Image: "no denial"
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My project is to join at least 2 suggested sites from www.suewaters.wikispaces.com. I joined Twitter and Ning. I have been exploring these site for the past couple weeks. I am still totally confused about Twitter! It's so simple but I am just not sure why I would need so many updates from people! I am also not sure how this would help with teaching. I guess if I were to find my students and have updates with them, but I am SURE they would not want me (as their teacher) to see all of their posts. I think if there was a way to make a network just for the classroom then it would be much more useful. etools.nIng.com is an awesome social network. There is TONS of information for educators on this site. I am still trying to navigate the site but I am thrilled with all the information so far.

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UOP 1 Reflection

Reflection Questions:

a. How did you have to adjust what you had planned?

I had planned to introduce PowerPoint and give step-by-step instruction about how to use the program. I had to adjust this because everyone already knew how to create a PowerPoint. 

b. Did students meet you understanding goal?

Yes. Everyone successfully created a PowerPoint Presentation with information that they synthesized from their research on the Internet. 

c. Did the technology help students achieve the goal?

Yes. I wanted students to analyze the impact that twentieth century Californians had on the nation's artistic and cultural movement. I also wanted students to locate, analyze, evaluate, synthesize and ethically use information from a variety of sources. This project allowed students to accomplish these goals. From the evaluations I learned that I should include step-by-step directions for the students that want more structure. Also I could sort the website by ease of accessibility.  

d. Did they use higher order skills?

Yes. The students had to synthesize information that they retrieved from the Internet.

e. Did their tech skill/s improve?

Since I tried this lesson with our class I think everyone was already familiar with PowerPoint so this did not improve our classes skills. But if I were to implement this is a fourth grade class then this would improve their research and technology skills. 

f. What did you like about the project? What did your students like?

I like that this project gets the students involved in the history of their community. I also like that it teaches them skills that they will use throughout their school career, such as researching and synthesizing information. From the evaluations I learned that they liked that students could pick their own topics and that it challenged students to access websites, analyze text and create original work. 

g. What could have gone smoother?

I think I would have explained the my learning goals better. I was preoccupied with explaining the project and I feel like I left out why they were doing the project.