After School Program Overview/Journal

1st Week: Orientation: I drove to Emily Dickinson and met the group that was doing the After School Program for the first Cohort Session. I also got to met the After School Program Coordinator who showed me the computer lab and recess area for their students.
For this first week I observed the students and discussed with my peers what they had done in the past and what their experience was so far. I got advice from them and a list of projects that they had done with the kids.
After checking out the school and meeting some of the students individually I went back home.

2nd Week: For this week I planned to introduce students to the website abcya.com which provides games and typing programs for the grade levels 1st to 4th grade. I had kids from 2nd to 5th grade. Everybody was very engaged and motivated to fulfill tasks and the games. Most of the games have a score in the end of it to see how and if you improve your skills (typing). Some of the students got very ambitious and tried really hard to beat their peers.
It was a lot of fun and I was surprised that after 1 hour I had to send students back to their class since they rather would have played some more with the computer.

3rd Week: Spring Break was coming up. So I decided to use the Program Word to have students type a paragraph about their plans during Spring Break. After that was completed they were free to play games on abcya. com again. I observed that half of the students (mostly 4th and 5th grade) had no problems typing a paragraph in Word. Their motor skills were better than the ones from younger kids. Also, grammar and spelling came much easier to them. I stayed mostly with the younger kids for this project and kept motivating and helping them. After everyone was done typing everybody was excited for the online games.

4th Week: This week I used the program called switcharazoo.com. This is a fun website to be creative, have fun but still learn about animals and different environments they live in. Students from every grade level (2nd up to 5th grade) enjoyed this website very much. There was much laughter and showing proudly their completed projects to me and their friends. Again, by the time one hours past I had to send students back to the other group because everyone just wanted to keep going!

5th Week: Since the students enjoyed learning and talking about animals the past week I decided to have them write a paragraph about their favorite animal in the Program Word. I gave no rules and kids could talk about real animals or make their dream animal up. Everybody enjoyed fantasizing about their dream animal and one paragraph was fast filled. After that we went into the Program KidPix and everyone was given the task to now draw their animal and its talents. Students who wanted a Print saved their work onto a USB Stick and for the next week I made prints to bring to class.

6th Week: It is the last week and to show my appreciation I brought candy to class! Students were given the choice to use their favorite Program (switcharazoo,abcya) or I introduced them to the online game Bob the Builder. Here you can play games, draw and be creative. Most kids knew the TV Show and enjoyed the games very much.

My overall experience was very good. The Coordinator for the After School Program was very organized and students as well me knew when and what to do. Children were very excited about the tech club and lined up at 4pm to spend the next hours with me. They listened very well, followed instructions and were engaged in their work. Of about 10 Students I had only one students that needed one on one time and more help than anybody else. This was a great experience and opportunity for me to see how I can manage a classroom (while focusing on one student) and timing (give everyone equal attention).   
Although I must honestly say that I am not a huge fan about technology I did enjoyed this project and learned new skills.

Innovation Technology

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DbSeBdZOVghcpwI-nVfKeBuRMD-itO7gv08OB8ZH36Y/edit

The one tool I chose to focus on was the white smart board. Especially for a class like Edu 370 this is a amazing tool that can simplify tasks for students by showing them on the white board how to use programs. Some people are visual learners and by seeing what is done and hearing the teachers instructions they might have it much easier to fulfill assignments. The white board is engaging and fun. It is a "attention grabber" and interesting to look at.
The person using the board has to be cautious when opening sites due to popups that might be inappropriate. 

Case Study 12 Virtual School

I found some information on a website called CC State Notes. Here it says that each state is different and the person responsible for paying the virtual school varies from each state. Example: North Dakota requires the student to pay for the courses Fifteen states look to the local district for the funding Nine states fund directly from the state. Information was not available to address this question in three states. I believe that students like Michael schould get help from the district or federal government. He is an engaged students who tries hard to keep his grades up but simply does not have the time to finish his assignments and homework due to his family situation. If he gets finacial help but still fails his courses he should be reliable for expanses but if the virtual school actually benefits him and his situation he needs the support. Every public school should have the virtual school component. So many students can benefit from it. Students with disabilities, lacks of resources or far traveling distance, extra curriculum opportunity for highly motiviated students etc etc. The virtual school component does not seem to have many fall backs. It doent cost the school much money or hurts it in any other way. j To inform parents properly meetings after school should be held. Teachers should clearfiy benefits and fall backs for virtual schools. Than each parent can decide what is best for their child. Teachers should defenitly take some classes to learn how to lead a online course. Receiving a degree just for online teaching is in my opinion not necessary. A minimum of 3 classes (starter course with technoloy, intermediate, and advanced course) should be enough to proberly prepare a teacher for teaching online courses. pg.7 I am not familiar with virtual schools and would like to know mor about benefits and eventual problems that can occur. I have never even thought about online schools since I grew up in a little residental area with a small school. Technology was not a important tool that my teachers used. I do believ thouhg that virtual schools have many benefits and can help a variety of people in different circumstances.

Podcasting Case Study 10

1) In order to prepare your class for podcasting it is important to use a easy accessable media. A program that everyone is familiar with and knows how to use. Before introducing podcasting to the class you may go over the program with which the class will watch you videos in the future. 2) Potential Benefits: Including Podcasting in your classroom can be a alternative to the common lecture. Students in athlete clubs for example can watch a lecture during a busride to their next game instead of missing the entire lecture. Information from teachers "all over the world" is accessable and can be used in the classroom and curriculum. j Watching podcasts is another way of learning (visual learning and auditorial learning). It offers a different way to present information, a maybe more attractive way to students in the 21st century. Teachers can have a longer hands-on time in class. Students can watch the lecture at home and during class have discussions or projects relating to the watched video. Recorded lectures can easily be viewed by substitute teachers and give them a opportunity to get prepared for their lesson in that particular class without totally going in a different direction than the actual teacher of that class. It is important to keep in mind that podcasting is NOT a replacement of class/lecture. Teacher/Student time together is very important in my opinion and cannot be replaced by simply watching a video. 3) Students must watch the casts and should be tested on the content. If they fail to watch the videos they will fail the class or will have to stay longer in school. Just like other homework it is the students interest to succeed in the class and know what is going on and needed in the class. Time management, self responsibility and other skills can be enforced. 4)I think that students still need to be in class and attend lectures. I would onlyn use Podcasts to review material for a upcoming exam, extra homework or simply a chance to review today's lecture again and take more notes. In class attendance and interaction with peers and the teacher cannot be replaced by just watching the lecture at home.

Podcast

Conceptual Analysis "Digital Storytelling"

First of all: My Digital Story was about my move from Germany to the United States. I showed images from both countries (Montana in particluare since I live here now) and listed a couple interesting facts about each photograph. Also, I included in my presentation a little slide in which a airplaine flies from Germany to the US. This gives viewers a better geographical understanding of the two places that are described in the movie.

By using a project similiar to this in a class room, I would try to promote a couple of laearning objectives such as:
Having students brainstorm about ideas on what they can do their project on (in groups or individual) I hope to improve their critical thinking (where can I do appropriate research and get information, what is appropriate for this subject and age group), practical thinking (what could be interesting to my peers, what is a good/fun/informative movie) and creative thinking (have many ideas, informtive movie, funny movie, persuasive movie, cartoon, music etc) skills.
While working with students and creating the actual iMovie I hope to improve their performance skills (able to setup, operate and produce a iMovie and other programs used during project).
In addition, I whish for students to become interdisciplinary leaners (connecting ideas, disicplines, contexts) in the group that they are working in or individal. Sometimes great ideas come during a project and my goal is for students to be able to logically include their additinal information in the already given movie. When working in groups this could promote interpersonal relationships with their peers. When working individually it could promote Self-Authorship (taking responsiblity in a good end result, overall product).
Moreover, students will learn about other cultures and places in the earth which gives them a better multicultural understanding and hopefully open mind to other cultures, religions, ethics etc.

Some of the realative advantages of creating a digital story about yourself (and presenting it later) are that students can choose what their topic is going to be about. They can build upon their strenghts and interests and may achieve a better result in the end because of this. After working with certain programs while creating their digital story (iMovie, Google, SpiderScribe for brainstorming etc etc) students will improve/renew their skills (what should you be able to to after class), knowledge (what should you know after class) and attitude (how do you think about this after class) about these programs. It the teacher decides to let students work in small groups they will learn how to be a valuable memeber in a group and interpersonal relationships among peers can be strenghtend.
Additionally, my goal would be to improve students overall "Applying skills" (operate system, demonstrate thoughts, choose topic, illustrate images etc), "Evaluating skills" (criticize peers, argue with peers) when looking at their peers work and "Creating skills" (combine information and images in movie, create intersing movie, formulate intorduction etc.)

Case Study Week 8 Cell Phones: A tool for Cheating?

1) I defenitly would have handled the situation similiar as the Teacher in the scenario. Before every Exam I would move tables apart and leave a big space between every student. Cheating by talking or looking over someones shoulder are prevented.  Because of the increased use of technologies and the danger of potential cheating through those I would have a basket on my desk and make every student put any electronic device  they have with them in it. After the exam everybody is welcome to take cell phones, iPods etc. back. If there are students who will protest and will not give their electronic device away I would pay extra close attention to their movement and behavior. Also, students who tend to hide in the background are more likleyto cheat, they are hiding something. In my opinion it is a good method to let everybody sit down and then say: "Everybody in the back comes and sits in the 1st and 2nd row and people who sit in the front can sit in the back and middle of the room." I know that a lot of my peers in High School got "screwed over" (excuse my language) that way!!!
2) I would not ban all cell phones. Pretty much everybody owns a cell phone and carries one with them 24 hours a day. Certainly that would be the case in your classroom and if you would ban cellphones, where should students put their cell phone during that time? I think the rule would get broken any day. Therefore, I would just make sure that certain rules are followed. For example, have you phone on "quiet mode", have it in your backpack, don't text during class. If students will not obey these rules and I would see someone text during class I would take the phone for the day and give it to the principle. The students can get it the next day with a note to the parents.
3)  I think that Laura and Jessica deserve a 0. But everybody does those mistakes. I was not an angel in High School! So I believe that warning them and giving them a bad grade is punishment enough. If they are motivated and engaged students this was their first and last time cheating. For the next couple exams I would pay close attention to them and if nothing seems superstitious I let them off the hook!
4) Cell phones should not be prohibited in school. Too much protest and arguments would occur. Most parents want their child to be able to call them if there is an emergency. Strong rules in each classroom must exist and followed. Also, the school boared should provide information on cell phone policies to the parents. If someone does not follow the rules no one can complain due to proper information that the school provided on this matter. If there are incidents after incidents I would recomend to have policies about electronic devices written out on a piece of paper and have parents sign them. The policy could for example be: Every electronic device must be handed in to the teacher before class and can get collected back after class. No ones personal things will be taken out of their sight and robbery accuses or inappropriate use/handeling of the device are avoided (accuse of the teacher).