This activity reminded me that we need to be very careful when using the internet. In particular, we need to be very careful when using a website because it might not be what it looks like. Moreover, from this activity, I learned that, before using a website, we need to check for characteristics such as reliable, accurate, accessible for everyone, and well designed. In this way, before this activity, I did not know how to evaluate a website; so I ignored most of the characteristics that a website needs to have in order to be a reliable source of information or reliable online tool. Almost everybody can put information on the web; so it’s up to us to find the right information and not just anything that’s up there. Furthermore, thanks to this activity, I learned that there are many sources to help and guide me find the right websites. In particular, now, I feel more confident and able to evaluate and find the right websites for my personal and professional use. Therefore, now, I know where and what I need to look for when looking for websites to use in my classroom to enhance instruction. In this way, as an educator, I will use a website in my classroom only after I evaluate it.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Website Evaluation
Here is a very good website to evaluate the internet Evaluating Websites. I think this website is an excellent resource to evaluate websites or the Internet in general. In particular, this site would be very helpful for middle and high school students. This site first explains, in readable English, a little bit of why it is important to evaluate the Internet. It is divided in the following three parts: Basic guidelines to evaluate websites, introducing students to website evaluation, and additional resources. In the basic guide lines part, this site addresses four main steps to evaluate websites, which are Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonableness and Support and for which raises interesting questions to help the readers understand such steps. Also, this site uses the following mnemonic to help readers remember these four steps: CARS = Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonableness, Support. In the introduction to students part, this site provides students with some readable suggestions to evaluate websites and with a section about Rubrics for Evaluating Websites Finally, this website provides with some additional evaluation resources, and briefly explains how each of these resources work. Therefore, this site does not only teach how to evaluate websites but it also provides some links to other website evaluation sites.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Wikis
I didn’t have a good beginning learning how to work on Wikis. The instructions on
the package were very confusing for me, so I wasn’t able to properly follow
them. In class, I also had trouble following what we’re doing. To me, it was a
lot of instructions and work for a short period of time. Plus moving from one
website to another website is not easy for me; so I had trouble going from opening
an account in one website to transferring a word document to google docs and
read information in another website to going back to the first website and
follow more instructions from the website and the package. I lot of
instructions and work. However, I learned that all these difficulties are part
of the process of learning in this course and that sometimes we do not have to
finish all the work in class. If there is something we are not able to complete
in class, we can work on it outside the class. What was very helpful for me
regarding all the work we had to do was our course section’s website, which has
an outline of everything we need to do.
the package were very confusing for me, so I wasn’t able to properly follow
them. In class, I also had trouble following what we’re doing. To me, it was a
lot of instructions and work for a short period of time. Plus moving from one
website to another website is not easy for me; so I had trouble going from opening
an account in one website to transferring a word document to google docs and
read information in another website to going back to the first website and
follow more instructions from the website and the package. I lot of
instructions and work. However, I learned that all these difficulties are part
of the process of learning in this course and that sometimes we do not have to
finish all the work in class. If there is something we are not able to complete
in class, we can work on it outside the class. What was very helpful for me
regarding all the work we had to do was our course section’s website, which has
an outline of everything we need to do.
What went also well was that I did learn how to create my own workspace and personal
wiki page, which I can share with others. Therefore, even though this assignment
was confusing at first, it was also a good practice to learn about wikis. Now,
during the second class working on Wikis, everything went much better, as our
instructor went step by step showing how to do certain things in our Wiki. So,
I was able to finish my wiki page this time. Now, next time, in order to do
better in class, I will not only read the instructions of the corresponding
assignment before class but I will also try to make sure those instructions
make sense to me before class.
wiki page, which I can share with others. Therefore, even though this assignment
was confusing at first, it was also a good practice to learn about wikis. Now,
during the second class working on Wikis, everything went much better, as our
instructor went step by step showing how to do certain things in our Wiki. So,
I was able to finish my wiki page this time. Now, next time, in order to do
better in class, I will not only read the instructions of the corresponding
assignment before class but I will also try to make sure those instructions
make sense to me before class.
I'm considering using this tool in my professional practice and/or instruction with
students by making groups and assigning each group some math exercises to be
done collaboratively on wiki pages. In this way, students do not have to be in
the same place and/or at the same time to work corroboratively on their group
homework and keep learning after class. Instead, to do their homework in
groups, students only need a computer and an internet connection.
students by making groups and assigning each group some math exercises to be
done collaboratively on wiki pages. In this way, students do not have to be in
the same place and/or at the same time to work corroboratively on their group
homework and keep learning after class. Instead, to do their homework in
groups, students only need a computer and an internet connection.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
My Expectations
I really like learning about technology, so I’m so glad I’m taking this course.
More importantly, I’m very glad I’m going to learn how to use technology in the
classroom. I’ve always believed that technology can be used as a teaching tool
in any subject; so I believe that any person who wants to teach will benefit a
lot from learning how use technology in the classroom. On the other hand, even
though I love using computers, I’m worried about this course because I’m slow
using computers and I’m a slow learner. However, I know I’m going to do well in
this course because I’m going to put as much effort as necessary into this
class. This is not going to be very hard for me because I have good studying
skills and, like I said, I like technology. In this way, I’m going to learn
enough material from this course as to go to the classroom and be able to make
my instruction more accessible and efficient to everyone thanks to the use of
technology. Furthermore, I already feel good about this course because I
already learned how to use google documents and blogs to share information.
Therefore, I strongly believe that at the end of this course I’m going to feel
very confident to use technology as one of my best teaching tools.
More importantly, I’m very glad I’m going to learn how to use technology in the
classroom. I’ve always believed that technology can be used as a teaching tool
in any subject; so I believe that any person who wants to teach will benefit a
lot from learning how use technology in the classroom. On the other hand, even
though I love using computers, I’m worried about this course because I’m slow
using computers and I’m a slow learner. However, I know I’m going to do well in
this course because I’m going to put as much effort as necessary into this
class. This is not going to be very hard for me because I have good studying
skills and, like I said, I like technology. In this way, I’m going to learn
enough material from this course as to go to the classroom and be able to make
my instruction more accessible and efficient to everyone thanks to the use of
technology. Furthermore, I already feel good about this course because I
already learned how to use google documents and blogs to share information.
Therefore, I strongly believe that at the end of this course I’m going to feel
very confident to use technology as one of my best teaching tools.
Welcome to my blog
My name is Manuel Cuevas-Sanchez and I’m originally from a small city in Guanajuato,
Mexico. I’m the oldest of four children, and my whole family came to Lenoir
City, Tennessee when I was 18 years old and we’ve lived here since then. When I
first came here, I started working for the Monterey Mushrooms company, and I
stay there for about two years. After that, I went back to school: I got my GED
and start college.
Mexico. I’m the oldest of four children, and my whole family came to Lenoir
City, Tennessee when I was 18 years old and we’ve lived here since then. When I
first came here, I started working for the Monterey Mushrooms company, and I
stay there for about two years. After that, I went back to school: I got my GED
and start college.
I earned my GED through the High School Equivalence Program (HEP) at Abraham
Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia. In this same college, I
obtained my associate degree in mathematics. Then, I transfer to the University
of Tennessee where I’m a senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and
a license to teach.
Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia. In this same college, I
obtained my associate degree in mathematics. Then, I transfer to the University
of Tennessee where I’m a senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and
a license to teach.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)