NETS 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

Classroom Newsletter

Utilizing various features of Microsoft Word, a word processing software, I created an informative and creative newsletter for a future classroom. One of the features I used was a custom table in order to create a unique masthead with Word Art with line Clip Art to resemble a colorful newspaper heading. In addition, by inserting columns with colorful Word Art titles for each article that explains what will go on in the classroom which creates a document that is visually appealing. By inserting graphics, Clip Art, and drop caps to the articles and using text wrapping, I was able to create an interesting newsletter using a Word document. My informative digital newsletter communicates what is going on in the classroom, which combines subject matter and technology to foster student learning. By creating my newsletter and sharing with my students, I can inspire and teach them to foster their own technological creativity.

Classroom Blog

Online communication with students, parents, and other administrators is useful and necessary for a successful classroom. Utilizing Blogger, a blog creating tool from Google, I created a classroom blog. An blog is an online journal, or web page, that shares information and allows the user to post ideas or information. Following the Youtube “How to Create a Blog” tutorial, I discovered how to colorfully design the web layout, use web templates, create a  personal web page url title, upload photos and assignments, edit posts, and attach Diigo website tags as well as other website addresses. After creating my classroom blog, I learned how to comment on peers blogs as well as receive feedback from my peers, post information about myself, and create a blog list of fellow peer blog members that I wish to follow. I also learned of how to share and publish by embedding the html format of my many different work projects which demonstrates my competency in technology; projects such as journal articles, classroom newsletter, and excel crossword puzzle. Creating a classroom blog models my fluency in current technology, while opening the online door for collaboration and communication between me and my cohorts through commenting and giving each other feedback. Additionally, my classroom blog models and exhibits safe and ethical use of  web based communication and learning, since through my blog, I am demonstrating web-based etiquette and creativity.

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

Google Forms & Spreadsheets

Creating assessments and quizzes are essential for teachers in order to assess student’s understanding. Using Google Forms, an Internet based feature of Google Docs which creates web based forms, I designed and shared an assessment to follow my Prezi presentation on lesson plan ideas fulfilling the NETS-S standards. While designing my assessment, I was able to integrate questions with different forms of answers, such as paragraph text, multiple choice, check boxes, selecting possible answers from a list, and scale. Using Google Forms, I also created a results/answer page, which presented the data in order to be viewed and analyzed. I learned to personalize my assessment page, by adding text, and a creative colorful background theme. Additionally, I embedded both the assessment and the results onto my blog my Prezi, in order to check the understanding of my colleagues after they viewed my presentation. Creating an online assessment demonstrates my ability to utilize web-based document generators in order to design and develop a personalized digital assessment. This helps to create an unique technology-enriched classroom environment, as tests and quizzes in my future classroom can be accessed online, rather than by using a traditional hard copy document. Furthermore, I can provide students with an informative summary of their assessment through providing the results, in order to analyze and compare individual student progress.  

Excel Crossword

One of my goals as a future teacher is to develop fun and creative methods for my students to learn. Using the spreadsheet program, Microsoft Excel, I created an electronic based crossword puzzle containing mathematical definitions. My crossword puzzle consisted of two pages; one had columns and rows of empty boxes, while the other spreadsheet contained clues to discovering the missing words. Using a conditional format, I created the crossword to give further hints as students typed in the first letter of every word, the letter would change colors depending on whether or not the letter was correct; green if the letter was correct and red if the letter was incorrect. This creates a self-correcting crossword puzzle, making it easy for students to use.  Additionally, by observing the tech integration project video from Atomic Learning, I learned how to form a custom purple background with the unused cells, in order to make the crossword puzzle stand out, and also added clues in a small text box which would appear if the student hovered the mouse over the first cell. This crossword puzzle demonstrates my ability to design a creative learning experience which incorporates technology. It is also a form of customized and personalized learning, as I have control of which lessons or words to incorporate into the puzzle. This creative design serves as a role model to encourage students to design their own personal puzzle utilizing technology.  

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

Prezi

Often teachers must present information to the class through a presentation. Through Prezi, a web-based multimedia presentation program, I generated a presentation that illustrates several ways I would like the integrate the NETS-S standards into a high school math class curriculum. After viewing the Prezi tutorial which is on program’s the website, I learned how to create a custom path that leads into several “slides” containing information. I integrated text, pictures, videos, and links to relevant websites. My Prezi contained five main frames, each describing a way I would like to fulfill a standard using web based lesson or integrating technology in the classroom. For each standard, I shared an idea and included a picture, diagram, or video such as the Youtube link I embedded into one of the frames. My ideas were creatively presented as the presentation would zoom in and zoom-out of each frame, keeping the audience focused and interested. Creating a Prezi allowed me to exhibit my knowledge and skill in technology in an innovative manner online, rather than using a typical presentation format such as PowerPoint. By demonstrating how to use Prezi in the classroom, I could require my students to utilize Prezi while sharing relevant information and research with their peers.    

Mind Map

Modeling digital age work is important as a teacher. Using Webspiration, an Internet based visual thinking and brainstorming tool, I designed a mind-map containing information regarding the several artifacts and projects I created in order to meet the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS). I began with a blank page and added several “thinking clouds,” containing my main points, which mapped onto another idea, connecting further thoughts.  I added images from the Internet to represent each artifact that I had created in my education class. Similar to a web-map, for each main idea, using the editing tools, I integrated connecting lines in order to keep my presentation organized and flowing as I demonstrate the relationship of each artifact with the NETS standards. Utilizing this program, I was able to brainstorm ideas, organize my information, and develop a creative and structured map to present my information. Creating a mind map using Webspiration allowed me to communicate relevant information effectively while using a digital form of media. In a future classroom, I would like to encourage students to use a web based mind map generator during presentations or while brainstorming ideas for projects. In this manner, I can transfer my knowledge in current technology to my students, helping to inspire student creativity and technology innovation.

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Cyber Safety Website

While the innovation of technology is growing and becoming widely used in the classroom, some safety concerns arise for young adults that I believe causes teachers to be responsible for modeling virtuous practices. In a collaborative group, my colleagues and I designed a Cybersafety Website using Weebly, a website that generates personal websites and blogs and publishes it on the Internet. We each were able to communicate via Google Docs, discussing concepts for our finished product. Each of us designed our own web page on a safety topic for students such as for cyber predators, plagiarism, inappropriate content, cyber bullying, and social networks. I chose to define identity safety and present preventative tactics for identity theft. On my page, I integrated relevant pictures, a video clip from Youtube, and additional internet resources by embedding the URL web address. Additionally, I designed the layout of the page and organized my information in two separate columns. This Cybersafety website allows us to collaborate with peers and use technology to express and model professional and respectable behavior on theInternet. This form of internet role modeling supports student’s success as they enter and utilize the World Wide Web. We can demonstrate information with the use of research while also displaying our fluency in technology skills.

Diigo

As a teacher, I find it important to connect with other educators, sharing educational findings, ideas, and websites. In order to save website addresses and to communicate with other educators, I created a Diigo account, which is a social bookmarking website used for storing websites and connecting with other users with the same interests, sharing ideas and discussing topics in groups. Anytime I find valuable information, Diigo will keep track of  my favorite websites and allow me to share my findings with others by joining groups or by notifying my followers about my newly tagged research. By “tagging” a website, labeling a website with a keyword that I can use to organize websites, I can make finding websites easier since each tag collects websites and organizes them into groups depending on their tagged name. Diigo assisted in developing my personal learning network (PLN) as I was able to join groups and follow other educators, gathering useful information that they have found while sharing practical websites I discovered. I used Diigo to bookmark website that provided educational topics I found interesting, such as assistive technology, math topics, multiple intelligences, and special education. For a reflective journal regarding ways to incorporate assistive learning technology, I used Diigo to keep track of interesting websites such as DynaVox Products, the Dragon Naturally Speaking software from Rapid Assist Technology, and Speech to Me app for the iPad. This helped me to keep track of my research and annotate information, as well as find other valuable resources by using  Diigo Search engine, where Diigo searches for websites tagged as AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) in the community library and groups with a matching interest in AAC. With each bookmark, I contributed to my  Diigo Tag Roll, which is display of the many tags I have created. I embedded the Tag Roll onto my blog, in order to help organize my websites and also share with others. Another great aspect of Diigo is that I could highlight pertinent information and leave comments and notes for myself, reflecting on how I could use this information as a future educator. By following several other educators, such as Susan Glassett, and by joining educational groups, such as Classroom 2.0, 21 Global Leadership, and Culbreath (an international society with a passion for mentoring and teaching), I grew my cross-cultural understanding in education and also increasing my knowledge in global issues and developments in integrating technology in the classroom. With the information I have tagged in my Diigo account and by communicating with other educators, I now have the knowledge of how I can address the diverse needs of every student by integrating technology further into the classroom.

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Personal Learning Network (PLN)

One of the best ways for teachers to learn and grow is to learn from others in the educational communities whom have more experience. I had the privilege to create my own personal learning network (PLN), which is an online form of communication with others via networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook, in order to communicate with other professionals in the educational field. My PLN included communication through Twitter, an online social networking site where members “tweet” or post information; Diigo, an online social bookmarking tool which allows one to follow others’ postings and discover pertinent web sites of their interest; and the Educator’s PLN, which is an online social networking PLN group specifically created for educators to communicate with each other. While using my PLN websites, I learned to post information, follow other member’s postings, and join in live chats where members would exchange teaching ideas and interesting teaching experiences. On Twitter, I followed other educators in order to gain a better insight of what it is like to be a teacher and I also joined several high school math related chats such as #teachmath, #mathteacher, #mathchat in order to discover the many experiences of math educators, whether it may discussing classroom issues, lesson plans, or great teaching experiences. Any resources I found interesting, I would use Diigo and bookmark the page and write a side note of my thoughts of the source. My PLN opens the door for me to collaborate with colleagues and grow in my professional and leadership skills, as I learn from others who have already experienced the trials and triumphs of teaching. I can participate in global discussions, learning about information of the latest practices and integrating technology in the classroom. Encouraging students to create a PLN will support them to increase their knowledge as they reach out into the world sharing thoughts and collecting the ideas from others.  

Educational Journals

Learning is an ongoing process as we never stop learning. As I learned new information throughout the semester, I wrote several journals reflecting on several unique educational topics of how I plan to integrate technology in the classroom. Since I believe it is important to stay well educated in the current world of teaching and technology, I became a member of the International Society to Technology in Education (ISTE) and have read many articles in their primary publication Learning and Leading with Technology (L&L). I have read several interesting articles pertaining to the latest issues in education such as the new rage on massive and open online courses, integrating Brightboards into the classroom (whiteboards that are similar to computers), and requiring students to obtain a “Digital Driver’s License” before allowing them to access computers. In my journal, I would write a summary of the article and ponder two questions that I may have regarding how I can utilize the information I have read into my personal classroom. After writing my reflective journal, I would upload the journal onto my personal blog with proper citation in order for others to read the article as well. Reading articles from L&L and reflecting on them helps me to improve my professional practice as well as demonstrates lifelong learning to my future students. Additionally, evaluating and reflecting on current the research of educational and technology issues helps me to use digital resources in order for me to have a successful future classroom.