Here are a few technology tools that have absolutely made my life so much easier. Most of these I use on a daily basis. Check them out!
10. Email
Microsoft Outlook is one of my best friends! Not only is it an effective way to communicate, but it also allows me to keep track of everything. Often, my colleagues give me valuable information when we're passing in the hallways. I try to make a mental note of the information, but sometimes the note doesn't make it to my file cabinet. Now, I'm famous for saying, "Shoot me a quick email." In addition to keeping track of valuable information, I also have my schedule set up through my email.
9. Twitter
Although my personal Twitter account reaps no benefits, my professional Twitter account is one of my most important resources. Twitter has allowed me to stay up-to-date on everything education. No matter what day or hour I choose to check tweets, there is always something interesting or valuable there.
8. Evernote
Evernote is an app that allows me to take notes on-the-go. For me, it's used the most on my smartphone. My account is also synced on my laptop, office desktop, and tablet. Therefore, I can use it anywhere and all of my information is there!! It also has text-to-speech recognition that allows you to create notes hands-free. You can also save webpages and share ideas/creations with others.
7. Diigo
I had never used a social bookmarking page until recently. It allows me to bookmark and categorize any interesting or helpful websites I find with the click of a button. You can also share your resources with others.
6. Camera
I love taking pictures. They are definitely worth a thousand words. My camera is a necessity in my personal and professional life. I enjoy documenting vacations, field trips, interesting projects, fun events, etc. and my camera is the perfect way to do it.
5. YouTube
YouTube is great for educational and enjoyment purposes. I have found several videos to support lessons that I have done, and I have also found several videos that I watch just to lighten up my day.
4. Mimio & components
The Mimio is an interactive whiteboard that allows you to keep your traditional whiteboard. The ability to keep your traditional whiteboard is one the most important reasons why I choose this one over other interactive whiteboards. It also comes with a document camera (relative to a transparency projector) and Mimio voters, which gives a nontraditional assessment option.
3. Google
No explanation necessary!
2. Computer (Office Desktop & Personal Laptop)
My computers are used daily for several hours at a time. For both my professional career and personal life, this is where I do almost everything.
1. Smartphone
With the exception of the Mimio, everything I have mentioned in this blog can be done on my smartphone. I never miss anything because everything I need to do can be done from my smartphone. What a smart phone!
Friday, March 1, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Apps for Students with Dyslexia (Week 6)
Powered by Dragon NaturallySpeaking, "Dragon Dictation" is a speech-to-text/voice recognition software application. The students are able to dictate anything and the app responds by inputting text. This is great for those that may be slow typists, those that are weary of their spelling, or just those that need to quickly input text. The text can be seen on the screen and can also be edited. This is a free app. It is very user-friendly and doesn't require training (as many of Dragon's software do). Tapping the red dot that appears on the screen starts the recording, and tapping it again ends it. "Dragon Dictation" is specifically for iOS devices.
Powered by Inspiration, "Inspiration Maps" can be used by students to plan, organize, and brainstorm ideas through creating maps, organizers, and diagrams. The maps, organizers, and diagrams can be transformed into outlines. This app has many of the features of the Inspiration software. The work can be printed from the iPad or emailed as a PDF. While this is a free app, it can be upgraded to allow interface between the app and Inspiration 9.1. With the $9.99 upgrade, additional options to share the diagram or outline become available.
"GarageBand" lets you record and edit your voices directly on the iPad. It can be used to record and edit timed readings. The editing feature is much easier than other software. Finished recordings can be emailed. This app costs $4.99.
With Educreations, you are able to turn your iPad into an interactive whiteboard. You can add text, drawings, and photos as well as information from Dropbox or the internet. You can also record you voice and attach it to any page you create. The background options include lined paper, graph paper, and a coordinate grid. If the backgrounds don't suit your needs, you can always take a picture of your desired background and use that. This free app is awesome for animated lessons on-the-go.
"SpellBoard" uses custom spelling lists and adds fun, interactive activities to them. It allows you to add student profiles that allow performance tracking. For younger students (and weaker spellers), and adult would need to enter the wordlist. The words can be voice-recorded as well. SpellBoard quizzes can also be shared with other users. This app has a study mode that allows students to hear and see the word and definition. The words can also be written by hand (like using a virtual whiteboard). This is a great tool for students to practice spelling. SpellBoard is available for iPad and Mac. The cost is $4.99. There is a companion app, "SpellBoard Buddy", for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Clicking on the icons will direct you to the apps' website for more information.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Be a Good Digizen (Week 5)
Why is it important to be a good digital citizen?
The use of the internet is constantly increasing. For all to fully enjoy the capabilities the internet brings us, we must be good digizens (digital citizens). Being a good digital citizen is parallel to respecting others. Respect for others can cover many situations. It can be disagreeing with a statement of someone else in an agreeable manner, and it can also be citing the work of others so that you are not guilty of plagiarism. A good digital citizen does not tolerate or participate in cyber bullying or cyber stalking. They don't release or demand personal information on the internet because they know that it's dangerous. A good digital citizen knows that being a good digital citizen is important
What value does a good digital reputation have?
Your digital reputation is known as your digital footprint, and it follows you everywhere. Anything that has been posted on the internet can never be fully deleted. People can access anything you have posted from anywhere in the world. In today's society, many representatives for schools and companies are searching the internet for prospective students and employees. They are checking digital footprints. These companies and schools don't want to be represented by people who have a bad reputation. It is also important because many people in your personal lives don't want to be associated with people who have negative digital footprints. Having a good digital reputation is important because it follows you for the rest of your life.
Below I have included link to pledges for goood digital citizenship for parents and children.
Parent Pledge of Good Digital Citizenship
Child Pledge of Good Digital Citizenship
The use of the internet is constantly increasing. For all to fully enjoy the capabilities the internet brings us, we must be good digizens (digital citizens). Being a good digital citizen is parallel to respecting others. Respect for others can cover many situations. It can be disagreeing with a statement of someone else in an agreeable manner, and it can also be citing the work of others so that you are not guilty of plagiarism. A good digital citizen does not tolerate or participate in cyber bullying or cyber stalking. They don't release or demand personal information on the internet because they know that it's dangerous. A good digital citizen knows that being a good digital citizen is important
What value does a good digital reputation have?
Your digital reputation is known as your digital footprint, and it follows you everywhere. Anything that has been posted on the internet can never be fully deleted. People can access anything you have posted from anywhere in the world. In today's society, many representatives for schools and companies are searching the internet for prospective students and employees. They are checking digital footprints. These companies and schools don't want to be represented by people who have a bad reputation. It is also important because many people in your personal lives don't want to be associated with people who have negative digital footprints. Having a good digital reputation is important because it follows you for the rest of your life.
Below I have included link to pledges for goood digital citizenship for parents and children.
Parent Pledge of Good Digital Citizenship
Child Pledge of Good Digital Citizenship
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Materials Generators (Week 4)
According to Robyler and Doering (2013), materials generators include desktop publishing software, web page editors, whiteboard activity software, test and rubric generators, worksheet and puzzle generators, IEP generators, graphic document makers, and PDF and forms makers (p. 143). These tools have a variety of uses in the classroom. Below I have listed a few of the materials generators with an explanation of how I would use them.
1) Online rubric generators allow educators to create rubrics from scratch, entering their own standards. Several of them have pre-created rubrics with the option of editing. As a teacher, there are several ways I would use a rubric. The first way is probably the most common: projects. The project rubric would list the requirements or standards I would expect upon the completion of the project. It would give students the option to be creative with their work, as well as create a quality project. The rubric would outline my expectations including some or all of these aspects: presentation, appearance, organization, information, and mechanics. The students would be given a copy and we would discuss the outline of the rubric. Here is an example of an oral presentation rubric for a middle school humanities project. As a student, I loved to use collaboration rubrics. This is another way I would use rubrics in the classroom. The rubric would outline the expectations of the students as a team member. Each student would get a rubric for each of their other team members, and they would be required to honestly grade their team members. There would also be a note section for any comments the students want to leave. Team members would not be allowed to see the grades or comments that their other teammates gave them. The individual student's final collaboration grade would be based on what I observed as well as the input from their other group members. Here is an example of a collaboration rubric. There are several other ways rubrics can be used in the classroom. Below is a list of links to other types of rubrics.
Other Rubrics
Math Problem-Solving Rubric
Discussion Participation Rubric
2) Teaching students with learning disabilities definitely requires using an IEP generator. Individualized education plans (IEP's) are used with students that have delayed skills or other disabilities and need special services, support, or accommodations. An IEP generator would me to create a plan specific to the student’s needs. It would include any accommodations the student need, whether they need services such as speech or occupational therapy, etc. Some IEP generators allow you to edit and make changes or include other information. This is helpful when tracking the child's progress. It also helps when recording notes of IEP meetings. Below is a list of different IEP generators with links to their websites.
IEP Generators
IEP4U
DDtrac
IEP Planet
3) Web design software would have to be my favorite! I love the idea of having a classroom website. Like most websites, my classroom website will be a source of information. It will keep parents and students up-to-date on current events in the classroom and contain links to pertinent information for parents. Photos from class trips and activities will be uploaded here. Students will be able to access links to high-quality resources and activities on the website. This saves time and paper. There will also be updates on the curriculum, including resources for parents to help their children with homework. Below are links to a few classroom websites that I found.
Classroom Websites
Midland Academy, Georgia: 3rd grade
Resurrection Catholic School, Pennsylvania: 4th grade
David Lawrence Jr. K-8 Center, FL: 4th grade
1) Online rubric generators allow educators to create rubrics from scratch, entering their own standards. Several of them have pre-created rubrics with the option of editing. As a teacher, there are several ways I would use a rubric. The first way is probably the most common: projects. The project rubric would list the requirements or standards I would expect upon the completion of the project. It would give students the option to be creative with their work, as well as create a quality project. The rubric would outline my expectations including some or all of these aspects: presentation, appearance, organization, information, and mechanics. The students would be given a copy and we would discuss the outline of the rubric. Here is an example of an oral presentation rubric for a middle school humanities project. As a student, I loved to use collaboration rubrics. This is another way I would use rubrics in the classroom. The rubric would outline the expectations of the students as a team member. Each student would get a rubric for each of their other team members, and they would be required to honestly grade their team members. There would also be a note section for any comments the students want to leave. Team members would not be allowed to see the grades or comments that their other teammates gave them. The individual student's final collaboration grade would be based on what I observed as well as the input from their other group members. Here is an example of a collaboration rubric. There are several other ways rubrics can be used in the classroom. Below is a list of links to other types of rubrics.
Other Rubrics
Math Problem-Solving Rubric
Discussion Participation Rubric
2) Teaching students with learning disabilities definitely requires using an IEP generator. Individualized education plans (IEP's) are used with students that have delayed skills or other disabilities and need special services, support, or accommodations. An IEP generator would me to create a plan specific to the student’s needs. It would include any accommodations the student need, whether they need services such as speech or occupational therapy, etc. Some IEP generators allow you to edit and make changes or include other information. This is helpful when tracking the child's progress. It also helps when recording notes of IEP meetings. Below is a list of different IEP generators with links to their websites.
IEP Generators
IEP4U
DDtrac
IEP Planet
3) Web design software would have to be my favorite! I love the idea of having a classroom website. Like most websites, my classroom website will be a source of information. It will keep parents and students up-to-date on current events in the classroom and contain links to pertinent information for parents. Photos from class trips and activities will be uploaded here. Students will be able to access links to high-quality resources and activities on the website. This saves time and paper. There will also be updates on the curriculum, including resources for parents to help their children with homework. Below are links to a few classroom websites that I found.
Classroom Websites
Midland Academy, Georgia: 3rd grade
Resurrection Catholic School, Pennsylvania: 4th grade
David Lawrence Jr. K-8 Center, FL: 4th grade
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Instructional Software (Week 3)
Computers were initially used in education in the 1960s. During this time, computer-assisted instruction (CAI) was used to tutor students. Today, computer-assisted instruction is known as instructional software. Instructional software is commonly used for instructional support. There are five types of instructional software. Descriptions and examples of the different software are listed below.
Drill-and-Practice software allows students to practice exercises and receive immediate feedback. Examples of drill-and-practice software are flashcard activities, chart fill-in activities, and branching drills. This kind of software helps students achieve automaticty, and most students would rather practice using this method instead of the traditional pen and paper method. Spelling city is an online software program that allows students to practice spelling, vocabulary, and grammar. Below is a link to some of Spelling City's vocabulary activities. This activites allow students to practice matching words and defnitions. When all answers are submitted, it gives feedback by showing a "red x" for incorrect answers. Then, it allows the students to make corrections. Go ahead, check it out!
Tutorial software is intended to provide instructional on a skill or subject without the need for any other resources. A linear tutorial gives the same instruction for all students regardless of their skills or abilities. A branching tutorial gives instruction based on how one responds to questions. It caters more to the needs of students. Social Studies Skills Tutor is a linear tutorial that teaches geographic literacy, visual analysis, and critical thinking skills. This tutorial allows a level to be chosen, teaches the skill, and then allows the student to practice with immediate feedback and chances to make corrections. Lastly, the tutorial instructs the students to apply the skills learned with no feedback.
Simulations are abstract models of real systems that describes the important characteristics of the system and allows experiments on it to better understand how it works. There are many benefits to using simulation software. They are often much cheaper than their real life counterparts, and they are "hands on" so the student isn't just sitting there listening. Below is a simulation tutorial that gives students a chance to explore pressure within the atmosphere as well as underwater. It allows them to change certain chracteristics, such as the shape of the pipe, to see what effect it has on the pressure and flow of water. Once you click the link below, this next screen will have other simulations listed on the left side of the page.
Instructional Games are computerized learning activities that have game-like rules. These are popular with students and ideal for engaging students in subject material. Students see instructional games as fun and entertaining, but they can become very competitive. Quia allows teachers to create their own instructional games, and this website also has a compilation of games created by other educators. Verbs in Space is an instructional game that make recognizing verbs fun and interactive. Click on the link below to give it a try. There are many other instructional games on Sheppard Software where Verbs in Space is located.
Problem-solving software does just as its name implies, helps students practice problem-solving skills. Crazy Machines: Golden Gears is problem-solving software allows students to create machines and solve challenges using physics, gravity, etc. It's a real treat. You have to download it on your android or tablet. They haven't developed a Windows version yet.
Drill-and-Practice software allows students to practice exercises and receive immediate feedback. Examples of drill-and-practice software are flashcard activities, chart fill-in activities, and branching drills. This kind of software helps students achieve automaticty, and most students would rather practice using this method instead of the traditional pen and paper method. Spelling city is an online software program that allows students to practice spelling, vocabulary, and grammar. Below is a link to some of Spelling City's vocabulary activities. This activites allow students to practice matching words and defnitions. When all answers are submitted, it gives feedback by showing a "red x" for incorrect answers. Then, it allows the students to make corrections. Go ahead, check it out!
Tutorial software is intended to provide instructional on a skill or subject without the need for any other resources. A linear tutorial gives the same instruction for all students regardless of their skills or abilities. A branching tutorial gives instruction based on how one responds to questions. It caters more to the needs of students. Social Studies Skills Tutor is a linear tutorial that teaches geographic literacy, visual analysis, and critical thinking skills. This tutorial allows a level to be chosen, teaches the skill, and then allows the student to practice with immediate feedback and chances to make corrections. Lastly, the tutorial instructs the students to apply the skills learned with no feedback.
Simulations are abstract models of real systems that describes the important characteristics of the system and allows experiments on it to better understand how it works. There are many benefits to using simulation software. They are often much cheaper than their real life counterparts, and they are "hands on" so the student isn't just sitting there listening. Below is a simulation tutorial that gives students a chance to explore pressure within the atmosphere as well as underwater. It allows them to change certain chracteristics, such as the shape of the pipe, to see what effect it has on the pressure and flow of water. Once you click the link below, this next screen will have other simulations listed on the left side of the page.
Instructional Games are computerized learning activities that have game-like rules. These are popular with students and ideal for engaging students in subject material. Students see instructional games as fun and entertaining, but they can become very competitive. Quia allows teachers to create their own instructional games, and this website also has a compilation of games created by other educators. Verbs in Space is an instructional game that make recognizing verbs fun and interactive. Click on the link below to give it a try. There are many other instructional games on Sheppard Software where Verbs in Space is located.
Problem-solving software does just as its name implies, helps students practice problem-solving skills. Crazy Machines: Golden Gears is problem-solving software allows students to create machines and solve challenges using physics, gravity, etc. It's a real treat. You have to download it on your android or tablet. They haven't developed a Windows version yet.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Web 2.0 Resources
I would like to take a few minutes to share a few resources I have recently had the pleasure to use. I am sure these resources will be a powerful tool to some of your lessons.
1. Bubbl.us
Bubbl.us is a website that allows you to make graphic organizers/concept maps. This is something that could be used across the curriculum. It is very easy-to-use, and I would defnitely recommend it to those who don't consider themselves as "tech-savvy". There are several options that allow you to customize your creations; although, there aren't enough options that students will get easily distracted. Below is a picture of my latest concept map on the Civil Rights Movement.
2. Glogster
I absolutley love Glogster! I have actually used Glogster severla times before. It is not as easy to use as bubbl.us. With a little more effort, one could really get some use of this. This is the most creative way to design informational handouts, present assignments, or even send a special note. Check out my latest Glog!
3.Animoto
Animoto.com allows you to make your own video using self-chosen photos. I definitely enjoyed this resource the most. It is so simple to use, and I see myself using this in my professional and personal life. I used pictures that I took from my visit to the King Center to make this video. Enjoy! I'm very proud of it!
4. Fakebook
Fakebook allows you to make profile pages as a study resource. These profile pages could be used for studying historical figures, to chart a series of events, etc. This is a great way to make note-taking and studying exciting for the students. As a student, I'm not sure how well this would work for me. I'm sure it's great for someone. This is a link to the profile I created for Rosa Parks. Click here to see the profile I created for Martin Luther King, Jr.
1. Bubbl.us
Bubbl.us is a website that allows you to make graphic organizers/concept maps. This is something that could be used across the curriculum. It is very easy-to-use, and I would defnitely recommend it to those who don't consider themselves as "tech-savvy". There are several options that allow you to customize your creations; although, there aren't enough options that students will get easily distracted. Below is a picture of my latest concept map on the Civil Rights Movement.
2. Glogster
I absolutley love Glogster! I have actually used Glogster severla times before. It is not as easy to use as bubbl.us. With a little more effort, one could really get some use of this. This is the most creative way to design informational handouts, present assignments, or even send a special note. Check out my latest Glog!
3.Animoto
Animoto.com allows you to make your own video using self-chosen photos. I definitely enjoyed this resource the most. It is so simple to use, and I see myself using this in my professional and personal life. I used pictures that I took from my visit to the King Center to make this video. Enjoy! I'm very proud of it!
Make a video of your own at Animoto.
4. Fakebook
Fakebook allows you to make profile pages as a study resource. These profile pages could be used for studying historical figures, to chart a series of events, etc. This is a great way to make note-taking and studying exciting for the students. As a student, I'm not sure how well this would work for me. I'm sure it's great for someone. This is a link to the profile I created for Rosa Parks. Click here to see the profile I created for Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Should students play (software) games in school? (Week 2)
Many educators are at odds about the effects of instructional games in the classroom. Some critics have said that students forget the initial reason for playing the game, and begin to focus more on just winning the game. Other critics say that students aren't able to apply the skills they've mastered from game-like situations to non-game situations. In my opinion, instructional games are a great resource for practicing and reviewing skills, if used appropriately.
Games are a great way to rejuvenate your students from the old pen and paper routine. With careful consideration, games can be a substitute for the constant use of worksheets. Many of the same skills we practice using worksheets can be practiced within some form of software. Before students begin playing, make sure students know the relationship between game rules and content-area rules (Roblyer and Doering, 2013, p.98). This will help students stay focused on the educational purpose for which it is intended.
Also, games create a basis for peer cooperation. Many multiplayer games offer students a chance to work together to reach a common goal. This is a chance for the teacher to introduce the characteristics of a cooperative team player. In one of my first game classes, this is extremely effective. Even in single player games, you can often hear students asking for help, shouting encouraging words, and even giving strategies to their fellow classmates. For this class, games have provided positive cooperative play, and it has also provided a very rewarding experience for the teacher.
As I end this post, I would like to leave with you the words of a New York Times journalist. "When it comes to capturing and keeping the attention of children, game designers appear to be getting something right that schools, in many cases, are getting wrong" (Corbett,2010).
For your entertainment, check out Sara Corbett's article, "Learning by Playing: Video Games in the Classroom".
Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Corbett, S. (2010, September 15). Learning by playing: video games in the classroom. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/magazine/19video-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Games are a great way to rejuvenate your students from the old pen and paper routine. With careful consideration, games can be a substitute for the constant use of worksheets. Many of the same skills we practice using worksheets can be practiced within some form of software. Before students begin playing, make sure students know the relationship between game rules and content-area rules (Roblyer and Doering, 2013, p.98). This will help students stay focused on the educational purpose for which it is intended.
Also, games create a basis for peer cooperation. Many multiplayer games offer students a chance to work together to reach a common goal. This is a chance for the teacher to introduce the characteristics of a cooperative team player. In one of my first game classes, this is extremely effective. Even in single player games, you can often hear students asking for help, shouting encouraging words, and even giving strategies to their fellow classmates. For this class, games have provided positive cooperative play, and it has also provided a very rewarding experience for the teacher.
As I end this post, I would like to leave with you the words of a New York Times journalist. "When it comes to capturing and keeping the attention of children, game designers appear to be getting something right that schools, in many cases, are getting wrong" (Corbett,2010).
For your entertainment, check out Sara Corbett's article, "Learning by Playing: Video Games in the Classroom".
Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Corbett, S. (2010, September 15). Learning by playing: video games in the classroom. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/magazine/19video-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
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