tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69969337403118039362024-02-18T20:00:29.270-08:00It's a Blog eat Blog WorldMr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-38300157546917422502013-09-11T21:33:00.000-07:002013-09-11T21:33:15.553-07:00Favorite Book<iframe src='http://padlet.com/embed/rhshwnd7uc' frameborder='0' width='100%' height='480px' style='padding:0;margin:0;border:none'></iframe><div style='border-top:2px solid #a7d23a;padding:8px;margin:0;font-size:12px;text-align:right'><a href='http://padlet.com' style='color:#41555f;text-decoration:none'>Created with Padlet<img valign='middle' style='margin:0 0 0 10px;padding:0;border:none;width:16px;height:16px' src='http://padlet.com/favicon.ico'></a></div>Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-1675973952627661172012-07-28T15:08:00.002-07:002012-07-28T15:08:43.608-07:00Tool #111. What are your favorite tools you now have in your personal technology toolbox? Briefly describe a particular activity that you will plan for your students using at least one of these new tools.
I love the edmodo which gives me a communication device not only for my classroom, but with other SBISD teachers without invading their e-mails. I think Wallwisher will be a great way for my students to exchange ideas about the books they are reading. For example, I will assign my students the task of reviewing Bluebonnet books upon completion with the goal that every student reads enough Bluebonnet books to be eligible to vote on their favorite during the Bluebonnet breakfast. Storybird is a great tool for students (especially reluctant writers in that it gives them visual prompts to prevent "writer's block" or hesitancy to begin due to an inability to formulate ideas) and I found it one of the easiest programs to use. I will have students use it early in the year to create a book based on simple ideas.
2. How have you transformed your thinking about the learning that will take place in your classroom? How has your vision for your classroom changed? Are you going to need to make any changes to your classroom to accommodate the 21st Century learner?
The classroom environment will change as the Ipads will need a designated area with space. My classroom environment will focus less on students' desks and more on comfort zones whether that be at tables, cushions or wherever creative thinking is maximized for each student. The learning will shift from whole group centered to greater time spent in small groups and individual projects. Also, outside of the classroom can be greater utilized whether it is to take pictures, collaborate with other classrooms or just to allow learning outside where students may feel freer to express their ideas outside the confines of four walls.
3. Were there any unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
I felt there were more useful tools for younger learners such as my third graders than when I completed 23 tools and 11.5 tools. I still feel disappointment that some of the programs are not available unless you pay for them, but I have reluctantly accepted that many are out to "make a buck". I wish the district could provide more of these services but it does look like based on comments during the tools instruction that such efforts are being made. I also hope that these tools will allow my students to communicate more with other students in the district, around the United States and around the world.
I am thinking of having my students put together a project where they try to communicate with as many countries that are represented in the 2012 Summer Olympics as possible. I think this will be an engaging way to open their minds to discovering cultures and places around the world.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-24229975382315574072012-07-26T11:02:00.002-07:002012-07-26T11:02:57.345-07:00Tool #10Discuss at least three things you would want to make sure your students understand about being good digital citizens.
First and foremost, the things you say online can hurt others' feelings just as if you said them to their face and it is worse because it can reach such a larger audience. Never write anything or create anything that you would not want a family member to read.
Second, most of the people online have good intentions and want to help make the internet a better place. However, there are a few people who intend to cause harm whether that be through Cyberbullying, creating programs that can cause problems for computers and other technological resources or by exposing students to things that are not appropriate for children to see.
Third, do not share personal information about yourself online. There is no reason for anyone else online to know your last name, where you live and other personal things about yourself.
Share at least one of the resources mentioned above or on the Ed Tech website that you plan to use instructionally.
Students have always enjoyed using Brainpop as they find the characters engaging. Brainpop has videos along with quizzes about online safety as well as cyberbullying that will be shown in the first week of school.
I will also design lesson plans using the Common Sense website for insight as it covers many different aspects of digital citizenship.
Explain briefly how you would "teach" the idea of digital citizenship to your students.
I would compare how being a digital citizen is similar to being a member of the Woodview community. There are expectations of how students are to act, courses of action to be taken if they feel "bullied" and consequences if they cannot uphold the "No Place for Hate" standard that is expected of them in school. I also will model what is and what is not proper "digital citizenship" and have students model for their classmates as well. They will work in small groups to learn from each other efficient and respectful ways to use the technology.
Explain briefly how you plan to share the idea of digital citizenship with your parents.
I will incorporate language in my packet that I give to the parents at the beginning of the school year. I will discuss this in great detail at Meet the Teacher night at school. I will show them examples of digital citizenship for the classroom and make myself available to discuss just as I would for academic and behavioral issues.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-48788292878365172322012-07-25T22:44:00.003-07:002012-07-25T22:44:27.431-07:00Tool #9Why do you think it is important to tie the technology to the objective?
In order for students to comprehend objectives, they must be active participants. Almost all students love the opportunity to demonstrate learning through technological means. Also, almost every career path involves at least some technology use. Most careers don't require people to take written tests in a room for achievement. Most careers involve use of writing skills on computers and now handheld devices or presentations via Skype or other programs. Successful members of the workforce use art, music, writing, photography and other forms of expression to create presentations. These forms are expanding on technology and continue to do so at a rapid rate every day. We do not know what technology will be relevant for our students when they begin their careers so they need to practice as many different skills to achieve objectives as possible.
Why should we hold students accountable for the stations/centers?
Students should not see stations/centers as mere busy work or play time. They need to connect these centers with the objectives being taught and need to have the skills to demonstrate understanding of these objectives. Students that are held accountable using stations/centers are more engaged, ask better questions and collaborate better in small groups.
Visit 2 of the applicable links to interactive websites for your content/grade level.
Which sites did you like? How could you use them as stations? How can you hold the students accountable for their time in these stations?
I really liked ThinkFinity which incorporated activities in all subjects. One activity provided students with an easy to use letter creator. It even differentiated between personal and business letters and explained aspects such as indenting paragraphs and greetings and salutations. These would be used to have students practice their letter writing skills and they could print their final product. There were also many other activities to improve reading, writing and social studies skills. Most of the activities have a product which can be printed to use as an accountability piece.
I also enjoyed subtext, although it is designed for older students. It allows teachers and students to collaborate within digital books. Teachers can create quizes on the app as well as ask questions at different points in the book. Students can also ask questions, make observations and more. The teacher can see the progress of each student in the book which is helpful when trying to determine which students need additional support. The video also makes a good point that students that are reluctant to speak up in class may feel more liberated to do so on the app. Again, the biggest challenge would be to find grade-appropriate books to use this for.
List two to three apps you found for the iPod Touch/iPad that you can use in your classroom. What do you see that station looking like? How can you hold the students accountable for their time in these stations?
Audiopal is a great source for allowing students to create voice messages to add to our different technology programs. It has been my experience that students provide significantly deeper detail orally when analyzing what they read as opposed to writing it down. Using this program they can listen to themselves and their classmates and understand what more responsive answers sound like. Then, they can use this to write more thorough responses to different texts.
Bubbl.us is a great tool for students responses to reading. A person will create a primary bubble (ex. Why do you think the main character made that choice?) and others can reply with a connecting bubble. This would also be a good individual tool for students to gather their thoughts on a subject (ex. What do you know about Harriet Tubman?).
Dragon Dictation (which was mentioned in an earlier tool) will be a great source for students that verbalize well but have difficulty with spelling. It also allows them to put their thoughts down quicker so they don't lose track of their responses to reading.
Glogster.edu is a great tool for the artistically talented to demonstrate understanding of reading comprehension skills. It would also be a useful tool for certain aspects of social studies (ex. advertising).
Playtime Theater will be a great way for students to use technology and creativity to form their own stories or to retell texts they read in class.
What about other ways to use the iPod Touch/iPad? Share another way you can see your students using the device as a station.
The iPod Touch/iPad will be a useful tool in accessing the classroom Wikipage. It will also be useful in performing research using the SBISD website to access safe internet searches for students. It will allow students to create slideshows and video presentations. Students can communicate on Edmodo and other collaborative programs. I also plan to have students discuss ways they use technology at home, in the library on other places and will extend opportunities after thorough investigation to make sure such ways are safe for the class.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-92138149392470250862012-07-23T07:23:00.001-07:002012-07-23T07:23:20.366-07:00Tool #8<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;">After watching the videos/tutorials, list two to three things you learned about the device(s) that will be in your classroom this fall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. I learned that I pads can take pictures of screens which can be helpful when I am trying to demonstrate certain skills. Visual learners will benefit by being able to compare what is on the screen with what they have performed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. I learned that website locations can be saved on screen similar to apps which will be helpful with our classroom blog and wikipage. It will simply getting to frequently used webpages.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. I learned the I pad camera is useful for videos and slideshows and saves pictures/videos to a file. It will increase students' abilities to take their own videos/slideshows for presentations and allow us to lessen the need to use other peoples' products from places such as Flickr Creative Commons. Creative Commons is useful but I feel a product is more genuine as is the learning experience the more a product is the creation of a student.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you plan to manage the device(s) in your classroom? Do you have ideas/suggestions that others may find useful?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the first few weeks of school, we are going to spend time practicing the basics. Students need to practice logging on/logging off, picking up and putting away technology devices, sharing them with other students and using them responsibly. Students need to know that these uses are a privilege and not a right. I really liked the end of the tutorial where it talked about having people assigned to take out and put away the devices correctly. These responsibilities will help students grow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think it would be useful for any teacher to go to the easytech site on the SBISD webpage and look at the list of approved devices. I also think it is important to show kids how to use the devices and constantly remind them that it is inappropriate to go to websites that are not for young people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I plan to keep a log of when students use these devices to increase accountability as well as to make sure all my students get fair opportunities to explore. I also plan to create small groups of heterogeneous and homogeneous skill sets depending on what the project is. Heterogeneous groups are useful when you need a students to mentor a struggling or reluctant technology learner. Homogeneous groups are best when you do not want one or two students "taking over" a project and having other students left out. </span>Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-31981946290049520442012-07-19T09:04:00.006-07:002012-07-19T09:04:57.479-07:00Tool #7Objective: Students will follow, analyze and discuss the presidential election.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">This project will go on throughout the year including students' thoughts on the key issues, debates, the election itself and reflection following the election on why a candidate emerged victorious and why other candidates were not elected. Students will also discuss the electoral process: how it works, is it fair and potential alternatives. Students will also debate how can children impact the process even though they are ineligible to vote due to age. Students will use edmodo, Skype, VoiceThread, Wallwisher, Google Docs and more. </span><br />
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I have posted a message on the SBISD edmodo page to find other classrooms in the district interested in collaborating with our classrooms. I am also attempting to locate other classes in different states through teachers I know. I will also post a project on GlobalSchoolNet.org, OneWorldClassrooms or iEarn to find partners for this project.<br />
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On a separate note, I am also interested in having students exchange ideas about the types of books they like to read and will use similar programs as listed above to do so.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-4519754474233412632012-07-17T20:37:00.000-07:002012-07-23T10:18:54.240-07:00Tool #6 Part 2<a href="http://www.edmodo.com/roballen">Mr. Allen's edmodo page</a><br />
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Edmodo is a useful tool for sharing videos and conversations. It is also a valuable place to obtain information about SBISD or share ideas with local teachers. I like that students only need a code to use the program. Students will be able to exchange ideas as well as ask questions to their classmates and teachers. This will help hesitant students gain information about similar questions they may have had as well.<br />
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Skype has been an effective tool for communicating with people in other countries. For the past two years, we have video conferenced with teachers in the country we chose for Multicultural Awareness Week (Israel and Australia). Students really enjoyed asking questions about the similarities and differences of kids their age in different places/cultures. I also plan to use this to find experts on subjects (ex. authors, scientists, etc.).<br />
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Voice Thread is an interesting way to present reports. I would use this to students do a book report. It would also be an interesting way to present a biography or a science project for which pictures bring it to life.
<object width="480" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://voicethread.com/book.swf?b=2111710"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://voicethread.com/book.swf?b=2111710" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="480" height="360"></embed></object>Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-1133674029813882592012-07-17T14:13:00.002-07:002012-07-17T14:23:40.894-07:00Tool #6I have enjoyed using Wallwisher.com. It is easy to use, has many different designs and posts everyone's comments on one page. I also like that you do not have to create different accounts for every student and that I must approve before a comment/picture is posted to make sure this program is used respectfully and creates a healthy learning environment. Here is the start of our classroom's first Wallwisher topic:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400px" src="http://wallwisher.com/embed/Mr-Allen" style="border: 1px solid #999999;" width="100%"></iframe>Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-3074553646233650492012-07-12T08:38:00.001-07:002012-07-12T22:49:22.757-07:00Tool #5This is a comic strip I made on www.makebeliefscomix.com which was easy to use and fun to do.
<a href="http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/?comix_id=2906718C755527">http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/?comix_id=2906718C755527</a>
I wish there was a way to save the comic strip in a file so students could create a portfolio but it is still a beneficial program for students to demonstrate learning of a concept through creation of a comic strip. I think this would be particularly useful to have characters talk about a famous person in social studies or even a concept such as cause and effect or inference.
By the way, the YouTube tutorials that accompany the different websites/applications are tremendously helpful and make using these programs so simple.
I was all set to create a book on Tikatok when I went to register and found this:
Why can’t I join the Tikatok Educator Program? I can’t find the register link.
The Tikatok Educator Program closed effective June 11, 2012. We are no longer accepting new educator or homeschool educator registrations.
topWhat happened to my educator account?
The Tikatok Educator Program closed effective June 11, 2012 All educator, homeschool and student accounts were deleted along with the books saved under these accounts.
topWhat happened to my student’s accounts?
Tikatok.com closed its educator program effective June 11, 2012. All educator, homeschool and student accounts were deleted along with the books that may have been saved as part of these accounts.
I guess I will try a different application as Tikatok has become less educator friendly.
When one door closes another opens: Storybird does have a teacher classroom account. I will try it out and report my findings.
I am pumped once again. Storybird is awesome, easy to use and will be great for reluctant writers that need a prompt to inspire them. This is an easy way for students to write a short story and the artwork is cool and varies greatly. There is something for everyone. It also allows students to read other stories including their classmates. Check out the story I wrote:
<object width="436" height="274"><param name="align" value="lt"/><param name="scale" value="noScale"/><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="flashvars" value="book_slug=all-aboard-the-dream-machine&size=large&configXML=http://storybird.com/storymaker/paths/"/><param name="src" value="http://media.storybird.com/embedplayer/bin/StoryplayerEmbed.swf"><embed src="http://media.storybird.com/embedplayer/bin/StoryplayerEmbed.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="436" height="274" align="lt" scale="noScale" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="book_slug=all-aboard-the-dream-machine&size=large&configXML=http://storybird.com/storymaker/paths/" /></object><span style="display:block;font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,serif;font-size:14px;margin:5px 0 10px 0;"><a href="http://storybird.com/books/all-aboard-the-dream-machine/">All aboard the Dream Machine.</a> <span style="color:#666666;">on</span> <a href="http://storybird.com">Storybird</a></span>Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-32041476951111487742012-07-09T11:57:00.002-07:002012-07-11T14:24:07.137-07:00Tool #4I created the document below on Google documents and sent it to my third grade team as well as my principal. I plan to use it to get to know more about my students in the first few weeks of school.
Expectations of the third grade school year from a student perspective
Hello everyone. As you work on these questions, please remember that there are no right or wrong answers. This is how you feel and each person’s feelings should be respected. It is okay to feel differently than other people, in fact, it is what makes you special, but please respect your classmates, your teachers and the Woodview community. Your responses will better help us make your learning experience enjoyable as well as productive and fulfilling.
What did you do this summer?
How do you think you can use what you did this summer in school?
What do you hope to learn during the third grade school year?
Did you know that students like to learn in different ways. For example, some like to use music or art to show what they know. Others like to write poems or short stories. Still others like to use computers to create projects that demonstrate understanding. How do you like to learn? You can choose more than one answer and you do not have to use the choices above. By understanding how you like to learn, we can tailor lesson plans to keep you interested.
What type of activities do you like to do for fun? Do you play sports, sing in the choir, visit the library or some other activity?
What would you like to do at recess when we use the field?
What rules/behaviors do you think are important for us to be successful in the classroom?
What rules/behaviors do you think are important for us to be successful while walking in line?
What rules/behaviors do you think are important for us in the cafeteria?
What rules/behaviors do you think are important for us during recess?
Sometimes, students get to be involved with independent projects. Examples of this include book club, computer time, using i touches in the library and many more. What types of projects would you like to do?
Are you interested in having your own webpage to share your thoughts with each other on the computer? What would you do if we had a class webpage?
Why do you think it is important for you to share what you learn at school with your family at home? How can your family help you?
Is there something you are really good at that you would like to teach the class?
I have sent a Google form to my third grade teammaters that can be found at the following link:
<iframe src="https://docs.google.com/a/springbranchisd.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dHN3R0RwYk9IUlhTcU12Mm1hU0ZCMnc6MQ" width="760" height="1111" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Loading...</iframe>
Briefly discuss how you can use the tools in Google Apps with your team or department. How can you incorporate Google Apps as a tool in your classroom? Which tools are you excited about using with students?
I love the Google forms as I like to create assessments with different types of questions (I don't like to use only multiple choice, choose from a list or essay questions) a combination of different questions is preferable. I also think the Google drawing will be effective for my students that may better express themselves through art rather than the written word. After exploring the public templates in Google docs, I think Google is going to be a more effective method for my students to create the school newspaper as opposed to using word. Having one document and giving access to the students allows me to see each version but does not cause confusion with different documents "floating" around.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-4342196703969615162012-07-06T15:41:00.002-07:002012-07-17T15:47:13.847-07:00Tool #3Visit several of the video hosting/streaming sites mentioned above. Share with your readers which sites you found most useful for your content and why.
I have been a fan of Teacher Tube because I feel the videos are more relevant to educational purposes and are less likely to contain spam or inappropriate material. I am more likely to find curriculum material and have been successful in finding engaging videos across the curriculum.
Discovery Education has been a useful video site for years especially when students are researching science or social studies projects. For example, students have frequently found useful information about animals and planets when researching those topics. They also used the site to determine why Pluto was no longer a planet (this bugged them to no end and I loved watching them debate why it should or should not be a planet).
Using any of the video resources mentioned above, find and select two videos that may be useful resources in your classroom.
Here are two videos I will use in the classroom. The first one, from Discovery Education, If you Give a Mouse a Cookie is great for demonstrating repeated cause and effect actions.
<a href="http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=D59C8AAB-207F-4417-8555-E4C0EB7124C6"></a><br />
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<a href="http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=D59C8AAB-207F-4417-8555-E4C0EB7124C6">http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=D59C8AAB-207F-4417-8555-E4C0EB7124C6</a><br />
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The second video, from Brainpop discusses strategies for good reading skills. The characters are entertaining to the students and a quiz is available for students to take after the video concludes:
<a href="http://www.brainpop.com/english/studyandreadingskills/readingskills/"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.brainpop.com/english/studyandreadingskills/readingskills/">http://www.brainpop.com/english/studyandreadingskills/readingskills/</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Articulate what you learned about copyright and fair use. What was new to you?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">I learned that certain criteria allow for copyrighted items to be used. I also confirmed that attribution is essential for fair use of works when permitted by the creator. I learned that copyright lasts past a person's life time and passes on to their family.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Create a </span><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/" style="color: #529ec1; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">Dropbox </a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">account and add some files to it How could you use this tool in your classroom?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Since Dropbox can be used on any computer/i touch/i pad, it is a great tool for research projects for my students. Students can go to designated websites or photo sharing sites to create technology projects, research ideas and demonstrate understanding of the curriculum. It allows teachers to give students freedom to explore while protecting them from spyware and inappropriate material which is always a concern for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=D59C8AAB-207F-4417-8555-E4C0EB7124C6">If you Give a Mouse Video</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.brainpop.com/english/studyandreadingskills/readingskills/preview.weml">Brainpop Video</a>Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-71044940255276277602012-07-03T14:05:00.001-07:002012-07-03T14:05:17.961-07:00Tool #2I really enjoy reading and commenting on other blogs. I always find at least some useful information and often times a critical component to improve my own teaching skills. I was taught very early in my teaching career by my mentor to take a little of each teacher you interact with and shape it into your own style. Participating in a PLN is vital to add things that may never have come into your mind otherwise.
Points that stood out to me from commenting was the common theme of motivating students. Tara presented an excellent video by a student presenting to teachers in Dallas. This student was eloquent charismatic and had the teachers in the palm of his hand. His future teachers have a big responsibility to foster his excellent public speaking skills as well as his heart. We also have this moral responsibility to do this for each and every student and to block out any distraction in our own professional as well as personal lives.
I am open to sharing my thoughts but I am protective of my thoughts against the "Darth Bloggers" of the world as mentioned in this tool. I take criticism very harshly often to the point that it will bring me down and I need to put this aside and keep going like I do in the classroom.
It is different to share thoughts on blogs as opposed to with teammates because the tone is easier to read in person. Also, you have a closer professional relationship most of the time with your teammates and a common interest in bettering students' lives. Responding to blogs requires tact and writing in a way that prevents misunderstanding or undue/harsh criticism. I always think back when I wrote an e-mail to a friend in college which they totally took in a way I did not mean and how that made them feel. I have tried to choose my wording carefully in the 20+ years since that experience.
A blog I plan to use in the future is called Free Technology for Teachers. I want students to have access to as many tools as possible but cannot afford nor do I expect the school/district to pay for applications for the computers/I touch's. This blog presented several different applications which I found useful and I am sure will continue to do so.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-56152648340048799312012-05-15T21:52:00.001-07:002012-05-15T21:53:02.087-07:00My Voki<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEzMzcxNDM5MDU5MTAmcHQ9MTMzNzE*MzkyMjUyNyZwPTk3NTA3MiZkPTAwMCUyMC*lMjBWb2tpJTIwV2lkZ2V*Jmc9/MSZvPWQwMzQzMTZkZWNkOTRmNzg5OGFiNzY2NzA*Yzk1NDFiJm9mPTA=.gif" /><object height="267" width="200" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,28,0" id="widget_name"><param name="movie" value="http://vhss-d.oddcast.com/vhss_editors/voki_player.swf?doc=http://vhss-d.oddcast.com/php/vhss_editors/getvoki/chsm=1c0a479156808ea27efe139b0598538f%26sc=6104192" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="width" value="200" /><param name="height" value="267" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed height="267" width="200" src="http://vhss-d.oddcast.com/vhss_editors/voki_player.swf?doc=http%3A%2F%2Fvhss-d.oddcast.com%2Fphp%2Fvhss_editors%2Fgetvoki%2Fchsm=1c0a479156808ea27efe139b0598538f%26sc=6104192" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" allowFullScreen="true" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" name="widget_name"></object>Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-735764642339978222012-05-15T20:42:00.000-07:002012-05-15T20:42:05.776-07:00Well, I'm back. Getting ready for professional development this summer and the first step is to create a blog. Thankfully, I have one. Looking forward to learning new ways to make technology engaging.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-33740342010012358442011-09-28T21:06:00.000-07:002011-09-28T21:09:21.119-07:00Technology ExplorationI was reviewing the technology uses for students and I keep thinking, "Why do most of these cost money?". In a time when every penny counts, shouldn't we find ways to get students on these great programs without hurting the school or a teacher's budget. I guess I am ranting, but I was all excited about xtranormal for my students and it would end up being twenty bucks a month.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-51984880773342232952010-07-28T11:02:00.001-07:002010-07-28T11:02:51.324-07:00Thing 11.5 - Evaluation1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?<br /><br />I was very excited to take part in this journey since I learned so much from 23 things last year. I loved learning about screencasts and thought of so many uses for this technology. It will help greatly when students want to understand how to use certain technology programs since they can view the screencast and follow it direction by direction. I always wanted to try Skype and have been using it to communicate with my sister in England. My own children like being able to see her face when talking to her. I would love to use this when studying a topic to speak with experts.<br /><br />2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?<br /><br />I am always trying to ascertain ways for students to use technology since no matter what career path they might take; some use of technology will be necessary. For them to wait until they are older to use these applications will put them behind other students and force them to play “catch up”. Kids love using the computers and the engagement level is significantly higher when they are allowed to do so. 11.5 things has given me some new opportunities to expand their learning environment.<br /><br />3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?<br /><br />I am little surprised that some of these applications are not user-friendly to the Macintosh computer I have at home. Being able to go from one type of computer to another is a must in today’s society where both are so prevalent. I was surprised how simple seemingly difficult tasks like creating a screencast or linking my blog to video sources really was. And downloading does not take nearly as long as in the past. I still feel public websites like PBS do a much better job organizing their materials for searches than the governments websites which I found surprisingly difficult to use (scary thought if you ask me). <br /><br />4. What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?<br /><br />I love the way 23 things and 11.5 things are set up so I would not change much. Maybe, you could create a program like this for teachers to have students complete to make them more comfortable on the computers and on different programs. Just as Clue has a Clue Jr., Rock Band has a Lego Rock Band, etc., 23 things should have a 23 kid things and 11.5 kid things that will challenge them in such an engaging way.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-68193503246243759742010-07-18T09:28:00.000-07:002010-07-18T09:29:45.389-07:00Thing #11 -What might my digital citizenship lesson look like and why? Five things I will tell my students about being good digital citizens.1. Be respectful of other peoples’ feelings. Just because you find something to be funny does not mean that it does not offend others. Be courteous of those around you and before you post something on the internet, think how others may react to it.<br /><br />2. Be careful of what you access on the internet. Most sites are useful, entertaining and safe. However, there are people in this world with bad intentions that may put inappropriate material online. Luckily for us, Spring Branch Independent School District works hard to keep that type of material off our school internet. But even with that protection, there are risks. Think of it this way, would you show a family member the material you are seeing. If not, stay away from it. If you are not sure if what you are seeing is inappropriate, ask me and I will look at it to help you understand why it is or is not. Remember, my number one goal is to keep you safe, not only physically, but mentally as well which includes safe and healthy digital citizenship.<br /><br />3. As mentioned in digiteen article we read, identify is a very important thing to protect. You must safeguard personal information about yourself. What I mean is that there are a few people that will use information about others to steal from them (identity theft) or cause them harm. Don’t give your telephone number, address or personal information about yourself out on the internet. Understand that the website Mr. Allen has designed for you to use is only accessible to you, teachers and administrators at Woodview and your families. This is a safeguard Mr. Allen uses to keep you protected from outside sources that may or may not have your best interests in mind.<br /><br />4. Be careful of misunderstandings when communicating by e-mail. The digiteen article discusses this in detail. When you say something face to face, people can see if you are joking or are serious. When you write an e-mail or blog, you may think something is funny but others may think you are being serious and become upset at what you wrote. A responsible digital citizen is one who thinks about what they are going to write and carefully words it as to minimize offending others. No matter how much you consider others’ feelings, misunderstandings will still occur on occasion. Make sure if this is the case, you listen to what the person has to say, explain your intention with what you wrote and apologize if necessary. Saying I am sorry is an act of strength not weakness.<br /><br />5. Do not use the internet to make others feel bad about themselves. This is identified in the digiteen article as cyber-bullying and is just as unacceptable online as bullying is face to face. Again, think about what you are saying and could it cause someone to have his or her feelings hurt. There is nothing wrong with having an opinion and stating it even if many others disagree. But that is different than stating something to intentionally hurt someone’s feelings or picking on someone because others are doing so. Report any cyber-bullying you see to me so we can make the Woodview internet learning community a safe and healthy place to be.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-58677354513547957702010-07-11T11:18:00.001-07:002010-07-11T11:27:15.442-07:00Thing #10 Second Life and other Virtual WorldsI have used Second Life before and have mixed emotions about it. I love the ability to explore the ocean, African wildlife and creating weather disasters. However, I would never let my students use it because there is a lot of inappropriate material. Adult suggestive themes, materialistic ideals and scams are not what I want to expose my students to. I would show them the educational material previously mentioned but would have to pull it up out of their eyesight to make sure they are not exposed to adult themes.<br /><br />I do like virtual worlds, but mainly those where students can be active learners. One I have used in my class that students seem to enjoy is Whyville. It can be found at <a href="http://www.whyville.net/smmk/nice">www.whyville.net/smmk/nice.<br /></a><br /><br />Whyville allows students to explore a kids world with science, social studies and other educational topics. Some of my favorites are when students have to land a hot air balloon in a designated area using force, wind and other variables. Another cool part is when students sort different recyclable materials. <br /><br />Virtual worlds can be a tremendous growth opportunity for students. Please use them with caution.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-54381483815771704432010-07-08T15:03:00.000-07:002010-07-08T15:28:55.763-07:00Thing #9 - SlideshareSlideshare would be very useful for students to as its own website states, "share ideas, connect with others....". Students will find others with common interest that can provide feedback and additional information on their topic of interest. They can take their created slideshows and embed them onto our class website for all to see. It also has a voiceover feature to allow them to narrate their content. This will help them with their public speaking skills. Slideshare also has groups for various topics that students can join and interact with those who share common interests. Slideshare does a nice job of dividing content by categories, including education. Slideshare allows sharing presentations with the public or private sharing so that students can share with each other in a safe capacity. After reading, the article comparing the different websites for sharing Powerpoint presentations, I think it is clear that each has its strengths and areas in need of improvement. Slideshare is free, is easy to use and is student-friendly. Therefore, it will be a useful tool for students to show their knowledge using technology and to gain feedback from others with similar interests/knowledge.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-91017666258420188512010-07-08T10:58:00.000-07:002010-07-08T11:00:16.084-07:00Thing #8 - Quick Tips for Improving ScreencastsThis two minute video by Sue Waters is well worth viewing. I learned about the feature where the screencast can follow where you go with the mouse arrow. I also think it is important to capture only the relevant portions of the screen so that the page is focused and not blurry.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-26986941948360185532010-07-05T17:06:00.000-07:002010-07-05T17:14:10.469-07:00Thing #8 - Screencast - O - MaticI liked the screencast o matic because it only took two steps to use. It take a while to download the finished product, but if you are not in a hurry, this is an effective device. I like the fact I can use it on a Mac or a PC giving me flexibility at school and at home. I also think this is a great tool for students to show other students things they can do on the computer. There are things I am asked repeatedly and with this tool, they can figure it out by watching what I did. This would be great in centers when I am working with small groups so that students can avoid getting stuck or interrupting small group instruction. Here is a screencast I did about finding Gamequarium on the district website.
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<br /><a href="http://<iframe width=802 height=511 frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/embed?sc=c6i1cliMK&w=800&v=3"></iframe>"><iframe width=802 height=511 frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/embed?sc=c6i1cliMK&w=800&v=3"></iframe></a>Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-33420531197991443352010-07-03T15:18:00.000-07:002010-07-03T15:23:42.410-07:00Thing #8 - JingThe Jing program was easy to create a screencast with. I made a quick one showing my students how to get onto our classroom website. The biggest challenge was understanding how to put the screencast in a place where it could be embeded onto my blog. Click on the link below to check it out. This will be great for students to demonstrate to other students how to perform certain functions on the computer. It is great for visual learners who don't get enough out of having verbal instructions.<br /><br /><br />http://<a href="http://www.screencast.com/t/MTllM2E0NDI">2010-07-03_1658</a>">Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-33852380525188302612010-07-02T18:51:00.000-07:002010-07-02T18:55:48.187-07:00Thing #7 Video Sources - Blip.tvI like Blip.tv. It reminds me of a source I have used to show students animals in the wild called Africam. A lot of my students see elephants and make connections with the zoo. This clips show the animals in their natural habitats which can be used throughout the curriculum (ex. writing about the clips, social interaction between species, habitats and adaptations of animals, etc.).<br /><embed src="http://blip.tv/play/AYHHm2cC" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="300" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-17163794670011621772010-07-02T13:47:00.000-07:002010-07-02T13:57:04.066-07:00Thing #7 Video Sources - PBSAs opposed to the difficulty of using the National Archives video, PBS is very user friendly and relevant to science in a third grade classroom. I found a great video about hunters and prey that I will definitely use this upcoming school year. I have attached
<br />the commerical for the video since it is quite lengthy.
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<br /><a href="http://<object width = "512" height = "328" > <param name = "movie" value = "http://www-tc.pbs.org/video/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swf" > </param><param name="flashvars" value="video=1444504027&player=viral" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param > <param name = "allowscriptaccess" value = "always" > </param><embed src="http://www-tc.pbs.org/video/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swf" flashvars="video=1444504027&player=viral" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="512" height="328" bgcolor="#000000"></embed></object><p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #808080; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 512px;">Watch the <a style="text-decoration:none !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#4eb2fe !important;" Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6996933740311803936.post-7902595268681755592010-07-02T13:31:00.000-07:002010-07-02T13:34:23.374-07:00Thing #7 Video Sources - National Archives Video CollectionsAfter viewing the National Archives Video Collection website, I have concluded it is not very user friendly. I might use it to find a specific subject but it is not very helpful when it comes to sorting through the material. I feel there are other sources that would be easier for students and teachers to use. I am not saying I would never use it, but it would be a secondary source.Mr. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02611979097405903422noreply@blogger.com0