TPACK Answers

The content of our science project is that the students learn about different physical characteristics of Utah compared to the world.

The pedagogy of our science project is that the teacher needs to be involved in this project because she'll have to make sure the students stay on-topic and that they understand the difference between wetlands, forests, and deserts.

The technology of our science project is to teach students how to navigate through Google Earth. It is a good fit with the content in pedagogy because the students need to learn about geographical components of Utah and by using technology they can see Utah in a realistic way.

The Tech-Savvy Teacher

We have found as the students have been coming into our classroom that they are extremely interested in the world of technology. Think about how many of your students have cell phones, computers, iPods, etc. They are technologically savvy! We, as their teachers, need to keep up with them in this fast-paced world. As we plan our lessons, we need to always have technology in mind so that we truly become a tech-savvy teacher and help our students be the best in this competitive world.

In this science activity, our objective was to help our 4th grade students achieve core standard five which states: “Students will understand the physical characteristics of Utah’s wetlands, forests, and deserts.” Each student was given an outline of the shape of Utah. On this map, they were to identify and label using different colors the different physical characteristics of Utah. We discussed the different physical characteristics of each of these areas so students could distinguish between the different landforms. Students were given the opportunity in small groups to look at Utah from outer space using Google Earth on the classroom computers to aide them in shading in their Utah maps.

Google Earth is a program that can be accessed through the internet to view the world from outer space to identify different physical characteristics. As children explore the world using this technology, they are able to observe and analyze the different wetlands, forests, and deserts in Utah compared to other areas in the world. This is a good opportunity for students because they can become more proficient using the internet and also see areas of the world they may never visit. We have found this to be an effective tool in involving the student in their own learning process. Children need to have the opportunity to learn independence and this activity provides what they need to explore using their own technology skills.

TPACK

TPACK involves content, pedagogy, and technology knowledge. It is necessary for teachers because it integrates these 3 knowledges together so you're getting more knowledge in less time! To be a successful teacher, I need to be integrating these three knowledges together to help my students best.
One of the sites that I explored was the google earth site. Surprisingly, I haven't ever looked too much around there. I looked at my house, very detailed, and also in Tartu, Estonia where I served my mission.

RSS Feeds

It's really handy to have an RSS Feed on my blog. I don't have to spend time going to different websites, but the websites come to me. I can filter the websites to just show news that I'm interested in. I also added a feed for BYU Sports so I can see what's coming up!
As an educator I could, for example, post a link to an RSS Feed for parents to find out which books we have read, are reading, and will be reading in the future. They can also see others' comments on these books.

My Technology Background

I am still trying to figure out this blog thing. I obviously don't know a lot about technology but am excited to learn about it. It's very useful! I can do basic things such as email, send attachments, facebook, google, and that's about it.

Uhm....

Sorry my sight is so lame right now, I've never blogged!! I only know how to use Facebook...wish me luck!