Final Reflection!!!!!!!

I can't believe that I finished!! I an not a real "techie" person. I always want a step by step "How To Manual" when working with technology but you never get one. So, for me this class seemed overwhelming at the beginning. Each lesson would take me several hours to complete. However, by the end of the class, my comfort level with technology is much better. I am not so afraid to give technology a try. For this change in my own behavior, I am very thankful! I really enjoyed using all of the tools. I liked the Prezi, Screencasting, Tagxedo. I feel that tools like these are the future of teaching. I think that for next year I should choose one tool and get good at it. Because for me, while I am in the middle of the school year, I don't have time to try a lot of new things. I really enjoyed the collaboration. I liked looking at the blogs of people who were ahead of me to get helpful hints or suggestions before I started my assignments. I also got a kick out of how creative everyone was! I am so thankful for the open lab times! You guys were there when I need you!! I appreciate that!! I am very glad I reached out of my comfort zone to take this class. Thank You!!

Activity #10

For Activity #10 I was trying to think of a way to communicate with parents and students. I wanted to find something useful that most parents would have access to. I thought of using Twitter. I even watched the how to videos. But, the more I thought about it, I didn't think that every parent would have access to it and I also wanted students to be able to use it. So, I decided against it. I then decided to go back to Activity #1 and look at the Blog sites. I created a blog using Kidblog.org. My hope is to use this to connect with parents and students. I liked this site because I could send out information and I could also control the comments posted by others with the control settings. Here is my blog address: www.kidblog.org/MrslockesSunnysideClass

Activity #9

Scenario #4: Age Restrictions Ethically-Of course she should follow the age requirements. We would not want to encourage students to disregard the rules and guidelines of a web site. Maintaining integrity is very important even if you think no one else is watching. Safety or Well Being-When used appropriately for the in class poster project I feel that everyone is safe. However, students should be strongly cautioned about using any online tool appropriately. Advice- Before starting any website where students can post online I would let parents know and tell them how they could access the post. I feel strongly that parents should monitor their student's online life and behaviors. Real-life-I do not have any real life drama or personal connections to relate this scenario. But, I do feel that as parents and teachers we must protect a student's online life. Scenario #7: Course Management Overload Ethical issues-I don't see any overt ethical issues as long as Edmodo is a reputable, upstanding and easy to use site. However, I am concerned with why this site is not officially supported by the tech department. I would want to find out why. And also find out why so many course management tools are being used in one school. Safety or Well Being-I understand that the parents are concerned with a student's well being. Juggling many passwords and accounts can be frustrating for anyone. Advice-I do feel that the parent has a valid point. Using 4 different course management tools is a lot and perhaps is not really helping students manage all of their courses. Having one "go to spot" or course management tool would be more effective. Having a school wide discussion on the subject would be a great idea. Real-life- Once again, I do not have any personal connections to this issue. However, I do see both sides to this issue. The teacher believes they are making things easier for the students and themself. And as the parent, I see that having 4 course management tools is not helping the student manage their academics effectively.

Activity #8

Polling

I really like how you can get a quick response to your poll.  This could be used to quickly see if your students understand a concept or ask parents a question.  My only problem is getting a polling device into the hands of students quick enough to make the poll relevant. 

Google Forms I thought I could create forms for parents to fill or for kids to answer. However, I still am trying to figure out a way to get devices into the hands of students to fill out the forms. I will also have to figure out how to format these pages to fit on a blog. I also learned that you can only vote once from a phone.

Activity #7

Here is a worksheet that will go along with a pamphlet I will use in Guided Reading.  It is a nonfiction pamphlet on the Human Body. I could share this with my team or with students if they need an extra copy or to make a copy at home.



https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bMpMFAXLUWu5p4REN-yNUGf5aD_miGmR3z3NvejUr_U/edit?usp=sharing

Activity #6

I really liked the idea of using Tagxedo for many lessons.  For example, here I just made a list of  words with prefixes.  I could also suffixes or many other ideas.   I also tried Quizlet.com.  I made flashcards for some prefix words, tried the test  and played a scatter game.  I thought this would be good to show the students how they could use this sight to study for vocabulary tests, math or social studies test in third grade.

Activity #5 YouTube Channel

Here is my embedded video from YouTube. I like to use this with my geometry unit.

Activity #4 Screencasting

I think screencasting would become easier with more practice. I tried using "screener" but I need to update Java on my home computer.  So, I went to the open lab and used the smart notebook instead.  It worked well to already have a plan for my screencast before I started.

Activity #3-Storybird

I thought storybird was interesting.  I did find it hard to have to adjust the story to the pictures.  My brain wanted to write a story and then add pictures to go along with the story.  I thought this might be a good place for students to practice keyboarding skills and computer skills. I may even use it for lesson. But,  I am not sure I would use it as a place to teach how to write a story.

Activity #2

I just created my first Prezi.  It was much easier than I thought.  I would love to take the time to create some additional Prezis for different lessons. I didn't think the title would show up on top of the Prezi.  I will have to figure out how to move this.

Insects

Review the parts of an insects from this video.

How many body parts does an insect have?

How many legs does an insect have?

What is an exoskeleton?

•  This blog could be useful in my classroom because I could already have my assignments and videos ready to go when I need them.    Also, students that missed a lesson could be caught up easily at home or during the school day.
•   I like the fact that is was created my a teacher and it seems very straight forward to use.

Kickoff

I am sitting here in the computer lab wonder what I am going to have for dinner!!!  But, I should be concentrating on creating an "Awesome" blog.  I was motivated to take this class to improve my technology skills.  I hope I learn lots of great "techie" skills to impress my friends and family.  Even though I really know that a chimpanzee has more computer skills than I do. So, easy to say that I am starting at ground zero! I am ready to step into the world of blogging!!