Sunday, November 23, 2014

IT 365 - Looking Back

It is hard for me to believe that I am already writing a reflection on this class; I feel as though I just walked in the door for the first just a few days ago.  However, I am glad I have made it through and that I am going to be moving on to other new things.  I started this class with an open mind and was very excited to learn new things about technology.  I did, however, have a misconception about what this class was going to teach.  I had the idea that this class was going to focus on educational programs like electronic grade books and such.  Needless to say, I was quite surprised to find the true teachings of this class.  While I feel as though I knew about and how to use most of the programs we focused on before coming into this class, I feel like I did gain valuable teaching experience by helping my classmates that are not as technologically advanced as I am.  I have been lucky enough to have a computer in my possession for over 20 years, so I had a bit of an unfair advantage over many of my classmates when I walked into this classroom for the first time.  One resource that I learned about for the first time though was rubistar.com; I had never been introduced to this website before this class and I am very glad I know of it now.  It really makes rubric-making exceptionally simplified, and I do not foresee that being one of my strong suits when it comes to teaching.  I know that this resource will help me to create a solid and complete rubric without any holes that I might overlook if I were making it completely on my own. 

I do not think I have any more technology classes ahead of me in the foreseeable future; however, I hope if I do that I can find one that will challenge my thoughts, skills, and experience the way this one did to many of my classmates.  I would certainly consider teaching some type of technology class in the future; I guess I would just need to figure out how to begin on that path.  I do thoroughly enjoy computers and modern technology.  I have considered pursuing a computer science degree many times, but I know my limits when it comes to all of the calculous classes I would have to complete in order to achieve that degree, so maybe one day I can just turn my love for technology into a teaching opportunity.  I do, however, think this is an ideal class for the novice computer user going into the education field.  

Assistive technology

This week's assignment consisted of exploring assistive technology.  We explored and discovered technologies used to assist all types of disabled students:  visually impaired, hearing impaired, etc.  We began with a tool designed to assist a user with a visual impairment: high contrast.  This changed the colors of the display to contrast more than the usual display colors so that they are more easily seen by the user.  Next, we moved onto another tool for the visually impaired call “the magnifier,” which does just that, it magnifies the screen as much as needed.  I tested out the feature with magnification of 200%.  After magnification, we went onto look at toggle keys which is a setting used for someone that may have some type of physical impairment that might cause them to engage certain computer settings unintentionally.  Toggle keys setting creates a sound whenever certain keys are pushed as a notification.  Following the toggle keys setting, we explored the visual alert setting, which allows the computer to flash whenever the computer sounds an alert.  This would be used for someone that may have a hearing impairment.  The final assistive tool we explored was the on-screen keyboard which allows a student that can only use the mouse to input information into the computer as well as any other user. 
After exploring all of these assistive tools, we created slides that had both sound and pictures that could be used for any student regardless of their disabilities.  We also made a slide with the information for online resources for sound clip and images for free.

I knew of most of these tools; however, I’ve never had a reason to use any of them before this assignment.  

Click here to check out my powerpoint on assistive technology.  

ISTE standards: to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity; to design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments; to model digital age work and learning; to promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility; to engage in professional growth and leadership. 
Common core standard: integration of knowledge and ideas, production and distribution of writing, research to build and present knowledge, comprehension and collaboration, and presentation of knowledge and ideas.

Google Sites

This week's assignment was to create a website using Google Sites, another awesome web tool provided by Google.  This is a website used for our fictional classroom.  



This is my home page of my fictional classroom website. 

Included on my website is a homepage with a brief overview of the entire site contents, a teacher bio, course information, course calendar, and a web resources page.  
I enjoyed using this incredibly user-friendly web-based program.  It was not terribly time-consuming and was very self-explanatory. I have actually already come up with a few ideas of how to use this program for my personal use.  I also feel as though this could be an invaluable tool once I have my own real classroom in the future.  It would be a great way for parents and students to stay up-to-date on the on goings within the classroom.

Check out the full website here 


 ISTE Standard: to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity; to design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments; to model digital age work and learning; to promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility; to engage in professional growth and leadership.
Common core standard: integration of knowledge and ideas, production and distribution of writing, research to build and present knowledge, comprehension and collaboration, and presentation of knowledge and ideas.

Google Drive

Google Drive, oh Google Drive.  Where do I begin?  This is such an awesome online resource.  I have been using Google Drive for quite some time, and I have not found anything I do not like about this.  Our assignment was to create a group story using Google Docs, this allowed us to collaborate on the same story from any location by simply logging into our Google accounts.  The second part of the assignment was to individually create powerpoint, also known as Google Slides. 


Our group story was called The Scarecrow that Stole Halloween.  It was a Halloween based story that centered on a child’s fear of a scarecrow.  



Next, I did my Slides presentation on compound sentences geared toward a 3rd grade class.  










ISTE standard: to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity;to design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments; to model digital age work and learning; to promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility; to engage in professional growth and leadership. 
Common core standards of integration of knowledge and ideas, production and distribution of writing, research to build and present knowledge, comprehension and collaboration, and presentation of knowledge and ideas.

Movie Maker Project

Our class was given the assignment of creating a video/movie with Windows Movie Maker.  This is a versatile program used to create everything from family slideshow videos to educational tutorials.  This is actually a program I have been using for many years for different things.  I have, personally, used this program in the past for advertising for my job, as well as for family functions.


For this assignment, I decided create a drunk driving awareness video in honor of my brother who passed away in 2009.  So, I used this as an opportunity for a combination of technology "learning" as well as community awareness project.  I also created this video to be shown at a local high school during homecoming week so that the students would realize the consequences of their actions and choice to call someone if they did decide to have a drink before going home.  My hope was to make this video as touching as possible.   















ISTE standard: to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity; to design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments; to model digital age work and learning; to promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility.

Common core standards: integration of knowledge and ideas, production and distribution of writing, research to build and present knowledge, comprehension and collaboration, and presentation of knowledge and ideas.

Web Tools

 Web tools was the title of this assignment.  We got to explore various websites catered to educators.  The first was abcteach.com, which is a website designed to provide worksheets for various ages, grade levels, and topics.  This is the worksheet I chose.  I, of course, chose a Thanksgiving themed worksheet as this is my favorite holiday. 


The second part of the assignment was to explore the website eclipsecrossword.com which is a free downloadable program that creates crosswords puzzles.  The crossword puzzle I created is geography themed with 20 different clues.  This is meant for 5th grade students.  
I've included both the crossword puzzle and the clues
The last part of the assignment was to use the website rubistar.com which is used to create rubrics.  There are pre-made templates as well as having the option to fill in your own sections.  I created mine for letter-writing, which would be used for a 3rd grade classroom.  


ISTE Standard:  to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity; to design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments; to model digital age work and learning; to engage in professional growth and leadership.
Common core standards: integration of knowledge and ideas, production and distribution of writing, comprehension and collaboration, and presentation of knowledge and ideas.

TurnItIn

This week consisted of a 2-part assignment focused around the web-based program, TurnItIn.  In order to better learn about the program, Turnitin, which is an online "dropbox" style program that allows a student to turn work into a professor as well as have statistical information processed electronically, we were given two parts of the assignment.  The first part of the assignment was to copy and paste information from designated websites verbatim; this was to show the plagiarism feature, which, of course, showed 100% plagiarism.  The second part of the assignment was to submit an original piece of work related to the same information.  This, of course, did not return the same plagiarism results.  The main use of Turnitin, is the plagiarism feature, which helps the student and professor analyze what, if any, part of the paper has been copied from an online source or another student(s)' paper.  


The assignment we used was to write about gender gaps and biases in the computer science field.  



ISTE standard: to facilitate and inspire student learning, where teachers engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources by having students explore turnitin and learning about plagiarism; to promote and model digital citizenship where students learn respect for copyright laws and use the appropriate documentation of resources. 
Common core standards: research to build and present knowledge, production and distribution of writing, integration of knowledge and ideas.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

ISTE Standards

ISTE Standards - International Society for
Technology in Education
Teachers

Effective teachers model and apply the ISTE Standards for Students (Standards•S) as they design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning; enrich professional practice; and provide positive models for students, colleagues, and the community. All teachers should meet the following standards and performance indicators.

1. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.
a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
c. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments
2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the Standards•S.
a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity
b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress
c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards, and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching
3. Model digital age work and learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.
a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation
c. Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats
d. Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning
4. Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.
a. Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources
b. Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources
c. Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
d. Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital age communication and collaboration tools
5. Engage in professional growth and leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.
a. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning
b. Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others
c. Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning
d. Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community

From: iste.org/standards

These standards are meant as a guideline for teachers to use when teaching students using technology as well as teaching them how to use technology.  These are an invaluable resource in the technological world that we all live in today and are raising and teaching our children in.  

Monday, September 22, 2014

Concept Maps - Kidspiration



This is my first concept map, and,  I, of course, chose science tools to expand upon.  Our assignment was to use the program, Kidspiration, to create a concept map that expanded upon an academic concept.  As a science endorsed elementary education major, I found it more than appropriate to use a scientific concept.  Within my concept map are frequently used tools within the science lab. 



Kidspiration is a program that is both teacher and student friendly which is used to make concept maps and corresponding outlines.  This program was very user-friendly and, in my opinion, very self-explanatory; it included lots of graphics and icons to cover a variety of topics.  I feel as though this would/could be a good resource for teachers to use when needing to expand or explain a topic visually that may be difficult to convey verbally.  This program would also be a good resource for the students to use to better explain and explore their thoughts and ideas on a specific topic.  These concept maps can add a good visual representation of information to any presentation or lecture, and, thankfully, Kidspiration makes it incredibly easy to create them. 


This reflects the ISTE Standard #1a and #1c

#1a reads:  Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
#1c reads:  Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

ABOUT ME


Hi, all!  My name is Angela Gray.  I'm married to a wonderful man and have a beautiful daughter.  We also have three amazing little Boston Terriers that help to make our family complete.  I grew up on a farm, but later moved to Long Beach as a teen.  While I'll always have a bit of farm girl deep down inside, I'll always think of Long Beach as my hometown. 

I have a theory that nothing warms the soul quite like some home cooking, and that's what I love to do, is cook.  However, my passion does not confine itself to the stovetop because I also love baking.  Cookies, pies, cakes, muffins, etc.  You name it, I bake it.  My truest way of showing my love to someone is to cook/bake for them. 

I'm currently a University of Southern Mississippi student studying Elementary Education with endorsements in science and social studies, and I look forward to being in the classroom and helping to shape the minds of the next generation.  I've always considered myself to be the square peg while the world is the round hole, and I hope, as a teacher, that I can guide students to understand that being that way is perfectly okay, as not everyone has to fit the mold.  However, school has never been my favorite place/thing, so I aspire to change that for the future generation and make them realize just how important and fun school can be. 

  Not only am I exceptionally excited about getting into my own classroom, but I aspire to be a principal one day as well.  I feel as though I could make a major impact on students and teachers from an authoritative/management position within the school; I've always been a natural leader and tend to do well in positions that require that trait.



  For now, I will continue on my road of education and take new strides everyday toward my professional goals.





Now, that you have read all of that, you're probably thinking, "Okay, this seems like a nice person, but why should I read her blog?" Here is your answer:  as I continue to further my education and learn how to best integrate technology into my future classroom, I intend to share all of my newly acquired knowledge with all of my readers, so you, too, can appreciate the importance of technology in education.