Monday, November 23, 2015

ILP "Design" Edmodo

Earlier in the year, we were introduced to a website called Edmodo. Edmodo is known for facilitating communication and collaboration within the classroom. I chose to design my own Edmodo page for this ILP because I believe I will be using it in my classroom. When I designed my Edmodo page, I ended up creating a quiz for my pretend Kindergarten class. It was easy for me to create the quiz and it had several options for the format. I was also able to post a poll, and I could share that with my classroom and with my student's parents. This website was tricky to navigate at first, but once I got the hang of it I was able to figure out all of the quirks. 

I also appreciated how you can download the Edmodo app on any device, so if my classroom has iPads my students will be able to access my website. The same goes for parents and their cellular devices. This also makes it easier for me to update the website, with polls, assignments, and quizzes.


My Edmodo: http://www.edmodo.com/mow13c 
Group Code: izg6tn

Thursday, November 19, 2015

ILP: Webinar

This webinar explained how to navigate through the Library of Congress. I personally found the initial part of this webinar boring because it just kept explaining how to use the search bar, which I found redundant and not very useful. As the webinar continued I was more intrigued by the content of the website which includes a lot of resources for students and teachers. 


  • They have special interest in America’s history
  • You can use an “ask librarian” link and it is one of the most useful tools on the website
  • They have a copyright office you can contact
  • First Method: Only search within your specific database
  • Second Method: Use the search bar at the top
  • They have a collection of historical films
  • Discover: Locate things by format
  • There is a refine your search bar on the side of the screen
  • You can also look at all of the digital collections (a group of digitized items as well as framing text) under the discover tab
  • Each collection has featured items that can be hidden if needed
  • They have a box where participants can ask questions and the panelists will answer them while the webinar is going on
  • Click on the thumbnail to make it bigger
  • You can zoom in or download the image as well
  • They have a lot of different resources specifically for librarians
  • They have a poetry and literature center
  • Under the Visit tab you can find the different exhibits that have been held at the library
  • They have a large range of materials in each exhibit
  • They have an Education tab for teachers and students
  • Poetry 180 -- a poem a day for high school students
  • The have another tab for answers to “everyday mysteries”
  • Teacher resources -- under thumbnail image
  • Designed for teachers who want to incorporate primary source materials
  • Teachers can sort the material based on standard!
  • They also have lesson plans and different activities
  • They have a link to different blogs related to their website
  • They also have podcasts
  • Over 10 million digitize newspapers
  • Lookup materials based on the audience
  • They have a genealogy and local history reference service
  • Online web guides and bibliographies 

Monday, November 16, 2015

10 Wrapping it Up

Some of the new skills that I learned from this project was how to accurately use the Action Buttons to link my slides and make them jump around. One of the perks of this was learning how to jump around throughout PowerPoint by clicking "Browse at Kiosk". I really enjoyed working on this project because it gave my new ideas on how to review large and complicated concepts for exams. I would improve my project next time by not using a template and just trying to wing it on my own. I did like my template but I ended up changing all of the fonts and backgrounds to make it more appropriate. 

I think that I would use the data collection tool to figure out what helps the students review for their tests. I can also use the tool to see what extent my students need help on certain areas of math or reading. For my first graders they would need to learn certain standards like capitalization and basic grammar structures and with a data collection tool I can see how comfortable they are with each section and I could do the same thing for any subject.

One of the most interesting blogs I remembered reading about from my classmates would've been the use of Web 2.0 in the classroom. I already had very strong opinions about how I would be using it in my classroom but reading about how other people would use it really opened up my mind to a variety of applications that could be used. These specific blogs showed my websites that I could use daily in my classroom and I really appreciated that it so strongly relates to my future career.

Some of the technology skills I would like to learn next is group video conferences. I have seen it used in a few classrooms where students from all over the world can give presentations to other classrooms that are learning about the same topic. Seeing the insight from someone of a different region can really open up different opinions that people may not have been comfortable talking about before. This technology could also allow sick students to live stream the classroom so they don't miss as much material when they aren't there. 

One of the many ways I plan on achieving my goals as a teacher is through practice and through the help of those around me. I have learned to use a lot of different programs in this class throughout this semester and I can't wait to use them in my own classroom. I also believe that some of the connections that I made in this class will help me because I can call on some friends if I am having difficulties with some of the technology that I am using. This class has made me feel even more excited about becoming a teacher and all of these experiences make me feel a little bit more prepared than I would have been before. 

Survey: Chipotle

https://fsu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cu3snCwUganj5A1 

Monday, November 9, 2015

9 The Flipped Classroom

The "Flipped Classroom" is where the teacher assigns a video the night before a lesson, to give the students a head start on what is going to be going on the next day. The students will watch the videos the night before so during class time the teacher can work on more individualized practices and activities based on what the curriculum has in store.I like the flipped classroom because it allows the teacher to be more prepared for the activity and have more time as well. I don't like that it takes out a lot of the actual teaching that still needs to be done. This would also severely impact students who don't have access to technology at home because they would not be able to watch the videos and they would fall behind very quickly.  
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/ 

While searching for websites that have educational videos, I stumbled upon Edutopia which turned out to be a great resource for professional development. This website has incorporated many of the tactics that I see in our EME class on a regular basis. The website has it's own twitter account, which provides another way for teachers to communicate. The website posts teacher strategies regularly and it also posts different ways that teachers can show school leadership. 
One of the more popular articles that this website has is "5 Tips for Avoiding Teacher Burnout". I feel like a lot of other websites can tell you how to be a good teacher and how to motivate your students, but this website can give you help where other websites lack. This website understands that there IS a struggle for teachers to continue because it is such a hard job, even though it is continuously looked down upon by others. This website is always posting new ways to help teachers with their professional development while also adding a hint of emotional development on the side. 
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/5-tips-avoiding-teacher-burnout-mary-beth-hertz 

On this week's assignment, I was able to use some of the new tricks that I learned in our class. I really enjoyed creating a lesson plan and then actually getting to teach it, but without the class actually being there I felt awkward just interacting with myself. I tried creating an imaginary audience with my pillows but without the responses I still felt awkward. One of my favorite things to do was group pictures together to create a bigger graphic, but I think that's just because I like to press buttons. I also liked how I got to incorporate the new techniques for PowerPoint, like using less words. It was harder than I thought initially because I just wanted to write it all out on the screen, but once I got the hang of it I was actually able to create a slide that only had 5 words. I am also obsessed with the template I found because it is super cute. 

Monday, November 2, 2015

8 Present and Future Technology

The technology advancement in chapter 12 that I believe holds the biggest promise for education would be 3D printing. 3D printing allows educators to print models of objects that wouldn't be available to them otherwise. 3D printing also can print in braille so it would be convenient for teachers who educate blind students. It would also allow other teachers to show children what it is like for people who cannot see. This technology would be utilized by several different subjects, including science, math, social studies, and art. 

One of the future technologies that was not mentioned in the book was the occulus rift. I had the opportunity to use this technology last week in the FSU Education Tech Box. I used it to simulate being on a roller coaster, but when I was talking to one of the people in there they started to talk to me about how it could be used in education. The occulus rift is currently being used on athletes to simulate an on-field experience without the chance of injury. The simulation still stimulates the adrenaline as the real-life experience but it allows the participant to go over different events without the susceptibility of concussions. 

The digital divide talks about the divide of people who do and do not have technology. I am personally on the side of the divide who does have technology, hence how I am writing this blog post. I have had the privilege to be surrounded by technology for most of my life and I also have the benefit of taking my EME class to learn more about the technology I can use. I think the digital divide will still be present when I become a teacher and therefore I will have to address the issues that come with it. I will try my hardest to make sure that the computer labs will be open for my students to access after school, even if that means that I have to stay late as well. I could set aside certain times during the week for the students to come into the classroom and work on their extra homework. I can also allow the students to come into the classroom during their lunch and recess periods to work on their assignments if they don't have the opportunity to at home. 

Monday, October 26, 2015

7 Powerpoint and Other Supporters

I would use Powerpoint to help assist my lesson plans without overpowering the students with useless information. Within my research I have found that it is better to use simpler fonts and less words. I would apply this to Bloom's Taxonomy by making sure my instruction and assessments are aligned with my lectures. Say in one of my lessons I want to talk about the importance of the Oxford Comma, I would not bullet a bunch of examples and reasons about why we should be using it, but instead I would talk more about the Oxford Comma and use the Powerpoint to assist me and use about 3-7 words per slide to make sure my point is still getting across. Some of the techniques that have been mentioned for mastering Powerpoint were to use pictures as the backgrounds and to make the font simpler but with concise information and that is what I plan on applying in my classroom. 

Some adaptive technologies can be seen in the Web 2.0 applications if you are applying these technologies to TAG students. I am a gifted student and I saw Web 2.0 used in the classroom almost everyday. We were also given differentiated instruction so we could learn at our fullest potential. Using technologies like concept mapping software kept some of the lesson plans more interesting and that keeps TAG students engaged. There are challenges with any type of application because the success of the application will also depend on the student. Other special needs student could use reading assistive technologies to help them learn the words as they are going over activities. One of these technologies is recorded books. These could help special needs students because they could listen to the words and follow along and then read them by them self. 

What I learned from the assessment was how to make a classroom appropriate webpage while still having it be cute and engaging for the students and the parents. My webpage included several different hyperlinks, photos of a fictional classroom, a fictional calendar, and information about the teacher. It gave me an idea of what I will be doing for the rest of my life and I had a lot of fun working on it. I enjoyed learning things that I will actually be doing for the rest of my life. 


Digital Leaders

Technology is becoming one of the most advanced practices today and this Powerpoint shows how it is affecting our society. I am learning that Powerpoint can aid people in their presentations by just having simple slides.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

6 Websites and Organization

The website I decided to review for my blog today was the class page of Mrs. Cookerly, a 2nd grade teacher at Pine View School for the Gifted which is located in Osprey, Florida. I chose this website because I had a close relationship with her while attending this school. Most of the information seen on her page includes news from the week and homework assignments that are due. The tabs on the side of her website take you to a school supply list, summer readings, a weekly focus link, and other resourceful links that can be used by the students to further their education. The links that Mrs. Cookerly posts include fun activities and games that help the students understand the lesson without having them consciously know they are learning. 

For my own use of technology, I plan on creating a website but unlike Mrs. Cookerly, I plan on making my website private so it is only accessible by students and their guardians. I also plan on using spreadsheets to help with my organization of my documents so I can update them every year. My PowerPoints will include different types of animations to entertain the students while getting them to understand the subject. My slides will also include hyperlinks to other websites that I will reference to. With my materials being digital, they will be easier to update and I will be able to use them from year to year. It will also be easier for me to share my documents which while enhance my own and other teachers productivity. I plan on using Evernote because it can be used in lesson planning and it is one of the most flexible note-taking tools I am currently aware of. 

I personally did not like the Web Resource Evaluation because I thought the assignment was too vague and I feel like I already know how to evaluate websites. This assignment reassured my knowledge but I felt like the assignment itself was just common sense. I felt like the assignment could have been more effective if we were evaluating each others websites and commenting on how we did ourselves. Looking at other websites just felt normal because I typically look/judge whatever website I am on regardless if it is part of an assignment or not. In my future profession, I will continuously be judging websites to make sure they are appropriate enough for my class, but I would have done that without the reinforcement of this assignment. 

Monday, October 12, 2015

5 Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is one of the most useful technologies that a teacher can use in the classroom. Web 2.0 allows people from all over to collaborate through social media, blogs, wikis, and so many others. Blogs and wikis can be seen in most classrooms today and they are some of the most useful applications that a teacher can have to get their students involved. Wikis allow students to collaborate on assignments, like the one due next week. Students are able to work collectively to produce a singular idea. Blogs also allow students creatively answer questions that teachers assign, this blog being exhibit A. Mobile devices could be used to access these applications but it is not ideal due to the fact that students could also be using their cell phones to just text their friends or play games. Instead of mobile devices, the students could use tablets with only the select applications already installed on the device. Electronic whiteboards would be ideal for the teachers to use because they could use the whiteboards to show the students the program. 

The website that I chose to review is called Wikispace. This website allows the collaboration between teachers and students but in a more privatized environment. This allows for a more secure environment for the students. With the private environment teachers can control where the students go within the website. With this website teachers can create a different Wiki for each chapter which would allow for easier organization. 

This website also allows for students and teachers to share documents, files, and videos. This website comes with visual editors which will get the students used to editing documents. This website is also incorporates other websites like Blackboard and Google Apps. With the extended reach of these websites, students will be able to be inclusive with all of their academics, documents, and assignments. 


With our concept mapping assignment, I have been able to figure out how to make a new type of study guide. The concept mapping also allowed me to figure out how to make relationships between dates, issues, and people in a visual representation. Next time I could make my concept map have more pictures or better color coordination but overall I believe my concept map is pretty easy to follow. In my future career I will use concept mapping to link together historical events or make study guides interesting. I could also use concept maps with homework assignments by leaving some of the circles blank and having students fill in the blanks with their answers.


Monday, October 5, 2015

4 The Internet, Research, and Me


  •          MAFS.K.CC.1.1: “Count to 100 by ones and tens.”
  •          http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/busyday/bubbles/
  •         Educational game; educational arcade game
  •          To help my students learn how to count to 100 by ones and tens I would use educational games so my kindergartners would learn while still having fun. Sometimes kids get worried when they just see a bunch of numbers, so incorporating games into the lesson will make it easier for those students.

The Internet is one of the many tools that can be used to support student research. The Internet is used today by students everywhere to find information that they need for a project, a paper, or any general assignment. The Internet gives students access to web pages, blogs, search engines, social media, journals, and so much more. The students use these sources on a daily basis to further their education. The Internet is not useful when the sources are not credible. If the sources are not credible then the students are getting the correct information.

I research on the Internet for almost every assignment that I have. I typically look for my credible sources when I do my research and if the source is not credible I usually don’t fully rely on it. By figuring out the credibility of the source I can usually figure out whether or not I should be using the source. I typically do not use Wikipedia because I know some of the sources have been altered but I do go to the bottom of the page and look at the links that the sources supposedly come from.

Some of the new skills I have from the web hunt include simpler ways for me to find exactly what I am looking for. I realized that you get different results if you put what you are looking for in quotations. I learned how to use a lot of different online tools to further my knowledge on Internet research.

Web Hunt Challenges:
1. Find a picture for a motivational poster you could sell at school.

2. Find a weekly calendar that students could use to organize their schedules.

Monday, September 28, 2015

3 Internet --> Newsletter

For my visual critique of a website, I have chosen the website Edmodo. This past week in class we were introduced to this website that seems to be a web enhancement to a traditional classroom. Edmodo also is a learning management system in the way that it allows the teacher to give quizzes, share articles, and share news with the students in a comfortable environment. Edmodo allows the teacher to connect and collaborate with students, parents, and other teachers as well. 
This website allows for traditional classrooms to easily integrate into more web-based classrooms.

Based on Chapter 9, I would use the tool NetSmartz. NetSmartz is a tool that can be used by teens, tweens, and even younger children. I would only use this in my middle school classes because it teaches students digital ethics and it helps them find their digital identity. I chose this age because this is when most kids start using most aspects of technology for classes and communication. This website would be ideal for middle schoolers because it can teach them that whatever they share online represents their digital identity and they can't get rid of something once they post it. We need to teach our students the responsibility that comes with technology because no matter how safe and easy it seems the internet can be a very dangerous place/ 

Some of the new skills that I acquired while working on the newsletter mainly including learning how to make a proper newsletter. That might have sounded redundant, but when I began the assignment I literally had no idea what I was doing. Once I started adding text boxes and clip art I began to get the hang of it. I actually had a lot of fun making my newsletter. I think me being so passionate about this class and this assignment made me strive even harder to create the best newsletter I could. That was proven when I got 2nd place out of the entire class! Learning this was crucial to my future career and I am very proud of myself for gaining this knowledge. 

Monday, September 14, 2015

2 Word, Copyright, and the Twitter

Way back when I was elementary school, I took a computer class. I was in the first grade and I was just learning what a computer was. My computer teacher then continued to explain to us what we were learning for the day. We were learning how to use Microsoft Word. For the first time in my life I was learning how to use a program that I would be using almost every day for the rest of my life. Since then I have used Microsoft Word to write a countless amount of essays, journal posts, research papers, and even just taking notes in class. I’ve seen my teachers use Microsoft Word to write syllabi, study guides for students, create outlines for assignments, and even take their own notes during a student given presentation. I plan on using Microsoft Word for some of the same things I have seen other teachers use it for. I also plan on using Microsoft Word to make tests for my students.

During my educational experience I never had to deal with copyright anything. I thought copyright had to do with plagiarism and citing my resources and such. I learned today in class that my previous knowledge was nowhere near correct. When using a certain type of media, you need to give credit to the owner/author of that material when it is due. I learned today in class that when I become a teacher I will face these copyright laws on a daily basis. I will see this when I make PowerPoints or when I show videos in the class and I will need to make sure I don’t break any of these copyright laws. I will need to show my students the importance of copyright and exactly what needs to be done so they do not break these laws. I will mainly be teaching younger students so I will mainly need to show them how to copy and paste the website link into their material, but as they grow older they will need to learn the more in depth rules that these laws entail.


New skills that I learned from the Twitter activity that we had were some fun and inexpensive ways to keep my classroom organized and up to date. I plan on using almost all of these ideas to organize my classroom while keeping it a fun environment. One of these ideas was to put up a QR code at open house with all of my contact information on it so they could easily reach me. There were 37 different ideas on this link and I am excited to use all of them. I can't really use twitter to communicate with my students because they are so young, but I can use it to communicate with other teachers and to communicate with the students parents. I will use Twitter as a tool to better my teaching with the help of other teachers

Sunday, August 30, 2015

1 The Importance of Technology

Computers are an important part of the educational experience because they are forming the way our society lives. For example, I am experiencing computer problems which are hindering me from posting this blog in a timely manner. Teachers who have been teaching for 10+ years don't understand the online tools that are readily available. They might recognize that they can use these tools but they don't understand how to use them. I agree that teachers need to be educated on our technological advances so they can utilize them in the classroom and give their students a well rounded experience. Just like how we need to keep our lessons up to date on current events, we need to keep our teachers up to date on current ways to teach students. 

In my classroom, I will use computers to take attendance, grade papers, support my lectures, and enhance my lesson plans. In this class I hope to learn an effective way to use multiple presentation applications so I can use them when I give my lectures. I am also hoping to learn how to use everyday technology in my classroom. This class will get me updated on the most current programs that can be used in the classroom. By having to take tests on these programs in this class I will be able to effectively use them in my own classroom in the future. 

Being a digital native means that you have grown up with technology surrounding you and being in your everyday life. Being a digital immigrant means technology has come into your life and you have to incorporate it into your daily routine. It is a similar concept to learning language, since it is easier to learn a language when your brain is still developing when you use it everyday in comparison to just trying to learn it halfway through your life. It is easier for the younger generations to use technology because it was introduced to them the moment they were born. It is more difficult for digital immigrants to use technology because they haven't had to use it for their entire lives. I anticipate that there will be a small gap between the way I use technology and the way my students use technology because technology is always changing. The gap hopefully won't be as large as the gap between the current generations because I am a digital native.

Monday, August 24, 2015

0 It's All About Me

           My prior experiences with technology have been limited but consistent with the rest of my peers. I use most social media websites and applications which include but are not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Vine, YouTube, and Gmail. I was also an intern this past summer at a church and I learned how to use a lot of different computer devices for organization and scheduling. Also during my Freshman year at Florida State University, I had to create a blog for my English Composition class and that widened my perspective on the use of technology to teach. 

          What I hope to learn in this class is how to properly use the correct form of technology to give my students the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. I also hope to use this information on my resume to further advance my career inside the educational field. I also hope to learn how to incorporate social media and other applications into my teaching style. 

           What I learned about my learning style is I am an active learner. I learn best in group situations where I can bounce ideas off of other people. I also read that classes with long lectures are harder for me (but I figured that out last year on my own). I am also more of a visual person so I tend to grasp more information when presented with a graph or diagram of some sort. For the other two categories I found myself floating in the middle so I tend to be balanced in either of those comparisons.