Today marks the end of my course, “Technology for Teachers,” provided by Professional Learning Board (PLB). Although some tools such as gmail, blogger, and twitter are not new to me, I have learned so many tools that I had little to no knowledge of.
When beginning this course, I have to admit I expected to have a lot out of PLB. This is only because I’ve taken so many courses with PLB prior to this experience. PLB has always met my expectation. In this course, however, they went above and beyond. Not only did I learn new tools, I was able to implement them and be creative with them. I can honestly say that I feel confident in using these new tools in my future classroom. I’m very excited about the results.
In this course, I’ve taken away with me new ways to communicate with my students, their parent(s) and other educators. Resources like toondoo, google documentation, diigo, edublog (a platform for blogging exclusively for teachers), learnerblogs (also provided by the organization edublog), classroom 2.0, and wiki have opened new doors for me. I plan to continue using them all to help in my professional development, in my classroom and in my personal life. Below are links to some resources that I hold dear to me.
Thanks again PLB for educating me.
http://k12teacherstaffdevelopment.com
http://www.ToonDoo.com
http://meetmeatthecorner.org
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com
http://www.google.com
http://www.blogger.com
http://www.diigo.com/education
http://edublogs.org
http://www.classroom20.com
http://www.wikispaces.com/user/my/teachermn
https://twitter.com
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Google Reader, RSS
Today's journey led me to Google Reader. I always wondered how Google Reader worked. I finally found the answer. After setting up your Google account, you can easily set up a Google Reader. Why would I want to do this? Google Reader acts as a feed collector. It's a really easy way to gather information on current events or topics of concern. For example, if I wanted to look up information to share with my students simply type in the topic and it then aggregates information for you.
Another interesting aspect of Google Reader is that because the site is linked to your Google account, information that is found can be shared by others on my chat room contact list. Pretty cool! What does this mean to me and how could I use this to benefit me and my classroom? If I had all my students in my classroom on my chat room contact list, sites could be passed onto my students from me for their research assignments.
I can see how this newly discovered tool, well new to me, could help my professional development. Eventually, I would like to complete my master's program. Utilizing this tool, to find information on research assignments would make going back to college a lot easier. Instead of digging through numerous websites for up to date information, Google Reader would provide them to me from my search topic and from former to future colleagues on my chat room contact list.
Throughout today's adventure, I came across several neat sites that I found beneficial to my professional development and for future classroom activities and lessons. I've provided them below along with a short description of why I found them interesting.
http://www.peterpappas.com
Peter Pappa's blog is well written and he has proven himself to be trusted in the field of education. He has devoted 20 years in education. His site provides insight for bettering our education system. He does this by posting different ways of incorporate technology in the classroom. One of his posts talked about skyping and digital story telling in the classroom. I would love to read more about this and similar topics in his future posts.
http://mcornfirstgrade.blogspot.com
Melanie Corn has posted several videos and lesson ideas using SmartBoard. I've noticed that many classrooms are now using SmartBoards. This is something would like to learn about.
http://primarytech.global2.vic.edu.au
Mrs. Kathleen Morris writes about integrating technology in the classroom. The post that caught my attention was called, “Doing Things the Long Way.” In her posting she writes about becoming aware of technology and how to use it efficiently in order to save time. I’d like to read more about how she teaches explicitly to her students and encouraging them to share tips and new discoveries.
http://classblogmeister.com
This blogger uses his site to communicate with his students. Mark Ahlness writes about projects that his students are currently working on. He links sites of all his students in classroom twelve. He is able to communicate with his students about assignments outside of the classroom. This blog is a great example of how to incorporate technology with students.
http://lovewhatyouteach.com
The blog had posted a site about Professional Learning Community, PLC. I've only read a little about PLC, but the idea of working along side my co-workers in a community sounds exciting and well worth the reading.
Another interesting aspect of Google Reader is that because the site is linked to your Google account, information that is found can be shared by others on my chat room contact list. Pretty cool! What does this mean to me and how could I use this to benefit me and my classroom? If I had all my students in my classroom on my chat room contact list, sites could be passed onto my students from me for their research assignments.
I can see how this newly discovered tool, well new to me, could help my professional development. Eventually, I would like to complete my master's program. Utilizing this tool, to find information on research assignments would make going back to college a lot easier. Instead of digging through numerous websites for up to date information, Google Reader would provide them to me from my search topic and from former to future colleagues on my chat room contact list.
Throughout today's adventure, I came across several neat sites that I found beneficial to my professional development and for future classroom activities and lessons. I've provided them below along with a short description of why I found them interesting.
http://www.peterpappas.com
Peter Pappa's blog is well written and he has proven himself to be trusted in the field of education. He has devoted 20 years in education. His site provides insight for bettering our education system. He does this by posting different ways of incorporate technology in the classroom. One of his posts talked about skyping and digital story telling in the classroom. I would love to read more about this and similar topics in his future posts.
http://mcornfirstgrade.blogspot.com
Melanie Corn has posted several videos and lesson ideas using SmartBoard. I've noticed that many classrooms are now using SmartBoards. This is something would like to learn about.
http://primarytech.global2.vic.edu.au
Mrs. Kathleen Morris writes about integrating technology in the classroom. The post that caught my attention was called, “Doing Things the Long Way.” In her posting she writes about becoming aware of technology and how to use it efficiently in order to save time. I’d like to read more about how she teaches explicitly to her students and encouraging them to share tips and new discoveries.
http://classblogmeister.com
This blogger uses his site to communicate with his students. Mark Ahlness writes about projects that his students are currently working on. He links sites of all his students in classroom twelve. He is able to communicate with his students about assignments outside of the classroom. This blog is a great example of how to incorporate technology with students.
http://lovewhatyouteach.com
The blog had posted a site about Professional Learning Community, PLC. I've only read a little about PLC, but the idea of working along side my co-workers in a community sounds exciting and well worth the reading.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Google Documentation and VoiceThread
Today I looked into two new resources. I thought they could be very useful in the future.
Google Documentation is a wonderful way to have students collaborate on an assignment. For example, I want my students to write a report on Mount Rushmore in groups of 3. These students could participate in writing, editing and researching. By communicating with each other on GoogleDocs they need not meet face to face. They could work productively anywhere a computer is available. In addition, I as the teacher can guide these students into constructing this report effectively before or after school hours.
VoiceThread is another excellent method for students to collaborate on an assignment. Using the above example, creating an account and group through Voice Thread the same students and myself could, if they choose, record a message for the their classmates to hear.
VoiceThread could also be used by teacher and the students to communicate effectively about a topic or lesson. The teacher may have an assignment that involves new concepts. By creating a recording to her students this teacher could give her audience a shared example.
Both GoogleDocs and VoiceThread are great examples of how students and teachers can use technology to collaborate effectively.
Google Documentation is a wonderful way to have students collaborate on an assignment. For example, I want my students to write a report on Mount Rushmore in groups of 3. These students could participate in writing, editing and researching. By communicating with each other on GoogleDocs they need not meet face to face. They could work productively anywhere a computer is available. In addition, I as the teacher can guide these students into constructing this report effectively before or after school hours.
VoiceThread is another excellent method for students to collaborate on an assignment. Using the above example, creating an account and group through Voice Thread the same students and myself could, if they choose, record a message for the their classmates to hear.
VoiceThread could also be used by teacher and the students to communicate effectively about a topic or lesson. The teacher may have an assignment that involves new concepts. By creating a recording to her students this teacher could give her audience a shared example.
Both GoogleDocs and VoiceThread are great examples of how students and teachers can use technology to collaborate effectively.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Reaching out
Tonight I decided would be the night that I would begin to study other blogs and see the topics that were dear to them.
The first site that I came across that struck some interests was http://www.learningfacilitated.com/2011/09/an-audience-of-many/. On Learning Facilited, I saw a posting that was made recently about technology in the classroom. I thought, "Wow! This is exactly what I am currently pursuing." The website suggested that one way to get their students interested in blogging was to challenge them with a 10 week semi-annual blogging challenge. What a wonderful way to get students involved into blogging!
The second blog I stumbled across was http://2care2teach4kids.blogspot.com/2011/09/free-all-about-me-activity.html?showComment=1315879274209#c2569800791347759893. This site is intended for pre-school teachers, but they offered a lot of useful tips and free downloads. I was particularly interested in the free download that provided a template for "All About Me," a common topic for beginning of the year introductories.
And finally the last blog that caught my interest was http://www.teachingblogaddict.com/2011/05/top-10.html?showComment=1315879741559#c1074900525177663237. Their current posting suggested that bloggers centered around education provide a list of their top ten blog sites and why they were on this list. I would imagine being picked on someone's top ten blog sites would be an absolute honor.
I found all three of these sites to be a great resource for future projects and provided a wealth of information. These are only three sites that I checked into tonight. Their is truly a world of blogs out there. This venture is only the beginning.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Technology in the classroom
Today I began week 2 of my on-line course. The assignment was to create a blog. I as I have done. Blogging is not new to me, but implementing it into the classroom is absolutely new. Teaching has changed so much sense 2004. When I last left my classroom we used very little technology other than search engines and email. Wow has time changed in 7 years. It's really quite amazing if you think about it. I look forward to this new direction and can't wait to use what I have already learned in the classroom. What a wonderful way to communicate with parents and students outside of the classroom.
A new beginning
Hi,
My name is Susan. I was a former teacher in Minnesota that is trying to renew my teaching licensure. I went to the University of MN in the Twin Cities with a BS in elementary education. Shortly after I finished my BS, I began my master's program at the University.
I began teaching in 2002 and stopped teaching in 2004 after my second child was born. Both my children are older and it's time for me to restart my teaching career. I've been taking courses at an on-line site called Professional Learning Board to gain information about the new techniques and ideas that are currently in practice as well as to earn clock hours that are needed to renew my license.
My purpose of this site is to complete an assignment, but to also begin a professional teaching blog that I can share my ideas as I re-enter into the teaching world. I hope to share my ideas and my journey with other educators as others share their ideas with me.
My name is Susan. I was a former teacher in Minnesota that is trying to renew my teaching licensure. I went to the University of MN in the Twin Cities with a BS in elementary education. Shortly after I finished my BS, I began my master's program at the University.
I began teaching in 2002 and stopped teaching in 2004 after my second child was born. Both my children are older and it's time for me to restart my teaching career. I've been taking courses at an on-line site called Professional Learning Board to gain information about the new techniques and ideas that are currently in practice as well as to earn clock hours that are needed to renew my license.
My purpose of this site is to complete an assignment, but to also begin a professional teaching blog that I can share my ideas as I re-enter into the teaching world. I hope to share my ideas and my journey with other educators as others share their ideas with me.
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