Type with me

Type with me is very similar to Google Docs.  There are a couple of differences.  One difference is that everyone has there own color and no one else can change or delete the others' work.  I can see this being beneficial in a classroom.  As the teacher I can see what each student has contributed to the document.  Although I find it difficult to read through sometimes with all the colors, and students with ADHD or ADD might have a very difficult time with this application for the same reason.  They might have a hard time focusing.  Another difference is that it doesn't automatically save the work like Google Docs does.  If you loose a connection with the application or it synchronizes while your using it, it doesn't save it.  While using it our group had to keep retyping the same information at least 10-15 times, because it was synchronizing while we were using it.  I can see students just giving up and leaving it as it is, especially since we as adults were at that point.  I'm still working on all of this weeks work, so nothing else to add.

How does technology effect my life?

Before you ask how does technology affect your life you have to define what technology is.  Technology is the tools we use - computers, software programs, iPods, Smartboards, and the internet to name a few.  When I think of technology I think of electronics, apps and software, and their accessories.  We use technology every day and there is so much to choose from these days.  

As a technology continues to advance and more becomes available we need select and use the tools best suited to the person and the situation.  I don't believe that just because it's new or free always makes it better than we sometimes already have.  Take Windows Vista for example.  Have you ever heard anybody say anything good about it - even when it was new?  This week I found some tools better than others. 

I was really excited about the different graphic sites at first until I looked closer to the home page.  On some of the sites I saw content that would not be appropriate for school.  It disappointed me because I really thought they could become good sites to use for language arts and social studies.  I talked to our school librarian who is going to take the list of sites and see if she can find similar sites that have more suitable graphics for the students.  I was really disappointed in the Face in Hole graphics and MagMyPic content.

I liked the TypeWithMe site.  It has some similarities to google docs.  It's easy to use and everyone can type directly into the document.  I like that you can tell who typed what with the different colors.  My only question is can students delete someone else's work?  I didn't try it so I'm not sure.  Or can you sign in as another person?  

What have I learned that will be helpful in the future?

What have I learned in this course that will be helpful to me in the future?  In this course I learned more about the “workings” of a computer than I’ve ever known.  Prior to this course I had heard of words like RAM, MB, video cards, memory cards, and more.  Some of these terms I knew more about than others.  I found the research projects and the Under the Hood assignments useful in learning more about the computer components.  I especially found the printers and digital cameras useful since I am or will be in the market for both very soon.  I learned it’s important to know what I already have when looking to add components.    

Prior to this course I only knew about Windows and Mac operating systems.  I had no idea there were other OS and that they are free.  To be honest at this time I have no intention of using those again (I had problems with the one of the systems “invading” my PC), but it’s good to know there are options.  It’s amazing how much free stuff is available.  At least today it’s free; I have to wonder how long before that changes.  When the Internet first came about almost everything was free, now there’s plenty that is still free, but there’s plenty that has a cost.  

One of my favorite assignments was watching the Triumph of the Nerds recording.  I found it to be a very interesting recording and I learned so much.  It filled in the holes of what I knew and then some.  It was interesting to learn how things came about and to think about how different things could have been.  Take Xerox and Apple for example, if either had done things differently both could have completely changed the computer world as we know it.  I’m not sure how I’ll use this information in the future, but it sure was interesting and enlightening.

Now I’m working on my perfect computer.  I don’t do a lot on my computer today, but slowly that’s changing.  Today I don’t have a digital camera and I don’t download music.  I use my computer for work, school, and email.  In my previous career I spent all day on the computer and it got old.  Now I use it for what I need to do, and while I’m grateful to have it, I don’t care to spend any more time on it than I need to.  As things change (I’m looking at digital cameras for wildlife pictures) I may need to find the “perfect computer.” As I do it will be great to have all this knowledge that I have gained in this course.  

What's all this to me?

What is all of this to me?  To me it means making changes in the way I do business everyday.  In addition learning things I wouldn't have taken the time to do before, I'm being forced to make changes in my everyday life.  So far the biggest change I've made is upgrading from dial-up internet to high speed internet.  I use high speed internet everyday - at school, at places around town (especially for classwork), at family and friend's houses - pretty much every where except at home.  The only reason for not making the change sooner was solely cost and just having one more bill to pay.  So am I glad that I made the change?  Absolutely.

What's next?  Do I think that I will change operating systems?  No, not likely.  I like Windows and I'm getting used my Mac's operating system.  As a matter of fact, I'm scared of the other operating systems wiping out my installed operating systems on my PC and Mac.  I wouldn't consider myself tech savvy, although I can find my way around what I need and I like to learn and use new technology.  Until this course I wasn't aware of any other operating systems.  I find it interesting that Windows and Macs operating systems aren't as common throughout the world as they are here in the United States.  Until last week I thought those were the only operating systems.

The project I'm really excited about is the research component project.  I'm currently in the market for a new printer, mine is 12-13 years old, and a wireless router.  I'd also like to invest in a nice digital camera next year.  It can be daunting to research when purchasing especially when I'm not always up to speed on the technology lingo.  The research I'm doing for my project will come in handy when I buy a new printer this year, hopefully very soon.  Some of the information that I would have considered important before I've learned isn't as important as I thought.  Sometimes it's difficult to keep up with the constant change of technology, especially the cost.  I'm looking forward to learning more about the computer components.


 

Future of Instructional Computing

How does this class apply to the future of instructional computing?  For me I think just like anything in history it's important to know where we've come from to help understand and predict the future.  That is what watching the first two parts of the Triumph of the Nerds has done for me.  Considering our history technology isn't really that old, but look at how many times it has already changed.  Technology changes fast and it's easy to get left behind if you don't keep up with it.  Technology is in a constant change.  Personally, I'm really grateful that typewriters and the old word processors have been replaced by computers and PC's.

I've used computers during  my professional career, but I've never given a thought about the "technology" part of it nor the hardware.  I thought it was interesting when we looked at the insides of various computers in class the other night.  It was noticeable to me that the computer I opened up was older than some of the others.  Mine didn't have nearly as many components inside.

How does all of these changes effect instruction?  As I already mentioned we have to keep up with technology.  As new curriculum is introduced into schools more and more of it is technology based.  This can include textbooks on line, projects, videos, documents, and assessments.  The curriculum also includes different types of media.  For example, I just joined a project fairly new to our district using iPod's in the classroom.  I used them in the classroom the other day, and you can not believe how engaged the students were.

While I'm really excited to have technology and that I'm able to use it in my classroom, I think there are some down sides to technology in the classroom.  First, keeping the technology current.  As already mentioned technology is constantly changing and so is the technology students have away from school.  If they are using a newer version of an iPod at home, they may not be so inclined to want to use the older version at school.  For example, the iPod's I'm using at school are iPod touches, but if I had joined this project earlier they were iPods, but not the iPod touches.  Also technology isn't cheap so some districts may have difficulty with getting various types of technology in their schools.  Finally, technology shouldn't replace "hands on" work.  Have you ever been somewhere when the cash register wasn't working and the person behind the counter couldn't make change on their own?  Or how about the person that can only read a digital clock?  Just like everything else we need a balance between the old and the new (look at history).    

Computer History for Tammy Borowski

I don’t remember a lot about my early computers.  What I do remember was that my first computer experience began with a big, clunky computer.  That computer was loud and had limited functions.  It used floppy disks and we used a huge dot matrix printer for printing.   The next one I remember was hooked to a mainframe system and it was used for data processing.  I worked in an industry that we had to create and print airway bills of lading.  Each bill of lading had 8 carbon copies and came with an air bill number already printed on it.  The computer made the data processing much easier, since we were able to enter the “correct” information before it was printed.  When the computers were down, we had to do the same work on typewriters.  Needless to say it took much longer to do, as well as many mistakes were made.  Even then it was amazing how quickly we relied on computers.

Then I got a personal computer both at work and at home.  With both computers I had the capability to save to floppy and hard disks, however, they both used DOS operating systems.  My first home computer was a HP 360, and the reason I bought my first computer was to do work at home.  I liked having the ability to leave work at a respectable time, and then continuing with my work later that same night in the convenience of my own home.  It wasn’t until years later and another job, that I had a computer that had Windows.  When I first used Windows I couldn’t believe the difference.  I no longer had to type in the commands; instead it was just a few clicks with the mouse.

After Windows came the internet.  Having access to the Internet was and still is interesting in the workplace.  When the Internet was first being introduced in my office I had access because I was a manager.  At that time it was limited access, but over time that changed.  Some things about the Internet made my job easier, but other things about it made it more difficult.  It was nice to able to find information relatively easy, however, it made “managing” more difficult.  Since we can now do everything on the Internet, it made managing more challenging.  The more we can do on the Internet, the more we do; however, due to the Internet much more “personal” business happens daily in the business setting.  People spend more time at work communicating with family and friends, shopping, downloading music, etc.

Today I own my third personal computer, a laptop.  I primarily use my laptop to do work or email.  I really don’t spend a lot of “my time” on the computer.  I might go weeks or longer without even checking email, which was before this graduate program.  In many ways in my personal life I’m old school when it comes to technology.  I’m not a gamer, I don’t shop or bank online, just to name a few.  However, I do like that I can email family and friends anytime of the day that I want, and the online chatting is starting to grow on me.   

I like that technology in many ways has made daily tasks easier.  I use more technology at work than I do in my personal life and for this reason sometimes I find it difficult to keep up with the latest technology.  I don’t enjoy spending hours sitting in front of a computer at home. 

Week 2

So far the activity I see the most useful in my classroom is Google Docs.  With Google Docs I really like that students can collaborate and work together on a document at the same time.  I also like that I can see what they are doing, and better yet, who is doing what when.  My challenge will be explaining to them how to use Google Docs and getting it set up.  In our school the internet connection isn't always reliable, and we don't have access to computers on a regular basis.  With that being said, I'm already thinking of ways that my students can use Google Docs.  One thought is to have them create a newspaper about positive things in their community.

Some of the other things we have done so far, such as social bookmarking and online storage, I see more useful for me as a teacher and/or a graduate student.  I think this technology is more suited for older learners. 

My least favorite thing so far is the video camera, whether it's Skype, Google video chat, etc.  It's not the capability of using it, actually I like that I can talk to someone while I'm working and it doesn't cost me a phone call.  The part I don't like is that I can be seen.  I always tell my students that my least favorite part of teaching is picture day.  I HATE having my picture taken, and will avoid cameras at all costs.  I like that I can "bring" someone into my classroom via a video chat, but as for me being visible I think I'll use the "chat" feature. 

My "babies" - the Akitas A to Z

Right now while I'm waiting for my jury duty and putting the final touches on my papers, I thought I would take the time to share a few pictures of my "babies".  In the photo on the left, the dog on the left is "little" Zeke.  He's 9 1/2 months old and weights approx. 75 lbs.  The dog on the right of the same photo is Angel.  She is approx. 14 mos. old and 65 lbs.  In the second picture,  Zeke is in the front and Angel is in the back.  They are both Akitas and true to the breed they are both strong willed.

When I first heard about the IT graduate program about a year ago I was very excited.   This week I have felt overwhelmed, but as I get my IT "legs" I think that will go away.  I'm very excited when something goes right, and when I realize I've learned something new.  In just this short period of time I have already learned and done things I have never done before.  I had never heard of Google Docs, Social Bookmarking, some of the web browsers we researched, and I had never blogged before.  I always wondered why people blog when they could just "speak" to someone.  So before I did my first blog my friend said to me I should use my blog as a "journal" so that when I look back I can see how far I have come.   Now that I have set up my blog, I understand why people do it.  I'm excited to  read my classmates blogs and learn about them, and to record my progress along the way in my own blog.  Technology is forever changing and I'm glad to be part of it.

Ready, Set Go!

Several years ago in my first career I was moving up the corporate ladder.   I was making more money and gaining plenty of knowledge and responsibility,  however I wasn't happy.  I decided to go to college to do what I always wanted to do - teach special needs students.  As I was finishing my degree and certifications in regular education and special education, I knew it wouldn't be too much longer before I started my master's degree.  I knew I wanted to do an online program, but in what I wasn't sure.  I looked at curriculum programs, but I wanted something that was more "hands on" and that I felt I would be able to apply to my lessons and classes while I was learning.  That is what brought me here, to Cardinal Stritch's on-line instructional technology graduate program.

I teach middle school students that are cognitively disabled.  My classroom will have students from all three grades, 6th, 7th, and 8th all in the same class.  Some may be at a kindergarten level, while others may be at a 3rd grade level.  However, what they all have in common is that they like technology.  The students have done a debate in which I videotaped, they have created and presented PowerPoint presentations, and this year I'm working on having them create a newspaper about positive news in their community.  We use Smartboards and the Senteo clickers on a regular basis.  My goal is to learn more about technology, what's out there and how to use it, and share my knowledge with my students by making their learning more exciting.  The more I know, the more they'll be able to use.  The more they use it, the more excited they'll be about learning.  Even in the past few years technology in the classroom has changed so much and if you don't keep up, you'll be left behind.  I don't want that for me or my students.

I'm very excited about this on-line program, however, right now I feel defeated and overwhelmed.  I look at the lessons for this week, and realize there is so much more out there than I knew about.  Will I ever get it all done?  Right now, it doesn't feel like it.  It doesn't help that technology has not been my friend for the past couple of weeks.  My new computer for school has been giving me problems, the technology tools I planned to used for lessons aren't co-operating with my new computer, and my internet connection at school and work are co-operating either.  Take my group meetings this week.  I sign on Thursday night,  I got on but the mic wasn't working on the computer.  It's very strange sitting in a room listening to others talking and not being able to "talk" with them.  I used text, but I had an epiphany - this must be want it's like to be deaf.  So last night I signed on again - no internet.  So I quickly drove to Culver's to use theirs.   Good it worked but I wound up closing the place and I was forced to move to the parking lot.  That was until my computer shut down due to low battery.  I quickly drove to Wendy's, good they were open, had an outlet, but no internet connection.  Now what?  I ran to McDonald's good they were open, had internet, but no outlets in the seating area.  Today I'm at Panera, because I still don't have an internet connection.  So my question is what cosmic universe did I upset?  Will I make it through all these "challenges"?  Sure.  Will it make me stronger?  Maybe.  Will I laugh about it?  Sure, maybe 20 or 30 years from now.  Maybe that's one of the take aways from this program - learn to laugh about the challenges that technology brings.