After 11 Tools- Reflection

I found all the tools useful in my classroom and plan to take full advantage of the resources that are provided for us. I believe these tools will enrich the student's learning and will help engage the students. In today's society students are used to technology and it is the teachers job to transform the classroom with up-to-date tools. One of my favorite tools I learned about was the generators and mashups. I never knew there were free resources online like these programs available for the students. I have brainstormed a few different ways I could incorporate these tools into the curriculum and one way would be to do a project of place around the world. The students can present their mashup to the class and then the whole class will learn about a new place. I believe this will engage today's learner because they are not just making a poster and presenting it to the class. Another tool I really enjoyed and found useful were the google tools. This program will be a huge help with my teammates and for the students. I can have my students work on a group project at home and this program will make it easier for them to work together.

The main way my thinking has changed is that it is so easy to use technology in the classroom. Before I started this program I was hesitant to use a lot of different technology with the curriculum. Now I know I can use technology with my teaching everyday in all subjects. There is so much out there available for teachers to use. We just have to be proactive and search for them. This toolkit has given the opportunity to showcase only a few programs that we can use in our classroom.

Honestly, I was surprised of all the programs I will use in my classroom. I did not think I was going to really need to incorporate all the tools into my classroom. I am very excited to get the school year started and get to use these tools with my students!

Toolkit #11- Digital Citizenship

It is very important for all children to be knowledgeable about good digital citizenship. The first thing I will teach my students is the importance of keeping their information private. There are so many ways that strangers can access important information on the web. My students will be aware how personal information should not be posted on the web for people to see. They should never post where they live or any other personal information. Another thing that I would like my students to understand is about plagiarism. I believe students at a young age need to be aware what plagiarism is and how stealing someone's work and putting their own name on it is cheating. Many students may not know what plagiarism is and how it could get them in a great deal of trouble. There are so many resources out on the web that the students should take advantage of but they need to know how to use them correctly. Lastly, I would teach them about cyber-bullying. Everyone needs to be respectful on one another on the web. While commenting on a fellow student's blog, students need to write encouraging, positive messages. Words can hurt and there is no need to purposely hurt someone's feelings. I would use the brainpop website to teach my students about good digital citizenship. The website offers short videos about how to exhibit good digital citizenship using cartoons that will engage the students. Also I will share stories I have heard about situations that have occurred on the web.

Tool #10 Mobile Technology and Apps

During my field experience at Forest Ridge elementary, I was introduced to using mobile devices in the classroom and got to see the effect on the students. I saw the itouch as a huge motivating tool in the classroom. The students absolutely loved getting to use the itouch and the best part was that they were learning a great deal from these devices. In the kindergarten classroom that I observed the students were using the itouch to watch digital stories that read to them a book. The student was able to follow along with the story. There were many reading apps that are available to work with in the classroom.

One of the apps that I reviewed today was the HearPlanet (Lite). HearPlanet (Lite) is a audio tour guide of the world. The student can choose a location that is desired to learn about and this app will give you an abundance of information on the town. I think this app would be perfect to use in the classroom and will use it as a tool when teaching the students about different parts of the world.

Math Drill Lite is an app that allows the student to practice their basic math drills. The program offers reviews, practices, and tests for the student to use. This tool will be great to have the student practice becoming efficient in their drills.

Word Salad is an app that gives the students practice with spelling. The program gives the student tiles that have a letter on them. The student uses the available tiles to create a word. Not all letters will be available to use so that the student has to strategize to figure out what word can be formed.

Itouches and ipods will be incorporated throughout my curriculum in the classroom. As shown through the apps that I have reviewed there are apps for math, reading, social studies, and science. These devices are great to motivate students that are not engaged in learning. In third grade it is important for the students to have their math facts down. Itouch apps like Math Drill Lite will be excellent for students to practice the facts and efficiency. I have seen first hand the impact these devices have had on reading in as low as kindergarten. The devices motivated the students to spend more time reading. The students begged to use their free time reading with the itouches. I saw a huge benefit from using these devices in the classroom.

Tool #9 Sharing Information through Jing & Skype

While I was completing the digital storytelling assignment I was thinking about the easiest way I could teach my students how to make one. I was pleasantly surprised when I learned about jing because it solved my problem. Jing would be an excellent tool to use to show my students how to make a digital storytelling project and so much more. Another way I could use Jing in my classroom is when I have students work on make problems. Jing gives me a way to see what they did to solve the problem. This will make it easier for me to identify what they are doing incorrectly in solving the problem. Students can use jing to help other students by sharing ways they solved the problem.

Skype is a great tool to use in the classroom. It brings the world into the classroom in only a few easy steps. Skype has enabled classrooms to take virtual field trips to places that they could never go by school bus like the white house and other places too far from reach. Also, it has created ways for classrooms in New York and Texas to connect in a way other than writing letters. This helps the students put faces to the people they are writing to each week. Skype can be used when a guest speaker for the class is unable to make an actual appearance. All the teacher has to do is to use the skype tool and the guest speaker can speak to the class from where they are. Skype will definitely be used in my classroom.

Tool #8 Video Resources

Videos relevant to the lesson can be very beneficial to the students. It is important that the teacher previews the video first to make sure that it is appropriate and that the students will gain something from watching it. I have used video clips of movies to introduce a fantasy writing unit for my students. I had my students write down different characteristics of what makes it fantasy and then after we discussed when they found. The discussion after viewing the video clips are key to making the lesson successful.

The first video is from the Discovery Channel about hurricane development. I could use this video as an introduction to Hurricane lesson. I have found that using a video to introduce a new unit is an excellent way to get the students excited about learning.

The second video I found was from the History Channel and is a 9/11 Timeline. This video goes into detail of what events happened and lead up to the 9/11 tragedy. I would use this clip as a way to teach the students about this important day in US History. The timeline shows the students some real footage of the day and shows how this day has impacted many people.

Tool #7 Digital Story Telling

Digital story telling will be great in my classroom. I enjoyed working with imovie because every time I use it, I become more comfortable with the program. My students will be doing digital story telling projects for all subjects in my classroom. In my classroom I could have them make a digital story on a book that they just read or in social studies I have have them make a biography of an important person in history. The possibilities are endless!

I chose to do my digital storytelling project on the three types of clouds. I encountered no problems with using iMovie on my macbook. I found the program very easy to use and think my students will not have a problem once I have modeled for them how to make a digital story telling project. I am thinking I will make a video on "how to make a digital story" and will show my class to introduce the project.

Tool #6- Wikis

During this tool kit, I have been able to discover new ways to organize and share information with my teammates and tools for students for projects and other assignments. After exploring the various wiki websites, I found that I enjoy working with wikispaces. I found this website easy to navigate around and I think the students will have no problems using it. A wiki is great way for students to collaborate on assignments and add on information as they work. Another way I found beneficial is that it gives a place for the students to comment on a reading passage they just read and get their questions answered by fellow classmates. In my classroom, I plan on using wikis when the students are writing a script together that we will then film. A wiki will let them access the script at home and will get to see what their classmates have done with the script. It makes the whole collaborative process easier. As for my team, I think wiki will be very beneficial when we have to plan an activity or when we have to compile data spreadsheets with our students data. This will give us a chance to edit and see the changes made by my other team mates. I have learned so much thus far about these new tools I am excited to see what else I can use in my classroom this year.