Module 6 Reflection- Classroom Website

If I was teaching in an elementary classroom, I would, without a doubt, make a class website. This website would be easy to access and be a helpful resource for my students as well as their parents. The first thing that my website would have would be a full Class Roster with parent as well as teacher contact info. This would provide a central place for students to contact classmates for help with work/projects as well as a place for parents to contact each other and the teacher with an concerns or for conferences and such. The second feature that my website would have is a Grade Book with an easy way for students and parents to view the assignments, when they were due and the grade that was made as well as class and website attendance. This feature would reinforce students to keep up with their own grades and build up responsibility. Third would be a Calendar with updated homework, assessments, projects and other school and class events. This would be helpful for parents to keep up with their student's work and for forgetful and/or absent students. The calendar would have links to the Worksheet and Study Guide tab where students would find scanned copies of all worksheets passed out in class that day. This will help those students that were absent and make excuses about not doing work unexceptable. Finally there would be a Weblinks tab where students can find links to fun educational sites that will help them learn the info in the units we cover in class in a different and fun way.

Productivity Software Evaluation

Software Title: Thinkwave.com
Vendor: Thinkwave, Inc                Cost: Ranges from $149.00 - $2,799.00/ year depending on # of     students.
Description: Online Grade book with places to upload homework, grades and keep up with attendance.
Notes on Use: very similar to e-learning.
SOFTWARE FEATURE	1 POOR	2 BELOW AVERAGE	3 AVERAGE	4 ABOVE AVERAGE	5 EXCELLENT
Documentation 4	Documentation is excessively technical and/or difficult to follow	Documentation is generally understandable but not very user-friendly	Documentation is user-friendly and reasonably easy to follow	Clear documentation that is logical and easy to follow	Very clear, user-friendly documentation that leaves no questions
Technical Support 3	No local or toll-free telephone support available	No local support; phone support available for an hourly fee	Local tech support and phone support available for modest fees	Local tech help available for modest fee; no-charge phone support	Local help and toll-free support readily available at no charge
Multiple Users 5	Cannot be used by more than one user	Usable by multiple users if per-user licensing is purchased	Payment of a relatively small fee allows multiple users	No additional fee but allows addition of up to 10 users	Comes with permission for multiple users
Help Features 3	Few or no help features available	Help limited to a Help or Read-Me file on Installation CD or website	Clicking a help button provides on-screen assistance with common problems	Help button is context sensitive and provides clear help	Highlighting and clicking area of difficulty brings up a related Help feature
Tutorials 4	No tutorials provided	Tutorials may be ordered with a fee	Limited tutorial provided on a CD or may be requested without charge	Tutorials offered as an online option or on a CD	Extensive online and CD based tutorials provided
Administrative Features 4	Lacks some of the commonly included basic features	Only basic features are included	Basic features and additional features are included	Includes most of the features desired	Comprehensive features included
Multiple Platforms 5	Works on only one operating system	Although purchased for one platform, versions for other platforms may be purchased	Program will run on multiple operating systems; features may vary with platform	May be used on multiple platforms; features similar although not identical	May be used on multiple platforms with consistent features across platforms
Conversion/Import/Export Features 4	No provision for conversion between software	Cannot be imported or exported into other programs but can be converted into a few of the more popular formats	Can be converted, imported, or exported into programs by major vendors	Easily converted into common formats; maintains most of format features	Fully compatible via conversion, import, and export with all vendors
All Needed Applications (If a suite or Integrated Software) 4	Missing many applications that are needed	Some needed applications missing from package	Most of the expected applications are included and compatible with each other	All basic applications included and fully integrated	Includes applications beyond those needed; full integrating within suite and compatible with other vendor software
Hardware Compatibility 5	Requires upgrades for some hardware to work on all machines	Requires limited upgrades to some machines	Will work on most machines without upgrades	Works acceptably on all machines without upgrades	Maximum performance with no hardware upgrades required on any machines
Cost 3	Expensive when compared to other vendors	Cost is relatively high when compared to other vendors	Average cost	Reasonably priced, includes some discounts	Special pricing for educational users.

Website Review: Zoho.com

Today I was introduced to Zoho.com today in class. This is a tool that can be used in buissnesses or in the classroom.
When you go to the Zoho home page, you can click on the "Productivity Apps" tab. There you can find links to many useful tools such as planners, calenders, and notebooks. These tools can help teachers be more productive in the classroom because it keeps alot of important things together in one place so it is easier to find in a hurry.

Buying a computer and Using Live Classroom

 

Items	Quantity	Price
Smart Board- Model 885ix	1	$ 6,449.00
Computer- Dell Insperon 570	2	$ 959.98
Monitor- Dell Ultrasharp U2410 24 inch wide screen flat panel	2	$ 998.00
Keyboard/Mouse- Logitech wireless Desktop MK320	2	$ 63.98
Personal Laptop- Inspiron 15- Intel	1	$ 399.99
Printer- Hp Officejet 4500 All-in-one- G510g (CB867A)	1	$ 69.99
Flash drive w/ Lanyard	1	$20.00

Assignment #5- Buying a Computer and Using Live Classroom

            I would like to propose that we as a department get the following pieces of technology. First I believe a SMART board system will be very beneficial to the classroom. It will encourage students to get involved in the class and promotes hand on learning. Because the SMART board system has a built in projector and a white board, there is no need to purchase a projector and there would be more room to work problems in the classroom. Along with the SMART board I would like two desktop systems (computers, monitors, keyboards, and mice) for the classroom. This would be beneficial for the students because they can learn how to use computers and research topics that they are curious about by themselves.  For teachers I propose that each educator have a laptop that they can use for class to email other teachers and parents. It would also be helpful with organization and other matinence work. Each classroom should also be equipped with an All-In-One Printer-Scanner-Copier. The printer and copier will help congestion in the copy rooms and the scanner will help with organizaton in the classroom. Teachers will be able to scan all worksheets, tests and quizzes and keep copies in their computers. If the department was granted theses pieces of technology, I think that students would have more fun in school and therefore excel further. 

Lesson Plan Critique

Lesson Plan Critique

Lesson Plan Title_____Lip Balm Science_________________    Reviewer ___________________

Question:	Yes		No
Is the target audience clear?	Yes
Does it provide enough detail to give a rich description of the classroom?	Yes
What other information would be helpful to know about the students or classroom?
If any of the students have any allergies. The students are making the different lip balms and could be allergic to some of the ingredients.
Does the author have a clear idea of what they want students to do?		Yes
Are the standards chosen appropriate for the target audience they outlined?		Yes
Does the objective match the state standards they chose?		Yes
Do the topic, goal, and standards seem compatible with the target audience?		Yes
Are there any objectives that you would revise, and how would you revise them?
No, the objectives stated in the lesson plan seem to be appropriate for 5th grade students.
Is the time appropriate for the lesson? Why or why not?.
Yes, the time is appropriate for the lesson because 2 hours seems sufficient enough to make and test out different lip balms.
Does the introduction activity get students engaged and focused?
Yes, the students are going to be actually making the lip balms. Everything will be hands on and will make the assignment more fun.
Does the author provide step by step instructions so that anyone can pick up the lesson and teach from it?
Yes, the author provides step by step instructions so anyone can pick up the lesson and teach from it.
Do the activities match the objectives?  Give an example.
Yes, because the procedure section of the lesson plan list out the recipes and procedures to make the lip balm. It later goes on to explain how the class is going to develop a form for collecting data. Then they collect and analyze the data.
Do the activities prepare the students for the assessment? Explain how.
Yes, the activities prepare the students for the assessment. Throughout the activity they are being prepared to be graded on collaboration, data produced, graphs and conclusions.
Do the plans for materials seem appropriate for the activities? How might you improve them?
Yes, there does not seem to be any changes necessary to improve them.
Do the plans for technology seem appropriate?  Are the students using the technology? Is the technology appropriate for the content?  How will the technology help students learn?
The plans for technology seem appropriate. The spreadsheet program is used for collecting data by the students and encourages using the spreadsheet software in the future.
Does the assessment seem to match the objectives? Give an example.
Yes, because one of the objectives is to analyze the data using a spreadsheet program and their being assessed on data produced and graphs.
What is a strength of this lesson plan? Use specific examples.
That it is hands on and it can keep a 5th graders attention while still achieving its objective.
How could this lesson be improved? Use specific examples.
Possibly we would have liked to have different variations of this assignment for different grade levels.