Multimedia for the Educator - Spring 2011
What are the key areas in which you learned new skills/information about technology this semester?
This semester I learned new skills and information using programs like garage band to make podcasts. One of the most useful things I learn was how to use and edit my Weebly site. I has been so valuable to know how to build my own website both for promotional and teaching purposes. By working on my Weebly site I have learned about many other website to that I have incorporated into my site like PodBean and SoundCloud. I am definitely going to continue to use and add to my Weebly site, its a great way to show my accomplishments as a musician and soon to be teacher.
What are the key areas you increased your knowledge about integrating technology into your teaching?
I have increased my knowledge in using Power Point and Garage Band. By making my podcast on how to play the trumpet and then supplementing it with a PowerPoint I now know two unique and fun ways on how to teach a topic. Also the whole idea have using a wiki space for your class is great. Throughout the semester I often found myself referring the the wiki space when working on an assignment or to find certain links that could help me. I will definitely keep the wiki space in mind when I start teaching, it is a great teaching tool and can be extremely helpful and informative for the students and parents.
Of all the topics we addressed this semester, which one (or more) would you still like to learn about?
I feel pretty confident and have learned a lot from the main topics we covered this semester like with the podcast and PowerPoint projects. It would like to learn a little more about how to use NoteFlight. We started talking about it during the end of fall semester and it seems like a great teaching tool. I would use it not only for my own purposes but for the students to learn about a notation program that they can use not only at school but also at home with out having to buy a program like Finale or Sibelius . I also would like to learn more about Band-in-a-box, this program seems great for teaching and also as a musician but I only know how to do limited things with the program just by messing around with it myself.
How would you compare or contrast what you learned this semester from the way technology was used by your teachers during you K-12 schooling?
The things I learned this semester do not even compare to the way technology was used by my teacher during my K-12 years. I do not even remember using any technology in elementary school what so ever. It wasn't until middle school that started even using computers for small things like typing papers or using the internet for research purposes. Once i got to eight grade i remember teachers started to use more technology, we used the computers a lot in Spanish class to practice our skills using different website. I also found teachers using PowerPoint presentation more often in order to teach a lesson. Up until high school I was only exposed to using computers and technology in the class room no more than once a week. I found in high school teachers would use technology a to more to project things on the board or to take advantage of the computer labs. Once I hit my senior year in high school technology really started to become incorporated into the schools when teachers were using Smart Boards. I found Smart Boards to be a great way to learn from and teach with. in terms of using technology in the music room I wish my teachers took more advantage of the different programs out there to help us. It could have been as simple as recording a drum track or some kind of accompaniment to fill in parts that we did not have in middle school, or to record play a long tracks for us to practice with. The only time i remember using technology in a music class was in high school. When I took music theory we used various programs online to help us practice and train our ears, programs like Auralia were very helpful. We also used Smart Music as a way to be assessed and tested on scales and excerpts of music. I also remember using Finale to notate a final project but using all these programs was difficult because they were only available on the one Mac my school had. So it was hard to use these music programs outside of the classroom and really become familiar with them.
How would you describe your attitude towards technology now compared to the beginning of the semester?
I have always felt that it is important to use technology in the classroom but I never knew how to use it as effectively as i do now as a teaching tool. I wish the technology that is available today was available when i was in school and what was available i wish my teachers took more advantage of. Especially in music it would have been extremely helpful to be able to use different programs like Garage Band and many of the online website for kids. There is so many ways technology can be incorporated into the classroom and after taking this class I now have access to all these great programs. I feel I can now use them in my lessons and it will help me to be a more well rounded musician and more importantly teacher. Knowing how to use and incorporate technology into the classroom is going to be so important because as we all know advances in technology are happening everyday and the student that I will be teaching have grown up in a world where they are surrounded by it. All the different website and programs I have become familiar with this semester will help me to relate to my students on a technology level which some teacher may not be able to do.
This semester I learned new skills and information using programs like garage band to make podcasts. One of the most useful things I learn was how to use and edit my Weebly site. I has been so valuable to know how to build my own website both for promotional and teaching purposes. By working on my Weebly site I have learned about many other website to that I have incorporated into my site like PodBean and SoundCloud. I am definitely going to continue to use and add to my Weebly site, its a great way to show my accomplishments as a musician and soon to be teacher.
What are the key areas you increased your knowledge about integrating technology into your teaching?
I have increased my knowledge in using Power Point and Garage Band. By making my podcast on how to play the trumpet and then supplementing it with a PowerPoint I now know two unique and fun ways on how to teach a topic. Also the whole idea have using a wiki space for your class is great. Throughout the semester I often found myself referring the the wiki space when working on an assignment or to find certain links that could help me. I will definitely keep the wiki space in mind when I start teaching, it is a great teaching tool and can be extremely helpful and informative for the students and parents.
Of all the topics we addressed this semester, which one (or more) would you still like to learn about?
I feel pretty confident and have learned a lot from the main topics we covered this semester like with the podcast and PowerPoint projects. It would like to learn a little more about how to use NoteFlight. We started talking about it during the end of fall semester and it seems like a great teaching tool. I would use it not only for my own purposes but for the students to learn about a notation program that they can use not only at school but also at home with out having to buy a program like Finale or Sibelius . I also would like to learn more about Band-in-a-box, this program seems great for teaching and also as a musician but I only know how to do limited things with the program just by messing around with it myself.
How would you compare or contrast what you learned this semester from the way technology was used by your teachers during you K-12 schooling?
The things I learned this semester do not even compare to the way technology was used by my teacher during my K-12 years. I do not even remember using any technology in elementary school what so ever. It wasn't until middle school that started even using computers for small things like typing papers or using the internet for research purposes. Once i got to eight grade i remember teachers started to use more technology, we used the computers a lot in Spanish class to practice our skills using different website. I also found teachers using PowerPoint presentation more often in order to teach a lesson. Up until high school I was only exposed to using computers and technology in the class room no more than once a week. I found in high school teachers would use technology a to more to project things on the board or to take advantage of the computer labs. Once I hit my senior year in high school technology really started to become incorporated into the schools when teachers were using Smart Boards. I found Smart Boards to be a great way to learn from and teach with. in terms of using technology in the music room I wish my teachers took more advantage of the different programs out there to help us. It could have been as simple as recording a drum track or some kind of accompaniment to fill in parts that we did not have in middle school, or to record play a long tracks for us to practice with. The only time i remember using technology in a music class was in high school. When I took music theory we used various programs online to help us practice and train our ears, programs like Auralia were very helpful. We also used Smart Music as a way to be assessed and tested on scales and excerpts of music. I also remember using Finale to notate a final project but using all these programs was difficult because they were only available on the one Mac my school had. So it was hard to use these music programs outside of the classroom and really become familiar with them.
How would you describe your attitude towards technology now compared to the beginning of the semester?
I have always felt that it is important to use technology in the classroom but I never knew how to use it as effectively as i do now as a teaching tool. I wish the technology that is available today was available when i was in school and what was available i wish my teachers took more advantage of. Especially in music it would have been extremely helpful to be able to use different programs like Garage Band and many of the online website for kids. There is so many ways technology can be incorporated into the classroom and after taking this class I now have access to all these great programs. I feel I can now use them in my lessons and it will help me to be a more well rounded musician and more importantly teacher. Knowing how to use and incorporate technology into the classroom is going to be so important because as we all know advances in technology are happening everyday and the student that I will be teaching have grown up in a world where they are surrounded by it. All the different website and programs I have become familiar with this semester will help me to relate to my students on a technology level which some teacher may not be able to do.