Saturday, December 1, 2012

Personal Learning Summary

Behavorial Management Through Technology

Every teacher needs a behavorial management plan in order to keep their class in order and on task. As teachers we are use to:
  • making charts with close pins
  • checklist system
  • using pocket charts
  • giving out "fake money" or chips
Now with the use of the internet or an application, you can create a behavioral management system using technology. It is called ClassDojo! It gives student points if they are:
  • Staying on task
  • Working hard
  • Being on task
  • Teamwork
You can customize and add additional behavioral tasks according to your class or each student. Students can also recieve negative points as well.
 
 
The above video is a tutorial on how to use it that I found on youtube.com Below are some pictures from my teacher friend who uses ClassDojo and how they set their class up with the exception of the "demo class" I did not want to show the names of his students.
 



 

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Digital Storytelling Example

Ms. Bland's Autobiography

Feedback?
  • What did I do well?
  • What could I improve in?
  • Was my example executed well?
  • Was it my grade level appropriate?
  • Any additional comments?
My digital story was intended for those in between 1st-3rd grade. I tried to make my story simplistic as possible, so it was an easy example. My project that I did would be an easy way to introduce digital storytelling and an autobiography because it is taking pictures of the students and describing them. I did not require them to be in chronological order (although I did in my example); it would be a good extension for higher order thinking for those students who need to be challenged at such a young age.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Digital Storytelling Lesson

 When introducing digital storytelling to my class, a great start would be an autobiography or personal narrative about themselves or family. Writing using experience or what they know seems to be the easiest and would be an excellent wat for students to share with their classmates interesting things about them.

The particular digital storytelling project that I have chosen could actually be directed toward any grade level. Of course the demands in middle school and high school would be relatively higher and require more in depth elements. I am going to direct this lesson towards 1st-3rd graders. The students would be required to brainstorm what they wanted to share with their classmates in their project (i.e likes/dislikes, activites, hobbies, family, school). The students would then think about how they wanted show them (i.e pictures, drawings, art, graphics, live video, animations). Before putting it into a an actual digital storytelling, they would put it into a rough draft on paper that will guide them. At last they will then execute it on the program of choice.

Websites:
  1. http://city.lego.com/en-us/comicbuilder/intro.aspx Introducing digital story tellings
  2. http://www.webofstories.com/ Digital Storytelling through video
  3. http://www.inklestudios.com/inklewriter
  4. http://vimeo.com/29329705 adding captions to pictures
  5. http://www.storybricks.com/ tell a digital story through RPG characters
  6. http://writingfix.com/classroom_tools/Writers_Notebooks.htm Writing prompts
  7. http://chogger.com/ Make a digital comic w/ your own drawings.
  8. http://www.pixton.com/  great site for creating a digital comic w/ educational portal.
  9. http://littlebirdtales.com/ create a story w/ audio.
  10. carnegielibrary.org digital storytelling with a lot of characters, backgrounds, objects and actions to choose from.
  11. bitstripsforschools.com
  12. http://www.primaryaccess.org/
Applications for IPAD/IPOD all these apps are for creating digital stories
  1. My Story
  2. Bunsella
  3. Animation Desk
  4. Story Patch
  5. Garage Band
  6. Art maker
  7. Sock Puppet
  8. Storyrobe
  9. Comic Book
  10. Scribble press
  11. Story Kit
 

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Friday, September 21, 2012

Assistive Technology

 
 


Assistive Technology is used to assist students with disabilities using technological devices and programs that give them an equal opportunity to learn. The most common assistive technology device that teachers have seen is alphasmart. An alphasmart is a word processing device that is portable and can hold up to 8 files. It is used for students with very poor handwriting and receive OT (occupational therapist) services.
 
 
JAWS is a software program that is directed towards the visually impaired. It reads text allowed enabling people to surf the World Wide Web and do tasks just as if they had vision.

 

Trackball is a ball with zooming wheel and buttons.It was designed for students who lack the fine motor skills to help navigate around a computer.
 
The Rollup keyboard is a keyboard that is for students who are super sensitive to background noise.
 

 
ZoomText Xtra is a software program that magnifies text and pictures on the computer.
 


 
 
I have only named a few of the MANY assistive technology devices that are out there to assist students and people with disabilities. Most of us will not come encounter with these devices or programs while teaching but it is GREAT knowledge that those devices and programs are available if a student is required to have them in their IEP (Individualized Education Plan) for them to receive the same education.  Remember: The county must provide these accommodations to these students and IT IS THEIR RIGHT!
 
I have been fortunate to see many of these devices while getting my bachelors degree in ESE at Daytona State College. The college has a department for students who have these disabilities for them to get the same college education as us. I have talked to many students who used these devices and they even showed me a short turtorial on "how to's"
 
Here is a link that you can click on and get familiar with the types of devices that are available. It would be great if everyone is aware because you never know when that child will walk through your door of your classroom. :)






School of Public Health and Health Professions (2005). Turtorials: JAWS. Retrieved from
 http://atto.buffalo.edu/registered/Tutorials/jaws/index.php

Alyssa. (2007, April). Adaptive/Assistive Teachnologies. [Web Blog]. Retrieved from http://adaptivetechw412.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

Assistive Technology [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXchQnJ6PoE




Friday, September 14, 2012

Staying Connected...

 
 
 
As educators we are constantly battling with technology defeat; its ever-changing and we are always playing "catch-up" especially in the classroom. With limited resources we feel that its impossible to be technology savvy; do not fret and take breath. I have encorporated a map below that shows teachers how we can stay connected whether we are using it for our personal use to stay "in tune" with the lastest in education or if we plan on taking that  E X T R A step and intergrate it into our lessons.
 
 
 
My primary focus is on ePals Global Community;  After researching, I thought it was an excellent way for the class intergrate technology into the curriculum for many subject areas and communicate with other students across the world. A teacher can chose a project for the class to participate in based on his/her preference. The students are able collaborate with other students, participate in learning language, and be involved in cultural diversity.
 
&& guess what teachers?
 
ePals even provides you with a lesson plan, the standards, and a timeline to follow. The best part about this is once you have your class set up, it can be put into a center activity (it is part of writing). Phewww; you thought you needed X amount of computers for this lesson. Don't Worry; our lack of technology resources will not stop us.
 
 
 
ePals: The introductory Project. Check it out! I am sure you will be just as fascinated and eager to start this with your students as I am!!!