Final Portfolio

Here Is my Portfolio. Merry Christmas!!

My Presentation

Click here to view my powerpoint.

Scratch Project Changes

I choose Multipliction Monkeys to do my changes. The begining project had the clouds as a light blue color. I changed them to white. I also made some changes to the monkey. The fisrt monkey was plan so I added as smile and gave him a pink bow and make it a pretty girl monkey. Click here to view my changes.

Exploring Scratch

Scratch seems like a great way for kids to use technology and be creative at the same time. Most classrooms use the computer as research. This is another tool that can be used for many different purposes. I seen some scratch projects that were there to teach a subject, to enforce a subjects, and some that were just created for . I really like a scratch project called multiplication Monkeys. Here is the link:

Presentation Topic

I plan on doing my topic on the flu.

Think Aloud

Henry Jenkins and New Media Literacy

The lecture was very informitive of how the internet has changed our culture. It has brought the entire world into a social circle which is something that was not possible a few years ago. The internet has made it possible for people to have access to knowlegde that they did not even know excisted. People can expand there minds without leaving the house. It is amazing and it happened in such a short period of time. Henry Jenkins wrote a book called "Convergence Culture", which, as he described it is the intersection of commercial culture and amiture culture. Convergence is a culture rather than a technological process. We now live in a world where every story, image, sound, idea, brand, and relationship will play itself out across all media platforms. What is new in the media today will be old news tomorrow. It is constantly growing.
Some implications of convergence culture of education are that children have the knowlegde at their finger tips. They no longer need the classroom to learn. They can choose to learn what they want. There are so many web pages with information that can help a child with their homework or just for advice. The problem is that the children are more experienced with this new technology then the educators. The teachers need to be up to date with the convergence culture to be able to teach the students how to use the technology correctly. The internet has the ablility to be harmful. Schools are putting limits on the use of computers in the classroom because they only see the posibility of the children using the technology in a negitive fasion. They are not seeing how many positive aspects can come out of outsourcing in the classroom. I love having this class because I have learned so many things that will be helpful when I am in the classroom. I think that schools should make it manditory to have their teachers in technology classes and incorporate it in the classroom.
Here is the link to view his lecture:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ardhuq677cU

Site Validation

I chose to do my validation on the site thedogisland.com. The Dog Island site is so bogges. It actually made me laugh when I read some of the material it had on its web pages. I just really can not believe that people are allowed to put up material like this. First off, the site wants you to send you dogs to an island away from civilization and hunt their food and sleep outside in caves. They say this is the best gift you can give your pet by abandoning them and leaving them to fend for themsevles. I dont think so. If I did that to my dog he would be heart broken. In the FAQ, people have concerns and the answers just keep repeating that you should send your dog to Dog Island. Secondly, the price to go to Dog Island is free. It tells you that you can send your dog here free of charge, but you may never take them home again. They allow you three visitation days a year. But then they go on to tell you that your may hate you because you tried to damesticate them for so many years. They offer a Vacation Island where you may take your dog to enjoy the life for a few weeks and leave togeather but tell you it is so expensive that only the rich will every be able to afford the high cost. The link to the price is RichVisitor@thedogisland.com.
The directions to find this place are hilarious. Because of the anti-freedom protestors they had to hide the main office. To find the office you must go to Tallahassee, Fl and look up all the dog grooming professionals in town.
Arrange their names alphabetically, and then you'll see that their names relate in a way with the street names of downtown Tallahassee. When you realize this pattern, start at "A" and go through "W" each time marking your way with a piece of red tape on the door. Some one will them approach you and take you to a Dog Island representative. If this does not scream "Pratical Joke". Who is really going to do this. No one with any sense.
I use a search of the site on google and clicked on Snopes.com. The site says that the claim is false. That there is no dog island. Some of the names that where used on thedogisland.com where names of companies in china that raise dogs to be used as meat. That was my initial thought when I started to read the web page. I thought it was strange that they tell you that you may never see your dog again. It really sounded like they were going to use your pets as food after you leave.
Click here to view the site The Dog Island: http://thedogisland.com/

Magizine Cover Design

Graph of Class Survey

Survey Question

Social Bookmarking

I chose the website called Web 2.0 for the Classroom Teacher. I see this as a site I would get use out of. It is a site that has pre chosen links to help a teacher find sites that would be useful in the classroom. There are categories listed on the page so it makes it easier to find what your looking for. These list include: Internet Resources, Blog-Podcast-Vlog-Screencast Resources, Collaboration-Wiki sites, Online productivity/Organization tools, Online Teacher Resources and Fun Stuff to Try, Good Blogs to Read, and eLenawee Course links. Under each category there are at least 10 to 20 links to choose from. Being a teacher, time is essential. This site is a good way to cut back on searching for material to use in the classroom.

Artifact of my WebQuest

This is a sample artifact of my WebQuest which required the students to make up a rutine for an audition and record it.

Taxonomy of WebQuest

I would say that my WebQuest is a "Creative Product Task" because in the WebQuest the students are to design a two minute dance. They are allowed to choose whatever dance style they like and perform it in front of judges as if it where an audition. This WebQuest allows the students to be creative in how they choose the music and how they perform to it.

"Would Socrates approve of WebQuests?"

I absolutely feel that Socrates would approve of teaching using WebQuests. Like the article said Socrates was a universal teacher. He did not like to teach inside the classroom, and he taught to anyone that was willing to learn. The internet is a great way to retrieve knowledge that was not availiable a few years ago. Anything that you want to know you just type it in and its at your fingertips. Socrates would have a hay day with teaching strategies such as a WebQuest. WebQuest allow you guide a student through learning online. It has the task needed to be done and gives links to sites that would be helpful in completeing the task.

Here is the edited version of the WebQuest. Click this link to view it: http://sites.google.com/site/teyahenthornswebquest/

Webquest Remodeling

I will be working on a webquest called Dancing Through Life. Click here to view:http://questgarden.com/67/66/9/080626185600/index.htm

This webquest is very vague. There is no illistration and is very boring. It is about auditions for a high school class that involves preparation for future college dance majors. I want to add some addition information and some pictures of dancers or really just anything. I think this is a good webquest to start with. It needs a lot of work. One good thing about the webquest is that the author has added many links for information on how auditions run and web pages on dancing.

Should students be allowed to create multimedia project instead of writing papers in school (at least some of the time)?

Multimedia plays a huge part in society. I think it is wise to have students learn how to use new technology. At the rate we are going, by the time they are adults everything with be done by computer. Working on the computer will give the students a hand up for what they will be doing in there future careers. Using multimedia projects has many positive learning experiences and will allow students to do deeper research and use many tools that they may have not know where available. Although there are many advantages, there are also many disadvantages. NETS-T has many guidelines which allow safe learning with the internet, but there is many web pages that may not have appropriate information. Another problem with using multimedia essays and projects is the accesess students have to computers. Some students may not have a computer at home and will not be able to work outside of the classroom.

When I Become A Teacher

Group Webquest Assignment
Creative Encounter and Poetry of war were our top two choices. Creative Encounters engaged the students in a group activity and gave them a creative way of learning. Every group would have a different way of creating a number system and everyone in the group would have a different job. Poetry of war was our other top pick because it engages the students in a more critical way of thinking. Children had to read poems and create their own. The Students had to also be creative by drawing pictures and describing it as well. The worst ones were The Diary of John Wilkes Booth and The Problem with Landfills. The diary of John Wilkes Booth provided way too much information and would have lost the students interest. Some of the information was irrelevant. The Problem with Landfills was hard for children to get sources. It could have also been more age appropriate. Best means the one that facilitates the most creative and analytical thinking and processes and the worst means those that lack interest and group interaction.

Resume

My resume is located at this link. Please click to review: http://docs.google.com/View?id=d4zc5sc_1fjqr3qgk

This is my first blog for my Instuctional Technology class at Fairmont State University. This class is going to very difficult for me. I have always had problems trying to figure out how to work the computer. I always tell everyone I'm computer illiterate. I am always afraid I'm going to break the computer if I push the wrong button. I also have no patience so I never get on the computer, because I think it takes to long to load. The computers here at the college are very fast so I have been trying to get on them as much as possible. I can tell that I'm getting better at figuring out how blackboard works. I think having computers in my classes will help me become more experienced and be able to use the knowlegde in my own classroom in the future.