My Final Reflection

This class has been one of my favorite classes so far. I really enjoyed being able to come in everyday and work on the computers. I feel that I am a much more hands on learner and that's all about what this class has been. I don't have just one favorite project that we worked on because I enjoyed most of them. The iMovie was very cool. I have created movies like this is the past for different occasions so I felt somewhat confident creating this. The only thing that was different was the program that I used to make it. Another project that was new to me and that I loved was creating the website. I can definitely see myself using this when I have my own classroom. This is a great way to introduce myself to my parents and students while also getting the parents involved. I have learned so much in this class and feel much more confident in my technology skills.

iMovie

This was my first time using iMovie. It was kind of confusing and frustrating at times but I think it turned out well. Over the summer I created the same type of movie for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. I used Windows Movie Maker so it was a little different from iMovie. One thing that was frustrating for my with iMovie was not being able to see the whole picture sometimes. Some of my original pictures were also really blurry so I had to replace them. All in all I enjoyed this project and could see myself creating movies for classes that I teach.

Inspiration...

This Inspiration project was very stressful for me. I started off feeling like I knew what I was doing. As I started working I got so confused about the actual purpose of the web in a preschool classroom. Another thing that frustrated me was not being able to work on it outside of class. Since the program is only on these computers I couldn't look over it outside of class. In the end I can see how this would be an effective tool in the classroom but creating it was frustrating.

ABC's on Animoto

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

This was my second time using Animoto. I have really enjoyed it and will probably use it outside of this class. It is very easy to work with. The one and only problem I have with it is that the free version only gives you 30secs. I guess if I got serious with it and wanted to do more I could just pay for it. 

ABC Presentation

This was a fun activity. If I taught a class old enough to complete the activity I feel that the students would really enjoy it. Google docs is also a very cool tool to use with a group and very effective.

Slideshow

Google Docs... blew my mind!

Google Docs was so neat. When we started to create our document on a rock I didn't really understand the whole concept of other people being able to edit the document that I was working on. All of a sudden it said that Katie was adding something and text started to appear on the screen! I think that is so cool and could be very helpful when working on a project with a group. I wish I would have known about this sooner. It could have been very helpful in past group activities.

WebQuest

Well there were a few cool WebQuests but I don't really see a way that I could use them in an early childhood classroom. There's way to much to do on them for a 3-5 year old to do. I'm sure there are some out there that would work for that age range just none that we looked at. Even if the teacher led the children through one I feel like the children would lose interest in the activity. I do think it would work better for old children though.

my favorite web 2.0 tool

My favorite Web 2.0 tool is the Wordle website. There are so many different things that you can do with this website. I am in charge of creating a t-shirt for a trip that the youth group at my church is going on. I have already started playing around with Wordle coming up with some really cool designs for the t-shirts. I have also seen Wordle be used as a simple gift idea. The person's name was really big and all around their names were attributes of them. It can be very creative and personal for that. Students could also create a Wordle image about a subject that they are discussing in class. This is a very cool website that can be used in so many different ways.

Web 2.0 Experiences

Throughout this past week we had presentations on different Web 2.0 sites. I really enjoyed hearing about each of these different things. Some of them I have heard of and used but others I had no idea what they were about. I have heard all about Twitter but have never signed up for it because I feel that Facebook takes up enough of my time. After the Twitter presentation I thought that maybe I would give it a try. I signed up and about 5 mins later decided that it would become a huge distraction for me so I deleted my account. :) Wordle is one of the neatest things. I have really enjoyed playing around on this site. This could help out in many upcoming projects such as designing a t-shirt for our youth group. I have definitely learned a lot about some really helpful websites this past week.

Reflection of Website Evaluation

This activity was very beneficial for me. I randomly searched for a early childhood website and Early Childhood News was one of the first to come up. As I looked through it, I began to like it more and more. My evaluation for the website also showed that it was a reliable website that I could use in the future. It is full of great articles that I could use now while I am in school writing papers and also when I am teaching a class and need information on a topic. The evaluation was also very simple for me to go through. The website had all of the information available and easy to find. If I were to ever have a question with this website the contact information for the editorial director and the assistant editor has been made available. There are many different types of articles so you get more than one opinion on a certain topic. This evaluation process will definitely be something I will use in the future to determine if a website is one that I can trust to be true.

Website Evaluation

I think this is a good evaluation website because it is simple. The easier the better when you are in a hurry. This website gives a few examples of misleading websites and also gives criteria for evaluation. Some of these criteria include authority, objectivity, authenticity, reliability, timeliness, relevance, and efficiency. 
My website evaluation link: 
Teacher Tap: Evaluating Internet Resources

How I use technology..

Well when I come into this class and hear about all the things that you can do with technology it makes me feel like I don't use technology very much. But when I think of ways that I do use it I feel like I know a lot about the basics. I use my computer to write papers, create powerpoints, upload pictures and use them for certain things, and of course get on the internet. Everyday I am on the internet doing something whether that be getting on Facebook, checking my email, or getting on Blackboard to do things for my classes. Comparing what I know to what my technologically challenged boyfriend knows, I feel like a genius.
I hope to gain more knowledge in basic computer skills. I want to be able to use more technology in a classroom so I hope that this class can help me a lot in that area.

my 1st blog

    My name is Jena Rhea. I am a senior in the Child and Family Studies PreK-K program. This programs involves early childhood education in both special education and general education classrooms. My internship experience is spread throughout this academic school year. During this semester I will start my practicum hours. The first five weeks I will be placed in a Head Start classroom and the second five weeks will be spent in a preschool classroom at a local school. During the spring semester I will be in a classroom full time. The first part of the semester will be in a kindergarten classroom and the second part will be in a preschool classroom. I feel like this internship experience will be great because I will get experience in so many different early education settings. I want to be a teacher because I feel I can make a positive impact in the lives of  many children. I also really enjoy working alongside families. Families are a very important part of a young child's life.Working alongside the family helps them know what to expect of their child and what could be worked on both in the classroom and at home. 
     I have had so many different experiences working with children, which has been very beneficial. One experience I am currently involved in is being a preschool Sunday school teacher at my church. This is something that I look forward to each and every week. I also work at an after-school program at a local church. Throughout the PreK-K program I have had many different opportunities to be involved in the Early Learning Centers here on campus. Since high school I have babysat for numerous families. All of these experiences and many others have played a part in developing a greater passion for working with young children.
     In my free time you can usually find me helping out with the youth group at my church. We are always going on trips or meeting for bibles studies which keeps me very busy. When I get a chance I love to read. I enjoy spending time at the lake with my family and friends.