The last class

Wow, I can not believe how fast the semester has gone. Looking back to the first day of class when I called the handheld a palm pilot and did not see the use of art, I can not believe where the times has gone. It was fun to talk to the fifth graders about the palm and how they use them in the classroom. We had learned about different kinds of software, but it was interesting to see which ones were actually being used and for what purpose. I think that more could be done with the palm, as in any other kind of technology. But, it was fun to see he excitement of the kids. When I was substituting in this fifth grade class earlier it was interesting to see that these kids really think that a lot of these programs are just games, but according to their teacher, they are much more. . the kids are learning from the games and not even realizing that what they are doing is academic. I think that this is a great approach, it is making learning fun for kids, and thereefore, kids are learinign much more. I think this is great to see.

Wow

I am so completely impressed by the presentations and the various uses that my classmates have come up with with using the handhelds in the classroom. Lessons were formed from using as many as one to something like seven or eight different programs. It is absolutely amazing the creativity that my classmates have come up with with teaching music, language arts, the food chain, and of course my favorite, art. At the start of this class I was in complete denial that you really could teach art with the use of the handheld. Therefore, I thought it was humorous that the majority of the lessons were created to incorporate either the visual or performing arts. Art was incorporated by using Op art, to teach color theory, realistic self-portraits, and the use of angles inspired by artist such as Kandinsky and Picasso. I really was impressed with the TealPaint program. I think that is what it was called. I thought that the layers that you could create and its similarity to photoshop was amazing. I was really impressed by all of the tools that it had and all that you could do with it. However, I did think it looked difficult and was more geared toward the high school student. I was also impressed with the lesson using the angles program and art. I really liked how these projects turned out and I think that it was an impressive way to incorporate art with math. . especially for fifth graders. Overall, I was super excited with all of the new lesson plans that I have and the ideas that are endless. I am really excited to meet with Beth this week and learn how she incorporates handhelds into the fifth grade class!

discussion by the web

Today we learned about web discussions. Just when you get excited about blogs, there is even more out there. When does it stop? I think that technology is absolutely amazing, and those people that start and invent such things are incredible. I think that the possibilities for web discussions are endless. I, actually, have used something similiar to web discussions during my undergraduate program. We had a discussion board that in specific classes we used to post comments and responses to other students in the class. This was different than these discussion boards and blogging in the fact that not anyone could respond to them and view them. Only those people in the class could view and respond using blackboard. I found this very helpful in class and learning. I feel that it guided my learning, and there were interesting comments that were brought up on the blackboard that would not necessarily be brought up in class. I feel like these comments wouldn't necessarily be brought up in class, because sometimes people do not like to talk in class and have important views. Since they do not bring up these points in class, no one can benefit from their insight. However, due to this discussion board, we were able to gain insight. I was way stoked about the web discussions. I think that they bring up a whole new dimension in technology. Here people can post either their concern or fun fact, and others from across the world via the web can benefit from them. This is truly amazing. I was also amazed that there are so many web discussions and such a wide variety of discussions.

and the blogging continues

Today we dove deeper and deeper into the world of the handhelds as we learned different programs. The first programs that we learned dealt with concept mapping. This is, indeed, something that I think is definitely used in the classroom on a regular day to day basis. I think that it is really interesting since I always used the outline format, rather than the whole mapping process. I can vaguely remember using this in school. But, moreso, I remember using the form of the outline in which you have roman numerals, capital letters, numbers, and lower case letters. I am not sure if they still use this in the schools. However, I am aware that this webbing technique of concept mapping is very common. I think this can be explained by the four different software programs that we looked at. I think that there are advantages to all four and I was really impressed by the different ways that students could organize the information that they received. I think that this would work especially well in a language arts/reading class in which students could outline the story that they are reading. I, also, can see it in different subjects in which students are reading and need to organize information so that the information is easy to comprehend. The second part of the class dealt with making the e-books. I found this particularly interesting in which I thought that it was a harder process to make an e-book than it actually is. I do think that oneday schools are going to go to the level of teachers creating their own e-books rather than buying textbooks for the class. I think that this is amazing, however, I am not so sure if I would like this as a student. Maybe if that is the only thing that I knew. However, I think for me that they are too small and the illustrations and graphics just are not there. I do see the pros however. . . soemthing to think about!

lesson plan

Wow, all I have to say is that I am completely impressed by the high usage of palms everywhere. I guess I didn't realize how many people use palms in the grand scheme of things. When I first started class, I came in thinking that there were a few people that used palms in the business world and that some crazy people were trying to get schools nationwide to use them as well. I started to become interested in the different uses that the handhelds provided for teachers and their students in classrooms. I thought to myself that these things could provide great uses for students to learn different things, but the amount that they could learn was limited. I then learned of the different uses and how art has been combined with the palm to help students learn about different lessons. Then it was at the recent class where we were subjected first to the Easter eggs, and I was wondering who had that much time on their hands. . and then to the different software out there. I am completely amazed at how much software there is out there and for a wide variety of things.. . hmmm. . there is a lot of interest in handheld computers. It is simply amazing. I became interested in a program that would help students learn about proportions in drawing. I hope to introduce the artist Chuck Close and his use of the grid system within my lesson.

more class

This class was a little overwhelming as now is the time in every class that we are getting our final projects. Since it is my last class of the week, it was the third major project that I need to complete. Therefore, I was already overwhelmed, but now am completely overboard. I have been thinking about my unit a bit, and know that I want to do something that relates to art. I am not quite sure if I just want to limit it to an artist, or maybe an element or priniciple of design. I hope to get something that is crosscultural. I think that the best bet for me is to look at the programs next class and then create something. I don't think that I could handle coming up with a good idea and then not finding a program to match it. I think that would make me completely frustrated if I could not find anything after being set on my idea. I am excited to see the programs out there that you can relate to art. About the sketchys, I was so amazed to see the different ideas that people came up with. And by different, I mean completely different. I think that it is amazing that there is such a wonderful program and educational tool out there that people can take in their own ways and relate it to different concepts within education and also the different ways in which students learn. I was excited to see how far people could take them, with their artistic skills. I think that it is a program that you think at first you need to be artistic with, but then realize that everyone can succeed. I think that this is another reason why it is successful with students, as they all will be pleased with the sketchy's that they make, and therefore will want to learn more and more as they continually make sketchy's within their education.

Sketchy

Oh, how I love sketchy! I can not begin to tell you how much I was fascinated with sketchy. I agree with you Tony, if I was to choose one program to have on my handheld, it would definitely be Sketchy. That is, if I had a colored handheld. . . but that is besides the point. One day I will get a modern handheld and be able to use sketchy with the color. I am not saying that it is impossible to use sketchy without color, because it is not. It is perfectly fine without color, as it still has different patterns that you could fill your shapes with to distinguish what is what. However, as an art teacher, who is doing her sketchy on the elements of art, one of them being color, I feel that it is vital to use color in my sketchy. Besides the fact, that I feel that color is in upmost of importance in getting students attention. Therefore, I was lucky to borrow a handheld that has color on it to complete my assignment. I found that the use of Sketchy is very user friendly, and therefore is a major bonus to use with kids in even the lower grades in the classroom. I can not help but go back to my experience when I was subbing in the third grade classroom at Willowdale as I talk about Sketchy. I was absolutely amazed as I found that these kids were using the program with hardly any questions, as well as by using the program they were forced to use their knowledge and really draw out how the moon rotates around the earth. I really was fascinated by the process. By using Sketchy, myself, however I did notice a couple of glitches. I am assuming that these are not in place in this animation program to simplify it. However, after using PowerPoint with the slides, I noticed that there was really no way to insert a slide. There was also no way that I know of to move slides around. I am assuming that there are ways to go around this like duplicating a slide and then erasing what is on it. However, you think that there would be an easier way. What do you think?