Having FUN with Picasa!!!

I LOVE to just play around with photos and edit them. I love how we can take average photos on our cameras and turn them into master pieces just by the click of our computer mouse. Picasa allowed me to do exactly that. There are also other programs that can also be used for the same purpose such as iphoto or picnik, but i thought i would give picasa a go.
The picture that i decided to tweak a little was one from work. I chose this particular photos because it was one of my favorites. the first thing i worked on was cropping the photo so the attention was solely on us three.  I also changed the lighting a little and the sharpness of the photo.
this was such a fun site to explore my photos and to see if i can turn them into better pictures.Of course there is always trying to recover old photos or making darker photos more visible that are also problems for people today but i find that picasa can help you do away with those problems.

BEFORE

 













 AFTER

Technology in the classroom!

As a future teacher i plan to implement the use of technlogy in the classroom as a way to not only communicate to my students but also to their parents as well.As a constant way to communicate with the parents on the progress of their students the use of technology will ensure that those parents who are not able to come to a parent teacher interview will still be able to communicate with me about their child. They could also talk with me through email if ther are unable to meet with me but wants to know about their child.
It is important to remember as a future teacher to recognize the strengths and interests of your students so that you get the attention you need to teach your students.  Using technology in the classroom is a great way for them to develop interest in the lesson but also to have fun! I remember back in my elementary days we had only one computer in the classroom and there would only be one student on the computer for an hour each day. For one of our writing piece, we had to write a draft, check it with the teacher and then type your final draft on the computer. This was an opportunity for me to actually use a computer for the first time. Because i wanted to use the computer i worked real hard to not only write my paper but write it well so that it was good enough to complete the final draft on the computer. Using the computer was a motivation for me to complete my work and do it well so that i can use the only technology we had in the room.
Taking the EDU 305 class is an excellent way for me to learn the skills and tips on how to use the technology in the classroom. We have started using twitter, blogspot and picasa as communication tools with other memebers in the classroom. I never used any of these sites before i enrolled in this class so i am really excited to develop my skills on the computer so that i can share it with my students in my future classroom.

Blogging in Education

What is Web 2.0 and why should teachers know about it?

Web 2.0 offer students tools to interact, develop and create information or news and then share them to others around the globe on the web. These are used through the browsers instead of the desktop software. Some of these tools are Blogs, Podcasts, wiki, photo sharing and many more. Teachers are better off knowing about the web 2.0 because they are responsible to teach students who are already advanced in technology. Implementing the use of these tools in the classroom can effectively enhance classroom participation, learning and also enjoyment. The collection of these web based tools are available for students and will help engage them in their learning and enhance their work performance because working with technology is something that students enjoy to do. This not only can be of benefit for the students but also for the teachers themselves.It can also be a great way to communicate other teachers, faculty and parents.

What is a Blog and why should every teacher have one?

A blog is a way for individuals to express their opinions and thoughts on particular subject matters. A blog is a place where those individuals are able to share their stories and at the same time get feedback from readers.It gives opportunity to write what they believe and influence other readers to build their own opinions about the same subject matter. A blog is a great way for them to voice their concerns and to see if others share the same concern. Every teacher should have a blog so that they are familiar with blogging and are able to communicate class assignments or discussions to students technically. It will also allow them to read the ideas and opinions of their students and interact and communicate with them outside the classroom walls.

What are the pedagogical implications of student driven BLOGS in contrasting to a teacher-created website? 

 It is no longer the "it" thing to meet up with your group and work on an assignment at the library or even stay an hour or two after school. Now, blogging allow students to work with other class members on assignments and explore opinions of other classmates about the subject matter without having to meet up. It also encourages students to practice reflecting on others thinking, put in words their thoughts and respond to other posts and opinions shared on these blogs. In contrast having a teacher-created website will direct students to their writing and spark conversations on a particular classroom discussion. A teacher-created website will allow students to go on it and identify what the teacher wants them to complete and gives opportunity for students to ask for assistance if needed. Blogs also allow support peer editing, where they and other students can read ideas and comment on them. A great advantage of blogging and teacher-created website is that parents are also involved. They are able to keep updated with what their children are learning and the homework that they are meant to have done for that week.