Long before I started teaching I had been, and continue to be, involved in volunteering with the United Way of the Triangle's Teaming 4 Technology program. Please check out the included link to their site for their information and history of the program.
So the opportunity part is one I extend to all of my students as well as to the general public of the Triangle at large. And that is to volunteer with these guys as a great way to help those who're not able to afford the increasingly necessary computer technology on their own. I would like to hold two "field trips" to T4T this year as part of the Wakefield IT Club community service plan. These will happen once during each semester of the 2013-2014 school year. For those in the general community I invite you to participate at your leisure as they are happy to have volunteers most any day, and especially on Fridays.
For my students interested in the IT Club I welcome you to inquire about this opportunity.
Fresh start....well, it's a new school year, and I find myself in the awesome position of having the collective enrollment of my three classes having never taken a class with me before. This is so great because it means a whole new spectrum of perspective for my program which is compelling me in my 3rd year of teaching to solidify the proven learning systems in place as well as give me an opportunity to try some new things to add to it.
So to my students, their parents/guardians, and the unlikely random reader I say hoorah! and here's to a fantastic new year!
United Way T4T
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Game Design Theory: Using Video Games To Engage Learnering
Believe it or not!!!
There are some noble educators out there pitching this crazy, absurd, revolutionary, awesome concept. And it is: If kids are playing games on their phones in class instead of learning, at home on their pc or console instead of doing homework; then why not have them doing both?
I mean, why not have them playing a game you made to explain the day's concept? Why not have them playing a game on their computer that they made, using an instruction set you gave them?
I'm not pitching for computer science/programming here. I'm a computer and network engineering teacher. I teach hardware and operating systems. What I'm throwing out there is I gave my students an assignment today which blew their minds. I showed them a game to play which teaches them how to use a software to design/build video games of their own. I then challenged them to explain the concept of data transfer using this game as their medium. And you know what? They did it!! It blew their minds to be able to play games in class without retribution and then to be told it's a learning tool for them to use to make their own games!!!
I'll post the overall results later.
There are some noble educators out there pitching this crazy, absurd, revolutionary, awesome concept. And it is: If kids are playing games on their phones in class instead of learning, at home on their pc or console instead of doing homework; then why not have them doing both?
I mean, why not have them playing a game you made to explain the day's concept? Why not have them playing a game on their computer that they made, using an instruction set you gave them?
I'm not pitching for computer science/programming here. I'm a computer and network engineering teacher. I teach hardware and operating systems. What I'm throwing out there is I gave my students an assignment today which blew their minds. I showed them a game to play which teaches them how to use a software to design/build video games of their own. I then challenged them to explain the concept of data transfer using this game as their medium. And you know what? They did it!! It blew their minds to be able to play games in class without retribution and then to be told it's a learning tool for them to use to make their own games!!!
I'll post the overall results later.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Wakefield 2.1 Summer 2012
ALL of my classes for the 2012-2013 school year will give extra credit for any student who participates in Wakefield 2.1 this year. Any questions about the program see Mr Kline in Media Ctr.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Web 2.0 and Wakefield 2.1
At WHS we are embracing the evolving education culture by enhancing teachers's and students's learning through the use of interactive, online programs generally termed as Web 2.0 tools.
In Honors Computer Engineering 2 this spring we decided to assist the WHS faculty by finding examples of Web 2.0 tools being used in lesson plans or as requirements for assignments. The students were tasked with researching lesson plans teachers had posted online or the assignments. The students then were expected to make a listing of the results on a Google doc (web 2.0 tool) and turned in via Dropbox.com (web 2.0 tool).
The expectations for the assignment are listed below as well as a small sampling of the outstanding results.
Web 2.0 Lesson Plans Research Assignment
Web 2.0 Lessons Assignment Results
I hope that my colleagues here at WHS as well as around the web find something useable here. And please feel free to beam us your own projects. I expect that many of our students will surprise us as they evolve far faster than us!!!
In Honors Computer Engineering 2 this spring we decided to assist the WHS faculty by finding examples of Web 2.0 tools being used in lesson plans or as requirements for assignments. The students were tasked with researching lesson plans teachers had posted online or the assignments. The students then were expected to make a listing of the results on a Google doc (web 2.0 tool) and turned in via Dropbox.com (web 2.0 tool).
The expectations for the assignment are listed below as well as a small sampling of the outstanding results.
Web 2.0 Lesson Plans Research Assignment
Web 2.0 Lessons Assignment Results
I hope that my colleagues here at WHS as well as around the web find something useable here. And please feel free to beam us your own projects. I expect that many of our students will surprise us as they evolve far faster than us!!!
Friday, March 2, 2012
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