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.