Blog Post #10

As a teacher, I think data collection can be helpful to gather information from parents. A Qualtrics link could be sent out to each parent to fill in information about their home address and email as well as any things I should know about their student. Because I am able to export the data as an Excel file, this would save paper and make it easy for parents to give me important information. This could be used for any class and grade level because it is something every teacher needs. Aside from gathering basic information, I can also use data collection for parents to sign up for classroom duties as volunteers.

The topics I found most interesting from viewing my classmates blogs were PowerPoint and assistive technologies. I also read a blog on AR/VR that had some cool ideas on how this can be used in the classroom. It was fun to read how my classmates plan to use technology in their classrooms. We have big dreams! There is a general consensus that we learned new features from programs we have been using for years. Especially the nonlinear PowerPoint project.

Next, I would like to learn about Smart Tables. I had not heard of them until class today. I think Smart Tables would be best for elementary school students to interact with technology. I can see how academic games can be used on them. I can also see how they are good for multiple students to use at the same time. As of now, I don't have access to a Smart Table, but I can research them! I would like to know how they work and testimonials from school that use them.

ILP #2 - Participation

For my final ILP, I interviewed a teacher who has been in the education system since 1990. She has taught at two schools, each in a different time period for education. This ILP allowed me to learn how technology in the classroom has changed over time. Since this teacher experienced two different eras of technology in schools, she was able to tell me her opinion of each. I think interviews are one of the best ways to develop a PLN!

Here is a link to my voicethread: https://voicethread.com/share/12392533/

Blog Post #9

For Blog Post #9, we were tasked with creating a Flipgrid with our opinion on the Flipped Classroom. The Flipped Classroom is an instructional method that sends class lectures and materials outside of the classroom, often online. Students teach and learn at home, and then come to class to complete assignments and/or homework. I like this idea, but I do have concerns with its implementation. Often students need help learning the material AND then completing assignments. I think students would be frustrated having to teach themselves online. 

Open Education Resources are those that are free to use and share. Often, students don't perform as well or end up dropping a class because they cannot afford the textbooks. Textbooks today are so expensive! As a student, I can vouch for this. Have you ever had to pay $150 for an access code? It's ridiculous! Here is an article that lists sites with OERs. These are super helpful for students and educators!

https://library.educause.edu/topics/teaching-and-learning/open-educational-resources-oer

For the PowerPoint assignments, I really enjoyed the second assignment where we had to create a game. The first assignment was helpful in that it taught us how to create a lecture. However, I liked the second assignment better because I had never learned how to create a nonlinear interactive PowerPoint. Below are screenshot of the first assignment lecture and then the second assignment game. For improvement in the future, I would like to do more with the lecture. I think there are opportunities to make it more engaging for students.

Blog Post #8

              Diigo has taught me how to share resources quickly with others. In a previous blog post, I wrote that I didn’t like this resource. I still feel this way, but not as strongly because I have better earned how to use it. By sharing to a specific group, you can comment on what others share. This makes it easy for teachers to save and share information and see what others have to say about it. In a classroom setting, teachers can teach students how to use it for group projects. I can especially see how it can be useful for research projects. On my own, Diigo can be used to save and annotate websites I find useful for schoolwork or for personal research.

             Bloom's Taxonomy is a tool teachers can use to prepare lessons to teach students and prepare assessments, activities, and so on. There are different goals at each level, from Knowledge to Evaluation. I find it similar to the common "students will be able to..." goals. With PowerPoint, I can use PowerPoint to teach and then evaluate a student's abilities. For the basic level of Knowledge, I can given them information to remember. For a higher level, like Synthesis, I can have them create their own PowerPoint project to teach a section of a textbook chapter. For example, for a lesson on American history, I could assign in groups a certain section of the book. Each group would then have to synthesize the information in the book into a presentation to the class.

              It is important for teachers to be aware of technology advancements. The classroom is where most students learn how to work with computers and other technology resources. Because of this, teachers need to be aware of advancements and changes so they can pass this information along to students. Teachers being aware of these things increases professional development. Below is a screenshot of an article from Forbes that tells of updates on technology trends to expect in 2019. Forbes frequently posts articles like this one.Teachers can use this website and articles like it to stay on top of what is new in the technology field.

Link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2019/01/07/5-technology-trends-that-will-make-or-break-many-careers-in-2019/#52e9011f60aa

Blog Post #7

I have used Twitter to post updates on what we are doing in the class. I have also completed a few of the FSU 2040 challenges. When we respond to posts of others, I have learned that twitter can be great as a discussion platform. You are able to quickly read and respond to other users. From seeing updates from conferences, I have found that Twitter is also good for allowing users to remotely attend events. Pictures and links make this accessible for people who are unable to travel. The only thing I don't like is that I can't figure out how to edit a tweet. If I find a typo, I have to delete the tweet to fix it.

I have used Webs to create websites before, but never Weebly. I like that Weebly is very user-friendly. At times, it was hard to figure out how to format text boxes and spacing, but after a few minutes of troubleshooting I was able to figure it out. For pictures, the high quality images were available to purchase, so finding free images that related to what I wanted to be on my website was a little challenging. I would recommend taking your own photos to make this process quicker. If I go into teaching, I can definitely see me using this in my future career. Although frustrating to format at times, I think a class website makes it really easy for parents to stay on top of what is going on in their child's class. I especially love being able to connect a Google calendar onto the site.

Here is a screenshot and the link to my fake teacher website.

https://emilyf2040.weebly.com/

Assistive technologies are used to help students who have a disability that could prohibit them from learning. For example, for those who are blind there are assistive technologies to help them navigate the learning process. When I was in elementary school, my class had a student with a hearing disability. He was given a speaker at his desk and the teacher wore a microphone to help him hear better. In a classroom, challenges of other students wanting to use the technology but not needing it could be a problem when it needs to be reserved only for the students who need it. As a teacher, learning how to troubleshoot these technologies could also be a problem. But overall, they are great resources!

ILP "Design" - Prezi

For the first ILP project, I decided to create a Prezi! Below you will find a link to my Prezi as well as a link to a VoiceThread describing what Prezi is and how to use it!

Prezi is a presentation tool that can be used to make sharing content more interesting. It is similar to PowerPoint, but it uses animation and motion to make presentations more visually interesting. For my Prezi, I did a presentation on the history of the American Flag. I was able to add photos, change the layout, and decide how many slides I wanted to add. It is relatively user friendly! I would recommend it to teachers who wanted to make their lectures more interesting, and I would recommend it to students who want to make their projects stand out.


VoiceThread: https://voicethread.com/share/12214926/

Prezi: https://prezi.com/view/5uNkHUA3PGaEsoC1YWuV/

Blog Post #6

Last semester I had to observe at Florida High School. In my EDF1005 class, there was an assignment where we had to evaluate the school website. While I was doing that, I found teacher pages on the site. For the teacher I was observing, I found his teacher page and his class website. On his teacher page was his photo, a link to his class website, contact information, and a few links to different forms, like a field trip form. I also found his class syllabus. He teaches a 9th-10th grade Civics class as well as World History.

Here is the link to his webpage: https://www.fsus.school/Page/927#calendar3639/20190228/month

Here are two screenshots of the site:

I plan to use technology to keep an updated resume. I have found helpful templates online that can be transferred to Microsoft Word. Currently, I keep my resume saved to my laptop and update it as needed. I also envision myself using technology professionally to share resources with others. If I go into the therapy field, there are many technology resources available for different kinds of therapy. These resources can help me find the best solution for each patient.

This week I had to opportunity to visit the Tech Sandbox in the education building. We got to play with robots, VR/AR devices, 3D printers and pens, and smart boards. One of my favorite devices for the classroom was the iPad that reflected the camera onto the table. It allowed students to play with the arrangement of blocks. The iPad would tell them if the arrangement was correct based on the camera sensing the placement. I can see this being used in the classroom to teach spatial principles and even art!