated with people from the Ukraine. I feel like this type of communications, if done properly, can greatly benefit students.
Another great idea that the textbook offered, was digital storytelling. I think the best way to integrate this into the classrooms would be to have the students create a digital story about a famous person or era related to what they are learning. This seems like such a fun and simple thing to do. Finally, I think that using drill and practice or instructional games is a perfect way to get students to memorize facts like capitals, locations of states, dates, geography, and famous events. In school, I had never had to learn the capitals of the states, and just this past year I decided that I wanted to learn them. I went on a website and used a drill and prat ice game over and over until I knew all the capitals. I really think that this was a perfect way for me to quickly learn them.
Social studies is a very broad topic that can cover many areas. Though many can find it uninteresting or not fit for them, there are many ways to make it more interesting for all students. Technology definitely has so much to offer in getting students interesting and excited about learning social studies.
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