“Fulldome Video: An Emerging Technology for Education”
By Linda E. Law
This article had a great attention getting first paragraph! I was actually picturing myself traveling through space. Fulldome Video makes this experience possible for students. This large dome is great for teaching subjects, such as Geology, History, or Chemistry. Here is how it works. There is an inflatable dome in which students and teachers can pile into. The dome looks much like a large tent. Inside the dome, there is a laptop, projector and sound system. Teachers can choose a subject in which to complete a lesson on. The Fulldome Video idea is beneficial to students because they are able to visually see the picture or information on a large screen that covers all dimensions of the room. The attention getting paragraph described how the Fulldome Video was used to simulate space. What a great idea! The author also discusses the 3-D aspect of Fulldome. “Molecularium is a science lesson, a thrilling ride, a musical cartoon, and magical journey into the world of atoms and molecules.” This video is aimed to teach Elementary and Middle School students how molecules and atoms make up the world around us.
Question #1: Have you had a Fulldome Video experience?
No, I haven’t. However, I was reminded of 3rd grade, when our school went on a field trip to explore some of the San Diego museums. One of the places we visited while we were there was the IMAX Theater. I remember the film on earthquakes as if it were yesterday. At eight-years-old, this was the first time I had ever seen an IMAX. The fact that the picture was all around me, made a huge impact on the amount information that I retained. It was quite educational. We learned about earthquake faults, and the major cities they are located in California. The video displayed a diagram of the layers of the ground moving in a continuous wave. According to the article, it seems as though the Fulldome Video is a more expanded upon idea of IMAX. I believe that this would be a fun way for kids to learn the information expected of them.
Question #2: How would you use the Fulldome Video in your classroom?
As was discussed in the article, I believe that a lesson on astronomy would be perfect for the Fulldome Video. One of the concepts I had difficulties with in elementary school, was the fact that the Earth travels around the sun, and the moon travels around the Earth. I remember my teacher had me stand in the middle of the class. I was the sun. Then, he had another student, Joslyn travel around me as the Earth. Finally, Nathan, the moon, circled around Joslyn, and I was finally able to understand. This would be an excellent lesson for the Fulldome Video. Students would be able to stand under a black starry sky and watch the Earth travel around the sun, and the moon travel around the Earth.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Journal 9
“Should Cell Phones Be Banned From Classrooms?”
by Josh Allen and Liz Kolb
Both authors discuss their points of view on whether or not they believe cell phones should be used in the classroom. Kolb argues that cell phones could be an asset to help students in school. There are functions on most cell phones that may save money for the school in the long run. By letting students explore the Internet on their cell phones fewer computers may be used, cutting the cost of the extra PCs. Students may also use their phones for the calculator function or as a note-taking device. Kolb argues that since most students carry cell phones to school, teachers should let students use the tool that they already love and are proficient in. Special needs students may also use the phone to assist with their hearing. The author discusses a Web-based program called Jott that enables the student to record a lecture and transpose the audio into text through the phone. The text messaging function may also be used when teachers want to contact parents. The idea is to send out a mass text to parents discussing important assignments due so that they may be aware and ask their kids about school. This would keep parents informed.
Allen, on the other hand, shares a completely different view on cell phone use in the classroom. While Allen fully supports using the latest technology in the classroom, he does not feel that students should be using cell phones in the classroom. There are obvious reasons, such as the fact that a significant amount of students will be doing more than just school work on them. Allen feels that it would be very simple for kids to text each other without being caught, when they should be working on an assignment. Allen states, “Nothing that you can do on a cell phone will inspire students as they make their way into the world.”
Question #1: Do you believe cell phones could be an efficient learning tool for students in the classroom?
Quite frankly, I was laughing to myself when I was reading about how Kolb believes kids could benefit from playing with their phones in class. There were all sorts of things wrong with her explanations. One of her claims was that students could use the Internet. Now, I don’t know about you, but my Verizon plan charges me air time to use my phone Internet. I don’t ever use it for this reason. I could only imagine all of the angry parents who would get their kids’ $800 bill in the mail because the kid went over the 450 minutes allotted for doing school research during class, when their were most likely computers in the computer lab that would have been free of charge. Kolb also believes kids could use the calculator. While the calculator is convenient for tallying up the total amount of my paychecks to write on a deposit slip, I could not see myself using my cell phone calculator for any type of school work activities. They cannot do nearly as much as a TI calculator when students need to find logarithms or square roots. I believe if the cell phone was used as a calculator during math class, most kids would learn nothing. This would give them an excuse to text their friends in class.
Question #2: What are the positives of using cell phones in the classroom?
One of the topics Kolb mentions is disabilities. Apparently, students with hearing problems may benefit from the cell phone. Kolb discusses a program called, Jott, which enables a student to record a lecture with their cell phone. Once the lecture is recorded, the words are transposed onto the cell phone as text. Now, I think this would be a very cool idea for a student with disabilities. This would most definitely enhance the child’s experience in the classroom. Of all of the explanations Kolb uses in her argument, this is the one I agree with and find most valid. I would be more than happy for one of my hearing impaired students to try using Jott.
by Josh Allen and Liz Kolb
Both authors discuss their points of view on whether or not they believe cell phones should be used in the classroom. Kolb argues that cell phones could be an asset to help students in school. There are functions on most cell phones that may save money for the school in the long run. By letting students explore the Internet on their cell phones fewer computers may be used, cutting the cost of the extra PCs. Students may also use their phones for the calculator function or as a note-taking device. Kolb argues that since most students carry cell phones to school, teachers should let students use the tool that they already love and are proficient in. Special needs students may also use the phone to assist with their hearing. The author discusses a Web-based program called Jott that enables the student to record a lecture and transpose the audio into text through the phone. The text messaging function may also be used when teachers want to contact parents. The idea is to send out a mass text to parents discussing important assignments due so that they may be aware and ask their kids about school. This would keep parents informed.
Allen, on the other hand, shares a completely different view on cell phone use in the classroom. While Allen fully supports using the latest technology in the classroom, he does not feel that students should be using cell phones in the classroom. There are obvious reasons, such as the fact that a significant amount of students will be doing more than just school work on them. Allen feels that it would be very simple for kids to text each other without being caught, when they should be working on an assignment. Allen states, “Nothing that you can do on a cell phone will inspire students as they make their way into the world.”
Question #1: Do you believe cell phones could be an efficient learning tool for students in the classroom?
Quite frankly, I was laughing to myself when I was reading about how Kolb believes kids could benefit from playing with their phones in class. There were all sorts of things wrong with her explanations. One of her claims was that students could use the Internet. Now, I don’t know about you, but my Verizon plan charges me air time to use my phone Internet. I don’t ever use it for this reason. I could only imagine all of the angry parents who would get their kids’ $800 bill in the mail because the kid went over the 450 minutes allotted for doing school research during class, when their were most likely computers in the computer lab that would have been free of charge. Kolb also believes kids could use the calculator. While the calculator is convenient for tallying up the total amount of my paychecks to write on a deposit slip, I could not see myself using my cell phone calculator for any type of school work activities. They cannot do nearly as much as a TI calculator when students need to find logarithms or square roots. I believe if the cell phone was used as a calculator during math class, most kids would learn nothing. This would give them an excuse to text their friends in class.
Question #2: What are the positives of using cell phones in the classroom?
One of the topics Kolb mentions is disabilities. Apparently, students with hearing problems may benefit from the cell phone. Kolb discusses a program called, Jott, which enables a student to record a lecture with their cell phone. Once the lecture is recorded, the words are transposed onto the cell phone as text. Now, I think this would be a very cool idea for a student with disabilities. This would most definitely enhance the child’s experience in the classroom. Of all of the explanations Kolb uses in her argument, this is the one I agree with and find most valid. I would be more than happy for one of my hearing impaired students to try using Jott.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Journal 8
“Coding (and Consulting) Kid-style with Scratch”
by Dian Schaffhauser
Scratch is a unique program that enables kids to learn and expand on three types of proficiencies: “information and communication, thinking and problem-solving, and interpersonal and self-direction.” The name actually comes from a term used by disc-jockeys “who spin vinyl records to mix music clips together in creative ways.” Well, Scratch is similar in that its aim is for kids to be able to combine or mix different pictures, music, sounds and graphics.
Schaffhauser’s article discusses how Scratch was used to enhance fifth and sixth graders’ programming skills while helping five and six-year-olds with disabilities. Fifth and sixth graders from Expo Elementary conducted one-on-one interviews with five and six-year-old Kindergarten students at Bridge View Elementary. The two schools are located in the same school district. The difference is that the students attending the Bridge View class have severe disabilities. The Expo students learned a significant amount from the Bridge students about the different types of disabilities the students have, as well as the challenges they posed for the students in the classroom learning environment. It was uncomfortable for the mainstream kids to mingle with the disabled kids in the beginning. One Expo student states, “It was sort of awkward, because you didn’t really know how to interact with them…Then after a while you got more comfortable toward them.”
Once all of the interviews had been conducted, the fifth and sixth grade students were required to come up with different sorts of games that would entice the disabled students to get involved with learning. They wrote down all of their programming ideas, and devised plans on how their ideas could become realities. One of the challenges the students had to prepare for was the child’s disability and how the disability would affect the child when playing the game. Some of the kids have such severe mobility problems that they are only able maneuver special sensor boards or switches that have one button.
Finally, it was time for the students to share their new computer games with the five and six-year-olds. One student came up with a game for a boy that involved just one button. When the boy pushed it, there were a bunch of cars that drove on a street. When the boy let go of the button, all of the cars stopped. This game is designed to teach the student about the concept of cause and effect. Overall, the projects were a success. The kids thoroughly enjoyed playing the games designed just for them. Some games even had an audio function where the program creators recorded their voices, screaming “Yeah, Atasha” or “Good Job, Chi!” once the student hit a button. This was a big hit for the disabled kids. Some simply kept hitting the audio button over and over so that they could hear the praise and their name from the computer speakers.
Question 1: How would I use Scratch in my own classroom?
I really enjoyed learning about Scratch. I think I would definitely be able to incorporate the program into my classroom. Much like Inspiration, kids can design their own pages. In my fourth grade class, I would first introduce the Scratch program to my students and show them how it works. Then, I would share Schaffhauser’s article and hope it would tug at their hearts just a bit. I would then partner up my students in groups of two so that they could do their own experimentation with Scratch. I would encourage each group to discuss amongst themselves what sorts of games they feel would be most fun. Once they have completed their brainstorming efforts, they would be instructed to device a plan on how to carry out their ideas using the Scratch program. Kids could present their final products to the class; and, on one Friday afternoon, each group could play all of the games. This would be an excellent way to incorporate technology in the classroom, while making learning fun and efficient.
Question 2: What can kids learn from spending time with disabled students?
I think kids can learn a multitude of important concepts from kids with disabilities. As one of the students stated in the article, it can be a little awkward at first. In fact, I believe it may also be awkward for most adults to spend time with kids or other adults who may be physically or mentally handicapped. However, after spending quality time with the individual, as the Expo students did during their interviews, you really begin to learn about the person. Kids will realize that besides their handicaps, there is really nothing else different about them. They may learn that they enjoy the same sorts of hobbies, like watching TV, playing games, and hanging out with family and friends. I think if more people took the time and had the patience to spend time with people with disabilities, they may become more compassionate and understand the hardships that one must face in these tough circumstances. The kids in this article not only provided a great service to the disabled children, but they also learned about an important issue that is often overlooked or not mentioned very much in our lives. Disabled students want the same things as any other student. They want to learn, be well-liked, make lots of friends, and enjoy the simple things in life. The more students spend time with students with disabilities, the better off all kids will be because they will have reached out a loving hand and connected with a new friend.
by Dian Schaffhauser
Scratch is a unique program that enables kids to learn and expand on three types of proficiencies: “information and communication, thinking and problem-solving, and interpersonal and self-direction.” The name actually comes from a term used by disc-jockeys “who spin vinyl records to mix music clips together in creative ways.” Well, Scratch is similar in that its aim is for kids to be able to combine or mix different pictures, music, sounds and graphics.
Schaffhauser’s article discusses how Scratch was used to enhance fifth and sixth graders’ programming skills while helping five and six-year-olds with disabilities. Fifth and sixth graders from Expo Elementary conducted one-on-one interviews with five and six-year-old Kindergarten students at Bridge View Elementary. The two schools are located in the same school district. The difference is that the students attending the Bridge View class have severe disabilities. The Expo students learned a significant amount from the Bridge students about the different types of disabilities the students have, as well as the challenges they posed for the students in the classroom learning environment. It was uncomfortable for the mainstream kids to mingle with the disabled kids in the beginning. One Expo student states, “It was sort of awkward, because you didn’t really know how to interact with them…Then after a while you got more comfortable toward them.”
Once all of the interviews had been conducted, the fifth and sixth grade students were required to come up with different sorts of games that would entice the disabled students to get involved with learning. They wrote down all of their programming ideas, and devised plans on how their ideas could become realities. One of the challenges the students had to prepare for was the child’s disability and how the disability would affect the child when playing the game. Some of the kids have such severe mobility problems that they are only able maneuver special sensor boards or switches that have one button.
Finally, it was time for the students to share their new computer games with the five and six-year-olds. One student came up with a game for a boy that involved just one button. When the boy pushed it, there were a bunch of cars that drove on a street. When the boy let go of the button, all of the cars stopped. This game is designed to teach the student about the concept of cause and effect. Overall, the projects were a success. The kids thoroughly enjoyed playing the games designed just for them. Some games even had an audio function where the program creators recorded their voices, screaming “Yeah, Atasha” or “Good Job, Chi!” once the student hit a button. This was a big hit for the disabled kids. Some simply kept hitting the audio button over and over so that they could hear the praise and their name from the computer speakers.
Question 1: How would I use Scratch in my own classroom?
I really enjoyed learning about Scratch. I think I would definitely be able to incorporate the program into my classroom. Much like Inspiration, kids can design their own pages. In my fourth grade class, I would first introduce the Scratch program to my students and show them how it works. Then, I would share Schaffhauser’s article and hope it would tug at their hearts just a bit. I would then partner up my students in groups of two so that they could do their own experimentation with Scratch. I would encourage each group to discuss amongst themselves what sorts of games they feel would be most fun. Once they have completed their brainstorming efforts, they would be instructed to device a plan on how to carry out their ideas using the Scratch program. Kids could present their final products to the class; and, on one Friday afternoon, each group could play all of the games. This would be an excellent way to incorporate technology in the classroom, while making learning fun and efficient.
Question 2: What can kids learn from spending time with disabled students?
I think kids can learn a multitude of important concepts from kids with disabilities. As one of the students stated in the article, it can be a little awkward at first. In fact, I believe it may also be awkward for most adults to spend time with kids or other adults who may be physically or mentally handicapped. However, after spending quality time with the individual, as the Expo students did during their interviews, you really begin to learn about the person. Kids will realize that besides their handicaps, there is really nothing else different about them. They may learn that they enjoy the same sorts of hobbies, like watching TV, playing games, and hanging out with family and friends. I think if more people took the time and had the patience to spend time with people with disabilities, they may become more compassionate and understand the hardships that one must face in these tough circumstances. The kids in this article not only provided a great service to the disabled children, but they also learned about an important issue that is often overlooked or not mentioned very much in our lives. Disabled students want the same things as any other student. They want to learn, be well-liked, make lots of friends, and enjoy the simple things in life. The more students spend time with students with disabilities, the better off all kids will be because they will have reached out a loving hand and connected with a new friend.
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