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.

Questions for Panel Members

1) Do feel as though your degree from Northwest University adequately prepared you for the field of work that are in?

2) What is one thing that you could tell us to help prepare us for the so called "REAL WORLD!"

They Said What?

Top nine comments made by NBC sports commentators during the 2004 Summer Olympics that they would like to take back:
1) Weightlifting commentator: "This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up, and it was amazing."
2)Dressage commentator: "This is really a lovely horse, and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother."
3)Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father."
4)Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them are really that serious."
5)Softball announcer: "If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again."
6)Basketball analyst: "He dribbles a lot and the opposition doesn't like it. In fact you can see it all over their faces."
7)At the rowing medal ceremony: "Ah, isn't that nice, the wife of the IOC president is hugging the cox of the British crew."
8)Soccer commentator: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field."
9)Tennis commentator: "One of the reasons Andy is playing so well is that, before the final round, his wife takes out his balls and kisses them ... Oh my God, what have I just said!?"

Family Interative ideas:

-On Open School Night give a mini participation class to parents who come.
Conclude your dance and gymnastics units with a Gym Show, involving most of the kids in a way that makes them and their parents proud.
-Hold an endurance activity that includes parents and kids. Give access to measurement tools and statistical charts.
-Share current information with your classes, at least once a week, that illustrates the health values of being active. Ask the kids to share the info with their parents.
-Inform boards, administrators, and parents of the general fitness and health issues afflicting the student population.
-Make yourself and your program a model of professionalism and humanism.

Fitness Motivation Quotes

"Money is the most envied, but the least enjoyed. Health is the most enjoyed, but least envied." -Charles Caleb Colton

"No rest is worth anything exept the rest that is earned."- Jean Paul

"Old people have fewer diseases than the young, but their diseases never leave them." -Hippocrates

"Older people shouldn't eat health food, they need all the preservatives they can get." -Ropert Orben

"Rest is a good thing, but boredom is its brother." -Voltaire

"Sometimes the most urgent and vital thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest." Ashleigh Brilliant

"Tactics, fitness, stroke ability, adaptability, experience, and sportsmanship are all necessary for winning." -Fred Perry

"Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity." Goethe

Smart Board and Teaching

With proper planning, prepartion, ad training, the smart board is a powerful instruction tool, which can be adapted for use with a wide range of subjects and ages. Interactive Smart Boards are a great tool for educators who want to involve their studens in tearning and tecnology. In a study done by Dr. Mary Ann Bell on teachers.net, she found statistically a significant improvement in student attitudes when teachers used both computers in instruction and when they used interativeboards.

I found some information as to why teacher's like interactive whiteboards on smarttech:
1. The interactive electronic whiteboard is great for demonstrations....
2. The interactive electronic whiteboard is a colorful tool. Research indicates that students respond to displays where color is employed...
3. The board can accommodate different learning styles...
4. All ages of students respond favorably to board use...
5. Distance learning is an excellent setting for interactive whiteboard use...
6. One-computer classrooms can maximize the use of limited computer access...
7. The interactive whiteboard is an excellent tool for the constructivist educator...
8. The boards are clean and attractive tools...
9. Students with limited motor skills can enjoy board use...
10. It is interactive...
11. It can interface well with other peripherals....
12. The board is great for meetings are lessons where the participants need printed copies...
13. It is a kid magnet! ...

Anecdotal evidence of the impart of electronic whiteboards found on ferl.becta.org:
-Learners show increased motivation and enjoy the interaction the technology offers
-It makes the subject come alive
-It captures the attention of learners
-It encourages the involvement of learners in the subject
-It enables tutors to use multimedia resources and the internet with a whole class

Atherley School in Southampton, England describes how electronic whiteboards can benefit teaching and learning:
1. The teacher at the front of the class and the whole class engaged together...
2. It gives the teacher instant access to a vast array of electronic resources...
3. It enables seamless links to be made between the technology and the subject material...
4. Teachers are rethinking their approach to teaching...
5. The flexibility and the scope for imaginative lesson planning is huge...
6. Pages can automatically be saved and can be printed, emailed or even pasted into a website...
7. The flipchart files can be updated or merged with other Windows applications...

Technology in Liberty's P.E. department

So today I was talking to my cooperating teacher and we were talking about the all the technology tools that they had which included pedometers, heart rate monitors, and a digital camera. To my surprise she told me that they never use any of these tools. I told her about my idea of having a classroom blog and having the students write about fitness goals, miscellaneous topics, and achievements on their blog. She liked the idea but at the same time she said they have had their same curriculum for years.
This made me excited to be in this class and know how easy it would be for me to incorporate these tools into the classroom. Being in this class has also allowed me to see how much the studnets gain from these tools. To me the gain my students will get from these tools far out ways the comfort zone that teachers will be leaving in order to incorporate these tools into the classroom.

How I will help student learn to use productivity software!

In order to help students learn to use productivity software I first have to have the software available to them. In the physical education class I could use a graphics productivity software.. For example,-he registered version of ACDsee will convert graphic type,s, rotate images, and make great slide shows. I could use this software to have the kids take pictures and create a slide show for the proper shooting form, baseball swing, swim stroke, etc. I could also help students learn productivity software by using print shop and have students use the graphics to personalize a fly er that promotes a fitness plan that they have created. I could also incorporate excel as a productivity software when I go into Maximal Heart Rate calculations, BMI calculations, and when I do fitness evaluations.

What are the Internet Issues For Students?

I think the biggest Internet issue my students will face will be computer and Internet access. You may think that every student has a computer to go home too with an Internet connection, but in reality this is not the case. As a teacher we have to understand that not every child in our classroom will have a computer at home and the assignments that we give our students must be formatted in a way that every child with our without a computer can complete. This may mean that the child may have to use the library to use the computer. It is our job as a teacher to give all our students the opportunity to complete the assignment. Even if that means the child staying after class to use classroom computer , you must cater to that need.
Another issue that is raised when using the Internet is security. As a teacher we have to give our students the tools to avoid inappropriate websites. I know in personally on more that a few occasions I have googled a topic and had pron pop up but if we can teach and monitor students properly this shouldn't be an issue.
Also, I think before any Internet use in the classroom ages k-12 we need to tell our students to never give out personal information. I feel it is important to use the scare tactic to get into students heads that there are a lot of crazies out there who are not nice people, all while emphasizing the importance to do the classroom research but not disclose any information about them selves.

K12 Online Conference

The conference that I went to was "Sustaining Blogging in the Classroom," by Lani Hall. I choose to go this conference because I would like to incorporate a fitness blog into my Physical Education Classroom. Through this conference I learned that there is a difference between having a blog in the classroom and using it as a learning tool and embedding it into your teaching. In order to have the most successful classroom blog it needs to become a daily routine. Often times teachers will have a blog and see the powerful tool that it withholds but then the tool get tried, tested, and then put off just like paperwork in the classroom.
So when developing a classroom Blog it is important to make sure that your focus is that the Blog needs to be a conversation. Meaning that it needs to be a two way communication system using web 2.o, where you have to both speak and listen, or read and write. The presentation noted that in order to sustain blogging in the classroom you have to allow this conversation to take place. So you as the teacher have to give your students time to read and write. Only after students are engaged in the conversation process can true blogging take place (because blogging as a verb means conversation).
I also learned that at the beginning of the blogging process it is important that you guide the conversation of the blog. For example, I could give the students a fitness topic of the week for them to blog about to help them start conversation and encourage them to continue the conversation by writing on their own blog.
The lecture also said that just like in normal conversations we can answer blog statements with a short reassuring "a ha" and longer responses. Another important aspect of that I learned about blogging just as it is in conversations is to be a good listner or reader. Just like in real conversations listening before speaking is a good skill. Also, it is important to teach students how to respond appropriately when they are writing on their blogs. This can be done by modeling the proper responses to students blogs.
Sense blogging is a conversation how do you turn that conversation into something that you can Grade. The conference gave some good examples on how you as a teacher an access students blogs. Here is an example of a rubric that one could use although I can already for see myself adding in a section that has to do with blogging about fitness goals, achievements, and struggles .
All in all I learned a lot from this conference but the most important thing that I learned is if you are going to incorporate blogging into the classroom don't just have it but actually use it so the students will learn from it.

Cross Country

New P.E. Game

So the other night at work, Crossroads Community Center we had family night and I played this new game called Tchouball pronounced "chookball." The game can be played on a basketball court between two teams of nine players. The team that has possession of the ball has a three-pass limit before they have to shoot the ball at the the net which is like a spring net that has a three meter radius which defines the forbidden zone. Members of the other team stand where they feel the ball will land off they spring net and they can catch it before it touches the floor.
Scoring
A player scores a point for his team if he bounces the ball off the rebound surface in such a manner that it cannot be caught by an opponent before it touches the floor.
A player gives a point to the other team if:
He misses the rebound surface when he shoots the ball.
He makes the ball bounce out-of-bounds
He shoots the ball and it bounces back, touching him.
He sends the ball into the forbidden zone, before or after it hits the rebound surface.
Penalties
A player commits a penalty if:
He moves while dribbling the ball on the floor or juggling it in the air.
He takes more than 3 footsteps on the floor while in possession of the ball.
He plays using parts of his body below his knees.
He makes a fourth pass for his team.
He makes contact with the floor out-of-bounds or in the forbidden zone while holding the ball.
He drops the ball after it is passed to him.
He voluntarily, or by error, catches a pass from the other team.
He catches a ball off of the rebound surface that was shot by one of his teammates.
He blocks his opponents from moving or stops them from freely passing the ball once they have gained possession.

After a penalty, the ball is given to the other team and the game continues from the spot where the penalty was committed. A pass must be made before throwing the ball at the rebound surface.
If the ball hits one of the edges of the rebound surface and the path of the ball is changed, the team may not receive a point. This is a penalty and the game continues from the spot where the ball hit the floor. The ball is given to the team which was defending at the time of the penalty.

After learning the game and playing it I really thought it would be a great P.E. game because it is a non contact sport, everyone has to get involved, there is no super star when playing, and kids can get a really good workout.
I invite you to check out the Tchouball Association website for more details on this new fun and exciting game.

Instructional Design

OK so I was sitting in Instructional Design the other day and all I could think about was the technology that professor Garrett could incorporate in to her mini lessons when she is demonstrating inquiry and direct teaching methods. When she is demonstrating these methods through her mini lessons I think of the Smart Board and how cool that would if she were to be using that. I know because Garrett is just demonstrating the teaching methods and is not thinking about technology incorporation the Smart Board really isn't necessary, so there is no reason for Garrett to waste her time bringing out the Smart Board or other tools. At the same time as a future teacher I see how important it will be for me to make that extra effort to use technology and incorporate those materials into my teaching to be able to get the most out of my students. I also have learned through her lessons how important it is when using technology to practice the lesson so you don't have to take lecture time trying to figure out how to work unfamiliar material.

Inspiration Software

Today in class I created my very own Kidspiration balanced diet document. You can look if you like. The software seems like a great tool for students. The Inspiration software can be used to help develop students critical thinking skills through visual learning. I could see this software as a successful tool because the method in which ideas, concepts, data and other information are all presented in a visual manor. By using the visual learning tools found in this software students learn to clarify thoughts, organize and analyze information, integrate new knowledge and think critically.
Inspiration: is a tool for students grades 6-12 to use to plan, research and complete projects. Students can use the diagram view to create graphic organizers, to compare and evaluate information. Through this view students can brainstorm new ideas and use symbols and words to represents concepts.
-The students can then switch to the Outline view to further organize and develop their work into written reports.

-I could use this Software in my Physical Education classroom to have my students develop their own fitness plan. They could use symbols to represent certain activities they would be doing along with many other things.
-I could also use the software to group concept map aerobic and anaerobic activities.
-Another way I could incorporate this software into my classroom is when I go to teach about a balanced diet I could have them create their own meal like I did in the Link above.

Technology Integration

Lesson Plan

Tools needed to add this technology into lesson:
-Smart Board
-Notebook Software to create own Smart Board presentation
-Media Software to show advertisements and commercials
-1 computer for every three children that has Microsoft Publisher
-Have classroom Blog


How technology in lesson changes learning environment and makes lesson more learner-centered:

-Video commercials- bring the material to life.
-Using the Smart Board and Multimedia Software can accommodate different learning styles. Hands on learners can benefit from toughing and marking on the board, audio learners can have the benefit from the classroom discussion, and visual learners can sit back and see what develops on the board.
-The Smart Board can also be used to accommodating students with limited motor skills. Because of the Smart Boards large format it makes it easier for students to run programs by tapping on the board rather than having to click a mouse.
-Using interactive technologies students learn to organize complex information, pattern, draw inferences, communicate findings and learn better organizational and problem-solving skills.
-By using technology in the classroom students are more motivated to learn material when it is presented because they like it better and it also increased family involvement (because families can go to classroom blog and can be used as a good communication tool).
-By adding adding the Smart Board into my lesson plan it would allow me the to use my finger like a mouse and be more hands on when presenting material.
-By having the students create their own presentation it allows the students to have their own freedom to develop their own product. Instead of the learning environment just being direct instruction and classroom discussion it turns into the students learning through guided inquiry instruction to develop their own end product.
-Multimedia technology allows a lesson to become learner centered because it allows more tools to be used to accommodate the multiple intelligences, much more than traditional teaching methods can. Here is a link to a list of the multiple intelligences and the technology tools that can be used to teach them.

-I feel as though technology can bring more excitement to a classroom. This excitement is not only limited to the students but the educator as well. I feel technology can be used as a tool to get teachers excited about presenting content in a new manner. I am a true believer if a educator has excitement than that is transferred on to the students. So students get the benefit of learning content in a new exciting manner and they also get a teacher who is eager to present content material in a new manner.

Challenges that may occur if added this technology to lesson:

-One challenge that would be hard to overcome would be getting all of the technologies into my classroom. I see this as being a problem of budget. I would think since Physical Education and music are one of the first departements to have budget cuts that they would be one of the last departments to recieve technological advancements. I could overcome this challenge by going out and getting grants. Here is a link to a website that gave some ideas of how go about optaining grants for technolgy use in the classrooms.

-First, I would want to make sure that I go through my Smart Board presentation to make sure that it worked right and to make sure I wasn't wasteing lecture time trying to figure out how to run the Smart Board.

-Another challenge that could occur would be the children finding inappropriet commercials on the Internet. I could overcome this challenge by giving the children a list of websites and commercials that were appropriete for their viewing.

-Before the lesson I would want to go through to make sure the commericals that I would use to demonstrae the fallacies worked through the media software on the computer hooked up to the Smart Board.

NETS Lesson Covers:

3. Technology productivity tools
-Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
-Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works

4. Technology communications tools
-Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.
-Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

5.Technology research tools
Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
-Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
-Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

Smart Board Planning Document

Activity Plan for Smart Board Presentation

Subject: Health Date: November 6, 2007
Grade Level: 7-9
Teachers Name: Beth Knudtson

GLE EARLS: BENCHMARK / GLE 2.1.1. Understand body systems and their functions.

Activity Plan: I will be presenting a smart board ear activity. Through direct and cooperative learning students will learn the structure of the ear and understand how hearing works.

Anticipatory Set: “Can you imagine what your life would be lie without the ability to hear?” Get into groups of three and spend 1 min discuss how students life’s would be affected. (For the sake of this activity show how you could change the time on the clock and how good of an attribute this timer would make to a presentation so students can visually see the time on the clock).
- Have one person from each group come up and write one of their ideas on the Smart Board. Then go over some of the ideas that the Smart Board gave on how peoples lives would be affected.

Transition: Now that we have talked about some of ways in which our lives would be affected with out hearing let us do a little anatomy of the ear.

Anatomy of the Ear: First, ask for volunteers to match the words to the places on the ear. Then call upon students one at a time to guess where they think some of the words go give hint that some of the words look like their part on the ear. (Then click on link to see if the class is right).

How Ear Works: The next slide shows how the ear works. After the video I will have the class split up so there is 4 groups giving each of them the 1-4 stages of hearing that the video showed. Their task will be to redraw their assigned stage writing what is happening to the ear. Then I will have each group when ready come up on the Smart Board and draw what they have come up with. After everyone has drawn their stage they will present to the class explaining what is happening in their stage.

Conclusion: So today class he have learned some of the things in our lives that would be affected if we were to lose our hearing, learned a little anatomy of the ear and how sound vibrations cause us to hear.


The use of interactive board in classroom:
-Depending on the subject of either health or P.E. the interactive white board would be highly effective within my classroom. To have an interactive white board in the gym would seem like a silly way of spending money, although a few uses do come to mind. For example, when doing fitness drills I could put together a slide show using media software, of the muscles that students are manipulating. This would allow the student to not only feel the muscles that they are working but physically see what is happening in their body. I know when I am working out I like to be able to look in the mirror and see the muscles that I am strengthening and if I do it gets motivated to lift more. The interactive videos on the Smart Board could have the same effect on my students and get them excited to manipulate those muscles.
-The Smart Board is a great tool to be able to give old content material to students in a new interactive presentation. The interactive whiteboard is also, a great tool to be used for demonstrations. In a survey done “In a Baker’s Dozen Reason!” by Mr. Mary Ann Bell, found that many technology teachers and specialists reported enthusiasm for the board in the instructional setting. As a future teacher I would contribute this excitement to the fact that a presenter can run any application from the board, using their finger like a mouse, allowing the presenter to be more hands on when presenting material.
Another benefit students would gain from this interactive white board is that it is a great colorful tool. Research done by Dr. Mary Ann Bell found that students respond to displays where color is used. So having a Smart Board where markings can be done in the pen and or using the highlighter features to display a number of different colors, makes the Smart Board a vibrant tool that can only benefit students. Along with all the Smart Board’s different color features it can also adjust the width of lines to add flexible marking, which could help students who are visually impaired.
-The board can also be used to accommodate different learning styles. Hands on learners can benefit from touching and marking on the board, audio learners can have the benefit from the classroom discussion, and visual learners can sit back and see what develops on the board.

-The Smart Board can also be used to accommodating students with limited motor skills. Because of the Smart Boards large format it makes it easier for students to run programs by tapping on the board rather than having to click a mouse. This tool could also be used for young students who are learning to write because they can write on the board with their fingers rather than using the small lines on the paper.
-Within the health classroom students could benefit from the Smart Board, for example if I were to show a diagram of a lung and mark on the board in order to point out the lung features and or label its parts. I could also, use the board to show a video tape of the proper shooting technique, and mark on the board as the shooting motion occurred to show when and where a player should complete certain actions. I could also scan images of a proper shooting technique and add in written text describing the proper fundamentals that skill requires.
-All in all the Smart board is a powerful instructional told, which can be adapted to use and enhance learning in a wide range of subjects and ages.

SMART BOARD CHANGES I MADE:
-Changed timer to be 1 min instead of 5.
-I added in a new slide for students to write in their ideas in ways our lives would be affected by not being able to hear.
-I also added in a pull down covering to go over some of the answers to ways in which our lives would be affected if we could not hear. I Imported music and a couple of pictures to includ in the slide that cover how our lives would be affected with out sound.

Smart Board Activity

Here is a link to my Smart Board Acticity.
Subject: Health
Grade: 7-9
Activity Lesson Plan: Ear

Why Become Fit

The reason that I included Why Become Fit as one of my categories is the fact that students are always told that they need to be fit but never really understand why. So I have these links as a resource for students to go to so they can understand the importance of being fit. This will hopefully in turn get them to bye into my fitness program. If studnets understand the benefits to fitness they will be more likely to adopt or jump on the fitness bandwagon.
Alot of the times studnets don't like to be told to do something but if they understand why or feel as though they are gaining benefits from an activity they will be more likely to do it.
One important site that I included on my list is title The Importance of Fitness For Preeteens. I think that this is an imporant resource and site for studnets to go to because it is not just based on the general idea that fitness is good for everyone but it is geared to the preeteen era and states why it is important for their age group to be physically fit.

Promoting Family Fitness

With in my classroom I want to promote family fitness. Why is family fitness important you may ask? Well a recent study I found by the Missouri Department of Health shows a 78 percent INCREASE in the number of overweight people in the state of Missouri. Being active and maintaining fitness is very important in reducing this number, but more importantly, for overall health. There are significant health risks and related health problems from being overweight.
In my classroom I want to promote life changes and it is hard for children to make life changes if their parents aren't into doing them as well.
I also belive that it is important to maintain family fitness, not only for health benefits, but for family bonding as well but it is important for parents to stay as involved with their children in anyways that they can.
So on my Blog I have given a few websites for parents to go to that could give them some ideas to help get their family moving and achieve total overall health. One website that I included is a good tool for families who are just starting to get their family fit. The site is Titled Take a Walk in the Park - Fitness Strategies for the Whole Family .

Another cool website that I include is called Go City Kids and this website you can plug in your childs age, what kind of fun you wnat, and if you want an indoor or outdoor activity and it will give you all the actities that their are within the Seattle area.

Local Sports Websites

I choose local sports websites as one of my topics is the fact that in my classroom I want to promote life long fitness. I want my students to be excited about their local sports teams and provide links for my students to access them of my website so they can find out their teams sechedule, statistics, and research their favorite players. I know for me personally I was motivated by watching local basketball, football, and baseball games to go out and play the sport after. I figure the more students are exited about their local sports the more the will be out their playing them. Also, if my students are talking about the basketball game that they watched the night before, this aids in the classroom community that I will be trying to develop.

Ways to use Web 2.0 into classroom

Using web 2.0 can be used as a tool to collaborate with students and build a classroom community. As a teacher you can use Web 2.0 to build a social network of students who share the same interests in sports and other activities.
There are many ways that I could incorporate web 2.o into my classroom, some of these ideas I have already stated in my Blog.
-For example, I could have a Physical Education wiki that has sign ups for P.E. make ups or have Saturday runs that students could sign up to meet at a place and workout together.
-I could also incorporate Web 2.0 into the P.E. classroom by having a classroom Blog. The students would have to go on the Blog and start at least three health related topics and comment on ten other topics. This Blog could lead to a community of learners and get them thinking and informed on health related concepts.
-I could also require students to keep a online journal and write about their current fitness, goals, and what they are doing to meet their fitness goals in the classroom and out of the classroom.
-In class I could pull up an in demand video that is based on the Anatomy of the muscles that the children are using in what exercises the students are using.
-I could also produce an electronic portfolio where students can collect, work and select specific pieces (hyperlinks), reflect on their fitness, set goals for further fitness and to improve and celebrate their fitness achievement with their online audience and classroom audience.

Accomodations for Students

As a health and fitness teacher it will be important for me to be able to understand many different special needs that students will have. I may not always know about all the special needs that will walk into my classroom but I need to have the resources available to me to find what one is. So, that is why I have choosen this as one of my topics. It seems that Physical Education is one of the first classes that students with special needs are mainstreamed into. Thhat is why it is important for me to have the resourse available for me to be able to understand a special need inorder to help me best connect to my students. As a teacher it is my job is to recognize the special needs in my classroom and know how to best accomodate. I need to be able to do this in order for that student to have the best P.E. experience possible. I also, have to understand that I will not be able to know every single special need but if one does enter myclass room I need to be able to use my resources to learn about the special need and accomodate to the student. For example, if a child with ADD/ADHD enters my class, I can go to my ADD/ADHD link and research the special need and see how I can best accomodate my teaching toenhance that students learning experience.

Teaching Tools

The reason I choose Teaching Tools as one of my categories is the fact every teacher needs a websites to go to in order to have fresh new ideas and stay on top on their subject area.

Under my teaching tools I included the GLE's, ELAR's website so I can plan my curriculum in a way that meets the states standards. I will need to use these sites as a basis to form my lessons. These websites also have good health and P.E lesson plans that I can use.

Another great tool is the Teacher Vision website has great Health lesson ideas and topics that include: lesson plans, themes, and printable. 's I found a great lesson plan titled "Designing Your Own Unique Exercise Program," this lesson plan was not only geared to P.E. but the students would be required to use math skills as well. This lesson idea made me think that if student designed their own exercise program they would be more inclined to follow it.

I also included the AAHPERD website which is the American Alliance for Health Physical Education and Recreation and Dance witch is and alliance joined with governing boards of 23 professional educational associations to express new direction and balanced education for all with objectives 1) To express self through art and understand artistic expression of others and 2) To apply knowledge about health nutrition and physical activity. I included this website because as a teacher I need to be always learning new ideas and practices that are being adopted in my field.

Article On Halo

So, yesterday I was reading the Seattle Times and came across this article Imagine School as Fun as Halo by Jerry Large, and found it quite interesting. Depending on how much of a video gamer you are you might know that Halo 3 came out at midnight on the 25th of September. This article was written the day before the release. The columnist comments that the makers of Halo understand how people tick and "if educators understood psychology as well as Halo designers, we could throw out the WASL and No Child Left Behind."
Jerry Large the collumnist also states that he understands that video games can get in the way of Homework and other activities, but that is why it is important as parents to make sure that those things come before picking up the controller.
The basis of this article makes the connetion that the technology of the game is new, but the story is old. But the way that the game was delelop still manages to captivate its audience a manner that stimulates young minds and Educators could learn from this. The writer attributes the success of theses games to the fact that they are stimulating and players grow as they go and there are multiple challenges, which get more difficult as the game progresses, along the way there are opportunities for many smaller achievements, and if the player does something right they are rewarded. The game makes you feel good about what you've accomplished and happy. Also, the game allows you freedom to make choices to with the end result being the same for all.

All in all I think that Teachers could learn from Halo. If we can take an old concept and enhance it with technology to entice learners then so be it. Another statement that I liked about this article is that we as educators have to allow our student freedom to make their own path to the reach the required destination. Students like to feel as though they are being independent and we need to be able to provide them with that freedom if it will aid to their learning. It may be hard work to do it but I be live that schools could be as fun as HALO.

Teaching Quotes

"Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand."
-Chinese Proverb

"A good teacher is like a candle- it consumes itself to lifght the way for others."
-Author Unknown

"The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book."
-Author Unknown

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influences stops."
-Henry Brooks Adams

"The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds of the purpose of satisfying it afterwards."
-Anatole France

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires."
-William Arthur Ward

Smart Boards

I think the Smart Board is such a great tool to have in the classroom. As far as having the Smart Board in the gym that could be a little difficult to have a projector and Smart Board screen. Although if I had one I could incorporate this into warm ups by having boxes and the student come up and pick a box and behind it would tell them to do 20 push ups, 15 sit ups. I could also have them do jeopardy like we did the first day of class and have the questions be health and fitness related and if they get it wrong them they would have to do a physical activity. In the health room I could do a lesson from the smart board that could have them calculate their BMI and find out their daily caloric expenditure. I could also use a power point lesson to teach them about commutable diseases having pictures, links to facts, ect.

Professional Preparation Performance

Preparation Performance

Technology Ideas for ELAR's and GLEs

Looking at the ELARs and GLEs there are many opportunities that I could use technology to enhance my classroom. By using technology in P.E it brings a new level of awareness to students and how they use their bodies. I could also use technology as a tool to enhance my teaching and my future student learning.
Project Ideas:
-To meet the Health GLE/Benchmark 2.2.2a-Understand the concepts and factors to communicatable diseases, I could have my students all choose one disease and do either a pamphlet, three page paper, or Power Point presentation describing the disease, symptoms, treatment, commonality, causes, and prevention.
-One of the requirements would be that they have to use at least three different sources from three different databases example (one journal article, one credited internet, encyclopedia ext.
-Another idea for a project to meet this GLE I would have the students find one health related journal article with a minimum of four pages. I would have the students turn in the article and write a two page paper that would include a summary, their comments, what they learned, and if they feel the article was accurate why or why not.
-To meet the GLE/Benchmark 3.2b-Analyze health information messages I would do an assignment to promote making healthy decisions. The assignment that I would give would be called Healthy Eating On The Road. The task would be for my student to pretend that they were going to be going on a road trip for three days and had to eat all fast food. They would have to come up with at least three meals for three days eating all fast food and see if they could eat a balanced nutritious diet meeting the daily nutritional requirements. The student would have to use the internet and the fast food websites to build their meals finding out all the nutritional value and printing it off. The students would have to eat from at least five different fast food places eating seven different meals. The students would then have to analyze their calorie, fat, carbohydrate, protein, and vitamin requirements and see what ones they meet or did not. I would then have them do a page write up explaining what they felt did well at and what dietary requirements were hard to meet and if so was it the options the restraunts had or was it what they decided to eat. Also, the students would have to comment on what fast food places were the easiest to make healthy choices.
-Another way to incorporate technology into the P.E. classroom would be to have a classroom Blog. The students would have to go on the Blog and start at least three health related topics and comment on ten other topics. This Blog could lead to a community of learners and get them thinking and informed on health related concepts.
-I could also require students to keep a online journal and w rite about their current fitness, goals, and what they are doing to meet their fitness goals in the classroom and out of the classroom.
-Another project idea would be for my students to keep a dairy for three days keeping track of what they ate and how much they ate. They would then have to go online to a nutritional calculator and plug in their foods and see how close there were to the daily nutritional guidelines. The students would then do a write up on things that they did well at in achieving the daily requirement and things that they could work on. I would also require them to think at long term things that they could change in order for them to meet the daily nutritional guidelines.

Level of Technology in Observation Classroom

Level of Technology In Obserrvation Classroom:

-My cooperating teacher Mrs. Munson does have a computer in her office. She uses her computer to communicate quickly with me via email. I also know she uses her computer to organize her grades and uses excel to keep track of locker and student locker combinations. I do not know if Mrs. Munson had her hands on making the P.E. website but on the website they do have classroom information including the syllabus, P.E. mission statement, calendar of P.E. make up days, homework assignments, and information for parents to access.
-By looking at the syllabus it looks as though the students have to use some technological skills which include them using the web to find Health Journals and do a journal write up on it.

Technology Resources Teacher has access to:
-Standard computer ($1,000)
-Access to at least one printer ($200)
-Pedometer’s ($30)
-Digital camera (shared by the three teachers) ($499)

Some things that I feel could be added to classroom to provide additional access to technology:
-Heart Rate monitors
-Projector in the Gym to put on workout tapes (yoga, kickboxing, jazzercise, ext)
-Dance dance revolution game
-Have student have online journals for students to talk about their fitness and fitness goals.
-Have online fitness calendar that promotes family fitness.
-Have a classroom Blog discussing fitness struggles, tips, goals, and ideas to get moving.

Creating a Web Site

I don't know if I liked making my own web page from word pad very well. It seemed as though their are too many codes or HTML tags that have to be precisely right that just doesn't work out for me. The Google page creator was much easier but I would have like to had more ideas that I could have put on the page but right now I'm just would of cool and unique things that I could put on there. To my very own web site . I am exited to add stuff to my web site and am actually thinking about doing a calender website that has physical fitness ideas for every day of the week to promote family life long fitness which is a tool that I can one day use in my classroom. All in all I am excited to have learned how to make a web site.

What technology do students us? How to incorporate those into classroom?

Our children today go home to use their I-Pods, cellphones, computers, internet search engines, My Space pages, email, U-Tube, video games on internet where they network with children all around the world, X-Box, playstation, T.V., Tibo, ext. I found on a typical day 75% of children watch T.V. and 32% watch videos for at least 1hr and 20 min.

As a future physical education teacher I can encorporate technolology into my classroom by using computer software to assess my students physical fitness, strength, and endurance. I could also make my own fitness calander website that the children can go to and serve as a resource for familes to promote life long fitness. It would be wise to have a P.E. page through the school that has lesson plans, grading rubric, digital photos, information of all activities going on in the fitness world, and special programs held throughout the school year, with links to web sites.



Within class I could introduce heart rate monitors to show student what it really means to be physically active. I could have them wear them druening class then print off their HR data, and have them set goals to reach a higher fitness.for next time.



I could also have the children wear pedometer so that they can see how much they have moved throughout the day. I could then use this information and have them set goals for more movement next time they wear the pedometers.

Should technology be used in eduction?

Now that we are within the 21st century some trends within education will remain the same but others like technology will allawys be evolving. As teachers we can not be scared of the new resources technology brings to us. Instead we should see them as potential ways to connect with students and bring resources that were not previously available us of now at our finger tips. It is important for educators to be able to keep up with technology in order to be up to date with teaching practices and relaying those to students. Suprsisingly, everything teachers do today is influenced by technology and how many aspects of theching can be enhanced by technology.

It is our job as teachers to provide a quality education to students in a way that most stimulates them. Today, that means incorporating technological developments into the classroom. It is particularly important for new teachers to have tecnology skills so they can manipulate computers and related technologies for effective teaching. According to David Tyack and Larry Cuban in Learning to Teach, they argue that computers and technology can be powerful teaching and learning tools when in the hands of teachers who know how to intergrate them properly into their day to day interaction with the student.

There are already noticable advantages of using technolody as educational tools. For example, multimedia and Smart Board presentations make lectures more interesting, web acess brings resources never before accessable, and CD-ROM's that bring information to students in a new light.

Technology in education should be used as a tool to help engage, motivate and interact with students. In Learning to Teach they found that teachers who used computers and related technologies in their classrooms reported that there are strong motivational aspects of computers and Internet resources. Technology can also be used as a tool to help students improve basic skills such as spelling and math by providing them with the same content in another form, keeping them interested and engaged longer. Also, by bringing technology in to the classroom it allows teachers to communicate and bring the curriculum content on the students level.

Arends, Richard. Learning to Teach. 7th ed. New York: Mc Graw Hill, 2007.

Liberty High School Web Page

When I first went to the Liberty High School Web page the first thing I noticed was the upcoming events on the right hand side. I think this will be a great tool for parent to see what is happening with in the school. The home page also had recent news and information among the school with links to view the larger article. One of the things that I didn't like about the page was the dull colors that the school choose to use, light blue and navy blue really blend in with the white background and make the website not really standout. It was also hard to find the links to the athletics, staff, and administrative they really blended in with the some of the daily news links.
Another feature that I like was the fact that students could log in and find out their grades, course outlines, and homework from a class. I think this is a good feature to have because I remember in high school forgetting to write down my homework and not having the resources of the Internet at my fingertips.
When I was on the website I actually went to the Physical Education Department Site that gave me their physical education mission statement, course outline, P.E activities, rules and grading procedures, ext.
All in all I think this website will be a great tool for parents, students, teachers, and me.

Link To Website

"Engage Me or Enrage Me" my comments

When it comes to the students that you will face within the classroom those that are unmotivated are the ones that can gain the most from new and exciting tools that technology brings. Using technology and creativity as tools to give information, students will throw away their previous basis of school as being boring and a waste of time. I know I have basis when a professor walks in with a VHS that is in black in white and puts on for us to watch. All I can think is "wow this in going to be boring, no special affects, maybe I can take a nap." This biases is how many students see their classrooms as boring and uninteresting. Even though the content of the movie or lecture may be great children's minds are just not stimulated enough to allow them to see the full picture.

As future educators we have to understand that children when they leave the classroom are going home to video games, television, and i pods that take their attention. So sitting in a classroom as a teacher talks from a podium is some what of a bore and not engaging. So we as teachers need to delve into these children's world and make our classrooms much more engaging by using some of the educational technologies that are out there.
I think it is import to not boycott the technology that are children are playing with but embrace them and find ways to use them within our classroom.
I take the technology movement as somewhat of a fun challenge to see what we can do to engage our students. The challenge being that teachers will have to get out of their comfort zones but the fun is see our students wanting to come to class and learn.

Why I want to be a teacher

Ever since I was little I have always wanted to be a teacher. Growing up I had the mini chalkboard and would force my younger brother to sit through math and spelling lessons. Ever since I was a young girl I have always been a active person and know I would never be able to sit down in a 9-5 job. Having been the only girl in the family with an older brother who taught and competed with me in all sports. This allowed me to see my true passion for sports. So combining my love for teaching,children, and love for sports being a teacher seemed to be the best job for me.

Since physical education does not take place within a classroom setting the technology that I foresee using will be a little different. I feel that technology within education can only enhance education and the learning process. For example, within my class I could give out pedometers and have the kids see how many steps they can take in a day, week, or month hopefully having them set goals and become more active. I could also use the smart board and have them play that Jeopardy game and if they answer a health and fitness question wrong they have to do a certain amount of push ups or sit up. I feel as through technology brings new and exciting tools to a class which can get children exciting to learn and be active.