Blog Post #3

The ELA technology standard that I am very comfortable with is W/WHST.8 “Use Multiple Sources”. This involves using print and digital sources such as audio and video to gather information (“Consuming” Tech Standards). I have a lot of practice using online database sources such as JSTOR for research papers, and watching documentaries and videos and taking notes from them. Therefore, I think that I would be comfortable teaching these things to my future students.  I think that the ELA technology standard that I need more preparation with is using digital media in presentations (SL.5 “Use Digital Media”). I have not had proper training or have taken a class on digital media and technology, and therefore my only experience with it is what I have figured out on my own. I think that further knowledge of digital media will help me better present material to my students, and better help me teach my students how to do this themselves. The varying materials such as audio and visual will help students with different learning styles to comprehend material and use it as well.

I would like to use social networking sites such as Edmodo with my students in order for them to be more connected to what is going on in the classroom. I wish to teach at the high school level, and the generation of digital natives are always on social networking sites and their cell phones. Web tools, like Edmodo, allow students to access them from their cell phones or computers at home. With notifications turned on, I as a teacher will be able to post assignments, post updates about assignments or quizzes, and post online reading material at any point out of school hours and students will be able to see it immediately. This will remind those students who tend to forget about homework or quiz dates, and the information will be right in their hand on their phone rather than on a piece of paper crumbled at the bottom of their backpack. Most parents allow their high school age students to use at least some type of social networking site, and with Edmodo, they can be connected too in order to see all that is going on. Therefore, all students should be able to use it and access any information I post on the class page. When it comes to digital citizenship, I will need to address how students interact on Edmodo with each other and with myself, monitor that there are no inappropriate posts or private personal information being posted, that students cite everything they post on it that was taken from another source, and that students participate in the discussions an acceptable amount. These will make them good digital citizens and make their experience with Edmodo most efficient. As the teacher and author of the class webpage, I will make sure to keep the site up to date, post regularly, and always ensure that it is enhancing the class’s knowledge and comprehension of what is going on in class.

 During the Newsletter Design assignment, I learned how to use the formatting tools such as “clear all formatting”. When using the word art, I had to figure out how to switch back to normal text which led me to figuring out how to clear the formatting in order to then change the font and text color. I also learned how to add graphics and move them easily around the document by putting it behind the text rather than in front of the text. I really enjoyed creating the newsletter because it was fun to make it colorful and add graphics to it. I also enjoyed pretending to be a teacher with my own students and make up things like a history fair, the names of the winners, and a field trip that we would go on in the future. I didn’t like having to use textboxes, columns, different types of print formatting, and other things that were difficult and sometimes took a long time to get just right on the page. I believe that I could improve my newsletter by making the articles more in-depth and interesting, as well as adding photos of actual students or projects that the class completed. I will use the Word formatting skills I learned in this assignment when creating letters to give to parents, when making colorful newsletters like this one, when creating lesson plans and handouts for students, and when creating graphics for presentations and projects.