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Tacy Briscoe

REOL 533 01

Blog WEEK 8 (YEAH)

4/24/11

I chose to look at two National Standards for teachers from the International Standards for Technology in Education to reflect on the benefits of online communication tools.  First, number 4 is about promoting citizenship and responsibility, which if we as teachers can lead by good examples for students.  I know personally I have become much more aware of copyrighting since our teacher Dr. Goldberg has pointed out how easy it can happen online.  She is a good example and taught me that through teaching and also her personal conduct.  I really like the fifth standard because I think that is the epitome of what we as teachers are teaching our students.  As a graduate student and someone that took 7 years to get their undergrad I can appreciate modeling lifelong learning alsoJ.  Like the old saying goes, “you teach by doing” and that is what we as teachers have to do with technology.

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers:

a.	advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.
b.	address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.
c.	promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.
d.	develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers:

a.	participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.
b.	exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others.
c.	evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
d.	contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.    (http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx)

As I stated in my last blog, I have recently purchased new virus protection and hope this is protecting me.   I do not have a classroom right now but can see how this can be a concern for schools.  Hopefully there is good protection and lots of blocks and security in place. 

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REOL 533 01

Tacy Briscoe

4/16/11

Blog 7 Software

I chose a software program from texthelp.com called Read&Write Gold.  It is an award-winning literacy software program for reading, writing, study skills and research.  The program has Read Aloud with dual synchronous color highlighting, access to any curriculum and tools for that curriculum, literacy support and flexibility to access at school or at home.

The Reading and Writing section of the software is versatile and dynamic for instructing and tutoring students with disabilities.  Text to speech allows for text to be read aloud to the student.  The words can be highlighted and then read to them.  This is also capable for website reading and acrobat files.  There is a toolbar at the top of the page that allows for “play”, “stop”, “pause”, etc..  Another very useful tool is the dictionary, which reads aloud the definition.   There is also an “online picture definition” that a student can use when they don’t know a word.  They can click on the word and a panel appears with images for that word.  They program also helps with verb conjugations.  Translation for various languages is also available.  They can translate the words/passages and then hear it in that language. 

They Study Skills and Research section of this software assist students with their studying and research assignments.  They can use highlighters to find the main ideas of passages and vocabulary words.  They can then create Microsoft Word documents from the words in the passage to use for outlines, study guides, etc..   It can help explain and expand students’ vocabulary. 

The Read and Write Gold software program improves literacy skills and comprehension, encourages independence, helps with studying skills and gives diverse help for various areas of special education. 

The software would meet the technology standards for the ISTE NETS and Performance Indicators (NETS.S) 3. Research and Information Fluency and 4.Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making (http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Student_2007_EN.sflb.ashx). 

I do not have students but I have substitute taught for various special education classes and this would be so beneficial to those students who struggle.  I have a friend in the Houston area that teaches in an ESL charter school and I can only imagine how much she would get out of the translation section of this software.  It may be my Christmas gift to her J  I really think this would be an enjoyable and educational tool for students that want so badly to understand but really need that help and extra incentive.  They can have fun and learn not to mention be on the computer. 

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This week I learned how to create a WebQuest.   I learned a WebQuest is an online lesson plan of sorts that allow the students to participate online and conduct a project/assignment with other students and/or individually.  It is a very useful tool to promote higher level learning, which we need more in this area, and use of technology and the web. 

I followed the directions and "advice" on the quest garden and it was very helpful.  It would be easy to implement this in my classroom with this great tutorial. 

The amount of time devoted to this project was my only big challenge and I'm sure that goes for most of us.  I will say it was good to be warned of this time consuming project and I appreciate Dr. Goldberg's advice to not wait to complete the WebQuest. 

I do not foresee this being a major problem/challenge for future use because as Dr. Goldberg stated and the reading said, the next ones go faster.  Also, I look forward to seeing others ideas for WebQuests.   

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Tacy Briscoe

Blog 5

4/3/11

I learned this week that beginning around 3^rd grade students have an email address and are expected to communicate online.  That was amazing to me because it seems so young but also so progressive.   I have fears about improper use of the internet with such young students but have to remember this is probably how every new major technological advanced is thought of initially.  When telephones came out mothers, teachers, etc. were probably saying, “The kids are not going to be able to handle talking on that phone thing”.  Same with computers, we have to teach our children responsibility, not stick our heads in the sand and hope the World around us does the same, because they are not.

I have used online communication tools as a student but never before as a teacher.  I remember how grateful and amazed I felt when we first started using email, mainly in my undergraduate years.  It was such a relief and so easy to send a quick question and get a response.  Before email you either made an appointment with the professor or waited till your next class meeting, which could be days away, to get an answer.  As a teacher I will definitely use email as a communication tool with my students but I will also tell them that it will be checked at least every other day.  I would not want to be tied to my computer and the feeling of responsibility of answering emails all day long.  There should be boundaries and I see how this could cause unforeseen problems and annoyance to teachers.  We should be available but not have to be 24/7 and immediately.  That is not fair to the teachers’ time and is unreasonable for the student to feel they should get their answer so quickly.  I know how this works from personal experience as a student.  I send an email to a professor and expect an immediate reply.  That is not fair to the professor or to my expectations of them.  We have a great tool but it should be kept in check with its function and availability to both the student and the professor.  That said the same could be said for the student answering the teachers email.  It is a good idea to say how often you will be willing to check your email and stick to that time frame.  I appreciate that Dr. Goldberg stated this in the class FAQ’s and never really understood the importance of it till now.  It is also reassuring that you do know within that time frame your email will be checked and a reply is coming.  It takes the guess work out of when you will have an answer, such as, “I will know the answer to that question in at least 2 days”.  Email use has come a long way in a short time and is instrumental in our day in age.  I’m thankful for it and the fact that our culture is seeing its importance.

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Tacy Briscoe

REOL 533_01

Blog 4 Comprehensive Assignment

3/26/11

I did a PowerPoint for my niece who is a gifted student in sixth grade.  I don’t teach yet and had to go this route.  She was very helpful and had some really good points and ideas for teaching a sixth grader.  She also is very capable and aware of what works and does not work for average students in her grade. 

I asked her what a good PowerPoint would be for her class.  She said they were learning a lot about earthquakes right now in school.  So I presented one to her about earthquakes; what they are, why they occur, some history of earthquakes and what you can do in the case of an earthquake.  It had 15 slides and a video inserted from youtube.com.

I was most proud of a video I inserted in the PowerPoint about earthquakes I found on youtube.com.  I made sure to document where the video came from and its producers. 

Upon completion of the PowerPoint I asked my niece what she liked and disliked about the presentation.  She said she liked the video and that it changed up the presentation with something else, not just slide after slide.  I thought this was a good idea and helped the overall look and feel of the presentation. 

She also said the PowerPoint made it easier to memorize the material.  That it was interesting and kept students’ attention more than if it was just in the book. 

Lastly I asked her what she did not like and would change about the presentation.  She said there were two very similar photos and she didn’t quite understand what they were for a moment.  She said they needed captions to describe what she was seeing.  She was referring to a picture of a mountain before and after an earthquake.  I would definitely go back and add captions and thought this was an oversight on my part.

I enjoyed the PowerPoint assignment and have really learned about what makes an effective presentation.  The themes and colors can be fun but also what a learning tool.  Not to mention the addition of videos and pictures when we used to have to pull out the slides or turn on the VCR or DVD player.  Now it is all right here on one technological vehicle. 

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Blog Week 3

I really enjoyed the videos and learn very well through this educational tool.  The video discussing standards and lesson plans was interesting in that it compared lesson plans for standard review.  I like that you can see a good example and not necessarily a bad example but an incomplete lesson plan according to standards.  It also discussed the value and importance for teachers to emphasis standards.  I thought this was a great means to understanding how to correctly apply the standards.

  

The resume is such an important document at times throughout ones’ life.  I like the idea of introducing the resume to students early on so they get a feel for it and can play with ideas and get their own personality.  I did not know what a resume was when I graduated high school and that is what I would try to avoid for my students.  I have recently been job searching and sent my resume to be critiqued.  The advisor came back with some very easy and crucial ideas for making my resume stand out and easy to read.  Her first and most important thought was to make my name bold and much bigger font.  Next I added a template that allowed for various symbols ∙● and a professional looking format.  I made the main points bold and also the job titles so they would not be hard to find.  What appeared to be a boring, everyday resume turned into a highly effective and professional looking document thanks to word processing and its many abilities. 

1800 Main Street Williamsburg, Ky. 40769

(713)201-3800 tacyjane@hotmail.com

Tacy Briscoe

Objective	Seeking a position as a clerk in transportation.
Experience	2011 Harris County Independent School District  Williams, KY Substitute Teacher - Daily classroom instruction for grades 1-12 due to primary teachers’ absence. - Recorded individual class behaviors and administered proper care and instruction to students. - Asked repeatedly to return to certain schools because of good rapport with students and classroom management. 2008-2010 Staff Realty Friendswood, TX Real Estate Agent - First year sales greater than three-quarter million. - Studied property listings, interviewed prospective clients, accompanied clients to property site, discussed conditions of sale, and drew up real estate contracts.
	2004-2007 Horse Cat Ranch Patt, TX Equine Exhibitor - Competed for 2005 and 2006 National Cutting Horse World Championship. - Provided daily care for health and physical fitness of +25 horses and 50 head of cattle including vaccinations, pasture rotation, transporting animals, daily exercise. - Maintained a detailed account of earnings, cost, expenses and mileage.
	2002-2003 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY Standardized Patient - Administered and performed training assessment scenarios for first through fourth year medical students. - Extensive training to learn the physical makeup of the human anatomy. - On the “first to call” list because of ability to be timely and thorough.
Education	1998-2003 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY - B.S. in Agriculture, Education, Communication and Leadership - Minor in Agriculture Economics - Last four semesters on Dean’s List

53301_Briscoe_lesson2_Blog2

53301 Briscoe Lesson 2 Blog Entry

One of the more interesting concepts I found was the motivation students receive from EXCEL.  They talk a lot about this in the webpage, “Excel in the Classroom: What’s the Hype?”

http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/excel/.  I can relate that if a teacher comes at a student with the same, dry teaching techniques it will be hard to retain.  As opposed to the teacher that starts up the smartboard, turns on the computer and has a graph, chart, etc. to demonstrate the teaching.  We know students learn better visually and what better way than though the computer with graphs and charts.  The webpage, “EXCEL-lent Middle School Math Lessons” http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech079.shtml, talks about how easily and relevant spreadsheets can be used in math.   I very much like Ms. Halls’ idea to relate it to the housing market because we have seen such fluctuations.  Also, how interesting to do predictions and watch what happens.  This is the excitement and progressive learning that so many of us miss until college and sometimes not even then.   

This leads to one of the more surprising things I found in the reading and that is how much more students will learn with EXCEL.  I had not actually considered the next level learning EXCEL allows for but now understand how beneficial it is for students and faculty.  The website talks about how students really learn to interpret the data and I can appreciate that EXCEL can do this for us.  They are not simply in a classroom writing down numbers and trying to memorize something.  This is real world learning that will actually pertain and be retained.  How 21st century of our educators and administrators, I want to be a member of that school system. 

Personally I have not used spreadsheets very often but did find them very useful as a real estate agent in another life.  I would input all my clients, customers, contacts and business associates addresses into a spreadsheet and group them.  I could then print address labels off very quickly without any writing and in certain groups for whatever marketing letter I was sending.  It was a tremendous time saver and looked very professional.  As far as using it in the classroom, I could quickly advance my special education students up levels with spreadsheets with graphs and charts.  That simple concept could be what makes the difference between a student remaining in special education and continuing on with their class.