CSUSM PSA iMovie

NETS 3

I created a public service announcement about Cal State San Marcos using the application called iMovie. I was able to create freeze frames and transitions throughout the video, as well as add text, music and pictures. 

Journal 10: “Collaboration Makes the Ed Teach World Go Round” (NETS 5)

Knezek, G. (2011). Collaboration makes the ed tech world go round. Learning and Leading, 38(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-march-april-2011.aspx

The authors of this article discuss the collaboration that goes on among members of the international ed tech community. The collaboration happens in three main areas, which are standards, conferences and research. The authors state that it is common these days for more developed countries to adopt technological standards for educators. In the United States there are the National Education Technology Standards for Teachers. These are standards that every teacher must exemplify in their classrooms. Conferences play a major role in bringing leaders in technology for education from around the world to share their ideas, research and practices in the field. People who attend these conferences come from around the globe and are sometimes put into “working groups” depending on their level of education to focus in on the needs of their specific grade levels. The article also discusses the impact of collaborative research. Important research has been done to determine the level of impact technology has had on today’s classrooms and the importance of continued support for pushing technology in education. The collaborative research presented gives valuable information about every aspect of technology use in education including teacher competence, gender bias, and statistics of technology access for schools. The article discusses the importance of collaboration and how it is a driving force in technology for education today.

           

Question 1: What specifically has the collaborative research shown?

            The article states that research has shown teacher competence and confidence in technology use is growing, which is directly related to the use and support of IT programs provided by school districts. Research has also shown that attitudes and knowledge of technology among students are gender related, especially at the postprimary level. The article states another aspect of research shows a rapid increase in the percentage of schools around the world with computer access. This collaborative research can give statistics of not only schools in the United States, but also schools around the world who are incorporating technology into the classroom.

Question 2: What does the article mean by collaborative?

           

            The article states that when it comes to technology in education it is highly more beneficial for researchers and leaders to come together and share ideas on ways in which technology can be used and incorporated. The massive spread of technology in education is made possible, not only by one person, but by thousands of people coming together and promoting the benefits and positive aspects of using technology in the classroom. Technology has made it convenient and quick to collaborate over the Internet, but by coming together at these conferences for technology in education, people can really get excited about their cause. Without collaboration, technology would not be as effective in education today.

Journal 9: "Teaching Green" (NETS 4)

Waters, J. (2011). Teaching green. The Journal, 38(4), Retrieved from http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/1105/ journal_201104/#/14

The journal article written by John Waters that was published in The Journal this month was regarding ways in which teachers can incorporate learning about the environment into the classroom. Waters presented many online websites that gave information, activities, and games students and teachers would be able to use to enhance their environmental education. For each website he gave a good overview of what they site had to offer and the grade level it would be best suitable for. The site I liked the most is a website I have personally experienced myself, which is myfootprint.org. This website engages user in a quiz called The Ecological Foot Print Quiz. It asks a series of questions about one’s life and determines how many “earths” would be needed to sustain that one person’s consumption patterns and absorb their waste each year. It measures the users housing, carbon, and goods and services to determine the user’s ecological footprint. This website would be too advance for lower grade students, but is perfect for students in high school. The quiz questions make you examine aspects of your daily life that you have never thought about before and the outcome of the quiz can make a big impact. Another website that Waters recommends is a site called “A Walk in the Woods”. This site is geared toward younger students who live in urban areas and have little access to the natural world. It gives them the experience of the forest through a virtual world. The site not only provides documentation of what the students have seen on their virtual trip, but it provides links to additional websites were they can learn further information. This website also gives teachers resources to use enhance their lessons plans when using the site.

Question 1: How would a teacher be able to use these websites if they did not have access to computers during class time?

            Some of the websites provided were not necessarily for students’ interaction, but for the teachers to have access to information and resources regarding environmental education so they would be able to successfully incorporate it into their daily lesson plans. One of the websites mentioned in the article was for students and had a magazine like set up. A teacher could use this site to either create a classroom environmental magazine or have the students make their own magazine and the teacher can print off pages from the website for ideas and environmental information. All of the websites can be beneficial to a classroom teacher even if computers are not readily available.

Question 2: How can a math teacher incorporate environmental information into the lesson plan?

            This article discusses specific resources teachers can use for ideas on how to incorporate environmental learning into their everyday lectures. For example, a math teacher, when teaching students about dimensions can use a recycle bin for the students to measure and have them find out how many bottle it would be able to hold. The teacher can out an emphasis on the importance of recycling, while teaching the students about math at the same time. It also has the students apply math in a real world type of situation. This article gives a wide variety of ideas, like the one just mentioned, on how to tie in environmental learning in the everyday classroom.  

Journal 8: "Point/Counterpoint: Should Schools Be Held Responsible for Cyberbullying?" (NETS 4)

Bogacz , R., & Gordillo, M. (2011). Point/counterpoint: should schools be held responsible for cyberbullying?. Learning and Leading, 38(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-march-april-2011.aspx

This article takes a look at who is to hold the responsibility and correct cyberbullying. The author first examines how the school holds the responsibility. The argument here is that even though cyberbullying may take place outside of the school, it still effects the school environment. Therefore, the schools need to manage the problem. Teachers need to be educated on what cyberbulling is and the consequences it cab have. They also need to not turn a blind eye on the situation and brush it off as something teens "just go through". When a student brings it to the teacher's attention that this is going on, the teacher needs to be able to report the situation and take it seriously. The administrators of schools need to establish and have in place serious consequences for students who violate the rules and stick firm to following through. Students of schools who are victims of cyberbullying and those who are witnesses need to understand the seriousness of the matter and not be afraid to report the situation to teachers or administrators.
                 On the other hand, the article examines the parental responsibility. The argument here is that education comes from the family first. Schools can only do so much to tackle the issue of cyberbulling, but the parents are who have the main control. Parents should have complete transparency when it comes to their child's Internet and phone usage. Parents have the ability to monitor their child completely on the Internet. If this issue is taken seriously at home, parents have control to put a stop to it at the source.
Overall, this article brings up a great point that it is simply not one individual or institution that is responsible to put a stop to cyberbullying, but it is a collaborative effort by students, teachers, administrators and parents that will decrease the instances of cyberbulling and start a movement towards tolerance and respect amongst today's youth.

Question 1: Is it possible cyberbulling can take place on school grounds and if so how can this be prevented?

Yes. With technology increasing in schools today, more and more students have access to computers on campus. With this access comes the possibility of cyberbulling. To prevent cyberbulling from happening on school grounds, students need to be properly monitored during their time spent on the computer. Schools can also restrict the Internet access students have by blocking certain sites.

Question 2: Does the article discuss the deeper reasons for why children choose to take part in cyberbulling and how that can be addressed?

Yes. The article discusses that one issue that causes cyberbullying to happen is a lack of love. The dynamics of families in our society is changing, and not necessarily for the better. Many children come from broken homes or parents who both work which causes lack of attention they need. Lack of love and attention from the parents can be a deeper reason children decide to take part in cyberbullying. To prevent this from happening parents can be educated of the importance of giving there child love and support and schools can be there for support.

Journal 7: My Personal Learning Network (NETS 5)

 My Personal Learning Network (PLN) is a way in which I am able to gather information using Internet networking sites to communicate with others, gain information, and collaborate with teachers around the world. My PLN currently consists of a Twitter account, Diigo book marking, my blog, and Classroom 2.0, a digital discussion forum for educators.

            On my Twitter account I follow fellow classmates to keep up to date assignments and to be able to ask any questions if need be. I also follow the professor, who post information and links related to class and the field of education and technology. Another great thing about Twitter is you can use it to participate in ongoing chats to collaborate with others in real time. I participated in the new teachers chat on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 5PM. When the discussion first began a new teacher had a question about setting up a classroom library. Many people had comments about how to get books in a way that is cost effective, what kind of books they collect, organization systems, systems to check out the books, and one person suggested assigning a student to be the class librarian for the week. This question really kicked off the chat and many people where eager to share their ideas. During the chat, I was merely an observer. It was a little hard to follow at times and some people would take on conversations to just one another instead of the chat as a whole, but I do think it could be a useful tool to get information and ideas. In the future, as a start out teaching as a new teacher, I think it would be fun to share new things I learn and collaborate with other new teachers.

            Diigo is a site that can be used for book marking websites. When you had a site to Diigo you can “tag” them with key words, which becomes your tag roll. I choose to "tag" a few sites for my PLN. I tagged a few blogs of educators who post teaching tips and techniques. I also tagged a website called "Teachers Teaching Teachers" which hosts a weekly webcast to provide development within the profession, and implemnets teachers' knowledge. You can also follow people on this site to see what others are finding on the Internet. On Diigo, I’m following a few different educators. I decided to follow John Evans and John Faig because I find the information they have to be resourceful and interesting. I’m also following a high school teacher, Casey Mayfield because not only is she an educator, but she has a passion for technology as well and has tagged some good information in that regard. I follow Deven Black because he is a middle school teacher, which is the level I’m interested in teaching and I follow Isabelle Jones because she is a teacher from England and I think it would be cool to see what information and links she provides on her tag roll.

            I decided to become a member of Classroom 2.0 because I like the way their website is put together. It is easy to access and find interesting and fun information. I came across a blog post while exploring the site. A former teacher, who had become a Technology Integration Specialist, reflects on her discovery of her own PLN and how it has opened the doors for her to learn and have access to new and innovative information. 

Journal 6: “Grow Your Personal Learning Network” (NETS 5)

Warlick, D. (2009). Grow your personal learning network. Learning and Leading, 36(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-march-april-2009.aspx

Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) are changing the way we learn about the world. This article discusses the new ways in which we, as educators, are learning information today. In the past, we would rely on our families, colleagues, newspapers, books, television, and radio to seek and gather our information. In today’s technologically advanced society, we can use the internet to break down the geographical barriers of finding information using our PLNs. The author discuss the three main types of PLNs. The first type is instant connections we make over the Internet using tools such as Skype. This type of connection allows us to communicate with one another during real time. The second type of connection would be made in “nearly now” time. This means the communication we make is not necessarily made in real time but very close to real time using tools such as Wiki, Google Docs, or group discussion boards. This type of PLN, the author notes, allows people to collaborate together regardless of their schedule, or geographical time difference. The third type of PLN the author mentions is not a PLN that connects us to one another, but one that connects us to information using tools such as Diigo (a website bookmarking tool). Having this type of PLN allows the users to gather specific information and have that information, and all new information relating to the topic, delivered directly to them as oppose to the user having to search for the new information themselves. This article states that creating a PLN is important as an educator to foster our desire for lifelong learning.

Question 1: How can teachers use their PLNs to relate to their students directly?

                Having a PLN as an educator allows you to gather information that you can use in the classroom. For example, you can use your PLN to get ideas for lesson plans to use, you can gather information on classroom management techniques or get ideas on classroom activities. There is much information you can access using your PLN that will enhance a student’s learning experience. Also, by creating a PLN as an educator you are utilizing Internet tools and social networking sites in a way that fosters education and learning. By experiencing this, you are modeling for your student’s ways in which they can take learning into their own hands.

Question 2: Are there any negatives aspects to creating a PLN?

                Because we are responsible for creating our own PLNs, it is common for us to gather information on a limited perspective. We will most likely look up information that aligns with our own opinions and beliefs, and communicate and make connections with those who think in the same way we do. It is important that we examine perspectives and communicate with those who may have a different way of viewing things because that is how we become more knowledgeable. As a learner, it is important to not shy away from those who may have a different perspective than our own.  

Inspiration NETS-T

NETS 2

This is a diagram I created to represent the five NETS-T standards. For each standard, I connected two corresponding artifacts I have created throughout this semester.

Journal 5: "The Whole World in Their Hands" (NETS 2)

Crompton, H. (2011). The whole world in their hands. Learning and Leading, 38(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-february-march-2011.aspx


Summary: A middle school in North Carolina developed one of the first online curriculums for their grade level. With this curriculum came the use of the iPod touch. This school is now currently providing an iPod touch to all of their 700 students. While most schools in our country are opposed to using hand held mobile devices in the classroom, this particular school in North Carolina is embracing it. The article states that it is beneficial for students because they no longer have to wait for their turn to access the computer, they have access constantly at their fingertips. Using the iPod is not a replacement for computers, but a tool to be used to complement the use of computers. When implementing the iPod touch into the school, teachers were the first to have access and learn about all it had to offer. Then a pilot program was created to introduce the iPod to a selected group of students in each grade before distributing them to the entire school population. Although there is not enough data yet to show a significant improvement gained from the use of the iPod touch, the school reports students benefit in a number of ways, including having fast and easy access to knowledge, organizing their schedules and having the ability to work collaboratively.


Question 1: What does this mean for the future of education when it comes to the use of technology in the classroom?
           Since this is the first school to attempt this, there will be a lot of new data regarding the benefits of using new technology in the classroom. When it is proven that these tools have significant positive impact on students and their learning, other schools may be more inclined to adopt a similar program. It is exciting to hear about a school that is dedicated to engaging their students using technology instead of punishing them for using it. 


Question 2: What strategies were using in being able to fit this program in with the budget?
           The article states that one huge factor in keeping the cost down was that many students already owned an iPod touch at home. The school got into contact with these parents and obtained permission for the student to use the iPod during school hours. About 20% of the families agreed to this which helped in cutting cost significantly. Therefore the school bought an iPod touch for all the students who did not have one of there own. In order to implement a program such as this takes careful budget planning. A school needs to have dedication and enthusiasm in order for a program like this to take command. 
           


          

Journal 4: "It's Time to Trust Teachers with the Internet" (NETS 4)

Schaffhauser, D. (2010, December 01). It's time to trust teachers with the internet: a conversation with meg ormiston. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/12/01/Its-Time-To-Trust-Teachers-with-the-Internet-A-Conversation-with-Meg-Ormiston.aspx?sc_lang=en&Page=1

Summary:  Meg Ormiston is currently working on incorporating technology in the classroom. However, she states that the main problem with using technology in the classroom is that school districts limit what teachers can have access to. In this article, Schaffhauser interviews Ormiston regarding teachers restrictions when using the internet in the classroom. Ormiston find that teachers become unmotivated to use technological tools, such as the internet, because of the restrictive policies school implement that aren't very clear. These policies block sites that teachers are able to have access to and often times the sites that are blocked are determined by people who are not educators. For example, Ormistron says some programs schools use automatically block certain sites. Teachers become frustrated that they don't have access to the sites and information they need via the internet so they simply give up on using this tool in the classroom. The article states that teachers need to be able to educate their students on responsible and safe computing because when they leave the school the internet is no longer restricted. Ormistron argues that technology is a necessity to effectively educating and engaging students today and teachers, as professionals, should be trusted to have full access to tools such as the internet.

Question 1: What are some ways teachers can push for more internet accessibility?

           One idea is for teachers to come together and form a committee dedicated to promoting technology use in the classroom. The article states that many teachers simply give up on using the tool all together, therefore there is no motivation to gain access and control because teachers simply aren’t using the technology. However, if there is a group and a lead person focused on developing knowledge and promoting the use of these tools, more teachers will learn the need for technology in the classroom and become more motivated to change the restrictive policies.

Question 2: Children these days tend to know more about the new technology then adults. How can teachers become more knowledgeable when it comes to today’s technology?

          Teachers can learn more about the use of technology and gain practice by using it more in their daily lives. The more one uses technology, the more familiar and comfortable with it. It is also important for schools to give teachers further education regarding technology. Professional development focused on incorporating technology into education should be provided to teachers through their school districts. It is important for teachers to become more knowledgeable when it comes to using technology so they can teach their students to make good decisions when using these tools.

 

journal 3: 100 Things That Make Me Happy!

1. My boyfriend Corey <3

2. Cheesecake 

3. Laying out by the pool

4. Listening to music

5. Cooking

6. Adventures with my sister and our "friend" Heather

7. Dancing

8. Hanging out with my friends

9. Watching movies in my PJs with tons of food

10. Being lazy on a rainy day

11. Sleeping in

12. Going to the beach

13. Wine

14. More wine

15. Road trips

16. Shopping

17. Decorating 

18. Pizza and beer!

19. Netflicks

20. Fish kisses 

21. Family dinners (most of the time)

22. Champagne brunch

23. Laughing

24. Making other people laugh

25. Driving with the windows down

26. People watching

27. Coloring

28. Hanging out with my dad 

29. Flowers

30. Thoughtful presents

31. Las Vegas BABY!!

32. Pool days with my best friends

33. Puppies

34. Babies

35. Going on Hikes with Corey 

36. Grocery shopping

37. Getting ready with friends 

38. Winning in a hand of poker

39. Winning at anything

40. Poker nights

41. SUSHI!!

42. Going out to breakfast

43. Christmas parties 

44. Bike rides 

45. Naps

46. Walks on the beach with my friend Leila 

47. Making fun of my best friend Nikki 

48. Weddings

49. Pranking my mom

50. Clean sheets

51. See’s Candy

52. Watching basketball with my brother

53. Dancing

54. Vacations

55. Traveling

56. Painting my nails

57. Helping my grandparents

58. Christmas

59. Making Halloween costumes

60. Sewing

61. Being with kids

62. Reading for pleasure

63. Getting off work

64. Going on runs/walks

65. Buying birthday cards

66. 80’s parties

67. Disneyland

68. DVR

69. Spa day

70. Painting/drawing

71. Cheese

72. Wine tasting

73. Baseball games

74. Riding the train/coaster

75. Learning new things

76. Annoying my brother

77. Playing tennis

78. Watching the sun set

79. Being in the snow

80. Scarves

81. Art

82. Room service

83. Summer

84. My “feel good” blanket

85. Bob

86. Coffee

87. Playing piano

88. Juice

89. Coaching

90. Hot chocolate

91. Going to the movies

92. Infomercials

93. Morning radio talk shows

94. Wrapping presents

95. Sundays

96. Accomplishing a task/goal

97. Happy hour

98. Baths

99. Concerts

100. My boyfriend Corey <3

Journal 2: "Join the Flock!" and "Enhance Your Twitter Experience" (NETS 5)

Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock. Learning and Leading, 37(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/issues/Join_the_Flock.aspx


McClintock, S. (2010). Enhance your twitter experience. Learning and Leading, 37(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2010.aspx


Summary: Twitter is a social networking site that allows its users to communicate with one another by posting “tweets”. You can follow other users and get updates on your account of what others are saying. Hadley Ferguson, the author of the journal article titled, “Join the Flock”, discusses how this networking site is extremely beneficial in education and the process of lifelong learning. Ferguson states that this site is useful for building a professional/personal learning network (PLN) where users can discuss and exchange ideas regarding education. By using the network people in education can come together to establish a community based on communication and collaboration to enhance the experience of learning. In the article, Ferguson gives a few key pointers on how to begin building your PLN, such as taking the time to upload a picture for identification and fill out the biography section in order to attract people who share similar interests, then once your account is set up you can start searching for others with the same interests by entering in keywords to the search bar. Ferguson highly recommends using Twitter for links to websites and blogs as well as a source for discussions about what works and what doesn’t and why in education. 

Question 1: What are some other ways Twitter can be useful in education?

Despite the fact that many people are weary of using today’s technology to communicate with students, Twitter can be an extremely effective tool when communicating with today’s youth. The article discusses how Twitter can be used to enhance learning, so why shouldn’t students be able to take advantage of that as well, especially when today’s younger generation uses these social networks as their primary means of communication. Teachers could use Twitter as a supplemental learning toll for their students by posting links to articles and Youtube videos that are relating to whatever is being discussed that week in school. Another cool thing about using Twitter to communicate with students is that Twitter has a feature that will send “tweets” via text message so if students are away from their computers they will still be able to get updates and information regarding assignments and due dates. This can be a great reminder tool for students!

Question 2: Will Twitter fade out; become obsolete or outdated in the near future like other social networks have in the past?

We tend to see a trend when it comes to social networking sites. When they first come onto the scene there is a rush of popularity that fades out in a few years and another social networking site will become the cool new thing. There is always a chance that another site will come along that will steal Twitter’s popularity. However, there are so many ways Twitter can be used to communicate, that I believe it won’t become obsolete, but be put to use in different ways. For example, Twitter is now being used by businesses and other institutions to communicate to their staff and the public, as opposed to being used solely for personal reasons. 

Technology Self-Assessment: School 2.0

NETS 5

I was able to take an assessment on technology and reflected on the results.

            When taking the technology assessment I realized I still have a lot to learn when it comes to integrating technology into the classroom. I chose to investigate two resources after reviewing my results.

The first article I looked at was called “Top 10 Web 2.0 Tools for Young Learners”. This article caught my interest because I find it hard to come up with ways to use technology in the classroom when it comes to elementary school students. The article gives a list of tools the Internet offers that would apply to the younger generation of students. One of these tools is called Kerproof. Kerproof is a creative tool for animation, drawing and movie creation. As a teacher, I could use this tool to create my own animations or movies that connects to whatever subject we are covering in class. Another tool this article suggested to use was Animoto, which is an automated presentation generator that focuses on using images to communicate a message.

            The second article I read was called “Too Cool for School? No Way!—Using the TPACK Framework: You Can Have Your Hot Tools and Teach with Them, Too”. This article discussed ways in which teacher could go about using new technology in their classroom. The article states that today’s technology such as blogs, wikis, and GPS systems were not created for teachers, therefore teachers need to repurpose these technical tools for education by knowing the ins and outs of these technology tools. The article says teachers need to develop experiential understanding by training and practicing with these tools. This article encourages and teaches teachers to develop digital-age experiences.

Journal 1: "Do Web 2.0 Right" (NETS 3)

Light, D. (2011). Do web 2.0 right. Leaning and Leading with Technology, 38(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-february-march-2011.aspx
Summary: Daniel Light and his colleague, Deborah Polin, traveled around the United States to explore the uses of Web 2.0 as supplemental educational tools inside and

outside the classroom. They found many teachers were able to use blogs and wikis as a way to promote conversation and interest in the topics discussed in class. Blogs were also found to be a very useful tool for dialogue between not only teachers and students, but between the students themselves. Light listed three elements that led teachers to be most successful when using the Web 2.0 tools. The first element was to use these tools as a daily practice instead of a “special project”. This allows the students and teachers to use the Web 2.0 tools, especially blogs, to their fullest potential. Creating on going dialogue

throughout the school year about topics covered in class allows the students to

not only retain the information better, but also become actively involved in

their own learning. The second element was to carefully select the audience who

has access to the information. Light discussed the indication of lack of participation from students based upon who would have access to view and comment on their posted ideas or thoughts. Most of the teachers who used blogs in their classroom limited the access of information to just the class, the school and parents or the broader community. Some teachers even restricted the access solely between student and teacher, allowing the student to reflect on their experiences in class without the fear of ridicule. The third and final element of success light stated was exhibiting appropriate behavior while using these

tools. Teachers must build a learning community within the classroom that

transpires to the web, and students must respect these online tools for educational purposes. The tools available on Web 2.0, if used properly, can be extremely effective in promoting interest and communication among students in today’s classrooms.

Question 1: Why is creating a community within the classroom so important to the success of using these types of online tools? 

        Creating a community within the classroom is crucial to the success of these types of online tools for numerous reasons. One reason being the students need to feel comfortable and confident when posting their ideas and thoughts online. When a supportive community is built within the classroom, students will feel more motivated to give critical and thoughtful feedback

online. Another important reason for creating a community in the classroom is so

students will be more willing to respect the use of the online tool for

educational purposes instead of simply social interactions.

Question 2: When implementing the use of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom, how

would you get the parents to be involved and aware of the intentions and

purposes of using this type of technology?

         When using Web 2.0 tools in the classroom, I feel it is extremely

important to not only have the student involved, but their parents as well. When

beginning the use of an online tool I would send home a letter explaining in

detail what will be happening and the purposes for using the tools. I will have

the parents sign the letter stating that they have read the letter then send it

back to class with their student. Having the parents involved, especially with

young students, will support the use of the Web 2.0 tools for educational

purposes only and may even prompt discussions regarding classroom subjects

between student and parent.

Introduction Letter

My name is Emily Allen and I was born and raised in the beautiful North County of San Diego! I grew up in the Oceanside/Vista area where I attended a K-8 visual and performing arts school. I spent most of my childhood playing basketball year around which landed me at Carlsbad High School for their once competitive girls basketball program. I am now attending Cal State San Marcos on the six-year plan to hopefully earn a BA in Liberal Studies with a minor in math. In the future I plan to earn my credentials here at Cal State to become a teacher for either elementary or middle school students.

I first started working with technology at an early age. In elementary school we were taught the basics of using a computer, such as typing, which later progressed to learning different computer programs. In middle school, I was fortunate enough to be able to experience many different kinds of technology. I took a theater tech class, a film production class as well as a photography class. In college, last semester, I took an introduction course to computer science, which taught me a lot of cool new things about computers. Working with technology has always come very naturally to me, however, I personally find it extremely hard to keep up with the latest and greatest. When I was in high school my cell phone was so huge that kids would ask me why I brought my house phone with me to class! This past year I was donated an iPhone by my boyfriend, who I’m sure could no longer watch me walk around with a phone from the stone ages, and I can honestly say I don’t know how I ever survived without it. I love the convenience of today’s technology, but for the life of me I can’t seem to keep up with it!

The CSUSM/COE mission statement ensures me that I’m in the right place for what I would like to do in the future. I believe that education is a team effort and should be focused mainly on students.  The mission statement makes me excited for the journey of becoming an educator. I hope that one day I will be able to make a positive influence on children and the community by promoting the process of life-long learning!