I believe I am a visual and kinesthetic learner. The attributes of these two groups help me to learn. Physical activity is my life, I am a physical education teacher. So, moving and learning are two of the way that help me to learn. The strategy that works best for me as a learner is a process we call tell, show, do. First, tell what to do, then show what to do, then have the students do it. This process allows me to practice what the correct technique is and correct the errors. I also like to figure out how to do things on my own. However, I need to have some type of guidance to get me started. I have enjoyed figuring out how to use all of the new tools in this class, but for me, it would not have happened without the guidance of the class. Tell me, show me examples, and let me do it is how I learn best.
The strategy that has had the least amount of success is the lecture-recall. I have a hard time focusing on a lecture. For me to understand the lecture and stay with it, it needs something more. The PowerPoint's are helpful, they add some technology that spruces up the presentation, but it still needs more. That is the big question though. How to educators get across the information to students who all like to take in the information in different ways?
The conclusion I have come to is to have a range of strategies and use them at various times. this may sound simple and the idea of it is. However, it requires more effort, organization and focus on those strategies and what the preferred outcome of the lessons are. I will become comfortable with the strategies so that the transition between their uses is smooth and unnoticeable. This is when the organization skill comes into the preparation effort. Next, I need to keep track of how many times I use each technique, making sure that I do not primarily use the one I favor. And, I need to focus on the manner in which I use them so that i am using them correctly and the most beneficial to as many students as possible. additionally, this will prevent me from being predictably boring.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
My Picture
Here if the image of my first MS 150 bike ride with my team.
My Picasa Page
MS 150 Team SRO by Derek Osborne is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.
MS 150 Team SRO by Derek Osborne is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Creative Commons
This is a picture I would use in my swimming classes to teach the water safety unit. When we get smartboards or projectors in the future, I will have access to technology to show this type of photo to help ensure the students understand the concept of water safety.
Water Safety Information Sign (Terry Stewart) / CC BY-SA 2.0
I think that adding images to the curriculum I teach can be very helpful. I will be looking to add images to PowerPoint presentation that cover a wide range of topics in my health and pe classes. Images can motivate the learner and get a visual on the topic whether it is sports (pictures of athletes doing the skill being learned), safety (above picture) or health (nutrition, mental illness, drugs, etc.). Images will be a helpful tool in my future teaching.
My Picasa Page
I think that adding images to the curriculum I teach can be very helpful. I will be looking to add images to PowerPoint presentation that cover a wide range of topics in my health and pe classes. Images can motivate the learner and get a visual on the topic whether it is sports (pictures of athletes doing the skill being learned), safety (above picture) or health (nutrition, mental illness, drugs, etc.). Images will be a helpful tool in my future teaching.
My Picasa Page
Friday, April 1, 2011
PC Maintenance and Security
There are a lot of issuse concerning pc maintenance and security. I have heard about these topics before, but do not understand what they mean. I have chosen three tutorials to help me learn more about pc maintenance and security.
Tutorial #1 Compare and Contrast Hardware and Software Firewalls
Hardware firewalls are part of the router. Their main purpose is to keep your network private and invisable from hackers. Software firewalls are programs like Norton and McAfee that scan the computer for invasions. People need to know what the firewall is and what it does. The item that suprised me was programs like Norton are firewalls. I just thought it was a program for safety, not a firewall.
Tutorial #2 Using Window's Clean up
Windows clean up program is a quick and free way to free up space on your computer. I have seen costly programs that do the same thing, but this one is free. I will be using this program on my computers to improve performance and clear space. I think this item will also help others clean up their computers. The item that suprised me was the face that it is so quick and it is free.
Tutorial #3 Securing Internet Explorer
Even with firewalls and security software, our computers are at risk. This tutorial showed me how to adjust my settings within Internet Explorer to control Active X. A few clicks of the mouse can be the difference between being attacked by a website and maintaining safety. Sharing this tip can keep a lot of computers safe. What suprised me was that websites can attack your computer and install unwanted and dangerous items just because I did not have properly check my settings.
Tutorial #1 Compare and Contrast Hardware and Software Firewalls
Hardware firewalls are part of the router. Their main purpose is to keep your network private and invisable from hackers. Software firewalls are programs like Norton and McAfee that scan the computer for invasions. People need to know what the firewall is and what it does. The item that suprised me was programs like Norton are firewalls. I just thought it was a program for safety, not a firewall.
Tutorial #2 Using Window's Clean up
Windows clean up program is a quick and free way to free up space on your computer. I have seen costly programs that do the same thing, but this one is free. I will be using this program on my computers to improve performance and clear space. I think this item will also help others clean up their computers. The item that suprised me was the face that it is so quick and it is free.
Tutorial #3 Securing Internet Explorer
Even with firewalls and security software, our computers are at risk. This tutorial showed me how to adjust my settings within Internet Explorer to control Active X. A few clicks of the mouse can be the difference between being attacked by a website and maintaining safety. Sharing this tip can keep a lot of computers safe. What suprised me was that websites can attack your computer and install unwanted and dangerous items just because I did not have properly check my settings.
Getting Things Done!!
Organizing and staying on top of all of my daily duties is a task I definitely need help with. The getting things done program offers a lot of possibilities to get my items in order. I suppose in some way, I already do a lot of the things suggested in the program, problem is I do them in my head and with a lot of different inboxes. Email, phone calendar, desk calendar, home calendar and written lists are how I handled the information. I organized everything with the paper and pencil method with an inbox on my desk at work and home.
I started to try to streamline the process by limiting my inboxes. One for paperwork, one for email and a calender on my phone. As was said in the article, this proved to be the hardest part of the process. I am trying to learn the One Note program and my goal is to make it my inbox for everything. In the meantime I am using the three items listed above.
The processing of the items in my inbox was a little confusing. I read all of my emails soon as I get to a computer. When I get the HP Slate tablet, I will have more access to my emails. Trying to use the two minute idea has helped me get a grasp on all of the items in my inbox. I use a list for paperwork, and it is fairly easy to decide what needs to be done now and what can wait and be classified as a project. Calenders have always been hard for me. I start using one and for one reason or another, I stop using it. The desktop calender has always been the best for me. I am starting to put items on my phone calender and will begin to classify them.
The organization process is started, but needs a lot of work. My paper and pencil lists are the best way for me right now. I can see what needs to be accomplished and when. If I can transfer these lists to my phone or One Note, my organization will be a lot better. As for email, I have started to sort important emails in folders. The folders I have right now save emails that could be important down the road. I also need to spend more time imputing dates into my phone calender and not just the desk calender.
The review is the most helpful part of the process. It allows me to look over all of the items for the day and act upon them appropriately. I need to develop the weekly calender, I am hoping One Note will be the solution.
As for the Do process, I am improving. I have noticed that my lists and inboxes really only contain items relative to my work life. I need to put my home life into my inbox and get those items accomplished as well. I believe I am accomplishing most of what needs to get done, but there is room for improvement.
Going through the process was not easy. It will definitely take some time for me to get a system down that works for me. I can see the value of using the GTD process. It will allow me to see the tasks in my inbox, because I will almost always have access to it, thus making me more organized. I will continue to use this process to help me manage my home and work lives and to ease the stress caused my the many tasks that need to be accomplished.
I started to try to streamline the process by limiting my inboxes. One for paperwork, one for email and a calender on my phone. As was said in the article, this proved to be the hardest part of the process. I am trying to learn the One Note program and my goal is to make it my inbox for everything. In the meantime I am using the three items listed above.
The processing of the items in my inbox was a little confusing. I read all of my emails soon as I get to a computer. When I get the HP Slate tablet, I will have more access to my emails. Trying to use the two minute idea has helped me get a grasp on all of the items in my inbox. I use a list for paperwork, and it is fairly easy to decide what needs to be done now and what can wait and be classified as a project. Calenders have always been hard for me. I start using one and for one reason or another, I stop using it. The desktop calender has always been the best for me. I am starting to put items on my phone calender and will begin to classify them.
The organization process is started, but needs a lot of work. My paper and pencil lists are the best way for me right now. I can see what needs to be accomplished and when. If I can transfer these lists to my phone or One Note, my organization will be a lot better. As for email, I have started to sort important emails in folders. The folders I have right now save emails that could be important down the road. I also need to spend more time imputing dates into my phone calender and not just the desk calender.
The review is the most helpful part of the process. It allows me to look over all of the items for the day and act upon them appropriately. I need to develop the weekly calender, I am hoping One Note will be the solution.
As for the Do process, I am improving. I have noticed that my lists and inboxes really only contain items relative to my work life. I need to put my home life into my inbox and get those items accomplished as well. I believe I am accomplishing most of what needs to get done, but there is room for improvement.
Going through the process was not easy. It will definitely take some time for me to get a system down that works for me. I can see the value of using the GTD process. It will allow me to see the tasks in my inbox, because I will almost always have access to it, thus making me more organized. I will continue to use this process to help me manage my home and work lives and to ease the stress caused my the many tasks that need to be accomplished.
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