When I first found out I would be taking a education technology class, my first thought was, "Oh, you have got to be kidding me. Another useless class." I am already working in the school district and know how to use the computers, projectors, smart boards, etc., so I thought I was tech savvy. Besides, school districts all across the country are in a financial bind, how much new technology could really be out there that is affordable to schools or myself? SURPRISE! I basicly knew nothing about Web 2.0 tools or any of the applications that are available to people for FREE. I am SO thankful to have be "forced" to take a ed tech class. I have learned leaps and bounds and have even started using Drop Box, Skype, and Google Docs on a regular basis. I love it!!!!
OETS will begin starting with the 2010-2011 school year. There are six standards to the OETS; 1)creativity and innovation, 2)communication and collaboration, 3)research and information, 4)fluency, critical thinking, problem solving and diecision making, 5)digital citizenship, and 6)technology operations and concepts. I will be covering the six standards in my classroom through a classroom bog for students and parents to showcase work and post announcements, using Skype with a sister classroom to read stories and letters to each other (sort of like a pen pal), and Drop Box to share confidental information with teachers who also teach the students in my classroom (music, PE, media). Using technology in a classroom seems like it would be an added burden, but it truly is an added resource for teachers, students, and parents to learn, share, and become involved.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Above is a chart I created using the data from the GoogleDocs spreadsheet. It looks very professional, and it only took about 3 steps to create. "Insert chart", highlighting the information I needed, and "Save Chart". Using this chart makes reading any data much easier to read and decipher.
In analyzing the data from the chart, it is apparent every students test scores improve over time. Clinton seems to be the TAG student with Gahandi and Farmer not far behind. Hepburn seems to have some trouble in the middle of the testing, but pulls her scores back up after that. There are a wide range of learning paces, but overall, all the students are making steady improvement. I feel some interventions should be done with Isabella to make sure she doesn't fall too far behind, as her test scores seem to level off a bit toward the end of the testing period.
I have created a spreadsheet using GoogleDocs. I had never done this before, but once I put in all the test scores, the rest went fairly quickly. I figured out the averages and standard deviation for certain tests. Click on the link below to see my spreadsheet.
This is a video I made using a Web 2.0 tool called Ustream. Ustream.tv is a free tool you can use to make videos. It's fairly easy to use. After you register, you click on the "Broadcast" button and then the "Record" button. As you record, atimer in the top left corner keeps track of how long your video is. When you feel you're finished, click on the "Stop Recording" button. You can preview your video before you post it. This was great for me because my first recording hadno sound. Videos don't make much sense if there is no sound. =) Anyway, if you are feeling your video is the way you want it, you hit the "Stop Broadcast" button, and you are all done. Any video you create is automatically posted. You can always delete the video, add text to describe the video, or change privacy setting later if you want. I had a bit of trouble finding the correct buttons, but once I got used to the layout, it was an easy site to maneuver.
Ustream would be a great tool to add to any classroom. There are so many things teachers can do with this technology. One example would be teaching lesson even if the teacher, or even a student is absent. The video is online so students could watch it from home, classroom, or even public library. The video I made is an example of this situation. Another use for Ustream would be learning across city or state lines. Even across oceans! Classroom teachers or students could teach lessons, give speeches, or even do interviews of peers or co-workers so others could view the information. This would be the ultimate collaboration effort. Amazing to think of the things our students could learn from the countless efforts of millions of educators and peers. Last, I feel making videos on Ustream would add excitement for learning and an element of newness and intrigue that hasn't always been available through the use of Web 2.0 tools. I realize our technology is constantly advancing and shifting, but the rewards are truly worth the time it takes to learn how to use these tools.
I feel like I am FINALLY getting the hang of using all the tools my blog has to offer. Different fonts,colors, uploading photos, posting presentations and videos...the things you can do and share on a blog are almost limitless.
Ok, lets talk about Skype. I LOVE Skype and have talked about it previously in one of my other posts. It's so easy to use and and takes just a minute or two to set up an account. You pretty much just type in your name and start finding friends and family that also have an account. There is a little green "check" that shows up next to a persons name if they are online. You click on their name and it starts dialing. PRESTO, you have video chatting. The picture isn't in HD by any means, but what do you expect. The sound is really good though and it's FREE! I personally started using Skype this summer and use it about once or twice a week to talk to my parents that live out of state. I feel more connected to my family and it's almost as good as having them here to talk to.
Skype would be a great tool in the classroom. First, you could have guest speakers all the time without the hassle of scheduling and travel. Just be online at the same time, and you are all set to have a great conversation with specialists, experts, and forerunners in any field. Second, your class could have a "pen pal" with another class in another state or country. It would be fun for all the students to see the difference in dress, hear the different voices, and just be seen. Third, Skype is a great tool between two or more teachers. They can collaborate and work on projects together no matter where they live. Skype has many wonderful uses in and out of the classroom. I'm not a technology "geek", but I am SO glad someone created Skype! =)
This slide show was created using Google Docs. I had never used it before, but found it extremely user friendly. My group decided to pick Dropbox as our topic for our presentation. Dropbox is a Web 2.0 tool that can save each and everyone of us frustration and time. I hope you find the slide show informative and useful in your own life. Enjoy!
This past Tuesday, we had a guest speaker in our classroom. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War, and was kind enough to speak to our class about his experiences and answer questions the students in our room had. Our guest was gracious enough to talk openly and honestly about how he felt, what happened during his time in the Army, and what being a veteran of war meant to him. I was so proud of our students for asking questions that were appropriate and meaningful, and for giving our guest their full attention. It was a wonderful experience. I learned so much from our guest and from our students. I truly hope we will have another opportunity to experience a guest lecturer in the near future.
