Week 13

Teachers are designers from the very beginning. They have to create a learning environment they feel will best suit their students. Then they start creating their lesson plans and course content. You can even look at it as they mold their students. They are helping them create their own identity.

I really thought that the program Sketch up was great. Especially if you are teaching landscape or interior design class. It allows the student to create interior or exterior of a building or they can use it to design the landscape. This program really gives the student a more visual way of seeing their project.

Digital storytelling is a way for to students to use technology to create a story. The article gives instruction on the process of creating a digital story. How students create the story, film the video, and edit the pages. I tried this in my high school dual credit English class. The program just came out so it was more simple than what students can do now. I think it is a new innovative way of integrating technology in the classroom.

Visual Geometry With Geometric Supposer is one of the best-known visualization tools. It allows students to choose a primitive shape and construct it by defining points, segments, parallels or perpendiculars, bisectors, or angles. This is a really good way to help visual students understand math.

It is possible to learn from TV. It depends on what shows you watch if the information you learn is useful or not. I know I have learned a lot from watching the discovery channel, history channel, and other educational shows like that. Students need to be careful when hearing things on television. Some is true and some is not.

Jonasse D., Howland J., Marra R. M., & Crismond D. (2008). Meaningful Learning with Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Chapter 3 blog

The book states there are ten principles. The three I feel that are most important are Discovery principle, Critical and Active learning principle, and the Identity principle. I really feel it is important that students explore and figure out things on their own. It gives them a lot of confidence and assurance when they do it on their own. Critical and Active learning is really important for students. You always want them thinking critical about your content area. Keep them interested and always thinking about different aspects of the topic. Identity principle is very important too. Students need to figure out themselves as individuals, and form their own opinions of different subjects. Wikis and other interactive programs are a great way to give every student a voice. Some shy students would probably feel more comfortable communicating online. 


Simulations are very affective in classrooms. It relates to the discovery principle chapter 3 talks about. If I did a simulation in my classroom, I would do something that with biology. I would let them dissect an animal, and locate important organs. It is really hands on, and instead of seeing a picture in a book it would be right in front of them. It would really help them understand the anatomy of the animal better.


The principles I learned in chapter three are really essential for classrooms today. I know I will be sure to use online activites, hands on activities, and critical thinking. I really want to make my students not have to learn something, but want to learn it. 


Jonassen, D. Howland, J. Marra, R. M. Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful Learning With Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Merrill Prentice Hill.