Blogfolio

Intro Video
1. NETS-T 3c: Teachers communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats.
2. This meets this standard because we created and uploaded a video about ourselves which could be used for a future class. I used this video effectively to introduce myself to my professor and my peers. 
3. This assignment taught me how to file share a video and upload it to something that I can use in my classroom. 
4. The problem I encountered in this assignment was sending the video and letting it open in my email. The file format was different, and the audio didn't work at first. But I resent the video to myself and opened it and it worked fine. 
5. I will integrate this knowledge because now I know how to upload a video and put it on a website. I will use this to upload various videos in my classroom in a blog that I create for my classroom for all parents to view to see what is going on. 

TED Videos
1. NETS-T 5a: participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning. 
2. This assignment meets this standard because we watched videos from different learning communities on various topics, and in turn, it improved our learning. 
3. These assignments taught me many different things because some of the videos were testaments of other teachers and how they teach students different things in their classrooms. One video talked about a model that a teacher created and how it worked in their classroom. It showed how teachers can take creativeness in their classrooms and that it is okay to do so. 
4. I did not encounter any problems with these videos, I loved them. I hope to use them in my classroom one day. 
5. I will integrate these videos in my classroom by allowing my students to watch how certain students learn by different ways of teaching. I will also use TED as a guide when I am a teacher if I am encountering any difficulties. 

Concept Map
1. NETS-T 1c: Teachers promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
2. This assignment met these needs because we used Inspiration to create a Concept Map to show our thinking and planning for a particular lesson plan. 
3. This assignment taught me what a concept map was and how to create one virtually. This was also the first time I was ever introduced to Hyperlinks, and this information became very useful because I have used this now in other classes. 
4. I encountered problems with this because I did not know how to Hyperlink correctly. I also had issues making the arrows connect to the boxes (you had to click in just the right spot for it to work and it was very difficult). There were also formatting issues with my concept map when I uploaded it to blogger with the outline, and it was hard to view when I was presenting it to the class. 
5. I will use Concept Maps all the time when I become a teacher so that the students can understand exactly what information they are to gain from my lessons. I probably will use another software to create my concept map because the one that we used was not as user friendly as I would have liked. 

DoNotTrackMe
1. NETS.T 4a- 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.
2. This assignment met this standard because it allowed us to learn who was tracking us online, which taught us safety. It showed us that all of the websites we trusted were tracking us everywhere we go online. 
3. This assignment showed me how many websites track me. I still have it in my toolbar, and as of this second, I have blocked 9,364 websites from tracking me. This has helped protect my identity and information as I travel through online websites. 
4. I did not personally encounter any problems, but for some people I know that it wouldn't allow them to order pizza? I do not see how that was possible. I like how when I register to subscribe for a site, it will create a username or password for me so that these companies do not track me as well, but whenever I try to do that, the companies will not let me sign up because they say it isn't valid. 
5. I will use this on all of my computers and I will suggest it to my teaching co-workers to use so that their information is always safe when they are on websites. 

Augmented Reality
1. NETS.T 1b: engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
2. This assignment met this standard because we learned how to use different apps that will bring real-world items to life. 
3. This assignment showed me that we can use apps while on field trips or learning in the classroom because it will give the students more interesting information on topics that we discussed in class. 
4. One issue that I had with this was actually finding a free app in the iTunes store for an Augmented Reality App. I will still continue looking, though. 
5. Whenever I find an app that I like, I will use this in the classroom a good bit. I will have students use this app on BYOD days and I will allow them to go around the classroom and find different pictures that they want to find more information about. I will also use this for pictures in the textbook and have students create a report on what they find. 

Voki
1. NETS-T 3b: Teachers collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.
2. This assignment met this standard because it shows how a teacher can interact with students by using  a digital tool. 
3. This assignment showed me that I can create talking avatars to put on my websites or use in my classroom to make learning more fun. I can also this to introduce parents to myself in a different way rather than words. 
4. One issue with this website was that all of the cool and "famous" avatars cost money to use. I also did not like that the voice that it made me use was too robotic sounding. 
5. I will use this in my classroom to introduce famous characters such as George Washington. I could also use this in a younger classroom and make characters, such as Santa, tell my students to behave in the classroom because he is making sure that they are on their best behavior, even in the classrooms. 

Web 2.0 Sites
1. NETS.T 3a- demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.
2. This met this standard because it introduced us to new technology systems and taught us how to use them. 
3. This assignment offered me an opportunity to view and save and remember useful websites that I will always be able to use in my classroom or in preparing lessons. 
4. One issue some had was that their website did not work well or was down whenever they tried to find it. 
5. I will use a few of these websites in my classroom. I made sure to *** the ones that I really liked so that I will remember to use them again. 

Create Website
1. NETS-T 4c: Teachers promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information. 
2. This standard was met because it taught us how to create a website and required us to research digital etiquette in the classroom. 
3. I learned how to create a website, insert a YouTube video on this website, and how to communicate my point through a website. We had to create tabs and insert a calendar. 
4. I had problems keeping my tabs in order when I was creating a new tab. I also had issues with my calendar showing up when presenting my information to the class. 
5. This assignment showed me how I could create a website for my classroom. I now know how to create different pages on a website and how to insert different information in an organized way. Also, this is a free way to create a website to use in my classroom. 

My Movie
1. NETS.T 1a: promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
2. This standard was met because we had to be creative and we had to be inventive in creating this movie. You showed us the basics on what to do, but we were inventive by having to basically create everything on our own.
3. I learned how to create a movie and how to be creative in my pictures. I had to  make up a story that was through pictures. I also learned how to convert a file on iTunes into an .mp3 to be used on future websites. 
4. The only problem I had with this assignment was converting the file from iTunes because the song that I wanted to use came out that day so it was not already converted for me. 
5. I really enjoyed this and I think this would be an effective way to show students' progress over the year in my class. I could use MovieMaker and create a slideshow of images of the students in my classroom to use at Awards Day or any other event. 

Reflection
Before taking this class, I did not know much about the Common Core or how to manage a classroom. Throughout the year, I not only learned how to create a website, make a movie, how to create a manage a blog, but I also learned how to become a better teacher. I was given sooooooo many different resources that I will be able to use in my classroom. I was taught how to handle any situation where a student was being bullied, but I also learned how to create a Concept Map. Throughout the year, I heard other students from other IT classes complaining about how much work that they had and how much they hated their IT class, but I can honestly say that this has been the most beneficial class to me at USM. I feel like I was taught how to use technology to become a better teacher rather than just how to use technology. In the lessons that we did, such as creating a Voki, you not only taught us how to construct a Voki, but you told us exactly why this information was useful and how we can use it in our future classrooms. All IT professors need to make sure that their students are understanding and learning the significance of their assignments, and I am glad that I chose this class to take out of the others. I liked all of the activities and the relevance they had on our future as teachers. I learned many things about the Common Core because you were not afraid to talk good or bad about it. It was amazing having discussions with other students because it taught me that I was not alone in not knowing how to manage a classroom or certain situations at USM and with the Common Core. By far, this has been the most beneficial class I have had so far in my college career. 

Kids Can't Compute -- And That's a Problem

This article is about how children are not as tech savvy as people think they are. It talks about how the writer, Mike Elgan, believes that his generation knows more about technology than most kids do. He believes this because in his generation, he had to know how to know the basics and the hard stuff about computers and memorize special functions and ways to do things, but now everything is simply ran and not confusing at all. Because kids know how to work an iPad does not mean that they are tech savvy, it just means that they can learn how to press buttons, according to Elgan. He believes that all students should be educated in the background of technology and how it works so that they will be more proficient in working in future jobs based in technology.

I find truth in this article because I think that technology spoils most children. I think that they learn how to use it at an earlier age than before because there are many educational apps and technology based learning tools than they used to have. But I also believe now that technology is becoming a crutch for students more than it used to be. Students don't have to remember as much information because if they come to a point where they need it, all they have to do is pull out their SmartPhone and Google whatever they need to find. I think that schools need to focus more on why technology works the way it does instead of just how to navigate through everything.

From advisees

The SAMR model, or the Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition model, shows teachers how to use modeled practices of how to use different educational tools in technology. This helps teachers how to include technology into the common core, and gives them specific examples of how to use and teach these technology.

LMS, or Learning Management System,  is a software application or Web-based technology used to plan, implement, and assess a specific learning process (information from here). Southern Miss uses BlackBoard as the LMS, which I love. I have used another LMS when I attended PRCC over the summer called Canvas. I did not like Canvas because it was not as user friendly. The "grades" were not easily accessible. I will use a LMS in my classroom for my students and parents to access. I will probably use something such as Edmodo, but it will depend on what LMS's are available then. 

I will definitely apply for a grant for an interactive Whiteboard in my classroom. This will allow me to make my assignments more interesting for my students. This will also allow them to interact easily with lessons in all subjects. There are more and more interactive lesson plans that other teachers are uploading for teachers to use on SmartBoards, Promethian Boards, and all of the other interactive Whiteboards. 

Depending on the grade level I teach will depend on if I let my students BYOD to school. I plan on teaching 5th grade, and I do not think it is appropriate for 5th graders to have cell phones or tablets, but they do, so I will allow them to bring them to class. I will have different research projects and app projects for them to research certain topics in the classroom or find out different informations about apps that they can use. I think BYOD is more beneficial for high school students, but I believe I can find a way to do this in my classroom. 

My lovely video

 

Evolving Classroom Education: Where is K-12 Technology Headed?

This article talks about how technology has made its mark through time in the classroom. Before, students were told not to bring their mobile devices with them to school or to keep them away, and now, most students have their own devices and are now encouraged to bring them and use them in a classroom setting. BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Device. This is when teachers have the students bring their own tablet or smartphone into class so that they can use them in the lecture. This will allow students to change their mindset of technology and will allow them to see how it is actually used. Natural User Interface is basically bringing technology to life. This includes the Wii, Xbox Kinect, and Siri. This is where students that are blind, deaf, physically disabled or autistic can actually connect with technology in ways they never could before. PLE stands for Personal Learning Environments. This is what the teachers and school officials are trying to change. Most students have a smart phone. If they are taught how to use them effectively, the student knowledge is believed to grow drastically in the next decade.

I really enjoyed this article. If my students are going to bring their devices to school, they might as well know how to use them. I can show them apps, websites, and many other resources that their smartphone or tablet is available and show them how to use it to prove that it will help make them "smarter than their friends." (I remember that was always a method of encouragement when I was in school haha). I think that iPads, Computers, and Smartphones are in such a competitive environment that they are going to be rapidly increasing forever until we just wave our fingers in the air and we are virtual beings, and are the smartest humans that have ever lived. 

Common Core in Action: How Two Science Teachers are Implementing Common Core

In this article, two high school teachers, Katie Abole and Christopher King, talk about their experiences on integrating and implementing science into the Common Core. These two teachers did this through reading and writing. In the article, Edutopia lists all of the Reading Standards from the CCSS covers with Abole and King's science activity. There were ten standards that were covered in the lesson in science without there being a CCSS for Science.

I think that this is beneficial for the students because they are going to be reading and writing and researching something different besides books and stories for language arts. The teachers both switched up the days from reading to lab to an activity so that the students did not get burnt out on reading and writing every day. Each teacher gave advice and said to start small when trying to do something like this. I think that is more than true, and in my classroom, I will have the students integrate technology into these lessons by researching articles in the library and creating graphs and such on the computer. This will allow them to integrate science, reading, writing, and technology all in one lesson!

Catfishing

https://sites.google.com/site/howmuchistoomuch101/