Week 13 Blog Posting for Chapt 8 & 9

   When teachers act as designers, they have courses that find design challenges where you would expect the class to learn technology education, computer programing, music and science, sometimes mathematics and media art. Designing is also taking to center stage in a informal education setting. 
   SketchUp is a software that helps users build solid models of houses and their interiors from which blueprint-styled floor plans can be printed. It also helps designers visualize the buildings or rooms they created "from ground up" specifically by starting with basic 2-D shapes. You can use sketchup in the classroom by getting the students into groups and telling them to create a building they wish to build and place it in a city of their choice so basically create a fantasy place. 
   Digital Storytelling students use their creative skills to create a storyboard on a paper, use a camera to shoot their video, and finally edit their video on a computer using some type of software. I don't think digital storytelling would work in my classroom because I'm going to be teaching in a gym based atmosphere that really doesn't require a computer making movies. Maybe in a computer or a class were you have to use Microsoft word or excel. 
   Some other methods of making mathematics more real is is the new programs such as Mathematica, MathLab, Statistical Analysis System, and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences are often used to visually represent mathematical relationships in problems so that learners can SEE the effects of any problem manipulation.
   It is definitely possible to learn something merely from watching TV instructions, for example, people cook daily by watching the TV celebrity Rachael Ray who cooks and does it slow enough so that her watchers can go along with her. Another example is the great exercise workout plan called Insanity its a workout DVD that helps you lose weight and build a strong core body frame. I think visual learners learn quicker than a person who learners by reading. You can get more people involved if a DVD is playing rather than a instructor at the front of class talking.  

References

Crismond, D., Howland, J., Jonassens, D., Marra, R. M. (2008).  Meaningful

learning with technology. Columbus: Pearson, Merrill Prentice Hall.

VoiceThreads Blog

The voice thread site seems like it could be a great tool for students. I know some subjects it might be hard to use in some classroom settings but with a little work I can see the benefits for the students. Since I am going to teach physical education I can't see me using this in my lessons.

I wouldn't use this in my high school class. If it were used for an actual learning purpose, it would be most useful on a college web based course. If I need to play a video, I will just get the video and allow my class to watch it then discussion would take place afterwards.

Using voice thread would be great for students with special needs in the classroom. Since the voice thread do not require much as for expenses there is no reason why schools could not take advantage of this software. I know I will use this program not only will it benefit my students but this program will allow me to work with special needs students in a true classroom setting with their peers and that is the best kind of leaning, working with your peers.

REFERENCE: http://voicethread.com/

Gee's principle Blog Posting

The "Discovery Principle" is, in my opinion, one of the most important principle in learning. When a learner takes their current knowledge and explores a subject to find out its depths, information is a little easier to hold on to; it has more meaning to the learner. The "Practice Principle" is important because it reinforces the "Discovery Principle". When a student can practice a routine that is not boring to them, they get better and more experienced at the skill being learned. The "Probing Principle" I believe coordinates well with the other two principles I have chosen because while a student may discover new information, if there is no reflection on it, no new ideas can come out of it. A student has to probe the information to think about approaches in the subject that may not have been thought of before.

I would support a simulation that worked from the existing knowledge of my students at a given point in the teaching of a new concept and allowed them to discover, probe and reflect on that information to come up with theories of their own. It would be great for them to simulate those theories and be able to prove them, but this approach may be better for science courses.

Conclusion

I believe the above three principles to be aligned with what most students in middle school are capable of doing. If I could find a simulation that enabled my students to learn the English language, that would be fantastic. I think more applications for these principles lie in the science-related courses, other than my selected major of kinesiology.

References

Crismond, D., Howland, J., Jonassens, D., Marra, R. M. (2008).  Meaningful

learning with technology. Columbus: Pearson, Merrill Prentice Hall.