VR in Education

VR in Education:

I do think virtual reality, VR, and the 3D web have some place in a Kindergarten through 13^th grade education. I think it’s important for classrooms to experience all that is available to them to help them to become well prepared with the constant advances in technology. After researching and reading about these different forms of technology I find it very important to incorporate them in a regular classroom. It would be a very nice change of technology for the teacher and the students and would allow their knowledge to expand. I was browsing the web and found a really cool website that you could virtually browse an art gallery, which I thought would be very entertaining and exciting for an art teacher who was trying to show different artwork to his/her students in a new, technological way. The website is: http://www.enjoeydesigns.com/. I don’t think the 3D web and virtual reality should be taken lightly, but if a teacher finds something that pertains to a subject in her class or feels would be beneficial to the students he/she has the right (if given the “okay” by the principal) to show their classroom.

As far as the safeness goes I think a lot of time and research is needed on the teacher’s behalf. You don’t want to just browse a particular virtual reality site and bring it up in class and it consists of false facts and inappropriate information. I am sure that there are many inappropriate 3D websites, which may become a problem when researching. The researcher needs to be mature and if for some reason a virtual reality assignment is given to the class make sure their parents know that they are accessing the web and get their permission, as well as making sure the site they are doing this assignment on is appropriate.

I think it depends on the educator when it comes to justifying spending that extra time away from the typical curriculum in order to learn how to interact in a virtual world. If the teacher thinks it’s in the best interest of her students, as well as themselves. If they have the extra time and energy and find the cause to be worthwhile I think that if the teacher feels the need to incorporate it and really want to they will make the time to learn about it and make it happen. In my opinion if something, such as 3D web or virtual reality, was really important to bring to the classroom I think I would go at any lengths to make it possible.

VR could definitely be a fad, as much technology is, but I think that there are a lot of new on-line courses that VR would be useful for when teaching a course. For example, Sean, instead of power points Virtual reality could be used to walk us through important information in this course. As for right now I prefer power points, they are simple enough and almost anyone can make them, not to say that I am not willing to try new things but I am much like if one thing works why complicate it. Although I could be bias because I am not very good with technology! J Sometimes people get caught up in the next best thing; VR could just get overlooked by something else. I think it is a new and innovative way to teach things and could be very beneficial to some classrooms and courses and should definitely be looked at. I can only imagine how VR and 3D web will change overtime, but I do think that with the growing technology VR will only get more popular with time.

Blog Comment #3

Here's the wbsite I posted my comment on:

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9253648&postID=5048892751144004468&page=1

If that doesn't work, and I am not saying it doesn't here's the actual blog:

http://midgefrazel.net/blog/index.html

:) Enjoy

Blog Post #3 - Review of Educational Software

The software that this review is on has to do with helping students to gain simple skills and tools that will help improve school performance in a matter of weeks.
The review that I found on this software had an overall education ratign of 4.9/5, Kid Appeal: 4.2/5, and for Ease of Use: 5/5.
I can discover without even downloading or buying the software that it is very easy to use and is very educational. This I found out from the overall ratings presented on the website. The overall analysis is very informative and makes a lot of good and positive points about the software. This review talks about students are not truly learning correct ways to comprehend things. This program is set to help the students to get the full benefits of school and all it has to offer. This program seems to be able to reach students in a
The URL where I found the review: http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/reviews/multisub/middle/07/SuperGrades/merge.shtml.
There are certain questions about the software thate are not answered in the review. I guess the ease of use could be more descriptive and helpful rather than stating that there is no trouble with installing. Because I tend to have trouble with technoloy and computers. Ha-ha, sad, I know. :)
Questions I still have about the software that are not answered in the review would have to do with the easiness of installation. Maybe it is as easy as it says, I would just like a step-by-step to make me feel more comfortabel with the program.
I can make an informed buying decision without knowing more. The review is very desriptive and helpful to the viewer. I think that if I was specifically looking for a better way to educate students and the way they learn this program would be very helpfufl and beneficial to my students as well as my students.

Education and Technology Blog post

Blog which I posted my comment on:

http://makinghistory.wordpress.com/2007/10/03/the-war-on-pbs/#comment-14

Hope it works!! eek! :)

Blog #2 - Software

#1 Microsoft Word – First and foremost I think that Microsoft Word is a necessity. I use it to write papers and spell check small documents.(when younger I used it to make birthday cards!) :) thank you Clip Art! I love all the tools it provides the user with and I find it really easy to use. Almost anyone could use this program, and teach themselves how to use it. I have been using Word since junior high, all through high school, and definitely in college. Feel like it should be taugh in 5th grade.

#2 Internet Explorer (Firefox) – Learning how ot use the internet is very important. You can use the internet for a lot of different things nowadays. I think it is important for students to know how to use the internet for research and for their own hobbies (such as on-line shopping or searching for cheap vacation flights). I think knowing how to use the internet appropriately should be taught early on. 3rd or 4th grade. Does that seem too early? Just my opinion, the internet is always going to be useful in our society.

#3 Power Point – I don’t always make Power Points, I think I have made about 2 in my college career, but in high school we used them a lot to present and give speeches. I think I learned how make a simple Power Point in 8th grade. I thin kit would be important to make powerpoints, not necessarily for presentations, just to get a “hang” of the program in 6th or 7th grade.

#4 Microsoft Excel – Spreadsheets. I have rarely used this, but when I first tried using it I got SO confused. So, it is important to at least introduce this program to individuals. I think that Excel is important for people in college and definitely the work place, depending on your job. Now, taking Introduction to Statistics I am using it almost every week. Therfore it is important to understand how to use Excel, probably n 8th grade or freshmen year of high school. (I used it a lot to make rubrics when making lesson plans, very beneficial!)

Honestly, these are about all I use in my college career at this point and I don’t know what else would be beneficial for students to learn prior to college and the working world.

#5 This may not be one of the “toold” described in those PDF files but I found it beneicial to me in grade school. It wass this program used to help students to become better typers. I think it wass called “Mavis”? I am not really sure but it contained really good learning tools and also had games that we were allowed to play at the end of class. I think typing is very important, the less you have to go back and correct in your document the better. This should start rather earlier than later in my opinion, possibly 2nd or 3rd grade. Typing nd where the keys are almost become “natural” to the typist, so the sooner they begin the faster they can get their fingers in the “flow.”

Sorry Just re-posting with the correct title.

Applications Students Should Learn How to Use Early

#1 Microsoft Word – First and foremost I think that Microsoft Word is a necessity. I use it to write papers and spell check small documents.(when younger I used it to make birthday cards!) ß thank you Clip Art! J I love all the tools it provides the user with and I find it really easy to use. Almost anyone could use this program, and teach themselves how to use it. I have been using Word since junior high, all through high school, and definitely in college. Feel like it should be taugh in 5th grade.

#2 Internet Explorer (Firefox) – Learning how ot use the internet is very important. You can use the internet for a lot of different things nowadays. I think it is important for students to know how to use the internet for research and for their own hobbies (such as on-line shopping or searching for cheap vacation flights). I think knowing how to use the internet appropriately should be taught early on. 3rd or 4th grade. Does that seem too early? Just my opinion, the internet is always going to be useful in our society.

#3 Power Point – I don’t always make Power Points, I think I have made about 2 in my college career, but in high school we used them a lot to present and give speeches. I think I learned how make a simple Power Point in 8th grade. I thin kit would be important to make powerpoints, not necessarily for presentations, just to get a “hang” of the program in 6th or 7th grade.

#4 Microsoft Excel – Spreadsheets. I have rarely used this, but when I first tried using it I got SO confused. So, it is important to at least introduce this program to individuals. I think that Excel is important for people in college and definitely the work place, depending on your job. Now, taking Introduction to Statistics I am using it almost every week. Therfore it is important to understand how to use Excel, probably n 8th grade or freshmen year of high school. (I used it a lot to make rubrics when making lesson plans, very beneficial!)

Honestly, these are about all I use in my college career at this point and I don’t know what else would be beneficial for students to learn prior to college and the working world.

#5 This may not be one of the “toold” described in those PDF files but I found it beneicial to me in grade school. It wass this program used to help students to become better typers. I think it wass called “Mavis”? I am not really sure but it contained really good learning tools and also had games that we were allowed to play at the end of class. I think typing is very important, the less you have to go back and correct in your document the better. This should start rather earlier than later in my opinion, possibly 2nd or 3rd grade. Typing nd where the keys are almost become “natural” to the typist, so the sooner they begin the faster they can get their fingers in the “flow.”

My Feelings About Oue On-Line Course

This class has kept me busy, to say the least. Now, I know that every class that I have signed up for at GVSU is time consucming, but this was seems to take up a majority of my time compared to others. I guess I see it as beneficial that I can do this class whenever fits in tomy acedemic and social status, which is a positive of taking an on-line course. I find this class very interesting, but I find it difficult to fully participate and get everything out of the class like I would in a regular classroom. The reason this is for em is because I need to have the directions spoken to me, and when it comes to computers I am usually a “step by step” person, so I get confused soemtimes with the lbs and assignements.
When it comes time for midterms I am a little worried. I m not sure exactly how it will be set up (mayb elike a lab, that would be nice). I’m worried I am not comprehending everything, but I an definitely trying my hardest that’s for sure! :) Lik I mentioned before, the timing is nice. I could make posts at the beginning of the week or the end of week, dependin on my schedule for the week. Me, I like to try to get it out of the way early on. (No offense Sean, not like I want to get done and over with) I just worry about not being able to complete it for some freak reason, like forgetting. If I could change this class I probably would’t make so many posts (again, no offense) just very time consuming. I understand you want us to talk about what we were assinged and that’s great but I always struggle with what ot write on my second post for a discussion. The labs I find very informative and not too borign to do, which is a plus. This blog is rather cool too, never would have made one otherwise.
As far as live lessons, I am a visual learner, which is why I think I find this class more difficult and taking most of my time, but this is definitely a good experience for me. I do not hate it by any means. It definitely helps me to manage my time and make sure I get things done. I get frusterated when I have a question and I can’t just walk up to the teacher to ask, and sometimes even when things are written out I do not understand, again I am a “step by step” girl. This is my first on-line coure, and I would definitely consider taking another one. I have 18 credits this semester, which makes this class more difficult for me. Other classes that could be on-line could be my psychology courses They are a lot of powerpoints, which would esily be done on-line and even exams and papers and reflections. I still find it hard to picture a lot of classes to be set up the way ED205 is. I am sure over time so many courses will become available on-lilne, but it al depends on the course and the workload involved and how teachers teach. It will be interestign to see where classes go as the years go on. I don’t think I would ever be able to take more than one on-line course in a semester, I feel like I would mess up and forget to make a post or do a lab, which would get me behind, and overall stresses me out! :)