kylesmith11

Journal 11 Chapter 8

2006-06-12T13:51:59Z

Story Problem Tutorial seems like a great way to encourage children to problem solve on there own. The fact that the program provides users with a tool bar for extra help, and a tutor that accesses students responses as well as providing feedback, is a great way for a student to work indepentantly. The TIPS enviroment tool allows students to conceptuallyy model the task, which is benificial, because they are able to gain a better understanding and transfer their problem solving ability. Chem-Lab seems like a pretty good learning tool for chemistry students. Doing science experiments on a computer has it's benifits such as no clean up, avoiding chemical smells, and potential explosions. Me personally, I would rather go through the whole experimental process even if it means blowing something up.
The Astronomy Village seems like a great program. Students have to work for about 4 weeks on each Stellar Investigation. The tools that are offered to the student seem very useful, all the tools outlined on page 214 seem like great resources and will encourage the student to problem solve, while investigating and analysing the problem that they are working on. I think these types of programs are really benifcial because they require students to search for information, make decisions on new information, and design a layout that works for the particular problem being investigated.
The sections on the "Nardoo River" and "Voyages of Mimi" sound like great problem solving tools to engage and support students. The fact that both of the learning enviroments are open-ended allows students to make decisions about what to investigate and how to investigate it. In the "Nardoo River" program students problem solve and actively manipulate the enviroment in order to learn about a particular ecological issue. This type of learning is similar to the what was disscussed in chapter in chapter 7 ( learning with Virtual Realities/Microworlds). Since the student is is creating the enviroment they get a sense accomplishment while learning all the other good things that come along with the design experience.

Chapter 7- Microworlds and Virtual Realities Journal 10

2006-06-07T04:07:43Z

Microworlds sound like a great learning tool. I think that the text raises a valid point when it says that instead of just watching or listening to a description of how something works, engaging activities can motivate learners to actively participate and direct their own learning rather than passively recieving knowledge in lecture based instructional delivery. The 4 essential characteristics of the Microworld outlined on page 191 make total sense to me.
Video-based games seem like a great tool to me. We all know that children love playing video games. So using Microworlds as a tool can make learning fun. In Microworlds students regulate and control their own learning, it works well because students are able to integrate the new learning they aquire with their past experiences in life.
The SimCalc project seems like a great way to learn calclus concepts. The fact that the student is controlling the animated character on screen through graphing makes the learning more interesting, as well it is a pretty cool concept that students can enter their motions into the sensing equipment and explore properties of their motion. Another good virtual game that the text book outlined was the counting money program. I liked the fact that the student can adjust the level of difficulty, this is a great idea because it allows the student to work on tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult. This is kind of along the same lines as Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development.
O.W.L The Open World Learning sounds like a great organization. It is reaching to students in low-income neighborhoods that would probably not have a chance to normally get this type of program. Students can mentor younger students and everyone involved benifits. The learning and assesment strategies that take place at the end of the a project allow for adeeper understanding of what the project was all about.
The project that the university of Missouri developed seemed pretty amazing. By designing past eniroments it allows the user to navigate through the streets and actively learn about that enviroment while exploring. I wish they had this type of program when I was in school.

Journal 9/ Hypermedia

2006-05-31T21:02:59Z

Multimedia plays a huge role in everyones life, in our fast paced society. Multimedia Technologies have really come a long way since the 1980's. Don't we all prefer Videodisk's and DVD to our old VCR. I recently purchased a DVD recorder, those things are so much better than recording on my old VHS, no messing with the tracking, way better quality and plus you don't have to worry about the stupid machine eating a tape of something important you needed ie. your wedding tape or game 7 of the Leaf's vs Canadian's (ya right). As for CD's there great I love burning and importing music into my itunes. It's so much easier than getting music the old fashion way.
Yes I totally agree with the text when it says that students learn more when they are the ones designing the Multimedia and Hypermedia. The students will develop team skills, problem solving skills, and developing structure/model order is very important when it comes to designing multimedia.
I found the section on the junior high school who designed the information Kiosk for there local zoo to be a great chance for those kis to explore multimedia. Those students were really excited about that project, when kids see that the work that they are doing has real world importance they feel that their work is important and relivant.
These types of projects take alot of time, depending on the childrens computer skills alot of initial support will be required, but when kids are interested in something they will work together, learn from each other, and come up with a great final product.

Visualization With Technology/ Chapter 5/ Journal 8

2006-05-29T14:58:06Z

The begining of this chapter looked at the development of learning with television. After reading the case for television, and the case against television as a learning tool, I have to say that I agree with the case against television. As we all know kid's and adult's alike watch way too much tv in our society. I admitt that I am guilty of this crime as well. I really agree with the text book when it says that tv displaces leisure reading. Alot of people adults and kids alike would rather sit and watch tv rather than sit and read a book. We all know that watching tv requires much less mental effort than reading. So when kids are watching tv for an educational purpose their brain activity slows down, making active learning not as benifial as reading the material in a book.
I like the idea of letting students produce the television programing. In doing this type of activity the student is actively engaging in meaningful learning and problem solving together. At the same time all the materials required to do even a minor production can cost alot of money. I don't know that most school boards have the financial resourses to purchase all the equipment required. Hopefully in the future more money will be put into programs that will allow students to produce tv and learn from it.
The "Jasper and Scientists" learning activity sounds like a great idea. Having problems embedded in video will force students to pay close attention to the details because they know that they will have to problem solve at the conclusion of the video. I think that this type of "Anchoring Instruction" is great . I tottally agree with the book when it says that this type of learning is more engaging then textbooks are. I wish they had this type of instruction when I was in school.
All of the idea's outlined in this chapter seem progressive and inovative. As an ECE I feel that implementing these types of instruction is really important. The only problem is getting the funding to support the programs. If the school boards don't have the funds, maybe looking to the companies who make the electronic equipment for donations is a possibility.

Hacking Humans Blog- Journal 7

2006-05-29T03:08:57Z

It was interesting to learn that digital hacking dates back to the 1950's. Before I read the aticle, my personal interpretation of the term Computer Hacker/Hacking was a person who is computer smart and has the ability to get information from a computer that is not easily avalible. But after reading this article, I see that virtually anyone with a computer can be a hacker and you don't have to be a computer expert. With all the tools avalible, searching for information about anyone is fairly simple. The fact that any individual exists on the internet at many points in their lives, is a very easy way to gain information on any individual. I know that when I am doing reasearch on the internet I hate sorting through all the old and out of date information, but old and out of date information is a hackers best friend. I liked the description that the old dead information on the internet is far from useless, but the net is a data graveyard waiting for a computer hacker to make use of it.

It's pretty crazy that by combining a phone directory service with Mapquest, the exact location of anyones house can be located. As well if the Hacker knows how to access the individual's blogs, photoblogs, etc, it becomes very easy to track someone's personal life and social networks. The section in the reading that disscussed caht rooms, really made me think. Not only can a Hacker sit passively in a chat room gaining personal information but the possibility of government agencies, stalkers, child preditors, and so on could as well be lurking in the back. Armed with others personal information any one of those groups of people could cause major problems for the chat room user. The reading points out that there are no tools avalible to determine whether or not an individual is been watched, as opposed to the vast amount of tools that are avalible for surveillance. I agree that surveillance goes beyond just watching, anybody with a computer and the right tools can gain information on almost anyone.

So to me Hacking seems like a good and bad thing. There are great tools avalible to those who want to use them. It's just a matter of using those tools in a positive way.

Journal 6- Chapter 4

2006-05-17T04:04:48Z

Wow was that a long chapter, alot of information to take in, and put into one journal entry but here I go. The first part of the chapter disscussed the different types of "Learning Comunities" and how they have evolved over time and with the aid of technology. The groups we have formed in this course can be compared to to the section on " Communities of Practice". Our groups share a common interest, we are often disscussing our weekly work, while trying to make sense of our collective tasks. So we are naturally learning from each other, while participating in our group/community.
The text raises an interesting point when it says that online communication lacks the richness of face to face conversation, it states that we lose important cues such as body language, tone of voice, accents, and other important ques to meaning. Since the following are not able to be communicated online, then it encourages authors to take more care to see that they are communicating clearly. I think that the next generation of people using online communication are going to have such advanced technolgy that very little will be lost in online communications.
I have to admit beforer this class I had used MSN chat only about five or six times. Now that I've been using it in class and had my computer up graded to handle it, I am finding it really easy to use. I feel like I have finally caught up to the rest of the world. Yes sometimes all the people talking at once can be overwhelming, but these conversations can always be scaled down.
I found the section on the "Global Schoolhouse " to be a great way to encourage schoolage children to learn about other cultures. If I was ten I would really like to participate in a program like this. Learning about kis your own age on the opposite side of the world is a great way to expose children to cultural differences, gives the oppurtunity to travel without leaving the classroom, and broadens students perspectives while motivating learning.
I agree with the text when it says that "Learning Comunities" are not a fad, But I feel a way of the future. Learnig Communities have so much to offer to those involved. Teachers and students are able to work together and develop new solutions that help the Learning Communitiy as a whole.

Journal 5- Chapter 3

2006-05-15T13:29:37Z

The Internet is becoming faster and more user friendly then it was 10 years ago. I agree that these developments are making it easier for public schools to access the Internet/WWB, giving children the oppertunity to use the computer as a learning tool is extremely important. The example of the Cornell Lab of Orinthology which allows children to to observe the nesting behaviors of birds through a live video feed is a great concept.
The increase in Distance Education couses that the Internet is providing is valuable in so many ways. Students who live in Rural areas can now have the the same oppurtunities as anyone who lives in the city. Distance Education is also much more convienient for some peoples busy lives. When my son was born I took advantage of Distance Education courses offered, so I could be home in the evenings and not have to come all the way down to Ryerson. I found it saved a bit of my time and travel costs.
Reasearching and finding information on the Internet is usually an easy task. It's the sorting of all the material that is the hard part. Being able to to determine useful materials vs useless materials is an important skill that children and adults must develop when using the Inter Net as a tool. I agree with the text when it states that commercial web sites are increasing at a faster rate than any other type of web sites, and as well bad organizations are posting hatred and students are the most likely victims. It is extremely important that students learn to discriminate opinion from information and not get sucked into commercial web sites that are trying to sell something. I feel that web filters are good and bad, they do filter some unwanted web sites, but at the same time they may may hold back useful websites. So everyone has their own opinion on this topic.
Webquests sound like an interesting way to get children involved in using computers as a tool. This type of project will also allow children to do group work, as the children take on various roles within the group they will get their peers perspective and learn from each other.

Chapter 2- Journal 4

2006-05-14T23:11:33Z

Chapter 2 started out by outlining many types of problems we are faced with on a daily basis. I have never really broke down problems into this wide range of categories. I totally agree with the text when it says the most interesting problems come from the nonschool world. As early childhood educators we should try and use problems from the real world in our classrooms. Giving children these types of opprtunities is important because it allows them to explore and think critically about the real world.
The Internet can be a very useful tool when searching for information, but I agree with the text when it states, simply asking students to find informaton on the Internet may not result in learning, because there is so much unreliable information that students will have to sort through. A good teacher will be clear in directions of what the student should be looking for and avalible for feed back during the research process. I know that when I am writing a paper on a givin subject, the information that I gather of off the Net has to meet the criteria that is listed on page 26 of the text. Using the computer as a tool to find information is one skill, but sorting all irrelivant information on givin topic is another.
This chapter has made me realize that every type of problem requires a different approach. As the text states a problem is an unknown. If we have a goal and do not know how to reach that goal, there is an unknown, so we have a problem. Guiding and encouraging children to find the unknown is the process of problem solving. Technology can be used as a tool in the problem solving process, but it is important to guide children on how to use technology properly.

Article on Weblogs class 3

2006-05-10T13:33:55Z

This article had alot on blogging and collaborative learning, most of it was said very well . I agree with the article when it says that the attraction of Weblogging has alot to do with social groups that emerge from interactions amoung weblogs and their authors. I often use the net to discuss sports and get other peoples perspective on a given topic. Since blogging is a fairly new thing to many of us in the class, the article states that in learning how to blog we we are extending and and tring new tools, but at the same time the practice of blogging is the same as teachers and students exchanging information in an academic enviroment. I have done a journal in the past, but the journal for this class is more interactive in the sense that we are able recieve and give feedback on our journals and in doing so gain a better understanding on the readings. I think the idea of having each group collaborate and come up with a finished product is a great idea. It will be beneficial in so many ways. People who are computer newbies will get help and exposure from their peers in learning with the new tools, and everyone will gain from reading a peers perspective in thier journal. When the article talks about how we as students turn to the Web when called upon to do research, I could not agree more with what it is saying. In past generations the bulk of research was done in the library or from books that were on loan. Now we have an unlimited amount of information from the comfort of our own homes through computers and the Web. The difficult part is sorting the infomation, because there is alot of garbage on the web on any givin topic. The concept of a virtual weblog sounds very interesting to me. The women who brought her sons fourth grade class on a virtual tour of Japan and China was exposing children to parts of the world they would not normally. This type of learning is not the norm, but I'm sure we will see alot more of this style in our schools in the future.The idea of E-Polios sounds like a great idea, making it easy to showcase your education and achievements can be beneficial in so many ways, such as post secondary education addmissions and for a potential employer.

Journal 2 Kyle smith

2006-05-08T22:47:45Z

When I read the first chapter of the text a couple of sections jumped out at me. The first being that children and adults alike learn through the information we process. As the book states, when we take in information we hold it briefly in our short term memory until we find a place for it in our long term memory. In other courses I have studied on the brain I have learned that a childs processing capacity expands with age. A younger child cannot simutaneously process as much information as an older child and their ability to learn and remember will not be as developed as that of older children. A great way in which children and adults learn is through cooperative and collabarative learning. Like most people in life I often naturally seek out other people to help me with a problem if I a stuck. This is especially true when it comes to dealing with technology such as computers. My personal experience with computers is limited to apple and macintosh products. In the past, I have used my computer for surfing the net, itunes, iphoto, and imovie. MSN chat is new to me, but it is something my friends have been bugging me to get over the last few years. So im kind of glad that i'm getting pushed into learning how to use it. The live journal aspect of this courseis new to me as well, I have kept a journal before in one of my previous ece classes, but never online. I think that sharing our journals will be good because we will get our peers perspective on whats going on in the course and sharing our own personal thoughts on things.

First class of CECE912 Journal 1

2006-05-03T22:57:35Z

Today I attended the first class of cece912. I am glad that I will be learning about MSM messenger. I have been putting it off for too long. I think this class is going to help bring me up to speed in certain areas of computer technology. I have only used computers to surf aand word process. This class is going to be good for me.