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!

Blog Post #5

Personally, I do not enjoy using Diigo. I think it has good intention, but I do not find it user friendly. It is confusing trying to figure out how to make comments and make them shareable with the group. I like that the bookmarks are able to be shared with others, but I do see the program needing improvements. It has potential to be a great resource with a few improvements!

I have a personal blog as well as this one. With my personal blog, I like that I have the freedom to write about topics that I choose. However, I do like how these blog posts are guided with specific questions. These questions provide direction for what I can write about. I think it's helpful that we can read what our other classmates are learning as we read their blogs too. Twitter also provides us with access to share what we are learning. But with blogging, I appreciate how there is no character limit.

Kahoot is a Web 2.0 tool that I might use when teaching. It is a quiz website where teachers can create quizzes, and with a special access code, the whole class can participate. It makes reviewing test materials fun because it is like a game. My high school teachers frequently used Kahoot to review for tests and quizzes. In college, I have also used Kahoot in my classes. I like how there is not an age limit on this tool. 

Here is a link! https://kahoot.com/

Blog Post #4

For this journal, we were tasked with creating a voicethread! Below is a link to access my voicethread presentation.

https://voicethread.com/share/12122034/

Blog Post #3

I feel prepared as a teacher to introduce a variety of technology options in my classroom. Growing up, I had access to projectors, computers, laptops, and smart boards in elementary school. In kindergarten, students should be acquainted with multiple options. In addition to introducing new technology, I feel prepared to teach students how to use this technology. It might take some training on my part, but I feel like I can meet both of these ELA standards for elementary school students. 

The CPALMS website is very user friendly. On the toolkit page for first grade, there are resources for teachers on various subjects to meet the educational needs of this age group.  Under the Social Studies tab, there are activities on character building that teachers can use to teach character development in students. I think this is a great resource to use in the classroom! These activities encourage students to work together to solve conflicts.

On the Newsletter Design assignment, I learned how to use functions of Microsoft Word that I had never used before. I have only ever used this program to write essays. Making something creative was a new experience for me. I learned how to add borders, insert images in columns, and add color to a document. It was challenging and frustrating at times to format, but I am proud that I learned how to do this. In my future career, I can se these skills to create handouts for my business. To improve next time, I would update the headings to draw more attention to the text boxes. Below is my Newsletter Design.