Nicholas

[|My PLN!!!!] __[|Paper Slide Video]


 * Student Survey Questions**__

1. To what extent is technolgy being used in your daily learning by you and your teacher?

2. Do you feel you learn better when technology is used in the classroom and for homework, research, and/or projects?

3. What types of technolgy do you like to use the most/least and how do they help you learn better/worse?

4. Think about a lesson or assignment you have already completed where technology was not used that much. How might your teacher have used technology to make the lesson better? How might you have used technology to help with your assignment?

5. Do you think the way your teacher teaches you and the way you learn can be enhanced by using more technology? Less technology? Why or why not do you think these areas can or cannot be enhanced?

internet and video game addiction This issue discussed in chapter one is something I would definitely like to know more about. The reason I would like to find out more about this issue is because I have an 8 year old son and nephew who like to play video games on Xbox and Playstation or if they cannot do that they want to go on the computer. While I have no problem with them being on the computer [because I feel this helps them learn how to navigate around a computer] I do limit my son's time on it. Also, I limit his time on the video game systems now. For awhile he was caring more about his video games than school or anything else. He would not let his younger brother play with him unless my wife and I made him share. He would very often yell at my younger son [who is 4 and not as good at the games obviously] if he made one little mistake. His behavior in school was getting worse and his grades started to slip. It was not hard to figure out the source of the problem. He now only gets a half an hour if and only if he has a good day at school. And this does not happen everyday if he has a good day or not. If he has just one bad day during the week he loses this priviledge for the rest of the week. He is now doing better in school and is playing more with his friends and his brother outside. My nephew's behavior is worse. He literally slams things and says he hates his life if he cannot play his video games. He hurries through his homework because he thinks he will be able to play vidoe games as soon as he is done. From what I read in chapter 1 and the information found in the web site link above I can see the addictive nature technology has on today's youth first hand. I was truly alarmed and scared that my son at 8 years old could be addicted to anything. Especially something that is suppoesed to be fun and not serious. But from the reading I have learned that anyone [especially children] can become addicted to anything if it is easliy available to them in large quantities and various forms. I believe this is a topic and a major area of concern for all parents and for teachers so they can be able to recognize the symptoms of vidoe game addiction and addiction to other types of technology.

I am very excited about the course and look forward to learning new and innovative waysto use a technology in my everyday life. Although I cannot use a lot of tecnology in my classroom I am hoping that will change in the near future. I hope to learn about more abput current technological uses as well as any new uses coming on the near future. I feel that the first night was a good introduction to the class and made me feel more comfortable about what the course will be about and what I am required to do. I know the importance of preparing our students for the 21st century and helping them develop the tools to be a part of the new technology world. My guys especially will need help adjusting because the technology available to them when the ere locked up is quite different now than it was then. Any new things I can help them learn or show them in regard to technology so they know what to expect when they get out of the facility will be of enormous value to them.

5/25 blog comments [|Comments on Adam] [|Comments on Jen]

Link to student survey blog post [|student survey synopsis]

Link to other blog post (my post is "nickstef") [|social networking sites in the classroom]

Link to second blog post on eSchool News [|multi-tasking with technology]

Link to blog post for 6/10 [|dallas cowboys blog post]

Link to blog post for 6/15 [|Wisconsin's 21st century skills plan]

Link to Understanding the Digital Generation [|Understanding the Digital Generation blog]


 * __ ANCIENT GREECE COMMERCIAL PROJECT __**

Athens and Sparta are at war!! They are fighting for control of Greece in the Peloponnesian War. Every city-state is choosing a side. But how are they choosing? How did Athens or Sparta persuade the other city-states to join their cause? Your job as either the Athenians or the Spartans is to create a commercial/presentation to try and convince other city-states to fight on your side. How will you convince them? What information or persuasive tactics will you employ to get as much support as possible? Here are some guidelines and questions you may want to consider when planning your commercial/presentation.

* The class will be divided into groups of 3 to 4 (depending on the class size).
 * __ GUIDELINES: __**

* Everyone choosing out of a hat, either Athens or Sparta, will determine groups. All those that choose Athens will be one group and those that choose Sparta the other. NO TRADING!!!

* Your commercial/presentation must be between 2 to 4 minutes in length.

* Your commercial/presentation must include accurate historical information. Your group cannot say anything about the other city-state that is not true or historically inaccurate. NO MAKING STUFF UP!! You must have at least 4 main points for your argument. Each point must be supported by your research and be presented in order of importance to your argument.

* Your commercial/presentation must include some type of graphic organizer. For example, tables, charts, Venn diagrams, etc. that shows the positives/advantages for fighting for your side and the negatives/disadvantages for fighting for the other side. Your graphic organizers must reflect your main points and supporting arguments so that the information and its relevance are presented clearly and accurately.

* You must choose a form of technology (podcast, YouTube video, wiki page, etc.) to share your commercial/presentation with the rest of the class. This can be your group’s choice!!! We will spend some class time learning how to use these either in our classroom or take a visit to the computer lab.

* Each member of the group must be responsible for a part of the commercial/presentation. For example, one or two students could be an information gatherer/recorder, artwork/graphic organizer creator, someone to appear or be the presenters are roles that should be considered for this project.

* Each group will create a travel brochure for their chosen city-state. Be sure to include pictures of your city-state and any vital information your group feels needs to be included to persuade others to join your cause.

* After viewing the other groups commercial/presentation, each member of your group will blog about what they liked/disliked about the commercial/presentation. What were the positives/negatives? How could it be improved? How could your group improve your commercial/presentation after viewing the other group’s commercial/presentation? What would your counter argument be against what the other group is saying about your city-state? GUIDING QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: __** · What are the positives of Athens/Sparta? · What are the negatives of Athens/Sparta? (Remember: info must be accurate!!) · How would the city-state you are targeting benefit from joining your cause? What are the advantages? · What are the non-benefits/disadvantages of joining the other side? · What types of propaganda would you use (posters, books, TV ads, radio ads, internet/blog sites)?
 * __

· The commercial/presentation will be assessed with a rubric that will be handed out before the start of the project. Areas of assessment will include: length of commercial/presentation, accuracy of information, persuasiveness/validity of argument, use of graphic organizer/artwork, use of technology, and quality of blog entries.
 * __ ASSESSMENT: __**

· Regular “check-ins” with the teacher on the progress of the group on the project.

· A weekly reflective blog that will answer 3 of the 6 guiding questions listed above about your chosen city-state that you have learned about through research done for the project. Also, you will have to respond to the blog posts posted by the students in the other group.

· Daily and weekly activities based on content taught by the teacher to give the students some background information on Ancient Greece, Athens, Sparta, other city-states, and the Peloponnesian War.


 * __ WEB LINK RESOURCES: __**

Here are some web sites that might be helpful for doing research for your project: [|Acropolis Image] [|Battle Image] [|Battle Image 2] [|Athenian Naval Ship] [|Political Map--Peloponnesian War]

What I expect to accomplish through this project is for my students to not just learn the content of the unit but also how to look for information, how to incorporate technology in the presentation of their research, and how to collaborate in order to achieve a common learning goal. The skills I am trying to teach to my students and help them to develop are the skills they will need in the 21st century. Technology is being used more and more in the world so students today need to learn the necessary skills for the 21st century. This project I feel will help them continue to develop those skills as well as help me develop mine by assisting them and looking for new ways to teach the content such as that found in this unit on Ancient Greece.
 * __ TEACHER EXPECTATIONS: __**