Technology Final Project

Ms. Knudtson Fitness Calendar
Technology in Education

First, of all I am so glad that I choose to do a web based calendar as my technology assignment. A web-based calendar is a calendar that can be created online, posted to a Web page, and easily updated when necessary. The idea of a web based calendar from a teacher stand point help can be used to organize assignments, track project due dates, schedule, and remind you and students when things are due. For this project the web program that I choose to use was called Web Cal Plus Calendar, mainly because it had a free trial.

In order to do this project I had to download Web Cal Plus onto my lap top. Through trial and error and some tutorials I learned what it takes to create a web based interactive calendar. I learned how to change calendar settings, edit and delete entries, add entries, and view calendar. I also learned how to make the calendar information available on the internet even though it did not turn out the way that I would have like. For some reason our school server and the program that I used did not format correctly. I did learn for the future how to upload things on to the server and if things would have gone according to plan to do this you first have to choose “publish calendar,” specifying the starting and ending month/year, (for me just December), and click “create.” An HTML is then created on my computer in the Web Cal Plus folder for the calendar that you have published. I then would have upload this folder from my Web Cal Plus folder and put it on a school website on the internet with an FTP software, and make a link to the calendar on the homepage. I did get a form of my calendar on the server but it did not have my background and many of my pictures did not load making it look not a pretty as it originally did. After doing this project I would definitely not use this calendar program again unless I could figure out a better way to place it on the internet for other to view.

After doing this project I know that this is something that I would like to incorporate into my classroom, and the great thing is I know how to do it. One of the things that I learned when doing this project is the HTML code is very confusing and one change to it can change the whole layout of the web page. Another thing that I learned was how to import pictures and have them be a link to another website, making my calendar very view friendly. I also, learned how to change the layout of a webpage and put in my desired background. I did not find all these things out on my own, but after watching many tutorials I was able to figure them out.

The web calendar that I used had many great features. One of these of these was that I could use a picture to symbolize a family event or girls basketball game and the person viewing the calendar could just take their curser over the activity and see what the activity was and if they wanted more information they could click on the symbol and it would open up another page that gave specific details of the activity. Another feature that I liked was when a student or parent wanted to view an event it took takes to another page to give the explicit details of that activity. I liked this because it gave me the option as a teacher to have the assignment on the calendar but giver further in depth detail of the assignment on another page, leaving me not to not to crowd everything into a tinny little window. Another feature that I utilized was having every activity link to the original website in which I found the information or the activity. Another cool feature that this program had was that you could import a Google map into the calendar activity. I used this tool in order to give directions to basketball games. I though this would be a great tool for new student drivers who don’t know directions very well. I also, utilized my fitness logo at the top of the calendar to link to a Wiki sign-up page where students can sign-up for events and hopefully get involved with other fellow students.

After finishing this assignment I felt as though I had pretty well mastered the calendar creating software and its features but feel as though my ability to but it on a server for others to view is still iffy. I don’t really know if it was my fault as to why I couldn’t get it on the server or due to the program and server compatibilities for my calendar not being on the server in the complete format.

To conclude there “So much to do, so little time,” but fortunately or unfortunately, technology cannot extend our work day, but it can help us and our students organize and be on time. That is why I feel as though adopting a web based calendar like Web Cal Plus in the classroom makes sense for many reasons. Beyond the obvious benefit of keeping everyone informed of upcoming events, the use of web based calendars at school can encourage teachers to overcome their fears that they may have of technology and increase their overall computer literacy. By helping teacher use their computer as an essential tool in their daily routines, web based calendars can promote the process of technology integration in the classroom that, in the end, can result in enhanced student learning.

Future Classroom

For me in the P.E. classroom I don't for see too much new technology being incorporated into my classroom. To think logically and looking at Liberty's PE department I for see DVD cardio workout tapes instead of VHS and possibly a flat screen T.V. I have already talked to my cooperating teacher about incorporating blogging for the student"s fitness journals. I could for see my students do to my excitement for technology utilizing online interactive calenders that I have created. I would also like to bring music into the PE room so when students are doing cardio days they can have music. It has been proven that people who listen to music while working out workout harder. With all that IPOD technology and speakers how easy would that be. I know that my school does have HR monitors but I would for see getting better HR monitors being incorporated into the classroom. I know there are HR monitors where teachers can read on there hand help system what every child's HR is and can print out their students effort for that activity. CREAT WEB SITE FOR PE TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATION

Online Grading System At Liberty

The other day at Liberty I was given the opportunity to put in the classes daily attendance into the schools web based attendance and grading system. One of the things that I liked about this system was on the attendance portion it had all the students pictures uploaded next to each child's name. I liked this feature because it allowed me to put faces to the kids names and a great tool for me to be able to learn the kids names outside of class time.
Another cool feature to the system is every time a teacher imputes a grade it is live and a parent or child can log into the system and see their child's grade up to that point. One benefit to this system is parents can always check their son or daughters grade and don't have to pester you for the information. As a future coach and teacher this system also, allows me to track students and players and how they are doing in all their classes.
Due to the fact that this system is new this year not everybody totally understands the program yet. For example, some teachers were putting in their grades but weren't checking the box to have it be shown to students and parents, so parents weren't seeing their child's grades for that class. Another problem my teacher said is that some teacher are still stuck in their old grade book ways and only post their quarter and semester grades on the database, and that is only because it is a school policy. By doing this students don't get the full benefit of seeing how they are doing on a regular basis.

Quote that stuck with me

"Hate Something Worth Hating!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Staff Meeting

Today when I was at an all staff meeting at Liberty High School and one of topics on the agenda for the day was tech tips. When we got to the topic a teacher went up there and talked about another way to get parents off their back. First he stated that if you have a classroom blog and parents get a Gmail account then then can register to get an RSS feed that he explain is an email sent to the parent on their account every time you the teacher update the blog. This is much like sending out a mass email to all the parents just by updating your classroom blog.

I have to say that I felt like I knew what the teacher was talking about when I know and could see that more than half the teacher within the staff meeting had no idea what he was doing. Basically I felt smart!!!!

Things happening in class

So can I just say that I love going to school and doing my observations. Every time that I am their I get reassured that this is the job for me. In the class right now I take attendance, leading drills, and stretches which makes me feel as though I am a real teacher. Since I have been at the school I have had the opportunity to observe all the PE teachers in the department (weighting, aerobic,s PE 1 and PE 2), a health room, and a study skills classroom. When I am in class I do the activities with the kids if they are play Badmition I participate, if they are lifting I lift, and if they are doing step class I do steps.
All in all I have nothing but positive experiences at my school

Incorporating Technology Into P.E. Classroom

So I was on pe.links4u and found an article titled Benefits Vs Hindrances of using Technology in Physical Eduction, by Kim McCorquodale. Kim talked to a few physical educators who had brought technology into their P.E. room. The first Brian Hagbo who was traditionally a teacher who just wanted to keep doing what he was doing, finally incorporated technology into his class. He first started using HRM in class, so students could realize the effort that they needed to put forth in order to stay in their HR zone. Brian also used the down loadable software that came with the HRM, and would compute daily points for each student based on students staying in their Max HR zone. The teacher stated that this method was much more objective than how he used to do it. Before he would have to evaluate a student's running effort based on outwardly perceived effort or whether they ran the entire time. This to me sounds like a easier way to not be biased when grading students in class. After reading the article I didn't see any reason for technology to be classified as a hindrance in the classroom. The only thing that would be a hindrance would be the time that it takes to become comfortable with the technologies that you want to include in your classroom.