EXCEL IN THE CLASSROOM

Using surveys in my classroom will be a really efficient way to check in with students. Whether its about their progress, their opinions, or their background, surveys will allow me to receive that information in a seamless way. I would use it for opinions on books to read in class, and to check students progress, and evaluate what they were struggling or thriving in.

I loved reading about flipped classroom. I think this is a method of teaching all of us have repeatedly been exposed to, and that we all have mixed feelings about. I think we would prefer to be the learners, and they be the teachers. It takes a lot of diligence to be able to sit down, read material, and teach ourselves concepts and skills before class instruction. I personally struggle with that, because I am a visual learner who needs things to be broken down before I can master it myself. I like the idea of being instructed first, and then practicing on our own, which is the opposite of flipped classroom.

I want to really master an online interactive website. Ive had some introduction to it in this course, but I want to learn all kinds of features with games, chats, and helpful links for my students to use. Teachers with websites are way more interactive, organized, and helpful.

FLIPPED CLASSROOM

Flipped classroom is essentially a backwards method of teaching. It allows for students to teach themselves before being taught by the instructor. It's a way for students to prepare and teach themselves ahead of class time, where the teacher elaborates on the lesson further. Personally I don't agree with it, I think it increases frustration in students if they can't understand and master a subject. The teacher's job is to teach, and I believe the only time a student should have to work heavily on the material on their own is when they're practicing something they've already been taught.

OER stands for Open Educational Resource. Nowadays, textbooks at the higher education level are so expensive. Often times, students can't afford these resources and either choose flunk out of higher education classes, or avoid taking them altogether. OER's are cheaper alternatives to physical textbooks that are increasingly unaccessible and expensive. These include online textbooks, video lectures, podcasts, etc. Campus Technology made an article listing 16 essential OER resources that educators should know about to provide for their students. Some include "College Open Textbooks", "Learning Pod", & "Open Course Library", to name a few. https://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/07/02/16-oer-sites-every-educator-should-know.aspx

When working with Powerpoint this week, I learned a new skill that I really feel inclined to implement in my class. I learned about non linear powerpoint, and how different words can have hyperlinks that lead to different slides. It is effective for classrooms, because it can be used to direct us to new locations based off of whether or not a student selects a correct or false answer. This is a great tool to use, and I'll be implementing it in Assignment #5. I have a hard time with formatting on Powerpoint and making the aesthetic fit my desires. But I'm learning more and more skills to use in my future classroom. Below I've posted my screenshot from Assignment #4, where I did a powerpoint on class objectives for classic literature I'd want my students to read. 

DIIGO, BLOOM'S TAXONOMY, & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Diigo was a tool that took some getting used to, but I’ve grown to really appreciate its features.  I love the highlighting and annotating tool. It was nice to pinpoint different things the author would say, and then make my own commentary on it. Another thing that’s really nice about the annotation tool is that any other Diigo user in my group can access that article and not only see my annotations but they can add their own too. This would be a great way to teach students, who are becoming more and more tech savvy as the years go on, how to annotate and collaborate with others. It would also be a great way for teachers to collaborate and learn more from one another’s perspectives.

I would implement Bloom’s Taxonomy to teach my students how to operate Power point. I’d begin by informing them of the purpose of Power point and what it entails, which falls into the Knowledge and Comprehension category. I would then assign them to try to use different features like fonts, colors, layouts, etc. so they could apply their knowledge, which falls under the Application category. I would have students create a mini “presentation” and show it to their peers to be reviewed and graded, which falls into the Analysis category. Next, I wouldn’t give students a set task, but allow them to create whatever they wanted using their skills, which falls under the Synthesis category. Lastly, for the Evaluation category, I would have the student explain to me how they created their Power point explaining features they used and why they used them. I will be able to evaluate their mastery in this way.

Teachers need to grow and build their profession by collaborating with others. There is no “one size fits all” method for teaching, and the only way to grow is to be open minded and learn from others. In today’s day and age, anything that allows for connection and collaboration is useful for a teacher trying to grow their professional development.

https://kitaboo.com/trends-in-education-technology/

ILP#2 DESIGN: PREZI

For my ILP#2, I chose to talk about and create a Prezi. I made a fake "syllabus" for my future English class. I believe this is a great tool for educators and for students. Check out my Voice Thread on the subject!

https://voicethread.com/myvoice/thread/13207075/79841245/74184249

https://prezi.com/view/bsfIRrSQHuW0TpAUpaFp/

Twitter and Education

Twitter is a tool I’ve used for years for entertainment and communication. I’ve learned that it is a platform where voices are heard. It can be a great place for collaboration and expression. It is a great place for new ideas, new information, and expression. But, conflict can arise. With the lack of limitation on what people can say, it can lead to controversy, disagreements, and slander. I don’t see this occur as much on my educational twitter, but I have definitely witnessed “Twitter beef” throughout my experiences. I haven’t run into issues with Twitter, because I feel like I use it responsibly, in the way it is intended to be used. 

When making my Weebly, I didn’t use any new skills except for patience. To be frank, it’s difficult to take the time to creatively format and organize information. I had ideas for layouts, spacing, and fonts, and wasn’t always able to put those into fruition. I also learned that sometimes a website with multiple features takes a while to load, so it is important to make enough time to work on it and expect delays. Hopefully, in the future, I can learn more about unlocking features that can make it easier to customize my page! Using websites like these for my future class will really help them understand what’s going on, what to expect, and help prepare them to complete their tasks.

http://afaypane23.weebly.com

                                         

Assistive tech is great for students because it allows inclusivity. I've only seen it needed for kids who can't move around on their own, never anything more severe. it would be tough in the class  to accommodate for these kids if the school had the right funding for it. if they could provide for these kids, then thats what would make or break the class experience.

Teacher Websites

Upon landing on Ms. Aimee Mullins’ 11^th grade English lll page from Redwater High School, I’ve found a multitude of resources available to her students. She immediately provides her contact information and a schedule for all of her class periods. She sections off every bit of information with different bold headings that make it easier to navigate the site. Additionally, she includes course descriptions for each of the classes she teaches, and gives links to each of their syllabi. The purpose of a teacher page should be to assure that students are given the guidance and resources they so desperately need in order to succeed in the classroom, and I believe that’s exactly what Ms. Mullins accomplished. 

https://www.redwaterisd.org/185359_3

As far as using technology in my own classroom, I feel that I will use it to increase efficiency with information sharing. I would use things like Remind 101 to remind my kids of upcoming assignments and important due dates. I would give them online quizzes and opportunities for discussion posts for participation grades. I would want my English class to focus more on the literature and practicing annotations as opposed to making everything digital.

In the tech sandbox, we were shown a smart board that folded over like a table and allowed for multiple hands to touch it. This would be a great tool for elementary students because it allowed for split screens and provided. different apps for different subjects. This would allow kids to collaborate, problem solve, and be tested on different subjects, all while it just feels like a bunch of games. If my school had the funding, I would love to allow my kids to use it for annotations, reading comprehension, or vocabulary quizzes. As previously mentioned, though I want to keep up with the times as technological advancements in the classroom are placed, I want to also allow books, paper, and pencils to be the main tools we use.

Diigo, Blogs, and Web 2.0

Prior to creating a Diigo account in EME 2040, I had never heard of, or even used, the site. I did not realize that it was a tool for bookmarking and sharing information with colleagues and friends. Diigo, standing for “Digest of Internet Information, Groups, and Other stuff” allows for creating online collections of information and resources. Being someone who had never used a website like this, I was very unfamiliar and uncomfortable at first. I tend to share links on different social media platforms, but I’ve never used a site formatted like Diigo. I found It difficult to use at first, and was not proficient at commenting on others’ posts, or using sticky note functions. One feature that I do enjoy, though, is the screenshot feature. I like being able to select a portion of an article and sharing a picture of that paragraph to Diigo. I think that feature is more efficient than trying to quote a site, and really gives a visual element to a post. Hopefully, as I use Diigo more, I’ll learn and master more features.

Blogging is something that I truly enjoy. I’ve always enjoyed creative and expository writing, and I appreciate the outlet that blogging provides. My faith is something that is really important to me, and I’ve always wanted to create blog posts centered around that. I like the creative aspects of blogging and personalizing a page, as I really enjoy self-expression. Blogging is a balance of opinion and organization, and sometimes, particularly for this class, I have a hard time following prompts, while also including a flow between my paragraphs. Organizing our thoughts in a way that expresses our voice and individuality is key when blogging, whether it is for educational purposes or if it is based on our hobbies and preferences. 

As far as Web 2.0 goes, this is the only age of the internet I’ve never known. I’ve never known an internet that didn’t provide interactive features and connection. If I were to implement a Web 2.0 tool in my class, I’d utilize Socrative. Socrative allows for classroom assignments, quizzes, trivia competitions, and student feedback. This would be really helpful for my English class for vocab activities, reading quizzes, and student evaluation and progress tracking,  https://socrative.com

ILP Participation

Hey everyone! Here, I’ve linked my VoiceThread talking about my teacher interview, and his opinions on technology in the classroom.
https://voicethread.com/share/13067147/

Standards, Standards, and More Standards.

I were to select ELA standards for my classroom, I would implement LAFS.910.L.3.4, LAFS.910.SL.1.2, and LAFS.910.WHST.3.8. Standard LAFS.910.L.3.4, helps students to widen their knowledge of words with multiple meanings and exposes them to more vocabulary words. LAFS.910.SL.1.2. Standard LAFS.910.SL.1.2 allows students to find more resources when providing evidence for their papers such as polls, surveys, and graphs. Lastly, Standard LAFS.910.WHST.3.8 stresses the importance of finding and using credible sources on the internet, to provide solid and trustworthy evidence to support students' arguments in their writing. 

If I were to select a CPALMS resource, I would select English Language Arts 9-12 grade resource ID#: 30944, also known as "Vocabulary Flashcards-Vocabulary Building & SAT Prep". The purpose behind using the flashcards would be to prepare students for exams, like the SAT, and equip them with a further knowledge of vocabulary words. Students today don't tend to willingly read in their free time, so their exposure to vocabulary is limited. The richness in student's essays today is lacking because they don't think to use a variety of language, and don't recognize vocabulary words in standardized testing. Taking the hour per week to study vocabulary would be a simple, but beneficial additive to the classroom setting. 

The newsletter project was fulfilling and gave me a real glimpse into what planning for my classroom would look like. It allowed me to add my personal flare, just as I would with my future class. I wanted to give the "students" a full on view of what I expected from them in the upcoming month. Giving students the opportunity to plan their assignments ahead allows for success and execution of their assignments. 

Using our Resources Efficiently

In my experience in the classroom over the years,  MS Word has been a staple for students and teachers alike. It allows for endless creative outlets to produce almost any kind of document imaginable. I've used it to write essays, create flyers, and make title pages for binders- but I know that the possibilities for it are endless. For teachers, MS Word is what makes their world go round. They tend to utilize it to create tests, worksheets, newsletters, posters, and more! Since so much of teaching  centers around providing documents, MS Word truly allows teachers to do it in the most efficient way. I don't know how teachers ever managed to make their tests and worksheets without it!

But when we use these tools to create content, we have to be careful that we're not stealing something that doesn't belong to us. Copyright is something that I see becoming more and more of an issue today whether it's with music in Youtube videos or designs on t-shirts. At my high school, every club had a t-shirt. I remember signing up to receive a t-shirt representing the junior class, and we weren't allowed to purchase it because the design was too similar to the logo of a brand called Patagonia. When producing logos and titles in schools, it's extremely important to do similar adaptations and avoid copying. I would really emphasize to my students that, just like plagiarism in an essay, it is wrong to steal the works of others. I would point them to different resources that search for authenticity in content and makes sure that they are not stealing the works of others. To help my students avoid this issue as a whole, I would try to train them in Word and other resources, so that they can get creative and make their own original content using word art or shapes.

Aside from informing my students about issues surrounding copyright, I would work to educate them on the importance of academic honesty, privacy, and cyber bullying. All are morally fueled concepts. Since I wish to not only teach, but shape, my students, I would continuously influence my students to treat others with kindness and have integrity in all they do. I would have them use Turnitin for academic submissions, I would remind them to keep their passwords secret for privacy, and I would have a confidentiality policy in my classroom-encouraging them to come to me if they ever were struggling emotionally, like with cyberbullying for example.

Technology in the Classroom.

In the modern-day classroom, the inclusion of technology is almost guaranteed. We're exposed to all assortments of technology in classrooms, whether it be personal devices or the teacher's tools. we live in a day and age where technology is applied to every aspect of our day to day life. Smartphones, tablets, car apps, smart watches, etc... We are well on our way to the majority of the appliances and products we use becoming mini computers, in a sense. The same goes for the modern-day classroom, Teachers and students alike are totally comfortable with technology, so it makes sense that it is integrated into the classroom. In attempts to keep up with our ever-evolving technology era, ISTE standards are put into place.

ISTE stands for The International Society for Technology in Education. The ISTE is defined as a "nonprofit organization that serves educators interested in the use of technology in education" (Google.) A standard listed in the ISTE that hits home with me is the "setting personal learning goals and applying approaches made possible by technology and reflecting on their effectiveness." It is essential, as an educator and as a student, to be able to identify strengths and weaknesses. We need to pinpoint what it is we need to learn in order to improve ourselves. I would want to implement this idea into my classroom, and would encourage my students to embrace learning through their provided technological resources. A standard that I would have a harder time adjusting to is "create learning opportunities that challenge students to use a design process and computational thinking to innovate and solve problems." This is a challenge for me because I struggle to be creative in a computational sense, as I am not as "tech savvy" as I would like to be.


In terms of digital natives, I believe it is only going to escalate. Right now, technology is relevant to every way of life. I'm a freshman in college in the year 2019 and almost every assignment I submit is done digitally. When I have my students, it will only grow, and I will need to be taught new things, just as I have had to assist my teachers with technology in the past. It will only grow, and it is our job to keep up with it. 

Hi everyone!

My name is Ali Payne. I'm a college freshman with hopes of a future career as an English teacher. Throughout my years of moving from state to state as a child, I have learned just how important and powerful words can be, and how essential they are for building relationships. Along the way, I discovered that I tended to foster great relationships with those who taught me how to use my words- my English teachers! Not only did they spike my interest in being an educator, but they became mentors and confidantes as well, and truly modeled the role I hope to play in children's lives someday.

Growing up, I only attended public schools. Since I had previously mentioned that I frequently moved, I was exposed to one preschool, two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. Some institutions had better funding than others, so my access to classroom technology was pretty limited. Every school I attended had classrooms with smart boards and I've always had access to desktop computers in labs. I've never had access to high tech tools, but I believe they are really helpful to students and encourage creativity and innovation.

In EME 2040, I hope to learn how to effectively utilize technology in the classroom, hence, "Ali Takes on Teacher Tech". In a world where technology is constantly evolving, it is important to know how to use it to the best of our ability. I hope to utilize it in an effective way. I want to make my students aware of my expectations and assignments. Technology makes this accessible. I want to master it so that my future students can excel.
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