1. Introduction Video: At
the very beginning of the semester, we were given the task of making an
introduction video explaining who we are, what we're interested in, and other
basic facts about ourselves. This project
met the second NETS-T standard, because it facilitated authentic learning while
using contemporary tools. This also matched part three of this standard, which
states that it will be customized and personal activities. This video allowed
us to add our own personal touch to this video and customize it to our liking.
Also, this was a learning experience for us, because most of us did not have
experience with using blogs at all and giving us the directions of uploading it
and putting the video on our blog page was interesting and challenging. This
was also a way for people who see our blog to know why we have this page, and
for others to see our common interest in teaching. I could see myself using
this in the classroom for elementary students by having each student prepare
something to say about themselves on video and practice their public speaking
skills. Since in elementary school it would be difficult to get them to have
their own blog and post their own video, but it would be nice to have a class
blog that their parents could see.
2. Concept Map: For this assignment,
we used technology called Inspiration, that none of us had used before, to
create a concept map on a certain subject that we, as teachers, would like to
teach to our students. This project used
NETS-T standard two which states "Design
and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments". This
activity implemented technology that allowed us to design our own material
relevantly, using hyperlinks and creating our own template for the concept map.
We chose our topics and they were required to have five different subtopics,
this would be something interesting to use in the classroom to give students
the freedom to come up with something they're interested in, but also challenge
them to meet the requirements. The use
of the Inspiration technology could easily be used in the classroom in
elementary schools and would be an easy way to incorporate technology into
their learning and helping them use new things and remain interested in a
simple task such as a concept map.
3.
Website: This assignment used NETS-T standard five which states "engage in
professional leadership and growth", this project did this because we had
to create a website that we would share with out students and their parents. This website included a page that we wrote a
personal introduction, another page that we created a calendar, and another
page with resources for our students to use. This was very enjoyable for me,
because we were able to create a page as if we had our own classroom without
rules, things we would implement into our classroom, and it gave us the freedom
to be original and creative. I would definitely use this in my classroom as a
way of communicating with students and parents. This would be a great tool to
put copies of homework and links to assignments for students that are prone to
losing their work.
4.
Movie: This project met the first NETS-T
standard, about facilitating student learning and creativity. This was one of the most fun projects that we
did. We used Microsoft Movie Maker to create a movie about some event that
happened in our lives. This was an
opportunity for us to learn how to create a video on our own, put it to music,
and upload it to our blog. This project
was also very challenging. To complete this project we used the computers in
class and due to our school's technology we had to save our photos through Drop
Box and download them daily. It was also a learning experience to see how to
put music to our video and compress it to put it on our blog. I could use this
in a high school or middle school classroom, but it would be difficult to allow
elementary students use this technology. It would however be a way for me, the
teacher to document things that we do in the classroom. It would be a way for
me to show students things from field trips, projects, literature circles, and
much more. This was a great activity for
our class, because we were able to learn more about our classmates and what is
important to them and also to build relationships and see how we relate to one another.
5.
Turn It In: This assignment fell into the NETS-T standard four that says “promote
and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the
use of technology and information". In this assignment we were asked to do
a number of things, the first things was to answer a number of questions on the
internet using certain websites, copying the answers word for word and
uploading them to Turn It In. We were required to get a certain percent of
plagiarism. Once we had completed that,
we had to rewrite our answers to get rid of our plagiarism. This was a difficult assignment, because it
showed me that Turn It In could sometimes be inaccurate and unreliable. This activity was useful though to show
social responsibility and integrity, which is a lot of the reason that so many
teachers use Turn It In to begin with. I could see myself showing students this
activity in class if I ever planned on having students turn something in that
way, or I could show students just so that they would understand how bad it is
to cheat and how easily it could be monitored.
6. Web Tools: This project lines up with the NETS-T standard two
that covers customizing and personalizing learning activities to address
students. This was a way to engage all of us as education majors. During this activity we were given three,
new, very useful websites that allowed us to make rubrics, quizzes, and more. This
was interesting, because it would be a way for us as teachers to allow students
to be assessed on their learning and progress online. This would be especially good to be used with
upper elementary grades that have access to computers and can take the quizzes
you post online. The rubric website
would also be helpful to make rubrics that can be shared with students.
7. Google Assignment: This assignment works with NETS-T standard
number one, which states that it should promote, support, and model creative
and innovative thinking and inventiveness. This assignment required us to get
in groups and create a Google Group. Once we were in the Google Group, we were
required to write a story and make a PowerPoint on an aspect of technology in
the classroom. This was an interesting assignment because it first made us use
our creativity to come up with a story with others. My group decided to make a
Google Doc to share our story and do it on our own time, as well as a Google
presentation as the slideshow. This was also a learning experience for me,
because I had never used a Google Group before and this was very interesting
and something that I could see people using in the classroom for students to
share information.
This class has
been very useful to me. There are a lot of resources out there for teachers
that I did not know about. This class has shown me that there are many ways
that we are jeopardizing our students' educations if we do not use technology
in our classroom. This class helped me to broaden my horizons when it came to
using technology in the classroom. I had no prior knowledge on how I should do
this until this class.
I am not a very
technology savvy person in my day-to-day life so a lot of the assignments in
this class were challenging and I had to learn how to do things that I would
not normally have to do. Once I got the hang of how to do the assignments I
really enjoyed them and can see myself using the Inspiration program as well as
Movie Maker in my classroom.
I enjoyed learning these things because I now feel equipped to teach students using technology in the classroom, an area in which I felt very lacking before this class. In the future I will continue to use these technologies and more to make my classroom successful.
I enjoyed learning these things because I now feel equipped to teach students using technology in the classroom, an area in which I felt very lacking before this class. In the future I will continue to use these technologies and more to make my classroom successful.
