Pakinui's Blog

Assignment 2

pakinui — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:11:19 +0000

I have been thinking about my assignment, and had thought about recycling, but your ordinary recycling that I think pretty much every school does constantly, but thinking about e-waste. I think this would be interesting, expecially for around the intermediate age, as they will most likely be very computer savy, expecially in regards to Ross Intermediate, as they now have a computer scheme where each child gets a laptop, and they have the choice of paying $600 for it afterwards. This will highlight the very big issue of what is happening to the old e-waste, and how it is affecting our environment. I can see there could be some really good learning activities for the children. My first thought was getting a hold of some old computers, or e-waste, and getting the children to take it apart, and looking at the different componenents that make up these computers, etc. Then they could identify the different types of metals and other things that are used in the making of these products.It is these different things that have certain hazardous effects to not just the environments, but after seeing some items on current affairs programes, they are also hazardous to peoples’ health. To encourporate the use of the internet as not just a search engine, children can use it to talk to others in either other countries, or around NZ, and their thoughts and understandings. I understand that a lot of the e-waste is shipped over to poor countries, and they dump it for a a price. These places are supposed to be recycling them, but they are not. I wonder what people from around these areas understand of the recycling of e-waste? It’s something that a class could consider, anyway.

With the communication, there is the English written skills that will be used, as well as science and technology in volved in the understanding of what makes up this e-waste.

What do you think?

I feel this is a very real issue in society, that is only going to get bigger, as technology becomes more universal, and prevalant in society.

To what extent has today met my expectations?

pakinui — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:49:45 +0000

It was good to hear what others have used while on their teaching experiences. I thought we had it pretty good with technology, but we had nothing compared with others. It also gives me ideas as to some technology I could use once in my own class.

My only concerns that I have is how to use half the technology. For a start, I was unimpressed with the smart board when I had a look at it, but I think it’s most likely because I have no idea how to use it. Obviously I have an idea of the basics, but I feel there is so much more that it can be used for, but I am at this stage unable to use it to its full putential. If I was able to spend a good few hours with it, I’d be much more able to identify different ways it can be incorporated into my classroom, in order to enhance learning. The problem with this is that with all the available technology out there, it’s just not possible to spend the time in getting to know all the technology out there. Where does one start?

Response to Panos’ Comment to Q1

pakinui — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:32:36 +0000

One time we used technology quite a lot was when the children were making posters of the habits of the mind. The reason for doing it this way was that we wanted the children to be able to make them mean something to themselves. So, rather than putting up purchased posters, they used digital camaras to take pictures of what they thought the habits of mind were. For example, one of the habits of mind is to learn from your mistakes. To show this, the children took photos of them making a mistake, like standing in a puddle of water, and then they took a photo of them goign around the puddle. After the photos were taken, they then went to the computers and had them put them onto the computer to make a poster. They put headings of the habits of mind on these, using the computer. The use of computers meant that they were able to add speech bubbles to their posters, and they were able to become part of the posters. This made it more real to the children, and they do refer to these posters a lot. This enhanced the children’s learning writing for year 3′s can sometimes be a barrier to the students learning, if they struggle in that area, and making these real for children means they will understand them, and use them. This approach has also been used when the children were learning about dental hygiene, where they modelled how to clean their teeth. By using the computers, the posters looked more like something you would expect to see in a dentist or shop.

Question 3:You, your colleagues and technology

pakinui — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:06:41 +0000

I have found that, overall, most teachers are against the use of computers as entertainment, or a means to an end, and are more interested in the children learning how to use them, and to enhance the learning of children.

The school’s IT guy’s attitude towards technology was that it was great as long as it’s being used to enhance learning, and not as a means of playing. My associate also feels that computers should be used as a way of understanding how to use them, and not as a means of merely publishing their work, as she has seen them used at times. Children need to understand how to use them, and she also feels that children need to learn typing skills, as they are becoming more important as the use of computers is becoming more important and necessary. I whole heartedly agree that with the importance of computer in this day and age, it is important that children are not only taught how to type, but that they are learning how to use their computers. One day most children will have their own computers, and it’s really important to be able to use them to their full potential. For a while I myself used to have to re-write things repeatedly until I discovered the magic copy and paste! (Actually I think my husband let me in on that little secret)

Another teacher feels strongly about technology, but a lot of the work with technology is delegated to the school’s IT person, although he does try to get in with them when able.

One of the teachers expressed the same view as I did about having a projector in the classroom. She finds the use of a projector really benificial, and would like to be able to use it a lot more, as there is a real need for it in the classroom permenantly. She doesn’t use it often at the moment, as it is a lot of work, and a real hassle, to have to bring in the projector and get it all set up. This is something that has been put on the long term plan for the school, but as it’s very expensive, it will be a wee while until it will happen. This teacher is lucky to have 2 computers for the classroom, on top of the laptop that all teachers have, and these are used regularly in her classroom.

I am hoping to discuss this issue with the principal of the school, as his opinion matters greately with the allocating of funds to certian areas, and it will influence it greatly, so watch this space.

Question 4, The school of the future

pakinui — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 04:01:48 +0000

I think it would be good if children were able to have their own computers. As a university student, find it odd that all assignments have to be either submitted electronically, or done on a computer and printed out, yet when it comes to exams, it’s back to the old ages, and spending 3 hours writing. Fortunately, Ibecause of medical reasons, am able to do all exams on computers. Because of this, I have seen the benefits to doing exams on computers, and find handwritten exams rather old fashioned. It is also benifitial for those that have poor writing, and markers who can’t understand what is written. This would also be benifitial in schools. It would be a lot easier for children to keep a track of any homework when it goes straight onto computers. There would be no excuses like, the dog age my homework. As a child, I have had my homework half eaten my my dog, he had also go to the toilet on my homework, and being as unorganised as I usually, would always forget or lose my homework sheets. This could all be fixed if this was done electronically. If there was a wireless type of intranet for the children, where they could access any homework, ask teachers or even other classmates questions, then the children would always be in the know as to what was happening in school. This would enhance learning and teaching for both children and teachers. With laptops these days, they have web cams, so that children can also have video conferencing if they are unable to get to school for any reason. This could do away with schools altogether, but children would be unable to get hands on opportunities as they would get in a classroom situation.

Question 2, The teaching and learning environment

pakinui — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:41:36 +0000

My memories of technology in the school are a lot different from what they are now. I think we did have oveerhead projectors, but I’m not too sure. I do have very vivd memories of computers though. It was a huge thing when my primary school had bought a macintosh computer! I was so excited to play on it, but it took weeks before I was finally alowed to use it. I spent those weeks watching as others in the class were able to play a game, (I think it was the only thing they had on the computer!), and when I finally got to sit at the computer, it was over before it begun! I was trying to get used to how to control it, and I never did get used to it, because my few minutes was up. That is the only time I ever got to use it. Through high school, I was able to use a computer in my 6th form year, only as I had opted to take a course in computers, but I struggled, as it was so foreign to me. I went to a large, high decile high school, and it only had 1 room of computers. That was in the early 1990′s. Now, mhy old school regularly uses computers and ICT resources in homerooms and in the computer suite, and electronic technology is compulsory, rather than opting in to it as I had in school. It is obvious to see the influence of technology, and how it is being integrated into schools, in order to educate children on how to use it, and enhance learning.

We used what would be called old fashioned camaaras, that used film, and if they’d taken photos, we would then have to wait for the film to be finished, and then developed, which could take weeks.

Compared to the technology available in schools now, I feel like I was educated in the dark ages! I hadn’t heard of the internet until I was 20. When I was at school, it was so exciting to get to use a computer, but my children get sick of using computers at school, because they use them so much at home, it’s comes very natural to them. Compared to home, it is more restricting to them, having to do what they’re told on the computers.

The sort of things that I see my children doing with computers and digital camaras just blows me away. I’d never have had the opportunities to do what they do. They integrate the technologies, and do green screaning, to create images where they’ve put different backgrounds with photos taken by children. When I was at school, the camara club used film camaras, and that was at high school.

It’s exciting to see the changes that are happening with technology in schools, and it’s important to embrace it, but also to inderstand how it can help, and what children need to learn about technology.

Question 1, Me and Technology

pakinui — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 02:55:37 +0000

The school I am at has apple computers throughout the school, with an internal internet, which is wireless, and anything can be accessed by other teachers and staff. This is used for taking the roll in the morning, and after lunch. When a student is sick, they leave a message on the answerphone, and these are checked, and then entered into the intranet, which is what they call their internal wireless system. So when the teacher calls out the roll, the children are cheked off on this, and anyone that has already called in sick, will automatically come up as away. If students arrive late, they will then have an L placed by their name. There are a list of letters that can be used for the different reasons for their absense. The great thing about this is that as soon as it is saved, those whose jobs it is to catch up on any absenese are able to get the information immediately, and can start calling up families, to ensure that the children are safe. I system very helpful, as in previous schools, children would have to come around classrooms to get a list of any absences, which was very time consuming. Another upside to this system is that these can be used for legal purposes, and if they are handwritten, and a mistake is made, then they can no longer be used in a court of law (this is mostly done for custody battles, to prove that a parent isn’t making their child attend school regularly).

This system is also used for notices. If any teacher has something to tell either the teachers, or the children, they can add something to the notices, which are read out by a student after the roll is taken. All assessment is put onto this intranet system, and my associate teacher puts very little in hard copy. This is helpful if a teacher needs to get some information on a child or achievement in a certain area, and it’s all online for them to access anywhere in the school. Once in the 7 weeks that I’ve been there have they had a problem where there was a problem with the system, and they had to run the absences over to the office.

An important piece of technology that I have found essential for my teaching is my ipod touch. I use it as a dictionary during writing, a calculator during maths, (I really haven’t learned my 52 times tables, and someone had to mark his work!), I also use it to leave notes as to what I need to get ready, words to songs that I teach the children, guitar chords for songs, and pretty much everything one could think of.

Some technology that I think would be beificial would be overhead projectors and a projector unit for the computer. I find it really time consuming and a waste of resources to have to get large pieces of card and write out the words to all the songs that I teach, and there is sometimes the problem of being unable to see the sheet of card. When my associate teacher wanted to play a youtube clip for the children, they had to crowd around her table, and not everyone could see, so it would have to be played several times. From what I have seen, these projectors are in the hall only, but would be handy in the classrooms.

The school has computer rooms for the senior, and middle team. I think the middle team computer room is used for the junior team. In these rooms, there is only enough computers for 1/4 of the class, so children have to work in groups of 4, and not all children get a chance to use the computer. They are working on getting a pod set up that carries enough laptops for a classroom, and this can go from classroom to classroom. The upsides to this is that it will take up a lot less room, it is portable, so there is no need to go to them, and with the lack of size of the desk top computeres, they will be able to have enough computers for the whole class.

The school also has a lot of digital camaras, that can go from classroom to classroom. These are used every week, and when they go on a trip, camaaras are given to some of the children to take their own photos. With the ease of taking photos, and being able to put them straight onto the computer, they are able to do a lot more with them. Gone are the days where they would come out as an expensive photograph!

Monday’s Class

pakinui — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:19:54 +0000

Well, I have to say, I’m starting to get a better understanding of digital rhetoric, and it’s importance when choosing technology in the classroom. I can’t say I managed to take in everything, as I ended up with a blinding migrain, but am feeling more confident.

Wahooooo!

pakinui — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:04:58 +0000

Yay, one more sleep till my husband gets back from China.

I love to see the back of him, but I soo love it when he comes home! What can I say, he balances out the crazy in me.

pakinui — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:24:01 +0000