Angelina+Tebarts

Hi, I'm Angelina, and this is the webpage I created with html in my ISTC 301 Course!!!



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1. In completing the learning styles survey, did you learn anything new about your personal learning style, or did the information confirm what you have already determined about how you learn best? Were there any suggestions offered for improving your study skills that you had not considered before? The information from the learning styles survey that I took just confirmed what I already knew about myself. I have a Bodily Kinesthetic learner, and I do best when I can do hands on activities, field work, lab classes, and a physically active learning environment. I have always known this about myself because I can not sit still, and then I get anxious if I can’t move around. If I can get up, and work with my hands, or move around, or am more physically engaged, I can actually retain the information better. Some study tips that the survey gave me that I had not thought of before was to walk around when holding a book or going over flashcards. Going over information while I am moving will supposedly help. I am going to try that next time I have to study for something. Some of the tips they gave, I already do like highlighting things in my notes to show contrasting colors, making flash cards, and write down all the information. I always rewrite my notes to remember better because I am actually doing something while looking at the information. My hands are moving, therefore some part of my body is moving and engaged and it focuses my attention more. 2. What was your overall impression of the CAST website? My overall impression of the CAST website is good. I really liked the survey, and the book that is on there, gives really good information. There are a lot of resources on this website, like model lesson plans for different subjects and grade levels, which I found to be very helpful. 3. Did you find any interesting information in the electronic version of Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age? Describe how you might incorporate that information in your teaching. My group read chapter 6, and what I found interesting from this chapter was the different goals that they mentioned. It provides a good framework for goals that students should have, and how us teachers can support the students to achieve those goals. The three types of goals are Recognition, Strategic, and Affective. Then for ways that students can help gives things like, providing models, allowing flexibility, providing feedback, etc. This is helpful, because I can use this when I become a teacher so I can focus my students goals, and I know how to support their goals based on why type it is. 4. What was your reaction to the 2 activities in which you participated? Did you gain any new insight into your strengths and talents through these exercises? Yes I gained new insight on the different goals, and I learned some new study tips. I also learned that I have already found some good study habits that fit my learning style, and I found out that I was right about being a bodily kinesthetic learner. 5. Many of my students have responded quite positively to the materials at CAST. How do you feel about this approach to developing differentiated instruction? I really like this approach. It really focuses on the students, and the different ways that students learn. It is all about setting appropriate goals, so students can be challenged and supported at whatever level they are at. 6. What would you like to know/explore more at CAST? At this point in time, there is not more that I would like to explore, but maybe as I go into teaching more, and seeing the different types of students and learners, I have, I can revisit CAST for ideas and helpful hints.
 * ISTC 301/501**
 * Responses/Reflection to Learning Styles and CAST Website Resources**



1. From visiting the websites and viewing the videos in Part I of the assignment, what information did you learn about assistive technology for disabled individuals? -I learned that there are many ways that computers, or computer chip based products that can really help students with disabilities in their day to day lives. Even severe cases of a disability such as cerebral palsy, there are assistive technologies to help those students move, talk, do homework, and other various functions. Also what I learned is that with out any of these assistive technologies, most of these people with disabilities would not be able to do anything on their own. Assistive technology seems to give them a chance to be somewhat independent, which for being disabled is very important to those people. 2. Were there any sites, products, or resources that particularly impressed you and that you want to remember as you prepare to become a classroom teacher? -What interested me most was the assistivetech.net website. It was cool to see all the little gadgets and technologies that are used for all sorts of disabilities. Some of the stuff I would want just for myself for my classroom to aid to the different students. This site is also helpful because you can search for their equipment by the activity or function. So if I know I have a student who has trouble with communication, I can look under their communication products. This seems very helpful. 3. What promises/potentials does technology provide for students with diverse learning needs? -The promises/potentials that technology provides students with diverse learning needs, is that technology can be a very independent tool for students. Because of this, students can work at their own different paces, and use as many of the electronic resources as they need. For students who need extra tutorial help, there are websites that can help them through it. For students who are gifted and need more of a challenge, there are ways to structure a class through technology so those students are never bored. Technology might be the key to differentiation in the classroom. 4. Have you ever had a personal experience with a student or other person who has used some form of assistive technology to help them function in learning or everyday life? If so, describe what you observed from that experience in terms of meeting the special needs of those individuals. -When I was in school I had a friend who had cataract surgery, and something went wrong and left her almost blind. She could see like big figures enough to walk around, but she could not read the words on a or know if she is staying in a straight line when she wrote. I used to help her write and read because I sat next to her until they brought in this computer magnifying glass. It could go onto a word document so she could type her stuff, but also you could slide a piece of paper under the computer and it would magnify it word by word basically so the letters were just so big that she could read it. It took more time for her, but it did give her the opportunity to be able to see a little bit and be somewhat independent, especially since before the surgery she could see and do everything just fine. 5. From this assignment, what will you carry with you as you prepare to become a teacher – one that will, most likely, face the challenge of meeting the needs of special education students along with non-disabled learners? -What I will carry from this assignment when I got into my own classroom, is that there is hope for students with disabilities. Those students need some extra help and I need to remember that there are assistive technologies out there that I can provide through computers and other equipment to make their learning experience as beneficial to them as it can be.
 * Questions for reaction/reflection on Assistive Technology**:

**Click on this link to see my photobabble!!!!!**
[|My Photobabble]

**Kate and I's Glog would not embed on my wikispace even when following the correct steps. It just showed a blank image everytime... Here is a print screen image to show it was done.**


__**Virtual Field Trip Reflection**__ I felt that the idea of this virtual field trip was good because it gives students the chance to look at places they wouldn't be able to easily visit. I liked that you could click on the area on the map so it gave a visual of where they are "going" in relation to where they live, and then it had sounds of the area and sea gulls to make students get a feel for the actual area. It was nice to have pictures of what they are talking about and then be able to click on the pictures to continue exploring more into the location and the history. A virtual field trip is also good online because there are multiple websites you can use for students to get different views, and different experiences. I liked that they could go to a website and learn how to tie knots to feel like the fisherman that went whaling. A virtual field trip gives many angles for students to get a well rounded feel for the area they are "visiting" and what they are learning. Teachers can give many questions to help guide students where to look and what information to find. Some of the other virtual field trips covered some interesting topics such as ancient Egypt and the ins and outs of fireworks. Virtual field trips are an easy way for students to explore various topics and various places in depth with visuals and sounds, and explanations without having to drive, fly, or travel at all to see them. The only thing I don't like about virtual field trips is that students are merely sitting still to explore things, and may use virtual field trips to explore things that they can easily access around them and make them lazy. If students want to learn about the outdoors, they may go online instead of actually going outdoors. Also virtual field trips are great for visual and auditory learners, but for bodily kinesthetic learners they might not get engaged at all because nothing is hands on. I also believe in students getting up out of their seats, and sitting at a computer has them sitting still. These students are in an age where at home they sit in front of their computers, therefore I don't want them sitting at school on the computer too.

= -Here is my Clove Hitch Knot--- =



=Click on this link to see my Digital Story about my family trip to Arizona!!!= [|Movie Maker Assignment]

I asked what sort of technology you had in your classrooms because I feel that technology can be such an important part of the classroom and was wondering if I would have access to these tools if I taught here. Having interactive white boards is a great way for students to be motivated to learn because students love coming up and using the new technology. Also being able to project anything through an Elmo is very advantageous over the old transparency projectors because I can read picture books through the Elmo where all the students can actually see the pictures. Computers are such an essential part of our economical world, so students need to be able to use this tool. There are many ways that computers can be used in every day classroom activities that will not only reinforce the subject matter that they are learning, but also give them the essential everyday computer skills needed later on the life. Technology is also a great way to differentiate instruction. There are many assignments and lessons that can be done on a computer where students can work at their own individual paces. Also different technologies can cater to the different learning styles. Auditory learners can be given the chance to listen to different topics, visuals can be given for visual learners, and interactive activities on a Promethian board can be good for kinesthetic learners. Also we as teachers need to keep up with how society works, and as we are entering such a digital age, the schools should keep up as well so our students can learn how to use the technology for other purposes other than social media and communication. Honestly, my beliefs about technology have not really changed since the beginning of this class. I understand that this is a digital age and that we need to keep up with technology. I do believe that there are advantageous ways to use technology in the classroom, but also stand my ground and say that too much technology in the classroom is not good. If students are sitting in front of a computer too much they are going to lack the physical activity that all children need, and also the idea of hand writing will go away if everything is typed, and paper books are also on their way out. This class has reinforced that there are many ways to use technology for beneficial ways in the classroom and I will use those techniques but I will try not to lose site of other methods of teaching as well.
 * Final Reflection **