Technology in Art & Music

Advantages of Integrating Technology 

Many times people struggle with integrating technology into music and art programs. According to Robyler & Doering (2013) "Many art educators have resisted pressure to use computers and other instructional technologies, complaining about the contradiction inherent in blending impersonal machines with traditionally humanistic endeavors. In reality, however, technology has always played a part in the arts" (p. 354).  One of the main advantages of technology in the classroom is that it really enhances the lessons.  "the transforming power of technology is a force not only inthe economy but in the arts as well" (Robyler & Doering, 2013 p. 356).  In the classroom cameras and pictures can really help a student to fully grasp an art lesson. Teaching students how to use technology to do projects and presentations can also be a very useful life skill. Technology gives students a freedom that they did not have before without technology present.  It also makes sense to add more technology to the classroom because this generation of students are very technologically savvy.  This is why I really like how some schools have implemented a BYOD (Bring your own device) program.  The great thing about this program is that students and their parents are able to choose the technology that will work best for each individual student.   

Disadvantages of Integrating Technology

One of the major disadvantages when it comes to technology integration is lack of professional development.  If teachers are not properly trained on how to use equipment in the classroom investing in technological advancements would be a waste of resources.According to Robyler & Doering (2013) "Until states begin requiring that teacher candidates demonstrate proficiency with technology, teacher preparation programs will have a difficult case for including required technology courses in their curricula" (p. 356) Another disadvantage I find is when technology is used improperly.  According to Robyler & Doering (2013) "faculty who are web savvy can create interactive websites to help students learn color theory, design throry, and photography techniques" (p. 367).     With the great help it can be students need to be taught proper guidelines and help to correct standards when it comes to the use of technology.   Here is an interesting resource I found that talks about where to start with making classroom rules Classroom Management Tips (Rules)  Also when making rules it is important to incorporate parents in the process because that is the only way to make sure everyone involved is on the same page.

Resources I like

I really like the programs I found that supported music production.  This can really be useful for all ages and can be adapted to fit class needs http://www.apple.com/logic-pro/ for only $200 this can be installed onto the classroom computer for easy accessibility.  

Another really awesome resource was kidpix http://www.mackiev.com/kidpix/index.html this program allows students to illustrate their own stories in a form of a video.  This is perfect for elementary students and I would use this is my own classroom.  

It also is really cool how as a teacher I can take my class on a virtual field trip to an art museum if we are unable to go to one.  According to Roblyer & Doering (2013) it "Allows students to see models and examples of artworks not locally available" (p. 366). A great resource for this is the following link 

http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/vgwel.shtm
There are so many great was to add technology to music and art lessons and I can not wait to try some of these methods in the future!

 Robyler, M. D. & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.).

     Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Educational Flip Charts

Cut Up Sentences
I really love this flip chart because it is perfect for independent student activity.  Students in Kindergarten can use this activity to help learn sight words, decoding and assist in fluency.  I also love that their are pictures to give clues on how to pronounce different more difficult words.  As a teacher I could also use this flip chart in a guided classroom activity.

hardware/software

This flip chart would be perfect for use on a touch screen smart board.  It also would be useful on an iPad as well as on a classroom computer.  All these different ways can be varied depending on of it is used as an independent, small group, or whole group activity.

technology use in regards to problem solving...

According to Robyler & Doering (2013), one of the first problems in technology in the classroom is making sure it gains the students attention.  This flip chart has engaging pictures, sounds, and movements which I think can be very engaging. Another point of Roblyer & Doering (2013) is that technology should be "engaging students through productive work" another goal that I think is met through my flip chart example.  Students are interested while also learning valuable foundation skills.  Technology should be "Supporting effective skill practice" (Robyler & Doering, 2013).  This is very true and also manifested in the flip chart that I selected.  There are so many problems that need to be addressed when integrating technology in the classroom that it is important to cover as many as possible within every activity.

essential conditions for technology integration...

According to Robyler & Doering (2013) integrating technology involves proper budgeting, coordination with the school and district, finding technology to match curriculum needs, and proper teaching training. The one that really stood out to me was teacher training.  It does not matter how much or how little technology a school has it means nothing if the teachers do not know how to properly utilize it.

software support tools...

According to Robyler & Doering (2013) SMART Table Interactive Learning Center is the most popular interactive whiteboard activity software.  It was developed by the same creator of the flip charts we researched.  Personally I think it is excellent software because it allows lots of input from multiple students as well as teachers.  It also makes authoring programs a breeze for teachers.  Overall it is a fantastic software it is very easy to adapt it to all your needs.


 Robyler, M. D. & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.).

     Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Web-based Learning

Wikis 

 According to Robyler & Doering (2013), “Wikis are a collection of web pages located in an online community that encourage collaboration and communication of ideas by having users contribute or modify content…” (p. 223). The wiki I found was from a school district called Patterson http://patersonprekessentials.wikispaces.com/home I really like it. The link has all kind of information for what they call “preschool essentials” and goals that all preschoolers are expected to meet in their program. There are also all sorts of resources for students, teachers, and parents as well. “Many instructors use wikis both in their classes for their students to develop their own wikis or they develop wikis to communicate their own content” (Robyler & Doering p. 224). I feel like the link listed does a wonderful job of communicating their own content as a representation of the previous definition. This is definitely something I could see myself creating and implementing for my preschool students and parents.

 Translation Widget 

   I think this could be very useful especially when it comes to teaching Spanish. This can be an excellent tool for teaching basic spanish conversational phrases and topics. Plus it is very hands on so students can learn and discover new words and phrases independently and efficiently.



Notepad Widget This widget can be used in class for note taking. Students could also use it to follow along with lessons and to take down instructions for in class assignments. Web-based Lesson According to Robyler & Doering (2013), "Teachers have developed many variations of online group development of products" (p. 239). This point also ties into distance learning, teachers all over the country are learning to merge technology into learning. "For example, students write papers, develop concept maps, and develop presentations collaboratively online..." (Robyler & Doering 2013, p. 239). By being able to collaborate with students who are studying similar lessons the knowledge received and exchanged expands, more than it would have in just one classroom. My example I choose is the electronic penpal program http://www.epals.com/#!/main According to Robyler & Doering (2013), "Teachers link up each student with a partner or penpal in a distant location to whom the student writes letters or diary type entries" (p. 239). This is a great way to merge social studies and english. On one hand the students get to learn about another culture and lifestyle that is different from their own experience. On the other hand students get to practice their grammar and reading comprehension skills. With the proper supervision I think this is a wonderful concept. Robyler, M. D. & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Technology and Learning

Distance teaching and learning is a subject that is very important to me.  Growing up homeschooled K-12 most of my life I was in distance learning.  Unfortunately I did not get to use much technology so I am very intrigued by the advancement of it. According to Robyler & Doering (2013) “The primary reason for this breathtaking revolution in communication is society’s recognition of the importance of ready access to people and resources” (pg. 204).  It is amazing how easy technology makes it to do absolutely anything. “When viewed in the context of this revolution in communications, it is not surprising that distance technologies have come to play a central role in teaching and learning (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 205)

URLs

URL stands for "uniform resource locators" which is a very fitting name because that is exactly what it does.  These URLs work as addresses to locate websites.  According to Robyler & Doering (2013) “If someone gives you a URL, very often you can tell what and where it is by reading its parts” (p. 217). So by simply reading a URL a student can get a general ideal of what a website may contain before searching it.

Search Engines

According to Robyler & Doering (2013) “Before the Internet, it was difficult to locate specific resources or items of information” (p. 219).  When students learn how to properly use search engines the world becomes theirs! A student can use search engines to find any academic information they may need. Students have the options to search for items by subjects or keywords.

Favorite Web Sites

http://www.lauracandler.com/filecabinet/index.php

I liked this website because there were a lot of printable worksheets for a lot of different grade levels from upper elementary through middle school.  I enjoyed that this site had easy navigation, exploring the site was a breeze. According to Robyler & Doering (2013) “Pages should always load very quickly. Its easy to get around the site” (p. 255). I felt that this quote accurately described the site.

http://www.abcteach.com/

My next recommendation is the abc teach website.  I loved this site because it also has lots of printables and covers all kinds of subjects. Also I really enjoyed the fact that they had material for early childhood up through middle school.  As a Pre-K teacher who is studying to teach elementary education I wanted a site that would be useful to me now and later. According to Robyler & Doering (2013) “Pages are designed for good readability and aesthetics” (p. 255).  I feel that this site meets this criteria because the colors and graphics were really professional and not overwhelming.

Website Evaluation

I really enjoyed this video it is a very fun way to look at website evaluation for the classroom!

 Robyler, M. D. & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.).

     Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Hypermedia Tools: Innovation For The Classroom

Commercial Hypermedia Product 

The commercial hypermedia product I chose was the interactive storybooks. According to Roblyer and Doering (2013), “Stories that can be read from a computer screen, on mobile devices, or as print books with interactive buttons are either called interactive storybooks or electronic storybooks” (p.175). As someone who teaches preschool and is very interested in elementary education I found this product inspiring. This is the perfect for teaching phonics, reading, and even reading comprehension. It is also a fantastic individual activity during center times that does not need to be teacher guided. Here is an interactive storybook for young children that I really like Interactive Farm Storybook this one is about farm animals and even breaks down all the sounds they make. I thought this was perfect because depending what kind of book you choose you can even incorporate science and even social study activities. There are all kinds of types of interactive and electronic storybooks. “Some online interactive storybooks allow students to read them at their own pace, with interaction available as the student requests it” (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 175). This is a fantastic product that I plan on fully utilizing in my classroom.

Commercial Multimedia Authoring Tool 

According to Robyler & Doering (2013), “hypermedia programs have become increasingly more powerful and user friendly…” (p. 179). The multimedia authoring tool I found that I am really interested are audio and video production and editing systems. My favorite tool I found was Apple Garage Band, here is a tutorial Apple-Garageband Tutorial It allows you to make all kinds of music without any instruments present. I think this can be useful for music classes, learning about music production, learning new information through music, or even adding music to projects and presentations.  This is really a cool tool that can be adapted for all grades and ages. It also does a great job of fostering creativity.  The text stated that “Indeed, hypermedia publishing may eventually supersede paper publishing in importance and impact…” (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 178). I thought this was exciting because the way students and teachers use technology is exciting and constantly evolving. Another interesting point was that when it comes to multimedia authoring “the students of today’s classrooms will be at the forefront of this succession both in use and development” (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 178). I find this to be a very true statement the students of today truly do set the stage for the classroom of tomorrow.

 Robyler, M. D. & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.).

     Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.  

"Basic Three" Software Tools

Using technology in the classroom is extremely important.  It provides students and teachers with exciting, innovative ways to learn and develop while still fostering creativity.  In this blog post, I am going to explore the “Basic Three” of software tools.

Word Processing

When word processing programs first entered the classroom, it really was a game changer.  According to Roblyer and Doering (2013), “Word processing helps teachers use preparation time more efficiently by letting them modify materials instead of creating new ones” (p. 116).  According to the text, this also “allows collaboration on documents” (Robyler & Doering, 2013,

p. 119).  This means that teachers and students can work together on projects even if they are unable to meet face-to-face.  However, one issue with this can be that these documents may seem less personal, and there may not be as much room to add your own individual touch.   

Spreadsheet Software

According to Roblyer and Doering (2013), “A spreadsheet helps users manage numbers in the same way that word processing helps them manage words” (p.122).  I find this program to be especially important because when working with large amounts of data it can be very difficult to keep it all organized.  One issue I do have with this program is that it can be difficult to learn how to use.  I have not always found it to be user friendly.

Presentation Software

As someone who is a very visual learner, I would have to say that hands down presentation software is my favorite.  It really allows you to bring your thoughts and ideas to life.  It also seems to allow room for the most individuality and creativity.  According to Roblyer and Doering (2013), “When a presentation product is well-designed, it supports and supplements what the speaker says…(p. 128).  An issue that some researchers have mentioned is that “presentation software makes people focus on slides rather than the message” (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p.129-130).

Classroom Use

In the classroom, word processing is useful for everything from research papers to class newsletters.  It can help students check for grammatical errors before turning in work.  Spreadsheet software is wonderful to use for in class data organization.  It could even be used in a teacher guided activity to understand data from a class or school poll.  Presentation software can help me as a teacher connect to my students in a more visual way by giving them literal examples of subject matter.  It can also help students better represent their ideals in class reports.

Robyler, M. D. & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.).

     Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.  

New Experiences

In my first class of the semester and I am so excited to be here! Computer-Based Instructional Technology is way more interesting than I thought it would be.  Going back to school can be so stressful, but this class is a great start! :-)

http://www.montevallo.edu/

What's cuter than a baby laughing? Thanks for reading!