Book Talk

For my TE 348 final I had to demonstrate a Book Talk on a favorite past time story. I decided to my final on the Polar Express. I hope you enjoy viewing and listening to it. Also I think this would be a great way for students to learn how to use technology and do a book report. ;)

Wikispaces

Wikispaces is yet another educational tool that we as future educators have in our arsenal. Unlike Weebly or my blog, Wikispaces allows anyone to edit the information on my page. Aside from the ability to post comments, the actual content can be edited, which poses interesting advantages, but also some disadvantages. The ability to make content private, in which only invited guests are allowed to edit is of major importance. This insures you don't just have randoms editing your pages. In an educational setting a wiki can be used for various tasks, including class trips/projects. The messaging feature is also a nice touch, as it serves as another form of communication on the site. Here is a link to my wiki. The many widgets that are at your disposal is also a positive of using a wiki, specifically wikispaces. Enjoy.

A Way to Tell a Story

For this week’s task I chose to write a short story about my trip to China with my family. I used picture of the places I saw and organized them in a power point presentation. I then upload it to myPlick.com to publish my story book. I like how myPlick was easy and straight forward to use and if I wanted to and music I could have to my story. I know this cite and especially this idea would be useful as a teacher for putting together a reflective story about a class trip or a project. Being able to make a story digitally like in myPlick helps the students see how a story can vividly come alive. I think a lot of students would enjoy even doing presentations more as they see that a presentation is just a story being told out loud.
The site I used was great for the short story I did, however it was more of a presentation site. I would encourage others to chose a different more interacting site if they wanted to make a story book. However if I was just uploading a presentation or story to tell the class then I did like how quick and easy myPlick worked. It was very user friendly.
Below is the story that I put together in myPlick.com. I hope you all enjoy.

My Trip to China

Student Success For Life

Reading Ira Socal's, "A Toolbelt For A Lifetime" encouraged me to think even more outside the box about technology and how it is, and can be used in the classroom. To often it seems teachers and administrators are thinking short term in relation to school and student success. Technology is often discouraged, as it can be a distraction. However, shouldn't it be more important for kids to learn how to be responsible with a device such as a cell phone? Cell phones aren't going to magically disappear, so it would be more beneficial for students to learn how to use them responsibly and respectfully.

The longer you hold students back from the real world the more lost they will be when they're thrown into the fire. Shouldn't school serve as an avenue to prepare children for life, rather than holding them back from it. Both parents and teachers can sometimes forget that children have to be guided, not forced. There has to be room for them to make their own decisions, experience their own failures, because this is what helps them grow. A correct balance is hard to find, but is essential to students learning, developing, and progressing. Technology must not be feared, but rather embraced as is a tool that can provide great benefit, and must be learned for success in today's society. We must teach children to be problem solvers, not do the problem solving for them. With our help, but not too much of it, we can be the people who ensure children will have success throughout their whole life...and that my friends is something that you can be satisfied with!

Budgeting Your Time

As I'm sure many of my classmates have noticed, trying to follow, create, and stay up to date with all of these different programs can be quite time consuming. I am trying to attack this as a crash course into learning many technologies that I will be familiar with and able to use in the classroom if I choose to do so. I am glad that I have had this exposure to these many useful programs, but I think it is a little unrealistic to maintain this same level of commitment year in and year out. Time is a valuable commodity, and while I am thankful for all that I have learned so far, and will continue to learn I think the most important thing to remember is to have a balanced life. Taking some time out of your week to explore and stay up to date with new technology is very important, but it is something that one must not let completlely consume them.

Everchanging Technology

Thinking about technology in general can sometimes just make my head hurt. This program does this, this application does that, there is a new update, how do I do that again? Trying to stay up to date with the latest and greatest can be a job in and of itself. That being said, it is easy for one to get comfortable with certain technologies, and shut out all of the new things out there. On one end, this may seem like it's making life easier for you, but let's look a little deeper. Not being familiar with current technology can be quite troublesome, especially for a teacher. Being able to help your students use current programs will give them more respect for you, and also make them more interested in the subject matter. It is not always the easiest thing to do, but staying current with technology will be quite helpful in the long run.

Jing is Bling

Here is a link to my first attempt with Jing (just click Lesson Plan #1 for the link to view the video.) The video is an overview of my Lesson Plan #1 with technology integrated. I really really enjoyed this form of technology and think that it would be great for a class and students. I find it easy to make a lesson and if I was to add the webcam feature to a lesson or an example it really allows the audience to feel connected. I know that in my feature I will most likely be using Jing not only in the classroom setting but also to within my home life. I think I also like Jing more than voicethread as it was quick and easy to understand. This would be a great tool for teachers who knew they needed a subsitute teacher for awhile, or for a teacher that had a student who had been ill for awhile. All the teacher would have to do is go over the lesson and make a video with their voice to explain the subject matter. I highly recommend anyone and everyone to check out jing at jingproject.com to learn more and explore.

Audio Incorporated

I have never used Voice Thread and found it confusing at first but I really was just over thinking it. I like the fact that you can add audio to the presentation and think this is a great tool for if a student is sick or for awhile or a great way for kids to learn off of. I am looking forward to exploring the site more. Here is a sample lesson I put together with audio.

4th of July

This is the first time I have used Zoho and really liked it for lessons without voice.

Blogs Are Like A Box of Chocolates?

My momma always used to say, “Blogs are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” Really though, would anyone have expected me to relate blogging to a box of chocolates? That’s one of the beauty’s of blogging; you have to expect the unexpected. Having a blog allows one to let their creative juices flow; no matter the topic, it is always interesting to see where the author goes with it. This alone makes utilizing blogging in the classroom a very useful tool for a few reasons. First, it can provide the children with a creative outlet, which allows the teacher and fellow students to learn more about them outside of the classroom walls. How many times have you been in a class and a topic has completely enthralled you, but the time didn’t exist within class to fulfill it to your desire? Well, hello blogging, oh… you allow me to write about what I am interested in all while continuing to further my creativity, writing skills, and develop a greater vocabulary; and I can see what my fellow students think about this as well. It’s nice to meet you, where have you been all my life? Aside from a teacher controlling the conversation, and informing students of assignments; so many greater uses can come from getting the kids involved in the blogging. You’ll find out what is of interest to them, what you should focus on, and relationships will be built that otherwise wouldn’t have been if blogging was not utilized; and always remember to expect the unexpected.

Google is Taking Over the World

As many of you know, Google is taking over the world. Well, maybe that’s a slight overstatement, but with their wide array of products and offerings, and the scope of the material that they cover it is amazing how many technology categories they seem to dominate. One area that looks to be very useful, specifically in the classroom, is Google Documents (Docs). We have all had group projects before, and we know how much of a hassle it can be to continuously email attachment after attachment trying to share our information with everyone. I wish I would have known about Google Docs sooner, because it would have made everything so much more streamlined. With everyone able to view the same document, it saves so much time and annoyance over the traditional email route. Let’s say you have your class in a computer lab. Traditionally, you would print out a copy of a paper and pass it around the room in order to share it. Hmm… let’s think about this, a kid in a computer lab…with a sheet of paper in front of him… what is he going to want to pay attention to more? Emailing an attachment to the students would create a whole other set of its own problems. Using Google Docs allows students to all access the same document, and also allows them to make changes and provide feedback; making the whole process much more interactive, and in turn effective. Kids can also be more motivated by the fact that all of their classmates are able to critique their work, so I higher level of pride and ownership is likely to be taken. The benefits of Google Docs are too many to cover in a short blog, so try it out for yourself, and let Google make life easier for you and your students.

The Endless Possibilities of Google Earth

Exploring Google Earth was an amazing experience. I had seen friends use it to view their homes or other areas, but I had no idea that it had so many different capabilities. One of the best parts about it is the ability to not only explore Earth’s surface, but it can also explore beneath the ocean’s surface, and also surrounding moons and planets. If that is not enough, it also offers the ability to view these locations over time. A scroll bar allows you to see how an area has changed and developed throughout history. With all of these fun things to do and explore wouldn’t it be great if you could chronicle the places you visited. Well, look no further, Google Earth also allows you to record your tour. With all of these features and more to come, Google Earth is a great tool for use within the classroom. The only downfalls that exist with the program are cost, which could be hefty for implementation into schools, and the access to computers and projectors that would be needed. Once you get past these downfalls, the possibilities are endless for the uses in the classroom. The interactive nature of the program makes it a phenomenal teaching tool, and will really bring a level of excitement and awe to the students. Being able to show the development of a location over time would be an outstanding tool to incorporate into lessons. Showing close-ups of the moon and other planets, along with far off destinations on Earth is a great way for kids to connect and relate better to a lesson. Showing them the destruction and development of the school and surrounding areas is a great way to get kids involved. Overall, Google Earth is an excellent instrument to use as a teacher as long as you have the means to access it.

Photoshop.com Album: Digital Lab Sample

Creative Commons and Copyright

Incorporating Images into the classroom adds an important aspect to learning. A lot of children are visual learners. Anywhere you can add an interesting picture can have a positive impact on the overall learning experience. An image can be used to help describe a lesson that is being taught, explain a story, or share a travel experience. The more interest kids gain in area of study the better they will do.









Photo Attribution:

Original Image: "Sydney Opera House at Night"
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3020/2553585876_c6ec8fae9a_m.jpg
By: Corey Leopoid

Released under an Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en


This is a photo I licensed with Creative Commons!

"Badlands National Park"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50860741@N02/4671634975/?edited=1
By: Sarah Gavin

Twitter: a useful tool

After using Twitter for a few weeks, I have to admit that it has exceeded my expectations. I am glad that that I gave it a chance, and now see it as a tool that can be useful for me both in the classroom, and in everyday life. Going into it, I expected to see the same old status updates like you encounter on FaceBook all the time, but instead I was pleasantly surprised. Getting to choose who you follow gives you a lot more control of what kind of information you see. Of course, there are still times when you run across those completely irrelevant updates, but I have to say for the most part they are quite informative and useful. Having to constantly follow everyone’s updates can be very time consuming and I don’t want to be glued to a computer all day. In moderation though, it is a useful tool for coworkers and professionals alike to stay in touch and offer valuable information to each other. I see it as being more useful for me personally as a professional tool rather than simply a social tool, but to each his own. For me, I can see Twitter helping me to both learn and teach in the classroom. Being able to see updates from experienced members of the teaching community will help me with lesson plans and classroom management. Also, outside of classroom hours it provides an avenue of communication to students to help remind them of assignments and to help with the organization of group projects I know that Twitter has exceeded my expectations and provides a large upside for use within my classroom. Give it a chance, and most likely it can be a beneficial tool for both professional and social use.

Technology Obsevered within a Classroom

Last fall I observed a fourth grade class and saw how computers and websites were being used to help the lesson flow smoothly. Not only did the instructor use interacting websites to help show the class planets within our solar system but she also had the class collect data about the sun and moon from some of these websites. She taught the class and showed the class how to research for information about certain planets so that when the students went to the school’s computer lab they were able to look up information and filter through the information found to do a project. I loved how excited the students were to learn more about the planets just because they could see vivid pictures and do it themselves after going over it in the classroom. All the students were thrilled to use the computers and some even found interacting websites, where they could play games. I think this was a great way to get the students interested in the solar system and a wonderful example of how technology can be used within a classroom.

Twitter and Book in Face

Book in Face... 'What is she talking about? After reading Jamie's blog post, "Twitter: Just another facebook, right?" I had many thoughts going through my head. I shared her skepticism with joining Twitter, and agreed with her analysis of communication in schools. In many schools today, children are mainly learning through books. I find this as a flaw. There should be more stress on communication skills and group work. These are the things that will stick with children. In all areas of life it is key to have good communication skills. Almost every avenue and career that people pursue will almost surely involve group work. Having the skills and confidence to talk to individuals and groups is a topic that seems to be left behind in some instances.

With the ever expanding technology that we deal with on a daily basis it is still important to have the ability to relay information confidently, clearly, and concisely, whether it be online or in person. The way you communicate can either create a positive or negative first impression. I'll take Twitter as an example. I had no intention of ever creating a Twitter account, but as you know it is a must for this class. I was used to seeing people brag about themselves, and post useless status updates on Facebook I thought Twitter would be the same. Following some people makes me think of this quote from Billy Madison, "Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

After actually spending some time on Twitter, and choosing some interesting people to follow I realize that Twitter can be a useful learning tool. It is a way to pick the minds of some very knowledgeable people. It can help you learn some new things to try in the classroom, and help you to inspire you to think outside of the box. I know I will be checking regularly to find any information that can be helpful to my students and I, and I urge you to give Twitter a chance and do the same. Step outside your comfort zone a bit, expand your horizons, and you'll be able to find and learn a plethora of new ideas. So get your faces out of those books and maybe you'll find a tweet that will be really neat!

Exploring

This is my first week ever using Twitter and blogging. I have been following people that interest me and also been following educational sites to help me understand how schools network with one another through twitter. I have not seen how twitter would be helpful in a classroom unless the students used to help with a group project and posting sites or by allowing students to quickly point out information that they found. As for blogging I have been looking at these sites and think that they have some great tools on them. Check them out if you’re looking for some ideas for teaching with technology.
• http://www.21stcenturyschoolteacher.com/
• http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/

I also found blogging to be very helpful for me to find out more information about things I am interested in teaching like English as a second language. I used this Wiki to find more about a subject area that I desire to know more about.
• http://movingforward.wikispaces.com/Education+Blogs+by+Discipline

This Wiki especially helped me find a blog site about ESL that really helped me answer questions about the field.
• http://www.esl-school.com/

Background in Technology

I have been fortunate enough to have received a decent background in technology, however I do think that I need to have a stronger one as technology is ever evolving. I have learned my technology background mostly from school and my parents. Throughout school I have learned and used Microsoft Office. My parents have taught me to use email, search engines, and higher tech type of phones. I only started to use Facebook and Skype when I went to college. I have never cared to use Twitter, MySpace, or blogging since I am a person who feels like I do not need to read about other people’s lives or let everyone know what is going on with my life. Hopefully throughout this class the usage of Twitter and blogging will help me discover a better understanding for what they are about and how they will assist me with networking and how best to incorporate them when I teach a class. I am interested in learning more about all types of technologies we are going to discuss in this class since it will help me in the future as I teach others. I am also curious to learn new things about technology and how technology is evolving. Overall my expectation for this class is to learn more about technology and how I can use it in my future classroom so my students have the ability to learn as much as they can.