Teaching Internet Skills – The Trust Test

Posted on March 26, 2012 by TechnoChrista

Teaching Internet Skills - The Trust Test

Is the source trustworthy? Use these tips to determine if a web-based article passes the Trust Test.

Many elementary students trust everything they read on the Internet. They believe that if it is written on a web page, then it must be true. It is essential that teachers provide their students with criteria they can use to determine if the information they are using for a research project  is from a reliable source.

I call this…the Trust Test.

This week my students, who are completing TechnoJourney, learned about trust.  We found an article on the Internet and using a checklist we determined if the information was trustworthy. There are 7 elements to the checklist. I have outlined them below. You do not need to have a checkmark for all 7 elements to trust the source. However, if you have barely any checkmarks, then this is an indicator that you need to find a better source of information or look for another website that has the same information to double check the facts.

Web Address has a Name that is Well-Known

The web address gives you clues about whether you can trust the source of information. If the web address has the name of a well-known place, organization, publication, or educational television program it most likely can be trusted. For example, trustworthy URLs might be www.nasa.gov, www.britishmuseum.org, or www.nationalgeographic.com.

Web Address Shows the Type of Web Page as gov, edu, or org

The web address gives you clues about the type of web page:

  • .gov means the web page is written by the government
  • .org means the web page is written by an organization
  • .edu means the web page is written by an education organization
  • .com means the web page is written by a business

Web pages with the suffix .gov or .edu are trustworthy. Most web pages that end in org can also be trusted. You will need to check other factors to make sure that you can trust information from a .com web page. For example, the .gov in the web address http://www.epa.gov tells you right away that the information is trustworthy.


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The Hidden Cost of Computer Donations

Posted on March 21, 2012 by TechnoLaurie

Computer Donations

The hidden cost of donated computer equipment is TIME.

Another Donation!

We are very fortunate to have a community that thinks about us when their offices are getting new equipment. Often parents of students at the school will convince their workplace to donate unwanted computer hardware to the school. This is how we acquired the recent donation of monitors. Today, I am looking at a group of computer towers.

As much as we appreciate the free equipment,
there is a hidden cost to computer donations.

I thank the parent for their generosity. It is very kind of them to think of the school. I smile on the outside, but inside I sigh. WOW! This is going to be so much work!

I wheel the donations down the hallway. Once in the office I assess the situation. The towers are all different models. It appears that a few of them have had parts replaced (video cards, network cards and sound cards). Oh and did I mention, the hard drives have all been wiped clean?

The hidden cost to computer donations is the time it takes to get them ready for use. This job is literally going to take me HOURS. Not only do I have to format the hard drive but I also have to search for drivers after finding out the type of cards that are installed. This is LOTS of work!

In the end, it took me at least 8 hours solid to bring one machine back to life. I had to first install the operating system with all its service packs and updates. Then I needed to install all the software, get all the updates, add printers, customize the registry, and join the domain.

Let’s hope the school gets at least 3 years of use out of this equipment. It was lots of work to get these machines up and running. But they are much better than the old machines. Speaking of which, I need to recycle them.

What are Other Hidden Costs to Computer Donations?

Are computer donations really free? What are the hidden costs? Do the benefits of the donation outweigh the hidden costs?

Other Articles about Computer Donations

Computer Donation Checklist
The Hidden Cost of Computer Donations
The Latest Computer Equipment is Not Required
Old Technology is Good Technology
Computer Donations and Recycling Old Computer Equipment

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The Latest Computer Equipment is Not Required

Posted on March 14, 2012 by TechnoLaurie

You don’t need to have the latest equipment to have the greatest technology program. It is how you integrate technology into curriculum that enhances learning and improves teaching practice. Not the size of the hard drive.

Our school does not have high-end, brand new equipment. Instead, most of the computers in the lab are older. Yet they are perfect for our purpose. Our students and teachers can offer a high-quality program without having the latest hardware.

You DON’T need the latest equipment to have the greatest technology program.

A high end machine is best suited to a person that is using multiple programs at one time, working with large video or picture files, or is a heavy gamer. The average student or teacher does not need a super computer. Instead, it is the innovative ideas you have for how to use technology in the classroom that matters! If you don’t know how to integrate the use of technology into curriculum it won’t matter that the hard drive is 1 TB, that you have 3 GB of RAM, or that the processor is 3 GHz.

The students at our school use TechnoKids Computer Curriculum for their technology program. They complete meaningful projects that integrate technology into curriculum using Microsoft Office 2007. On any given day, the K-8 students are working on a range of technology-based activities. For example, today in the lab the Grade 2 class is creating an animal report using Microsoft PowerPoint, the Grade 5 class is completing their news article about a famous landmark using Microsoft Word, the Grade 6 class has begun to design web page in Microsoft Publisher, and the Grade 3/4 class is learning about digital citizenship and Internet skills. All this is taking place on computers that are about five years old.

The students do not just use technology to complete TechnoKids projects. The equipment is used to promote learning in other areas. For example, part of school’s reading program includes the web-based Accelerated Reader Program. As well, the computers are used to research information, complete class assignments, and use drill and practice software.

In addition, the teachers don’t just limit the use of the computers to teaching TechnoKids projects. Instead, they use them to gather information, prepare lessons, create handouts, write report cards, and communicate with parents and colleagues. All of this is being done with older equipment!

Old Technology is Good Technology

Don’t wait until you have the latest super computer, gadget, or software. Start integrating technology into curriculum now! Today, the good news is that old technology is good technology.

Other Articles about Computer Donations

Computer Donation Checklist
The Hidden Cost of Computer Donations
The Latest Computer Equipment is Not Required
Old Technology is Good Technology
Computer Donations and Recycling Old Computer Equipment

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Social Bookmarking Makes Research Easy

Posted on March 12, 2012 by TechnoHella
research resources

Facilitate student research by making themed stacks of links.

In the past, starting the research portion of a TechnoKids projects such as TechnoTravel, TechnoCorrespondent, or TechnoReport, with my students would have made me feel stressed and raised my blood pressure. The Internet is such a great treasure trove of information, but I used to struggle with how time consuming and how difficult it was for my junior and intermediate students to find relevant facts and data that they could read and understand. Research classes in the computer lab would end up with me wishing I had multiple bodies that could help the students as they wandered around the web searching for information on their selected topics.

Despite spending time teaching search skills, I found that students still spent a great deal of time on the research portion of their projects. This was only the beginning of the technology project – we still had the rest of it to complete – not to mention that computer lab time is always at a premium! What to do?

That’s when I discovered social bookmarking. Social bookmarking is a way to organize and store bookmarks online. Creating personalized stacks of links that can be used again and again will not only save me a lot of time, but it will make the inquiry portion of student research much more productive and efficient. Teachers can make and save a ‘stack’, which is a collection of links built around a common theme. You can include an image and a short description of each site to help students quickly find appropriate sites. Delicious.com is a social bookmarking web service that lets you store and share web bookmarks.

I’ve become a social bookmarking monster! The themed stacks are quick and easy to create; most of the sites are bookmarks I already use so it’s a matter of minutes to paste them into a stack and save them. Delicious.com has a simple, handy Help section describing how to save links and make stacks.

Benefits to Students

  • Access stacks from home: Since the stacks are on the web, students can continue and complete projects at home.
  • Follow stacks: If students follow the stacks, they can keep track of new links and new themed stacks as teachers create them.
  • Offer tips: The ability to add your own comments, suggestions, or descriptions on each link makes the stacks different from conventional bookmarking which only lists sites.
  • Always updated: As soon as a teacher makes a change or addition to a stack online, students will see the update. Stacks are constantly current.

My work is done; my students are researching effectively, learning, and moving on with their projects!



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Achieving your Goals

Posted on March 10, 2012 by TechnoChrista

 

Achieving your Goals

Achieving your goals takes focus.

Don’t spend your time engaging in activities that are a distraction. This prevents you from achieving your goals. But that doesn’t mean achieving your goals is impossible. With focus, anyone can get what they want.

There are three key elements to achieving your goals:

  1. RISK: A goal should be risky. It should be something you have never done before. If you have achieved it, it is no longer a goal.
  2. MEASUREABLE: Your goals should be specific. For example, instead of wanting to be be an A student, you will want to get a score of 95% on your next math test.
  3. TIME FRAME: Make sure you set a goal that has a specific date of completion. For example, You have set December 31, 2013 for achieving your goals.

Achieving your Goals Mantra

One way of achieving your goals is making them clear in your mind on a daily basis. Below is a mantra to repeat to yourself daily:

In an easy and relaxed manner,

In a healthy and positive way,

In its own good time,

For the highest good of all,

I desire and intend to obtain [state goals] to come into my life and into the lives of all who hold this intention.

This or something better!

This mantra for achieving your goals is copyright © 2012 Paul Tobey, Training Business Pros.

About Achieving your Goals

Achieving your goals moves you to a higher level of purpose and meaning of what you want to do, what you want to be, and what you want to have in your life.

Achieving your goals is not about what you need, but rather about what you want. The Law of Detachment says that if you focus on what you need, you are working to fill that void of what you are lacking instead of focusing on achieving your goals, or what you actually want.

Goals should be what you want to do, be , and have. Once you have set your goals you need to think about how they make your feel. A worthy goal should make you feel great.

A goal should have purpose. It should help you and others. If your goal is hurtful or harmful to others than it is not a worthwhile aim. Instead, your goal should positivly influence your life and the lives of your family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and fellow students.

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Old Technology is Good Technology

Posted on March 7, 2012 by TechnoLaurie

Donations Welcome!

Are you looking to get rid of your old computer, laptop, or monitor? Before you dump it in the trash, consider a local school in your neighborhood. Many private schools are happy to accept your donations. I know we are!

Today, old technology is good technology. Your computer that is three years old and only has 512 MB of ram is perfect! Your laptop that only has an 80 GB hard drive is excellent! Your old digital camera is wonderful! Your small 17″ flat panel monitor is fantastic! Yes, we will take it!

Budgets are tight! Donated computer equipment allows the school to upgrade its equipment without having to spend a lot of money. We appreciate all hardware donations because they allow us to allocate our funds elsewhere. Typically, the money goes to areas where donations are not available, such as software licensing.

Two Inexpensive Ways to Improve Computer Performance

There are two changes I will often make to the donation of a computer to improve its performance. No, I do not change the hard drive (unless it is smaller than 40 GB). The amount of space typically does not matter because the files are stored on the server.

Where I make enhancements are the RAM and network card. I like to purchase inexpensive RAM sticks to bump up the memory of the computer. I also will invest in a gigabit network card to increase the rate of data transfer through the network. These upgrades typically cost $100. This investment is worthwhile because now the school has a machine that it can typically use for about three years.

Companies typically turn over their equipment every three to five years. Back in the day, these older machines were junk. Today, there is a strong possibility this hardware is what your school needs!

What Do you Think?

Does your school accept computer donations? What hardware will you accept? What hardware is not worth the headache?

Other Articles about Computer Donations

Computer Donation Checklist
The Hidden Cost of Computer Donations
The Latest Computer Equipment is Not Required
Old Technology is Good Technology
Computer Donations and Recycling Old Computer Equipment

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Wikipedia in the Classroom

Posted on March 5, 2012 by TechnoHella

Wikipedea Logo

Wikipedia is a free, collaborative online encyclopedia. Anyone can write and edit articles.

In TechnoJourney, the students are beginning Assignment 5, where they use the Internet to explore sources of information. The classroom teacher is thrilled. Soon her students will begin to research a health project about the human body and a science project about flight. Strong Internet research skills are vital. This raises the issue of whether Wikipedia is a resource that should be used in the classroom.

The Wikipedia Issue in Schools

Walk into a school library or teacher staff room and utter the word “Wikipedia“. You’re sure to get a reaction! Educators seem to be strongly opinionated on the use of this online encyclopedia. They are firmly entrenched on one side of the issue or the other: whether they are adamantly opposed to its use and want to ban it from the classroom or are supportive and endorse its use as a reference tool. Detractors of Wikipedia cite its lack of reliable, scholarly input and the fact that it’s not a primary source of data. Proponents of Wikipedia suggest that it’s a useful beginning point for student research and that it teaches young minds to be cautious and questioning of all information sources.

What is Wikipedia?

Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia. What makes Wikipedia different from most encyclopedias is that it is collaborative: articles are written by anyone who has Internet access. People of all ages, viewpoints, and levels of expertise can contribute, writing new articles or adding to or editing existing articles. Wikipedia is considered a work in progress. The articles are never finished as they are continually being updated and changed with the goal of constant and cumulative improvement of knowledge.

It is one of the largest collections of information available in the world.


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A COW or Computer on Wheels Transforms Learning

Posted on February 29, 2012 by TechnoLaurie
Computer on Wheels

Computer on Wheels: A mobile computer workstation can transform teaching and learning at your school.

Since we introduced a COW or Computer on Wheels at our school, education has improved. It has transformed teaching practice and enhanced student learning. If you are looking for an inexpensive technology tool that your entire staff can use then a COW is a great investment.

The COW Offers New Possibilities

The mobile computer workstation has encouraged both teachers and students to approach teaching and learning in new ways. Teachers have altered their teaching practice to include the use of digital resources. In addition, students complete assignments with the purpose to share their work with the class digitally using the COW. Today, most students at the school would never consider giving a presentation to the class without technology because for them it has become an integral part of their learning experience.

How do we Share the COW?

The COW is something every teacher wants to use in their classroom. To share this resource there is a sign-up sheet in the computer lab. A teacher can sign the COW out for a class period or the entire day. Before their scheduled time, the teacher or a group of students must roll the COW from its sleeping quarters (locked in the computer room office) and wheel it into the classroom, gym, library, or music room. When finished the equipment is carefully returned so that it is ready for the next person to use. At our school, the COW is used EVERY day! In fact, our teachers used it so much that we had to get two COWs.

COW Care Rules

Teachers, as well as students, know that having a COW is a privilege. For this reason, they need to show respect when using the equipment. When the COW is being rolled around care needs to be given to make sure the cart is not jostled or knocked. Typically, two students must push the cart with one at each end for stability. In addition, no liquids of any type are permitted around the equipment. With these basic rules in place we have had no issues keeping the equipment in good working order.

What Rules do you Have for your COW?

How is a COW shared at your school? What problems have you experienced? How did you solve any issues? Share your experiences!

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A COW at School? Computer on Wheels are a Great Investment

Posted on February 22, 2012 by TechnoLaurie
A picture of a mobile computer cart.

Transform learning with a COW or Computer on Wheels. This mobile computer workstation allows teachers to integrate technology into curriculum.

It’s a computer! It’s a projector! No, it’s a COW!!

No, we are not a rural school that has brought livestock into the classroom. Nor have we adopted a barnyard pet. Instead, our school uses a COW or Computer on Wheels to integrate technology into curriculum.

Our school is fortunate enough to have two COWs. The primary grades had a contest a while ago and came up with names for our COWs. They are Bug and Matilda.

What is a COW?

A COW is a mobile computer workstation. On a wheeled cart is a laptop connected to a projector and speakers. When the laptop is turned on, the image on the computer screen is projected onto a blank wall or projector screen for others to see. The cart can easily be moved to any room in the school.

The cart has four shelves. On the top shelf sits the projector with its remote control firmly attached to the unit using Velcro. On the next shelf is the laptop. This shelf is moveable. To use the laptop the shelf slides out permitting the laptop lid to open making it easy to see the screen, type on the keyboard, and attach external devices. When not in use the laptop lid is closed and the shelf pushed back into the cart. Below the moveable shelf rest the speakers and below that another shelf that is useful for transporting additional materials.


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Bookmarking is a Basic Internet Skill that can be Complex

Posted on February 19, 2012 by TechnoChrista
bookmarks basic internet skill

Bookmarking is a basic internet skill that can be complex in a school setting.

Bookmarks are a simple way to save the address of a web page. A bookmark is a shortcut that stores the address of a web page. When clicked it opens a web page automatically without having to type in the URL. Storing favorite places on the Internet is a basic skill. However, in many education settings the steps to complete this task can be complex. This is because many school networks prevent students from saving files to the local computer. In addition, student profiles often are set up to permit access to a designated location on the server, prohibiting the storage of files to a Favorites folder, where Internet books would typically be stored.

Why should your students bookmark?

The four main reasons to bookmark a web page are:

  1. SPEED: Many young children are slow typists so it is faster to create a bookmark that stores a web page address compared to typing the URL into the address bar of the web browser.

  2. ACCURACY: Many young children are inaccurate typists which can cause them to access unwanted web pages because the URL they entered into the address bar is incorrect. With a bookmark they always can view the correct web page. This is especially helpful when the URL is lengthy and complex.

  3. IMPROVES WORKFLOW: When gathering facts for a research project, students may need to return to a web page for additional information. A bookmark makes it easy for children to return to a web page repeatedly.

  4. CITE THE SOURCE: Teachers will often ask students to create a bibliography that states where the information for an assignment was collected. Bookmarks are a great way to store sources of information if they need to be included in a report, presentation, or other publication.


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