The time has come. It is the final blog post for CPED 5005. For this final post, we will take a look at my wiki experience (as amateur as it was) with Google Sites. Here you can find my very bad excuse for a website. While it looks rather elementary, I put quite a bit of "blood, sweat, and tears" into getting it to this point. I believe that this is another one of Google's apps that just takes some extra practice. I have never set any page up before so I was starting from scratch when it comes to the knowledge and understanding.
I began this project by using the completely blank template. This made it very easy to see where things were going. I started by getting the pages set up under the home page. This was not very hard either. This are internal links and the instructions were pretty clear on how to accomplish this. I did have a hard time (and never really got) how to add external links to the sidebar. I did get some external links posted in the entertainment section (TeacherTube and a local education board website). This was not difficult either. I was having a lot of trouble, though, formatting the pages how I wanted them. From the best I could tell, you have to work in blocks and inside the square (or at least that's all I could do). I would like it more if there was availability (or I could find it) to use the whole screen and be "outside the box." Even if you had to stay in the box, it would be nice to be able to click and drag anywhere within that box. I do like the history of revisions area. This helped me out a few times as I would mess up what I was trying to accomplish. It was like starting with a fresh canvas without starting all over.
Overall, this is more than likely something I will be using. A teacher website is almost a staple these days because it allows students and parents to connect with what is going on inside the classroom. Parents can keep an eye on what is being taught and be encouraged to help out at home with assignments. This can also be a great place to keep particular documents that the students will certainly forget to take home with them. For these reasons, I will continue to look at and study up on how to make my website the best it can be. It needs to be easy to navigate and contain the best information possible for it to be useful.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Saturday, May 16, 2015
GAIN Performance Record - Forms
Working with Forms is something that I really like the idea of using. I had never set one up before, so I was ready to learn (especially after using them in CPED 5005). I looked at several tutorials on how to set one up but, for me, the written instructions worked the best. I had absolutely no problem setting up the quiz, however, once I was finished I was not sure how to make the self grading portion show up. When I finally got the spreadsheet up, it all began to make sense. I really like the options available for questions. While it does need to be definite answer, multiple choice is not the only option. I believe this could really save time on grading. A lot of times, by the time a teacher finishes all of the necessary grading, they have little time to lesson plan or are too exhausted to put much effort into it. All of this can be avoided with self grading Forms. Check out my Form and spreadsheet below:
Quiz
Grading Spreadsheet
As you can see from my grading spreadsheet, I have set a simple conditional format that tells whether a question is right or wrong based on color (green=right, red=wrong). This will give me a quick glance without even looking inside the cell to see which answers were frequently missed. The great thing about this is you can format it however you want. It is not hard to manipulate the formulas in order to gather the data you need and create a snapshot of what you want. I see myself using this at every chance possible inside the classroom.
The Graham text in chapter 7 only affirms my former statements. Google Forms can be used a number of ways inside the classroom. First, and the most obvious, is grading. "Teachers are bombarded with collecting data concerning student performance" (p115). This is true not only for grading but also for other things (i.e. contacts with parents, discipline, attendance, etc.). Using Google Forms can give an instant snapshot at how students are doing overall inside the classroom. This real time information can make it possible to act quickly in case students need special attention.
Google Forms can also be used for surveys. By using this app as a survey mechanism, older students can fulfil Common Core Standard 7.1. This states that students will "present information, findings, and supporting evidence" (p116). This will give students the chance to report their findings and give some sort of reasoning behind it. Another standard, that we have seen throughout, is the ability to use digital media to express information gathered. Using forms and self-grading (or self-assessment in surveys) gives the viewer instant results to support the questions being asked. It is accessible through sharing so that you can reach whatever audience you want to gather data from.
The Google Forms lesson has given me a base knowledge to create these easy to use documents that can be created for many purposes in the classroom. I plan on trying to implement these in every way possible in order to maximize my time and energy into the appropriate areas of education.
Quiz
Grading Spreadsheet
As you can see from my grading spreadsheet, I have set a simple conditional format that tells whether a question is right or wrong based on color (green=right, red=wrong). This will give me a quick glance without even looking inside the cell to see which answers were frequently missed. The great thing about this is you can format it however you want. It is not hard to manipulate the formulas in order to gather the data you need and create a snapshot of what you want. I see myself using this at every chance possible inside the classroom.
The Graham text in chapter 7 only affirms my former statements. Google Forms can be used a number of ways inside the classroom. First, and the most obvious, is grading. "Teachers are bombarded with collecting data concerning student performance" (p115). This is true not only for grading but also for other things (i.e. contacts with parents, discipline, attendance, etc.). Using Google Forms can give an instant snapshot at how students are doing overall inside the classroom. This real time information can make it possible to act quickly in case students need special attention.
Google Forms can also be used for surveys. By using this app as a survey mechanism, older students can fulfil Common Core Standard 7.1. This states that students will "present information, findings, and supporting evidence" (p116). This will give students the chance to report their findings and give some sort of reasoning behind it. Another standard, that we have seen throughout, is the ability to use digital media to express information gathered. Using forms and self-grading (or self-assessment in surveys) gives the viewer instant results to support the questions being asked. It is accessible through sharing so that you can reach whatever audience you want to gather data from.
The Google Forms lesson has given me a base knowledge to create these easy to use documents that can be created for many purposes in the classroom. I plan on trying to implement these in every way possible in order to maximize my time and energy into the appropriate areas of education.
Friday, May 15, 2015
TECH Performance Record - Disciplines in Education
In a society that is growing in its uses of technology, I find it very important to know what apps can work for me inside the classroom to aid the learning process for the students. For this PR I will look at 3 different apps that will help from 3 different subject areas.
My favorite subject throughout school was math, so I will begin here. Mathboard for iPad is an educational app that will help students develop math skills. This simple app will make learning make easy for even the youngest users. It is basically set up like a quiz where questions pop up and students have the opportunity to choose the correct answer. The screen is broken up into 3 sections: the results, the problem, and the note board. The note board feature allows students use this area as scratch paper to work out the math problems. While the area to do it is rather small (so not useful for problems that require lots of room to workout), I think that it is neat that this is paper/pencil free math. At the end, you get your results and you get a chance to save your quiz. To set up the quiz, inside of setting you can choose the format of questions you want (addition, subtraction, square roots, and so on). You can also choose the number of problems, a number range for answer, positive or negatives, and any timing on the quiz. Unfortunately, you can only set parameters regarding your quiz and cannot create the precise questions. With that, you may receive a broader range of questions that your students may not be able to answer. However, for a general math study app, this seems to be useful.
For science, I have chosen app Solar Walk. There is a charge in order to get access to the full solar system. This puts everything in space into one area. You can choose to search for items and pick from planets, comets, satellites and others to look at and learn about. You can explore the planets and their paths as well as their positions on specific days. This would be a great learning tool for solar system studies. The students would be able to take a look at each of the planets in a 3-D form and can "soar" through the solar system to see how they relate to each other. There is a lot of information for each planet as well (size, mass, orbital velocity, composition of atmosphere). While building solar systems from cups, phone balls, and sticks is fun, I believe students will much more enjoy this interactive study of their solar systems.
The final app I am looking at is Google Earth. This app would be a great use for social studies and specifically geography. There are many features of this app that can be used in teaching other than just "flying" around the planet. As we discussed in the team portion a couple of classes ago, Google Earth now has the ability to go inside of building and underneath the ocean for exploration and learning. When focusing on the layout of the Earth, students can clearly see mountains, deserts, and bodies of water and how they relate to the areas around them. A very useful website we found in our team assignment was Google Earth for Educators. This website offers resources and trainings for how best to utilize this in the classroom. Students can explore, create and collaborate using mapping tools to learn more about our planet.
These are only 3 apps that can be used inside the classroom. They are not complicated and very interactive to engage elementary and middle grade students. This incorporates the technology that they are already using with knowledge and understanding they need to advance in school. This would be a fun and interactive alternative to flat pieces of paper in books and a lecturing teacher.
My favorite subject throughout school was math, so I will begin here. Mathboard for iPad is an educational app that will help students develop math skills. This simple app will make learning make easy for even the youngest users. It is basically set up like a quiz where questions pop up and students have the opportunity to choose the correct answer. The screen is broken up into 3 sections: the results, the problem, and the note board. The note board feature allows students use this area as scratch paper to work out the math problems. While the area to do it is rather small (so not useful for problems that require lots of room to workout), I think that it is neat that this is paper/pencil free math. At the end, you get your results and you get a chance to save your quiz. To set up the quiz, inside of setting you can choose the format of questions you want (addition, subtraction, square roots, and so on). You can also choose the number of problems, a number range for answer, positive or negatives, and any timing on the quiz. Unfortunately, you can only set parameters regarding your quiz and cannot create the precise questions. With that, you may receive a broader range of questions that your students may not be able to answer. However, for a general math study app, this seems to be useful.
For science, I have chosen app Solar Walk. There is a charge in order to get access to the full solar system. This puts everything in space into one area. You can choose to search for items and pick from planets, comets, satellites and others to look at and learn about. You can explore the planets and their paths as well as their positions on specific days. This would be a great learning tool for solar system studies. The students would be able to take a look at each of the planets in a 3-D form and can "soar" through the solar system to see how they relate to each other. There is a lot of information for each planet as well (size, mass, orbital velocity, composition of atmosphere). While building solar systems from cups, phone balls, and sticks is fun, I believe students will much more enjoy this interactive study of their solar systems.
The final app I am looking at is Google Earth. This app would be a great use for social studies and specifically geography. There are many features of this app that can be used in teaching other than just "flying" around the planet. As we discussed in the team portion a couple of classes ago, Google Earth now has the ability to go inside of building and underneath the ocean for exploration and learning. When focusing on the layout of the Earth, students can clearly see mountains, deserts, and bodies of water and how they relate to the areas around them. A very useful website we found in our team assignment was Google Earth for Educators. This website offers resources and trainings for how best to utilize this in the classroom. Students can explore, create and collaborate using mapping tools to learn more about our planet.
These are only 3 apps that can be used inside the classroom. They are not complicated and very interactive to engage elementary and middle grade students. This incorporates the technology that they are already using with knowledge and understanding they need to advance in school. This would be a fun and interactive alternative to flat pieces of paper in books and a lecturing teacher.
TECH Performance Record - Literacy in Education
To begin this PR I wanted to take a look at the spelling app. I always loved spelling in school. To me, it was the easiest way to make a 100. However, I absolutely hated going home and practicing day in and day out. I would sit in the back seat of the car going down the road and recite the appropriate letters while my mom would "give them out" to me or sit at the counter in the kitchen and write them down as she said them. BORING! I recall many times having to be lured back in to study form because I would drift away to who knows where. This not has an opportunity to change. The free app Spelling Test gives you the chance to create your own list of test. Once started the students can use the iPad to practice. This is good in a number of ways. First, since it records the "administrator's" voice, the child can practice on their own. Many children may not have a mom like I did who was adamant about my study habits. This also helps with students typing ability. Starting very young, students need to be able to type on a computer. This will help with key recognition and push towards quicker, more accurate typing. Lastly, its more fun. Sure it seems like the same concept, and it really is, but it's on the iPad. What kid doesn't want to work on an iPad? This app gives instant feedback for the results, and it is also compatible with the smart board. This gives the opportunity inside the classroom for more interactive group learning.
Another free app that is useful in the classroom is the dictionary app. This is a simple app that can help you learn words the same way you would use a hardback book dictionary. One thing I really like about this app in contrast to a hard book is the spelling functions. A lot of times, you are using a dictionary because you do not know how to spell something. This could result in wasted time flipping through pages looking for the word (seems counter productive when you type it out I know). With this app, as you begin typing the word, it begins to bring up words that it believes you may be typing. So what if you didn't know whether it was "ie" or "y" or anything else for that matter. Now you will be able to see the word you are looking for even if you get close. Once you choose the word you are looking for, it shows it, the definition, and will say the word out loud for the student to hear correct pronunciation. It also will use it in a sentence and if available, it will give an option to go to a thesaurus (like 2 apps in one). Gone are the days of turning pages, wagging 2 giant books around, and asking the teacher how you say a word.
For video, I want to focus on Educreations. This free app gives students and teachers a chance to create video lessons. This easy start app records everything that is happening on your screen or "whiteboard." Teachers can use this to teach lessons in math by putting the equation on the board just like they would the whiteboard inside the classroom. The app has very few options which makes it very user friendly. There are several color options, insert pictures (in the library, dropbox, or take a pic), undo, recall, clear, pause, save and create other pages on the same recording. Another items I like in this is that you can write on top of your pictures. When finished you can save your video and share it with whomever you want. Once again, this is not only visual, but includes audio. This alternative to classroom lessons could be used aid students who need extra help or to send to students who may have missed class.
The last app (which is also somewhat free) that I want to discuss is Puppet Pals. If you only use the stock items, you can create show after show at no cost. For a minimal fee, you can add your own backgrounds and characters. This app is a fun and interactive way for students to present their ideas. Also, if they don't want to be in front of a camera, this gives them an alternative to making a movie. This step by step app walks you through preparing your very own puppet show. Once you have chosen characters and backgrounds, you can begin making your show. You can position your characters "on and off" the scene and do as you want with them pertaining to the movie. Once clicking record, the video records everything this is in the scene as well as the audio voices of the characters. You can pause the recording to change scenes and continue with ease. Once completed you can play back your movie and save it or export it to wherever you want it. This fun app allows students to express themselves and can help with in working in team environments as they make movies together.
These 4 apps can all prove to be useful in the classroom. While some revolve around more serious matters, each are interactive learning tools. It is important that we take advantage of these tools to engage the students and really lighten some of the load on the teacher.
Another free app that is useful in the classroom is the dictionary app. This is a simple app that can help you learn words the same way you would use a hardback book dictionary. One thing I really like about this app in contrast to a hard book is the spelling functions. A lot of times, you are using a dictionary because you do not know how to spell something. This could result in wasted time flipping through pages looking for the word (seems counter productive when you type it out I know). With this app, as you begin typing the word, it begins to bring up words that it believes you may be typing. So what if you didn't know whether it was "ie" or "y" or anything else for that matter. Now you will be able to see the word you are looking for even if you get close. Once you choose the word you are looking for, it shows it, the definition, and will say the word out loud for the student to hear correct pronunciation. It also will use it in a sentence and if available, it will give an option to go to a thesaurus (like 2 apps in one). Gone are the days of turning pages, wagging 2 giant books around, and asking the teacher how you say a word.
For video, I want to focus on Educreations. This free app gives students and teachers a chance to create video lessons. This easy start app records everything that is happening on your screen or "whiteboard." Teachers can use this to teach lessons in math by putting the equation on the board just like they would the whiteboard inside the classroom. The app has very few options which makes it very user friendly. There are several color options, insert pictures (in the library, dropbox, or take a pic), undo, recall, clear, pause, save and create other pages on the same recording. Another items I like in this is that you can write on top of your pictures. When finished you can save your video and share it with whomever you want. Once again, this is not only visual, but includes audio. This alternative to classroom lessons could be used aid students who need extra help or to send to students who may have missed class.
The last app (which is also somewhat free) that I want to discuss is Puppet Pals. If you only use the stock items, you can create show after show at no cost. For a minimal fee, you can add your own backgrounds and characters. This app is a fun and interactive way for students to present their ideas. Also, if they don't want to be in front of a camera, this gives them an alternative to making a movie. This step by step app walks you through preparing your very own puppet show. Once you have chosen characters and backgrounds, you can begin making your show. You can position your characters "on and off" the scene and do as you want with them pertaining to the movie. Once clicking record, the video records everything this is in the scene as well as the audio voices of the characters. You can pause the recording to change scenes and continue with ease. Once completed you can play back your movie and save it or export it to wherever you want it. This fun app allows students to express themselves and can help with in working in team environments as they make movies together.
These 4 apps can all prove to be useful in the classroom. While some revolve around more serious matters, each are interactive learning tools. It is important that we take advantage of these tools to engage the students and really lighten some of the load on the teacher.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
GAIN Performance Record - Spreadsheets
As mentioned in a previous post, I deal a lot with spreadsheets. Also, if you cannot understand why, you must have not read my web address. I am an accountant for a hospital, therefore, I deal with lots of numbers in giant spreadsheets. I do have extensive experience with Excel and would consider myself a somewhat advanced user. I had actually never used Spreadsheet before until this assignment. It was necessarily difficult to create my grading spreadsheet, however, I also would not say that it was easier than Excel. Out of habit, to move from cell to cell horizontally, I use the tab button in Excel. When I began using Spreadsheet, I could not for the life of me figure out why the cells kept expanding randomly. After deleting and restarting over and over I finally noticed this was the problem. It seems like Spreadsheets likes you to utilize the arrow keys. I do not prefer this method. I also really like the view of the Excel program as opposed to Spreadsheet. I believe that Excel lays out everything very nicely for you in reference to your options for the spreadsheet. In order to get to many options that I prefer to use, you have to do a lot more than a single click in Spreadsheet. This takes up more time than necessary when creating things for the classroom. In all, I would guess that the Spreadsheet program has the same learning curve as Excel for someone who does not have experience with them. For a quick learn, maybe Spreadsheet is a good tool, however, I believe I will stick with Excel. Here is a link to my product.
GradeBook Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets can be used in successfully address Common Core Standards as well. Graham writes regarding these Standards that it directs students to begin understanding data and its role in making decisions (p96). "Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution, which can be described by its center, spread, and overall shape" (p96). When all of this data is collected and laid out, students will then have the opportunity to discuss findings and what they mean. This is also true not only for data, but also for graphs and plots. The Common Core Standards also focus on "collection and representation of data on line plots and bar graph (p100). These are both very easily accessed on Excel or Spreadsheets. This also fulfills the visualization piece of the Common Core Standards. Students will be able to actually see what differences their are in the data when it is put into graph or chart form. Students can also, like the other Google applications, collaborate much easier through Spreadsheet, once again satisfying Common Core Standards.
GradeBook Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets can be used in successfully address Common Core Standards as well. Graham writes regarding these Standards that it directs students to begin understanding data and its role in making decisions (p96). "Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution, which can be described by its center, spread, and overall shape" (p96). When all of this data is collected and laid out, students will then have the opportunity to discuss findings and what they mean. This is also true not only for data, but also for graphs and plots. The Common Core Standards also focus on "collection and representation of data on line plots and bar graph (p100). These are both very easily accessed on Excel or Spreadsheets. This also fulfills the visualization piece of the Common Core Standards. Students will be able to actually see what differences their are in the data when it is put into graph or chart form. Students can also, like the other Google applications, collaborate much easier through Spreadsheet, once again satisfying Common Core Standards.
TECH Performance Record - iPad Basics
For this PR, I have chosen to take a look at Numbers in comparison with Excel. As an accountant currently, my job revolves around enormous spreadsheets with endless rows and columns filled with lots of data. I would consider myself an advanced excel user when it comes to many aspects including formulas. However, I say all of that to say that I will not let that sway my judgement. It will only give me a baseline to consider when looking at Numbers. I believe that Excel is very user friendly in many ways and with a little practice, you can do many advanced things within the program. When using the Numbers App on the iPad, it took me more than a few seconds to get the memorized layout of Excel out of my head. Once I did that, I began to find similarities between the two, as well as preferential differences. Before we take a look at the similarities (the good) let's check out some of the differences (the bad). The one thing I noticed between the two is ease of use. Personally, I believe that you can accomplish the same task on either software. However, for more complex calculations and formulas, excel is the better equipped. Another difference I see is that as soon as you open Numbers, it prompts you to choose a template. I really like this feature of Numbers. This can expedite the process of creating something from the ground up. There are templates available in Excel as well, but for me, most of the time I have it created myself before I even think about them. One similarity between the 2 programs is the function ability. Setting up these functions automates the computation of the selected numbers. These calculations are time savers for anyone who uses them. Another similarity is the basics of both. To me, this includes common tools and entries. On the surface, they do look a lot alike. I say all of this to come to this conclusion: I believe that for anything more than simple math equations, Excel is the program to use. Now that Excel is available for iPad, this would be my program of choice. Not only do I have prior knowledge, but I also think it is much more user friendly. I believe Excel lays out its options in a much better way and does a good job of leading the learner in the right direction. I do like to see my spreadsheets on a monitor as opposed to a small tablet screen. However, being able to update and format the spreadsheets on the fly in a tablet is huge inside the classroom.
Since I have used Box.net before as a type of storage, I did not have any complications moving things to this type of storage. I think that this program makes it very easy to view, sort, and move items from a device into storage. It also has the collaboration piece which makes it appealing for sharing files.
iThought: What an awesome application. Until class on Monday, I had never heard of it. When I opened it up and began sorting through it, I was amazed. This is such as simple process that I have done for so long on notebook paper. It always turned out all scratchy looking and there was never enough room to adequately map all of your thoughts. Then once you did and looked back over it, you always wanted to move items to appropriate categories...again messy. This app makes mind mapping clean, easy and limitless. You can also configure this in many ways (shape of bubbles, colors, icons, and more). I can see this used in a number of ways in the classroom. One way in particular is in an English or writing class. This can help students connect ideas and prepare for writing any sort of paper. Another way is for history. With a central theme in the middle, students can branch out and connected different parts throughout history. This gives them a chance for creation and innovation and the ability to stretch their thinking outside of a few facts.
When looking at Safari and Rover, I do not have much initial knowledge of either. I know that Safari is what I use when I am on the iPad. I have never opened Rover until recently. One difference between the 2 is that Rover allows you to play Flash content in a filtered browser. Now this Flash content is mainly focused on education sites that utilize Flash. Another difference is the lag time. I have never really noticed much lag time with Safari. With Rover, lag time is an issue. This is due to it using remote connections to browse. This lag could become quite annoying. As Dr. Krug pointed out in class, 10 seconds is the average amount of time people have patients for computers. Also, this could show some synchronization issues if audio is to be played (ie: the moving mouth I see does not match the words I am hearing). However, both of these apps are safe and secure and works well with most websites. Also, they are both free and downloadable onto the iPad for use. Of these 2 options, I prefer Safari. There is nothing more annoying to me then wanting something to work or needing something to work and it not being able to.
Since I have used Box.net before as a type of storage, I did not have any complications moving things to this type of storage. I think that this program makes it very easy to view, sort, and move items from a device into storage. It also has the collaboration piece which makes it appealing for sharing files.
iThought: What an awesome application. Until class on Monday, I had never heard of it. When I opened it up and began sorting through it, I was amazed. This is such as simple process that I have done for so long on notebook paper. It always turned out all scratchy looking and there was never enough room to adequately map all of your thoughts. Then once you did and looked back over it, you always wanted to move items to appropriate categories...again messy. This app makes mind mapping clean, easy and limitless. You can also configure this in many ways (shape of bubbles, colors, icons, and more). I can see this used in a number of ways in the classroom. One way in particular is in an English or writing class. This can help students connect ideas and prepare for writing any sort of paper. Another way is for history. With a central theme in the middle, students can branch out and connected different parts throughout history. This gives them a chance for creation and innovation and the ability to stretch their thinking outside of a few facts.
When looking at Safari and Rover, I do not have much initial knowledge of either. I know that Safari is what I use when I am on the iPad. I have never opened Rover until recently. One difference between the 2 is that Rover allows you to play Flash content in a filtered browser. Now this Flash content is mainly focused on education sites that utilize Flash. Another difference is the lag time. I have never really noticed much lag time with Safari. With Rover, lag time is an issue. This is due to it using remote connections to browse. This lag could become quite annoying. As Dr. Krug pointed out in class, 10 seconds is the average amount of time people have patients for computers. Also, this could show some synchronization issues if audio is to be played (ie: the moving mouth I see does not match the words I am hearing). However, both of these apps are safe and secure and works well with most websites. Also, they are both free and downloadable onto the iPad for use. Of these 2 options, I prefer Safari. There is nothing more annoying to me then wanting something to work or needing something to work and it not being able to.
Monday, May 11, 2015
GAIN Performance Record - Drawing
I really believe that this is an application, that if used for artistry, will take some time to get the hang of. However, I believe the defined shapes would be a huge advantage inside the classroom.
My first thought, like many others I am sure is Geometry.With the ability to do so many definite shapes, students would be able to use this application and potentially could remove hand drawing with a protractor and compass. Students have an ability to draw, flip, rotate, and mirror shapes in order to accomplish the assigned task at hand. Also, once again, this is another way to visually stimulate students when having lessons. When looking at the lesson plan for middle school, I was fascinated by the use of this program to perform the tangram square. This looked very much like a fun puzzle that students have an opportunity to solve. The lesson called for students to work with a partner for the activity. Again, Google Apps ability to collaborate is second to none in my opinion.
As teachers, this application can help achieve several common core standards. It can be used to help students in speaking and listening by giving them an opportunity to explain their product to their peers. The Graham text also mentions the common core standard that the students must be able to understand charts, graphs, and diagrams that are displayed (p132). Giving students the opportunity to dive in to these types of productions by creation and demonstration will help them better understand how to create things to display their purpose. It will also help them understand what message someone is conveying when they look at one.
Overall, Google Drawing is yet another application that can be used to reach students in a new and somewhat unconventional way. With some extra practice, one could become rather handy at it and be able to create whatever necessary for the classroom.
GAIN Performance Record - Presentations
Beginning in high school and throughout college and even into my current job, Power Point (referred to as PP going forward) has been a staple. I feel rather confident in my ability to use and manipulate the software into doing whatever it is I need to be done to make my presentation great. However, today (after watching the tutorials and dealing with it myself) I want to explain why my go to Office program will no longer be.
Upon opening Presentation for the first time, I immediately notice the layout. This is very similar to that of PP as it gives the a blank canvas to begin. Usually the first thing I like to do is pick a theme for my slides. PP offers a huge amount of themes to choose from while Presentation does not. Once my theme is picked, I begin editing in whatever way I want. There seems to be little problem with figuring this program out as the similarities for editing are clear. Actually, in my opinion, it seems to be easier to find what you are looking for on this type of toolbar in contrast to the PP toolbar with so many options. The best advantage that I see to using Presentation is the same advantage I have found when using other Google applications. That is the ability to collaborate. While Microsoft products can be shared for others to use, it is not as streamlined as the Google products. This collaboration ability will make it much easier for students to work on projects not only inside the classroom but outside as well without having to be face to face. Also, it is always important to think of cost when using these products. Presentation is used through Google, therefore at no cost. It has not been long ago that I bought the Microsoft office package. Let me assure you, it is not free.
There are many Common Core standards that the use of such applications can satisfy. One specific one that I found in the Graham text is standard number 5 for speaking and learning. The ability for students to be able to strategically use digital media and visual displays to portray information can be accomplished on either PP or Presentation. However, like mentioned in a previous post regarding Google Docs, Presentation also satisfies the standard students need to have of being able to collaborate with others on shared documents.
In conclusion, I want to express my new found curiosity and pleasure in Google Presentation. For me personally, the ability to collaborate without swapping emails back and forth makes this a great application to use. Along with that (just as in the Docs), you can forget the day of forgetting your flash-drive. This is a very sufficient replacement of PP. The longer that Google develops this application, the more likely it is to surpass PP in all of its ways.
Below you will find my sample Presentation:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/12orphY4pLZt5f82Sc2PIE4Jwiq7sRIw6s05REIjKn_Q/edit?usp=sharing
Upon opening Presentation for the first time, I immediately notice the layout. This is very similar to that of PP as it gives the a blank canvas to begin. Usually the first thing I like to do is pick a theme for my slides. PP offers a huge amount of themes to choose from while Presentation does not. Once my theme is picked, I begin editing in whatever way I want. There seems to be little problem with figuring this program out as the similarities for editing are clear. Actually, in my opinion, it seems to be easier to find what you are looking for on this type of toolbar in contrast to the PP toolbar with so many options. The best advantage that I see to using Presentation is the same advantage I have found when using other Google applications. That is the ability to collaborate. While Microsoft products can be shared for others to use, it is not as streamlined as the Google products. This collaboration ability will make it much easier for students to work on projects not only inside the classroom but outside as well without having to be face to face. Also, it is always important to think of cost when using these products. Presentation is used through Google, therefore at no cost. It has not been long ago that I bought the Microsoft office package. Let me assure you, it is not free.
There are many Common Core standards that the use of such applications can satisfy. One specific one that I found in the Graham text is standard number 5 for speaking and learning. The ability for students to be able to strategically use digital media and visual displays to portray information can be accomplished on either PP or Presentation. However, like mentioned in a previous post regarding Google Docs, Presentation also satisfies the standard students need to have of being able to collaborate with others on shared documents.
In conclusion, I want to express my new found curiosity and pleasure in Google Presentation. For me personally, the ability to collaborate without swapping emails back and forth makes this a great application to use. Along with that (just as in the Docs), you can forget the day of forgetting your flash-drive. This is a very sufficient replacement of PP. The longer that Google develops this application, the more likely it is to surpass PP in all of its ways.
Below you will find my sample Presentation:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/12orphY4pLZt5f82Sc2PIE4Jwiq7sRIw6s05REIjKn_Q/edit?usp=sharing
Friday, May 8, 2015
TECH Performance Record - Tablets in Education
For this PR I will focus mainly on the use of iPads in education. As mentioned before, and as others would suggest, iPads take the lead in many areas of tablet use. This is why I believe that these are the tools that need to be used to enhance education in the classroom. Inside the classroom setting, there are numerous advantages to using this technology.
When comparing iPads with other tablets in a previous post, the assessment was that generally these are the more expensive tablets. While this may be true in most cases, the cost of an iPad does not compare to the cost of buying books over and over throughout the years. Schools are constantly having to buy new books because, a) the ones they bought last year are already outdated, b) the ones they assigned to students last year somehow didn't make it back to storage, or c) "my dog ate my book." These 3 scenarios (along with countless others I'm sure) can cause for serious money year and year that you are dumping into the exact same product. This just does not make sense. With iPads in the classroom, you can toss out this reoccurring problem. Also with using technology comes more ways to use technology. Instead of staring at black words on white paper day in and day out, these online textbooks have the ability for students to interact with the lessons imbedded in them. These are only a couple of reason why bringing iPad to the classroom can be successful.
As I looked into the article 55 ways to use an iPad, I focused in on the iPad Apps for School section. Since I really enjoy math, I wanted to see what they said concerning the use of the iPad. In Richard Byrne's article "Two Math Apps that Have Students Slicing Numbers," (http://ipadapps4school.com/) he discusses Math Slicer and Factor Samurai. These are cheap apps that can help students learn in a fun interactive way (again, no white paper with black writing). Math slicer has a fun side to it that students can connect to because it has similar animation to a very popular app, Fruit Ninja. Numbers scroll through the screen and the student must slice the correct answer to the problem. I really like how this takes a very well know concept that kids love and integrates it into learning. I imagine this is a big hit. The app Factor Samurai is a similar concept that helps students learn prime numbers. If a number can be split, then they slice. This is just another way to let students interact and have fun while learning.
Following the math trend, I wanted to take a look at the article on ESchool news at http://www.eclassroomnews.com/2011/06/02/new-jersey-district-plans-ipad-only-algebra-course/ . This is a huge accomplishment for any school, but this article focuses on on district in New Jersey who was the first to implement in the state. Some of the things it mentions is that the students can get step-by-step animated instructions. We have learned about several resources already in class that could assist with this step (Jing). Another advantage to this, which I really like, is the instant feedback. Nothing is more exhausting than waiting on your score after a big assignment/test. With this capability, the teacher also has more time to prepare and plan for lessons, as well as more availability for student interaction. You want to know the economical impact of this? The article quotes the superintendent of the school as saying that without this app, they would be issuing student a 950 page textbook. With 60 students enrolled in this pilot course, that's a total of 57,000 pages of paper alone. Not only is the economical for our wallets, it's environmental as well. Lets use some of this technology and turn things around. I want to leave this place in better shape than when I got here for my daughter to enjoy.
Lastly, I think that we need to be moving toward a world of "BYOD" (Bring Your Own Device). Let's be real, everyone has one anyway! Mobile devices are everywhere and instead of yanking them from hands or telling students to put them away, let's use them. This could cut down on the amount needed for the school. Due to demographics no matter what area you are in, it is safe to assume not everyone will have one. However, the article makes a great suggestion to have local businesses or community organizations donate to make up the difference. One concern that some state is how will you deter potential distractions (i.e. surfing the internet, Twitter, Facebook, etc). I would like to give a personal example. I can distinctly remember the transition time from a "dumbphone" to a smartphone. When I had only a "dumbphone" I would get so aggravated over certain things.
Using iPads in education can be such a valuable tool in reaching the students and preparing them for their future. As teachers, we need to prepare ourselves the best we can to be pioneers in our schools and help promote this technology for all of the good it can do.
When comparing iPads with other tablets in a previous post, the assessment was that generally these are the more expensive tablets. While this may be true in most cases, the cost of an iPad does not compare to the cost of buying books over and over throughout the years. Schools are constantly having to buy new books because, a) the ones they bought last year are already outdated, b) the ones they assigned to students last year somehow didn't make it back to storage, or c) "my dog ate my book." These 3 scenarios (along with countless others I'm sure) can cause for serious money year and year that you are dumping into the exact same product. This just does not make sense. With iPads in the classroom, you can toss out this reoccurring problem. Also with using technology comes more ways to use technology. Instead of staring at black words on white paper day in and day out, these online textbooks have the ability for students to interact with the lessons imbedded in them. These are only a couple of reason why bringing iPad to the classroom can be successful.
As I looked into the article 55 ways to use an iPad, I focused in on the iPad Apps for School section. Since I really enjoy math, I wanted to see what they said concerning the use of the iPad. In Richard Byrne's article "Two Math Apps that Have Students Slicing Numbers," (http://ipadapps4school.com/) he discusses Math Slicer and Factor Samurai. These are cheap apps that can help students learn in a fun interactive way (again, no white paper with black writing). Math slicer has a fun side to it that students can connect to because it has similar animation to a very popular app, Fruit Ninja. Numbers scroll through the screen and the student must slice the correct answer to the problem. I really like how this takes a very well know concept that kids love and integrates it into learning. I imagine this is a big hit. The app Factor Samurai is a similar concept that helps students learn prime numbers. If a number can be split, then they slice. This is just another way to let students interact and have fun while learning.
Following the math trend, I wanted to take a look at the article on ESchool news at http://www.eclassroomnews.com/2011/06/02/new-jersey-district-plans-ipad-only-algebra-course/ . This is a huge accomplishment for any school, but this article focuses on on district in New Jersey who was the first to implement in the state. Some of the things it mentions is that the students can get step-by-step animated instructions. We have learned about several resources already in class that could assist with this step (Jing). Another advantage to this, which I really like, is the instant feedback. Nothing is more exhausting than waiting on your score after a big assignment/test. With this capability, the teacher also has more time to prepare and plan for lessons, as well as more availability for student interaction. You want to know the economical impact of this? The article quotes the superintendent of the school as saying that without this app, they would be issuing student a 950 page textbook. With 60 students enrolled in this pilot course, that's a total of 57,000 pages of paper alone. Not only is the economical for our wallets, it's environmental as well. Lets use some of this technology and turn things around. I want to leave this place in better shape than when I got here for my daughter to enjoy.
Lastly, I think that we need to be moving toward a world of "BYOD" (Bring Your Own Device). Let's be real, everyone has one anyway! Mobile devices are everywhere and instead of yanking them from hands or telling students to put them away, let's use them. This could cut down on the amount needed for the school. Due to demographics no matter what area you are in, it is safe to assume not everyone will have one. However, the article makes a great suggestion to have local businesses or community organizations donate to make up the difference. One concern that some state is how will you deter potential distractions (i.e. surfing the internet, Twitter, Facebook, etc). I would like to give a personal example. I can distinctly remember the transition time from a "dumbphone" to a smartphone. When I had only a "dumbphone" I would get so aggravated over certain things.
- Driving/Riding with some friends and we can't find something, but no one with a smartphone will pull it out and help
- Gosh...I can't think of that singer's name on the radio....if only I could look it up on my phone
- No I didn't get your email. I have been driving all day. If I could I would answer them all
Using iPads in education can be such a valuable tool in reaching the students and preparing them for their future. As teachers, we need to prepare ourselves the best we can to be pioneers in our schools and help promote this technology for all of the good it can do.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
GAIN Performance Record - Documents
Google Docs vs. Other Word Processors
Comparison:
Google Docs also tie in well with Common Core Standards. Graham says that it is standard that the student should use techonology to produce, write, and publish, as well as collaborate with others to demonstrate sufficient writing and keyboarding skills. Google Docs allows students to do all of these things while not even having their partner sitting beside them. Google Docs is the best place to learn these writing skills because of the way it can be shared. The best way for students to learn is from each other. The collaboration allowed by Google Docs give them this opportunity to feed off of each others ideas and efficiencies.
In my experiences, Google Docs is very user friendly and very easy to collaborate on. It has made note taking and idea sharing something that takes no time. All parties can brainstorm at the same time to come up with ideas. Also, some may hear something different than others, so using Google Docs for notes is a plus. A lot of times you cannot catch everything that is said, so someone else could.
Comparison:
- Google Docs has the ability to access documents from other computers
- It does not require the pesky flash drive or the bouncing emails to get the document to the computer you need it.
- Work is stored in the cloud
- As long as the internet is available, you can retrieve your Good Doc
- Google Docs Sharing/Editing
- You can file share which allows every person involved in the document to edit
- It makes this very easy and almost simultaneous update to the doc you are seeing.
- Google Docs autosaves so often that you cannot keep up
- this eliminates the terrible circumstance of the crashing computer and the lack of saving.
- Google Docs has unlimited storage on Google Drive
- Google Docs have to be setup for offline access
Google Docs also tie in well with Common Core Standards. Graham says that it is standard that the student should use techonology to produce, write, and publish, as well as collaborate with others to demonstrate sufficient writing and keyboarding skills. Google Docs allows students to do all of these things while not even having their partner sitting beside them. Google Docs is the best place to learn these writing skills because of the way it can be shared. The best way for students to learn is from each other. The collaboration allowed by Google Docs give them this opportunity to feed off of each others ideas and efficiencies.
In my experiences, Google Docs is very user friendly and very easy to collaborate on. It has made note taking and idea sharing something that takes no time. All parties can brainstorm at the same time to come up with ideas. Also, some may hear something different than others, so using Google Docs for notes is a plus. A lot of times you cannot catch everything that is said, so someone else could.
GAIN Performance Record - Blogger
I have chosen to take a look at educator David Warlick's blog http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/. He uses this blog as an opportunity to give his "2 cents worth" about things happening at a particular moment in his life. He proposes that asking questions is the way to provoke new ideas, so he uses this forum as that launching pad. I have decided to focus on the blog showing the most comments. This must surely be good material if it has provoked more comments than the others.
The top commented entry is titled "Are they Students or are they Learners?" David brings to light that we should take a look at our perspective when it comes to the pupils as students or learners. A few of the highlights that stood out to me are as follows:
To begin, it is very easy for educators to look at the situation as "I am the boss, you are the employee." Unfortunately, this is the case and has been the case for quite some time. As an employee, you are expected to always do as told. However, we must help shift the focus to the pupil feeling as though they are citizens and it is important for them to be apart of this rapid growing, learning society. This will help them take ownership and give them a sense of responsibility. Next, educators must help the students realize that they do not have to be competitors. In today's times, it is important to know the value of team work and the "2 heads are better than 1" mentality. You may be the smartest and strongest "competitor" in the classroom, but that does not mean that you have all of the ideas. Collaboration is something that I have seen growing throughout my years of schooling. Once I entered my undergraduate studies, teamwork was even more important. I have used teamwork in many aspects already in grad school as well as my daily work life. This is a skill that "students" need to be prepared to use. Lastly, it is clear that the basis of school is assessment. You have to test to get the grades. However, a lot of times, we stop at that point. It is as if the educating comes to an abrupt stop once the assessments are met. We must move past that point to not miss out on other experiences. Instead of assessment being the end all be all top priority for students, lets make it only a part (an integral part albeit) of the learners experience.
Although this does not cover the whole list, these factors caught my eye. These can be small steps in moving from the irresponsible student to the responsible learner in the future and could have a great impact on our society in the years to come.
The top commented entry is titled "Are they Students or are they Learners?" David brings to light that we should take a look at our perspective when it comes to the pupils as students or learners. A few of the highlights that stood out to me are as follows:
- Relationship with educators:
- Students are employees vs Learners are citizens
- Relationship with other "students"
- Students are competitors vs Learners are collaborators
- Assessments
- Measure what has been learned vs what can be done with what was learned
To begin, it is very easy for educators to look at the situation as "I am the boss, you are the employee." Unfortunately, this is the case and has been the case for quite some time. As an employee, you are expected to always do as told. However, we must help shift the focus to the pupil feeling as though they are citizens and it is important for them to be apart of this rapid growing, learning society. This will help them take ownership and give them a sense of responsibility. Next, educators must help the students realize that they do not have to be competitors. In today's times, it is important to know the value of team work and the "2 heads are better than 1" mentality. You may be the smartest and strongest "competitor" in the classroom, but that does not mean that you have all of the ideas. Collaboration is something that I have seen growing throughout my years of schooling. Once I entered my undergraduate studies, teamwork was even more important. I have used teamwork in many aspects already in grad school as well as my daily work life. This is a skill that "students" need to be prepared to use. Lastly, it is clear that the basis of school is assessment. You have to test to get the grades. However, a lot of times, we stop at that point. It is as if the educating comes to an abrupt stop once the assessments are met. We must move past that point to not miss out on other experiences. Instead of assessment being the end all be all top priority for students, lets make it only a part (an integral part albeit) of the learners experience.
Although this does not cover the whole list, these factors caught my eye. These can be small steps in moving from the irresponsible student to the responsible learner in the future and could have a great impact on our society in the years to come.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
TECH Performance Record - Tablet Options and Uses
When looking at the opportunity to have this kind of technology in the classrooms, there are many things to consider. This task can be a bit overwhelming for some, but the most important thing is to know some of the specifics that you do want. This could help eliminate some possibilities, therefore making the decision a bit easier.
Generally, Apple will take the lead on most of these discussions. The capabilities of the iOS are far greater and are easily accessed through this interface. The ease of it will cut down on the learning curve that one may face when introducing these products. While the Apple products are generally more expensive, the benefits of these will certainly outweigh the cost.
The display size of the tablet is also important inside the school. In general, the smaller the equipment, the less durable it can be. In order to avoid quick wear and tear on the product, it would be important to get one with a larger display. This will make it easier to see, easier to work with, less likely to be dropped, and less likely to go missing. With this large of an investment, no one wants something to happen to the tablets.
The use of the tablet is very important when considering which tablet to choose. Some of the operating systems have very few apps available compared to others. There is something to be considered for those operating systems with large amounts of apps. If you are looking to use only as readers, your decision may sway a little. The Kindle is very well known for this function, but it lacks in may other areas in comparison. As mentioned earlier, each option is compatible with the internet through WiFi and cellular connection. I believe I have made myself clear on the feelings toward cellular connectivity. As for other uses, such as magazine and newspaper reading, music, video, and software. Each tablet has something to offer, but some have more to offer than others. For example, when it comes to music and videos, my preference is the iOS. For each option, the use and navigation of the corresponding apps are very simple to learn.
Through my research and my personal experience, the Apple iOS tablets would be best for the school, regardless of age. It's user friendliness and capabilities make it the perfect gadget inside the classroom. There are unlimited uses for this machine to help not only teachers reach the student, but also the student learn and grow in the digital age. This WiFi ready, large display can be used to create and cultivate a technology rich environment that the students will be a part of for the rest of their lives.
- Pros
- iOS (Apple)
- There is a smaller chance of it getting a virus
- The interface is very easy to use. It would not take much practice to understand how to navigate on this system
- There are several sizes of display available
- Several sizes of memory
- Supported by many national carriers
- Out of the box ready for many uses concerning media
- All WiFi/Bluetooth ready
- Android (Google)
- Many different options available
- Most cost effective
- Several sizes of memory
- Many different display options
- Windows (Microsoft)
- Can be used as a laptop by connecting keyboard
- Has many ports in it much like laptops
- Cons
- iOS (Apple)
- Price
- Only 2 display options
- Android (Google)
- Slow with system updates dues to wide variety of specs
- Limited carriers
- Some are not Bluetooth ready
- Windows (Microsoft)
- Limited Options
- Only 1 display option
Generally, Apple will take the lead on most of these discussions. The capabilities of the iOS are far greater and are easily accessed through this interface. The ease of it will cut down on the learning curve that one may face when introducing these products. While the Apple products are generally more expensive, the benefits of these will certainly outweigh the cost.
The display size of the tablet is also important inside the school. In general, the smaller the equipment, the less durable it can be. In order to avoid quick wear and tear on the product, it would be important to get one with a larger display. This will make it easier to see, easier to work with, less likely to be dropped, and less likely to go missing. With this large of an investment, no one wants something to happen to the tablets.
The use of the tablet is very important when considering which tablet to choose. Some of the operating systems have very few apps available compared to others. There is something to be considered for those operating systems with large amounts of apps. If you are looking to use only as readers, your decision may sway a little. The Kindle is very well known for this function, but it lacks in may other areas in comparison. As mentioned earlier, each option is compatible with the internet through WiFi and cellular connection. I believe I have made myself clear on the feelings toward cellular connectivity. As for other uses, such as magazine and newspaper reading, music, video, and software. Each tablet has something to offer, but some have more to offer than others. For example, when it comes to music and videos, my preference is the iOS. For each option, the use and navigation of the corresponding apps are very simple to learn.
Through my research and my personal experience, the Apple iOS tablets would be best for the school, regardless of age. It's user friendliness and capabilities make it the perfect gadget inside the classroom. There are unlimited uses for this machine to help not only teachers reach the student, but also the student learn and grow in the digital age. This WiFi ready, large display can be used to create and cultivate a technology rich environment that the students will be a part of for the rest of their lives.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Introduction
My name is Bobby Payne. I have lived in this area my whole life and have loved every minute of it. I have been married to my bride since 2006. We were married on Christmas break of college. We have a daughter that was 1 year old in March. I love the Vols and bleed orange!
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