1.Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Classroom Newsletter
Using Microsoft Word, a word processing program, I created an appealing and an informative newsletter for students and parents. The newsletter included important details information about my classroom.Through creating my newsletter, I mastered the skills of using a table and creating a custom masthead, a quote surrounded by two pieces of line art, drop-caps, Graphics hand-drawn and scanned, wrapped graphics around my text, and custom bullets that help organize lists. My newsletter includes three separate articles each with interesting titles/headlines. Within the articles, I included graphics that I wrapped in the text of each article. Creating a Newsletter allowed me to expand my knowledge of Microsoft Word, while inspiring student learning and creativity. I can now transfer my knowledge of this digital tool to my students and it can be used to help support their endeavors in researching, analyzing, and evaluating information in a innovative and creative program.
Classroom Blog
Using Blogger, Google’s blog publishing service, I created my own classroom blog. A blog is a website containing the writer's or group of writers' own experiences, observations, opinions, etc. To help personalize my blog, I added pictures, customized various font colors, and chose a layout design and format. Each week on my blog, I share my projects with peers and others who “follow” my blog by using HTML code to embed my technology creations into my blog. Such projects include multiple journal article reflections from ISTE’s Learning and Leading with Technology publication, as well as my works with differing technologies such as: links to a collaborative cybersafety website, additional technology resources, an educational crossword puzzle created in Microsoft Excel, and a NETS Prezi presentation, each of which can easily be found on my blog, as they are in individual labeled tabs at the top of my blog page. By sharing information on my blog, I am able to share my knowledge of different forms of technology, as well as gain feedback and insight from others, as there is a comments section below each post that allows for others to share feedback about my work thus creating a virtual learning environment. Creating a blog has allowed me to expand my knowledge of one of the largest web-based resources readily available, which in turn I can now transfer into my own classroom to incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.
2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Google Docs
Using the forms feature of Google Docs, a free online service offered by Google which allows the creations of multimedia documents and assessments, I created an online assessment for my NETS-S Prezi presentation. I used the Google Doc form tool to create a new survey form, and choose one of the several provided themes, as well as customize my survey using various types of questions. This tool allowed me to incorporate authentic learning experiences by creating my own questions and using fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, checkboxes, short answer, and long answer. I was able to maximize content learning in context by requiring other students to engage my assessment. Further I was able to view and share the results of my assessment in a separate spreadsheet. My use of Google Docs creates a technology-enriched learning environment for students to interact directly with me and to both offer direct feedback and allow better understand the student’s comprehension of the material. The accessibility of this tool enables students to engage in a greater learning experience. Further, as a teacher this tool can encourage active students in a pursuit of their own educational goals by being able to manage their own learning activities and reflecting their own progress using the provided assessments.
Prezi
It is imperative that teachers design and develop digital age education for students in hopes to promote student learning and creativity. Through Prezi, a web-based multimedia presentation software, I designed a presentation that demonstrates my knowledge and incorporation of the 2008, National Education Technology Standards (NETS-S) and the performance indicators for technologically literate students for a second grade. After, watching the Prezi tutorial, I created a path from start to finish that guides users from one idea to the next, zooming in revealing each point inside multiple sized frames including pictures, text, and video, effectively convey the NETS- S and communicate relevant lessons. I selected a subject of saving the environment, created a title, listed the object of the lesson, and four performance indicators to include in each lesson. Each frame include one NETS, a web-based lesson how to accomplish the NETS, a relevant image in which the student would follow the path created. Creating a Prezi allowed me to assert technology for effective communication of the NET-S performance indicators and web-based ideas, to student and peers using digital-age media. Further, I can now design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.
3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning
IMovie PSA
It is important that teachers can create multimedia for their students so students can benefit from alternative teaching method. Through the use of Apple’s IMovie video editing software, I created an informative public service announcement about the advantages of attending California State University San Marcos, and then uploaded it to my blog using QuickTime conversion. In the public service announcement I uploaded pictures and modified video clips from the event library and then placed them into the timeline so that I could limit the PSA to a minute. In the program, the inspector tool allowed me to detach audio, add music, and change clip volume levels. Using this tool, I also applied several screen effects, transitions between clips, added a title, text, ending credits, and included a voice over. In the video I programmed music that fades in and out with research facts displayed on slides as well as a recorded voice over. With the design of this video I can model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to analyze and use information resources to support research and learning. With the knowledge gained from creating my own iMovie to demonstrate learning, I can support student success by allowing them to create their own media and research.
MindMapping
Using , Bubble.us, a free web-based mind mapping tool, I created a mind map reflecting on my proficiency for each of the five National Education Technology Standards (NETS-T). Bubble.us is a perfect tool for connecting multiple concepts or ideas to analyze, evaluate, and use information resouces to support understanding. First, I started the map in the center by inserting the the text “NETS-T” into the main topic “bubble”, then i expanded it by adding five “child bubbles” which were labeled with each of the five NETS-T standards. I then attached two subtopic to each child bubbles which contained artifacts of my work completed and also more child bubbles which exemplify the completion of the NETS-T standards. Lastly, I organized the bubbles to create a clear and flowing path by color coding each added idea a different shade of the previous color. Having the ability to organize and present my NETS proficiency in a mindmap allowed me to model digital age work and will facilitate effective use of current digital tools in the classroom to support student learning with organizing ideas in a fun and creative way. With the knowledge I gained from Bubble.us, I can support student success and innovation by allowing students to create mindmaps by analyzing and evaluating their own studies and subjects.
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship
and Responsibility
Cybersafety Website
Using Weebly, a free widget-based online website creator, I co-produced a website to promote and model digital etiquette and responsibility. Weebly allows users to create pages by dragging and dropping different types of page elements including images, text, and interactive content. I collaborated with six other peers and created a cybersafety resource website for educators, consisting of six topics including: identity safety, cyberbullying, cyber predators, piracy and plagiarism, inappropriate content,social networks and a main page describing the project with a video. Each topic page had separate sections and two columns with text and a picture containing a definition, discussing the safety/legal issue, provide tips for parents, educators, and students, three resource links, and an embedded video. Lastly, I contributed and produced the topic on social networks, as a group we remained uniform in font size and color throughout the site. Creating a cybersafety website allowed me to understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior to everyday issues as an educator. Further, our website can model digital etiquette and responsibility with social interactions related to the use of technology and information that can be accessed by both parents and students.
Diigo
Using Diigo, a social bookmarking website, I bookmarked, tagged, and highlighted web pages to collect resources, communicate and engage other colleagues and students. Diigo also allows users to tag the resources with specific topics, follow people with similar interest, and benefit from the resources they have tagged. After opening an account I began developing a personal learning network (PLN) by searching the community adding many educators, which allowed me access to their online research. I then bookmarked many topics relating to PLN’s, education, effective teaching, proper evaluating, communication and added them to my Diigo Tag Roll, which allows me to share with others on Diigo. Specifically, I bookmarked articles related to global awareness,cultural understanding, and teaching tolerance, which I used relevant and memorable descriptive markers on each websites to create an efficient library in tags which would create websites accessible for other colleagues. In Diigo, bookmarking websites and joining groups developed my global awareness on bullying as well as how to apply effective lessons. By engaging with colleagues I also obtained information on multiple intelligences and a multicultural awareness quizzes which overall contributed to my cultural understanding, in which I now can model for my students to promote tolerance of other cultures.
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Journals
An effective teacher must actively adapt to the changing environment and engage in professional growth for their students to truly benefit from learning. I wrote several blog post reflecting on educational articles from Learning & Leading with Technology, an educational journal from ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education. The journal articles were placed on my blog for other colleagues to review. After reviewing current educational articles, I posted which National Educational Teaching Standards for Teachers (NETS-T), the article reflected best as well included a summary and analysis of the article asking relevant questions and attempts to answer the questions pertaining to the article. Topics including fostering creativity and innovation through technology, discovering resources and tools that are used for students with speech or language disabilities, and building a personal learning network (PLN) to improve my career for the students. Among these topics I closely reflected on the integration of technology in the classroom, promoting student learning, and effective technological tools for educators. Lastly, each post included a picture embedded in the webpost. Creating these journals allowed me to evaluate and reflect on current research but also produce effective use of existing and emerging digital tools by posting the material on my blog. By engaging in professional growth I benefit from spreading the knowledge to other educators and practicing current effective research when supporting student learning.
Personal Learning Network
A teacher must overcome many trials to accomplish the challenging goal of enlightening the youth to develop into lifelong learners. I created a Personal Learning Network (PLN) which is a system of connecting with people and collecting ideas, sharing of resources, and contacts to better improve oneself as an educator. When building my PLN, my purpose is to be surrounded by other educators and scholars, both in person and online, with similar interest, in hopes to academically improve my career. I created my own PLN using a variety of Web 2.0 tools including: Twitter, a social-networking service and website, Diigo, a social bookmarking website, The Educator's PLN: a Ning site dedicated to the support of a Personal Learning Network for educators and where educators can share resource and information as well as participate in weekly discussions. I participated in an #edchat, one of Twitter’s discussion which consists of one particular educational topic and an interactive hour online chat. In addition to participating in the edchat I followed many more experienced educators tagged several supreme online resources and learned about several coaching models for teaching. When creating a PLN I am able to grow by obtaining resources, ideas, and most importantly feedback from affiliates in my PLN. By creating a PLN through the use of such tools as The Educator’s PLN, educational chats, Diigo, as well as Twitter, I have expanded my PLN and now have a large group of peers that I can continue to build relationships with to ensure professional growth by participation in local and global learning communities regularly. I now can ensure continuous improvement professionally for the purpose of transforming knowledge from the expanded community to my local classroom.