I was concerned about creating my first website and thought it would be very difficult. I was surprised by how easy it was! I did not have a hard time getting started, creating pages, formatting, or even adding in links and images. I definitely see the value in using this tool in the classroom. I think it would help greatly with communicating with both parents and students. I liked the way you can choose who has access to your site, this makes it more secure and private if needed. Also, I used the revision feature quite often as I worked on creating my site, and found it very helpful.
Link to my site:https://sites.google.com/site/msfields1stgradeclass/
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Google Forms
I have never used Google Forms prior to today. I tried opening the screencast to help get started, but could not get it to work. So, next I decided to go into Atomic Learning to help me get started on creating a quiz in Google Forms. I had trouble getting started because for some reason, the wizard did not open and the first page of my Google forms did not look the same as the one on the Atomic Learning video. I opened up the Graham text, and followed along with the instructions in Chapter 7 to create my quiz using Google Forms. Once I started and followed the book, I easily created a quiz. I liked the way the forms are real-time so you can see results quickly. I also like the way the results are posted to a spreadsheet which is created automatically for the teacher.
Forms are a nice way to gather and organize information. Upon reading the Graham text, I found it interesting the many ways Google Forms could be used to meet Common Core Standards. Students can gain valuable technology experience by using Google Forms to do various tasks such as; creating surveys, writing up information for club events, or simply taking a quiz. Teachers can use the Google Forms to create quizzes, keep track of student progress easily, and even creating things like a "get to know you" form for the first day of school.
I like Google Forms, and I truly see the value of using it as an educator. I wish we had more time in class to actually set up more things using Google Forms. I will definitely need more practice to be able to use it more proficiently in the future.
Forms are a nice way to gather and organize information. Upon reading the Graham text, I found it interesting the many ways Google Forms could be used to meet Common Core Standards. Students can gain valuable technology experience by using Google Forms to do various tasks such as; creating surveys, writing up information for club events, or simply taking a quiz. Teachers can use the Google Forms to create quizzes, keep track of student progress easily, and even creating things like a "get to know you" form for the first day of school.
I like Google Forms, and I truly see the value of using it as an educator. I wish we had more time in class to actually set up more things using Google Forms. I will definitely need more practice to be able to use it more proficiently in the future.
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Google Spreadsheets
I have used Microsoft Excel spreadsheets often over the years, but this was my first attempt at using Google Spreadsheets. The spreadsheets look very similar. The navigation is a bit different. I found it fairly easy to name the spreadsheet, create columns and rows, and type in my data. I will admit I did struggle to learn how to edit and copy my formulas from one cell to another. This seems different from Excel, and took some time for me to figure out. Overall though, I thought the products were fairly similar.
The use of Google Spreadsheets by students in the classroom could easily help meet some of the Common Core Standards associated with Math. At the elementary level, students could make charts or graphs from data. At the secondary level, students could create spreadsheets to calculate percentages or work on statistics. I definitely see value in the use of Google spreadsheets to help teachers track grades easily and quickly.
The use of Google Spreadsheets by students in the classroom could easily help meet some of the Common Core Standards associated with Math. At the elementary level, students could make charts or graphs from data. At the secondary level, students could create spreadsheets to calculate percentages or work on statistics. I definitely see value in the use of Google spreadsheets to help teachers track grades easily and quickly.
Drawing
I have never used the Google Drawing function before today! I enjoyed making my first artistic creation, even if it did turn out rather ugly! Okay, well, I was going for a more "simple contemporary" style of digital art. At least, that's my excuse, and I'm sticking with it! I watched the u-tube videos, Introduction to Google Drawing, and also the Google Drawing Tutorial. These videos were very helpful to a first time, inexperienced user. I enjoyed being able to import shapes. I think this could be a very valuable tool to use in the classroom.
In addition to my drawing, I decided to explore the lesson plan, "Exploring Shapes", for use in the elementary education level. I really liked this lesson plan because it captures the attention of the students. This lesson creates a fun way to get students interested in creating and manipulating shapes. It also helps students distinguish shapes, draw them, and see that shapes come in various different categories.
Upon reading the "Drawings" chapter of our Graham text, I was impressed with all of the various applications Google Drawings can have for educators. It can be used to organize student assignments, as well as working collaboratively on drawings. Teachers can also use drawings as an assessment tool for students. These are just a few ways that Google Drawings can be used to meet Common Core Standards.
My drawing is quite simplistic, please don't judge, just understand that I had to draw this as my two children sat in my lap begging for cookies while I was working! Ha!
In addition to my drawing, I decided to explore the lesson plan, "Exploring Shapes", for use in the elementary education level. I really liked this lesson plan because it captures the attention of the students. This lesson creates a fun way to get students interested in creating and manipulating shapes. It also helps students distinguish shapes, draw them, and see that shapes come in various different categories.
Upon reading the "Drawings" chapter of our Graham text, I was impressed with all of the various applications Google Drawings can have for educators. It can be used to organize student assignments, as well as working collaboratively on drawings. Teachers can also use drawings as an assessment tool for students. These are just a few ways that Google Drawings can be used to meet Common Core Standards.
My drawing is quite simplistic, please don't judge, just understand that I had to draw this as my two children sat in my lap begging for cookies while I was working! Ha!
Disciplines in Education
Social Studies- Google Earth
I chose to review the Google Earth application for use as a geography teaching tool. As you open it, it zooms into your current location. It's really great because it tells you the coordinates of your location, which could easily be incorporated into a geography lesson. There is a help function and an in app tutorial to use. The app gives you the option to see places, businesses, roads, and even 3D buildings. These options can be turned on or off depending on what you want to see. It's easy to zoom in and out. I thought this app was fun and easy to use. I think the kids would love it, and as a part of the geography lesson, they could search for various locations.
Math: Mathematics
Mathematics is a free math education application. There are various options for reviewing math concepts. The free version of the mathematics app is limited, but the mathematics pro is available for $1.99, and offers more concepts which can be unlocked and used for reviewing math concepts. This is a good tool for helping a student review and grasp a math concept. The student can chose which concept to review, and click into it to receive definitions and examples of that particular math concept.
Science: Solar Walk
This application is an education app which shows mission stations, planets, astroids, and comets. It gives a good visual display of outer space. You can also see where the satellites are in real time, which is cool. It's interesting and fun to use. I shared this app with my eleven year old son, and he absolutely loved it. I think it would be appealing to kids to add this app into a lesson plan!
I chose to review the Google Earth application for use as a geography teaching tool. As you open it, it zooms into your current location. It's really great because it tells you the coordinates of your location, which could easily be incorporated into a geography lesson. There is a help function and an in app tutorial to use. The app gives you the option to see places, businesses, roads, and even 3D buildings. These options can be turned on or off depending on what you want to see. It's easy to zoom in and out. I thought this app was fun and easy to use. I think the kids would love it, and as a part of the geography lesson, they could search for various locations.
Math: Mathematics
Mathematics is a free math education application. There are various options for reviewing math concepts. The free version of the mathematics app is limited, but the mathematics pro is available for $1.99, and offers more concepts which can be unlocked and used for reviewing math concepts. This is a good tool for helping a student review and grasp a math concept. The student can chose which concept to review, and click into it to receive definitions and examples of that particular math concept.
Science: Solar Walk
This application is an education app which shows mission stations, planets, astroids, and comets. It gives a good visual display of outer space. You can also see where the satellites are in real time, which is cool. It's interesting and fun to use. I shared this app with my eleven year old son, and he absolutely loved it. I think it would be appealing to kids to add this app into a lesson plan!
Google Presentations
Google Presentations is a powerful and collaborative tool for making presentations. It has many of the same features as programs like Microsoft Powerpoint. One very good distinct feature is that each presentation made in Google Presentations is given a unique web address which can be typed into a web browser. This eliminates the hassle of using a flash drive and worrying over whether or not you can access your presentation, or if your flash drive might somehow become corrupted making it impossible to retrieve your presentation when you need it.
In the past, I have used Microsoft Office to create presentations. I have had no prior experience using Google Presentations. I watched the atomic learning video on creating a presentation, and it seems to be fairly easy to use. I think it is going to take more practice for me to become proficient with Google Presentations.
Upon reading about Google Presentations, I was fascinated about the collaborative ability whereby students can work together easily. It is also very interesting to me that the presentation is saved in a cloud, and easily retrieved on any computer with internet service. This makes collaboration much easier for both students and colleagues. The collaborative work meets the Common Core Standards for Speaking and Listening.
According to our Graham text in chapter 5, the use of Google Presentations satisfies Common Core Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. Common Core Standards also demand that a student be ready for college, and using Google Presentations certainly helps prepare a student to make presentations in college level classes.
In the past, I have used Microsoft Office to create presentations. I have had no prior experience using Google Presentations. I watched the atomic learning video on creating a presentation, and it seems to be fairly easy to use. I think it is going to take more practice for me to become proficient with Google Presentations.
Upon reading about Google Presentations, I was fascinated about the collaborative ability whereby students can work together easily. It is also very interesting to me that the presentation is saved in a cloud, and easily retrieved on any computer with internet service. This makes collaboration much easier for both students and colleagues. The collaborative work meets the Common Core Standards for Speaking and Listening.
According to our Graham text in chapter 5, the use of Google Presentations satisfies Common Core Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. Common Core Standards also demand that a student be ready for college, and using Google Presentations certainly helps prepare a student to make presentations in college level classes.
iPad Literacy-Apps Reviewed
Preparation: Dictionary
The dictionary.com app is the app I am most familiar with using, so I chose to review it in further depth. This app gives many options, among them are; search for a word definition, use the thesaurus, or translate a word. It is interesting to see the word of the day or take the word of the day quiz on the homepage of the app. I think the translation tool would be useful for a teacher to use when teaching ESOL. I like this app and think it is easy to use, and I will use it often, so I placed it in my bookmarks for future easy access.
Presentation: Educreations Interactive Whiteboard
I chose to review the whiteboard app since whiteboards are currently used in my children's classrooms. There are many types of whiteboard apps. I chose to review the Educreations Interactive Whiteboard. This is a great application for creating video lessons for teaching concepts. Lessons can be saved and given a title and description. The lesson can then be shared privately with only your students, or publicly. A great tool is the other featured featured lesson plans which are available for teachers to use. Also, students can use this app to work on learning concepts and working with others to reinforce learning. There's a great Undo function, which is easy to use for teaching. Pictures can also be inserted into your document, making the video lesson more interesting visually.
Print: Book Creator
I chose to take a look at the book creator app. The book creator app starts off with designing your book cover. The color and title is created, along with the author's name. It seems easy to use this application. Pictures can be inserted onto the pages. I think this app would be so much fun to use to create a collaborative class book where each child would contribute a page in the book. This would make a cute keepsake to share with students and their parents.
Stories: Puppet Pals
I chose to review the Puppet Pals app because it relates to my elementary education specialty. I watched a brief tutorial on Puppet Pals. The main screen is animated and fun. You can choose actors and a backdrop on your stage to get started. There is a stage to use for moving your characters around. This looks like a really fun tool to use in the classroom to make a fun movie as a part of a lesson. I do think it would take some practice to learn. I think it would captivate kids because it is so colorful and fun to watch. I particularly like the farm animals. The downside to the app is the app isn't free, it requires a purchase to have access to all of the cute animated characters.
The dictionary.com app is the app I am most familiar with using, so I chose to review it in further depth. This app gives many options, among them are; search for a word definition, use the thesaurus, or translate a word. It is interesting to see the word of the day or take the word of the day quiz on the homepage of the app. I think the translation tool would be useful for a teacher to use when teaching ESOL. I like this app and think it is easy to use, and I will use it often, so I placed it in my bookmarks for future easy access.
Presentation: Educreations Interactive Whiteboard
I chose to review the whiteboard app since whiteboards are currently used in my children's classrooms. There are many types of whiteboard apps. I chose to review the Educreations Interactive Whiteboard. This is a great application for creating video lessons for teaching concepts. Lessons can be saved and given a title and description. The lesson can then be shared privately with only your students, or publicly. A great tool is the other featured featured lesson plans which are available for teachers to use. Also, students can use this app to work on learning concepts and working with others to reinforce learning. There's a great Undo function, which is easy to use for teaching. Pictures can also be inserted into your document, making the video lesson more interesting visually.
Print: Book Creator
I chose to take a look at the book creator app. The book creator app starts off with designing your book cover. The color and title is created, along with the author's name. It seems easy to use this application. Pictures can be inserted onto the pages. I think this app would be so much fun to use to create a collaborative class book where each child would contribute a page in the book. This would make a cute keepsake to share with students and their parents.
Stories: Puppet Pals
I chose to review the Puppet Pals app because it relates to my elementary education specialty. I watched a brief tutorial on Puppet Pals. The main screen is animated and fun. You can choose actors and a backdrop on your stage to get started. There is a stage to use for moving your characters around. This looks like a really fun tool to use in the classroom to make a fun movie as a part of a lesson. I do think it would take some practice to learn. I think it would captivate kids because it is so colorful and fun to watch. I particularly like the farm animals. The downside to the app is the app isn't free, it requires a purchase to have access to all of the cute animated characters.
Documents
My first exposure to Google Documents was today when my sister called me in a panic asking me to update her resume so she could apply for an open job. This job would be an awesome opportunity for her. She did not know how to edit her outdated resume, which a friend had set up for her. I told her I would try my best to help her. She emailed me a copy of her electronic resume, which was in dropbox when it arrived. I opened it out of dropbox in Google Documents and worked to edit it, making updates to her information. I am very familiar with Microsoft Word, but not Google Documents. Surprisingly, it didn't take too long for me to make the needed changes. Then, I emailed her resume back to her as an attachment. I also emailed a copy to myself, and easily pulled it up in my iPhone to view it.
One feature I really liked was that Google Documents automatically saves so there is no need to hit the save button every few minutes. I also liked the fact that I could easily pull up the document on my iPhone without having to open any other programs to view it. Also, The edit functionality is fairly easy to figure out for a beginning user.
The use of Google Documents in the classroom would be a great way to meet Common Core Writing Standards as discussed in Chapter 4 of the Graham text. The text lists these standards in Table 4 on page 45. Three Common Core Anchor Standards for Grades 3, 4, and 5 can be achieved by having students use Google Documents in the classroom.
Needless to say, my sister was very thankful I was able to help her update her resume. Now, I'm praying she gets the job!
One feature I really liked was that Google Documents automatically saves so there is no need to hit the save button every few minutes. I also liked the fact that I could easily pull up the document on my iPhone without having to open any other programs to view it. Also, The edit functionality is fairly easy to figure out for a beginning user.
The use of Google Documents in the classroom would be a great way to meet Common Core Writing Standards as discussed in Chapter 4 of the Graham text. The text lists these standards in Table 4 on page 45. Three Common Core Anchor Standards for Grades 3, 4, and 5 can be achieved by having students use Google Documents in the classroom.
Needless to say, my sister was very thankful I was able to help her update her resume. Now, I'm praying she gets the job!
iPad Basics for Education
Numbers:
I chose to evaluate the Numbers application on the iPad. I currently use Microsoft Office Excel for creating my personal budgets and cash flow plans, so I thought it would be interesting to compare Excel to Numbers. Numbers and Excel both contain a spreadsheet format which looks similar. Formulas are available for use in both applications. However, it seems easier to me to edit cells in Numbers because less keystrokes are required. Simply double tapping on a cell in Numbers edits a cell. I do think the copy and paste functions are easier and faster in Excel, but that may be due to the fact that I am more proficient using Excel. I like the Templates available in Numbers, particularly the attendance spreadsheet. The iPad seems to be geared more toward educators. I think the Numbers application might be useful in keeping track of student grades.
Box.net:
Next, as a part of this week's assignment, I signed up for a Box.net account. I received a free 5GB personal account which I can use to access my files from any device, anytime. It was very easy to use. I uploaded a file into the box from my computer.
iThought:
I investigated iThought on the iPad to see how I thought it might be used in the classroom. It is an app designed for brain-storming. There are various styles and layouts to choose from. The color can be easily changed. You can also choose different background styles. It also allows you to do hand drawings, which I really like. I think it's a great that your iThought file can be sent by email to another person or shared for collaboration with other students or colleagues. Students could use iThought as a brainstorming tool to help develop/plan for a research paper or project. It's a good way to organize thoughts, and it's quick and efficient once you understand how to use it. I really like the fact that the iThought file can be turned into an outline to be used for writing. I like iThought as a good and useful tool for teachers and students.
Compare Safari and Rover applications:
The similarities I noticed between the Safari and Rover is they both are internet search engines. I had some prior exposure to Safari, but had never used Rover. I wasn't sure how to find Rover on the iPad, but eventually found it. Safari seems easier to use than Rover. Safari is more intuitive to use. Rover limited me to what websites I could access, but Safari did not limit my access. I prefer Safari over Rover.
I chose to evaluate the Numbers application on the iPad. I currently use Microsoft Office Excel for creating my personal budgets and cash flow plans, so I thought it would be interesting to compare Excel to Numbers. Numbers and Excel both contain a spreadsheet format which looks similar. Formulas are available for use in both applications. However, it seems easier to me to edit cells in Numbers because less keystrokes are required. Simply double tapping on a cell in Numbers edits a cell. I do think the copy and paste functions are easier and faster in Excel, but that may be due to the fact that I am more proficient using Excel. I like the Templates available in Numbers, particularly the attendance spreadsheet. The iPad seems to be geared more toward educators. I think the Numbers application might be useful in keeping track of student grades.
Box.net:
Next, as a part of this week's assignment, I signed up for a Box.net account. I received a free 5GB personal account which I can use to access my files from any device, anytime. It was very easy to use. I uploaded a file into the box from my computer.
iThought:
I investigated iThought on the iPad to see how I thought it might be used in the classroom. It is an app designed for brain-storming. There are various styles and layouts to choose from. The color can be easily changed. You can also choose different background styles. It also allows you to do hand drawings, which I really like. I think it's a great that your iThought file can be sent by email to another person or shared for collaboration with other students or colleagues. Students could use iThought as a brainstorming tool to help develop/plan for a research paper or project. It's a good way to organize thoughts, and it's quick and efficient once you understand how to use it. I really like the fact that the iThought file can be turned into an outline to be used for writing. I like iThought as a good and useful tool for teachers and students.
Compare Safari and Rover applications:
The similarities I noticed between the Safari and Rover is they both are internet search engines. I had some prior exposure to Safari, but had never used Rover. I wasn't sure how to find Rover on the iPad, but eventually found it. Safari seems easier to use than Rover. Safari is more intuitive to use. Rover limited me to what websites I could access, but Safari did not limit my access. I prefer Safari over Rover.
Example Blogging Site
I reviewed a professional blogging site set up by Judy O'Connell. Her blog's title is, "Hey Jude-learning in an online world". Her blog is very professional in appearance with a very nice template and professional, high quality pictures. I read her post titled, "Enhancing the Student Digital Experience". She discusses the challenges of learning and teaching in online environments. She includes a link to a strategic report titled, "Enhancing the Student Digital Experience". I found this blog to be very interesting and insightful. I see the value in blogs being used as discussion forums among education colleagues.
Friday, May 15, 2015
Tablet Options & Uses in Education
Upon researching the different types of tablets available for use in education, there seems to be three main devices. I will review each type of tablet device, and discuss pros and cons of each. The three devices I am focusing on are the Nook, Kindle, and iPad.
The Nook, sold by Barnes and Noble, is a tablet that has been used in schools. It's a more budget friendly option, and Barnes and Noble provides very good customer support. According to librarian, Jennifer LaGarde, as documented in our Graham textbook, customer support was one main reason she purchased Nooks for her library. She was concerned with the learning curve involved and wanted the reassurance of having good customer support. The downside to the Nook is that it is marketed by Barnes & Noble so this rules out the option to purchase books from Amazon.
The next option for a tablet is the Kindle. The Kindle is marketed by Amazon. The great thing about a Kindle is they are less expensive than iPad tablets. The Kindle-Fire is android based and the price is around $199, which according to Christopher Dawson, as cited in his article, is far cheaper for schools than anything else on the market. He also states that it has the capability to deliver web-based tablet applications.
The last option for a tablet is the Apple iPad. According to my research, the iPad seems to be the best product to use for educational purposes. Unfortunately, it is also the most expensive product out of all three type tablets I researched. The Apple iPad does offer many educational applications for use in the classroom, so the quality and uses of the iPad might outweigh the initial cost. I think it would be an awesome tool for educators in the classroom. According to John Titlow, who wrote "How the iPad is Changing Education", many people have seen the potential the iPad has to change education. There are some school districts who have implemented iPads into their classrooms. The potential cost of saving money on textbooks is a good motivation for instituting the use of iPads. According to students at Riverside Unified School District, using the iPad makes doing homework more fun! The teachers also saw an increased interest in learning among the students.
According to my research, the iPad seems to be the best tablet technology available for use in the classroom. Michael Graham, author of Google Apps Meets Common Core, states, "teachers must implement technology into the classroom if we want our students to succeed in the future." It is our duty to incorporate technology into our lesson plans to meet Common Core Standards and prepare our students for the future.
Sources:
Jennifer LaGarde, "Our Nook Adventure" Parts I, II, III, and IV.
Christopher Dawson, "The Kindle Fire Will Enable the Next Generation of 1:1 Education Apps".
"Schools See Rising Scores with iPads".
John Titlow, "How the iPad is Changing Education".
The Nook, sold by Barnes and Noble, is a tablet that has been used in schools. It's a more budget friendly option, and Barnes and Noble provides very good customer support. According to librarian, Jennifer LaGarde, as documented in our Graham textbook, customer support was one main reason she purchased Nooks for her library. She was concerned with the learning curve involved and wanted the reassurance of having good customer support. The downside to the Nook is that it is marketed by Barnes & Noble so this rules out the option to purchase books from Amazon.
The next option for a tablet is the Kindle. The Kindle is marketed by Amazon. The great thing about a Kindle is they are less expensive than iPad tablets. The Kindle-Fire is android based and the price is around $199, which according to Christopher Dawson, as cited in his article, is far cheaper for schools than anything else on the market. He also states that it has the capability to deliver web-based tablet applications.
The last option for a tablet is the Apple iPad. According to my research, the iPad seems to be the best product to use for educational purposes. Unfortunately, it is also the most expensive product out of all three type tablets I researched. The Apple iPad does offer many educational applications for use in the classroom, so the quality and uses of the iPad might outweigh the initial cost. I think it would be an awesome tool for educators in the classroom. According to John Titlow, who wrote "How the iPad is Changing Education", many people have seen the potential the iPad has to change education. There are some school districts who have implemented iPads into their classrooms. The potential cost of saving money on textbooks is a good motivation for instituting the use of iPads. According to students at Riverside Unified School District, using the iPad makes doing homework more fun! The teachers also saw an increased interest in learning among the students.
According to my research, the iPad seems to be the best tablet technology available for use in the classroom. Michael Graham, author of Google Apps Meets Common Core, states, "teachers must implement technology into the classroom if we want our students to succeed in the future." It is our duty to incorporate technology into our lesson plans to meet Common Core Standards and prepare our students for the future.
Sources:
Jennifer LaGarde, "Our Nook Adventure" Parts I, II, III, and IV.
Christopher Dawson, "The Kindle Fire Will Enable the Next Generation of 1:1 Education Apps".
"Schools See Rising Scores with iPads".
John Titlow, "How the iPad is Changing Education".
Monday, May 4, 2015
This blog is my very first blog ever! I have already learned a lot in my first class session. I definitely will have a learning hurdle to overcome when it comes to using the Mac computers. I look forward to learning as much as possible in this class! I currently teach three year old preschoolers, and am a single mom to two children, an eleven year old and a seven year old. My days are very busy, and I hope I can do well in the Masters program here at Johnson University!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)