Blog Post 10 - Wordle

One of the most interesting things I learned in this class was the program Wordle. Wordle is a program in which one copies and pastes any amount of text and a word picture is generated. The words which appear most frequently are larger and more bold, while the words that are used less are smaller. After researching more about Wordle, I discovered that the program will automatically eliminate common words such as "a" and "the." Also, Wordle differentiates the same word with different letter cases as different words, which could be an inconvenience. Wordle allows the user to change the style, font, and colors of the word picture, so it can be more personalized.

I think Wordle has extremely large potential within the field of education. Children in general are very visual, and seeing a word picture could help them understand ideas or concepts. Also, Wordle could be useful in helping to introduce a lesson, because the teacher could discuss most important topics first, and then continue on with other aspects of the lesson. Moreover, Wordle could be very useful to do an activity such as the one done during class, in which the instructor takes papers written by students and puts them all into one word picture, so the students can see which ideas and themes they collectively wrote most about.

Wordle Ideas

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By searching google for "Wordle," I was able to find an entire slideshow on uses of Wordle for education. This is extremely useful, and it is something I will look at again because some of the ideas are very good tools for teaching.

Blog Post 9 - Gaming

I was extremely impressed by the article about the positive effects that video games can have on children. It discussed five major areas in which children can learn valuable life skills. The first is how; children can learn concepts such as pattern recognition and multi-tasking simply by learning how to play a video game. Secondly, children can learn about rules and what happens when rules are broken. Also, video games teach strategy and skills such as cause and effect and persistence. Moreover, the setting of a video game can teach children about different cultures and environments, as well as give them an understanding of their own environment. Lastly, children can develop their value-based and moral skills through video games.

This is an important concept to grasp when working in the field of education. Children these days spend a large amount of time spending video games; it will be important for me to emphasize to my students that vast amounts of learning can actually take place while playing their games. Moreover, I can also use certain video games to teach concepts within the class. One good example is Tetris, in which children could learn spatial skills.


I chose this video from youtube because it is an entertaining but informational video showing how video games can be both educational and fun. This video is further proof that video games can be used for learning. I found it on youtube by searching for video games and learning.

Blog Post 8: Distance Education

Distance education is a topic that is becoming extremely important and popular in today's technologically advanced society. Distance education is a means of educating people through use of technology such as computers, regular mail, television, and CD-ROMS. More than 96% of colleges offer distance learning class, including the University of Florida. I have personally taken two online classes, statistics and this very class. There are many advantages to taking a distance education class, such as working at your own pace, comfort, the availability of multimedia, and access to more materials. However, there are downsides as well; cost, security, and lack of personal impact are some major concerns for distance education.

Distance education, as the name implies, is most certainly an important topic in the field of education. Distance education can open the doors more many more people to be educated in a wider variety of topics. However, I plan to be an elementary school teacher and hope to teach first or second grade. At these young ages, distance education would not be practical, because children need more social interaction, teacher help, and hands on activities in order to be successful. Overall, distance education is extremely valuable in the field of education, but I would not use it personally.

Distance Education: Pros and Cons
I chose to include a more lengthy and detailed list of pros and cons of using distance education, because I feel it is important for teachers and students to weigh the benefits and negative aspects before choosing distance learning. I found this article by using google to search for "distance education pros and cons."

Blog Post 7: Open Source Software

Open source software has been around for a long time, but it is just starting to gain popularity among the public. Open source software is free software that is accessible by everyone because it is in the public domain. Programs such as Photoshop and Microsoft Office are expensive, and many people cannot afford such programs. However, open source software provides programs similar to these, such as Gimp and Open Office, for people to use instead. Also, open source software is able to be edited, updated, and redistributed by users, so the programs available are constantly being improved.

In the field of education, open source software would be an extremely valuable resource. Since teacher funds are limited, and are usually spent on supplies such as paper and pencils, many teachers do not have the money to fund expensive programs. However, open source software gives free access to similar programs, so teachers are able to use these programs in conjunction with their curriculum. I will without a doubt look into open source software programs when I become a teacher, because there are so many programs available that could benefit my students, and if I can access them for free, they would be a great addition to my classroom at no cost to me.


I included this diagram because it clearly maps out several different open source software programs as well as their purposes. This easily shows programs for all types of work and makes it simple to find a program to fit one's needs. I found this image on google images while searching for "open source software"

Blog Post 6: Learning Theories, Learning Styles, and Intelligences

Learning theories are interesting because they attempt to explain the way people learn, and take into account the fact that all people have different styles of learning. The three main learning models are behaviorism, which includes systems of reinforcing positive behaviors and punishing negative behaviors, information processing, which suggests that the mind works like a computer to process information, and constructivism, which states that humans construct their own versions of knowledge based on their experiences. Although their are criticisms about all of these types of learning, all of them have validity and are ways in which people learn.

In education, it is extremely important to know different models of learning. A model that works for one person may not work for another person. Also, the strategies for retention discussed in the presentation are good for teachers to know. Rehearsal, organization, elaboration, imagery, and schemas are all ways that teachers can show to their students in order for them to remember ideas and facts. I would use the information about learning styles to help cater to individual students and attempt to give each child a fair and equal chance at learning.


I chose this video taken from Youtube to display an example of both operant and classical conditioning, which are aspects of behaviorism.

Webspiration

I chose to use Webspiration because I really liked the rapid fire tool. It was the easiest tool for mapping, and I think I will use this tool again in the future.

Here is my webspiration map link about technical tools in education.

Blog Post 5: Podcasting

Podcasting is a word I had heard before, but I never knew what it meant or understood the concept. Podcasting allows listeners to access and hear digitally recorded audio shows. Anyone can create one, however they are time consuming and a bit challenging to make. The idea of podcasting is one that could change a lot about education, and make learning easier. I have never used a podcast, but I had some experience using my iPod for learning over the summer. I took Introduction to Music Literature, and we were required to memorize songs and artists. I put the songs on my iPod so I could listen and study wherever I went. In the same way, podcasts could be used to learn subjects such as music and foreign languages more easily and quickly.

Overall, I think podcasting is extremely applicable to the field of education. They would allow teachers to record lectures for students to review, and students who were absent could access the material they missed. Moreover, podcasts could be useful in teaching English to students who are from a different country, as education is become more and more diverse every year. Even more importantly, assigning students the task of creating a podcast could help muster creativity, research skills, and effective communication. While there are negative aspects, such as the amount of time podcasts require, the benefits far outweigh the issues.


Podcasting
I chose to look up a website that contains actual podcasts. I liked this website because it easily and simply lays out for the user different podcasts that they can listen to and a place where they can upload their own podcasts. It also has convenient features, such as the "Top 10 Podcasts" as determined by the listeners. I found this website by searching for "podcasting" on google.