The
Brain Module
First, let me say, wow!
There was so much information combine in those three articles that I think my
brain is on overload; however, with that said there are a few things that did
catch my attention and that I would like to address in this discussion. I have
picked out two quotes from the article on Learning,
Arts, and the Brain: the Dana Consortium Report on Arts and Cognition, and
I would like to elaborate on those and draw correlations amongst the other two
texts we read for this week. So, I will begin by giving you the first quote I
found that was worth elaboration:
“And what would
that enthusiasm do for you? Well, it’s very well known, and we also find out
that children who are involved and enthusiastic about playing a particular game
or engaging in a particular task will sustain their attention over long periods
of time. They will sustain their attention in that particular activity. And
what does sustaining your attention do? Well, we now know that it trains your
attention. And that has vast consequences.” - Michel Posner
Because not all
students learn the same and all have different interests, as a teacher, trying
to get all your students enthused about learning and then keep their attention
is a daily and trying task. However, when we look ahead into the other articles
we have read for this week, we see that there are opportunities to draw
correlations and activities that can try to grab the attention of students. The
article entitled Cerebrum gave us
three examples that illustrate how to engage students in learning about the
neuroscience and music, but in a sense they may find interesting and are more
likely to seize their attention.
·
Example 1:
Instead
of assigning reading on the history of music or the biography of a famous
musician, for instance, educators can ask students to read a chapter on how the
brain understands music
·
Example 2:
Many
of the famous writers, artists, and musicians included in classroom curricula
suffered from mental illnesses. Students are drawn to these personal struggles,
and by addressing them in depth, educators can create a discussion of different
types of mental illnesses, how scientists treat these illnesses, and why mental
illness and creativity seem to have some sort of connection.
·
Example 3: The notorious, “When am I ever going to
use this?” An educator could ask students what parts of the brain allow them to
kick a soccer ball, or with the increase in popularity of 3D movies, could have
students research how the brain allows us to see in three dimensions.
When educators
take small steps and make stronger connections between neuroscience and what
they already teach, educators can make great strides in increasing their
students’ understanding of how we learn and perform. Therefore, at the same
time, trying to reach every child through a variety of teaching instruments.
Now let’s take a
look at the second statement also found in Learning,
Arts, and the Brain. Elizabeth Spelke said,
“Uh, I think
you’re forgetting something. Haven’t humans been artists at least as long as
they’ve been scientists and mathematicians? What about the arts? How can you
pretend to have anything like a grasp of the unique and universal aspects of
human nature if you leave the arts aside?”
There are a
couple of concerns we should address regarding this statement. First, the way
that we think about the arts. Art has never been “important”, shall we say in
traditional curriculum and furthermore, frowned upon. In, Annual Report 2008 Special Focus Learning, Arts, and the Brain,
Dana Gioia argues, “The purpose of education is to realize the full potential
of each child. To do that, children need exposure to a broad range of [arts
training], not just traditional ‘hard’ academic subjects.” This is elaborated
in, Learning, Arts, and the Brain: the Dana Consortium Report on Arts and
Cognition. We must understand that children are differently gifted; therefore,
they need a broad range of teachings and learning. Not simply traditional, or
even hard academic subjects. The arts learning fuels a child’s openness and
imagination, creativity.
In closing, let
it be imperative that the skills for arts-based methods, learning, and teaching
continue to be filtered into classroom curriculum and not neglected and turned
away. The arts can increase concentration, focus, and attention, and again,
they will become a necessary tool for success in the 21st century.
Annual Report 2008 Special Focus
Learning, Arts, and the Brain April, 2009 http://www.dana.org/Publications/ReportDetails.aspx?id=44332#sthash.4YFQYGor.dpuf
Learning, Arts, and the Brain: the Dana
Consortium Report on Arts and Cognition-March 04, 2008Dana Center, Washington,
DC http://www.dana.org/Events/details.aspx?id=38443#sthash.qsWsG8Um.dpuf
Wednesday, August 11, 2010 Promoting
Brain-Science Literacy in the K-12 Classroom www.dana.org/Cerebrum/2010/Promoting_Brain-Science_Literacy_in_the_K-12_Classroom/#sthash.yXZaYkTp.dpuf
Blog 7: Software
and Management of Files
Without software, a computer could not actively perform any functions.
Therefore, we have two types of software. Let’s Explore:
Application: Perform specific tasks with the computer
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System/Support: a program that provides
computers with general commands.
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Spreadsheets
Databases
Web
Browsers
Word-Processing
Programs
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Windows XP
Vista
Apple OS 9
(These are
programs that coordinates all the activities among the computer hardware
devices)
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How Is
This Applied in the Classroom:
Educational
Software:
1.
Drill and Practice: This type
of software provides immediate feedback and is used to review a previously learned
concept. This type is used to sustain, refine, and perfect performance.
2.
Problem Solving: is to
promote development of systematic thinking patterns and to transcend drill-
and-practice software. This software often give students hints or guesses on
how to solve the problem.
3.
Creative or Critical Thinking:
encourages students to explore the possible connections between related ideas.
These programs encourage students to complete the task they fear the most
challenging.
4.
Tutorial: this software includes training
and practice in areas by teaching students specific skills they need to know.
These are often used to teach students to learn at their own speed and are most
often presented in a video form.
5.
Simulation: can take students back in
history or into the future.
a.
Let me take a second to pause right here. Commonly
known simulations Simcity from the Maxis, which also include SimPark, SimLife,
and SiimSafari. However, I want to take this time to tie in this entire weeks’
worth of learning. This week one of the Technology Explorations include a site
called Delicious. I explored this site (and later on you will see my findings)
and one particular article that stood out to me was on Minecraft. (Side note,
two of my younger cousins, one girl and one boy, are OBSESSED, with Minecraft.)
But anyways, Minecraft can be associated as a Simulation.
One particular article that caught my idea when I was
searching for “Education”, was an article on the virtual reality word and video
game known as MineCraft. The article is truly an eye-opener for teachers and
how they teach. An 11 year old boy was allowed to do his reconstruction of the
Alamo on his Minecraft video game. With the help of his dad, He gave his
presentation and then posted his video on YouTube. Talk about using technology
in the classroom!!!
This is just an example of how student’s minds think and how
teachers should remember that all student learn differently!
6.
Image: or editing software, can be used
to create, edit, or enhance digital images. You can also convert the formats
and load into other software programs.
7.
Draw and Paint: users
can create new image files with a draw/ paint program.
Educators must chose software
that is relevant, matches their instructional goals, is easily accessible to
their targets age group, and has hardware that meets the requirements of the
computers accessible for students use.
How Can
we Apply Web 2.0: Community Tools and Collaboration
Let’s take a look back at some of
our previous technology explorations that can help us understand Web 2.0 and
how it’s applied in the classroom:
Edmodo creates short text messages to a group or people. It is
built with teachers for teachers. It is a way to collaborate on assignments,
discover new resources, and other collaborative interactions. It’s simply
creating a digital classroom. The teacher can create groups, assign homework,
schedule quizzes, and manage progress. It can be used privately and teacher can
actively monitor member activity. It
does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the
resource might be used in educational settings.
Edmodo is a way to create
interaction and connectivity. This can create a paperless classroom for both
teacher and student. It also helps promote digital citizenship skills. Edmodo
is compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows. The tool, I would argue, is more
geared towards allowing teachers to engage professionally in a learning
network. Teachers can work within their common core guidelines to create
groups, assign homework, schedule quizzes, and manage student progress.
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1.
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be
thorough in your response.
CyberChase PBS Calculator and the other Calculator
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These
are excellent universal calculators that can be used on daily basis by
teachers and students. “Bianca” is the talking calculator used by PBS. This
source is an excellent tool for teaching numbers, teaching addition,
subtraction, division, and multiplication. The calculator has to capacity to
identify numbers up to a trillion.
The
other calculator is more basic and is good for the upper grade level
students.
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2.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field
or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in
educational settings.
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Again,
these are excellent resources for almost every aspect of education. For this
particular example I could use it in a special education setting. Students in
this setting like to be hands-on. So, this could be an alternative to
learning numbers and they may see it as fun or being able to do something
they think is a prize or incentive.
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3.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike;
Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth. Why
or Why not?
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These
are excellent resources regardless of the level or matter being taught. I
would recommend these to teachers to encourage their students to use these at
home when they have difficulty with their homework or for extra independent
practice.
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1.
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be
thorough in your response.
Diigo
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Diigo
is an outlining tool for better research and reading. It’s used to increase
workflow and maximize productivity. It includes features such as annotation
tools, personal cloud library, no broken links or lost treasures, unsurpassed
organization capabilities, sharing information, and collaboration on
information and the ability to collaborate in small or large groups. Diigo
stands for “Digest of Internet Information, Groups and Other Stuff.
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2.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field
or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in
educational settings.
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In
my opinion this tool is more individually appropriate. I could see myself as
an educator using this tool to examine or proof read research articles that
can help me grow as a teacher. Then I could apply that in my classroom. I
graduated with a BA in History as an undergrad and I was constantly
researching for primary and secondary sources. This would have been a great
source to use had I known about it then. As for a classroom setting, I would
not apply this tool because the price is not based on a group, but rather at
an individual rate.
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3.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike;
Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth.
Why or Why not?
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At
the free level Diigo comes with the following tools: 5 outliners, 500
highlights, 100 images, unlimited bookmarks and notes, with limited social
privileges. At the professional level for $59.00 you have unlimited access to
everything :PDF annotation, groups, outliners, images, and full text search.
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1.
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be
thorough in your response.
Delicious
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Delicious
is a way to save, organize, and remember the links you find interesting or
useful around the web. It’s a free service that allows you to save the
articles and videos you love on the web. You videos and articles are kept
safe. You can build up collections, create your own personal search engine as
well as explore thousands of others, all while organizing the links as you
go. Delicious is compatible with Twitter, Facebook, and Google.
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2.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field
or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in
educational settings.
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I
signed up for Delicious almost immediately. At first glance, it looks like
any other “news” website. However, it’s unique in that the people that link
articles and videos are just like you and I. Anyone has the ability to add
the links he or she find interesting. As for this source, I would not encourage
my students to use it because it is not censored. There are links for almost
every topic. However, as an educator, I could see myself finding it a
valuable tool that I could use in my classroom prior to making sure it is
appropriate for my students.
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3.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike;
Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth.
Why or Why not?
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One
particular article that caught my idea when I was searching for “Education”,
was an article on the virtual reality word and video game known as MineCraft.
The article is truly an eye-opener for teachers and how they teach. An 11
year old boy was allowed to do his reconstruction of the Alamo on his
Minecraft video game. With the help of his dad, He gave his presentation and
then posted his video on YouTube. Talk about using technology in the
classroom!!!
This
is just an example of how student’s minds think and how teachers should
remember that all student learn differently!
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1.
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be
thorough in your response.
Historypin
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Historypin
lets you take old photos and pin them to a giant map of the world. The
pictures are related to an event in history. You are showing the story behind
the picture. You can also select a time period and place and see the other
things people have posted that related to that era of history. A couple of examples
I found interesting were, “Living with the Railroads,” “Remembering Lincoln,”
and “Uncovering Mississippi’s History” (Emphasis on the Civil War era).
Historypin brings digital history to life for the world to see.
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2.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field
or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in
educational settings.
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I
think this source is refreshing and unique from your average history report.
As an exercise I could see my students looking at local history through this
site and then giving their digital report on their topic. Also, following the
completion of their reports maybe we could possibly visit some of the local
historical sites.
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3.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike;
Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth.
Why or Why not?
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I
would recommend this site to teachers and other educators because there is
virtually access to anything. One of the perks of this tool is that you can
put in a specific time and place and other key terms. This tool allows for
the specifics of what you are searching for and then brings up pictures. For
example, we could use “Uncovering Mississippi’s Hidden History” and you see
photos of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther, NAACP, and other photos that focus on
the Civil Rights Movement.
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1.
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be
thorough in your response.
PicLit
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PicLit
is a cute site and that is why it is likeable by elementary level students.
This site captures the essence of the story and expresses the meaning of a
picture through words. It is a form or “edutainment.” It allows students to
express their creative side with photography. It’s inspiring, interactive,
social, yet challenging. Students are writing to read.
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2.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field
or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in
educational settings.
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I
myself, thought this site was neat. Using it to teach children about imagery
and expression through photography and writing is something all children
like. However, each child may prefer different pictures and will express what
they see differently. Where one child may see a flower as beautiful, another
may see it as an expression of sadness.
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3.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike;
Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth.
Why or Why not?
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If
we refer back to what we learned last week when we watched the short video on
film, we know that visual literacy is a normal human
learning activity and again about Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. It is a perfect
example of visual literacy. Imagery is a very powerful tool for learning
because it makes students feel or relate; through that creativity, they learn
how it's significant.
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1.
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be
thorough in your response.
2write4math
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2write4math
is an excellent wiki source. This wiki breaks down the style of writing and
this applies them to Math. Literacy is commonly not associated with math,
except when we think of word problems. In this wiki the author has shown how
math can apply to poetry. The author has given examples of how incorporating
literature into math can make understanding the subject matter easier.
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2.
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Below
is an example from the math wiki that shows how students find creative
through the expression of math and literature:
Geometry
Sleeping math skill
intersecting with us everyday
constructing buildings
entertaining the masses
navigating us around town
“I’m everywhere”, it could brag
But that would rouse it
from its nap
without it though
this poem would never
This is refreshingly creative. Instead of instantly
thinking of word poblems when we associate literature with Math, poetry or
creative writing should also be asscoiated with learning math, especially
understanding vocabulary and appling it. We can also think of literature and math when we use
songs or catch phrases to teach our kindergarteners or first graders numbers.
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3.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike;
Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth.
Why or Why not?
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I
have attached the link to this Math Wiki and I encourage teachers and
educators to take a look at this with open and creative minds. Also remember
that this wiki is centered on Math; however, there are interesting truths
also written about literacy.
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