Web 2.0

Web 2.0 Evaluation Assignment and Blog Post.

1. http://www.go2web20.net/site/?a=uTutti : uTutti.

I really liked this website it reminded me a lot of the moodle we use now. You can input all of your student’s data including assignments and grades. There is also a calendar to keep organized for all upcoming activities. The website is great for parents who want to keep up on what their student is doing in the classroom. There is also a page for finances so you know how much money you have to spend on the class and can budget in field trips which are really helpful for elementary teachers. I would use this website mostly for parents to check their students’ progress and if their child missed class I could update them on what they missed or homework they may have. The website is aimed at music teachers but I think it would work for any teacher.

 

2.   http://www.go2web20.net/site/?a=Dipity : Dipity.

Dipity is a website to create free timelines. This would be a perfect website for a history project. I would give my students a famous person and have them plot out the events in their life that were important or interesting events that most people wouldn’t know about. They could then use the timeline they made on the site to give a presentation on their person. This could also be a fun way to make a timeline of student’s life from birth to where they are now. This project would be good for ELL learners because they could talk about their own life. This would be a good first week of school project. I think middle through high school would benefit most from this site. Intended for students.

 

3.  http://www.go2web20.net/site/?a=SlideBoom : SlideBoom.

This is an online presentation maker using PowerPoint. What I really like about this site is that you can share your PowerPoint’s with people all over the world and get feedback from viewers. I think it would be fun to get connected with a school in New York or Hawaii somewhere far away and create PowerPoint’s about your own school, what you do, where you’re from, what the seasons are like etc. Keep an ongoing conversation throughout the year with the school. It would be a great opportunity for students to think outside of their own little community and see a bigger picture. I think late elementary and up could benefit from this site. This website is targeted both to teachers who could share PowerPoint’s with each other and also students who can get help with creating effective PowerPoint’s.

 

4.   http://www.go2web20.net/site/?a=Edmodo Edmodo.

This is my favorite website it reminds me a lot of Facebook but for the classroom. Students sign in and their teachers profile will show up. The teacher can add events create questions for open forums on her page, have quizzes, ask questions that can be voted on, post grades, and give badges for doing work well. This seems like a fun interactive way to get the kids enthused about technology while they are learning information. It seems like it would be a good assessment tool for the teacher without a whole lot of tedious grading. It’s also a great site for teachers to share their stories and ideas and glean great learning techniques or strategies from one another.

 

5.   http://www.go2web20.net/app/?a=elearning4kids : elearning4kids.

This site was super slow and seemed a little organized it didn’t meet my expectations. It seemed that whoever created the site tried to put too much into the site it was more of a quantity over quality job. It is intended to work on the basic skills of students but I don’t think students who would be working on these basic skills would actually be able to maneuver through the website to make it an efficient tool in the classroom.

 

6.   http://bighugelabs.com/map.php :map.

This would be a great tool for ELL learners to be able to pinpoint where they are from. This could also be a fun family tree tool for students to see where their ancestors are from. I think the map could be a little more beneficial if it would zoom in closer more like Google Earth so students could actually see the terrain and not just an outlined map of the world. This app is aimed towards students from elementary to high school. The website was very clear without frills which would be nice when introducing it to the younger students.

 

7.   http://bighugelabs.com/calendar.php :calendar.

I would use this to create my calendars for each month. This would be a great way to stay organized and would be nice to send out to parents in the monthly newsletter so parents can know ahead of time what will be happening in the classroom and when volunteers are needed for field trips or in class activities where extra hands would be helpful.  There is the option to upload pictures and other graphics to make the calendar fun and more appealing to the eye. You could also have students fill out the calendars and set goals for example a student could set a goal that in two weeks they will have passed the multiplication 4’s test. This can also keep the students organized and on track. They will love to be able to check off goals that have been accomplished and is a good habit to get into.

 

8.   http://bighugelabs.com/topcameras.php :top cameras.

I think this is a great site for teachers who are looking for a camera for their classroom. It’s a very simple website but has tons of different types of cameras with reviews and prices. Cameras can be very fun to have in the classroom to document the year for not only yourself but for parents to see what is happening in the classroom. With a good camera as a teacher you can just upload the pictures you take onto your website for parents to look at. When you click on the camera names it sends you straight to the place where you can buy the product which is very efficient.

 

9.   http://bighugelabs.com/sunset.php :sunset.

This website would be fun for middle school or high school science it’s a great real life tool when learning about weather and seasons. I think it would also be a nice tool to have if given an assignment to take a trip across America. Students would need to calculate how long it would take them to travel each day and if they needed to be in their campground or motel by sunset they could look at this website to help them be accurate. They can type in any place they would like and it will tell them when the sun is going down and coming up, so they can get the most out of their day. This website is directed more towards students and would be a good tool to use for bigger projects.

 

10.   http://bighugelabs.com/fx.php : fx.

I feel like this isn’t a very educational site it’s basically just learning how to use photoshop. It could be used for a high school technology class if you are giving a lesson in changing pictures. The students would need Flickr to be able to use the site, I’m hoping that Elementary students wouldn’t have Flickr so I would leave this website to high school. I just don’t think it’s very necessary or would be used very often unless just for fun.

Podcasts

The first blog I listened to was about educational news. It would be information that not only affects the teachers but also the students. It would be a good podcast for high school government classes when learning about the world around them and how education is changing throughout the years. Students can critically think about their own life and realize how important it is for them to understand what is happening in the news and what it means for them as students.

The second podcast was more toward parents and teachers. It was promoting a texting crisis hotline. This is good for teachers to know so students can have a lifeline. Teenagers are very comfortable with texting and most students have texting no matter what ethnic background, or economic status. This is a great “real time” way for students to comfortably let an adult know about issues in their life.

I also watched a podcast of just audio books for elementary students to listen to stories during down time. I think students may like to read books and listen to themselves would help the teacher see what they are struggling with and what needs to be worked on.

Based on your reading, what is a podcast? Would you ever consider making a podcast for a course you taught? For your personal interests? Explain why or why not.

Podcast is an online radio people can upload about any topic of choice. I think a podcast would be a fun way for students to debrief after a field trip talk about what they saw what they enjoyed. I would give them a set list of questions and have them answer the questions like an interview. i wouldn’t use podcast for personal use because I don’t like hearing my voice being recorded back to me.

What do you find most interesting about podcasts?
They are a great way to stay connected with parents or even with students who were absent, they could log onto your website and listen to a podcast about what they missed for the day.
What do you find most challenging about the idea of making a podcast?
I think the most challenging aspect of a podcast would be getting all of the necessary technology for it to work well and being trained well enough with the system for it to be efficient and productive.
What would it take to persuade you to create a regular podcast?
If I became adept at using the podcast and actually saw a teacher who was saving time and her classroom was benefiting from the use of podcast I would be persuaded to try it for myself.
What kinds of content do you think would be good for a podcast for your age group or content area?
I think sports would interest a large spectrum of people in my age group and also beauty like new hair styles or makeup.

Blog week 8

Which apps do you have on your phone or your iPad tablet? Which ones do you use the most? Why?

I have maps, pinterest, youtube, HeyTell, Google, Yahoo, Dictionary, Netflix, Skype, Shazam, Twitter, GeoQpons, Facebook, AroundMe, Groupon, and then some games. I use maps the most because whenever I’m going to a new place I just plug in the address and it gets me there, I also use Facebook and Pinterest a lot when I’m waiting between classes. HeyTell is a form of communication so I use it like texting when I want to say something fast it’s really handy.

If you could create an app, what would it do?

I would like an app that after I buy clothes I could scan my tag and have all my clothes in my phone and then I would say create me an outfit from my clothes that would be appropriate from certain situations. Using the clothes I already have my app would make the outfit. It could also give ideas for items that would go well with the already made outfit.

What do you think makes for a successful app? What makes for a bad app?
I think an app that will be very successful is one that incorporates a social aspect, one that lets you share things with friends or keep in touch in a unique way. A bad app is one that is hard to navigate and has little glitches or an app with a lot of ads.

If you have never used an app, what kind of app would you design?

What types of apps can you see using in your class with students? Be specific about the kinds of activities and/or content you would focus on. How might you use apps to manage your classroom, time, or communications with parents?

I’m sure there are plenty of great teaching apps but I don’t know of any. I think apps would be good for assessing students if you can find an app you can type in questions and answers to have the students finish after a lesson, like an exit ticket. I could use moodle app to upload information for students and parents to see what is happening in the classroom. I think apps can be used when students have gotten their work done in a timely manner. They can pull out an iPad and use an app to learn new things in a fun way, I’m just not sure yet what apps I would like them to be using.

Blog week 7

Have you ever created your own website? If so, what was the focus of your site?
No

If you haven’t created a website, why not?

I have never been in the position where I needed to create a website.

How hard do you think it is to create a website?

I think for me it would be fairly challenging because I have never created anything close to a website. There are a lot of different factors that would have to go into  making a website not only workable but attractive to the eye.

What other resources do you think can substitute for a website?

I think a website would be the best way to stay connected to parents or other teachers. Some other resources that could be used would be to send out flyers, have a twitter account, or a blog.

Have you considered how you might use a website for your future classes, parents, or students? What are some possible uses?

A website would be a great way to stay connected with parents through newsletters, informing parents of upcoming events, uploading finished products from students, or posting what will be accomplished in class for the day. Also you could post homework resources for the parents to look over when helping their children with school work.

Geospatial Blog

Review the document, “Uses of Geospatial Tools/Maps in the Classroom.” Discuss three different activities that you would like to or you think you could use in your classroom. Please describe the age group, content area, how you see the lesson developing, and so forth. Please be sure to discuss what value or learning outcomes the students would have once they completed the lesson. Make sure your post is at least 400 words long.

 

1. Science. Middle School/7th grade. Estuaries. When learning about estuaries I would have the students research and find estuaries all over the world. They would then pick three of the estuaries and using google earth create a tour of the three places. They would look up information on each different estuary to put with the tour. They would then write a paper comparing and contrasting the different estuaries living and non-living characterisitics. The students should learn about new places, learn how to compare and contrast similar things, learn how to research and locate accurate sites for information.

2. Health. High School/Junior. To finish off a lesson promoting activities I would have students find two places where they could be active in their neighboorhood. Example being a YMCA, or park. They would make a tour on Google Earth write a brief description, post a picture of the area, and if there is a website post a link. Then I would have them create two places using their imagaination where there could be activity for the community to take place in. Example being parks, workout centers, baseball/softball fields,trails. Once they decide what they want to see in thier community they will decide the best place for it to go and put those areas into their tour. They will explain why they chose the area and the facility. We will then decide as a class the what we think is the best and most probable idea and then present our idea at a town council meeting. Students will learn where they can go and be active, they will learn how to promote active lifestyles, they will learn how to create ideas that would benefit others, they will learn how to narrow down ideas and make the best decisions, they will get to watch how a town meeting works.

3. Fire Safety Elementary/3rd grade. During the unintentional injury lesson I will have students create a map of their own house and detail the escape routes from the house atleast two routes if one route is blocked off. Before making them draw their house I will show them maps of blueprints of other houses so they can see how to detail their house.  I will also have them write on their map where they would go once they get out of the house (safety zone) family meeting place. I hope that the parents will have gone over this with their kids so I may send out a flyer explaining what my lesson will be detailing before giving the lesson. I will also have students write down their address on the map. For the routes the students will use different colors explaining the path they will take. There will be 2 routes so I will have the students make a key explaining what their primary route is and then secondary. THe students will learn how to escape in case of a fire using a map they create of their house, they will practice their address to be able to tell the firemen, they will learn that their is more than one route they can take if another is blocked off.

 

5 Lessons with SmartBoards

1.  50 states quiz (using map of United States and the Star magnifier.

2. Make a list of living and nonliving things for science lesson. 2 columns

3. Play Jeopardy to get ready for a test.

4. Present a paper that has grammar mistakes and have the students go up and highlight the mistakes, and explain what the mistake is.

5.  When giving a presentation use the cover shade to allow only a certain amount of information to be seen so the students aren’t constantly taking notes but also listening. This could be used for any subject.

Week 6 Blog (SmartBoards, Doc Cams)

What are all the different ways that document cameras and SmartBoards have been used in your classes?

Doc Cams have been used to display information to the entire class whether it’s the teacher giving instruction or the student who has information to share. In my science classes we have viewed specimens through the doc cams. Also in math class when working with manipulatives a doc cam is helpful for the whole class to see what and how you are using them. Great tool for visual learners. The SmartBoard has been used to show videos, do math problems, and look up information on the internet for everyone to see.
What different lessons or uses are memorable in a good way?

I really like doing math problems on the SmartBoard when you can use the pen to write out the answer. I think this could be useful to get kids enthusiastic about math and want to participate in the classroom.Also being able to go up in front of the class and display your work for the whole class can help students become more comfortable up in front of the class and feel like a teacher.
What do you not like about how SmartBoards and Document Cameras have been used in your classes?

I don’t like having to take a test on the SmartBoard when you only have a certain amount of time to answer the question before it changes and you can’t go back.

How would you use a Document Camera or a SmartBoard in an innovative way?

Teaching hands on activities, displaying information and objects to students.

Google Earth

How do you use Google Earth, Google Maps?

I use Google Earth mostly just for fun or to show someone what it looks like where I live, or if I’m taking a trip somewhere I can look up the camp site to see where we want to stay when we get there. I use Google maps whenever I go anywhere new I use it as a GPS. I either type in an address or store name and it gets me right to the place I would be so lost without it.

How could you use it in the classroom?

You could use Google Earth in the classroom to show students where they are going to be going on a field trip.You can also show them what the ocean looks like or the desert. You could use google maps/google earth if you are doing an assignment where they need to take a trip with a limited amount of money to a certain location and back. They can figure out how long it would take them what stops they may want to take on the way and what the drive will look like.

Web 2.0

What sites or tools do you use to share pictures or video?

I use Facebook, and email to share pictures and videos.

What sites or tools do you use to shop?

I use big brand stores like Nike, Forever 21, Eastbay. I also use websites like Ebay, and Amazon to order merchandise. 

Do you read customer reviews that others leave?

Yes I always check what people say about the product, and I look at the overall rating so the 5 star system to see how reliable the shippers are. 

How do you know when to trust those reviews?

I generally would trust the reviews when there are a lot of people saying the same thing about the product and I also look at the spelling and grammar of the people making the comments to decide whether I should trust the reviews.

What social sites or tools do you use?

I use Facebook, Pinterest,Skype and YouTube on a regular basis. I also have a twitter but I don’t use that very often. I only have twitter because of this class.

Do you use geolocation tools?

I do not use geolocation tools that I am aware of.