Final Reflections

I think I've really learned to like WIKI-ing. When I was first introduced to this, I didn't take much thought into it. But after viewing all these different Wiki's that have been used in the classroom, I've had a change of heart.

Well I'm excited to start the new year with all these great technology. Like I mentioned in my blog about WIKIs, I would use this for students to make a WIKI page about themselves and add information for their classmates to read and learn about one another. This would be a great way to highlight a student all through the use of WIKIs!


Most definitley! I find that with all these tools, there will be lots of independent studies that will encourage different skills and open opportunities to all students to participate at their comfort level. Some students may take one these task and soar and some may just use technology for gaining knowledge. Regardless, I can see with the NEW AND FUNCTIONING technology we are receiving all these tasks can be tackled and will be promoted through out the school.

At first, I thought eh..more work! But I've learned a lot of new technology. Although I am very techy, I'm not one to venture around to find new technology to use =)! Sometimes, I just see there's just so much and not sure how to apply. After looking at all these 11 tools, I can see how I can use and apply it in my 1st grade class. With the 11 tools, I've used 8 of them personally and for my higher ed class, but now I know how to use all 11 for my class!

Tool # 11

Creating digital citizens are so important and should be taught at an early age. Just like how it was before all the technology, it has always been important for students to research on topics and to give credit to those who have worked hard on their research. With or without the technology, students need to learn to respect the work of others and always cite their references.

I also think it is important for students to become good digital citizens for their own safety. Technology and the internet are great, but there are some bad things out there as well. Students need to be aware of this and learn to protect themselves and prevent this bad people/software to not touch their lives. But this needs to be taught and needs to be emphasize!

And of course all the tools out there that can enhance their learning! All the tools we've learned through these 11 Tools are resourceful for building a stronger education. When students are smart with the technology and internet, they can expand their horizon. Students should use technology to their advantage and not make it their enemy! It's all about being SMART!

I think the best way to teach my 1st graders digital citizenship is using Brain Pop! My students love Brain Pop and always learn new things! Especially when it's from Annie and Mobley, they seem to take it to heart. I would have this as one of the first task the students will do at our computer station. And even before doing any tech project, it is always good to revisit any digital citizen expectations, because I think sometimes as adults we need reminders as well! So most importantly MODEL all these expectations of a DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP!

Tool # 10

1. I found some good ones and some eh ones...these are the ones I would use in my class.

Math Drills - Since first grade is responsible for introducing math facts, this would be a great app for students to practice. And I like how it has visuals to connects with the text.


Alphabet Tracing - This is a great app for students to control fine motor skils and work on handwriting as well (a very cumbersome TASK). And I like how the train helps track the direction where to begin and end.

My First Words -Although this may seem a little babyish, I think this is great for ESL students who are need more help with vocabulary and also with spelling words.


I personally got to play with my friends IPAD and I thought it was MARVELOUS! It's not too small and not too hefty for a teacher to come around do conferences with students with all the information at the touch of a button! I played with it for hours and downloaded some free children's books (can't remember how..her husband showed me) and thought how great it would be to have to share a children's book online that was interactive and can read to you.

I think students can use any app as long as they are appropriate and tie with curriculum. Once again, teachers need to get on the ball and find out what's out there for our kiddos to use! Teaching can become so much easier =)!

Tool # 2

I think a personal learning network allows teachers to share information for "best first teaching practices". I think it's great to utilize for book studies and sharing experiences on a daily basis about any "AHA!" or "OH NO!" moments instaneously. As for students, this will take students to the next level. They not only learn from you, but they learn on their own networks, through PLN. But when it's something a teacher creates for a child, to teach the students to use it appropriately, like the video mentions.

Technology is all around us and I think it's the responsibility of the teachers to tie our students daily classroom experiences with our current world. Like we all know, children's world is now the technology world. Then why not use their world to give them the power of knowledge!

Comments are so important for immediate feedback. I think comments should have some evidence or resources that support our response and opinion. I think students can learn to state a point of view or opinion by sharing a more indepth comment to help their classmates understand why they felt a specific way. It's no longer a "good job! That's great!" There's more breadth to it!

The five blogs I responded to are: Olga Abundis, Kaycie Doan, Renee Mendez, Freda Martin, and Donna Cramer.

Tool # 8

Videos are one of the best visuals for students. It’s entertaining and engaging. I use videos in my classroom curriculum frequently. I think videos reach all students, even if they are not native English speakers. The picture in itself gives a lot of information. Videos give student information and can be paused to explain or share or discuss. Sometimes students read information and it doesn’t really click, then they see a video and then it becomes clear. I chose this video of a childhood cartoon that I absolutely love. I found it on Hulu. It’s the Roadrunner and Coyote – minimal speaking, but the actions in the video allows students to interpret what each character was thinking.
via The Insider
Also, this particular video portrays a very good lesson – LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKE.

The second video I chose was a School House Rock – Unpack my Adjectives.

These are classics I grew up with that helped with learning. School House Rocks has so much to offer and can be found on YouTube. The quality might not be great, but students can definitely learn and understand new concepts. Students can watch these videos and find out information or for my example, write down the adjectives they heard.

My favorite and guilty pleasure is our wonderful subscription to United Streaming (Discovery Education). There is so much there for the kids, especially when teaching science or social studies. Magic School Bus is a huge hit and they learn so much and want to explore more about the topics after viewing the video. For Social Studies, we have Animated Heroes that help the students see these "Heroes" that have made an impact in our daily lives.

Thank you SBISD for United Streaming/Discovery Education!

Tool # 5

The two websites I found through the social bookmarking are tagged with “Daily 5”. Here are the two sites http://www.the2sisters.com/ (found through delicious) and http://www.diigo.com/bookmark/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.maiolo.org%2F2nd_Grade%2FMini_Lessons.html?tab=comment (found through diigo). Since I’ve started reading The Daily Five and The CAFÉ Book, I’ve been looking for more information about this new approach. I’ve been to the actual site, but I was trying to find one from a user that is applying this method. The 1st site took me to the main writers' site. I never even thought to look up their own site to get more resources. The 2nd site I found was created by a teacher who explains how she creates mini lessons for her class using this method but integrating it with other great ways. Good to know, I have lots of the books that she refers to as references.

I can see this working in the classroom for my students when doing a research. As a teacher, I can filter and add websites that I want students to navigate through. For first graders, sometimes it takes a while to type in the whole address to specific sites, so I can set this up so students will use their time wisely instead of looking for buttons on the keyboard. But students can also do this on their own if they are researching and find a good website they would like to share with their friends. The most important component of social bookmarking is the student understanding how to tag these sites correctly. This is the only way to use this tool effectively.

Tool # 6

Wikis are great for collecting a large amount of information or to use as ongoing online journal. I saw some great ideas as I was perusing through the Wikis samples. I got lucky and went into "SBISD 21st Century Learner" wiki and found this wiki http://mrsibrahim.wikispaces.com. It had a great idea of creating vocabulary words and included an anchor chart or any other resources to go along with the word. I know as a first grade teacher, I make a TREMENDOUS amount of anchor charts and they are all over the wall. This is a great way to store all their new learning for students to refer to. Also, I think this would be great for a unit study-having a group of students or one do a research about a part of a unit, i.e. The World and its 7 Continents and 4 Oceans. This would also be cool to share with other classes in your grade level if you are doing an author study or character study and all share information in one area. Even if you are studying the same things, some teachers or classes may make different charts that represent their learning, and other students can definitely benefit from this. There is so much you can do...

Tool # 9

It's amazing what you can do on the internet now! Communication is easier than ever! Jing is a great way to teach students how to navigate, find, and access files or softwares. Students can get to a step-by-step video or even a word document with captured images for visualization how to do something on the computer. As for students utilizing Jing, I can see them show or capture their work on specific sites that doesn't allow printing, such as Odyssey. On Odyssey, students are required to do specific task or answer problems online, but a teacher can only actually view the students doing the work if he or she are right next to them. But now, students can show their work through Jing.

Skype has reinvented the term “PEN PAL!” Skype allows students to not only chat to who they are talking to, but to SEE and HEAR at the same time. Students can use this to communicate with other students in the school or in a totally different continent. Skype will allow students to reach out to others with different experiences where they cannot firsthand experience it. But this takes a lot of planning on the teacher’s behalf. This can also be used for students who are ill at home and have access to Skype – “your school away from school”!

I use Skype ALL the time! I communicated with a friend who was a teacher in Japan. She taught abroad and we always shared ideas! Emailing was a means, but direct conversation was so much easier! I’ve also used it a lot to communicate with m y “TRAVELING” boyfriend. He’s been to Asia and Europe for weeks at a time and my means to communicate is through Skype.


And for my new fellow WWE teachers! I have created a flash file using Jing to show you how to get to the WWE folder =)!

Click on the link
How to get to the WWE Server

Tool # 3

I was first introduced to Wordle by one of my GT students. I wasn't sure what it was until I read it and noticed it was about him! I think this is a great way for students to create a list of words to personify an idea. It's open-ended and allows creativity of each student and allows students to pull from the experiences. I can see how this will work great for 1st graders, because they like simple, but complex. They use single words to describe something, but uses multiple to clarify. This is great for students to do at the beginning of the year to go along with a new book I just got, "My Dog is As Smelly as a Sock!" This would go great with their images to help give hints for their "ART" of themselves. I could also see how this could work for character traits; I think the usage of Wordle is endless...



As for Animoto, I’ve used this before with my students. They love it because it takes the beauty of pictures and mixes it with music that expresses what the pictures mean to them. This is a great way for a student to use for projects that doesn’t have to do with cutting or gluing or having mom and dad make pretty posters. Students can take pictures, find pictures (on freebie sites/give credit to owner), and put a presentation together. Although it is only 30 seconds, this makes students think deeper into their project. They have to decide which pictures capture their thought or idea. They have to determine if order makes a “WOW” factor. They need to decide what a “simple” text can captivate. They need to find the tune that entices the viewer. Simple but purposeful!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Tool # 4

I have been a fan of Google Tools since the beginning. I used it in my Master's Program to work with my classmates to work on our papers. It allows multiple users to view and collaborate at the same time. I think this would be a great tool to use in my class when students want to work on a project together and can do it anywhere with internet access-home, library, or their apartment computer center. The students can chat while working on it, they can edit and view the ongoing project. I've used Google Docs for wedding planning, editing papers, preparing for a presentation and the tools have improved and gotten better! Anything that can be accessible at all times through the internet is very powerful for students! I also encourage my UHD students to use Google Docs. Emailing back and forth projects/papers are cumbersome and hard to keep up with the most updated. Google Docs is just easier to get updated and revised work. Google Docs remembers all the steps, editing, and revising that occured and documents who does the work. Teachers can definitely keep track of what is going on in each group work.

As for the reader, I've personally subscribed to lots of Recipe sites/blogs. I constantly get updated information without even having to search on my own. I just have to log in my Google Reader and it's all there! I think this would be great for students who are doing research on a specific topic. They can get on and subscribe to sites that will lend them good sources. I think that with the information of each site/blog showing how many users allow students to make good choices on which seems reliable. Independent study is becoming an ideal way to use for differentiation and Google Reader can make this happen! And not only do they find good information, they can share it with their classmates with a click of a button!

Tool # 7

I have actually used Photostory with my students. I've used it for a presentation about the country we studied(but I lost that file since my first laptop crashed!). I've also used it to have students share their writing by posting student's writing and having them read their story into a mic (but the mic didn't record LOL, but I do have their writings!-video 1).


I also have created a "Guided Reading for Parents" for a graduate class(video 2-my first time creating one!)


I think Photostory is a great and SIMPLE way for students to present anything! It can be a great way to create a continous story. All students would need to do is to put a picture and record. If students can type the words, it would be even better, or can be added later. With our new technology we will be receiving, I am sure that more products will be created since there won't be any risk of FREEZING while the students are working! Teachers can also use this as a teaching tool for students to do a specific project or task. There is so much you can do with Photostory - the sky's the limit(except for copyright laws!!!YIKES!

Enjoy!

Tool #1

Creating a blog name - NOW THIS WAS A CHALLENGE! I tried so hard to think of something catchy, cutesy, and teacherish of course, but...I failed! Seems like I jumped on the bandwagon too late and got stuck with the norm...Name and Grade level. But I think with a simple name, students are more bound to remember and parents will be more willing to allow students to access it since it has your name. But then again, I just did not get ANY of the MILLIONS of names I tried! As a casual blogger, I think that blogging is a great way for students to keep track of any learning. They can use blogging to share their science journal entries, reading summaries, writing samples...and so on. But as first graders, it may take them longer because they still need to find the keys and type, but of course there are other means to help promote using technology - with a mic and all the great free softwares out there for voiced presentations!

I had a grand time creating my avatar. At first, I didn't get the activation code and I continued to try to login, then I tried resetting my password. I finally got an email, used the temporary password to get on and finally was able to start. Of course, after all that...creating the avatar was fun. It was hard debating what my face looks like and how to style myself. I think this will be a great tool for students to use and allow them to create what they want to be seen as. Some can dress themselves more fun; some can depict themselves as an animal. Even for a freebie, the selections available will allow students to express themselves.

Happy blogging!