Concept Map- Assignment 6

Shapes

I. Cone

      A solid or hollow object that goes from a point to a circular base.
A. Explore the difference between 2-dimensional & 3-dimensional shapes
B. Shape of a Cone
      1.  Find a cone in the room that is 3-dimensional

II. Triangle

     A figure that has three straight lines, three points, and three angles.
A. Shape of a Triangle
B. Be able to create a representation of the objects
    1.           Draw the triangle using an object you see or use everyday

III. Rectangle

     A figure with four lines but not equal. Two of the lines parallel one another and the other two              parallel one another.
A. Be able to correctly name the shapes     
     1. Name the Rectangle
B. Shape of a Rectangle

IV. Square

        A figure that has four equal lines, four points, and four 90 degree angles. 
A. Shape of a Square
B. Create & represent shapes using appropriate materials     
      1.         List five objects that are this form of shape

V. Circle

      A round figure that has no end but is fixed on one point, which is the center. 
A. Recognize & correctly name shapes in the environment regardless of its size      
    1. Find seven objects in the room that are different sizes but the same shape
B. Shape of a Circle

Mississippi Kindergarten Standard:

GEOMETRY DOMAIN
Explore, identify, and describe shapes (squares, circles, triangles,rectangles, hexagons, cubes, cones, cylinders, and spheres).
1. With guidance and support, correctly name shapes.
2. With guidance and support, recognize and correctly name shapes in the environment, regardless of their orientation or overall size.
3. With guidance and support, explore the differences between two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes.Analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes.
4. With guidance and support, create and represent shapes using developmentally appropriate pre-kindergarten materials (e.g., popsicle sticks, play dough, blocks,pipe cleaners, pattern blocks).
5. With guidance and support, explore using shapes to create representation of common objects (e.g., use a square and a triangle to make a house).

I. Video for learning about shapes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhEDTfTxEXY&feature=em-share_video_user

II. What is a Shape?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/shape

Lawsuit Against Google- Assignment 5B

UC Berkeley Students File Lawsuit Against Google Alleging Illegal Scanning of Emails

Summary:

In March 2014, Google was being investigated for scanning emails in Apps for Education through services like Google Drive and Google Mail. Two years later, four students from UC Berkeley filed a lawsuit against Google. The four students say they did not agree to have their emails scanned for advertising purposes. The lawsuit is that Google violated a privacy act. Their argument is that they did not sign an agreement to share any of their personal information. The claim could be worth $10,000 per person in damages. The Google representative said the company does not comment on litigations. Google did agree to disable ads scanning in Apps for Education in April 2014, decreasing chances of email scanning for users.

My Opinion:

A contract should be abided by 100% of the time. If Google does something to break a contract, they should have to pay a price. Not necessarily in money. Some people file lawsuits just to get money but for those who actually want justice for whatever was done to them should hit them where it actually effects them. For example, Google has plenty of money. For them to satisfy people by just giving them money does not hurt them. They should lose privileges or something that effects their business. If Google wants/needs advertisement that bad, they could offer contracts to individuals that allows them to do what they want to do with others' accounts.

Google Invades Student Privacy- Assignment 5A

Digital Rights Group Alleges Google Invades Student Privacy

Summary:

Google is being accused of invading the privacy of students using Chrome on laptops. In early December, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (the digital rights group) filed with the Federal Trade Commission. While Google thinks they did nothing wrong, everyone believes that the Chromebook computers are rigged. Google has been able to collect students' searches including more than just educational purposes. Google's excuse is that they are gathering information so they can improve its digital services. The argument is that Google has violated a "Student Privacy Pledge." But the contract states that the personal information will not be exploited for "non-educational" purposes. The FTC is investigating and working for Google to destroy any information they have collected and stop using the students' activities for their own purposes.



My Opinion:

My question is can they see what everyone as an individual is doing or just the internet searches in general? Can they look directly at MY searches? Can they say "Reagan Prentiss from Greene County, Mississippi is currently on blogger.com?" For the people who are looking at things they should not be looking at on the internet, yeah, they have a reason to be concerned. As for me, I could careless if they see what I am searching. They would see that I am a college student with a shopping problem. I understand the whole "Student Privacy Pledge" but if Google can't see who you are and get all of your information (name, address, credit card numbers), then them seeing what everyone as a whole searches, what is the issue?

Life On Mars- Assignment 4B

What I've learned so far from living on Mars.

Summary:

In August 2015, six people trained on the island of Hawaii for a few days before spending life off planet for a while. They say how waking up on Mars is different from Earth, such as watching the news on Mars is what the watts are, the percentage of humidity and degrees Celsius, and what happened over night. First thing the crew learned was the inability to use a telephone. There is a 20-minute communication delay from Mars to Earth. The light-time affects all communication. With the lack of internet and communication, the crew gets a lot of work done like figuring out how to grow certain bacteria and filtering water through volcanic rock. The four basics used are sun, air, water, and rock. To find out what people need to live, work, and survive together on other planets they have to test every way so they can teach how to. They find out what works and what does not and realize everything they took for granted on Earth.

My Opinion:

Honestly, I have NO idea what to say. Reading this article has made me so confused. I read it twice and still barely have no idea what I read. I understand the concept, which is what life will be like on Mars but I don't understand why they are doing this. This article is way over my head. I cannot even give my opinion because I am completely illiterate to this.

What Does Research Really Say About iPads in the Classroom?- Assignment 4A

What does research really say about iPads in the classroom?

Summary:

Two educators research the effectiveness of iPads in classrooms. The researchers found why teachers can and cannot use iPads meaningfully in classrooms. During the research, Jeanne (educator/researcher) noticed that some teachers only used the iPads as rewards for being "good." So they decided to go deeper in their research to see how they could help teachers effectively use iPads for students and their learning. Come to find out, the assumptions that just because teachers can use social media does not mean they can use iPads to teach a classroom or make lesson plans.So the researches gave teachers time to "play" on an iPad and figure out how they work; apps, safari, ect. Then the researchers made the same assumption on students-- that they could work an iPad. Needless to say training was going to be necessary. Teachers needed to learn how to not only use the iPad but also be able to teach the students how to use an iPad. Students needed to learn how to use the learning apps productively and how to care for them. After extensive training, the researchers found that the iPads were in fact effective and productive. Not only did the research on iPads improve learning but it also improved the engagement of students/student relationships and student/teacher relationships. Teachers were able to connect students and their talents with the use of an iPad. The researchers said that iPads have the potential to level the playing field for all students. The study shows that teacher who have access to an iPad daily can improve their teaching styles and the students who have daily access to iPads can improve their learning skills and styles.


My Opinion:

I think that not just iPads but most technology can help students learn better if used properly and productively. If the students and teachers are trained to effectively to use and learn from the iPads then the learning can go through the roof because iPads and its apps contain more than a lot of teachers can offer. The main issue is the time and training it takes to make it more effective. I appreciate the teacher that did find ways for students to be more engaged with their classmates and their teacher. To me, if someone can find at least one way to improve teaching AND learning, the education system is gaining something.

John Hunter- The World Peace Game- Assignment 3

• The World Peace game- 1977.
• If you are able to touch their mind, great! But if you are able to touch their heart, the mind will follow.
• The students use their thinking skills to help combine the countries that are against one another politically, militarily , and economically.
• It helps students learn and understand what is going on in the world.
• The teacher noticed how much progress the students developed in the game that he added more controversy to bump up the standards.
• This game helps boost up the students confidence.
• It teaches the students many lessons: how to deal with other people, how to voice your opinion, how to use your talents, how to work as a team, how to be generous, how to be a team player, how to manage things in life.
• "So many people trying to do so much good!"
• Gifted class teacher.
• He noticed all of his teachers and his parents come out in his teaching styles.
• All the problems of the world on a piece of ply-board for the students to solve.
• All countries have a name, some are poor, some are rich, each one has their own issues, pros and cons.
• There is a book with each issue that needs to be discussed and solved.
• A student is designated to rule the country as prime minister and students have different roles in each country.
• The teacher put the students in real life situations and expected them to solve the problems on their own. Only with the help of the other 8 and 9 year old students in their group.

10 Most Engaging Uses of Tech Integration- Assignment 2B

Summary-

The article has put together some effective uses of technology that have helped and will help in the future of learning of students and the teaching of teachers.
1) Audio/Video Feedback: research and data show that verbal feedback is more effective than an email or written feedback. When a teacher/professor is verbally explaining something to a student, the student is more likely to understand what he/she is saying and is able to discuss it face-to-face.
2) Digital Portfolios: if the student has some sort of competition to work toward like the article says "being a performer for an audience" the student is more likely to give more effort.
3) Blended Learning: this is probably the most effective in learning. The students are supposed to listen to the lectures at home. It is convenient because they can watch it at their own time and own pace so when they get in the classroom they can be involved in classroom discussion, which keeps them more engaged in the class. The teacher also used technology to provide a way to support one another with help outside of the classroom.
4) Social Media: social media provides groups on Facebook or blogs for students to interact with one another for academic reasons. Social media can be used for something productive and positive in academics so students can help one another.
 5) Game-Based Learning: many games can be used to help students learn. Many games are already being used for learning from kindergarten to college. Games are an interesting way to make learning fun.
6) Collaboration Tools: these tools give students opportunities to use technology for discussion such as sharing their work and getting feedback and exchanging compliments to build confidence in students.
7) Design Thinking: students that are interested in what they are doing are easier to motivate and show more effort in their projects. Finding common interest in students then getting them in a group can help drive students to use their talents to better their education.
8) Reaching Individuals and Groups: like the article says "this activity would not have been possible without technology." Technology can bring projects to life. Especially projects that involve history that did not use technology.
9) Tracking Progress: students that are self-motivated are able to use the self-tracking progress because they will use whatever they can to make themselves and their work better. By keeping up with their progress they are able to use it to stay on the right track.
10) Visual Literacy: visual learning is most common. Technology helps a lot with visual learning because you can search anything to help you learn or see things with your eyes to better understand what you are doing.


My Opinion:

While all of these are so completely true, there are both positive and negative sides. Technology is awesome these days for teachers and students because it opens many door and provides many different opportunities. Something that is a problem with this is that we as a population have became so dependent on technology, we find every way to use it. Though a lot of it is helpful, we should find ways to help students learn better without depending on technology to do most of the work.

Digital Tools Evolving to Track Students' Emotions, Mindsets- Assignment 2A

Summary-

Academic researchers and teachers are finding better ways to teach students to learn better. More specifically how teachers teach students by their  individual personalities and learning styles. Technology has made this possible and more efficient for students. The article states that the software would be able to recognize each student's strengths and weaknesses and customize their learning techniques. The article is talking about ways to maximize learning technique and how teachers will be able improve grades and learning skills.



My Opinion-

I think the idea of teaching students in their own way is a great idea. The effort of academic researchers  and teachers going out of their way to find ways to help us students is great. I know it could really benefit a lot of students, especially ones who struggle. But of course everyone has pros and cons to everything. So, a negative affect would be that teachers would take out too much time in trying to learn how to teach every student that they would actually be going backwards. It would take serious time, organization, and planning to construct this idea in a completely beneficial way.