ILP 2

       For my second Independent Learning Project, I decided to go with creating an Edmodo for a class. I created a quiz, assignment, and a poll. I found Edmodo really simple to use and really helpful for a classroom setting to interact with students and be able to work out of Edmodo. 

       The group code is: 2reew3, come join the class and have a look!

BBQ Food Survey

https://fsu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_1Yd6Pz0iSyfCgxT

#10 - Wrapping the Blog up

      I think Data Collection Tools provide an interesting way of interacting with students in your class. I think I would mostly use surveys with my students and poll them to see what the students like or dislike depending on what I am surveying them on. The surveys could range from which activities, assignments, or projects the students would want to do rather than me dictating what type of projects I would want them to do. I would use Data Collection Tools to give more power to my students and let them be more involved in the class.

     The topic I found most interesting when reviewing my classmates' blogs was without a doubt, the Independent Learning Projects. Seeing all different types of projects that ranged from Lynda course tutorials to creating their own Edmodo, each ILP was unique to the student and gave me a feel of where their interests are.

     For me, the next technology related skill I want to learn is how to create and edit videos. Earlier in my life I wanted to be apart of television production in some way. I've always had an interest in videos and even had an interest in creating videos, even at one point had a dream of becoming a YouTube personality. While I don't have that dream anymore, (though I wouldn't count it out!) I really do want to master how to create and edit videos on both Mac and Windows.

     A simple way for me to achieve this skill would be just to practice and dive right into making videos. I have a small background in making videos as I was in a TV production class in high school, so I know of some basics. But after learning about Lynda, I could even go through a Lynda course to learn even more about creating and editing videos. Being hands on with creating videos is most likely the best way for me to learn because my best work comes from hands on experience, but going through a Lynda tutorial on videos would most certainly benefit me as well.

#9

    "The Flipped Classroom" is a model where lectures are prerecorded and students view them before class and class time is used for exercise and assignments pertaining to the lecture. This method gives off a complete opposite dynamic of what a class would usually be like. Personally, I'm neutral to this type of classroom dynamic only in the means of making sure my students actually watch the lectures and were prepared for class. I think it only presents an issue either if students don't do the lectures before class, or if the lecture itself is difficult and easier explained with a teacher in person to help the students

     A great and interesting web-based resource I would use for professional development would definitely be Lynda. After completing a Lynda tutorial for my ILP, I realized how effective Lynda can be for developing certain skills or learning new skills for a professional environment. I would highly recommend anyone to use Lynda if they wanted to pick up a skill or perfect skills they already have for a professional work environment. www.Lynda.com

     I have never made an interactive PowerPoint before so all these skills are new to me, especially making the buttons. I definitely enjoyed this project because of learning how to hyperlink to slides, and use buttons to navigate the user throughout the game/presentation. I think this project is an essential project for my future career. PowerPoint games are something that is fun for students and the class as a whole so learning how to make these is important for my future.

Post 8

     I am definitely on the side of being able to access technology rather than being on the side that is not able to access technology. I think digital divide can definitely have a substantial impact in my future classroom between my students. If I have two students on opposite ends of the digital divide, without a doubt the student that has access is going to be out in a better position to succeed. What I would try to do to address the situation is get a grant for technology is my classroom, specifically a grant that lets me lend out iPads for each of my students to have for the year/semester/term. I have this in my EDF2085 class right now and it helps put all the students on equal playing field.

     I never know that I can record my voice and how to record slide shows and in general, make it play automatically from opening the file. I found the assignment at first a tad difficult having to record my voice and recording the show in general. I wasn't sure at first what or even why I had to record the whole show but after learning about it I can see why I needed to do it. I think I can improve on the aesthetic design of my PowerPoint mostly, I still find it a tad hard to get a really good design for my PowerPoint presentations.

Independent Learning Project - Lynda

       For my independent learning project, I decided to complete a course on Lynda on personal branding on social media. This specific course really interested me because of how much social media is becoming a vital factor in the professional world. The course hits on who benefits from a positive personal brand on social media, the benefits of social media, and how to develop a positive personal brand for yourself over social media. Being the first time using Lynda, I had a great learning experience going through this course. Lynda provides a plethora of courses to choose from and even outlines each subtopic under the course and gives presentations for each subtopic with the addition of attachments like worksheets or exercises.

Slide Share!

What I liked about the presentation...

5 tools for an awesome presentation-By Samid Razzak from Samid Razzak

was specifically slide #6, saying "you have only 5 seconds to gain attention!" This statement hit the nail on its head, I have found myself multiple times losing focus while I'm watching a PowerPoint presentation because there are loads of text. You really have to capture the audiences attention in the very beginning of each slide or else they'll lose interest fast.

#7

     I can use PowerPoint to support student level at every level of Bloom's taxonomy in a history type of lesson. While doing a PowerPoint presentation, you can gradually go through each step of Bloom's taxonomy, starting off the presentation with basic facts and such to "remember", like in the pyramid. A PowerPoint presentation can chronologically go through each step throughout the presentation. Even at the end of the presentation you can have students create their own Powerpoint presentations.

     In the podcast, adaptive technologies are defined by technologies that help people with disabilities more effectively use computive equipment. They are used to help students with physical disabilities to be able to use computers and other technology. For example, a student might be able to use a computer mouse, but with adaptive technologies like input and output devices to use the mouse. I have not met anyone or know anyone that have needed to use adaptive technologies. The only challenges I see with adaptive technology is being able to have multiple access of resources for students with different disabilities.

     After completing the web design assignment, I learned how to use the website, Weebly, much more effectively. Having a background in web design coding, I did not think I was going to learn much throughout this assignment, but after going through the project using Weebly, I learned all the benefits of using a site that gives you multiple options to create your website. Learning how to use Weebly can drastically improve my career because if I can teach Weebly to my students, I can have them create websites for projects and such and the students can learn a useful tool for their future.
http://jej14b.weebly.com/

#6 - Wiki

     The school website I looked at was the school I attended when I was in high school. I never looked at the website then and decided to see how well it made and updated. The site is for all high school students so the grade level is 9th-12th grade. The information that is displayed publicly is mostly dealing with student extra circular activities such as clubs and sports. But the website does keep open testing information for everyone to view, advising offices, college help, senior graduation information, and even separate tabs of information for faculty and parents.

In my future career of teaching, I envision myself being heavily immersed in technology and applying that knowledge of technology to my classroom. Lesson plans are more precise and present the lesson plans more clearly and organized when created on a word processor, like the podcast states. Technology is only beneficial towards a classroom and helps advance the classroom for both the teacher, students, and even the parents/guardians of the students whether its planning lessons, grade student work, and communicating with students and parents. 

After completing the Wiki assignment, I learned specific skills on how to really judge a website. I never looked into judging a website nor did I think evaluating a website was worth much. But after the assignment I realized how critical it is to evaluate the website for yourself. Learning how to evaluate websites is a necessary skill I need to learn for my future career, I can't just use sources for my students that I have not checked or looked into yet as it can be a very dangerous game. 

#4 - Web Hunt Challenges and What I learned overall

     A CPALMS standard that is very important to the American History subject that I would teach is the standard SS.912.A.2.1, which is review the causes and consequences of the Civil War. For this subject matter I would like to use an educational game, which is Hangman, but takes vocabulary and important terms that has to do with the subject, and makes a hangman game out of it. I would use it with my whole class and separate my students into teams and review terms with my students in that way. http://www.studenthandouts.com/study-games/american-history-games/07-civil-war-reconstruction-study-games.html

     In the past, I've used a numerous and wide array of internet-based resources for my school work. I used basic search functions in google when I would go search for internet resources for my schoolwork. After listening to the podcast, I noticed that I used some techniques the podcast mentioned, such as the design of a website and how user-friendly the website is. If I can't navigate through the website to find the material I need I would quickly find another website. When I use internet resources, the websites appeal and navigation really impact whether I use that source or not.

     I never realized Google had little tools to use for specific searches, nor did I know how much Google Scholar is helpful in finding internet sources. I was surprised when looking up videos and when I had to use google scholar on how easy it was to find my sources I needed for the web hunt assignment.

WEB HUNT CHALLENGES
1. You want to play a game with your students to help them have fun and study for the upcoming test on science. Can you find an educational online game for your students?
2. Your students are writing a research paper on World War I, Can you find an online resource that holds primary sources for your students to use?

#3

     After going through all the ELA Standards, the standards that i feel most comfortable with are the Informational Text and the History/Social Studies standards. Having a background in web design coding really helps with my ability to create presentations with interactive web elements in the informational text standards. All my social studies classes have all used a wide variety of technology for presentations, assignments, and homework. The standard I wish for more preparation is the Science/Technical standards. I never had much practice in diagrams or models that had to do with science as its my least favorite subject.

     The technology/software applications I would like to use with my students is mostly social media, specifically twitter, and new software that is called Google Docs. The digital concepts I would have to address would be proper etiquette over social media and digital law pertaining to outside sources being sued on assignments, homework, etc. With my students being 11-12th grade, my students would be fully immersed in social media and will have a great deal of knowledge of technology. I have to make sure my students are smart, exceptional digital citizens in order to use social media with my students.

     Creating the newsletter by hand without templates gave me more skills in Microsoft Word that I haven't had before. I found the newsletter to be fairly average in creating it, not to hard but still requiring effort to put in to create it. Creating this newsletter from scratch really gave me insight on what newsletters should look like and what content should be put in it.

2 - Word

       I've been using Microsoft Word and seen my teachers use Word ever since early elementary schooling mostly towards 3rd grade. I've used Word for numerous essays, assignments, almost anything that required to be typed and turned in. All my teachers have used word for worksheets, assignments, and mostly tests and quizzes. When I first started my college classes, I learned how to use word for note-taking, which i currently use for all my classes to take notes in. 

      My first experiences in copyright and using outside sources and material for my own projects was in 6th grade where I first learned how to properly cite outside sources. As a teacher, I will definitely make sure that all of my students are taught well in citing and referencing their sources they use. Citing sources is an important part in education and schoolwork because plagiarism is something that is still an issue and will most likely always be an issue when research papers or any assignment that requires outside sources. 

     Twitter and other personal learning networks are more than just a feed of different tweets, or posts , to read. When I made my account on twitter, I never realized how many accounts there was that are involved with teaching, or even any type of educational technology. What is so convenient about personal learning networks is the ability to communicate on a national or even global network like twitter, to be able to communicate with teachers or companies or even future students over a network is revolutionary. 

#1

     Computers are an important part of the educational experience because technology helps acclimate students to the new technological driven world we are in today. Critical concerns for teachers and students are financing educational technology, allotting time for technology, adapting to the environment of the class when technology is implemented, and changing the instructional program after computers are implemented. I fully agree with every concern but I agree mostly with adapting the technology environment. Going from a class that hardly uses technology to a class that uses technology for lessons would be difficult for the teacher and students because the students would not be used to using technology, not to mention having to learn how to use technology to begin with.

     Reflecting on the ISTE Standards, one that stood out to me and gladdened me was the standard of communicating information and ideas effectively to audiences using a variety of media. Since social media became popular, I quickly became acclimated with how to use and communicate with multiple audiences on different platforms. One ISTE Standard that is out of my skill set is using multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternate solutions. Once I figure out one way to process information, I never diversify or use different processes to reach the same result.

     I agree with the label of "digital natives" for today's youth because technology is now fully immersed in our society and is constantly growing within our society as time goes on. Digital Natives are people who are grown up knowing digital technology. I see huge differences in some of my teachers when it comes to technology. When a teacher uses powerpoint or any other type of technology to teach class, some teachers don't fully understand the limits to the technology and how it can used more effectively, which in turn can impact the students in learning. In the future, I don't believe there will be much differences in using technology with my students, just the only difference is me mastering the technology while my students understand it, but not fully comprehended what the technology can fully achieve.

0 - Getting to know Me

       Before majoring in education, my first major was ICT (Information Communication and Technology), which deals with a heavy amount of technology. I've already taken two different courses one dealing with web design coding and the other dealing with web client programming. Back in high school I took a basic CGS course as well for dual enrollment furthering my skills in basic computer elements and Microsoft Office and a tad of Adobe Photoshop.
   
      What I look forward to learning in this class is completely mastering components of all Microsoft Office as my Microsoft Excel skills need to be developed further. I've never interacted with or have been in a classroom that has used smart boards, or that type of teaching technology in general. This class being my first time being exposed to it and learning how to use it, I hope to quickly pick up on the technology and learn to be adept in all teaching technologies after the semester is over.

     After taking the learning style survey, I saw that I'm a very straight forward person in how I take in information. I've always been a clear-cut, step-by-step approach to anything and would always rather following guidelines. I've very hands on with my work and like to dive right into whatever I am learning. I have never been the one to be reflective or like to theorize about what I am learning. I will always rather stick to facts and dive right into what I am learning and pick up the information that way instead of putting more thought into what I am learning.