4/26/2013 TPACK

"Expert teachers now are those who can bring together knowledge of subject matter, what is good for learning, and technology (ICT). The combination is described as Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). It is more than simply adding ICT to traditional approaches. It depends upon deep knowledge of how ICT can be used to access and process subject matter (TCK) and understanding how ICT can support and enhance learning (TPK) in combination with PCK."

The TPACK of a teacher requires different pedagogical uses of ICT than teaching . In each case, the expert teacher needs to make creative links between what is being learned (content), how it is taught (pedagogy), and the appropriate tools (technology).

Therefore, there can be several different ways you can use in daily teaching, such as, videos, pictures, presentations, print out and so on. It is useful because for different class and different level of students you can use different combinations to set up the class base on the requirement.

Related NETS Standards:

3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.
a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies
and situations

d. Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning

4/22/2013 Acdamit Writing

There are several kinds of academic writing format.AMA and APA are two of them.Here are some examples of the APA format paper.There is another website, which provide the differences between AMA and APA.

I have formatted the AMA text into APA format. Below is the link in google Docs.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7KwsSuNbsO-aXNsY096bWJLN3c/edit?usp=sharing

Related NETS standards:

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.

c. Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.

4/18/2013 Wrath of Kahn

The Khan Academy provides the new concepts and tremendous materials of education not only for young people who are building their knowledge system, but also for the adult who want an opportunity to renew their cognitive process. This amazing organization started by a group of young people who with the thinking to improve the way the world learns. The organization make anyone around the world has the opportunity to get videos or education materials for free. It is a nonprofit organization and you can get access it by clicking here.

 Different from the traditional on class lectures that given by teachers, by accessing the materials on the website of Khan Academy, learners can pause and review the videos in their spare time when maybe they have a new idea of a question or maybe they’re just got their interest of learning back.  Teacher can even set different homework to different students and have more opportunities to get the knowledge level of students.

If I become a teacher in the future I will use the technologies to give me students more ways to access learning materials. I will also distribute homework based on students' skills and interest. The new technologies like smart phone, tablet, and internet let me conduct different students in different ways and could let students focus on the area that they interest in. In this situation, the youth will be more efficient to learning new knowledge and be more creative.

 Although there are a lot benefit provided by Khan Academy, it bring challenges to help every students take the advantage of these materials. Some of them maybe browse other content online when then connected with the internet that not appropriate for them, some of them pretty likely an exactly correct answer when they have some questions before they can move forward.

4/16/2013 Creativity

'All kids are talent, but we strangle them.'From a speech by Ken Robinson.

I feel really impressive with this saying in the presentation. Kids always do not afraid to be being wrong, but adult do. We always teach kids to do things in a particular way that we think it’s 'right'. Therefore, kids lose a lot of opportunities to become creative. Day after day, we grow out of creativity. 

This makes me realize that we always make a lot of 'rules' for students to follow. We think they are correct, but some of them actually are not. To be a talent, means diverse and distinct. In order to make children become creative, we should allow them to make mistake and encourage them to be prepared to be wrong.

That remind me that, the education in China. Teacher always teach students that duck is yellow, sky is blue, grapes are purple, etc. However, duck can be gray or brown; sky is not always blue, can be red or dark gray; grapes can be green as well. The way adult think and they make kids think in the same way as them. This strangles their creativity.

If I become a teacher in the future, I will try not my best not to say right or wrong directly to students.  Instead, I will ask them why they why they say so or do so before I make any judgment. If the thought is creative, I will let them share it with others. To create creativity is not easy, but to strangle creativity is very easy. God is always looks like what we draw on the paper.

4/11/2013 Voki

Voki is a very interesting tool. You can create a characters you like and let him/her talk and say what you want him/her to say. It my provide the class with more fun by using this to talk to students. They may pay more attention to it than the regular teaching way.

Here is my introduction and I will let the lady talk!

My name is Yiru Wang. I’m from China. This is my 4^th year in United States. I graduated from Shenandoah University in the end of 2011 and majored in MBA. I work in a local building manufacturing company after that. The reason I’m taking my second Master in Education is because my current work is related to training. I train my co-workers how to use business operation system to do different kinds of work related to our housing project. I also provide my workmates help and guidance margin analysis, data analysis, and resources tracking.

I hope my study in Education can help me with my work in the future.

Related NETS Standards:
3 Educational Administrators promote an environment of professional learning and innovation that empowers educators to enhance student learning through the infusion of contemporary technologies and digital resources.
a. Allocate time, resources, and access to ensure ongoing professional growth in technology fluency and integration.

4/5/2013 Carpe Diem

I think I have prepared well to engage in both type of learning Carpe Dien and St. Marys though I do not in class now. smartphone becomes more and more popular nowadays. More smartphones are purchasing than PCs from 2010 till now. More people are using mobile apps rather than web. Therefore, I think it is always a good idea to have some learning apps for kids. This not only provide parents opportunities to teach kids wherever they are and whenever they are, but can also allow kids to play around by themselves while they are playing with the smart phone.

I also agree that kids do not have any difficulties in using technology. They can feature out the new functions by themselves without being taught by anybody. Therefore, I think we need to put more time in guiding kids how to find useful resources and let them gain knowledge while playing the devices rather than teach them how to use mobile/ wireless devices.

I recommend that schools can have their course updated. Try to teach students more research knowledge and provide them more useful website or apps. Provide them elective courses about technology.

I think the mixture of 2 models is a good idea for the future education. Learn 21 century skills and learn by doing are both very important. In the future, I will let the students to recommend some good apps or website that they are using a lot in their study or website and share with their classmates. I will also ask them to give presentation of one topic and create slides, adding videos and pictures to present in front of class. Besides, I think to show them some research skills, teach them how to use database to do research may also useful for senior.

Related NETS Standard:

3 Educational Administrators promote an environment of professional learning and innovation that empowers educators to enhance student learning through the infusion of contemporary technologies and digital resources.
a. Allocate time, resources, and access to ensure ongoing professional growth in technology fluency and integration.

4/9/2013 Word Clouds

Below are the word cloud of NETS T 2000 and word cloud of NETS T 2008. 

Word Cloud of NET T 2000

Word Cloud NETS T 2008

By comparing 2000 with 2008's NETS T Standards in word cloud, we can find that 2008's NETS T mentions more about 'digital', 'information', 'model', 'community', and 'leadership'. This means that digital and online service are using more and more in teachers' teaching. Below is my own word cloud. We can see 'Chinese' of course become the priority in my teaching and then 'understand', 'training', 'learning' are some other words that can describe what I'm doing.

My Word Cloud in Teaching

4/3/2013 Google Site

I create my own teaching website on google site today.

Google site is not a very good web design tool. It is very slow when edit and delete items in template and layout. It is also not easy to find the edit tools. The instruction is not very clear. Besides, several errors appears when I'm designing the web pages and adding documents from google docs. 

I personally recommend Microsoft Publisher to do the ordinary website design. It provides many different template. It is very easy to insert documents, pictures, videos, and even presentation. I once create my own website by using this software.

Related NETS-T:
3b: By using Google Sites, I collaborated with parent professionals to create a learning resource that will support student success in my classroom and in the future.
2b: Using a website as a classroom tool will allow students an opportunity to explore topics beyond the set curriculum that will allow them to envision future possibilities. 

3/28/2013 Rubric

Scoring rubric means "a standard of performance for a defined population". A scoring rubric is a set of criteria and standards typically linked to learning objectives. It is used to assess or communicate about product, performance, or process tasks. 
Rubistar is a very good website for teachers to create their rubrics. It provides you different models by different categories. You can choose the closest topic to your object and use the template to create your own rubric.
When you finished, you can choose to print out your rubric or download or share it online.

Here is my rubric for essay writing to ESL class.

Related NETS standard:

3. Excellence in Professional Practice Educational Administrators promote an environment of professional learning and innovation that empowers educators to enhance student learning through the infusion of contemporary technologies and digital resources.
a. Allocate time, resources, and access to ensure ongoing professional growth in technology fluency and integration.

3/26/2013 Excel 2

Today I use T-test to analyse the correlation between different gender's score. By using T-test and set males' score as one variable and females' score as the other variable, I get the result as below:

Line 11 and 13, P are both less than 0.05, which means 'NSD'. There is a big difference between males' score and females' score. The null hypothesis has been reject.Therefore, we have a 95% degree of confidence that gender is a factor in 4th grade math performance.

In my Chinese learning class, I can start a research by testing whether my student's Chinese testing score is related to their gender. Male students' score and female students' score will be two variance I will use in the t-test.

Related NETS standard:
4. Systemic Improvement Educational Administrators provide digital age leadership and management to continuously improve the organization through the effective use of information and technology resources. 
b. Collaborate to establish metrics, collect and analyze data, interpret results, and share findings to improve staff performance and student learning.

3/20/2013 Google Earth

I use KML to locate my field trip destinations in Google Earth. A KML file is a file that contains geographic data. KML files are used to locate on maps different places that are related to each other.
 It is also very easy to change a google map into google earth. There is a button at the right corner on google map - 'satellite'. Move the mouse on the 'satellite' it will expand to another button - 'map'. Click the 'map' button, the google earth format. Google map can show exactly what the building and street looks like. It helps the visitor to find the destination easier.


Related NETS Standard:

3. Excellence in Professional Practice Educational Administrators promote an environment  of professional learning and innovation that empowers educators to enhance student learning through the infusion of contemporary technologies 
and digital resources.
b. Facilitate and participate in learning communities that stimulate, nurture and support administrators, faculty, and staff in the study and use of technology

3/22/2013 Excel 1

Today I go to The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to get some data. The criterion are (4th Grade, Reading 2011 with accommodations, Gender, single year). After narrow down the range of the data. I can download data as Excel format.

By using '=AVERAGE( )' function, we can get the mean of all students' score, males' score, and females' average score. The average score for all students is 220.42, average for male is 216.85 which is lower than female's 224.09. By sorting the data from small to large. Virginia is 226.38 raking 45, which is higher than the average and higher than 44 states.

Related NETS standard:

4. Systemic Improvement Educational Administrators provide digital age leadership and management to continuously improve the organization through the effective use of information and technology resources. 
b. Collaborate to establish metrics, collect and analyze data, interpret results, and share findings to improve staff performance and student learning.

3/18/2013 Map 3

I'm planning an Informal learning trip to Museums in Washington DC. 

The Smithsonian museums are the most widely visible part of the United States' Smithsonian Institution and consist of nineteen museums and galleries as well as the National Zoological Park. Seventeen of these collections are located inWashington D.C., with eleven of those located on the National Mall. The remaining ones are in New York City and Chantilly, Virginia. As of 2010, one museum, the Arts and Industries Building, is closed in preparation for a substantial renovation,and another, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is slated to open in 2015.

I'm planning to take my class to the following places. 

Lincoln Memorial

Washington Monument

National Museum of American History

National Museum of African Art

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

National Museum of the American Indian

United States Botanic Garden Bartholdi Park

The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center

National Gallery of Art

Chinatown (for lunch)

ISTE NETS T Standards
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
a. Promote, support, and model creative
        and innovative thinking and inventiveness

b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues
        and solving authentic problems using digital tools
        and resources

c. Promote student reflection using collaborative 

tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual 

understanding and thinking, planning, and 

creative processes

View Larger Map

3/4/2013 & 3/6/2013 BATCHGEO

BatchGeo is a very interesting website. You can add all your friends information(address, phone number, name, group etc.) to the webpage and click 'map now' to locate your friend's direction. BatchGeo can also mail you the code (URL) by email. By adding my classmates information. I got the map.

ISTE NETS T Standards
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
    a. Promote, support, and model creative
        and innovative thinking and inventiveness
    b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues
        and solving authentic problems using digital tools
        and resources


View Larger Map

3/1/2013 Self Grading Form

Today I create a small interesting quiz by asking 5 questions about the world by using google docs. This quiz is to test whether you know well about our world. 

I also let four of my friends to take it. Here is the result and the grade they get.

This assignment met a number of ISTE NETS standards: 1c, 3c, 3d. This activity taught me how to promote student reflection and record their understanding of concepts.

2/26/2013 Google Form

I use Google Form to create a questionnaire to investigate the reading habit of different age group. It includes 5 Questions.You can design different kinds of questions base on your requirement and you can also choose a theme to decorate the questionnaire.

After people fill the form, it provide result automatically. I ask three friends and family members do the survey. The result is shown as follow.

The result is provided in two format - Chart format and spreadsheet format.

If you are interested in this survey please fill out the questionnaire and if you are interested to see the result. Please view the link below:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ArKwsSuNbsO-dHhlWFo1MkhlbTBlSTdXR1RkRmtwVXc#gid=0

2/22/2013 Prezi Presentation

Today I explore a new way to do presentation. I create my slides in Prezi. You can either use the existing presentation format to create your presentation or design your own format. It is very simple. You just insert the text or pictures or even video into the presentation.

The NETS-T standards that related to this is:

2a: Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.

Below is a presentation to illustrate a very special place in China. Please follow me to have a tour!

2/18/2013 Digital movies from PowerPoints

Today, I create a digital movies from powerpoint(PPT). It is very cool!

Several easy steps:

1) Download the Microsoft Photo Story 3 and install the software on my computer. 
2) Register for and account and sign in. It is free. 
3) Screen cut PPT slides into images.
4) Upload all the images into the software.
5) Record your voice or input your own description to each image and go to the next.
6) You can also attach a background music to the video and adjust the volume.
7) Finally, by clicking save the video to the computer, the software will combine all the pictures, voice record and music into a .wmv format video.

I have upload my photo story of Pesticide onto Youtube as well. Below is the link, hope it helps more people to get some knowledge about Pesticide.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR_-op8Yklg&feature=youtu.be

2/12/2013 Presentation 1

I use Microsoft power point and would like to present the environmental protection topic to my students - Making the world a better place.

2/5/2013 Jing Video

I use Jing to capture video today. It is a very great tool to demonstrate on computer.

I use Jing to illustrate the most popular socialcommunication toll in China – QQ. I show several things as below: 

1)       How to open the tool.

2)       Find a friend and communicate with him/her.

3)       Use the screen capture tool in QQ.

4)       If you are interested in it, please go to http://download.imqq.com/

   5)       Install your software and invite your friend now!

With Jing Video, you can either save the video in your own computer or upload it on the website.It saves as SWF format. There are three prongs in Jing's main menu. They are 'capture', 'history' and 'more'.You can capture picture or video by clicking 'capture'. After capturing the screen, you can find all the files in the history. You can exit the software by clicking 'more'.

Jing is a very interesting tool. I will use it in my teaching.

2/1/2013 Jing

I install a screen capture tool today. It is called Jing. It is free and you can capture pictures and adjust it by adding text or shape on it. Here is my work. I there is a picture of flower and there are some description and terms on the picture. I would like to use this and share it with my students. However, I find there are two more terms of the part of the flower that I would like to add. Therefore, I use Jing to capture the picture and add my own common on it. After all, I just save it as a png. format picture and attach it to my blog and email to my students.The picture also saved in the history of the software for you to find and use later.

1/30/2013 Diigo

I add Diigolet into my browser today. I try to add it into both Google Chrome and and IE. It looks like below on Google Chrome.

I add several bookmark that I'm interested or frequent use into my library.We can also share our resources by Twitter, Facebook or email.

If you are interested in mine bookmark. Please check the link Sarah's Bookmark.

There are some feature functions of this tool. 1)Highlight content on website

2)Research Tool 3)Communication and Sharing. The feature I like most is the communication and sharing function. I can share all my web-resources with family, friend, and students. In my opinion, I think it belongs to  ISTE NETS T. I think it is a technology tool rather than leadership tool.

1/28/2013 Resume Revision

I evaluate my resume on a free website today. Link of Rezscore: http://rezscore.com/
It gives me advise on my resume and let me have a clearer idea on whether my resume is professional enough or not.This website also provides me idea on how to make my resume better.Below is the score of the first draft of my resume. 

After remove the reference from my resume and change the first person language I got a better score. 

Some common and experience after using this website:

1) This website provides some suggestions on resume but not specific enough.

2) When I fist upload my resume in docs.format to the website there is an issue.I suggest to save MS Word format as PDF format and upload PDF format resume instead.

3) To my surprise, Rezscore.com sent me email and provide me with more specific information on my resume. It gives me score as follow:

• Brevity: 85
• Impact: 90
• Depth: 99

It is very helpful and nice website. I will send this link to my friends who are hunting jobs. I think it will help them with their resume.

1/25/2013 Self Portrait

I made a very funny self portrait on http://www.picassohead.com/create.html today.

Here is what it looks like. I would like to share it with you all. 

It is very easy to draw a self portrait on this website and it is fun as well. It already gives you several choices for your face, eyes, eyebrows, nose, ears and so on. You can choose whatever you like and make a combination. You are also allowed to adjust the size of each part. When I finished my first draft it was all black and white. Then I start to realize that there is a color button at the bottom. You can either fill different areas with different color or change the color of the line. I changed my mouth into pink.
The website also provide 'rotate' and 'flip' function to make your self portrait more vivid.

I did enjoy the experience play with this site. Come and join me! Have a try!

1/21/2013 Millennial Quiz

I did millennial quiz today and got 63 out of 100.
http://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/how-millennial-are-you/results/

Millennial is a term used by demographers to describe a segment of the population born between 1980 and 2000. A number of studies, including one by the Center for American Progress, anticipate that millennials will be the first American generation to do less well economically than their parents. Millennials are also called the Net generation. They don't remember a time when there was no Internet.

There are 10 characteristics in Frand's article, which implicates the information-age mind set.
1 Computers Aren't Technology2 Internet Better Than TV3 Reality No Longer Real4 Doing Rather than Knowing
5 Nintendo over Logic6 Multitasking Way of Life7 Typing Rather than Handwriting8 Staying Connected9 Zero Tolerance for Delays10 Consumer/Creator Blurring


Although I got score of 63, but I'm actually a member of Millennial. I was born in 1987 and I start to use computer when I was 6 and start to surf the internet when I was 10. Compare to kids who were born after 2000. I might not start to use PC as early as they do. However, comparing to people who are the same age as I am, I'm still walking in front of tide. 

In the above 10 listed characters of information-age mind set, several of them really impress me. I haven't pay for the TV cable for more than two years. Instead of having 40 TV Channels for $50 a month before. I have millions of TV programs online for free now. I find that TV programs updated on Youtube is even faster than on TV. Besides, I can not only watch US TV shows, but also shows from China, Korea, Janpan and any other countries. And they all cost nothing. I also prefer typing rather than handwriting. The speed of typing is faster. It is easy to store information and avoid spelling mistakes at the same time. Staying connected is one thing I check several times a day. Always make sure email is updated. There is no missing phone call or message. Although the phone does not ring,   I still slide the phone unlock to double check several times a day. That seems absurd, but it does becomes people's habitual behaviors.

To born in the Millennial, it means that students is seeking for more type and format of knowledge and teachers have to provide what students want to catch up the pace of the development of the technology.

1/22/2013 Screen Capture

I will use the snipping tool to show how to do a nice paper cutting art in 5 steps. I capture the screen of a tutorial video. Snipping is a good tool to help teacher capture some images from video or files to create the print out document to students.

Please follow the steps below:

Color Paper and Scissors

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Done!!

1/21/2013 Google Docs

I have post my Resume in the Google Docs. Link: Yiru Wang's Resume 

Google Docs is a very useful tool that can help group of people to share documents. It allows people to view and even edit the document at the same time. It also shows the process of how people is changing the file.

ISTE's NETS for Teachers (NETS•T) are the standards for evaluating the skills and knowledge educators need to teach, work, and learn in an increasingly connected global and digital society. It has the following functions:

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers.

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning. Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. 

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility. Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.

Resource from: http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers 

1/17/2013 Social Media (SoMe) Survey

I did Social Media IQ test on http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/05/0515_socialmedia_quiz/index_01.htm

I scored 40% out of 100

Though I almost do not know the answer of the quiz, but I still think social media related to my personal life and professional life.
Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, exchange and comment contents among themselves in virtual communities and networks. Such as, Facebook, Blogger, Twitter, WordPress, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+. Tumblr, MySpace and Wikia.

Below are several points which I think shows the close relation between our life and social media.

Enhances ways for people to discovery and delivery information.

Allows people to discuss ideas, post news, ask questions and share links.

Provides an opportunity and widen contacts, include business contact, social contact etc.

Targets a wide audience, making it a useful and effective communication tool.

Improves business reputation and client base with minimal use of advertising.

1/16/2013 VARK Learning Style Survey

I just did the survey on http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire to test my learning style.

Below is my score:

• Visual: 13
• Aural: 13
• Read/Write: 8
• Kinesthetic: 14

    I didn't have this kind of administered before. I think the result match me a lot. When I was kid I enjoyed my teacher explained the real example or demonstrate in their teaching very much. And I can tell that more than 80% of my classmates have the same feelings as I do. The field trip and tour not only let us contact to the society, but also provides us an special opportunity to learn what we cannot learn from textbook. 
    When I grow up, Visual, Aural and Kinesthetic still are ways easier for me to accept something new. When I'm seeing the new innovation, trying some new food, or thinking to buy something I have never buy before, to see it, feel it and listen to some one's common about it are always my first choices rather than read the description. 
    When I'm teaching, illustrating or showing someone something, to show images, websites, and describe my own experiences and commons are always my best choices as well. 
    Therefore, I think technology plays a very important role to support learning and teaching. It provides Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic materials to learners. It fulfills all different kinds of learning styles.

About Me~~!!

   My name is Yiru Wang. You can also call me Sarah. I come from China. This is my third year in US. I graduate from Master of Business and Administration (MBA) Program from Shenandoah last December. I'm very interested in teaching and educational administration. 

    Technology is one of the greatest progress in the modern society.  I think to apply technology and network into education can not only make our teaching more interesting, but also improve the efficiency and quality.

    I'm very glad to meet you all in this Educational Technology Class!