Google vs. Database

The data base in Middle School provides several search engines which are trustworthy and user friendly. As search engines most of them are easy for the students to use such as "The Day". If students were asked to search for current events, it is easy for them to be directed to the topic of interest with no difficulty.

EBSCO provides easy access to trustworthy information which is clearly categorized for students to identify the source of the information.The sites are appealing, such as Kids search, yet there are no links on the pages for other related sources.

The search engines within the school's sites have more credibility and when thinking about students, they provide web safety.

However, google does offer more choice and design is much more appealing.

I believe both tools are useful and the successful use of search engines depends on a well defined task. The more defined, the easier it is to search for information once we become aware, as teachers, of the online available resources.

QR code activity

I learned how to use the Qr code such as I-nigma app and a use for it. We were given a task, find the resources and we had to find the location. There was team work as well as a lot of competition and frustration at times! We saw all the different uses of technology inside the library for us to be able to use all sorts of materials such as books, magazines, videos, etc. And how there are fun ways of learning and using, applying the big 6. There are so many things out there we don't know about and can't even imagine, I had never heard of a QR code or couldn't even find its use.

SUPER 3 PLANNER

Directions for the super 3 implementation were written down in blue.

Room 8	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
7:30-7:45	Flag Honors	Arrival/Prep Time	Arrival/Prep Time	Arrival/Prep Time	Arrival/Prep Time
7:45-8:00	Morning Meeting	ESL: Ss make a list of things found in the classroom/school.	Morning Meeting	Morning Meeting	Morning Meeting
8:00-8:15	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack
8:15-8:45	Circle Time: Calendar, attendance, job assignment, ABC review. Students are given a set of letters and they are asked to find things beginning with those letters. Students are asked about the possible places they could look for the particular beginning sounds. PLAN Ss are assigned to the different areas to work on finding the objects.	Circle Time: Calendar, attendance, number review 1-20. Students make a selection based upon the list made the previous day, to select best possible resources (ipads, classroom books, library books, posters, people interviews and magazines). PLAN	C.T.: Group discussion about the things/people that can be found in the ECC. Group list is made. Students are asked to use the resources and guided in small groups to retrieve the needed information. Small group discussions are held to informally assess their ability to identify the information needed. DO	Circle time: Calendar, attendance, days of the week, and months of the year assessment. Students present in small groups the information obtained from the different resources. They answer basic questions about the origin of their findings and talk about the best resource that allowed them to complete the task. REVIEW	Circle Time: Calendar, attendance, job assignment, ABC review. Students make a bar graph about the resources used in the classroom to compare results and open up a class discussion about such results to record their answers and monitor their progress. REVIEW

Information Literacy / Media Literacy

Information literacy is focused on how we actually access the information, then how we evaluate it and the ethical use of it.

Media literacy is focused on the understanding of media functions and how we relate them for self-expression.

I would say that the first step is information literacy, and our main concern as teachers. We should be able to teach information literacy at all times, provoke our students to be critical thinkers. And then we can approach media literacy

Mind Map

http://www.webspirationclassroom.com/view/1102216a9239

ASSIGNMENT 1

Sir Ken Robinson starts of with an important matter, saying that we are educating our children with the abilities of the 19^th century, with the past. We are trying to educate our children in the 21^st century, but how will we predict the economy for their knowledge. Yet he goes on saying “we don’t even know what will the economy be like be the end of next week”. This bring up the question on how will we actually do it? As he says I think we need to ‘wake them up to what they have inside of them’, give problems that get them engaged and therefore provoke them to think, but not only think the way we were taught but to think and be able to get different ideas, creative ideas, different solutions and ways to manage, by using divergent thinking, which Sir Ken Robinson describes as “the ability to see different possible solutions, see multiple answers’. When we teach the kids how to create and think outside the box then will they be prepared to face the economy 10, 20, 30 years from now. Me as a kindergarten teacher, as he says, I am working with geniuses, and wouldn’t like to be held responsible for having them lose this capacity (which he says we all have but have lost by being educated) because of the way we teach!!! (it seems to be going backwards!) By experiencing creativity and having them get interested and engaged I think we have a good chance for them to continue having a high percentage of their genius self.

ASSIGNMENT 7

Now that I have been researching and reading more about information literacy and it’s importance since early years I can understand now why we should integrate technology in our classrooms. So whats the way to approach information literacy? Show all the different options they have to be able to do research work, there is more than Google (and now I Know!). Then assign different projects, maybe at first weekly so that if doubts come up these are attended quickly. Let them inquire, and from their interests build a project. This is a progress and schools are just beginning to see the benefits and the importance of including information literacy competences in their students. We as teachers need to set and example, and let them see how do WE make use of information literacy, get them excited about it so that they actually do get engaged and work on it. Let them discover the use of it. The younger we start there will be a point in their lives in which they can apply it in different aspects of their lives, even then at their work space. I believe that critical thinking, divergent thinking and information literacy may be taught since kindergarten, they are already living a life surrounded with technology, let’s teach them to look for the information that actually helps them with their goals or objectives. We are all trying to get a hang of this digital era, so let’s get involved and make a change in our way to teach, because if we don't our kids will not develop the competences needed in a near future.

ASSIGNMENT 4

1.I am focusing my PLN experience in using creative ways on how to teach to read, and a way to introduce technology in the classroom. It is definitely something that I am just discovering, yet as the video says I need to take baby steps and set goals.

2 What actually comes natural to me is using facebook, yet I am beginning to get the hang of twitter and login on to the pages suggested by collegues. I would like to invest more time using my twitter account and focusing on the links provided.

. 3.-The tools that I could start off by using that sound interesting yet, still not know much about them are Diigo web and Google Reader.

4.The best moment for me to be able to dedicate time for my PLN and research (learning) would be on my “easy” days, which are the days that I finish my work day earlier therefore I’m not so tired, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays at night, after 8 o’clock when my daughter has gone to sleep.

5.-I still don’t feel in the position in which I can give tips to others, or even to myself but to follow the suggestions given in this reading. Yet with my experience up to now, I can suggest reading, a lot of reading, and sticking to someone who can help you out when doubts come up.

ASSIGNMENT 6