Evernote

I came across Evernote a couple of weeks ago and love it. I haven't used it in the classroom yet but really like the idea of student portfolios. Having access to student work online would be very helpful for the teacher, the student and the parents. It would be a great tool for communication, conferences and documentation. I would incorporate it within my team of teachers so we could all contribute.

Instruction Using a Games Model

Helping students to see their progress toward a goal by achieving short attainable goals is the basis of the game model.  Using graphs and charts for visual evidence, mirrors the achievement of a new level in a game.  I would really like to use this to help my students see how a regular study time helps them do better.  I try to get my students that struggle to see that even though their grade is not what they want it does improve when they complete their work on time and study more.  By graphing the number of points improved on a test as they complete a goal toward a study time, they would be able visualize their true progress rather than a test score.  As a teacher of ninth graders,  I want my students to develop skills to be successful in any future class not just science.

This would also be easy to apply when doing teaching the metric system.  Students can make small attainable goals based on their math skills.

Narrative Game 2

The Covert Front was much more interesting to play.  I missed a lot of clues and had to use the walk
through for hints.  I was able to get into all the rooms once I had the crowbar and the key.  I attached the hose to the pump in order to drain the water and find the key.  I like the hunt for objects and the suspense of not knowing what is on the other side. It was still a little slow and no interaction with other people.

Narrative Games

The game Peasant's Quest causes flash backs (to the eighties).  I have never been into fantasy gaming but it looked familiar to games friends played in college.  It was hard to get use to typing in commands and to know what to type in.  The comments were pretty funny though.  I couldn't climb a tree because my hands would get sappy and it constantly told me "I wished I could get that".  Of special interest was the home of the single parent.  It was described as having a single parent stink.  I also found a burnt tree and some corn feed that I supposedly ate as a child. It was frustrating to move so slowly and not be able to see behind things or around them.  Finally, I ran into some creature who pounded my head and killed me. I don't know that I will be returning.

Back to the Future

There were several interesting similarities between what the video portrayed future education to be and what it is.  We are now able to complete group work and individual work over the internet in real time.  We can pull up information from places far away as if we were there and we can send information we have collected to others over the internet.  Voice recognition is another tool we have today but I don't think we use it as much as was depicted.

There were several differences also.  I would love to be able to video in my at home students but we do not have access to this technology.  Access would be the biggest difference.  As great as technology is not all students have access to the equipment or the information.  The economy has not kept up with our ideals of what the future might hold.  The fact many students lack internet use at home or a computer limits the teacher in what they can utilize.

FERPA

As a teacher, it is my responsibility to protect the privacy of my students.  Not only with information the school provides, but with information the student gives me.  As long as the given information is not a threat to the student or another individual, I keep it private.  Students sign FERPA notification sheets but I guarantee 95% have no idea what it is about.  I guess another responsibility as a teacher would be to ensure they understand what the document says.  I am also concerned about the number of letters I get wanting recommendations for students who exhibit leadership and intelligence for a special opportunity or acknowledgement.  Under these regulations, would I be able to give directory information?

"Biology will be reduced to computer science."

According to the following video, our genome will be available on a computer disc at an affordable price in about 10 years.  With this advancement, our medications and care will  be based on this information.  He also foresees great strides in the study of aging  by comparing an older persons genome with a younger persons genome.  The mitochondria being the engine of the cell is where he feels the breakdown first occurs.  With the new information, would we be able to fix many of the genes that fail due to aging?  Only time will tell.

Intervue

A website created for responses to questions through video.

• Discuss Darwin's finches and how they led to the theory of evolution.
• Is Global Warming a real phenomena?  How would you back up your answer?
• Pretend you are a cell organelle and describe what you do.

http://intervue.me/wall/intervues

Are Games Better Than Real Life?

It amazes me everytime I watch a gamer talk about his life how entrenched they are in the virtual world.  It also terrifies me when I realize how blurred the lines are between their virtual world and their real world.  There are positives and negatives to gaming.  Just like the internet it can be used for good and bad.  But at what point does gaming become a distraction to real life?  In the long run, are they creating better citizens for tomorrow or citizens who care less about the world they inhabit then the one they choose to inhabit?  We can harness so much of the gaming experience to inspire and draw viewers into a learning experience, creating experiences for growth and education.  But what controls are placed on any of this?  Is there a need for controls?  Is gaming an area where there are no laws?

Emerging Technology - Fantasy to Fact

The invisible cloak and shape shifting becoming reality is closer than we think.  Being pushed by Intel, programmable matter made up of tiny chips they call catoms are the answer.

FoldIt: Solving Puzzles for Science

This website was a bit confusing at first but challenging.  The premises behind it is to involve humans in the discovery of how proteins are folded.  By utilizing the problem solving skills of humans, they can compare their skills to the computer and teach the computer new ways to process this information.  Students will be drawn to the fact that by participating they can make a difference.  The game would be a great addition to the DNA unit when discussing protein synthesis.  Students will get the bigger picture of the complexities of proteins and the various sizes they can be.  By reading the site, students will further understand the role of proteins in the body but also in disease and the research behind the diseases.