Teaching Blog Reflection 2

Directions:

Set-up the video camera to document your teaching lesson (you may tape over an observation tape).
Review the videotape at a later time.
List, describe, and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of technology use, as well as the strategies used for teaching and learning.
Bring the videotape to the following class so we can discuss your reflections together.

Response:

Technoloy
~Flash Drives: The students used flash drives to save all of their work. The flash drives have typically been a problem because the students have not saved all of their work on the flash drives as needed. However, since this project has been going on for many days most of the work has been saved in the correct location. The problems with the flash drives are that the students are not learning how to safely remove the hardware and many of the flash drives are sketchy on their ability to function. Students also are unaware that the flash drive should light up if working correctly. It seems that the students have missed the basic knowledge required to use the flash drives but are still trying to use them anyway.
~Word: Some students are using Microsoft Word to write the stories. I believe only four students were still at this step in the movie making process. The students were suppose to be using the story template to help speed up the story writing process. This was causing some problems because the adult helping was taking far too long to write the story.
~Internet Explorer/Internet: Students used the Internet to access the checklist (created in Word) and the list of possible websites to search. The students also used the Internet to search for sounds and pictures for the movies. This was an excellent way for the students to have access to a wide variety of sounds and pictures but took far more time than it should have. Students spent far too long looking for sounds, were looking for inappropriate sounds, and the adult supervision was not monitoring the work as needed.
~Sound Recorder/Microphone: Sound Recorder with the computers' built in microphones were used to record the narration for each student. I was finally able to observe students using the program for a few minutes before I had to find someone more knowledgable on the program to replace me. One student worked extremely well recording her story and being done with the program while the other student was scared to record his voice and then started recording things unrelated to his story. More supervision was needed in the recording stations to help speed up the process of recording the narration.
~Movie Maker: Movie maker was used by some students to create the movies. This program was actually quite useful for the students. Students seemed to be able to run the software with few problems. It did appear though as if every student was receiving direct help from an adult and each adult was giving different directions. It does seem that having the students receive directions from the same adult (or at least the same directions) would make things better.

Teaching
Since no teaching was actually done, this section will not be a list this time. Instead, I will discuss various things that occurred. I spoke with one teacher about a student who was searching the Internet (unsupervised) for Pokemon pictures. She said that we should leave the student alone because of all of his issues and just be happy if he socializes with any students at all. First, I was shocked she was telling this to me because it was not my business (about the student's personal life) plus I am unfamiliar with what to do in cases where students have personal issues that cause problems. I did note though when the student was later speaking to another student and how it was an accomplishment. At one point in time I made an announcement for those students searching for sounds and how they had been searching too long and needed to finish up quickly. At this point I expected the adults helping students find sounds to help the students finish up quickly. Instead, most students continued to search for sounds for the remainder of the time. There were also teaching problems at the recording station. Students were being allowed to record the narration many times when they should have only been allowed to start over perhaps 3 times. Otherwise not much teaching was being accomplished. The adults helping the students were not pushing students along at a fast pace which will cause problems next week.