Website Evaluation (TeAchnology)

Name of the Website:  teAchnology

URL of the Website:  http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/early_childhood/nurse/

This website is designed for educators.  It offers numerous of tools that viewers can use in or out of the classroom. This website provides free resources intended to bring educators into the world of teaching with technology. It provides links to valuable and useful information relative to current and best practices in the field of education. A large variety of free classroom materials and support tools are also available. This website is designed for educators.  It offers numerous of tools that viewers can use in or out of the classroom. 

Collaboration Project AAR

My group was responsible for creating a wiki page on “Cognitvism”.  Unfortunately, my group got off to a late start and was unable to build as a team.  Communication was initiated by a member of our group by email trying to get all of our members to participate in the project.  No one responding beside myself so, we began our project with the objective of completing the project ourselves.  We split the work evenly, amongst the two of us and later relieved that we had a lot of work to do with very little time.   Our focus was to complete the entire project within the time frame that was allotted by the instructor.  With us starting late we did not get the feedback and assistance that the other groups received who started in-putting their information earlier on the wiki site. Procrastination, poor time management, minimum communication and a lack of assistance from other team members caused tension and frustration between my team.   Initially, assigning parts sounded like a great ideal but ultimately separated us because we took ownership of the part that we completed. We worked on the project but never really had a chance to collaborate our ideals into one.   

Personally, this experience was one that I will remember and reflect on in the future.  It wasn’t my best experienced, however I learned to edit, insert and use the “wiki”.  With the exercise being an online class, I believe that it takes more time and effort to get all members together. Relying on an email is not always acceptable. In a traditional classroom, coordination is simple and effortless because group members have a specified day and time that they will meet in the classroom.  Online group projects require additional time for coordination and this is essential when establishing communication amongst the group.

Mentoring

Sadly, too many kids lack the influence of a positive role model and consequently grow up trying to figure things out on their own. They look too the pro athlete, rock star, actor or actress as role models hoping that one day they would be like these stars.  Even with odds of becoming a star is against our children these are the individuals that our children look up too. By no means do I wish to crush anyone’s dream, but it is important that children know the importance of a backup plan, just in case that dream fall short. 

I wish that when I was growing up I had someone to take me by the hand and lead me in the right or another direction.  My parents did what they could by laying down a basic foundation. Their main concern was working on the farm and making sure I acted right when I was in public. Unfortunately, pursuing an education, being a home owner, having good credit, saving money and etc. wasn’t a priority. They taught me what they knew and I learned through them. Having an outside source like a teacher would have been great when I coming up.

Mentoring programs can assist with improving academics, reduced negative youth behavior, influence kids to stay away drugs, and helps with social skills. I get excited when I hear about different mentoring programs.  I am glad that it is National commitment and others are seeing the importance of having mentors.

Anyone can be a role model but it takes a special person to be a mentor. 

Group Collobration and Problem Solving

With the hustle and bustle of my everyday life, finding time to get together for a group project is a challenge.  My thought process when taking an online class is my schedule doesn’t permit me to commit to the time of a traditional classroom setting.   With that said, it has been difficult for my group to set a side some time to do a collaborated group assignment. I can’t point the finger at any one individual because I am equally at fault for procrastinating, reaching out to my team members and getting the assignment done.  Luckily, we get more than one shot to make this right. Although, I am not a fan of group assignment I am optimistic that we will iron out the kinks and make things less painful for next time.  It’s always a little rough the first time around.  Here is to….Good Energy!