Bloom's Taxonomy

This is a great tool to use when creating units in the classroom. It has a way of molding all of the pieces together in order to create a complete final product. Bloom's Taxonomy is something that has just recently been revised to better fit the digital age. This new revised, framework is a great starting ground for any teacher to begin working on units. It does a great job of giving a sort of step by step process for integrating technology into the classroom. With the six different levels, students' knowledge and level of development is challenged and pushed in order to help them become better students while using technology. It also does a great job in enforcing other ways of gathering information instead of always 'Googling' every topic. Some of the other sources it discusses include blogs and wikis which I have found to be very useful and helpful sources when researching given topics.

Whether the topic be about insects or sailing, there are many ways to search and gather information and Bloom's Taxonomy is a great way to discover some of those new ways. Bloom's Taxonomy and the Digital World is a great website that gives a lot of background information about Bloom's Taxonomy as well as links to the PDF files that contain more detailed information and specifics about the taxonomy.

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Promethean Boards

Promethean Boards are a great tool for students to use to help them assist themselves with their own learning. The traditional blackboard gives students a 2-dimensional look and can only display a small amount of information for the students to view. The Promethean Board allows students to learn in a whole new way. Each can interact with the board in order to aid their learning.

I have seen and used the Promethean Board in a second and third grade special education classroom and have seen the impact this type of technology in the classroom can make on the learning of individuals. This type of learning enables students to look at their learning in a new way. Worksheets and websites can be pulled up onto the board much like a projector, but with the use of the pen, each worksheet can be interactive. The idea of drawing or writing on each of the worksheets to help students work through each unit is something that students seemed to enjoy.

A Promethean Board is definitely something I would like to have in my Special Education classroom one day. This board is something that can help students no matter their age or ability. The website Promethean Planet is a great resource for those who are looking into getting a Promethean Board and gives helpful facts and useful information. Also, 2010 US Video Contest captures the Promethean Board in action and also shares what some students think of this type of technology in the classroom. The following video is one that demonstrates the use of a Promethean Board and shows students using the board in their classroom.



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1:1 Computing

Expensive! Irrational! Unthinkable! Those are three words many people may use when they are told about giving every child in the high school, students in grades seven through twelve, a computer for them to use at school, but also take it home. However, it can be a great addition to any school as long as it is planned before it is piloted.

I interviewed a teacher whose school has gone to 1:1 computing. Cathy Stakey stated, "The 1:1 computing promotes active learning and is moving students toward 21st Century Skills." Much like what Mrs. Stakey stated, 1:1 computing has many benefits. It allows each student to have an immediate technology resource at all times. This enables students and teachers to use more 21st Century Skills and allows students to try out and practice technology at an earlier age. The immediate use of technology is the direction our country is going. I think this is a great thing for our schools and a great direction our schools are going, however, I think it is very important to make sure the teachers are trained and are given ways to incorporate this new technology into the curriculum so students are receiving the most benefit from this new form of technology.

This website "Doing 1:1 Right!" is a great resource for 1:1 computing. It gives great information about more than just what 1:1 computing means. Also, Mr. Hehr's IT Blog, South Hamilton Community Schools Technology Director, has great links to many resourceful informational links to search 1:1 computing.


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Copyright in the Classroom

As I learned and dug deeper into the topic of copyright, I discovered it is a bigger problem than what I had first thought. I remember in high school being told to cite our sources for websites or books, but rarely remember every teacher informing each of us to cite where we got our pictures. I remember including a website or book title for a picture here and there, but I was never taught about the 'fair use' or 'creative commons'. With that being said, I now realize how important it is for today's students to be taught that so when they get to be my age, they are doing things the right way and are not just learning about it when they get to college.

Throughout the lecture recordings and handouts I have learned more about the 'creative commons' and how this is something that is very important for students and teachers to know about. This allows students to use resources without the risk of copyright and essentially avoid the issues of breaking copyright law. CC in Education - Creative Commons is a great website that gives some great general knowledge and how it can be used.

The more I looked into copyright, the more I realized that when I was younger I had some of the same misconceptions that many other have. I found this great website that discusses some of the myths many people may have. 10 Big Myths about Copyright Explained goes into detail about some of the big myths people have about copyright.

Now, all of this may seem like it doesn't matter unless you are doing projects, however, no matter what kind of information is used, whether it be text or images, more than likely there is some type of copyright and it is important to follow those guidelines laid out by the Creative Commons in Education to ensure things are being sited correctly. As I worked on my WebQuest, I knew it was important to site where I got my images, but until I looked more into the copyright laws and guidelines, I didn't fully understand the total importance.

It is very important for students to site their information no matter if they are creating powerpoints, posters or websites. With all types of presentation formats, the information is public and for anyone to view so it is very important for the sources to be sited. Also, if the students are creating a website, the information is being put out there for all the world to see so I feel it is more important to ensure that the information is sited in order to alleviate the concerns of copyright. Especially in this day and age, students will be doing more and more on the computer so it is very crucial they learn about this information first!

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