Digital Blog Post #E Chapters 4,7,& 9

Concept 1- Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) are powerful new software programs that promote inquiry learning through computer responses to student actions.  When a student answers a question the computer records all responses and makes relevant predictions about what users already know and what they need to work on. Having a computer based tutor can promote practices to become better learners and test takers. Intelligent tutoring systems have been shown to be effective in improving student learning, especially in mathematics ( Beal, Arroyo, Cohen, & Woolf, 2010; Beal, Walles, Arroyo, & Woolf, 2007; Maloy, Razzaq, & Edwards, forthcoming.) 

According to Saga Briggs ITS are very beneficial. They can be available any time of the day, provide real-time data instructors and developers looking to refine teaching methods,reduce the dependence on human resources, help students better understand material by allowing them to first explain what they know, then by catering responses accordingly, yield higher test scores than traditional systems, especially in students from special education, non-native English, and low-income backgrounds and provide immediate yes/no feedback, individual task selection, on-demand hints, and support for mastery learning.(Briggs,2014) I think incooperating online tutors for not only young children but for college students would be a great resource. Having that direct help any time of they day is a great tool to use.  

Concept 2- Alphabet Books are a great way to practice spelling patterns, letter sounds, vocabulary words, and reading skills. Alphabet books are more geared towards kindergarten and first graders. The simplest type of alphabet book features photos of students holding objects that they can illuminate letter sounds. Each alphabet photo displays students names with a possessive apostrophe and a objects also known as a noun. This particular concept teaches letter sound associations, use of nouns and proper nouns with capital and lower case letters. This is a memorable concept for students because it provides them with a hands on experience by having them be the stars of the photographs. A digital alphabet is the same it just uses technology. Once students complete their Alphabet book the digital photos can be displayed on laptops as a screensaver on classroom computers. This gives students the chance to see themselves and pause to read each letter. When I was teaching my class this year we did an alphabet book and it really gave students a better understanding of letter recognition. Since I want to be a Kindergarten teacher I will defiantly use Alphabet books for my students in the future. 

Concept 3- Digital Projectors display material from a single computer onto a large screen or whiteboard for the whole class to see. Teachers and students can then use those visual images as a springboard for in-class discussion, analysis,writing and further study      ( Moulton, 2007). A digital projector is an effective discussion management tool. While students and teachers discuss certain topics they can make notes on the computer, highlight key concepts and ideas. Material presented on the projector is immediately shown on the big screen, often known as a smart board. Many K-12 classrooms are equipped with digital projectors. This gives students a way to visually learn and engage in activities.Above is a short video on why it is so important to in cooperate projectors in the classroom. In my future as an educator I can only see technology growing from here so it is super crucial that I stay up to date with the newest and best technology learning devices. I one day hope to have a projector in my classroom to help my students visually learn. In one of my college courses we used a document camera and digital projectors to learn math lessons. It really helped because I got to visually see what was being taught right in front of me. 

In Conclusion, After reviewing each concept I feel good. I feel like I have gained a better understanding of each resource and concept. In cooperating each one of these would make learning a lot easier. Having a 24 hour tutor to help you any time of the day is awesome because it gives students the extra help they need. Alphabet books are a great teaching tool when it comes to letter recognition and letter sounds. It gives the students more time to focus and learn each letter. Supplying each classroom with digital projectors is a great idea because it is a hands on visual tool for students and teachers to use. It can be a fun way to get students involved and interested. New technology is forming everyday so it is important to try new things and see what works best for your students. 

References 

Beal, C.R., Arroyo, I., Cohen, P.R., & Woolf, B. P. (2010, Spring). Evaluation of AnimalWatch: An intelligent tutoring system for arithmetic and fractions. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 9(1). Retrieved December 23, 2011, from ww.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/showissue.cfm?volID=9&issueID=28

Beal, C. R., Walles, R., Arroyo,I., & Woolf, B. P. (2007). On-line tutoring for math achievement testing: A controlled evaluation. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 6(1), 43-55.

Briggs, S. (2014, March 29). Intelligent Tutoring Systems - Can They Work For You? - InformED. Retrieved from http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/trends/intelligent-tutoring-systems/

Parr, J. (n.d.). Digital Alphabet Book. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4cv9bLGGUg

Projectors in the Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq7IqW7rZzE

SMART Board® 800 - SMART Technologies. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://education.smarttech.com/en/products/smart-board-800