Thursday, June 6, 2013

Tool #11 - Self Assessing and Reflecting


There were several tools that caught my eye but I really liked Good Docs. It is really easy to use and so convenient to have everything in one place. I love that we could all collaborate and see each others edits right away. This is a good tool for students doing research. I could pair them up and they can research their topic. 

I will definitely be using the iPads and/or net books a lot more often in the classroom. It was always a privilege.


Were there any unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?


Tool #10 - Underneath it All - Digital Citizenship

Students need to learn about digital safety and citizenship.We want to them to realized that the Internet isn't always the safest place. They should be aware that they could be victims of a cyber-bully and/or other equally dangerous crimes.


Tool #9: Incorporating Classroom-Based Devices as ...


We want students to be technology savvy but we also want them to be responsible for them. We can't just hand students the technology and say do this. They have to know WHY and for what purpose they are getting to use the equipment. It's important for them to know that they are learning as well as "having fun." It will teach them to be responsible with their own learning and to take care of the technology.

During the year, we used a few different math websites. One that is listed is MangaHigh. I liked it because I could directly see how my students were scoring, what they were struggling with, and I could give them challenges based on the content we were covering at the moment. The children liked it because they were "playing" games and competing against their classmates. I had never gone to Learning Games for Kids but I like it. Although, some of it looked familiar so I think my kids explored it a couple of times during their rare "free" time (they were only allowed to play educational games!)

  


There were quite a few apps that we used throughout the year. One was SpellingCity. The kids had used the website before but when I discovered there was app for it, I got really excited! It's a great center for students to work on vocabulary and spelling. I also found iBooks to be very nice. You can download books for students to read right on the iPad. You can find many FREE ones which makes it even better! I got way more excited than the kids did when I discovered the Reading Rainbow app! I use to watch that show when I was little - of course, the kids had no idea what I was talking about. But they enjoyed the app. You can earn books by visiting the different islands. I must warn you, if you download the free version, not everything is available.




11 Tools for the 21st Century Learner: Tool #9: Incorporating Classroom-Based Devices as ...: … Developing Instructionally Sound Ways to Use the Devices The tools of today’s classrooms are changing! Many students cannot imagin...

Tool #8: Taking a Look at the Tools

I know I am very late in posting this as it's the end of the year but the 11 Tools took a backseat in everything that went on this year. Interestingly enough, I used most of them during the year. I had seen many of them in college in my technology class. Although, I didn't know I could sync the iPad to my computer - I wish I had known that! Oh well, now I know for next year...

Seeing the videos was a good conclusion to everything that went on. Although, watching the videos at the beginning of the year would have been great! For example, I discovered pretty late in the year that I could connect the Netbooks to the ActivBoard. Sometimes I needed to use the computer but I couldn't because the kids were using the ActivBoard or watching a video and I was limited.

The iPads were pretty easy to use. The kids knew a lot more than me and they showed me the ins and outs and all the little tricks. They are naturals! Using them in the classroom was a huge privilege. We usually only used them for research. I found some nice educational games browsing through the app store. The kids would complain because I wouldn't allow them to download anything that wasn't educational. Oh, how they moaned and groaned about that! It was beautiful ;)

I did have strict rules concerning the iPads and netbooks. They knew that they were only to use them for the task presented to them. If they deviated from that, they lost the privilege. There were times when I had to do just that. They got better after the first few times. They got over the excitement of using technology and realized that they could be taken away.


11 Tools for the 21st Century Learner: Tool #8: Taking a Look at the Tools: … Learning about the classroom devices By the Fall of 2012, every classroom in Spring Branch will have classroom-based devices. The curre...

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Tool #7: Reaching Outside your Classroom: Online Digital Projects

line of kidsClass2Classline of kids


I just used "Class2Class" to create a collaborative project. I haven't decided yet if I like it. I'm still waiting for them to "review" my file. I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow...
Content objective: Students will create their own story using the element of persuasion. Although classes are no longer in session, I would like to use this idea next year.  Students will take a common known children's story (for example, Little Red) and retell it with the point of view of the wolf. The wolf has to convince readers that his version of the story is the real one. 

Tool #6: Using Web Tools to Promote Discussion in and out of the Classroom


I just tried out the Poll everywhere tool and it wasn't so easy. It took me some navigation to understand exactly how to get my poll ready and published. Ideally. I would use it for my class to gather information for bar graphs, pie charts, etc. but I would like a more student-friendly website. I don't think that this tool is ideal for my students.

Here is the link to the poll I started: What is your favorite subject?



Google Docs was much easier to use! I really enjoy it. It's user-friendly and so convenient! Here is the link to a document that was shared with me - just click here. It has response activities for readers. It can be used for a center. I used it and it works well!


Monday, June 3, 2013

Tool #5: Producing with Web 2.0 Tools


I just tried Word Cloud (although, I think I've tried it once before) and I liked it! It is interesting how it creates this piece of art with the words I put in there. I would love to use this during our poetry unit. Students will love to see their poems organized in this way. It might encourage them to use repetition in the poems to emphasized the important message.

Here's the one I created: I used Dorothy Law Nolte's "Children Learn what they Live."


MyHugeLabs I discovered during my student teaching last year. I really like the Trading Cards. I would use them for research. Students can choose a person in history, an ecosystem, a country, etc., find information over the topic and then create a trading card! I think it would encourage children to research because they want to "trade" cards or give theirs away. \

Here's the one I created about Thomas Edision: 


TOOL #4: Moving up to the clouds!

I had heard of Google docs back when I was still in school and it never really caught my attention before. I guess because it was something new and different and I was used to the old way of doing things - attaching the documents to an e-mail and sending them off! After watching the video of "Google Docs in Plain English,"      I understood the practically of sharing a document and keeping it in one place. We've also used Google Docs a couple of time throughout the year on my campus and I didn't find it difficult. I'm sorry now that I didn't explore it more in depth back when I was first told about it.