Here is my Podcast 3.  Since this is a big file, I had to remove my previous podcasts from my website. Then,  I could upload it and link it to here.

Let me know if you need the other podcasts.

Hope you enjoy listening this one.

1- Reflect on your project:  My takeout form this project is that there are so many things that effect the use of technology in a K12 setting. What type of learners you have, (special needs students or gifted students), students’ background on technology, teachers’ knowledge on technology use and teachers’ enthusiasm to integrate technology, the proffessional help schools assess to technology, whether there is a technology coordinator to help anytime in the school or not are all among the factors that effect the instruction. These factors also integrated and effect each other closely. My enduring understanding from this project is that we cannot just ignore one factor and try to get benefit from a technology integrated instruction. Teachers, technology coordinators, professional development teams and graduate students like us who goes to schools to help should be in touch to bring new solutions to the difficulties that are faced in schools.

2- Comment on Classmates project: I would like to comment on Ali and Lifang’s field project. I am suprised to hear that adult learners can be resistant to use different technological tools than they have used before. Ali said in class that it is very difficult to get them use other tools, as they want to use the tools that used before. It just seems easier for them to use the tools they know. They know Dreamweaver before and now they thought that it can be difficult to learn about googlepages. However, Googlepages is very easy to use and it offers the user very basic and simple templates.

I went to the school (16th of Nov.) and meet the teacher to discuss how our project went. We have evaluated the effectiveness of the iMovie project. I took notes while the teacher explained the canvases she and the students has faced during the implementation of the projects. In overall, she defined the project as a success, since the students have learned what they were supposed to learn from the activity and the “Identity and Self”unit. I will be focusing on these in my final project more.

I e-mailed the teacher saying that I will come to her first period as I usually did. I asked if it is ok. But I did not get a reply. So, I went to school on last friday, November 9,anyway. But she was not there. I am going to send her another e-mail and ask if everything is all right. 

I went to the school on Tuesday and I demonstrated how to use IMove to the students. They seemed to be all excited of using the built in Webcam in their computer. Some of them told me that they have used iMove in middle school, but they do not remember how to use it, now. So, I presented the basics on how to create their project for Identity and Self unit. The teacher gave the instructions on what to include in their movie. They are supposed to write a poem, read it and record themselves. That will connect them to the poem they will be reading later.

Before this class, I have thought that I have a pretty good basic background on which technological tools can be used for education. I thought that there might only be a couple that I did not know. However, till this time, I have learned from many tool and lit presentations that I have not heard before.

 If I were to count some examples for tools presentations, I can say that del.icio.us, Smartboard, Audocity, wikibooks, Google spreadsheet and presentation, many open content websites like flickr ..  are all new to me. Although I have used bookmarking, I have not had used any online one, although I have used Garageband, I haven’t had used Audacity, although I have used Google docs, I have not used Google presentation till this time. I can say that one of the revolutionary learning experiences from tools presentation for me was the Smartboard. I am amazed by that tool. It was my first time that I have seen it and I have asked myself why teachers do not talk about this amazing tool that often. Aren’t they using this often in the schools? or they have used it so many times in the last years and now this technological tool is an old one and people do not pay any attention any more. According to me, this technological tool can never get old so quick, but I really wonder how or why I have not heard about till this time. I believe that I catch up one significant technological tool that I have not been aware of. 

 I believe that actually, having the tools presentations and listening those technological tools from our friends was really a great way of learning from each other. I am sure that all of us have learned many technological tools that we would not know, learn or hear otherwise, as it happened with me on Smartboard.As there is massive information on the net and even the best search engines, most of the time, cannot provide suitable results to educators for learning more about the technological tools and how to incorporate them into teaching and learning.  I am very happy that I have learned about these tools and think about them critically with the help of this course.

As for literature presentations, some of them such as Web 2.0, digital divide, digital disconnect, Curriculum Standards were all new to me. I think I really gained a pretty good perspective on what they are about and what their roles are on education. Having this concrete knowledge on these topics now, I think I can easily understand when I come across a writing piece or a discussion on these topics. Before, I would sit silently and try to figure out what people mean by Web 2.0. Now as a doctoral student, I connot think myself deprived of such crucial education terms like digital divide and digital disconnect.

Finally, I would like to say thank you to everyone who presented a topic and play a role in my learning and above all, I would like to thank Dr. Hammond for providing us the chance to work on and present on such significant technological tools and literature topics that are on the agenda.  

Here is my second podcast.

I went to the school this Friday again. We went over iMove again. I also asked the teacher some questions regarding my project. She kindly assisted me to find the answers on on state standards’s role in our project. I have noted them and added them into my project.

This Friday, October 5, I went to the Liberty Freshmen Campus at 8.00, again. I met Ms. Bogusky and I explained how iMove works. We went over some of the important things to do in iMove, so that students will learn from the teacher on how to create their own film on their project in this coming week. The teacher will get students started on “About me” project next Wednesday (October 10). I told Ms. Bogusky that she can call me any time if she has any question on iMove.

Today, again Friday, I went to the school in the first period. Ms. Bogusky and I met to go over Garageband and iMove. She and I decided that using iMove will be more suitable for the “About me” project. I went over iMove and I told her that she can call me anytime to ask questions. She actually has used iMove before, but she said she needs to remember. I have informed her about the iMove help tool and the manual and we have decided that she will go over that and if she has additional questions, she will ask me, next week or any time over the phone. 

 Summary of My field project so far: 

Location: Liberty Freshmen Campus

Grade level: 9^th

Content: Language Arts

Information about the topic: “About me” project using iMove