NAEP

Aside from the results of the NAEP scores being depressing the assignment seemed easy enough.  Maybe I understand this process.  The previous assignment went well, I'll wait for the score on this before I get too excited.  In the process I have found some very good YouTube videos that explain how to use Excel and the Data Analysis toolpak.  Adding charts to a paper has been fun to experiment with as well.  The last few weeks have inspired me to take a course on Excel as soon as my Masters is finished.  I really wouldn't need to pay for a course though, YouTube has a series of videos(200+) that would do the same thing.  I find it odd that in all my years of teaching, and with all of the emphasis being placed on testing, results, and data analysis, that I haven't seen any t-test information presented.  This seems like a very valid and impartial way of presenting data.  Maybe it's the impartial part that schools don't like.

NETS-T
3a, b, c, d
5a, b, c

Appropriate a You Tube Video

I used RealPlayer on my computer to download the following video: How to Sum up in Excel- this is the original URL.  I then went to my YouTube account, selected "Upload", went into my "Videos" and double-clicked.  YouTube took care of the rest.  I added tags to the video as I waited for it to upload.  Extremely simple and extremely useful.  This is the URL after I uploaded the video to my YouTube account: How to Sum up in Excel- Saved version

NETS-T
1a, b, c, d
2a, b, c, d
3a, b, c, d
4a, c, d
5a, b, c, d
*Something I've noticed during the semester is that I tend to believe there are more NETS being covered with some of the smaller, shorter, easier assignments than with the more lengthy and difficult activities.  Just goes to show that if you can teach a teacher to just use one small piece of technology that they can transform their classroom and their teaching style.

YouTube account

My YouTube account

Very easy to do.  On YouTube I selected "Create an Account", entered gmail information, clicked a few boxes, and it was done.

NETS-T:
3a, b, c, d
4a, c, d
5a, c

APA

My paper may be viewed here: APA

NETS-T
3a, b, c, d
4a, c, d
5a, b, c, d

I used the OWL website as well as the Cornell Library site, as a second opinion, while completing the paper.  Most issues were easily overcome with the exception of my headers.  The header on the cover page is supposed to have "Running Header:" in front of the title.  I could not get that to appear on the Title page without appearing on subsequent pages.  The General Format page of the OWL site was particularly helpful.  There were many links on the left side of the page where answers to questions were able to be found.  Writing a formal paper for research results isn't something that classroom teachers do on a daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly basis.  Is that good, is that bad, is it indifferent?  I don't know.  I do think it's a good skill to have in the bag and I'm glad I'll have this blog to refer back to if I ever need the information.  I have also made the two websites I referrenced "favorites" on my computer.

Reflection on Statistical Analysis

This was a very difficult assignment. Without much prior knowledge of the Analysis Toolpak or the tests we were performing, this was a challenge. A challenge that I'm not quite sure I've mastered yet. The discussion posts gave me hope to keep going as I could tell that there were many others as frustrated as I was. I am confident about the procedures for doing the tests. I'm just not sure about the validity of the numbers I was using. I'm now interested in knowing what the meaning of all of the results that were given are. That will be a good "Google" project.

Now my concern turns toward the second half of the semester. I'm a little concerned about it since there doesn't seem to be any information on the Course Activities page. I'm hoping we get a chance to review what we've done so far and get more practice. I'm already using several tools from the course in school. I've also been sharing with other teachers- they think I'm a Technology Wiz. If they only knew.

Statistical Analysis

Statistical Analysis

Here are my results. I have a feeling that they are no where close to being right. I think that I messed up the Excel sheet with all of the information on it. I was playing around with it after I downloaded it, trying to learn the Sort and Filter tabs. I have read all of the discussion posts up to this point, and I have watched the video tutorials repeatedly. After doing so I believe that I am doing the procedures correctly, but I can't get numbers to match up with what was given to us.

My results are a screen shot of an Excel page. I have saved the results of the tests in Excel. So if those are needed as well I can submit them as an attachment.

I see how these tests would be beneficial. Especially comparing progress between this year's class/students and last year's. The check could be to see how the classes compare, or to see what kind of job you're doing as a teacher. Numerous other possiblities exist, I know.

NETS-T
2d, 3a, 3b, 3d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d

Data Preparation

Hypothesis: Females have a higher average number of discussion posts than do the males.
Dependent variable- Sex. Independent variable- # of posts.
Results: Females average # of posts was 15.63, males was 16.57. The hypothesis was incorrect.

Null Hypothesis: Teaching or Not Teaching does not affect the average number of discussion posts.
Dependent variable- Teaching/Not Teaching. Independent variable- # of posts.
Results: Those Teaching average 18.7 posts. Those Not Teaching average 9.55 posts. The Null Hypothesis was incorrect.

I have found that YouTube is an incredible resource for tutorials. There are many well-done selection out there that would be great to teach the novice, all the way to advanced users. Glad to see that YouTube isn't just a place to post videos of someone's dumbest moment and stupid choices.

NETS-T
1a, b, c, d
2a, b, c, d
3a, b, c, d
4a, b, c, d
5a, b, c, d

This exercise can be adapted to multiple subject matter in the classroom. Research projects would've been much more interesting in school if we(the students) could've come up with our own numbers rather than finding them in an encyclopedia.

Excel Basics

I have replaced all words with numbers- that's what I understood to do by the instructions. The average blog posts it 16. I have posted 41 times, so I am above average. I can sort, but I'm afraid to do too much before I know what the next step is with page.

NETS-T: most are covered with this simple exercise. The use of Excel in this type of activity is a great way to model 21st Century Learning to teachers. "This is how easy it can be".

1a, b, c, d
2a, b, c, d
3a, b, c, d
4a, c
5a, b, c

Research

I didn't have a "Tools" to click on in Excel. So I found a YouTube video that walked me through the process. I posted the link on the discussion board. There were several other "Add-Ins" that I didn't know were there. Excel already has many features, I can't believe there are more.

NETS-T
2a, 2c, 3a, 3d, 4a, 5b

Personality Profile #2

The results were the same: ISTJ. Introverted and a thinker. I felt that many of those questions were very circumstancial. Other factors such as setting and time/place could affect the answer. But overall, I agree with the results. I believe it's very important to understand your personality type as well as the overwhelming personality in your audience. You must know your shortcomings, your strengths and find ways to compensate for the weaknesses and not focus on your strengths to the point where it becomes numbing to your audience.

I've known for many years that I'm an introvert. I have had to overcome this in many areas of life. Just like other issues in life, just because you don't like to do doesn't mean you get a pass. (Unless you involve the governmnet or lawyers, but that another post for another day.) The most important thing is to try to see things from the point-of-view of others. If you know their answer before you ask the question, life will be easier.

NETS-T
1a, 1c, 3b

Pew

My age is 24. Sounds good to me. I thing the piercing thing cost me some points. Oh well. No Facebook will pull you down too, I'm sure.

NETS-T
1c?

Personality Profile #1

I turned out to to an ISTJ. Meyers Briggs said I am an Inspector- very dependable, like the rules and for people to follow them. I thought the first two paragraphs, that continued to comment on these two aspects, was spot on. It was comical to read Briggs' statements and compare them to me- very true.

The results lost me, however, in the final paragraph when my personality type was said to be very sociable and involved in social events and groups. That is totally not me. Maybe I misinterpreted the description of that area when I chose my letter.

NETS-T
1a, 1c, 3b

Audacity on Podbean

Here is my Audacity project on Podbean:

Well, now the link button isn't working right. Oh well, not gonna stop now.
Here is the site- http://cfarnsworth1.podbean.com/

Audacity is very cool. This experience wasn't. I tried for about 4 hours total, yesterday and today, to get the project onto podbean. I guess if I knew more about the basics of computers I wouldn't have had all that difficulty. When I listen to the project on podbean there is a static-type of noise on it that I didn't hear in Audacity.

NETS-T
1 a, b, c
2 a, b, c, d
3 a, b, c
4 a, c
5 a, b, c, d

Audacity- Part 1

Downloading Audacity was pretty easy. I'm still not sure if LAME downloaded as well...? I'll find out tonight when I try to send my Audacity project to it's destination. Audacity is a really great tool. It's even better when you think about it being free. There are so many things you can do with audio on Audacity. In fact, there are so many options on Audacity, I think it could take a couple weeks of exploring it everyday to fully understand what it can do- at least a couple of weeks. When I was moving my music to Audacity the m4p never did change as stated in the Audacity tutorial. For some reason I had to select the song, try to upoad it, get rejected, exit, go back through the same process and it worked fine the second time around. That's the only glitch so far. Editing the music and vocal is actually a lot of fun. It's like being a kid again with a new video game. You're getting good at the game, but you go back and try to do a little more. I find myself zooming in to get that millisecond of dead-air out of the track. I'm hoping for luck tonight when I try to send the completed projected to the prescribed location.

NETS-T addressed: All are involved, or could be by using Audacity in the classroom in specific ways, but here are the direct items:
1 a, b, c
2 a, b, c, d
3 a, b, c
4 a, c
5 a, b, c, d

Voice Thread

This is what I posted in Voice Thread:

Video 1: ADHD- I'm glad he said it, because I've been thinking the same thing for years. I believe that only about 10% of those diagnosed actually have "something" that is ADHD. The rest of the students suffer from the neglect of consistant discipline. Teachers can't truly discipline students like they could before the 1980's, therefore, medication has to subdue the students that lack respect for others. I also think some of the ADHD is the result of a lacking education system that doesn't give the students anything to be respectful of. Sometimes it is the fault of the teacher or the system.
Our education system is old, out-dated, it was created in a different time for different reasons. Somewhere along the way we forgot to change the system and keep up with the rest of the world. Now we find ourselves "teaching to tests" that are the "true measure" of how our students, teachers and schools are doing. And we must test them because everyone should go to college. I very much agree with Mr. Robinson's assessment that we are devaluing degrees. College isn't required for some of the most essential jobs on Earth. And for those that are suited for those jobs, this education system and it's requirements have to seem rather silly. And those same people that aren't "smart" because they don't conform to this testing sytem are written off by others, or write themselves off because they don't have the opportunities to pursue their talents.
Kids have more stimulus now than ever. If we don't incorporate more technology into our schools we will continue to have a rise in the number of cases of ADHD, Autism(the wide umbrella), etc. Everyone has the right to succeed and the right to fail. As Mr. Robinson said, this failure can't be stigmatized. It must be viewed as a way for the student to NOT do something. And a way that works for the student should be explored.
So what will I do? Elementary teachers work under a multitude of requirements. The curriculum is laid out, the state has programs and tests that the teachers must use, administer, and record. There isn't much, no, any time to vary from the script. However, I can help provide teachers with resources in technology that change the way that the script is delivered. Alternative ways of teaching the basics, getting the teacher and the student out of the book and into a digital experience that offers more than one correct answer. The most important thing that all teachers can do is something that Sir Ken Robinson never spoke of, but expressed very well. That is to keep a sense of humor that comes from a common sense approach to learning and a third-person view of ourselves. We are so afraid to fail that we would rather get things right while having no fun or missing the intangibles of the experience. I always learn more when I'm having fun, so I'm going to try and have my students do the same.

NETS T: Definitely, again, another project that covers all five standards. As it was used in this project, the Voice Thread allowed us to Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership(#5) specifically. When this is used with our classes it will directly impact #2-Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences.

Bender converter

The YouTube video I chose was Funny Pranks II.  Two guys stand across from each other on a street and pretend to have a rope stretched from one side to the other.  As cars approach, the two guys act like they are pulling on the rope to impead the drives.  Hilarity ensues.


NETS T- This covers all four areas as the video is from YouTube and is free to be reproduced(#4).  1, 2, 3, and 5 are without question covered by this activity.

Jing #2

Here is a Jing assignment with video instead of a picture.  The procedure for capturing the video is the same as a picture.  Sound can be added to the video to create, in this case, a fully functional step-by-step demonstration of how to complete a task.  The task doesn't have to be computer related.  You could use video or graphics from anywhere online or on your computer to share information.  As long, of course, as you follow copyright laws, you can capture any subject matter.

I chose to show parents and students how to go to their teacher's home page and use one of it's functions.  I noticed that once I said "right click" when I meant to say that you click on the X at the top right of the screen.  Before I would actually use this I would make that correction.  Discovering how to actually post the link in the blog was a little tedious.  There's a lot terminology there that the average person, me, wouldn't totally understand.  I have posted a link, I'm not sure if it should be the actual video or not.  I tried embed the video on this page, but I was told I needed Adobe Flash.  I'll keep working on that.

Very cool tool.  I've often wondered how these were made.  Now I know!  I'm almost reluctant to share the information with my teachers.  I want them to think I'm really great with technology!  This is a good card to have up your sleeve.  I will definitely be using this on my Resouce website to share with my school.

Where do I begin on the NETS T.  They're all included in this.  By posting responsible images you also include #4, ...Citizenship and Responsibility. 

http://www.screencast.com/t/Y42qPA0TZH

Jeopardy

Very cool tool to use in the classroom from probably about the 4th grade and up.  Here is the link to my Jeopardy game.  At http://jeopardylabs.com/ you use a template that looks very similar to the real Jeopardy game on television.  However, there is no Alex Trebek.  You may enter a title for you game, subjects, as well as the questions and answers.  Or is that answers and questions?  Afterall, it is Jeopardy.  Anyway, the point is that your Jeopardy game is custom made by you to fill your need.  The game can be used as a review for a test or quiz, or it could be the actual test or quiz.  Another possible use could be to have Jeopardy act as a closure tool by reviewing the week, the day, or individual class periods.  The best part is that after you have created your game, you are given a link where you can play the game, as well as a link that allows you to edit.  This is all done through the use of a password that you create before starting the process.  And if you don't want to create your own.  There are possibly hundreds of templates already made and waiting for you to browse through.  This is possible because after a game is created, that template becomes public property.  So all-in-all this is a great resource to include technology into your classroom.

NETS T- 1a, 1d, 2a, 2c, 2d(if you used this tool for assessment), 3a, 3b, 3d, 4(I haven't been listing 4 in this section of my responses, but as I think about it, #4 should be listed with every activity because no matter how simple or complex the tast, teachers should promote the spirit of this standard in every lesson), 5a.  Surprising that a simple, easy to use site like this could touch on so many standards.

Word Clouds

I haven't linked to the Word Cloud assignment yet, Blackboard seems to be down today, but I have surmised from other blogs what we need to do here.  Word Clouds take text that you can enter manually, or copy/paste from anywhere on your computer- web included, and create a collage of the most used words in the text.  I used Wordle to create mine.  I copied an article about 9-11 from a newspaper.  (Are there any copywrite issues there?)  Wordle is very easy to use.  The basics allow you to generally alter the arrangement of the words with the click of a button.  You may also choose color combinations to reflect the subject matter.  You do have many choice when it comes to font style.  Word Clouds are a unique way to summize the main points of a piece of text.  They can be used as an eyecatcher in presentations, or embeded into a blog or website to give a quick example of what lies within.  I also used Jing to capture the world cloud, saved it to My Computer, then added it to my blog.  This assignment covers NETS T 1 and 2.

Jing Graphic

Jing allows you to take screenshots, however small or large, and add your own creative or instructive aspect to them.  After you add information to the picture, through the aid of vast resources of editing material, you will receive a link to where your creation can be seen.  The advantage of Jing?  Having this link will allow you to share your creation on social networking sites that otherwise would not support this type of sharing. 
This is a screenshot of Google Earth.  I could use this to teach students how to use the viewing features.  Also, sending the view they have to a friend by using the "Link" button can be shown as well.

                                            http://screencast.com/t/ZY1Cb9kPhlF

NETS T:  All parts of #3 are covered by this activity as well as  #2 A and B.  If we did this activity with students, #1 would be covered A through D.

Creating a Link in a Blog

This demonstration was very helpful as to how to create a link in our blog.  You can see the video at http://screencast.com/t/Yjk4YzdhN.  I will use this in my elementary school to show the teachers how to complete this task.  Definitely #'s 2 and 3 in the NETS.  Specifically in the areas of design and modeling.

There.  That about says it all at this point.

Creating the picture in Picasso was easy at http://www.picassohead.com/create.html.  Sending the picture by email, although it said you could, turned out to be problematic.  I had to save it to My Pictures and upload it from there.  As for the ISTE NETS T (which I now affectionately refer to as: NASTYS), something like this covers #'s 1, 2, and 3 in some manner.  I'm still not sure if we are addressing the assignment from the point of view of our work, or what this assignment would be if we assigned it, or if it makes a difference.
Picassohead could be a small enhancement to a class that is studying Picasso but most students would probably use it to make funnny faces and use it as a signature or post it on Facebook, etc.

Diigo II

My Diigo username is cfarnsworth.  Don't know for sure if I put that information here, but there it is.

Diigo

What is a browser add-on?
Basically it's a shortcut to bookmark interesting things you find while online.
Thinkfinity has an add-on that allows you to add a site to your favorites on the Thinkfinity site with one click and adding a note.  I'm trying to stay away from add-ons.  If I added every add-on that was available to me my screen would be full and I'd have no room to browse.
ISTE NETS T: The closest standard to this assignment is- #3 Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  This activity forces us to model the use of technology and work in the global society.

Blogging for 6305

I now have blogs everywhere as result of my job and classes I am taking.  I hope the doctor can give me something to cure my affliction.