Student Safety on the Internet

With the internet being used more and more, their is an increasing amount of websites or services that are dangerous for students. Whether it is sites that are promoting poor self-image, self-destructive themes, or are chat rooms where potential web predators may lie. Often students walk into some of these traps without even realizing it. So as future teachers it is our job to become familiar with the tools of the internet and its potential pitfalls so that we mey help our students to learn how to safely use the internet. We can try and develop their critical thinking skills and teach them how to know what is good and what is bad. For lessons we can use tools like webquest that will give them guided use of the internet so that they can learn and develop deeper understanding of the topic and help keep them from the dangers. But it is inevitable that the students are going to be online outside of class, just surfing around, so what we really need to do is educate them as to what these dangers are, how to recognize them, and how to avoid them. To do this though we need to first learn about them and understand how to avoid them. There is our mission now lets do it.

Spreadsheets in the Classroom

Using spreadsheets in the classroom is an idea that I never thought about. I had never encountered there use in my own classes through school and my experience with them has mainly been through labs in my physics courses at the university. For this reason they have appeared, to me at least, to be very boring. Thinking back on my usage of them now I realize that there are some features about them that I could utilize in a classroom. Here is an idea for a lesson plan that I could utilize in a High school physics 20 class.
One of the topics in a physics 20 course is projectile motion. So here is my lesson plan. Prior to the class I would set up a curved ramp, similar in form to a ski long jump ramp, and roll a ball down it. Using a digital camera with a prolonged exposure and a strobe light I would be able capture the motion of the ball at different points of its flight. I could record the data of its motion in a spreadsheet and graph it. In the classroom I could bring the ramp in to demonstrate the motion as well as provide the students with the spreadsheet and graph so that they could see a quantitative analysis of its motion. Along with this information I could provide the students with some questions so that they could apply there developed understanding to other situations.
If time would permit I could also adapt this idea by have the students perform the experiment and analyze the data in Excel so that they could also get experience with this computer tool. This lesson plan would provide a visual demonstration, auditory explanation, and hands on experience, hopefully appealing to all the students learning styles.
Perhaps this way the concept would be better understood.

Discussion Boards in the Classroom

As technology develops we are being presented with more and more tools that can be utilized in the classroom to help facilitate learning. Online discussion boards are another one of these tools that is now able to be used to help teach students. As I think about the use of these discussion boards I can’t help but wonder is they are really practical for in the classroom. For usage in Junior or Senior High schools I could see them working better, but there is a lot of extra involvement when using this tool. First off what if not all the students have access to the internet at home? Wouldn’t this provide an advantage to those students who are already more privileged? Then how are you going to regulate the content being posted on the discussion board? Sure the instructor would probably have administerial control, but then how do you decide what is allowed and what isn’t? Not to mention that this process would probably add more work to the instructors, already heavy workload? But if a discussion board helps the students learn then isn’t it worth the extra effort?

Though discussion boards may have some short comings they seem to have a number of attractive qualities as well. First off through the use of the discussion boards students would become more comfortable with the use of computers and internet technologies, which could be very beneficial. Especially for students who don’t have the internet readily accessible. If they could find a computer at school to work on at the end of the day then they would be able to develop the computer skills they probably wouldn’t be able to at home. In regards to the content on the discussion board, there is the potential of having problems with it but if properly discussed with the class then this problem I think could be avoided. This way the instructor gets the students on board (excuse the pun) with the idea and it could become more of a class run project. The other concern was that this could cause more work for the instructor and well, it will cause more work for the instructor. Online discussion boards might not work for every instructors teaching style and so the work would be detrimental, but for other could be quite beneficial.

Classrooms have traditionally been places that students have found stuffy, uncomfortable and sometimes intimidating. Often in class discussion only a handful of students would be sharing while all the others would sit quietly, be distracting or be daydreaming. But discussion boards could help remedy this. First off with the instructor trying to set up some class guidelines for the discussion board they might talk to the class to help set them up. This might help build a trust between the instructor and the students, which might make students feel more comfortable to cooperate in class. Next the discussion boards could be used as a spring board to introduce new topics. As the students think about the discussion board topic they will start to engage with aspects of the new topic. So when the new topic gets introduced the students are primed with ideas to contribute to the class. Another benefit could be that it might encourage the shier more introverted students in class to share. On the discussion there is no one physically there to make them feel uncomfortable so they will be free to share their thoughts and feelings on the specific topic. As they share online they may become more comfortable sharing and start to contribute in discussions in class, which might open them up to deeper friendships with their classmates. The boards could also provide a means for the students to get to know their instructor better and vice versa.

So with the integration of discussion boards relationships between students and between teachers, and students could improve. Students might feel more comfortable and confident to share. And students would be able to interact with the subject more interactively, through their discussions. Discussion boards have a great potential to benefit the classroom and students, let’s just hope they do.

Concept Maps

With the growing availability of technology for students in the classroom, interactive examples of skills or techniques can be demonstrated. For example concept maps, which are useful methods for connecting ideas, themes, and information. Here I have an example of a concept map which I could use in a Grade 5 science classroom for a lesson in the Electricity and Magnetism unit. With this concept map I could introduce the class to many of the terms and some concepts that they would be investigating through there unit. I could show them how magnetism and electricity are related and then relate the uses of magnetism and electricity to there everyday lives.

As another exercise, later on in the study, I could use the concept map as an example which the students could use in creating there own concept maps (using the computers). They could do additional research online as well as find pictures online to add to their concept maps. This would help them become more familiar with internet searches and the use of programs like inspiration.

The Slippery Slope

The Slippery Slope
Grade 11

Resources:
http://regentsprep.org/Regents/physics/phys01/friction/default.htm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/02/0223_060223_curling.html

Sites of Interest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1dv_y_3EK0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KKahHDKmZQ

Activity:
Students will take part in observing the effects of unbalanced forces by testing the effects of pushing on different objects along differing surfaces. (Ex. pucks on air spark tables, books across desks, balls along floor). Students will be split into groups and choose one object in which they will organize an experiment to observe the effects of friction. They will graph their results using Microsoft Excel to provide a visual representation of results. We will also demonstrate how friction on a surface can be affected by certain factors ( Ex. water on roads). To do this we will wet the classroom floor with soapy water and a mop. Then students, wearing appropriate safety gear (Helmet, elbow pads, wrist guards), will slide along the slippery floor. To conclude show the students a video from online that demonstrates some of the effects and importance of friction.

General Learning Outcomes:
1. explain the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on velocity

Specific Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge
20-B1.5K: explain, qualitatively and quantitatively, static and kinetic forces of friction acting on an object
Science, Technology, and Society
20-B1.2sts: explain that science and technology are developed to meet societal needs and that society provides direction for scientific and technological development (SEC1, SEC4) [ICT F2-4.8]
Skills
20-B1.2s: conduct investigations of relationships among observable variables and use of a broad range of tools and techniques to gather and record data and information.
• conduct experiments to determine relationships among force, mass, and acceleration, using available technologies (PR-ST3)[ICT C6-4.4]
• research the use of kinematics and dynamics principles in everyday life (PR-ST1)

Rationale for Computer Integration:

By using the internet I will be able to show some examples of the importance of friction in more then just everyday activities, but in safety and recreation. It also provides them with avenue for further inquiry if interested. Plus the use of Microsoft Excel helps develop their computer skills, working with data, and observing results.