Grammar Girl to the Rescue!

Visit Grammar Girl at Quick and Dirty Tips

Have no fear, Grammar Girl is here! I was first introduced to Grammar Girl several years ago in one of my college english classes. Her podcasts are witty and full of spunk, making them easy to listen to and you get a quick memorable english lesson. I hate to be the bad guy here, but Grammar Girl's secret identity and the host of QuickandDirtytips.com is Mignon Fogarty, an experienced "grammar guru". Podcasts are delivered frequently on a variety of topics in the categories of word choice, punctuation, grammar, and style.

In addition to listening to the podcasts, followers are also able to read the podcast in text from. The websites offers a few different ways to follow Grammar Girl, including RSS podcast or article, iTunes, or newsletter format. However, when I tried to subscribe via RSS, I got an error message, which was frustrating. While I was trolling the website looking for another RSS link, I found directions to add Grammar Girl to your blog widgets. Visitors to your blog can listen to the most recent blog or a few previous ones. Again, the follow via RSS option is included on the widget, but the connection does not work.

Grammar Girl is only a segment on the website Quickanddirtytips.com. The site offers podcasts from 18 different experts that give advice and information including the Sales Guy, Diet Diva, Mighty Mommy, and House Call Doctor. While the skills Grammar Girl discusses are geared toward an older crowd, highschool or maybe middleschool aged students might enjoy listening to these segments as well. Teachers and parents might also find experts like Math Dude, Tech Talker, or The Public Speaker helpful as an alternative to ordinary lectures. Aside from RSS technical problems I had with the site, it was a pretty good resource with a variety of helpful segments. I enjoyed alot that the site had to offer, hopefully some of you will too.

Chapter 4 Application Questions

Chapter 4 Application Questions

For this scenario, we will say the students in the problem were asked to calculate and compare the unit costs of several five pound bags of dog food, each of a different brand.

Using the behavioral learning theory, the teacher would need to give the students an example problem of finding the unit cost to solve without guided instruction. Once some time has been given for investigation, the teacher would go over the problem as a class. The teacher would then assign additional problems for practice.

If the problems would be addressed using the situated learning theory the teacher would be required to do quite a bit of prep work, but the outcome would be much more interesting for students. The teacher would need to set up a situation as close to real-life as possible. This could be done by taking students on a field trip to the grocery store or setting up a mock store in the classroom. Working in teams, the students would be given a set amount of "money" to spend on dog food. Once each team had "fed" the dog over an imaginary amount of time, the team with money remaining at the end would be the "winner", rewarded for their work.

Teaching this scenario based on Gagne's theory of instruction would be best described using the nine events of instruction.

1) Gaining attention. Teachers could show a clip of a funny dog food commercial from youtube.com.

2) Informing the learner of the objectives. The teacher would tell the students that by the end of the lesson they would be expected to calculate and compare the unit cost of three different types of bagged dog food to determine which product is more cost-effective.

3)Stimulating recall of prior learning. The teacher would ask students if they have ever gone shopping for groceries with a parent/guardian before. Had they noticed or recalled anything about the products they purchased.

4)Presenting the stimulus. Introducing students to the several types of dog food brands being used including the price of each bag.

5) Provide learning guidance. The teacher would provide students with the appropriate formula to calculate unit cost.

6)Eliciting performance. The teacher presents the class with practice problems that require students to find the unit cost using different prices.

7) Feedback. As a class, the teacher would review the practice problems and help students correct any problems or miscalculations.

8) Assessing performance. The teacher would randomly choose students to demonstrate practice problems for the class allowing opportunity for discussion.

9)Enhancing retention and transfer. Students would be allowed time or assigned homework to research their own favorite brands or products and compare the cost to other brands.

Map from Middleville, MI to Orlando, FL

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Multiplication Trick

This is the strangest method for multiplication I have ever seen...

Good News!

We're expecting a baby girl June 29th!

Reiser/Dempsey Chapter 3

Week 5 Reflection- Chapter 3 Application Questions

​In chapter 3 of Reiser & Dempsey, they pose a scenario where students and teachers are provided with laptops and unlimited internet access. In this scenario, findings indicated that the technology had little impact on the classroom environment. There are a few reasons why a situation like this may exist.

One reason may be that the teachers were not provided with the proper training to administer the programs in their classrooms. Without the necessary training, teachers can be come overwhelmed and frustrated trying to implement the technology in their classrooms. The teachers may also feel like the new program is more of a burden than a benefit.

Another reason the program may have had little impact is because of the lack of interest. If the "new" program merely consists of adding digital versions of the already used textbook onto the computer, what difference does it really make? Students and teachers will loose interest quickly because it is the same material presented on a screen instead of in a book.

On top of little training, and only a small difference in curriculum, another problem with the scenario could be that it has a low impact because the technology is already over used. Most students today already have internet access in their homes and schools and have one, if not many personal computers. The websites and programs students use in their free time far eclipses the digital text book.

One solution the school in this scenario could be to pump up their new plan with other programs and software, outside of the traditional textbook (digital or not). By using other options like videos, simulations and virtual tours, instructors can reach multiple learning styles, and hold student interest.

Most importantly for a program like the one proposed in the scenario to succeed, teacher training is essential. Teachers need to be given the proper tools to implement technology in the classroom. Without training and support teachers will also loose interest before students are even able to get a feel for the program. Giving training and technical support will help put less pressure on teachers to learn something new and help teachers that are less tech-savvy get on the right track.

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Here is a link to my Flickr account!

www.flickr.com/amberlynn118