Friday, April 22, 2011

Week 13

- When and how do teachers act as designers?

Teachers are always acting as designers by making lesson plans for their students. When a powerpoint or any other technology that a teacher can use in their class is made, it requires some level of designing on the teacher’s part.

- Select one of the followings and explain what it is and how it can be used in classroom: SketchUp, Trebuchet Simulator, Model Car Design, Scratch, iStopMotion, Impromptu. 

iStopMotion is a program that is used to help students create a time-lapse recordings and their own animated movies. iStopMotion allows the students to use several different kinds of technology to put together these animated movies in small increments. It could be used in the classroom by students to make small animations and can be applied to different subject areas like social studies and in language arts. I like that elementary students can use it as well. I would have my students put into groups and show their animation to the class.

- Explain "Digital Storytelling by Kate Kemker." What do you think it would work in your classroom?

Digital storytelling involves three parts. The first is when a student makes a storyboard on paper. Then they shoot their video and edit it on the computer using different software like Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro. I think that it can be used in the classroom to help students develop good organizational skills and to teach them how to develop a good structure for their work to be successful.

- Mathematics is one of the most abstract subject-matter domains. Helping students to visualize mathematical concepts is very useful in helping students make math real. What other methods suggested in the textbook will also help make math more real to students?

The book speaks a lot about different programs that are helpful in teaching mathematics. Some of these programs are Mathematica, MathLab, and Statistical Analysis System. I have used MathLab in college, and I felt that it was incredibly helpful because the program offered examples and step-by-step instructions. Tools like graphing calculators are also helpful.

- Is it possible to learn from TV alone?--that is, learn how to do something merely from watching TV instruction? 

This is something that I am not really sure of. I believe that some things can be learned by watching TV if they are simple enough, but I also believe that learning through instruction and using hands on experience is very important.


Jonassen, D., Howland J., Marra, R., and Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful Learning with Technology (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Pearson. 

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