Learning Summary

It seems like just yesterday I was creating this blog for this course and wondering just how much I would really use it. As it turns out, blogging has become one of my favorite things to do! I never knew how many people blogged and for the vast amount of different topics that can be found. I have been able to see so many exciting topics for educational technology that I would never have seen before if I hadn't had to blog in this course. I enjoyed being able to read others blogs and reply in regards to their original posting. After creating the blog for this course, I decided I wanted to create one for my classroom. I think it is a valuable tool that young students need to be able to understand and use. My kids love the idea of being Blogger of the Week!

Another aspect of this course that I now use in my classroom is Twitter. I literally could not think of a reason why we needed to create a Twitter account for this course. It just didn't seem necessary. I didn't realize how beneficial it could be until other classmates began posting links to educational blogs or articles that I could incorporate ideas into my own classroom. After creating the twitter account for this course I saw that it was an easy way to pass along brief bits of information. Many parents do not want to sit and read a long email from a teacher informing them of all the new things going on in their classroom or upcoming events. Parents would prefer to read something short and to the point. Twitter does just that! I created a class Twitter account and now post my nightly homework and any important information regarding our classroom.

I feel that this course has opened my eyes to educational technology and the growth that is still to come. I have incorporated many different aspects from this course into my classroom and know where to look for further ideas. Education and technology are two parts of life that are constantly changing, so why not mix the two? I think the future is bright for our students and filled with opportunities surrounded around technology.

Thanks for a great semester! Good luck to everyone!

the NEW thing...Podcasting! Learning Journal #8

Podcasting is the combination of iPod and broadcasting...two important aspects in a child's life this day and age. Kids use their iPods every day to listen to music as they sit in their bedrooms or even as they complete their homework. Today's students are fully capable of multitasking technology into their everyday lives. Kids love to create and publish their own work and here is where the broadcasting part comes in to play.

Podcasting is a great way for both teachers and students to use in a variety of ways to enhance their classrooms or knowledge.

According to the Professional Learning Board, Podcasting has several benefits for the technology classroom.

• Ease of Accessibility
• Archive of Lessons
• Updates
• Learning on the Go
• Creative Learning

The whole idea of podcasting is completely new to me. I have only created one podcast and that was this semester in another masters course. I had a blast creating one and could really see how beneficial they could become in a classroom. 

One positive I want to touch on with podcasting is the ability for learning on the go. This is so crucial for  today's students. These kids have so many after school activities that they bounce from that being able to listen to a lecture could be something really worth while. Those students who are auditory learners would love being able to recap what happened in class or catch up on a skill they weren't 100% on by listening to their teacher's podcast. Students could listen in the car on the way to baseball or as they wait to get called in at the doctor's office. The possibilities are endless!

Another benefit to podcasting is the archive of lessons that students can access at any given moment. Students who are sick can download the podcast from the days lesson and have some idea of what to expect when they return to school. The student who wants to listen to previous podcasts in order to prepare for a big test can do that because the podcasts are saved. 

In the end, I feel that podcasting has some great benefits for a digital classroom. I have plans to create another podcast and become familiar with what I want to create my podcasts on for my students. Maybe something similar to the weekly update that we receive within this course. Any thoughts?

References:

https://k12teacherstaffdevelopment.com/tlb/what-are-the-benefits-of-podcasting-in-the-classroom/

Digital Storytelling Project

Here is the link Digital Storytelling Project

Learning Journal #7 - Duolingo

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, today more than 4.7 million students in America are classified as ELL (English Language Learner) students in our classrooms.This statistic alone can be a scary fact, especially if a classroom teacher does not speak their home language. Many teachers across America are obtaining their ESOL endorsement by choice or are being forced by their school district to complete the credit hours in order to receive the endorsement.

 I was extremely lucky that when I graduated from college I left with my ESOL endorsement. I currently have been an ELL teacher for the last four years. I have no formal training in any other languages other than English and this can be extremely frustrating. Many people assume that if they are ESOL endorsed that they can can fluently communicate in other languages...MYTH! After receiving the 1:1 iPads this year for my class I was able to look at having ELL students in a different light. There are so many new technologies out for english language learners that I didn't even know existed. With the technology right in the hands of my students it is virtually impossible for those ELL students not to succeed.

 Just one month before school started one of my students entered America from El Salvador for the very first time. As she entered the room for meet the teacher I greeted her with a warm hello...only to be followed by silence. Normally most of the ELL students I've come into contact with before have at least understood the basics such as hi or bye. This was not the case. She couldn't understand a word I was saying and I had no way to communicate with her except to use the little bit of spanish I could think of from high school. When the students received their iPads we immediately put Google Translator on her iPad and another classmates. Instantly she was able to communicate with another little girl in the class. I was then able to write her what I needed her to do and she could respond back to me. Even though we could communicate the process was long and drawn out. Google Translator wasn't going to teach her English the way I needed her to use it.

 A few weeks ago I stumbled upon an app called Duolingo. This app allows students to learn a different language in a fun and exciting way. Students progress though levels or can test out of levels if they are advanced in a language. This app allows students to learn the following languages: Spanish, English, French, German, Portuguese, and Italian. The app requires the students to look at pictures, type, and even speak into the app to test for understanding.

 The BEST part... it is completely FREE!

 I installed the app on the students iPad and she instantly began to have fun while still learning! The rest of my class wanted to be able to communicate with my student and asked if they could have the app installed on their iPads for them to learn Spanish. I thought to myself at that point...look at what technology has given to these students in the palm of their hands. Duolingo is not supposed to teach students the complete language but it is there to help communicate in small areas. My students beg to use duolingo on their iPads each day when they complete assignments early. I can hear them using spanish vocabulary with my non-speaker every day and her ability to communicate in small ways has increased as well.

 I think this app is a large asset to any classroom that has ELL students and technology readily available to them. Certainly something worth checking out! Check out Duolingo on the web!

References: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2013). The Condition of Education 2013 (NCES 2013-037), English Language Learners. Retrieved from: https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=96

Learning Journal #6

Digital Storytelling Presentation on Favorite Vacation

My fourth grade students focus on expository and narrative writing as they prepare for their state test in February. This project was designed to incorporate the expository writing portion as well as technology. This project allows students to create an expository essay on their favorite vacation (whether it is a big or small trip) and include pictures from their trip or other sources to help tell their story.

Below you will find a link to my Prezi that I will use to introduce and give instructions on completing the project with my fourth grade students.


Here is the link to my wiki page where you can find more information regarding the digital storytelling project.
http://bobcat4.pbworks.com

Please feel free to give any helpful tips!

Learning Journal #5 - The ART of Digital Storytelling

Digital storytelling is quickly becoming very popular in classrooms around the World. Storytelling is nothing new and has been around since the beginning of time. Cultures have passed down old folktales and other stories for centuries. Just as technology has evolved so has storytelling. Kids now are exposed to new technology devices and programs that allow them to create their own digital stories to share with those around the World. I have had some experience working with my class last year as we created digital stories about recycling for Earth Day. I read The Lorax by Dr. Seuss to my class and they then created digital stories to explain the importance of saving our Earth while including portions of text, audio clips they recorded, and photos from the story. My students had a blast creating these digital stories. They put a lot of effort in to their finished project and were so proud to share their projects with fellow peers and their parents. After seeing how my students benefited from this mini digital storytelling project I have put a lot of thought into how I want to organize my next digital story project.

  My Plan... Title of Project: Favorite Vacation Grade Level: 4 Subject: Writing I decided after reading Jason Ohler's, "DAOW of storytelling" that I would address his four parts to creating a digital story within my plan.

  Part I: Storytelling, Literacy, and Learning This project will allow students who are technology advanced and students who are technology novices both create something that they love and are proud of. Students will be actively engaged and see how powerful their message can be to their audience. The State of Florida requires all 4th grade students to write expository and narrative essays for their yearly FCAT 2.0 Writing exam. Many students come into 4th grade hating the thought of writing. Allowing students to write an essay and then create a digital story from that essay will really show students that their work is their own creation. Ohler mentions that media literacy and media fluency are both very important parts to any digital presentation. Students must understand media literacy in order to understand how they can effectively persuade their audience.

  Part II: The Art of Storytelling "Telling weak stories is like giving a bad guitar player a bigger amplifier" (Ohler 2013). This statement really hit home for me. Students can create digital stories on their own anytime they wanted but in order for this digital story to really make sense they still need the teachers help in creating an authentic essay. Students will have to work on their writing process and understand those elements before they can turn it in to a digital creation. Students would plan for their expository essay using a bubble map. Once students had planned for their essay they would begin writing. After all essays were completed the teacher would then write comments in order to help correct any major writing issues. In the end the teacher would meet individually with each student before they began to write out their script for their digital story presentation. This script would be in a table format with the major points needed in their essay. Students would begin to practice their script in order to make sure their fluency was accurate and at the correct speed. Students would then be able to start production on their digital story. After the basics were recorded into iMovie students would then be able to incorporate pictures that they had brought from home and I had personally scanned in for them into their project. Students could then insert background music directly from iMovie or from free background music sites. This process would probably take a week to two weeks in a classroom setting.

   Part III: Technology, techniques, resources In order to create a digital story a variety of technology tools will be needed. Some important ones to have will be a computer, recording device, powerpoint or iMovie, digital camera, scanner, items from home, and parent support. Parent support for his project will be extremely important. I will need the parents to be able to email me or send in photos from their vacation. In the end this will be something really nice for the parents to share with other relatives and to keep as a keepsake from their child. Some advanced technology students may want to use other tools for their project and will be allowed to do so. The tools listed above are just the bare minimum to what will be provided for them to use.

  Part IV: Assessing digital stories Ohler mentioned to assess everything and not just the final product. I completely agree that students should be assessed on all aspects of the project. The written essay is one of the most important aspects to look at since this is one large aspect of the fourth grade curriculum. Students should be given a rubric before they begin their digital storytelling project so that they can keep track of what they have accomplished or have not accomplished. I also liked that Ohler incorporated a peer review and a self assessment review. Students should be able to reflect upon their project and see what worked well and what they could improve on. Self reflecting makes them true learners. In the end, students would have a digital story of their favorite vacation to share with their peers, parents, and others. Students could create a link to share with the classroom blog. This would allow other students to be able to view and give positive feedback to the other student. Students would have seen the full writing process in effect from beginning to end. Students often do not get the chance to publish their writing for others to see. This would allow them to share their story with others for years to come. Digital storytelling has so many benefits for students to see. The possibilities are endless. Once students see how much their creativity can flourish in activities such as this, there will be no stopping them. Digital storytelling is the way of the future and will open the doors for many students to find their audience and express themselves on a variety of topics. Please feel free to share any ideas about digital storytelling!

  References:
Ohler, J. (2013) Storytelling and New Media Narrative. Retrieved from:http://www.jasonohler.com/storytelling/index.cfm

Digital Storytelling - Prezi