Journal 10- NETS 5

Still, B. (2012). Ten surefire ways to destroy your twitter cred. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(6), 32-33. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/DigitalEditionMarch-April2012.aspx

Before

 Summary: In Still's writing she summarizes the improper ways to use a Twitter account as an educator. She states that there are "norms to remain in good graces of our peers and to set a positive examples of how educators can use Twitter to develop a strong and meaningful personal learning network (PLN) (Still, 2012). Furthermore, when using Twitter for educational purposes it is important to have a profile developed,  to stick to using twitter for educational development, to not post inappropriate images, videos, slang, language, and excessive blog promotion, to not retweet a post that you haven't read, and playing the drama or sympathy card too frequently.  


Q1:How could one recover from breaking some of the "no-no's"?
A1: Educators could first stop one of the habits that are affecting their personal learning network. They could also start to build their network by participating in chats and even hosting them. By hosting a successful chat Twitter users gain friends or "followers". Educators can also familiarize themselves with hash tags and use them to reach a wider audience.

After

 Q2: What is the worst "no-no" listed?  

A2: Posting inappropriate images and video, I think has the largest consequence and negative effect. Sharing images that should be kept off the public timeline can destroy my Twitter cred and my professional reputation. In the article the author gives the example of posting a picture of other educators engaging in drinking is most likely frowned upon and it might not go well with the district.  Educators could benefit from reading this article by explaining/cautioning  to students that they can perform these negative actions as well, with friends and future jobs when advertizing themselves.

Journal 9- NETS (2,3,4,6)

Page, L., Sheehan, T. & Worrell, C. (2012). How to do more with less. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(6), 18-23. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/DigitalEditionMarch-April2012.aspx

Summary: In, How To Do More with Less, the authors focus on an issue that teachers are responsible to "educate more children and skills at higher standards with less time and money" (Page, Sheehan, Worrell, 2012). They pose the solutions and suggestions to save time, money, increase student engagement and digital age competencies. Furthermore, changing how you teach and using free tools can create an opportunity to develop research and internet literacy.

Q1: What is an example of a lesson/idea that incorporates a few tools offered in the article?
A1: Student could be constructed to use the tool My Fake Wall, which enables a false Facebook wall for fictitious or historical characters. Further, in a history class students will create a biography on one of the presidents or political leaders and then create a Fake Wall to share to the class.  This also incorporates blended teaching. According to the article, blended teaching is a cross of traditional face-to-face instruction and online learning practices. Overall, teachers could use the resources, and tools to enhance, extend, and transform the learning process (Page, Sheehan, Worrell, 2012).


Q2: Are there any negative effects to blended teaching?
A2: Blended teaching a very beneficial style, but can be limited. Often children who are in grade school can not complete all online activities. This blended environment efficiently works in higher grade levels. Teachers could still offer class in computer labs, but it still wont be as free as online teaching. Overall, blended teaching allows students to learn the material at their own pace by attending class and then using resources (class notes, slideshows, videos) to review after class or at home.

Journal 6- NETS (1,6,4)

Vaidyanathan, S. (2012). Foster in creativity and innovation through technology. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(6), 24-27. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/DigitalEditionMarch-April2012.aspx

Summary: In, Vaidyanathan’s writing she summarizes the possibilities of creating innovation by teaching through the use of technology. She argues that teachers can use the NETS (National Education Teaching Standards) and still educate students in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics through the use of  "experimentation  because it leads to creativity and innovation"  (Vaidyanthan, 2012). Furthermore, using technology often creates a open  and safe environment were students can explore with activities and inspire to improve.


Q1: What is one lesson/example in which teachers could create innovation?
A1:  Teachers could ask their students to create art with programing using the tool Scratch. With this tool student "can create geometric shapes, angles, changing angles and number of sides" (Vaidyanthan, 2012). These concepts with help teachers follow the NETS (National Education Teaching Standards) in math. Further, students could program concepts of statements, and loops. The entire assignment would create a technological atmosphere for children to grow.


Q2: What are some of the benefits of using technology for project instead of the usual hand-written/hand-drawn way?
A2: First, students can create a error-free drawing board, were erasers are no longer need because student can "undo" mistakes (Vaidyanthan, 2012). Students also can become familiar with technology at an earlier age and technology operations and concepts (NETS 6). Lastly, this software described is free and can be used at home, which is needed because of the current historic budget cuts.

Journal 8-Adaptive Technology

Tools for Communication & Tools for Accessibility

Communication 

 Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a term used to describe different resources and tools of communication that individual with a speech or language impairment can use.Often alternative communication can be accomplished through the use of  technology and sign language. AAC is used for a temporary aid also by those with congenital impairments such as autism, intellectual impairment, Parkinson's disease and cerebral palsy.

 Low-tech communication aids often do not use batteries or electricity. They mainly consist of simple communication boards or books. For example, Elliecards can be used to properly communicate with children who have speech or language impairments. Elliecards (pictured on the left) are small laminated photographs of items students can choice to communicate with their caretakers. Students can properly communicate everyday speech like what food to eat and which activity to teachers in the classroom.



High-tech communication aids often  contain storage and retrieval of electronic messages. Sometimes these aids include a speech generating device (SGD) The iPad Communicator is a technology that allows multiple vocabularies , 12,000 communication symbols, and premium HD voices. This device is very similar to the Elliecards, only electronic. The benefit of this device is that it can hold so much more symbols than physical plain cards. The downside is that it is priced from $895.

Accessibility

A input device are tools used to input information on the computer. Some devices that computers accept are a mouse, a keyboard and number pad. Students who have a disability might have difficulties using the input device because of their impairment, so different types of hardware and software were made to make the devices more accessible.  

A software used to help speech impaired students is word prediction. This tool analyzes spelling and syntax in order for users to make choices, find words, and complete sentences. In particular, Read & Writes 5.0 by TextHELP works with Windows based applications and standard word processors. In this software users can also add words to the custom dictionary to personalize their vocabulary. Teachers can use this program encourage students to communicate.

Hardware can also be modified to ensure proper communication. Big Keys Plus is an alternative keyboard with a simple layout, large keys and limited punctuation. The keyboard offered orders the keys alphabetical so it is much easier to type. Teachers can use these keyboards to help motivate students to communicate and learn about technology.


 NETS-T 4.  Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Fellow Peers' Blog I Commented:

 Breelin Obmann

 Gina Bullock

Journal 7: My Personal Learning Network

NETS- 5 
       An educationalist must overcome many trials when in hopes to accomplish the challenging goal of enlightening the youth to develop into life-long learners. A Personal Learning Network (PLN) is a very useful tool, that helps make this goal possible. A PLN is a system of connecting with people and collecting ideas, sharing of resources, and contacts to better improve oneself as an educator. When building my PLN, my purpose is to be surrounded by other educators and scholars with similar interest, in hopes to academically ameliorate my career. I created my PLN through the use of Twitter, Diigo, The Educator's PLN (Ning), blogsites, and Classroom 2.0.These tools helped me become a better teacher for my future students. When creating a PLN I am able to grow by obtaining resources, ideas, and most importantly feedback from affiliates in my PLN.  Many educators share a similar struggle and could benefit from learning to find a similar solution in a PLN. Further, some solutions work best for certain situations, but a PLN provides an endless solution to all educational struggles.

First, to launch my PLN, I became a member of Twitter. On Twitter I set up a TweetDeck, which allows me to create multiple customizable columns to follow different streams. I have been able to follow a home stream, new teacher chat (ntchat), edchat, ed422spring12, my inbox, and any mentions about me. My network consists of many fellow future educators from education 422 class. I am also following Tom Whitby which is the founder of edchat, and EDU PLN Ning. He is a great inspiration, and I strive to educate for the sole benefit of others just as he did for several teachers. I also followed the moderators and co moderators of the edchat I participated in, Jerry Blumengarten and Shelly S Terrell.  I followed a few other people from edchat because, they were either experienced teachers, technology specialists, or they gave multiple links that were great resources. These people included: Chris Rambo, Aaron Perrell, David Wees, Chad McGowan, and Leslie Whittington.

On Tuesday, March 27^th at 9am, I participated in the edchat discussion. The subject was, “What is the proper way to teach, and is it the coaching model for teaching, observation?”. This chat was very hard to keep up with; luckily there was a pause button. I learned that some educators believe that coaching creates a learning atmosphere among colleagues. Others think teachers should focus on a positive atmosphere, and coaching helps people learn how to improve, create starting points for new possibilities. In contrast coaching can make teaching too competitive. Through this experience I built a stronger PLN by following many experienced educators.

Next, I created a Diigo account for my PLN. Diigo allows a user to create online bookmarks, and even tag the resources with specific topics.  In Diigo you can also follow people with similar interest and benefit from the resources they have tagged. By searching the community I found many educators, which delivered valuable resources. These people included: Therese Mastro, Ms. Ronning, Elizabeth McCarthy, Dan Gibson, and John Goldsmith. I also tagged three sites under PLN. First, I tagged a site that teaches how to become an educator by building a PLN and creating a blog. Then I tagged a resource from edchat which explains doable homework activities for all students (of multiple intelligences). Lastly, I tagged a site that showed numerous ways to use Twitter in the classroom. These sites will help me benefit when developing a PLN and a teaching career.

In addition to Twitter and Diigo, I became a member of the Educator’s PLN, which is a Ning site dedicated to the support of a Personal Learning Network for educators. With this website I watched a video entitled: “Not on the Test”, which highlights the result of the pressure from standardize testing. Further, schools often lose essential programs and funding for students in areas like music and physical education. Students often are missing core educational values like life-long learning when only studying for what is on the test. Lastly, I commented on the video that this cycle can be changed starting with the teachers.

Journal 5- Nets (1,4,6,2)

Cohen, D. J. (2012). Connected books: Introducing the t-book. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(5), 28-29. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx


Summary: In, Cohen’s writing he summarizes the benefits of a Transmedia book in a classroom. A T-Book is a “cross between physical and virtual images in a digital textbook” (Cohen, 2012). Furthermore, with the digital textbook students can be given activities to form physical objects of which they are given a more hands-on approach to learning compared to a traditional textbook.


Q1: How would a Transmedia Book help students learn?
A1: Transmedia books can help children become more involved with T-Books because the traditional text creates limits. Text cannot create links to broaden knowledge and produce critical thinkers, problem Solvers, and promotes creativity. These results are also included in the NETS (National Education Teaching Standards).


Q2: Why would a T-Book make a traditional textbook obsolete?
A2: A traditional textbook does not spur any thinking, it gives the student something to read but it does not get the student involved. The information is fed to them and not explained or even made fun. The interactivity allows the student to learn on their own level because of how they react to the activity in the T-Book. A traditional textbook does not offer this because there is only one way to learn and that is to read the information.

Technology Self-Assessment: School 2.0

NETS-3  I use a digital tool to reflect the knowledge I have about integreating technology in the classroom.


I decided to focus on the NETS-T Module: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning (# 4). This model states teachers should facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools and resources to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning for myself and for students. I chose this standard because it was one of the areas where I had two reds (need improvement areas).  On this model I used the resource entitled, "Web Awareness for Teachers: How to Search the Internet Effectively". In this resource I learned how to properly search for subjects. Words like "and", "or", "and not" can make a complete difference in my search. For instance,  the word "And" will make searches on documents that contain both/all words. For example, "Tigers" and "Lions" would return only documents that contained the two keywords or phrases. A search containing the word "Or" will make a search on documents that contain either word. The search "France" OR "Texas" OR "Cars" OR "Squares" would return all documents that contained even one of these four keywords or phrases. Lastly "And Not" will make searches on documents that contain the word, but not if the document also contains another word." For example: "George Washington" AND "Government" AND NOT "President" would return documents that include George Washington and Government, but not those that also include President.

Journal 4 Nets (1,5,6,4)

Campbell, L. O. (2012). If you give a kid a video camera.. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(5), 30-33. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx

Summary: In Campbell’s article, she explains a theory that states if you give technology to a student they will want to learn and discover more about the item. She then gives a detailed explanation of how to use technology in many subjects throughout education. For example, in Language Arts, students can make a tutorial video on using current technology, or recording book reviews (Campbell, 2012).  Further, students can use technology in math by creating math story problems and incorporating it into a video. In Science students can “conduct science experiments with recording and watching results. Lastly, students can use video in Social Studies by conducting interviews, and making maps in particular of their facility using a video camera (Campbell, 2012).

Q1: How could a teacher use technology with a limited budget?

A1: Teachers can save money by having students form groups and share cameras. Teachers can also set up fundraisers so the students can earn money from the community. It is important that teacher monitor and protect any technology already owned so future student can use as well.

Q2: What other subject could use technology that was not mentioned in the article?

A2: Physical Education can also use technology in the classrooms in particular student can record their progress when performing physical activities.  They also can watch the video and set goals or notice exercise that need improvements. They also can take other class’s routines and use them to benefit themselves.   

Journal 3- Nets (1,2,3,6)

Krauss, J. (2012). Infographics more than words can say. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(5), 10-14. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx

Summary: In Krauss’ article, she explains how infographics can be used in education to create a balance in learning using both linguistics and nonlinguistic system exposure.  She details that infographics are “visual displays of information” (Krauss, 2012).   Further, infographics can help students solve a problem, examine government function, and create a fun atmosphere. 

Q1: According to the article, what are some tips I could use when including infographics?

A1: When working with students I should first promote the children to get an idea, sketch it out, collect data, develop a proof of concepts and lastly, lay the results out. When making infographics I could “tell a story, be clear, use fresh data, and encourage students to notice infographics everywhere” (Krauss, 2012).

Q2:  How can student benefit from this information?

A2: Student can benefit by learning to become infographic literate. Additionally, according to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, “students at every grade level undertake investigations in which they collect and represent data graphically” (Krauss, 2012).  This information also helps the student learn purpose behind infographics which can contribute to further apprehension. Lastly, students can learn the meaning of infographics and their growing usage not only in classrooms, but every day.   

Journal 2 Nets (1,2,6)

Article One:

Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(8), 12-15. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx

Summary:  In Ferguson’s article, “Join the Flock”; she explains how to build a professional learning network using a “virtual meeting place called Twitter”. Using Twitter a person can become educated, notified and receive help from other educators or people in the professional learning network world. After making an account a person can “lurk” by viewing other tweets without tweeting anything, or they can stream, they can retweet as well as pass along knowledge.

Q1: How can I introduce this to my students, or use it in a classroom?

A1: Although, this article is a description of how to make a professional learning network, the information can be applied elsewhere. In a classroom setting I could teach students how to use Twitter for educational purposes. I could teach them on how to use Twitter and help them set up an account. With an account students could find homework assignment from peers, ask for help on coursework, and even get advice.

Article Two:

McClintock Miller, S. (2010). Enhance your Twitter experience. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(8), 14-17. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/February-2012.aspx

Summary: In this article, McClintock details a Twitter experience and defines much common used Twitter vocabulary. She also explains how to organize a Twitter stream by using the applications Tweetdeck and Hootsuite. Furthermore, in Twitter new words are jumbled together to create a different meaning. For example, the words, “Twittersphere or Twitticisms mean the entire community of all Twitter users and witty tweets”. Lastly, McClintock illustrates a Twitter “Engagement Formula: 70% of Twitter time should be spend sharing other voices, opinions, and tools, 20% of tweets, could be directly responding, connecting, collaborating, and 10% is Chit-chatting trivial details about your life as a human being.”

Q1:  How can these tools be useful for a teacher?

A1: A teacher can easily organize and manage tweet by using a Bookmarklet. If student have Twitters the teacher could sort students, other teachers, and friends. Finally, hashtags (#) can be used in front of a topic to create discussions, in which others can view when searching.

Journal 1: 100 Things That Make Me Happy

1. God
2. Family
3. Friends
4. My Boyfriend
5. Animals
6. Teaching
7. Having a Roof Over My Head
8. Earning a Degree 
9. Helping Children
10. Volunteering
11. Praying
12. My Job
13. Dancing
14. Sunday Teaching Crew
15. Food
16. My Car
17. California
18. My Church Community
19. Vacations
20. Holidays
21. Cooking
22. Dressing Up
23. Technology
24. My Bed
25. My Xb360
26. My PlayStation3
27. My Town
28. Snow
29. Ice Skating
30. Nature
31. Facebook (Sometimes)
32. Napping
33. Helping Others
34. Organizing
35. Cleaning
36. Planting
37. Babysitting
38. Drawing
39. Listening to Others
40. Playing the License Plate Game
41. Getting Good Grades
42. Learning a New Sport
43. Music
44. Flowers
45. Christmas Shopping
46. Giving Gift To Others
47. Receiving Gifts
48. Acting Silly
49. Traveling
50. Going To Church
51. Getting a Promotion
52. Meeting New People
53. Getting My Nails Done
54. Telling Good News To Others
55. Chalk
56. Improving Myself
57. Spinning In Circles REALLY Fast
58. Sleeping In
59. Bernie (My Dog)
60. The Zoo
61. Disneyland!
62. My Faith
63. The Sun
64. Seeing People Smile
65. People Making Me Laugh
66. People Making Me Smile
67. Video Games
68. Shopping
69. Playing Cards
70. Sleeping
71. Working Out
72. Clothes
73. Learning Life Lessons
74. Dating
75. Laughing
76. Crying (The Good Kind)
77. Hiking
78. Swimming
79. Pools
80. Making People Laugh
81. Air Fresheners
82. Internet
83. Cartoons
84. Family Gatherings
85. Pictures
86. Water (Drinking Kind)
87. The Beach
88. My Birthday
89. The Spa
90. Getting a New Hair Cut
91. Boogy-Boarding
92. Camping
93. Comedy
94. Spell Check
95. Science
96. Hugs
97. Kisses
98. Seeing People I Love Happy
99. Seeing an Old Couple Kiss
100. Finishing This List! JK Completing To Do Lists