1/18/11
I have to admit feeling a bit overwhelmed and will feel better once I've had a chance to play around with it myself. Being able to exit out and come back to whatever we were doing and be able to find my way back is important. Let's see how I did with this...
I found my way back so that's one in the success column. Here's a few things from the first night's class to remember:
To summarize full articles into a smaller version through safari
Safari--Services--Service Preferences--Summarize
Go to article and highlight what you want summarized--go to Safari--services-summarize.
Print out the powerpoints Diane sends because we can use them for the 2 quizzes.
Each homework should reflect two questions: What did I learn? How can I use this in the future?
http://www.qzabteachers.wikispaces.com/ - gives lots of info on Smartboards.
Comiclife.com allows students to tell a story using comics format.
1/29/11
What I learned this week:
What a world spreadsheets have opened up for me. I had no idea there was so much you could do. I can handle the inputing of data but i didn't know you could put pictures on it. The website I mentioned in my discussion board comments was one about counting money and they had a picture of each of the coins and the kids had to input how many of each they could use in order to have a certain amount. Pretty cool! I found the formula for weighted grades a little confusing at first but with some help it fell together.
There are a number of ways to use this in the classroom, but the biggest change is going to be in my thinking. Since we are so data driven these days, I can put a lot of my assessments on Excel that can generate a lot of useful information to drive my instruction. However, finding ways to get kids to generate Excel spreadsheets and for me to present data in this new way is going to take a shift in my normal way of doing things. I have to look at the curriculum as I do it and try to incorporate more opportunities to use Excel. Also, after I'm finished with this class and my Masters degree program, I'm going to sign up for Ridley course on Excel. I'd really like to explore it in more depth to get more comfortable with the ways it can be used besides organizing data and pulling information from it.
2/8/11
Web 2.0 applications are amazing. WHile I was searching for one to do for my project, I found a lot of possibilities. I searched through Google using "Web 2.0 applications for education". It provided a lot of websites where people explained and rated different applications that you could use in your classroom. A couple of sites I plan on checking out are Ediscio and Quizlet. They are both applications that help students study. It can create flash cards and various formats for students to present the question and have the answer hidden until they want to check it. Teachers can create flash cards and print them out for students to use.
I picked the Bubblesnap website because it's something I can use for social studies. For instance, we study people who have impacted their community. One of the people is Cesar Chavez. I could take a picture of him speaking at a rally and have students plug in conversation bubbles for what the people in the crowd/scene might be saying. It requires some deeper understanding and higher level thinking.
I'm totally psyched about Delicious. I'm beginning to realize just how technologically backward I am. Fortunately, I seem to be picking it up quickly but it amazes me how many cool things there are out there to make my life easier. I bookmark a lot and have folders and whatnot on my bookmark menu. It's a bit cumbersome but not anymore! I will be transferring all the stuff I have on my current bookmark tab to my Delicious site.
There are times I hear about a website from a colleague and want to keep it for future use. I like how you can categorize on Delicious. I think I'll use that a lot in the future.
2/15/11
Digital photos are something I'd really like to incorporate more in my classroom. I can definitely use it for the biography unit we do.
Fotoflexr: great website to edit photos, definitely kid friendly.
I love the newsletter template. I tried to do a newsletter this year and found the process cumbersome. Definitely feeling more confident. I'm going to try to use this at the end of the year as a sum up project for the kids.
Need to learn how to develop my own webpage where I can post homework, trip announcements, school activities etc. This website could be made available at Back to School NIght and hopefully would open the lines of communication between my parents and me. The newsletter is great for a monthly contact, but I'd like something daily.
2/22/11
I had no idea there was so much out there in Assistive Technology. I particularly like the early elem. keyboard where the different areas of the keyboard are color coded. I've always thought that we do a disservice to our students by now helping them manage keyboarding skills. Although the keyboard may become obsolete, it hasn't yet and they need this skill. It would also be great for students with mental disabilities or who might find the standard keyboard confusing. The other keyboard (FrogPad) was really cool. For disabled people with the use of only one hand, this is amazing. It would also help stroke patients communicate. Great idea!
I particularly liked the adaptability of the Electronic keyboard. The fact that it has interchangeable placards to meet the students' varied needs and subjects is brilliant. You can even custom make one. It would be great for visually impaired students too.
The wisp, puff one was startling. It made me kind of sad to realize what a person would be dealing with in order to need such a device. However, it does allow someone with no use of hands to operate a computer. The device that is attached to the head that moves the cursor was really cool and a great idea. Then they would blow into the other device to choose the function.
The virtual keyboard is another great idea since you don't have to actually press a button. You hover the cursor over the letter and it types it. it can even predict words based on what's already been typed.
I also liked the CCTV. I think of a boy named Cam with coke bottle glasses who could really use this.
Boardmaker would be a good AT for autistic children. Allows for making templates of schedules.
Also like the ways you can make Braille more accessible to visually impaired students. The fact that you can convert stories, tests, messages, etc. into braille would make the whole process better for the student.
3/1/11
For many years I have wanted to design my own webpage so that I can develop a better technology-based communication with students and parents. I have begun to have more email contact with parents, but I want more than that. I want to put spelling words for the week, up-coming events, classroom and school calendar options, daily homework assignments, up-coming tests, etc. I want parents to have a place to go where they can know what's going on and I want to take away the excuse by students that they didn't know it was coming, or forgot their spelling list, etc. I'm very much looking forward to making my own webpage.
I watched the presentations for Edmodo and Prezi and was particularly interested in the Edmodo. It is a great communication tool, but I'm not sure whether I would use it in conjunction with a webpage or instead of. I'll learn more I'm sure to answer that question. Prezi is very cool and although I've used it on a very rudimentary basis, I have planned on using it more. This tutorial helped answer some of the questions I had when trying to use it the first time.
Very informative week!
3/8
Command-Shift-4 Copy something as an image on Mac
On PC download program called Snag It
Like the idea of a webpage of my own. Even though Ridley has a webpage ability, I haven't really explored it much. I'll take a look at that first before I decide to publish mine for next year. I feel like the insert images is a bit cumbersome. I have used images on many documents and have much more freedom to manipulate it in terms of size and position. This seems limited to LCR for position and SML for size. I tried a couple of different ways to upload an image I had already played around with but it didn't work. I did get the 5 pages done, but I feel like the process of inputting data is sluggish. Hopefully, it will get easier.
I feel like a webpage is a fabulous way to keep parents in the loop. The key is updating it every day. The homework assignments are obviously changing daily and also some of the What's Happening stuff could be deleted once the date has passed. For this year, I think it will be one more thing in a very hectic year, so I have a webpage planned for next year. I will be including my brochure and newsletter which is nice--saves paper. I still think I'll hand out the newsletter at Back to School Night AND give the webpage address too. That way, parents can keep the newsletter on the fridge or something and have access to a constantly updated webpage for things that are more current and less general.
3/15/11
Got more specific with my webpage. I feel like I'm navigating it a big better. I'm glad it prompts you to save since I forgot a couple of times and would have lost a lot of work.
Had some problems with the calendar page. I followed the tutorial on how to add a calendar to my webpage and it worked but then when I tried to add events within my webpage, i had problems. I'll continue to fiddle around with it. I like that the calendar sends email reminders.
3/22/11
Really like the Photo Story 3. I've decided I'm going to make a summer list of things to look at from this class. Right now, just getting through it each week is enough of a challenge. I would like to spend more time with a lot of the stuff I have learned a little about, but want to know more. SO much to add technology to the classroom that I really can do myself and therefore teach it to them.
SUMMER LIST
Hotchalk.com Username: cwaldie, Password Clayton1
Remember Spelling City for possible use with Sitton Spelling Program
Explore Photo Story 3 for possible use with biographies, social studies, retelling
update webpage
work on newsletter and brochure for start of next year
Edmodo
Prezi
REview all class presentations (Fotoflexr)
Type up Sitton Exercise Express for each unit
Check out Story Jumper for Writing unit
Empressr
Take a look at Discovery Ed
Take a look at Learn 360
ReadWriteThink
Class Newsletter articles for next year - continuous
3/29/11
I was very impressed with the presentation about Story Jumper. Although I feel writing is my talent, teaching writing doesn't come as easily as you might think. Story Jumper is a great way to break down the writing process for students and guide them along the way. Plus, it's an ideal way to incorporate technology into my room in a very effective way. As I was watching the presentation I was thinking my third grade students could actually do this--and love it!
I've been thinking about the new assignment for developing a lesson plan that actually incorporates some of what I'm learning. I'm planning on using some of what I learned through developing the webpage. I particularly like the idea of the webquest and am considering a lesson on geometry, fractions or probability. Since we have PSSA before the unit on fractions and probability, the webquest might be a great way to teach the concepts in a way that is different than just following the teacher's manual.
4/5/11
What I learned: Take things I already have set up (portaportal) and include it more "officially" in my lesson plans. Also, a little more on the webquest. I like that you can conference with the students as they work their way through the quest and give a grade as they go along. Then they can receive a final grade for the completion and organization of their portfolio.
I will use more webquests next year as I plan. I didn't realize there were so many already completed. The thought of developing one of my own was daunting, but when I was looking for one for geometry I found a lot of others on a wide range of topics.
4/19
At first I didn't think that a podcast would be that helpful in the classroom. What I learned is there are countless ways to use it. In math for instance, I could introduce a new unit with a podcast. That way, kids year to year would get the same intro instead of trying to remember what I said last year. There are also countless field trips and school activities that the kids participate in that could be made into a podcast. I'd have to see if the kids could make one themselves, but third grade might be a little young. I'd love it if they could write their own story or poem, add images and music and present it. Sounds great.
4/26
Saw some great podcasts. I like the to-do idea where you can give clear instructions on how to do something and the kids can follow it. Lots of ideas for the future.
