Blog Post #10

            I think that when teaching, I will use data collection tools such as Excel to keep track of students’ grades and their overall progress in the class. For a specific middle school history class, I could use it to present data and statistics of certain things in history to my class, and I can use it to track the behavior of my students if I have a group that has behavior problems. I can use data collection tools such as Excel to turn in to my boss to show the different assignments and the grades my students received on them. I would also use survey programs such as Google Forms in class as a form for evaluation at the end of the semester, or for choosing a movie to watch or book to read so that my students have a say in the classroom. These tools put a lot of information into one document that is easy to read, and they are an easy way to gather information from students, which is why they are beneficial and will be used by me as a future teacher.

               Reviewing my classmates’ blogs throughout the semester, I found that I highly enjoyed topics where they posted new or interesting technologies that I had not heard of. It was interesting to learn about new things, hear how they would use it, and be able to follow a link to it and research the new technology, program, or tool myself. One of these was Diigo. These topics on the blogs were not only interesting because the technologies students talked about were just really amazing, but hearing how the other students would use those technologies gave me ideas of how I could use them so was beneficial.

                I would like to learn how to work better with computer software. I am not comfortable with installing and downloading computer software or working with it to create something that could be used in my classroom to teach. I think that becoming more comfortable with current computer programs, I will be better prepared to learn new computer software programs when they come out in the future so that my students can have access to the most recent technologies through my classroom.

               I think that in order to keep up with the newest technologies and educational technology changes, I will need to take part in workshops and lectures or conferences about new technology and how to use it in the classroom. I hope to stay up to date on new technology and ideas for using it in the classroom through social media like Twitter, and by reading teacher blogs and looking out for workshops in my area. I wish to use technology to the fullest in my classroom and I want to be comfortable with it so that it can have the greatest positive impact on my students.  

PowerPoint for Information Dissemination

PowerPoint Interaction

Blog Post #9

The flipped classroom is where activity that usually happens in the classroom happens at home, and where what usually happens at home, happens in the classroom. Teachers assign recorded educational videos to the students to watch for homework so that the students learn the material at home rather than having the teacher lecture to them during class time (Lever-Duffy 238). Then in class, the students work on assignments and activities that will engage them in the material and help them better understand it- something that is usually homework. This allows teachers to spend time guiding the students to make discoveries for themselves, gain hands-on experience, and go deeper in the content, rather than lecturing, which may not reach many students. Khan Academy is an outstanding source for educational videos that teach material effectively. Here is the link to their website:  https://www.khanacademy.org/

A great web-based resource teachers can use for professional development are blogs. Blogs allow teachers to get ideas from what other teachers have done in their classrooms, and to see how teachers handled classroom management, time management, and disruptions/problems with their students. Also, according to the podcast on Technology and Professional Development, new teachers can learn what to expect in the classroom before they are placed in one, and when teachers are assigned a grade level for the first time they can find out how to handle that age group by reading blogs by teachers who teach that grade level. A very interesting blog I came across is by a teacher who instructs 6 year olds. Here is the link if you would like to see some interesting and fun activities she has recently done with her students: /http://mscassidysclass.edublogs.org/

I enjoyed the PowerPoint Interaction assignment because it was fun to make a game for students to learn from in an engaging way. I learned how to make objects move on a single slide and how to time the length of their movement and at what action they move on. Although it was challenging at times to make the PowerPoint move on its own without multiple clicks, and to make my information flow with the template, it was something I know I will do in the future with my students. Next time to improve I would attempt to create the game by scratch instead of using a template. I would use a game like this for review for a quiz or test. I would also use it after reading a book or watching a movie in order to test the student’s retention. 

Blog Post #8

I think that the technology advancement that holds the most promise for future education is Gamification, such as the new technology, ATOMS. Gamification would be significant to future education because it immerses children in hands-on education, which I believe is much more beneficial than learning just from a textbook or lecture. Gamification makes learning interactive, fun, and eliminates the standard ways of testing (Lever-Duffy, 288-89). For example, ATOMS allows students to work with electronic blocks, letting them use their hands to learn about technology and to create things on their own, which challenges and strengthens the brain (288). This technology would be used to teach material, allow students to create projects, and test students on topics- just all through activities and games.

                The digital divide is the gap between those who have access to technology and those who do not. I do have access to technology. I have my own laptop and cell phone, and access to internet access at my home, at school, as well as public places such as restaurants that provide free Wi-Fi. The digital divide will impact my classroom because I will have students in my class that do not have computers at home or that do not have access to the internet at home. This will make using technology for things such as homework assignments or take-home projects difficult for some students. Since technology is so important for education and especially future education, assistance will need to be given to those children that do not have access to technology and the internet. As a teacher I would have to ensure that the student would have time to access the internet at school in order to complete assignments. I will also have to teach the students technological skills so that they are not behind those who learn technology at home.  

                The PowerPoint for Information Dissemination assignment taught me how to record a PowerPoint Show. I have never had to voice over a PowerPoint before, so it was interesting to do so. I also learned how to create a master slide, and use SmartArt. I highly enjoyed doing this assignment and I liked finding pictures and videos to add to the lesson, as well as creating activities and questions to go with the lesson. However, the assignment was very time consuming. I can improve my PowerPoint by including more graphs, animations, or speaking less monotone in my PowerPoint show. I will be creating PowerPoints just like this one to teach lessons to my future students as a teacher, so it was very beneficial to get practice now. 

PowerPoint Assignment 9

Blog Post #7

PowerPoint can be used to help student learning at each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. For “remember”, having a few key terms on the PowerPoint will help those important words stick into student’s heads so they memorize them. For “understand”, you can have a picture on the PowerPoint that describes what you are talking about, further helping students understand the topic by mixing a visual with your description. For “apply”, you can pose a question on the PowerPoint, or link to a website that has practice problems or questions regarding the topic, to allow students to use what you’re teaching. For “analyze”, you can have a chart, graph, or concept web or map on your PowerPoint that makes the topic more clear for the students and connects the ideas simply. For “Evaluate”, you can compare and contract two views by splitting the slide in two showing the different sides, to allow students to decide which one they agree with after critiquing their ideas. For “create”, you can use your PowerPoint as an example of how your students should design their own PowerPoints, and give examples of good slides and bad slides through your PowerPoint.

                

Adaptive technologies are those things that support learners who may have some disability or exceptionality. Word prediction software is a program that predicts the next word the student wants to type and shows the choices. This helps students who have physical disabilities that make typing hard. There is also talking word processing programs that allow students with physical disabilities to complete assignments without having to do any physical writing or typing (Lever-Duffy 69). These programs are just two examples of adaptive technologies explained in “Teaching and Learning with Technology” that support learners with exceptionalities. According to the podcast, there are also adaptive technologies that help those students with learning disabilities, such as spell checking software. This greatly helps students who have Dyslexia and other problems with writing and grammar. I have used spell check software through Word when writing papers for class, and I have also used word prediction software when text messaging. They are a great benefit to make writing easier, faster, and to ensure that they are scholarly written with proper grammar and spelling throughout. I believe that there may be challenges when it comes to allowing some students to use adaptive technologies while others do not. Also, it may be difficult to have a student trying to speak into a program to type when students around him or her are speaking as well, or quietly trying to work on their own assignments.   

I learned a lot while working on the web page design assignment. This was my first time making a website, so it was interesting to learn how to design each page. The templates that Weebly provided were helpful, and after a while I got comfortable with changing text size, font, color, backgrounds, and organizing things on the page. I learned how to hyperlink a picture or a word, rather than just inserting a URL link, which I am glad that I now know how to do. I found it difficult to place pictures exactly where I wanted them, which gave me some frustration but after a while I was able to design the pages to my liking. Next time I can improve my website by being more creative in different design layouts for each page, and adding more interactive graphics or videos. I know that I will be using the skills I learned in this assignment as a teacher, because I will create and continually keep going a website for my classes that the students and parents will be able to access. The website will be beneficial because it will have important dates, links that will help with the curriculum, and information on how to contact me. 

Web Page Design Link

8th Grade American History Website

Web Page Design

ILP "Design"- Edmodo

I created an Edmodo group site for an 11th Grade American History Class. After personalizing my teacher profile, I created an assignment using Microsoft Word and then posted it to Edmodo, along with an online exhibit the students would use to complete the assignment. I also created a quiz on WWI through Edmodo, assigning a due date for both of these. There are links to audio recordings, a video, and an interactive game that the students can access. I also used Goggle Docs to post a spreadsheet in which the students will fill out their groups for projects in the class. This Edmodo site would be used by a teacher to post assignments, quizzes, interactive activities and links, and discussion questions for his or her students. The assignments and quiz is also linked to gradebook so parent's can see their student's academic progress. Click on the link below to access the Edmodo:

11th Grade American History Edmodo Page

group code: 7qbtaz 

15 Differences between Amateur Slides and Professional Slides Slideshare!

This slideshare shows the differences between a PowerPoint slide that is amateur, or not that good, to a professional one that is easy to read, most effective, and most creative. It discusses, font, size of text, color scheme, and many other things!

15 Differences Between Amateur & Pro Slides! from Sadman Sadik