Wicked Problem Project- Final Post

We were given the task to find a problem that we encounter in our classrooms and then find a solution using technology.  We were then asked to implement the solution in our classrooms and reflect back on it.  For the final blog and presentation, we are to reflect on the entire project as a whole.  My only problem: school was out before we started this project, leaving me with many unanswered questions and 2 solutions.

The Problem: 
Educators look at content and technology as two separate entities, rather than one.  Some educators believe that the best practices used to teach content cannot be integrated with technology.  Research proves that active participation and collaboration enhance learning.  Cooperative learning is one of the best practices in education. Schools want t the students to be actively participating and collaborating with others.  However, we are given one document camera, one computer and one projector- it is a little difficult to involve ALL with only ONE.  In order to maximize teaching time, it would be best to have all students participating and collaborating at the same time.  It is important that teachers integrate best practices, content and technology in the classroom.

Solution #1: 
iPads.  ipads will allow students to both participate AND collaborate.  Students can use GoogleDocs or GooglePresentation to create a paper or a presentation.  Students could create a survey and have everyone answer it in a matter of minutes. The best part is that iPads are not only limited to active participation and collaboration,  they have the ability to do so much more! Part of our project was to implement the solution into our classrooms and report back, but I ran into a major road block- school was out for the summer.  So, I decided to find a second solution.

Solution #2: 
Research. While I usually do a little research before implementing a new technology into my classroom, I usually do not got into an extensive search.  However, for this process, I definitely searched around the internet for hours.  This turned out to be very beneficial.  I was shocked at all the information I found.  Like other smaller Apple devices, I knew that the iPad did not support Flash sites.  However, what I didn't know was that you can not edit a Prezi on an iPad nor can you edit a wiki.  Two things I was hoping to do with the iPads in my classroom.  This research allowed me to escape some technological difficulties that I may have come across in the classroom if it were not for the prior research.  The research turned out to be a lot more beneficial than I thought.

TPACK
Technology and Pedagogy
In this instance the technology fits right into the pedagogy.  As I stated earlier, research, such as Best Practices and Kagan Strategies, show that students benefit from cooperative and collaborative learning.  The internet offers many different sites that have the ability for student collaboration.  A perfect way to integrate technology and pedagogy.  The iPad gives the students access to the internet to allow for the pedagogical strategies to take place.  Students can do all this from their seats, without having to get a computer, turn it on, wait for it to load, etc.  iPads can be up and running in much less time, and as we all know in education, time is precious.
Technology and Content
The generation we are teaching is different than ours.  Technology is part of their lives.  They have trouble grasping the concept of life before DVDs, MP3s, and cell phones.  Part of their content is becoming technology.  Put teaching technology as a separate entity may not be the best answer, especially if you can teach content and integrate technology.  Teaching content doesn't have to be textbook, that the joy of technology.  Tablets can be textbooks! Apple's motto for their handheld devices is: Thousands of Apps, Endless Potential.  Apple has created an app for almost everything, almost every way to integrate content and technology.  It is there, it is happening, it is available.  But as educators, we have to find it, learn it, and apply it.  The content is there for us lending itself to technology by using words as "collaborate" and "create" in the curriculum standards.  iPads will give educators the flexibility that we don't have with laptops.
Pedagogy and Content
Using the teaching strategies of cooperative learning and collaborative groups, students can bring a whole new meaning to content with the help of an iPad.  With an iPad at their fingertips students can work with people across the room in a group interacting on GoogleDocs and communicating with GoogleChat.  With Skype students can learn culture and language through students across the world.  This iPad is bringing pedagogy closer to the content then it has ever been before as it is taking the students to places they have never been.  Group work is brought to an entire new level which holds every student accountable and create more active learners and they learn the various content.  iPads are changing the way we do things in the classroom, but change is not always bad.  In this case change is bringing technology, pedagogy and content all closer together and lessening the gap between the three.

As educators we need to embrace the now, learn from the past, and grow for our future.  The iPad is the now of this generation.

Take a look at my Prezi of my presentation below:



For a larger version click here

Professional Learning Plan

I decided to create a Prezi for my professional learning plan.  My original idea was to create it using Storybird, but I think I was having TOO much fun and not getting anything done, so I switched to a Prezi, which has a lot less distractions.  I looked back at my goals from CEP 810 and reflected on them.  Take a look, tell me what you think!

Leadership Project

Here is our tutorial, check it out!



Since we were SO ambitious, we went a little bit over our 10 minute time, so we thought we would incorporate our introduction and conclusion on our blogs.

Group Leadership Project Conclusion on Prezi

Blog Questions:

What tool did your group use to deliver the PD tutorial? Why?  

After deciding what topic our group was going to cover, we had to decide how to explain it.  As a group we decided to create a Prezi while talking about a Prezi.  Then, we used Camtasia to record our tutorial.  We chose to use a Prezi while talking about a Prezi so that people could see exactly what we were talking about.  We wanted our visual to go hand-in-hand with our presentation.  We decided to record using Camtasia (using the free 30-day trial) since we found that some of the other programs were choppy and did not record as well.

What did you learn during the development process of the final product?

I have to say I learned a lot and it wasn't necessarily about Prezi itself, but rather time management, flexibility, and group work.  Although we tried our best, it was clear that we went over the 10 minute mark.  With that said, we were still not able to incorporate our intro and conclusion slides.  Since we worked hard on these slides, we did want to include them in the blog to show that the effort was there (but the time management was not :(  ) This project also required a lot of flexibility.  Since only one person could record (due to many different factors), we relied on that one person to do what she needed to do to make it work for her.  Our storyboard was great in hindsight, but it just was not feasible to complete it all in the time frame we were given.  We had to be flexible and cut out certain aspects of our project.  We not only had to be flexible with the actual project, but with each other.  It was difficult managing 4 schedules on 2 different time zones with people both in and out of school.  I know we all made sacrifices to meet and even some days we met 2 at a time and made sure to connect via e-mail to share what was going on.  The one thing we did have: communication.  I honestly can say I have never worked with such an amazing group before.  I felt that everyone communicated well and we used our resources (Goggle chat feature, GoogleDocs, GooglePresentation, and Prezi) to make sure we could all collaborate and  communicate.

What would you do differently if you had to develop a similar product again? 

If I were given a similar project I think I would make sure that everything is feasible and doable.  A couple trial runs would probably be beneficial to ensure that everything will go as planned.  Also, that would give the group time to find the errors and try to fix them.  I believe our group did the best we could with the circumstances we were given.  It definitely makes things difficult trying to work with four different schedules.  I would hope to try and complete a project of this nature face to face (although, I understand that is not always going to work out).  As far as setting up the project, I think we did a great job, we collaborated, delegated and worked well together while still helping each other to make a cohesive project.  It just seemed as though time got away.  But we will use this experience as a learning experience and we can only get better next time!

Leadership Part B - Storyboard and Script

We have completed our group leadership project storyboard and script for our Prezi Presentation.  Check out our storyboard and script here.

I have really enjoyed working with my group to create this project.  We have all worked hard and have pulled our own weight in order to get this project complete.  We decided to split our presentation into mini sections and each person would "research" their section and then write their part of the script.  My part I contributed to the group was creating a Prezi.  We decided to write our scripts in a GoogleDoc so that we would be able to communicate via the chat feature.  After we all had our parts written, we transferred the information into a Google Presentation.

Once we had a part of the presentation up and running, we split up the work, since finding a meeting for all 4 of us was a bit difficult.  However, this worked out just fine.  Mary and Justine helped to embed our script from the GoogleDoc into the presentation.  They added detailed notes and screenshots.  Anna and I met to finish up the storyboard, add detailed notes, color coded the notes (since we are both visual people) and finished taking screenshots and writing about the editing process.

For our final product, Justine has been nice enough to narrate our presentation. (I'm very thankful that she agreed to do that.)  Anna, Mary and I will collaborate together to create both an introduction and conclusion slide for the Google Presentation.  Also, Justine has not used many of these technologies and offered to record and narrate the project as long as the other group members will be the technical support group and help along the way with any issues that may arise.

We are very excited for our final project and we have been working very hard!

Mobile Learning

I really enjoyed this mobile learning lab.  It was great to explore the different mobile devices and how to to encourage and promote learning in the classroom.  As a part of this assignment, we joined Classroom 2.0 and joined a discussion about cell phones in the classroom.  I really enjoyed this forum.  I was able to read what others thought on the topic and was able to share my concerns about cell phones in the classroom.

While I am a bit skeptical about using cell phones in the classroom, I think an ipod is a wonderful alternative.  It allows for students to use the internet and apps and you can monitor it more than their own cell phones.  While researching for my Wicked Problem Project, I came across many great sites which stated education apps to put on the ipod and/or ipad.  I loved that there were so many FREE apps to choose from.  Since the device itself is expensive, I think it is important to find ways to implement it in the classroom at little or no cost.  There are free apps that are great for elementary students as well as high school students.

I was excited to see Flash Drives as a mobile device- I've used this!!  When my students would type papers, I would have them save the file to the flash drive or USB drive.  This way I could take the little flash drive home with me rather than a stack of papers.  I was also able to make comments and spend more individual time than I would have in the classroom.  I think it is a great piece of technology to use, especially if printers are not available.  My only concern: the spread of viruses.

My school also have a mobile lab or what we call the COW (computers on wheels).  I have used these numerous times in my classroom.  There are so many ways you can use them, especially since we have wireless internet in our building.  However, with one computer or laptop can come issues, and with 25 laptops comes many issues.  I do not think I have had one lesson run smoothly when I have used our mobile lab.  But of course, I am convinced that every piece of technology has a mind of its own :)

I also enjoyed the Poll Everywhere site.  I was not able to implement it due to school being out for the summer, but I still wanted to give it a try.  I liked that the site offered various ways for people to respond.  Text messages, twitter, or a website are just 3 different ways to reach this poll.  I also liked how you can change the appearance of the poll and make it more your own.  The site offered about 3 ways to display your data.  Below is my poll I created, even though I was not able to get any results as of now, I still enjoyed browsing the site and playing with all the different options! There are so many options and this site is so easy to use- I look forward to trying out that different options next year!  The first poll posted is the Web Voting Widget- where you can click on the answer to help me get responses.

Get a free sms student response system at Poll Everywhere

This second way to show your poll is the Live Chart Widget which gives the number to text to answer the poll and displays the answers in real time.

Replace your audience response systems with Poll Everywhere

There are so many tools and types of technology to use in the classroom.  My advice would be to start our small, flash drives, and then move towards devices you are comfortable with using yourself.  Research is also key! I learned this in my wicked problem project.  The internet is a wonderful base of knowledge.  People who have tried all sorts of ideas share their findings.  You can research anything from free educational apps to how to edit movies using a flip camera.  I think it is important to think about TPACK when implementing technology.   Technology in education isn't about how many different devices you can use, but how well they can be incorporated into the content to impact learning. Using technology for the sake of using it, is not helping anyone.

Data Visualization

We were given the task to browse through various visualization sites.  After spending hours visiting the different sites, I decided to complete my visualization on UMapper.  The site has so much to offer.  I created a states and capitals quiz using many of the features on UMapper.  Take a look and test your skills. :)

Wicked Problem Project- Part D- Findings and Implications

Part D of the Wicked Problem Project  was to reflect on your problem and project.
Formative: Did the project get implemented as planned? 
No, however it was not planned to be implemented, so yes?? I'm not quite sure how to answer that, but what I can say is that I was able to complete my research, play around with my iPad and use my husband to help me "pretend".  Since I was not able to implement my idea into the classroom, I made sure to research the various ideas, watch videos of iPads being implemented into the classroom and play on my own all as planned :) .

Summative: Evidence of success in addressing the problem of practice.
I would assume that my success would be the fact that various users can use Googledocs at the same time and collaborate in realtime.  Success would be that although I encountered some bumps, I was able to learn MORE outside the classroom in order to be MORE efficient when I do bring it into the classroom.

How would you approach another project of this type differently given what you have learned? 
If I was given the project at the same time (i.e. a week before school was ending) I would have used something I already completed in the classroom and reflect back.  I think this is a very neat project, it requires you to think outside the box and actually implement your idea.  If given this project again, I would also make sure that my project is obtainable with the resources I have.  Although it may not be as exciting as someone else's, part of being a teacher is working with what you have.

What lessons learned that others might benefit from knowing about? 
I believe that most people knew that iPads, iPhones, and iTouches do not support websites that need Flash, therefore those devices do not support all websites.  But what came as the biggest surprise was that I could not edit "editable" sites.  As I researched and entered forums (to make sure it just wasn't me) there were men and women who commented that they took their iPad with them on a business trip with hopes to finish their Prezi presentation only to learn the hard way, they could not edit it.  So I have to say, I was happy to learn this by trial and research as opposed to while in the classroom. I also learned you could not edit other sites such as Moddle and Wikispaces.

In what ways will you endeavor to do the same project again, and what would you change or not do? 
Although it was not part of my original plan, it turned out to be the best part of the plan.  I could not implement my project, so I decided to play around and research.  I learned so much while researching.  I think it is important to research before implementing a piece of technology into that classroom.  I would normally test it out on my own, but may have chalked up any problems to an user error.  The research allowed me to learn about what cannot be done, ways to get around it and apps that let it happen.  As for the actual implementation, I would make sure that the students were comfortable with the iPad and GoogleDocs before setting them free to collaborate in groups.  OR have my lesson be the introduction lesson and take students step-by-step through the process.  The thing about technology is that it is always changing and adapting, so therefore, you must change and adapt with it.

Wicked Problem Project- Part C- Implementation

A special thank you to Debbie Johnson, for embedding a slideshow into her blog which gave me the idea to do the same! 

Wicked Problem Project- Part B Application of TPACK

TPACK is comprised of pedagogy, content and technology.  It focuses on taking the knowledge of all three contents and using them simultaneously to increase teacher effectiveness and learning.  Take a look at the picture below which help displays the information.

Picture from http://www.tpck.org

I am going to implement TPACK to enhance student learning.  While most teachers can use effective teaching strategies to teach content, the issue sometimes arises with technology.  Using technology for the sake of using technology does not follow the TPACK model.  TPACK focuses more on integrating technology into content areas.  For my Wicked Problem Project, I discussed the need and use for iPads in the classroom.  iPads walk a thin line of using technology for the sake of using it and actually integrating into the content areas and making it more of a tool than a game.  My problem I have noticed is a lack of participation and engagement when it comes to collaborative group work.  My solution: the iPad.

Disclaimer: I was told to focus on just 1 aspect.  Be more specific than just "actively engaging students in group work".  But as I researched and played around on my own iPad it became even MORE difficult! From vocabulary to math flash cards to creating a comic strip, the opportunities are endless with the thousands of applications.  The iPad has the ability to transform itself from a book (eReader) to a specific location (GoogleEarth) to document.  Students can learn and explore and never have to leave the classroom.  I came across a website with the motto: "Create Connect Collaborate".  With and iPad you can do just that, I LOVE IT!

1. What is the TP knowledge for the solution? (i.e. how does the technology you have chosen support the teaching strategies and methods you have chosen?) 

Currently, my school system has been focusing on three teaching strategies and methods: Best Practices, Kagan, and STEM.  All of these teaching methods and strategies have one thing in common: collaborative learning.  One of the Best Practices for teaching is collaborative learning.  The Kagan Strategies are all about learning in groups and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) promotes and encourages group collaboration.  While students can work collaboratively without iPads just fine, the point is to integrate technology.  iPads have the ability to foster better group work and improve collaboration.  For example, students can share and collaborate their knowledge on a GoogleDoc from their seat if they were able to have iPads.  From their seats students could create a Powerpoint on Google or Prezi without one person doing all the work.  Students are now being held accountable for their work in a group.  No longer is there just 1 person tying or 1 person making the slides- they can all work on it together.  The students are now actively engaged and using time effectively, as opposed to standing around one computer watching one person type.  The iPad is a tool that can bring group work into the 21st century.  

2. What is the TC knowledge for the solution?  (i.e how specifically does this technology make the content in your problem more intellectually accessible? Be sure to think about representation.) 
In order for technology to be effective it should be used every day and be differentiated.  Technology should be integrated into the content rather than having the content integrated into the "fun new" technology idea.  Many of our standards have the word "collaborate" in them.  As we were deconstructing our standards the other day, the faculty was discussing various ways students could collaborate.  My idea: iPads! It was actually the only idea which incorporated technology.  Using an iPad  students could collaborate and be engaged and active learners.  Students could use GoogleDocs on the iPad and create and carry out a script.  Another standard is to use media to publish and present information.  Here students could do something as simple as creating a survey on Survey Monkey and all the students could participate using the internet on their iPads.  A third standard is to formulate and answer word problems with group members.  If students had access to iPads, they could have blogs or wikis and formulate and answer math problems that way.  An iPad is a took that provides so many opportunities inside the classroom.

3. What is the PC knowledge for the solution? (i.e how specifically do your pedagogical choices make the content in your problem more intellectually accessible?) Be sure to think about how the student will experience the content given these instructional strategies.
Like I had mentioned earlier, not only is our school system focusing on teaching methods and strategies that require group collaboration, but our standards are requiring it as well. Not only will the iPad integrate technology but it will allow for students to experience content like they never have before.  For example, I know that coming from a school in a low socioeconomic area, the students don't always have the background knowledge necessary to move forward.  With an iPad at their fingertips students can travel across the world, communicate with students across the nation and get the extra practice they need.   Students can work one on one with a peer sitting across the room.  Or create a presentation with a student from a different class.  Group work will take on a new meaning and create a new experience.  More students can become active participants in the classroom, which will increase learning.  This piece of technology has the ability slightly modify how something is done to completely changing a classroom.  There is no right way or one way to implement this tool, but the possibilities are endless.


  

Leadership Part A- Brainstorming Session

For the leadership project, my group decided to use Vyew to conduct our web-conferencing.  We decided to this tool since it was free and available all the time, unlike others which offered a free limited day trial or cost money.  We were asked to record our session, so a group member so kindly used screencast-o-matic to record our session.  Then, she uploaded it on to YouTube.  Take a look at what we were able to accomplish!

There were definitely some perks to using a web-conferencing tool to discuss a project.  It was really nice to be able to collaborate together.  It was the first time any of the group members used such a tool, so we spent a little time playing around with the various tools it had to offer.  By far, the best part was that we were all able to talk and collaborate.  Also, we could talk while editing a document.  We had the ability to talk and chat which worked out well for me when my "talk" button was not working.  One person in my group actually used her webcam for a short period of time.  I can see how using a webcam could enhance a web-conference.  I have had other projects in the past in which my group would meet on GoogleDocs and discuss via chat how we were going to set up the project.  I really enjoyed the talking aspect of web-conferencing.  It was nice to hear voices and connect with people in such a manner   and not having to wait for people to respond or type an answer.

However, there are some downfalls to web-conferencing as well.  One of our biggest tasks was finding a time that worked well for everything.  This however, seems to be a downfall for any type of group project, but it always seems to be more difficult when the people all have jobs and are in different time zones.  Once we were able to find a time for a meeting, we played around with Vyew to try and lessen any problems we may encounter.  But as you can see if you watch our recorded session, we ran into a couple issues.  I was not able to get my "talk" button to work, while another group member, could not get her "talk" button off to stop the constant echoing.  Since my "talk" button would not work, I had to resort to using the chat, while everyone else was communicating via microphone.  While it was a bit annoying, at least I was able to find another method to communicate.

Overall, I would say that we learned a lot and enjoyed the web-conference.  We even set up another date and time to continue our group work.  I feel that the more we use this tool and become familiar with it, the more we will like it!

Web Conferencing

On Sunday, my group met to discuss our leadership project.  We met online via web conferencing.  We used Vyew.  As a group we all decided to use that software since it was always available and free (unlike some others that you had to download for a 30 day free trials and such).   However, we did have to record our session and for that we used Screencast-o-matic.  Overall, the video conference went okay.  We had a few minor issues such as mid-conference I was no longer able to hit the "talk" button and my only option to communicate was via the chat box on the bottom.  Due to the fact that everyone else was able to communicate through talking, it sometimes took awhile to get my ideas across. It was nice to be able to talk to one another, while it lasted.  However, when two people are talking at the same time, there is an echo, therefore we had to turn on and off our "talk" button.  Well, a member of our group was not able to turn off her "talk" button and there was a constant echo.  But the talking aside,  it was still nice that we could all edit a page and type what was necessary.  It was also nice to have a variety of ways to communicate by using cameras, chats and a microphone.  

One of the reasons for all of our technical difficulties I think was user error.  If we have had more experience, we may have been able to run things a bit smoother.  So before I would use this program again, I would definitely test out everything again and make sure I had a good grasp on things.  In our defense tough, before the group recorded the meeting, we talked and everything seemed to work just fine.  If I were going to use this program on a daily basis, I may think about inventing in the upgrade and paying for the service as I would assume it may run a bit better.  Overall though, I think the program worked well for what we were doing and I think we were able to run our meeting quite well all things considered.

Web-conferencing can be used in the classroom many ways.  One thing that comes to my mind is pen-pals.  While the students may not be writing to another student, they can be learning about culture from other countries or characteristics about other states.  Students could also discuss with other students in different schools or states various topics.  Another way to use web-conferencing could be using a web cam and having the students could take a virtual field trip as someone leads the field trip.  This way the students could "raise their hand" and interact with the guide allowing them to ask questions.  Web conferencing could also be used afterschool as a means for a group to get together to talk about a project.

Technology Survey

For class we had to create a survey.  I have to say, I have never created one before and I found it really neat! I used SurveyMonkey and questions given to us by MSU.  Go ahead and take the survey.  It is meant for students, but adults and teachers can take it as well.  I would love the information!

Click here to take my survey

Wicked Problem Project Part A- A Need or an Opportunity

1. What is the important educational need that you are seeking to address? This element is fundamental in this project.  Since we have limited time, energy, and resources, cool technology without a clear sense of why it matters or what we gain by it is of little value in the educational setting.  
Lack of participation.  Sitting there bored.  These are the feelings I get from students when I stand at the front of the classroom and explain something.  These are the feelings I get when I ask a student (one student) to help "show" the answer or demonstrate something.  My point is, only one person can work at a time.  Am I really maximizing my teaching time having just one student help at a time? Whether it be a powerpoint presentation, online survey, or using a GoogleDoc- with just my one computer, only one person at a time can do the work.

Problem: lack of participation when only one person can participate at a time.

2. How do you plan to address this educational issue with technology?  You need to make a clear and convincing case that your proposed solution will make a real impact on the issue you identify, and that your proposed approach is a reasonable approach given its costs and possible alternatives.
Solution: iPad

iPad, it's the latest craze in both the educational world and technology world.  Well, I am jumping on the bandwagon.  I want one, well not just one, but 23, enough for all my students or all the students in a classroom. (Okay, I understand, 23 may be a lot to ask for.  But I believe that if we start asking for a lot, we can always bring it down, which is usually a lot easier than trying to increase the amount after the fact.)  The iPad (or I would even settle for an iPod) brings classroom communication to a new level.  I'm thinking of a time when I would put something on the document camera and call up the students one by one to participate.  As one student would work up front, the other students just sat in their seats.  How neat would it be if ALL the students could collaborate at the same time.  If I put up a Google Doc and students could work on it all together.  Or if the students were creating a Prezi, they could all collaborate as well.  (You may be able to get the same effect with a wireless tablet of some sort, but having the iPad opens up so much more to the educational world.) If 23 students is too many, break them into groups.  have students work together to collaborate something when everyone is contributing.  Each student can have their "writing" in a different color.  This way teachers can monitor who is typing what.  iPads are bringing group work into the 21st century.  Our students are technologically inclined, whether they grew up with it in their homes or not.  It surrounds them everywhere. And while yes, iPads are expensive, they can be used throughout the entire curriculum.  As teachers, we need to show them that there is more to the iPad than Facebook and Angry Brids- there is education (and it's not the boring kind!).

3. Logistics of solution
Can there be just one purpose for an iPad in the classroom? No, this tool is very versatile, which is one of the many reasons I choose an iPad over a wireless tablet.  However, I will focus on collaboration.  Recently, my school has discussed bringing in Kagan Strategies which focus on cooperative learning.  A lot of work is done in groups.  We are also moving our math and science into the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) direction which requires a lot of group work as well.  So many ideas and thoughts pop into my mind when talking about the iPad and collaborating.  In terms of STEM- there is a process in which the students plan, design, and build.  Currently, I know teachers that are using STEM notebooks- but how about a STEM GoogleDoc? Each student has a color and the students can collaborate and work as a group to share ideas and create a plan.  With an iPad the students can be constantly writing down observations and working together as a group on the same page.  The best part? The teacher can write comments and share his/her 2 cents without interrupting each group.  The teacher can also check on the progress of each group by checking on the document itself.  Challenge: can the students share, create, plan, design and build without talking and only using the chat feature on for the GoogleDoc? You never know until you try.
In the state of Tennessee, 5th grade students are required to take a writing test.  For the past couple of years, the students participated in a survey at the end of the writing test.  One of the questions asked is whether the students preferred to write using pencil and paper or write on a computer.  There is a growing amount of students who prefer to use a computer.  To my 5th graders, cursive might as well be Chinese, pencil and paper is comparison to the Stoneage and the computer seems to be the ONLY logical way to write something.  Enter iPad.  The students type a paper on GoogleDoc (maybe I should have said that GoogleDoc was an education need??)  Another student edits that student's paper using blue for conventions, purple for sentence fluency and green for word choice.  The student can make comments and insert changes and the teacher can watch the entire process.
So whether it is writing, science, or math the iPad has the ability to be put into any situation.

4. Relevant Research and Resources

• 3 Ways to get iPads in your classroom- This website shows 3 different ways to try and promote the use of iPads in the classroom. 
• A wiki dedicated to iPod and iPad usage in education
• iPad vs iTouch
• What is the research showing?
• Measuring the iPad's potential

What I learned: Same old story- there is NO simple solution.  Will the novelty of the iPad (or even iTouch) wear off? I'm sure.  Are we making excuses not to teach? Most definitely NO! Are we brining our students into the 21st century? Yes.  While there are pros and cons of using the iPad in the classroom, like most tools, it is all dependent on how teachers use them.  I'm sure there was once a time when people thought it was going to be absurd that a classroom have 6 computers or a school have a computer lab AND a mobile lab (laptops on carts).  But now that is the norm.  Parents and teachers expect to have computers and access to them.  So whether it be an iPad or a similar wireless internet device, we are moving towards the future and we need to make sure our classrooms and schools are as well.  

5. A plan for the portion you will implement during this course and the portion you will implement after this course completes. 
Monday marks my last full day of school.  Yes, this monday, as in tomorrow.  Therefore, I will not be able to implement my idea in the classroom.  (Which may lead me to change my project....I'm still waiting on feedback) However, my plan on implementation is actually looking into ways (grants, etc) to see if I could bring iPads into my classroom or school.  I will be going to a new school next year and I look forward to working with those teachers to discuss technology and how we could implement such a device and get together and write a grant or proposal.

6. How would you know you were successful? 
I wold consider myself successful if I was able to get the teachers on the same page and work together to write a grant or proposal.  iPads are not going to come overnight.  But stepping in the right direction and getting the staff and administration behind you will help me and the students to become successful.  If iPads are not available, I will look into iPods or other devices that could give the same effect.

Hello Me...

I just started CEP 812 and to begin, we had to create a video as an introduction.  After several trials and errors with many different sites and applications.  I have finally created my introduction.  Take a look.  CEP 812 Introduction.  Let me know what you think!

CEP 811 Final Post

As this course comes to a close, I can certainly say that I have learned a lot.  I look forward to gaining more knowledge about teaching strategies and how to embed technology into lessons.  Even though I have taken only a few courses, my understanding of technology has grown exponentially.  I am amazed with every session how much more there is to learn.  I really enjoyed this course and creating the different projects.  While the projects were a challenge, the professors constantly expressed the fact on how we should create these projects that we can use in the classroom.  We are not just completing these projects for us or for our Master's course, but for our students as well.  Not only are we growing but our students are now able to grow with us as we continue our journey through the technological world.  


1. What are some things that you have learned about effective teaching strategies when integrating technology?
One of the most important things that I have learned that integrating technology in the classroom should be effective in order for learning to take place.  I really enjoyed learning about TPack and looking at lessons from various perspectives.  It opened my eyes to the fact that just because a a certain lesson may not be the best for one aspect, doesn't mean that it will not work in a different aspect.  TPack states that technology use should be used daily and should be differentiated.


Also, learning about the UDL Guidelines helped me to view a lesson plan differently.  It opened my eyes to various barriers that I may have for my students.  UDL is a wonderful plan to use both with and without technology.  UDL allows for technology to be a tool or the main event.


Most importantly: you can never count on technology 100% to do what you want when you want.  Be flexible and open and always have a backup :) 


2. How did integrating web-based technologies help you think about and evaluate uses of technology?
This course integrated a lot web-based technologies.  We created a stair, looked at wikispaces, evaluated webquests and much more.  We were also able to share these on Merlot and be given feedback.  The feedback is wonderful for you and others.  As the creator, it helps to see your lesson from a different view and get other's perspectives.  As an educator, it helps to guide you in the right direction. Merlot is a wonderful tool and I am excited to continue my use as a creator and educator.  


The most effective technology is taught when it is embedded into the curriculum.  Using technology for the sake of using technology may not add as much value as if you were to make it part of the lesson.  


3. How have you met your own personal goals for learning about technology integration?

One of my greatest accomplishments happened by accident.  I read one assignment wrong and created a webquest.  I have seen so many of them and have had my students participate in ones that other people have created, but I have always wanted to make one of my own.  So, misreading the directions, i did just that.  I created a webquest that I am not very proud of.  With everything that I have learned along the way, creating the webquest was not as difficult as I thought it may have been.  Even though it did not seem to turn out the way I wanted to, creating the STAIR project was also a challenge.  Not only did I have to make sure I had had the correct concepts and information, but to make sure that i was integrating technology and making it interactive served as a challenge.  It also helped me to see that just because something works on one computer, does not mean that it will work with everything and technology is not always going to go your way.  


4. Do you have any new goals? What are your plans for reaching your new goals and your long-term goals after this course is over?
My new goals are to continue to expand my knowledge and understanding of integrating technology into the classroom and content.  I want to continue to learn how to effectively use technology to help students learn not only the content but also the technology.  I want to familiarize myself with many different types of technologies and how to best incorporate them. My other goal is to share what I have learned with others.  I have enjoyed sharing my stair and webquest and look forward to all the other technologies I can share.

Online Learning

This week for CEP 811 we read Michigan Merit Curriculum Online Experience Guideline about online learning.  It is neat that Michigan is pushing teachers to incorporate technology into their classrooms.  I teach in Tennessee and I would love to have some sort of requirement as well.  Just one online experience before graduation.  I believe that is feasible. 

The paper was filled of various ways to incorporate technology into your classroom.  It is a wonderful resource.  One technology that I would love to use is the Online Field Trips, otherwise known as virtual field trips.  I think is is a wonderful tool! I work in a low socio-economic area and the students do not always get the same experiences as other students.  It is important for them to explore different places as well.  I feel that virtual field trips can be used in every subject and offer so much.  They also lend themselves to other online experiences, such as blogging.  After the students completed their "field trip" the students could write a short paragraph in a class blog (or even their own blog) about their experience. You could also take it one step further and hold a discussion with an expert.  There is no need to stop at just one online experience.

Virtual Field Trips are great for a number of reasons, one being that they have the opportunity to hit many different types of learners.  Virtual Field Trips usually have visuals, contain some audio and may require you to take some notes.  These hit 3 different types of learners right off the bat! Also, viewing the virtual field trip is always an exciting process.  The students could also work in groups.  For example this virtual field trip: Max's Fantastical Zoo has a worksheet to print, the ability to play the audio as well as offers challenge problems for students.  This virtual field trip is about a zoo and relates to math.  The ideas and resources are endless.  Another great field trip is Visit a Volcano which incorporates science and social studies. These field trips also tend to go across the curriculum and incorporate other subjects.  Students could also create their own higher order thinking questions based on the information they learned.  The students can then share their questions with a group and take turns answering them. 

However, not all online learning works for everyone.  While browsing through the list, I came across a few I knew I would have difficult incorporating into my classroom and into the lives of the students.  Like I had mentioned earlier, most of my students do not own computers nor do they have access to them outside the classroom.  Therefore, setting up an RSS feed, may not be practical since we have to share the mobile laptops with our entire school and I do not have a computer in my classroom.  Another resource that could cause a problem is to have the students create an electronic portfolio.  As I was reading the article I noticed that some of the online learning is geared towards older students (high school age).  Now, that doesn't mean it cold not be brought down to a level for elementary or middle school students to understand, but the older students may get more out of that particular online learning.  I do think that the resources you and your students have can help to contribute or hinder the process of online learning. 

Wikis

As part of our assignment this week we ventured into the world of Wikipedia and Wikispaces.  I found the school system's website on Wikipedia.  On the site, it lists all the elementary schools in the school system, I decided to LINK my school's website to the world "Liberty" under elementary schools.

Truth be told, I have always been weary of Wikipedia and Wikispaces.  At the beginning of the year, I always talk with my fifth graders that not everything on the internet is true.  Therefore, having a website based on "facts" that can be altered by anyone is society, makes me wonder.  However, as I browsed the various wiki sites, I noticed that the sites are managed well.  I am excited to start my own wikispace and see where it takes me! 

New Wikispace

UDL Evaluation Checklist

Universal Design for Learning, UDL is a format in which a lesson is created to try and reach all the learners.  I used a lesson I created at the beginning of this course which is geared towards fifth grade with adding and subtracting decimals.  Feel free to take a look at the lesson Adding and Subtracting Decimals prior to seeing how it measured up to the UDL checklist.  Take a look: UDL Checklist.

CEP 811 Merlot Evaluation

For CEP 811 we were asked to evaluate a learning material on Merlot.  I chose to evaluate a fraction website "Who Wants Pizza? A Fraction Activity" using he same criteria that Merlot uses to evaluate their resources.


Quality of Content: 
1. Does the software present valid concepts, models, and skills? 
Yes, the website offers valid information, models, and examples.  
2. Does the software present educationally significant concepts, models, and skills for the discipline? 
Yes, all the the concepts presented on the website are educationally significant and relate directly to fractions.


Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool: 
1. What stage(s) in the learning process/cycle could the materials be used? 
     1. Explanation or description of the topic/stating the problem? 
         There is a short explanation in the introduction section of what fractions are, but it does not go into great detail.   For example, it does not explain the numerator and denominator.
     2. Demonstration of the curriculum/exploration of the problem
         An example or two is given, prior to the student independent work.
     3. Practice using the curriculum/analysis of the outcomes from solving the problem
         The website offers multiple choice questions for the students to practice as well as some interactive problems to help understand equivalent fractions.  For practice, the students are given problems of a similar manner to complete (i.e. all the fractions are displayed in a bar form).
     4. Applying the curriculum to "new" problems/application of the outcomes to other problems
         Not really.  At the beginning of some sections a question about sharing pizza is posed.  It is not answered, or asked again.  These questions could be looked at as applying their knowledge to different types of problems, but they are not really higher order thinking questions.
2. What is (are) the learning objective(s)? What should students be able to do after successfully learning with the materials?
The learning objectives are the different components of fractions; equivalent fractions, adding fractions, and multiplying fractions.  After successfully completing the entire website, the students should have a basic understanding of fractions, be able to find equivalent fractions, add fractions and multiply fractions.
3. What are the characteristics of the target learner(s)?
The author stated that this website is for grade school and middle school.  I would say upper elementary. The website is not descriptive enough for someone who is just learning about fractions, but it serves as a good reminder for students who may need a refresher about fractions.  
4. Does the interactive/media-rich presentation of material improve faculty and students' abilities to teach and learn the materials? 
The teacher has the opportunity to complete all the practices  in a whole group manner allowing for students to individually offer answers.  I believe that a teacher may use this site as a review, but probably not to introduce the concept of fractions.
5. Can the use of the software be readily integrated into current curriculum and pedagogy within the discipline?  
The website most likely will relate directly to curriculum.  However, it may not be possible to teach all the concepts in one session.  
6. Can the software be used in a variety of ways to achieve teaching and learning goals?
The website is not very flexible.  It lends itself to a whole group, small group or individual setting.  Due to the nature of the problems, it really cannot be used other than in a teaching-learning setting.
7. Are the teaching-learning goals easy to identify?
Yes, the website is broken into sections.  For example, the equivalent fraction section's goal is for students to understand and be able to identify equivalent fractions.
8. Can good learning assignments for using the software application be written easily?
The website does not really lend itself to creating good learning assignments. There is a "teacher's resources" page, but those lessons follow with the same linear concept displayed on the website.

Ease of Use: 
1. Are the labels, buttons, menus, text, and general layout of the computer interface consistent and visually distinct?
Yes, the layout is consistent and easy to follow.
2. Does the user get trapped in the material?
No, the website is very easy to maneuver and understand.
3. Can the user get lost easily in the material? 
No, there are buttons clearly labeled on the bottom of every page that will take you "to the top", "to more practice", or "to the Table of Contents".
4. Does the module provide feedback about the system status and the user's response?
The website provides feedback once the user has completed all the problems.  The user can submit their answers and feedback is provided through a score and answers are provided so the user can check which problems were answered correctly.
5. Does the module provide appropriate flexibility in its use? 
The website is not very flexible.  It offers only information on fractions.  However, the fraction website is only one of many the author has created.  The homepage that contains many different lessons, offers more flexibility with teaching different concepts.
6. Does the learning material require a lot of documentation, technical support, and/or instruction for most students to successfully use the software? 
The website is all that is needed to complete the different mini-lessons.
7. Does the material present information in ways that would be attractive to students?
The title of the website says, "pizza" but all the lessons and practice problems involve fractions in a bar form.  Compared to the bright and vivid games the students may be used to playing, this sites lacks some of the attractiveness.

Coming to an End......Well Sort Of

I have to start by saying I really enjoyed this class and have learned so much from it. And although the course itself is coming to an end, my drive to continue to learn about technology in the classroom is only growing. This blog is a reflection of my achievements and thoughts of this course as well as my plans of continued learning in this field.

One of the most important things that I have learned when integrating technology is to check everything before hand. Check to make sure links work and are suitable for student viewing. I have also learned that technology can make certain aspects of teaching easier. Rather than typing up a newsletter every week, copying it on paper and handing it out, if all the students and parents have access to the internet, placing that information on a website where it can always be read (and not lost in a bookbag) can be helpful. Technology can also assist with communication. This communication can take place between you and students, parents, administrators, colleagues and other teachers. Another teaching strategy I learned was not to integrate technology to say that you do it. Take some time to learn about various technologies and decide which one fits into your lesson at that particular time.

The internet offers a seemingly endless amount of information to help a person find and evaluate technologies. I used the internet to research information on my own about different technologies and I used various sites to help guide me with the research. I used bookmarking sites like delicious, which I can bookmark sites I come across, but also find sites that others have come across. I have also used social networking sites, such as blogs, Facebook and Twitter as means of finding out useful sites and technologies. Another wonderful site was Atomic Learning. In order to integrate and evaluate technology, you need to understand it and that site gives you a wonderful insight into many technologies.

I believe that the SIG project on digital storytelling exemplifies good teaching with technology. To begin, it allowed a bunch of great mind to work together to create a unified presentation. As students, we explored Google docs and the joys of being able to chat while working and as teachers we shared our knowledge and findings. We also collaborated by creating a delicious site. Once we were ready to begin our Prezi presentation, we once again, met to complete the presentation as educators as well as learners. While completing the project, I was able to learn so much about digital storytelling and the various ways to implement it into the curriculum. To me, digital storytelling exemplifies good teaching with technology because it allows the teacher to differentiate to meet the students’ needs. For example, if you were to use Stroybird, the students can choose their own illustrations and the length of the story can be based on the individual’s ability. Another example would be using voicethread to show and explain a math problem. The students can choose a math problem they are comfortable with.

At the beginning of this course I created a personal growth plan. “A goal of mine is to be able to accommodate students of all levels using either the same type of media or different.” I believe that I have accomplished that goal. While I am still learning of various technologies that allow me to differentiate and accommodate different levels, I feel as though I have gained a lot of knowledge in this aspect. I was able to obtain this goal by researching and watching tutorials on how to correctly use technologies. Another goal I had was to understand technology and how to correctly implement it into the classroom. I also feel as though I accomplished this goal. I was introduced to many different resources throughout this course and taught how to use them correctly. The YouTube “In Plain English” videos as well as the Atomic Learning Tutorial were all very informative.

However, I wasn’t able to accomplish two of my goals. One of the goals I was not able to accomplish is due to my currently situation. My goal was to allow students to experience as many types of technology as possible. Due to the fact that I currently do not have a computer in my room, makes it difficult to give students the ability to experience these technologies. However, I plan on taking a different position next year and cannot wait to put all my ideas into play. The other goal I had was to “make technology accessible at every income.” I believe that I am on my way to achieving this goal. I have been researching different grants and coming across different organizations and charities that will give technology to schools in low-socioeconomic areas.

I would like to continue to grow with all my goals. I would like to learn about more technologies and how to correctly implement them into my classroom. I would like to continue to come across different sites and ideas that allow for differentiation. I still want to work on sharing technology with my students and allow them to learn and grow. And finally, I want to continue to find out how technology can be accessible for every income. I plan to continue my research through the Internet as well as continue to take courses through Michigan State University. I am currently on the path to obtaining my Masters in Educational Technology, which will continue way after this course. And lastly, I want to take on the role as a leader and sharer. I want to show others what I have learned and share all my knowledge (and wonderful websites) that I am learning myself.

Creative Commons

I had always known that copyright laws were confusing, but the more I seem to learn, the more confusing and complex they get.  When you download an item, do you have the right to have that item? Do you have the right to share that item? Edit that item?  The copyright law allows for fair use of copyright material.  While watching the video "The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education" Peter Jaszi, a Law Professor at American University said, "What constitutes "fair use" depends on the situation".  I couldn't have said it better myself.   Teacher can sometimes use certain things for particular educational purposes.  So many regulations and exceptions.  However, Creative Commons helps the average person understand a little better of what is acceptable to do with the image or text.

I was ecstatic to learn (yes, I'm easy to please) that in Firefox, there is a pull-down menu of search engines and one of them is Creative Commons! In Science we are learning about Earthquakes.  What not better way to understand the impact of an Earthquake than to see a picture.  I decided to search Creative Commons for a picture of the recent earthquake in Haiti.

Original Image: Port-au-Prince,  January 2010, Post-earthquake
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4458418390_96a202a614.jpg
By: Treesftf (Flickr Name)
License Type: Attribution 2.0 Generic License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

Creative Commons is open to the public! I was even able to create a Creative Commons License for my own image!

I'm a teacher.  Even on my honeymoon I'm a teacher.  While on our Safari in Kruger National Park, we came across these two rhinoceros- and the first thing that came to my mind- Symbiosis! What a wonderful example of mutualism.  I could not wait to get back to share with my students.  The birds sitting on top of the Rhinos are eating the bugs and other insects off the rhinos and the rhinos are protecting the birds from predators.

(Click on the picture to take you to the site!)
Original Image "Rhinos- Mutualism"
http://picasaweb.google.com/epstein.dana/SouthAfrica#5575982411129944242
By: Dana Collett
License Type: Released Under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivs License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

Learning Styles

I am a visual learner through and through.  I learn best when meaningful pictures, videos, and charts are shown.  I also enjoy demonstrations and items that color-coded.  This couldn't have described me better.  While in college, I was constantly creating charts, tables, etc even if they were not given to help me learn.  I love to color-code things (even today) to help me differentiate. I wrote notes and color-coded them as well.  When I thought about them, the color helped me to remember certain facts.  And while i do hold some auditory characteristics (i.e. talking out loud to myself ) I chalk it up to being a teacher, and teachers always seem to talk out loud :)

I take my learning style and the majority of my teaching is for visual learners.  In an ideal world, it would be great to be able to teach to everyone, but that is not possible.  Most of the population are visual learners, so I am targeting a huge chunk of students.  I also try to incorporate many kinesthetic activities since elementary students have a tendency to enjoy hands-on learning, but the majority of my teaching is for the visual learner.  I enjoy creating power-points with pictures from my life to help explain a concept in hopes the students will make a connection.  I love to color-code things and write in different colors to help get my point across.  For example, if I were teaching a math lesson I would explain each step to solving a problem.  I would write each step in a different color.  When I solved the problem, I would use those same exact colors that corresponded to the step.  I have taught inclusion for the past couple of years and they have told me that it has helped them.  They can look and see if they have the blue step, red step, etc.

While there is nothing wrong with sticking to your own learning style as a teacher, it is also important to make sure that you cover all the basis in order to make sure you are giving the students all they need to learn.

RSS Reflection Take 2

Home Page

Everyday I come home from school and check the same websites: The Leaf Chronicle (our local newspaper), Click on Detroit (so I can see what it going on back home), Fox News (to make sure I am up to date with the worldly news) and of course, People (to make sure I am up to date on my celebrity news!) But now- with my amazing netvibes site- I can go to only ONE website rather than 5! But my netvibes site is not only for my entertainment, it is also for learning.

MAET Sites

When I first set up my site I added the 5 required sites and 8 sites of my own. My task was to follow the sites I chose to add and observe the changes. However, I after days and days of checking my chosen sites, I realized that some of them have not been updated in years! Therefore, I set out to add more sites which are updated on a more consistent basis.

After constant monitoring I found myself taking a liking towards certain sites. One site is Free Technology for Teachers.  There is just a wealth of information on this site.  One post contained a video from ESPN that "demonstrates the roles of angles, velocity, and rotation in making a three point shot in basketball." While this video may not get everyone's attention, it sure is a lot more fun to watch! This sites contains tons of video clips and various websites to use as resources.  Also, the sites is updated almost daily, which makes following it fun and interesting.  

Free Technology For Teachers

Another site I enjoy is A Year of Reading.  There are a ton of wonderful book ideas for the teacher to enjoy and learn from as well as to read in a classroom and share with students.  I really enjoyed the post, "What to Read Aloud Next?" I am always looking for great read aloud ideas that will keep the student's attention.  I also enjoy the site as it seems to be geared toward upper elementary.

The Scholastic website Classroom Solutions offers a variety of information.  I enjoy this site because it seems to range from kindergarten all the way to middle school.  I have always liked Scholastic, so I was quite excited when I came across this site.  I like how the site offers ideas and activities for current events and holidays that involve strategies such as comparing and contrasting and cooperative groups.  This site does not stop there though, it covers everything from how to organize your classroom efficiently to drug and alcohol abuse in schools to how to celebrate the Chinese New Year.  Not all of the sites have to do with technology, but the ideas are marvelous nonetheless.  I love checking daily to see what the new post is about.

Finally, the last blog I am going to talk about is the Langwitches Blog.  The only thing that bothers me about this blog is that it is not updated on a regular basis.  Sometimes new information will be posted two days in a row and then nothing for 2 weeks.  But, this site does contain good information, so it is worth the wait.  One of the most recent posts is about quality comments classroom blogs.  I loved this idea, especially since my SIG group is focusing on digital storytelling.  What a wonderful way to share an idea- make a how-to video and post it on a blog- students would love that! The website also contains a cute video clip about the copyright laws and why things are the way they are.  I thought this was a cute video to help the older students understand.  The video is bits and pieces of fairy-tales and Disney movies taken out of context to explain the copyright laws.  My only complaint is that it is on YouTube and our school has blocked that site, therefore, I cannot share this awesome video with my coworkers or my students.  Take a look at the video: A Fair(y) Use Tale.

Everyday I am learning more and more about technology and the teaching field.  It is amazing how much there is to learn.  It just goes to show that a teacher is just a grown-up student.

PC Maintenance and Security

I have to start off with a bit of frustration. The title of this blog is "PC Maintenance and Security" with the emphasis being on PC. Well, I own an Mac and my school system uses Macs. Therefore, many of the videos on the Atomic Learning Tutorial site were based on Windows and PCs and not compatible with Macs. I was interested in defragmentation until I realized that unlike windows, OSX doesn't offer an easy way to defragment the hard drive. So I stuck to the videos which focused more on security and internet rather than PC maintenance. However, I did watch a video about Intrusion Prevention Software (IPS) and Intrusion Detection Software (IDS) which i found rather interesting even though it did not really apply to me. After further research I found out that the best IPs and IDS are not for Macs. I was a bit confused at the beginning when it told me that how anti-spyware and anti-virus programs are based on a "signature". BUt the tutorial went on and used an awesome analogy which made complete sense! The tutorial stated that "IPS and IDS detect malware based on behavior and not a signature. This is like catching a thief based on characteristics and not fingerprints." That totally makes sense! (To add to the confusion, my husband, was trying to explain the software to me which made zero sense. So naturally, when I finally heard the analogy and understood the concept it made sense.)

I watched another tutorial on Phishing. I thought I had some knowledge about Phishing, but I did not give the "bad guys" enough credit! The tutorial showed an example of an e-mail sent using the Bank of America logo. The e-mail looked very legit. But rather than asking you to respond to the e-mail with your account number, password and social security number, they took it to the next level. They put a link to a "Bank of America" website (not the actual website but one that looked identical) and had you enter your information there. This just amazed me. I always knew that no legitimate financial institute would ask for any of that information, but asking you to click on a link was a good way to confuse people. When in doubt, always go straight to the actual website- and do not click a link. What great advice that is since phishing happens to large bank companies, credit card companies as well as ebay.

Finally, the last tutorial I watched was on online backup. My brother is a big supporter in this and constantly tells me to do so. To tutorial talked about two main sites: Media Max and Foldershare. Both are available for PCs and Macs since they are via the internet. The Media Max offered free 25 GB secure storage. Something I never thought of: back up your pictures and videos! It's not just your documents you can lose if something were to happen to your computer, but all those pictures you have saved. So just for the sake of my memories, I think that's where I will start. :)

Getting Things Done

I LOVE "To Do" lists. So when I found out this was about to-do lists, I was elated! The "Getting Things Done" workflow process includes 5 steps: collect, process, organize, review and do.

I have a list for things to get done at school, a list for things to get done for MSU, a list of things to get done around the house and a list of errands. I love to do lists and I am constantly making them and updating them. I usually stick to a pencil-paper method. Occasionally I will use my iphone notepad or the stickies application on my computer to help organize me- but I mainly stick to pencil and paper. So as I read about Getting Things Done and started the process, I realized that, I do this a lot. But for this assignment, I really sat down to think about all my tasks.

As I thought of tasks to put in my "inbox" to help clear my mind, I found myself constantly thinking of things that I can do this moment to things I would like to do this summer. It was a bit overwhelming writing everything down, but once I got it all down, I felt a bit relieved. As I moved on to the process stage, I was able to filter my tasks into those that needed be to done right away to those that can be put off until a later date. It was actually the organization part where I started to feel overwhelmed again. I slowly broke my list down into when my task needed to be accomplished. Then, I separated my tasks into Liberty, MSU, and Home. I also noted which tasks I can complete on my own and which ones I will need the assistance of my husband.

I review my lists daily making sure that I have accomplished what needed to be accomplished and check off any tasks I may have completed ahead of time (usually very unlikely). I also take that time to look at the tasks for the upcoming day. One of my favorite parts of the "do" step is a sense of accomplishment and getting to cross something off the list. I look forward to my continue use of this process. And while I really like the idea of a software program to help me do this, I have this odd obsession with writing things down.

Social Networking

I have to admit, my mother would make fun of me for the fact that she is on Twitter and I had NO clue how it even worked. My brother, an entrepreneur, is always asking me to sign up for the latest social networking thing, and of course I do, to make him happy. But I have never really thought much of them, until now. This class has opened my eyes to so many resources that I joined and became a part of but never used.

Social Networking is such a neat tool. It can be used for almost everything and anything. It can be used to build a business, make friends, show off talent, or share opinions. Social networking is not only for adults and teens it is also for kids! As an elementary school teacher, I found this amazing. I really enjoyed the article "Social Networking Goes to School" by Michelle R. Davis. In the article she commented on how children are using webkinz and interacting with other children, that it only "makes sense to engage them this way". I completely agree. However, nothing is ever that easy. To begin with, many children in low socio-economic areas do not have access to computers and the internet. Another hurdle to jump, which Michelle mentions in the article, is that many schools ban websites such as facebook, twitter, and other social networking sites. I see both the pros and cons of both sides. Which is another reason I have come to love blogs. Blogs can be safe, easy and effective. They can also give you "nearly real-time" answers and allow you to interact with others. I believe that a school or classroom could have a facebook page to allow parents and students alike to comment and share ideas and opinions. There are just so many options, such as edmodo, that are out there, but I have yet to research or even come across.

Social Networking is an integral part of my life. I would like to say that it isn't, but i would be lying. I moved from Michigan to Tennessee and I keep in contact with many people on Facebook. I think it is a wonderful tool to keep in contact with your friends and family. I no longer document every second of my life (as i did when I was in high school when FB originated) but I do like to make some comments as well as comment on the lives of others. As a professional, I believe there are other sites to join. I liked LinkedIn as a site for professionals sharing and collaborating. I could also see myself using Ning in the future. I am a creature of habit and when i find something i like and know how to use, it is difficult for me to venture off to the unknown.

My Personal Learning Network- Glogster

Glogster- what a neat website. I cannot wait to share this site with my colleagues. Regardless of the topic, this site allows you to create a virtual poster. You can do so much with this site- such as creating a culminating activity in which the students must create a poster based on the information that was learned. I can't wait to share my new found technology!

RSS What??

Here is a snapshot of my RSS choice feeds page.   I started off not even understanding what RSS stood for let alone what it was and how it worked.  However, thirty minutes later, I was out of control finding tons of websites that I wanted to add to my feeds.  I was sorting my feeds, creating tabs and finally grasping what RSS is all about.  I have to say, I love it!


After finding many relevant teaching sites and technology integration sites, I began to look for blogs.  I searched for a blog that interested me and that I would enjoy following and reading.  I finally came across: Langwitches Blog: The Magic of Learning.  I was excited to get started reading and commenting.  


It was actually the first post that caught my attention.  It was titled, "Unpack, Upgrade and Bring your Lesson into the 21st Century".  The posts comments on how it is not always necessary to use the "latest tech tool" but rather making sure that technology is correctly incorporated and fits into the unit rather than the unit fitting into the technology.  The site also provided wonderful resources to help a teacher get organized on the various media that can be used in the unit.  Click here to check out the templates. I made sure to thank them for sharing these files in my comment.  It makes it a lot easier to understand and follow through with a visual! 


Once I understood how the RSS feeds worked, I tracked the websites regularly.  I really enjoyed seeing all the new updates in one window as opposed to traveling to all the websites individually.  It was nice to see the updates and choose which post or article to read.  The Technology Made Simple site, it talked about voicethread.  It was great to see voicethread done with older students in a totally different context than what I had learned.  I came across such great ideas to build on top of the ones I already have.  


As I followed my feeds over the course of several days, I noticed that many of the blogs and websites were not updated daily.  There were days if not weeks in between posts.  However, even though there may have not been new posts, at times there were new comments.  Certain websites like the NPR: Education are updated almost daily.  Once again, I enjoy that i can see the topics and decide whether or not I want to visit the website and read the article.  (Yes, I judge a book by it's cover and an article by it's title.) 


The more I used my RSS page, the more I liked it.  The plethora of information from the various sites leaves me with endless reading and learning.  But this site can also be used for entertainment, such as keeping up with the latest gossip, news, and weather (and even my horoscope).  I can definitely see myself using this page well after this class is over.  Thank you for introducing me to RSS!