Chapter 9 Reflection

There are multiple ways to learn. Some students are kinesthetic learners, auditory learners, or visual learners.Visualization tools are considered a great aid in allowing students to visualize their work. Computers can help visualize mathematical ideas and scientific ideas. Visualization can also occur with digital cameras, mobile phones, and video.

Visualizing scientific ideas with a computer is a great way to show students how something looks or works when it might be too small to see with the naked eye. The tool McSpartan allows students to create their own chemical bonds and experiment with different combination's. Seeing the visual aspect will surely help students fully understand the material. I think this is a great way to show students what atoms look like on a enlarged view. I will defiantly use this in my classroom to get my students excited about being scientists and create their own combination's of atoms and different chemicals.

Visualizing geography with geographic information systems is a great way to let your students explore geography structures, maps, spatial reasoning, create charts and tables, etc. I really loved the example from the book about how students worked with the fire department to map out spills, redirect traffic in that circumstance, and informing the public. GoogleMaps has an amazing satellite that can zoom in on individual buildings. I think that can be a lot of fun to play with with my students.

Visualizing math is important because it is an abstract subject. The book is lacking a lot of examples that can be used in the elementary classrooms but mathlab, and mathematica are great resources to help manipulate algebraic equations. Graphing calculators help students record, organize, record, and communicate math ideas and overall help solve equations. Data sets are most likely to be used in a elementary classroom. I can see myself using graphic organizers to organize data I might take from my students such as height, eye color, number of family members, and so forth. Students can then take the numbers and create their own graphs and conduct their own surveys throughout the school to work on their own.

More and more students have cell phones and cameras on their body more often. Students can create their own digital documentaries, book talks, animations, picture books for journals, etc. I love the example of students making documentaries about themselves to ease into the idea of creating their own. I will defiantly create these with my students because it is a great way to get to know more about your students, see into their home life, and open their minds to learning and sharing information in a new way.

Most elementary and middle schools have morning announcements that the principle or select group of students get to produce. Why don't more students get involved with this great use of technology? Students can create video recordings as a way to enhance their learning. Using camcorders are mobile so students can record in different locations. The recordings can be edited, illustrated, dubbed, and enhanced in more ways than one. Once the recording is complete students can air it in numerous ways: on the computer, on the classroom t.v., on one of their wikis or website (with parent permission).

All in all visualization is a vital element in an elementary classroom. As teachers we need to be able to fit every type of learning.