Completion of 11 Tools!

Yay! I'm done! The assessment was pretty brutal. Anyone agree?

#11 Tool

FAVS...
It is so hard for me to pick my favorite tool. There are so many that I have used and loved and others that I am looking forward to trying in the classroom. I think the one I am most interested in at this time is Blogger. I really want to find various ways of implementing this tool in the classroom. I think that the ipad/itouch will help the students to use it effectively. When I tried to use it before, there was always the excuse that they didn't have a computer, their parents wouldn't let them or the library wasn't open. These take away all the excuses. The technology can be used in the classroom.

CHANGE IN LEARNING...
I plan to change learning in the classroom by using technology continuously. This makes research readily available. It also making some of the tools that we have learned about able to be used. It also tears down the walls between classes, schools, states and even countries! I see my students learning from all different avenues, instead of me facilitating most of the time.

UNEXPECTED OUTCOMES...
I am overwhelmed with the amount of technology and information about the technology available. There are so many tools, so little time. I am really looking forward to using Atomic Learning to learn more about these tools. I really didn't expect to be so excited about all of this learning, but I am!

#10 Tool

Digital Citizenship

• 3 Important Things about Digital Citizenship:

1. Visiting only appropriate sites

2. Only posting appropriate comments

3. Preventing or reporting cyber bullying

• I plan to use BrainPop to teach my students abaout digital citizenship. The students really enjoy watching the videos. They are kid friendly and introduce subjects in a different way.



• I am going to teach digital citizenship through using BrainPop as I mentioned above. I will show the video and discuss it. Then, do one of the follow activities provided.



• I will inform parents by sending out an email or sending a note home to be signed and returned.

#9 Tool

Incorporating Technology in the Classroom...

1. It is important to tie the technology to an objective to make sure that you cover everything in the curriculum. I think it would be easy to get caught up in learning and exploring with technology and forget to stick with the curriculum.




2. Students should be responsible for their learning so that we make sure they stick to the curriculum. Just like teachers, students can get caught up in exploring and lose track of the purpose of using the technology. If you don't have someway to hold them responsible, students can get caught up in playing games or showing their friends something on the web and the next thing you know, the class period is over and they have done nothing they were assigned. We need to make sure they are on task and they handle the technology in a responsible manner.




3. Two links that I explored that I really think I will use in the classroom are "Learning Games for Kids" and "Thinkfinity". Both of these sites would be great for building and reinforcing vocabulary.




4. There are so many apps that I think that could be used effectively in a Language Arts classroom. Three of the apps I really liked are "Dictionary.com", "BrainPop" and "Flashcards+" I would use "Dictionary.com" as a resource and to practice using dictionary skills which are usually fairly boring. I love "BrainPop" I would use it on the ipad to help students who need reinforcement with grammar, writing or reading skills. It is very good at explaining in a fun interactive way. I would use "Flashcards+" as vocabulary reinforcement.




5. I would use the itouch and the ipad as sponge activities, independent practice, reinforcement activities, a resource and additional reading material.

#8 Tool

3 Things that I learned:

1. More than I could ever use on the Dell2120


2. About the Graphic Tablet I never knew existed


3. Every possible thing I could think of in syncing an itouch or ipad

this is a great resource that I know I can use if I forget any detail of using the new technology that we will have. I have one question that I read in someone elses blog, but no one answered. How do you get to KACE??? I'm sure Brent and Cindy know, but I have no idea. This is the only description that I found that was not expalined to the very minute detail. Please comment and answer if you know! :)

I will manage the ipad and itouch in my classroom by modeling the activities that I expect the students to do. I will also find out who my computer savvy kids are and let them be mini icoaches in my classroom, so they can trouble shoot problems so the studnets can learn to work independently with technology and have fun exploring and learning. The rule ask three, then me will be implemented while using technology.

#7 Tool

I am still brainstorming about the project that I am creating for tool #7.  I may be biting off more than I can chew this year with all of this new technology.  I am not sure how much I can implement this year, but this is what I would like to try:

1. What? Mythology Research Project
2. When? Next 9 weeks
3. What Technology? Google Docs & Skype
4. Description? I plan to have my PreAP classes research several mythological gods, heroes or creatures collaboratively with each other. I plan on each period choosing topics and working with classes in the other period researching that same topic.
5. Who? I plan to have my classroom students interview other students and teachers in the school on mythological creatures. Then, skype other students in France interviewing those students on their knowledge of mythology. If possible, we may try to interview Rick Riordan since he is a mythological fiction writer and former 7th grade teacher.

I may change and implement my idea as I go, but this is the original plan.  It will be interesting to see how it actually turns out.

#6 Tool

One of the tools that I want to use in my classroom is a classroom blog.  I want students to blog about books that they have read in their reading log and enjoy.  I will also blog on young adult literature that I think that they would enjoy reading.  I will encourage students not only to blog, but to comment on the books that I have suggested and books that other students have suggested.  Here is a sample blog that I have created.
http://howiseeitmst.blogspot.com/

Other tool that I would like to implement in my classroom is skype.  I have a friend who is a teacher in Paris, France.  She has been looking for student pen pals for her students in the United States.  I think using skype in addition to a classroom blog would be the perfect way to be pen pals with French students in the 21st century.