Read this blog post - http://go.nmc.org/livefro - what teacher blogs are you following? Find and name five teacher blogs to follow and list them on your blog. Post one on the class FB page and give a short description.
1. http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/
2. http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
3. https://www.edutopia.org/
4. http://www.techsavvyed.net/
5. https://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/
What is "Gamingspace?" http://go.nmc.org/gamspa
Gamingspace is a unique opportunity for learners, parents as well as teachers to come together to explore. Learners are afforded the opportunity to have more control over their learning this way. It is a time and place for the learners to collaborate and interact with other learners as well as adults.
Read about discussion forums - http://www.k12blueprint.com/blog/michael-gorman/ten-ways-use-discussion-forums-promote-digital-citizenship-and-academics. What should be your point of emphasis when designing discussion forums?
The point of emphasis when designing discussion forums would be to keep in mind your learners. The content standards and 21st-century skills are also a vital part when considering discussion forums.
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Horizon Report PG 10-11
- What does the author say about learning styles and the evidence for their use in determining learning strategies? (Do not insert any opinion unless you back it up with multiple refereed journal articles as sources.)
2. Choose one of the seven ways to give students choice and describe how you will implement this in your classroom using technology.
Unstructured innovation time: The learning environment at my school mirrors all seven of these ways to give student choice. My learners favorite is what I chose to share in this post. At least once a week we provide our learners with "Patriot Time". The learners can choose whatever they would like to do for 30 minutes to an hour depending on how many times we are able to have it during the week. The learners love to use paints, paper folding and such for art, some enjoy reading books during this time, computers to design and create as well as using various materials in the room to craft and create their own ideas.
Friday, February 24, 2017
7 Ways to Reward the Brain
Games have the power to motivate or compel us like nothing else has before. We can learn things about learning through game play. Players play games almost every day. Wanting (ambition and drive) and liking (fun and affection)= engagement. I have to agree with his statements and could easily see games being used in the classroom. I am very likely to put the time and effort into designing games for learning after researching and then hearing accounts such as this one. It takes a lot more work on the front end to prepare it but once you design it you are done with the exception of tweaking it as needed. I am personally not a "gamer" but have thoroughly enjoyed this "game" to learn for this class. I find myself looking at quests to determine how many I have available, how many points they are, how many points I have and how many I need to "beat the game". I was always competitive growing up and seeing people finishing already pushes me to want to finish myself.
List the seven ways games reward the brain and how those might be used in the classroom.
1. Experience bars measuring progress- visual learners see this as well as competitive learners and it would motivate them to press on and complete the task at hand.
2. Multiple long and short-term aims- Break down the assignment into pieces to keep the learners engaged. In the classroom take a standard and break it into an overall picture for the long term and break the overall picture into smaller pieces to ensure the learner understands all components of the standard.
3. Effort- Learners get credit for any work that they put in. This is done in my school and classroom in that we are standards based so if they do something in regards to the standard they get almost approaching expectation. If you do nothing you get not meeting learning expectation.
4.Feedback- positive feedback happens daily in my classroom as learners work through standards. We praise what is done correctly and what they know and encourage them to keep working to get to meeting learning expectation if they do not the first time.
5. Element of uncertainty- getting a reward when you aren't expecting a reward. I have loved that about this class. I had a busy week and did not complete anything and I had a 5 point reward waiting for me. This was a nudge of encouragement to get me back on track. In a classroom, this can be done with points, extra recess time or privileges depending on what they reward is for.
6. Confidence- we have to help our learners be willing to take risks and even fail. Failure is ok its real world. We can use our words when conferencing and observing to build our learners confidence.
7. Memory- we have to take into account that when someone is actively engaged they are more likely to remember so we have to give those opportunities.
List the seven ways games reward the brain and how those might be used in the classroom.
1. Experience bars measuring progress- visual learners see this as well as competitive learners and it would motivate them to press on and complete the task at hand.
2. Multiple long and short-term aims- Break down the assignment into pieces to keep the learners engaged. In the classroom take a standard and break it into an overall picture for the long term and break the overall picture into smaller pieces to ensure the learner understands all components of the standard.
3. Effort- Learners get credit for any work that they put in. This is done in my school and classroom in that we are standards based so if they do something in regards to the standard they get almost approaching expectation. If you do nothing you get not meeting learning expectation.
4.Feedback- positive feedback happens daily in my classroom as learners work through standards. We praise what is done correctly and what they know and encourage them to keep working to get to meeting learning expectation if they do not the first time.
5. Element of uncertainty- getting a reward when you aren't expecting a reward. I have loved that about this class. I had a busy week and did not complete anything and I had a 5 point reward waiting for me. This was a nudge of encouragement to get me back on track. In a classroom, this can be done with points, extra recess time or privileges depending on what they reward is for.
6. Confidence- we have to help our learners be willing to take risks and even fail. Failure is ok its real world. We can use our words when conferencing and observing to build our learners confidence.
7. Memory- we have to take into account that when someone is actively engaged they are more likely to remember so we have to give those opportunities.
Augmented Reality
https://www.vrs.org.uk/augmented-reality/
Augmented reality is essentially where 3D models or videos are projected and look like you are really there. The ability to use mobile devices such as a smartphone makes augmented reality such a hot topic. A phone using the right app can take the 2D image found through the phone camera and augment it in some way with sound or pictures. There are options such as Google Glass that keep projects what is being seen instead of seeing through the mobile device. There are many options available to achieve augmented reality. The end result is the same though and that is digital information blending with the analog world. The largest development of augmented reality has been in the gaming and education worlds. We are going to see more and more augmented reality in our daily lives as time goes on. It will become part of the daily norm. If you own a smartphone it is just an app away from having augmented reality at your fingertips.
The implications this technology has now is that while there are a nice number of people who use it there are still a large number of people who do not. I feel like people that I have asked about using augmented reality they don't really know what it is or how it works. I think in the future advertising and free apps on more than just primarily on Apple devices will bring more awareness to augmented reality, what it is and how it works. The more user friendly it is the better.
Reflections of Assistive Technologies
List and explain the disabilities demonstrated in the videos and tell how the technologies supported the students.
1. Meet Elle- Elle is a fourteen-year-old girl who enjoys going shopping at the mall. She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and has a Dynavox that she uses to talk. The Dynavox is a communication device that she uses by looking at pictures. She enjoys writing emails and she is able to do this using her Dynavox. She tried several different things to communicate with others before the Dynavox. The book her mom made worked but when they advanced to a Pathfinder it was too difficult and she became frustrated. It had too many buttons so they moved to a laptop with communication software. They ended up with the Dynavox based on data in her IEP and the IEP team helped find the best device for Elle. The Dynavox has opened up possibilities for Elle that she did not have previously or were frustrating to her. The IEP Team and Assistive Technology Coordinator will continue to monitor and check into new technologies that might better suit Elle's needs.
2. Meet Mason- Mason is a six-year-old boy who likes a variety of activities. He is visually impaired so some of his favorite activities are difficult for him but it does not slow him down from trying and having fun! He is blind in his left eye and can only partially see with his right eye. He is a normal child living with a normal family and uses adaptations to help meet his needs due to his vision loss. At school, Mason uses the Mountbatten. It is used primarily for writing activities. The Mountbatten is a brailler that the district provides for him. He can read some large print but is learning Braille so that as he gets older and print gets smaller he has an alternate form of reading. He also utilizes an iPad for learning as well as the class SmartBoard. Technology for the visually impaired is constantly advancing and changing. Mason is very technology driven and no doubt will do well with any new technologies that become available.
3. Meet Jared- Jared is an ad/website designer. Jared loves utilizing his computer, communicating with others around the world, playing online games, designing and spending time with his family. He was born with cerebral palsy. It affects him physically but he is a very smart young man and has a passion for computers. He uses a sip and puff to utilize his computer. The sip and puff is somewhat complex in that it sends a signal to Jared's environmental control unit on his wheelchair. It then sends a signal to the task switch; which sends a signal to the intelli-key switch. A wireless signal is then sent to Jared's computer which controls a software program called SwitchXS. This software allows him to do anything on his computer. He began in elementary school utilizing technology to help him function. He started out with the Leaf Switch to access the computers. The Leaf Switch is a device that is activated when the user lightly presses against the Leaf in one direction. It provides auditory and tactile feedback.Then as he got older utilized a Jelly Bean Switch and moved on to the Sip and Puff. The Jelly Bean Switch is also an activation surface with tactile and auditory feedback.
1. Meet Elle- Elle is a fourteen-year-old girl who enjoys going shopping at the mall. She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and has a Dynavox that she uses to talk. The Dynavox is a communication device that she uses by looking at pictures. She enjoys writing emails and she is able to do this using her Dynavox. She tried several different things to communicate with others before the Dynavox. The book her mom made worked but when they advanced to a Pathfinder it was too difficult and she became frustrated. It had too many buttons so they moved to a laptop with communication software. They ended up with the Dynavox based on data in her IEP and the IEP team helped find the best device for Elle. The Dynavox has opened up possibilities for Elle that she did not have previously or were frustrating to her. The IEP Team and Assistive Technology Coordinator will continue to monitor and check into new technologies that might better suit Elle's needs.
2. Meet Mason- Mason is a six-year-old boy who likes a variety of activities. He is visually impaired so some of his favorite activities are difficult for him but it does not slow him down from trying and having fun! He is blind in his left eye and can only partially see with his right eye. He is a normal child living with a normal family and uses adaptations to help meet his needs due to his vision loss. At school, Mason uses the Mountbatten. It is used primarily for writing activities. The Mountbatten is a brailler that the district provides for him. He can read some large print but is learning Braille so that as he gets older and print gets smaller he has an alternate form of reading. He also utilizes an iPad for learning as well as the class SmartBoard. Technology for the visually impaired is constantly advancing and changing. Mason is very technology driven and no doubt will do well with any new technologies that become available.
3. Meet Jared- Jared is an ad/website designer. Jared loves utilizing his computer, communicating with others around the world, playing online games, designing and spending time with his family. He was born with cerebral palsy. It affects him physically but he is a very smart young man and has a passion for computers. He uses a sip and puff to utilize his computer. The sip and puff is somewhat complex in that it sends a signal to Jared's environmental control unit on his wheelchair. It then sends a signal to the task switch; which sends a signal to the intelli-key switch. A wireless signal is then sent to Jared's computer which controls a software program called SwitchXS. This software allows him to do anything on his computer. He began in elementary school utilizing technology to help him function. He started out with the Leaf Switch to access the computers. The Leaf Switch is a device that is activated when the user lightly presses against the Leaf in one direction. It provides auditory and tactile feedback.Then as he got older utilized a Jelly Bean Switch and moved on to the Sip and Puff. The Jelly Bean Switch is also an activation surface with tactile and auditory feedback.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Plickers
Plickers is a very simple, easy to use tool that will allow you to complete formative assessments without the learners having to have devices! This is so cool!!!! You can use Plickers for quick checks for understanding to know whether your students are understanding big concepts and mastering key skills.You simply print the cards and the learners hold up the one that corresponds with the answer they want to respond with.
Example 1: My learners are studying ways animals communicate through their senses; how they take information in and process it. I could use Plickers to do a quick review at the end to make sure they understand how various animals use their senses to communicate and process information that they take in.
Example 2: My learners just finished up talking about the body systems and how they work together. I could use this within their discussion groups to check for understanding. It could even be a "game" with each table being a group working together to see who can earn the most points. All kids love a good competition!
BYOD
Bring your own device is a plan where schools or classrooms have learners bring their own devices to utilize while at school for learning vs. the school providing devices for all learners.The pros are you can take a distraction and turn it into a learning tool. They can be used in various ways within the learning environment. Learners are able to easily collaborate together, keep notes and share things with their teacher. The cons are that these devices can be a huge distraction. There are many schools that worry about not all learners having a device to bring.
My school has issued devices based on grade level. Our preschool- 2nd-grade learners have 10 devices per classroom. The 3rd-grade learners are 1:1 with iPads and fourth-ninth grade are 1:1 with MacBooks. I like that we have devices that belong to the school vs having learners bring their own. We have filters in place and could filter the personal devices on the network, however, it is much easier to manage the devices through JAMF and be able to take a device when someone is doing something inappropriate. It is harder to take a device when it doesn't belong to you even having a policy in place for it. We have to face it there are children who will look for ways around things and it is easier if it is theirs and only filtered not managed.
Smartphones are definitely here to stay but would be something that I would try and steer away from in a BYOD classroom. It is so hard to be productive having such a small screen as well as trying to type things on them. They would be fine for videos but then hard to do any kind of editing. If I had to use them in a BYOD classroom they would have to be placed on the school wifi to filter the content they access to ensure they are only accessing things that they should while at school. There would have to be a policy for use that the learners would have help in creating to ensure that they are using them in a beneficial way.
This emerging trend makes digital equity a little more attainable as most children in this day and age have a smartphone regardless of their socioeconomic status. I don't understand this but it is a reality. It is also likely that "old phones" could be donated for those that do not have a device. It could be a plus for lower performing schools and the teachers who teach there being able to incorporate technology into their lessons making them more collaborative and engaging which could boost student interest and performance.
Science fourth grade: they can be supported by providing them with quality professional development to help them have a better understanding of how they can incorporate various tech tools into their curriculum. There are various free apps that can be accessed to read current events on grade level, create videos to demonstrate an understanding of science concepts or math concepts.
Professional development has to start looking differently and focus on technology integration to make sure that we are giving learners every opportunity they can to use tech tools to help them complete assignments. If we do not teach teachers how to use these tools that the learners have access to they are useless to us and we are just saying we have BYOD or devices and they are not being used to their fullest potential. We as teachers also have to have an interest in wanting to learn the new and emerging technologies so we aren't afraid to step out and use them in our classrooms. Be a lifelong learner! Technology is ever changing and advancing.
I think we are doing a disservice to our learners if we don't teach them to use mobile devices beyond entertainment. The world we live in today is very technology rich and many jobs require the use of technology. If we do not expose them to technology-rich learning environments we are putting them at a huge disadvantage.
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