Blogpholio

Intro Video

            The intro video we did at the beginning of the semester went along with standard 3b: Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.  We got together in groups to video each other for 30 seconds.  Then we had to learn how to upload our videos to our blog pages.  I liked this project because it was a good way to get to know the other girls in the class.  I would probably use this activity as an icebreaker at the beginning of a school year.

Concept Map

            The concept map assignment went along with standard 1c: Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning and creative processes.  We had to research our topics and write 5 paragraphs on it using Inspiration Software.  Having students use this software can definitely show a teacher whether or not her students have a conceptual understanding of their topic.  I really liked this software, and I would love to have a classroom edition one day.  I downloaded the free trial on my laptop at home, and I have used it as an outline to write papers for my online class.

Movie

            The movie we made went along with standard 3a: Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.  We used Dropbox so we could have access to the song and the pictures that we picked to use for our movies.  We then used Movie Maker on the computer lab’s computers to put our pictures together with music in the background.  I have fooled around with different moviemaker programs, but I never really knew what I was doing.  It was nice to have some instruction and learn more about how to use the program.  I found this project to be very helpful.

Web Page

            The web page that we made went along with standard 4a: Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.  We practiced ethical use of digital information by making classroom web pages for parents.  I honestly had no idea that you could make a website with Google apps.  It was rather easy once you get the idea of putting tables in every section and page.  I will definitely use this in the future to create a classroom website when I have my own classroom.  It could also be a fun group project for students to show what they’ve learned on a particular topic.

Voki

            Our Voki activity went along with standard 2a: Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and activity.  Voki is definitely a digital tool that can promote student learning and activity.  As we discussed in class, a teacher could make an Abraham Lincoln Voki and have him tell the class a little about himself.  I’m glad we were introduced to this website because it opens the door for many teaching and learning opportunities.  I would love to use Voki in my classroom one day.  A teacher could also assign students a person to research and have them make a Voki that looks like that person and have them present it to the class. 

Web 2.0 Sites for Schools: Kerpoof and Kubbu

KERPOOF

Kerpoof is an interactive website for kids that is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company.  You can do tons of things on this website such as: make artwork/drawings, make an animated movie, make a printed card, t-shirt, or mug, tell a story, spell a drawing,vote on others' artwork, and you can earn Koins from the artwork you make that you can use to buy stuff (such as movie scenes) at the store.  I spent a lot of time playing on this website when I was exploring.  It is extremely easy to use and can serve as a great lesson reinforcer.  There are even directions on how to use Kerpoof to go along with your lessons, and it has lesson plan ideas.  I definitely would love to use this tool in my classroom, and I wouldn't mind going on it every once in a while just to play around. It's a lot of fun!

Kubbu

Kubbu is more of a teacher website. A teacher can assign quizzes, group work, and homework on this website, and manage all conversations and grades.  It's hard to tell what all I can do with this site without having any students to test the options on, but it seems like it could be a helpful tool that can serve as one of my multiple means of representation of a lesson.  I do like that this website is free, but my "Do Not Track Plus" icon on the top of my window indicated that I did have 2 followers.    

TED talk: Ali Carr- Chellman's Gaming to Re-engage boys in learning

Ali Carr-Chellman made some very good points in her TED talk.  Classrooms seem to be a female- oriented environment lately.  There are less male teachers, and more times than not, a female teacher's attitude towards boys and their "little action figures and video games" is negative.  Ali also talked about some astonishing statistics with the "100 girls" test.  Some of the findings were: For every 100 girls that are expelled from school, there are 335 boys expelled from school.  For every 100 girls with an emotional disturbance, there are 324 boys with an emotional disturbance.  Boys are also four times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.  I think that this is a result of not letting boys get dirty, rough house a little bit, and basically just get all of their excess energy out.  I agree with Ali when she said we need to put a little more time and money into designing better games for the classrooms.  The games we have now are just "glorified drill and practice."  I also agree with re-evaluating the 'No Tolerance' policies that schools have.  Boys should be allowed to write about what they are interested in as long as it cannot be considered a real threat to the school or an individual.  For example, if a boy wanted to write about war, or a murder mystery, or devastation with natural disasters he should be able to.  It crosses the line when he writes about bringing a gun to school or killing someone in particular.  I have always liked video games and I consider them to be a big part of my life, so when I become a teacher, I will do my best to accommodate boys in my classroom.  I understand their wants and needs to play games and get dirty, and I won't deny them of that.

Classroom Web Page

https://sites.google.com/site/msjaclyns1stgradeclass/home

Blog Post # 16- Educator's Guide to Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats

The Educator's Guide to Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats was very informative for me.  I didn't realize that there were so many different forms of cyberbullying. I think it is important to teach children about cyberbullying, what all it entails, and the consequences they can receive for cyberbullying or making a cyberthreat. Children often cyber bully because they feel safe hidden behind a computer, or they are bullied at school and start to retaliate by posting things online that are considered threats or bullying.

Students need to be taught all the dangers that they can be exposed to on the internet.  They also need to learn that bullying is never okay, even when it is online.  People have lost their lives to cyberbullying; whether they take their own or another's.  Parents need to be aware that cyberbullying is a real issue and that children should be monitored while on the computer at home.   

Blog Post # 15 - Technology

I liked the article in The Chronicle  of Philanthropy entitled 'Technology.'  Video games Haven't been around that long, and I do consider them (or rather the making of them) to be an art form as the article states.  I think it is cool that there is a scholarly archive with all the old video games and video game systems in it.  I agree that it is important that these don't disappear because they are such a big part of our society now.  In the future, people will be able to see the first video games, and I'm sure that a museum will eventually come of it.  I think that it would be fun to teach my students about how far technology has come by letting them see the graphics (or lack thereof) of old video games.  It would be fun and interesting, yet educational for them.  

Blog Post # 14- Why Flipped Classrooms are Here to Stay

A flipped classroom is an interesting concept to me.  I think it would be great to do periodically throughout the year, but I don't know if it would be best to do it ALL the time.  Homework isn't generally designed to take up a whole school day, so doing this would involve a lot of extra planning.  But it might be worth it.  A lot of the time, students think they understand the material that they've learned at school, until they get home to work on their assignments-and get stuck.  Doing their homework at school during the day would definitely get rid of that problem.  If I were to apply this in my classroom, I would probably do it for the material that was harder to grasp.  I feel that there is a few set back though such as the students not having access to a computer or internet at home to watch the lectures or the students having a lot of extracurricular activities outside of school (dance, football, soccer, etc.) and just being to busy to sit in front of a computer and take notes at their own pace.

I do agree that it would put a fun spin on an otherwise 'boring' classroom or boring lesson.  Students love technology, and we as teachers need to keep that in mind.  It also minimizes the amount of discipline during lecture time (which is the only time that I would mind my students talking in the first place).  As I've said, there are a lot of positive aspects of a flipped classroom, but not everyone would be able to establish this strategy.