NPR story - Power Point use in the classroom

I have been using pp but now I also use Smart Board. 

I believe most teachers are using power  point in the classroom.  After reading the NPR story, I wanted to think beyond the program.  Technologies, like textbooks, are part of the tools or vehicles for us to facilitate our teaching.   We should not depend on the program, and forget students’ learning objectives.

In teaching Mandarin/Chinese, I insert pictures on power point.  I do not eliminate communication; on the contrary, I use pictures, like a painting to trigger students’ imagination.  It also invites students to raise dialogues to discuss the pictures. After the discussion and communication, I create a skit for them to use the language in a real situation. 

I also follow up with a project, to extend the classroom learning into a greater depth.  Sometimes, my guidance allows students to follow up with an oral or written homework.
I agree with Mr. Brown that we can develop deeper understanding on how to use it, such as importing sound, images, movies, or other programs into the power point.  I also design a pre-quiz and post-quiz to check their understanding. 

 

Personal Reflection on MD-400

I was very nervous, in the beginning, for the following reasons:

1)      Being my first course towards my MA Educational degree, I was nervous

2)      English is not my first language

3)      As a mature student, technology has become harder to learn

Nevertheless, I love this class so much for the reasons below:

a)      I learned so much new network technology. I heard about it a lot, now I am using it

b)      I created my own blog and I would like to use it as a platform to invite other colleagues to
         comment

c)       I designed a personal website which I started using for classes and in a conference.  It is practical and useful

d)      UDL contents remind me of the importance of pre-designing lessons and to reach out/fulfill each child’s need.  No child left behind

e)      Inquiry-based teaching and learning enriches a student-centered method

f)       Photoshop was a challenge.  I am still trying to become familiar with it

g)      I created a “Chinese Characters” digital story to introduce the most challenge part in learning this language.  I am so surprised to see that one of my students asked me if she could develop her own digital story.

I am glad that I started taking MA with the first class MD-400.  I am confidence that I will be doing fine with the rest of my journey.