The Integrated Technology Project

Last session was really a prime one ,we finally ended our first course . I remember the first session , with all our hestation and fear of the unknown . We didn't know a lot of technological tools . When we first heard the word blog most of us were shocked ( what, how ) then in a smooth way we began to understand ,intereact, collaborate  and our self- confedence was increased because of our instructor ,monitor , controller and assessor Dr. Joyanne  who continued in a reasonable  way to advise us and decide what activity we should do. We didn't feel boring during our sessions because we were eager to listen to our instructor giving us  new visions , and adding a new experience to us. A special thanks for you Dr.Joy. because you widened our scope of knowledge and  with your cheerful character you have  approached us  and our culture .We are pleased to meet you and I think you feel the same . I wish you a happy life. 

The lessons from using technology 

* Technology is changing  the way  we teach and learn.

* Technology opens the door to learn school subjects' skills  in a new way that is impossible in traditional  classroom.

* Teachers must acquire  some skills that help them to use technology.

* Teachers must recieve technological training on how to integrate technology to make lessons better rather than learning technology to acquire technological skills.

* Internet is a powerful tool for enhancing students' understanding and widening their scope of knowledge.

 

Don't repeat your mistakes

We have to be sure and  be accurate of everything we do. Sometimes, we do something and think it is Ok but we discover after a while we didn't do it well because we didn't check on what we have done so we need feedback and assessment  not only in our classrooms but also in our lives.So we have to be attention to everything .
Good luck ! Here is again  the link to  my  podcast


http://www.4shared.com/mp3/PFqdIqAD/Gamal_Abdel_Nasser_students_po.html

 

 

 

 Who are we ?

I videoed these opinions a month ago but I couldn't make them into one video.Now I could do that .Thanks Dr. Joyanne.

In our last session we talked about motivation , some said the Egyptions are  brought up on carrot and stick (if you do something good you will be rewarded (carrot) and if you do something bad you will be punished ) and if there is  no carrot or stick so you will be lazy , nothing will be done .Most of us (old generation )are brought up to be  obedient to our (parents.teachers, bosses and of course rulers) . In this era the new generations don't have these attitudes or values .The time changes , they have  changed   because of the new technology around them they know everything . They get the information from many resources .so they have their own personalities. Do you remember what happened during the Egyptian revolution ?The Egyptian youth didn't obey their elders , they didn't obey their  rulers.They didn't believe the ousted President Mubarak when he talked in a theatric way to us . We belived him but the youth didn't and insisted on their attitude to  the end .In short there is a gap between between our children and us and if we don't cope up with them the gap will be widen .

 My podcast

This is my podcast I uploaded it before on mediafire but now I uploaded it on 4 shared if you like to do the same it is easy but you have to convert the file into mb3by audio converter
this podcast for two students talking about their dreams . I hope you  will enjoy it.
 Here  is the link to the podcast :

http://www.4shared.com/mp3/PFqdIqAD/Gamal_Abdel_Nasser_students_po.html

 If you want to upload your podcast and you don't know try this :

This is the link to video converter

http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/products/dvd/Free-Audio-Converter.htm

This is the link to 4 shared

http://www.4shared.com/?redirectAfterSignout=true

Is cell phone my best friend or my enemy ?

   Cell phones have advantages and disadvantages . Are they a curse or a blessing ? We all talk about using cell phones in schools as  learning tools . We all know the bad effects of cell phones on our health. However noone can go without them.  Recent  research warns us  about using cell phones all the time and their health hazard .

  .AlthoughI cell phones are banned in our Egyptian schools, each student has one hiding or showing it and they bring them to school everyday.  So bans on cell phones are hard for schools to enforce. Most teachers are still afraid of cell phones in the classroom because they know little about how to use them as a tool for learning
I was aganist cell phones with students in clsassrooms because of their  distraction or problems of cheating . I have changed my opinion in the last three months  for some reasons. First  most students have their own cell phones ,they love them ,they can use them at anytime ,anywhere from any source at any pace . So why can't we use them as tools  for learning . We can integrate their cell phones into learning process so students get engaged more with classroom content .
*Students can  collect pictures,videos and  audio recordings on their cell phones from their daily lives as homework then send them to  the teachers' blogs or making glogs .
*Students can connect to the Internet , document current events while those events are happening,

  Our technology hardware or equipments which exist and already in our schools are out-of -date . At the same time a lot of students already have  high tech devices in their pockets . If we let our students use their cell phones at schools , we will find that schools have equipped with better devices which can  work as calculators, cameras, videocameras, books and notebooks, for example -- at no or low cost to the school.

  We have  reasons for using cell phones in our classes but the main question is how.
 Why don't we  watch these videos ?

Five Half-Truths about Classroom
Management
JOSHUA M. ENGLEHART

it is very intersting and important article about classroom management. The author said,

''Students are motivated to please teachers who they like. They will actively work to maintain positive relationships that are established, and avoid negative behaviors that could jeopardize those relationships.''

 I agree with the author, a good relationship between teachers and students are very important. In my experience I can assure that the relation between teacher and students can affect the management of the clasroom . There must be respect and love in the classroom. when students attach to their teacher that will lead to success. If teachers understand their students' needs ,emotions ambitions and requrements, the goal of teaching will be achieved .The students not only pass their exams but also they will be inspired by a good example in their lives .

Here are  different examples of teachers :

 

 

This is my tenth task '' My photo- story of my life as a teacher''

This is my ninth task '' An interview with collagues about technology''

My collagues talk about the importance of using technology in our classes but the main issue is how can we get benefit of our limited sources of technology.

I told them about cell phones as a tool of technology inside classrooms . They like the idea . Also we talked about blogs and glogs . All these methods can be used  easily if they like .

In the beginning of the last session we were all surprised when Dr Joyanne asked us to think of methods to  teach  her Arabic . It was the first time for most of us to do it . It is our language but I never think I will have this chance to do it . So we have a goal to achieve in so simple way as possible . The mission had to be finished in three hours so our group had to teach her listening and speaking . Wow ! Using technology is so fun and it made our mission possible .Collaboration , integration ,interaction and loving what you do are very important element for success . When I saw the fun we had when we were together sharing the same goal , I  felt sorry for my students because they rarely have that chance . In our public  schools in Egypt , crowded classes which are  full of students and desks , there is no space for any activity that has fun or even allows  all students to share . Sometimes maybe some of them can take part of activities but not anytime or anywhere. . In our curriculum, teaching facts is the main purpose , that reminds me of Hard times  ( Charles Dickens), anyway we have fun and learnt a lesson that teaching is not just facts or as we learnt before or showing them technology as we do in schools .The important lesson here is  involving them using technology on their own . It isn't difficult for Dr. Joyanne to find sources for learning Arabic through the internet but she wanted to involve us in using technology by ourselves . That was the goal of our last session because she informed us to bring our own technological devices . '' Bring Your Own Technological  Devices'' ( BYOTD)

PS '' visit wiki to watch what we did in that session .''
wow ! We use blogs , turnitin , wiki,  blackboard and what next ?

 This is my power point presentation for school community


http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/gamalabdelnasser-1582061-presentation1-elham/

Happy Eid to all of you  .In our last session before Eid, we learnt from our instructor that it is always helpful to learn from your mistakes because mistakes become lessons for you in the future ,  and if your  error is serious, there is always a chance to correct it . We are humans and  no one is perfect .On writing our first summary and reflection, it was the first time for most of us to use APA, or reference . It was the first time for us to use turnitin. However , in our last session we learnt two things . Firstly, mistakes are part of human being and we have to learn from them . secondly, through our discussion of the importance of assessment process , Dr. Joyanne gave us a practical lesson of assessment . Again she connected the lecture with us , I was amazed when I realized that the beginning of the lecture '' how to write the references ''was an assessment.through the lecture I knew that assessment wasn't just a part of learning process but it was happening through our lives. Change , CHANGE IS THE KEY.  BELIEVE ME !

 

Last week session   was a practical lesson of how to integrate technology in our classrooms .
Every group exerted their efforts in their presentation .When Amany presented the video segment as a part of the lesson ,we were touched as if we were in a cinema ,At that moment everything was turned upside down by Dr. Joyanne. She connected the content of the movie with our lesson objective aims .We were suddenly taken to the opposite direction from drama to the aim of the lesson .We found ourselves in a middle of fruitful discussion and that is the secret of teaching .The teacher is the main tool of technology . He/she must manage all means of technology at the right time .He/she must know the exact moment of using it. He /she must know how to involve his/ her students and connect what they use or watch with the aim of the lesson .Technology exists everywhere but how and when to use it is the main issue .

I'd like you to enjoy watching this video

I'd like to share with you this podcast of my students and  here is the link :
http://www.mediafire.com/?7pk7f7ctoxa14gc

The only thing we have to do

 Do we have to change?  

      Do we have an opportunity & time to  make a difference in our

      schools inside our classrooms and ourselves ?

Some say, ''There are a lot of challenges that face us''

I say, ''The change comes from our will or deep inside our minds and hearts''.

A glogster

The glogster  ''A  new technology in our school ''

Last Sunday, most of us were frustrated because we made a lot of mistakes in our assignments. During the assessment of the first trial of the academic writing, we were students who were eager to learn and correct our mistakes. Now I can feel sympathy for my poor students. I have read some wise saying of an American professor Randy Pausch who said, (The number one goal of teachers should be to help students learn how to learn). 

  

So what about my project with my partner and how 
we can use it in our classrooms, we have a big problem which is the overcrowded classrooms. I suggested two projects (using skype as a tool for doing a competition among schools or glogs). Today we will have to discuss them with our students .As Shakespeare said in his play (Hamlet) to be, or not to be that is the question. Allah  bless us.
 “The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”
― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

Posted 2 days ago by elham nasser