March 13, 2017 (final)
Digital assessment teaching tools are required to evaluate student work. These include using the Internet with various online applications, online resources, blogs, videos, or podcasts (Johnson, 2014). Assessment should be ongoing and provide a lot of feedback. A great way to take inventory of prior or current knowledge is through online quizzes like Kahoot or anonymous surveys like SurveyMonkey. This allows teacher to understand what students remember and how they are progressing with new information. There are online rubrics where students can create and use self- and peer assessment to be comfortable with the assessment expectations (Johnson, 2014).
Another way to assess in a summative and formative way is through a digital portfolio. Each student can create their own digital portfolio to demonstrate their work and it can be shared with other students, teachers, and parents. “The heart of a portfolio is reflection” (Johnson, 2014, p. 143). This means that rather than just an online spot to fill, it is a place where feedback and self-reflection occur in order to observe the changes undergone through the process of creating a digital portfolio.
We also learned how to create a screencast to provide digital instruction. See screencast below:
Digital assessment teaching tools are required to evaluate student work. These include using the Internet with various online applications, online resources, blogs, videos, or podcasts (Johnson, 2014). Assessment should be ongoing and provide a lot of feedback. A great way to take inventory of prior or current knowledge is through online quizzes like Kahoot or anonymous surveys like SurveyMonkey. This allows teacher to understand what students remember and how they are progressing with new information. There are online rubrics where students can create and use self- and peer assessment to be comfortable with the assessment expectations (Johnson, 2014).
Another way to assess in a summative and formative way is through a digital portfolio. Each student can create their own digital portfolio to demonstrate their work and it can be shared with other students, teachers, and parents. “The heart of a portfolio is reflection” (Johnson, 2014, p. 143). This means that rather than just an online spot to fill, it is a place where feedback and self-reflection occur in order to observe the changes undergone through the process of creating a digital portfolio.
We also learned how to create a screencast to provide digital instruction. See screencast below:
glowtxt.com
March 6, 2017
Voki.com make an avatar that can talk.
There was a presentation on reader responses. Johnson (2014) regarding writing online talks about an effective response summarizes what the text is about and what was learned from the text.
Johnson’s tips for writing a blog response:
Creating a blog provides students with a platform to talk to the world. A blog is an online journal that anyone in the world can access if wanted. It is global connectivity through online journaling. Classroom activity includes commenting on other people’s blogs on the other side of the world with authentic discussion. Interactivity builds motivation for students. Connect to the person’s blog post. This is an opportunity to teach digital citizenship and integrate media literacy.
We had a guest speaker talk to us about coding in the classroom. He used Play Code Monkey and also spoke to us about Scratch coding. See video below.
Johnson, D. (2014). Reading, Writing, and Literacy 2.0: Teaching with Online Texts, Tools, and Resources, K-8. Teacher's College, Columbia University.
Voki.com make an avatar that can talk.
There was a presentation on reader responses. Johnson (2014) regarding writing online talks about an effective response summarizes what the text is about and what was learned from the text.
Johnson’s tips for writing a blog response:
- View other people’s blogs.
- Think about what features you want on your blog.
- Public or Private blog posts.
- Create a class blog.
- Focus on correct writing process.
- Show exemplars.
- Post a rubric for blog responses.
Creating a blog provides students with a platform to talk to the world. A blog is an online journal that anyone in the world can access if wanted. It is global connectivity through online journaling. Classroom activity includes commenting on other people’s blogs on the other side of the world with authentic discussion. Interactivity builds motivation for students. Connect to the person’s blog post. This is an opportunity to teach digital citizenship and integrate media literacy.
We had a guest speaker talk to us about coding in the classroom. He used Play Code Monkey and also spoke to us about Scratch coding. See video below.
Johnson, D. (2014). Reading, Writing, and Literacy 2.0: Teaching with Online Texts, Tools, and Resources, K-8. Teacher's College, Columbia University.
Date: February 27, 2017
There was a presentation on Internet inquiry safe search engines such as the following:
Instagrok.com automatically creates a mind map, search and videos come up to describe like if you chose Leopards and then used videos, words, and pictures to stem off of that word associated with it.
VideoAnt shares videos around class, that kids make and get feedback around the class. Use Instagrok to search something, there is a list of videos and facts provided.
There was another presentation on Seesaw. Seesaw is an online program for student-driven digital portfolio creation.
Creating a digital portfolio allows students to publish their work in a closed network of peers, teachers, and parents in order for students to take ownership of their personal achievements.
There was a presentation on Internet inquiry safe search engines such as the following:
- Ask Kids (6-12) free, fun,
- KidRex
- Kidzsearch.com
- Searchypants (see video below)
Instagrok.com automatically creates a mind map, search and videos come up to describe like if you chose Leopards and then used videos, words, and pictures to stem off of that word associated with it.
VideoAnt shares videos around class, that kids make and get feedback around the class. Use Instagrok to search something, there is a list of videos and facts provided.
There was another presentation on Seesaw. Seesaw is an online program for student-driven digital portfolio creation.
Creating a digital portfolio allows students to publish their work in a closed network of peers, teachers, and parents in order for students to take ownership of their personal achievements.
Date: February 13, 2017
Presentations in class today focused on advantages and disadvantages of using Ebooks and E-literature. Johnson (2014) talks about the many types including for read-alouds, interactive storybooks, e-narratives, hybrid books, e-reader devices and apps, digital magazines.
Online read-aloud books encourage independent learning, but one also needs to understand how to use the online software as well as picking the reading level that suits them. Regarding e-reading comprehension, reading on the internet requires navigation skills, determine readability, and reliability of resources. It is important to monitor comprehension by checking in with your students.
We also use the app Flip-grid book trailer (advertising the book without giving away the ending). Our group did charlie and the chocolate factory and filmed short video clips together to advertise the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in a fun, personable, collaborative, and creative way. This allowed us to use technology within the classroom, build teamwork skills, and enhance our learning in the classroom.
Date: February 6, 2017
Technology can be use to create a classroom community and connecting with families (Johnson, 2014). When using technology there is a lot of exploration and inquiry-based learning that is hands on and interactive. This develops many skills for students including the following: naming and noticing, identity, agency and becoming strategic, flexibility and transfer, knowing, and an evolutionary, democratic learning community. When students work together such as with digital storytelling, they are working as a team, using their strengths, building confidence, and collaborating with each other and different multimedia elements of technology. All this, and then they can blog about their experience. If students are using technology to share with their families their endeavours in the classroom, communities will reciprocally support school initiatives.
In class we talked about video apps, namely Voicethread, Animoto, and Storybird. All of these apps could be used to develop videos or stories. There are strengths and limitations for each of them. We talked about the importance of choosing quality applications in order to ensure low-cost and accessibility to students. Presentations also surrounded language and eleven different ways of knowing a word or expression. Presentations also included the app Thinglink which can put in youtube clips and pictures, and put in information points on the photo. One can use this to create a lesson, students can share and do peer evaluation, and use it as a presentation tool.
Date: January 30, 2017
According to Coiro, Knobel, Lanshear, and Leu (2008) from Johnson (2014), with the numerous new technology developments that keep arising, it would appear that pedagogy with the integration of technology will continue to be a natural part of literacy.
The key to integrating technology is choosing what you have used yourself and in that reflecting on how and what it could be used for to complement what you are teaching. Pairing the technology type with the learning goals and curriculum goals is essential to creating making technology part of the normal day-to-day expectation for the learning process.
By using social networking, one can keep in the current technological loop. The serves the purpose of using the most innovative technology, but also collaborating with students’ knowledge of technology contributions to the classroom (Johnson, 2014). I use Twitter myself, and it has provided me with ample first-hand resources of teachers, professors, and administrators who are all sharing information of new technology and teaching practices. By networking, one can through podcasts, blogs, vlogs, Twitter, Skype, subscribe, share, learn, and develop an online community to support technology in your classroom.
Date: January 23, 2017
Makerspace article I wrote for The Fulcrum
Purpole 3d-printed heart from our makerspace workshop class!
I had previously done a workshop during a professional development day, as well I wrote an article for the Fulcrum, interviewing many people regarding the makerspace at the University of Ottawa in the engineering building. I had not even heard about the makerspace until that PD day and found it to be a wonderfully creative space for exploration and discovery. There were many tools available including the 3-D printers and software, laser cutting, sewing machines, and virtual reality. The makerspace brought engineering to life with the ability to bring their creations to a development stage, such is the case for the prosthetics created at a fraction of the cost. This allows for a space for start-up businesses with creatively-minded individuals who all want to develop something new and useful.
Date: January 16, 2017
As Professor Diane Watt said in the first class, “How we use technology is what matters”. This is a great reference to chapter 2 of Johnson (2014) who talks about the importance what is being taught is guided by the learning goals and then integrating technology that is suitable to complement the desired learning outcomes. This is the premise of the Technological, Pedagogical, Content, Knowledge Framework (TPACK).
When integrating technology in your lesson plans, it is essential to pair them well with the task at hand. You must analyze only multimedia elements, use search tools, use hyperlinks, draw on information from multiple digital sources in order to explore and solve problems, recount and paraphrase information, include multimedia components such as digital photos. It is pertinent as a teacher to assess prior knowledge of your students in order to gauge where and what they need to learn to develop their digital literacy.
Johnson (2014) encourages teachers to make note of what computer parameters one has in the classroom such as firewalls, security, software, downloading, access, podcast, music type, social networking, video-conferencing, apps, blogs, speakers, and permissions.
I believe that when used correctly, technology can enhance learning, increase interactivity and creativity, and provide stimulation. As a result, this builds intrinsic motivation for students to want to take control of their learning.
Coiro, J., Knobel, M., Lanshear, C., & Leu, D. (2008). Handbook of research on new literacies. New York, NY: Routledge.
Johnson, D. (2014). Reading, writing, and literacy 2.0: teaching with online texts, tools, and resources, K-8. New York, NY: Teachers College, Columbia University.
Presentations in class today focused on advantages and disadvantages of using Ebooks and E-literature. Johnson (2014) talks about the many types including for read-alouds, interactive storybooks, e-narratives, hybrid books, e-reader devices and apps, digital magazines.
Online read-aloud books encourage independent learning, but one also needs to understand how to use the online software as well as picking the reading level that suits them. Regarding e-reading comprehension, reading on the internet requires navigation skills, determine readability, and reliability of resources. It is important to monitor comprehension by checking in with your students.
We also use the app Flip-grid book trailer (advertising the book without giving away the ending). Our group did charlie and the chocolate factory and filmed short video clips together to advertise the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in a fun, personable, collaborative, and creative way. This allowed us to use technology within the classroom, build teamwork skills, and enhance our learning in the classroom.
Date: February 6, 2017
Technology can be use to create a classroom community and connecting with families (Johnson, 2014). When using technology there is a lot of exploration and inquiry-based learning that is hands on and interactive. This develops many skills for students including the following: naming and noticing, identity, agency and becoming strategic, flexibility and transfer, knowing, and an evolutionary, democratic learning community. When students work together such as with digital storytelling, they are working as a team, using their strengths, building confidence, and collaborating with each other and different multimedia elements of technology. All this, and then they can blog about their experience. If students are using technology to share with their families their endeavours in the classroom, communities will reciprocally support school initiatives.
In class we talked about video apps, namely Voicethread, Animoto, and Storybird. All of these apps could be used to develop videos or stories. There are strengths and limitations for each of them. We talked about the importance of choosing quality applications in order to ensure low-cost and accessibility to students. Presentations also surrounded language and eleven different ways of knowing a word or expression. Presentations also included the app Thinglink which can put in youtube clips and pictures, and put in information points on the photo. One can use this to create a lesson, students can share and do peer evaluation, and use it as a presentation tool.
Date: January 30, 2017
According to Coiro, Knobel, Lanshear, and Leu (2008) from Johnson (2014), with the numerous new technology developments that keep arising, it would appear that pedagogy with the integration of technology will continue to be a natural part of literacy.
The key to integrating technology is choosing what you have used yourself and in that reflecting on how and what it could be used for to complement what you are teaching. Pairing the technology type with the learning goals and curriculum goals is essential to creating making technology part of the normal day-to-day expectation for the learning process.
By using social networking, one can keep in the current technological loop. The serves the purpose of using the most innovative technology, but also collaborating with students’ knowledge of technology contributions to the classroom (Johnson, 2014). I use Twitter myself, and it has provided me with ample first-hand resources of teachers, professors, and administrators who are all sharing information of new technology and teaching practices. By networking, one can through podcasts, blogs, vlogs, Twitter, Skype, subscribe, share, learn, and develop an online community to support technology in your classroom.
Date: January 23, 2017
Makerspace article I wrote for The Fulcrum
Purpole 3d-printed heart from our makerspace workshop class!
I had previously done a workshop during a professional development day, as well I wrote an article for the Fulcrum, interviewing many people regarding the makerspace at the University of Ottawa in the engineering building. I had not even heard about the makerspace until that PD day and found it to be a wonderfully creative space for exploration and discovery. There were many tools available including the 3-D printers and software, laser cutting, sewing machines, and virtual reality. The makerspace brought engineering to life with the ability to bring their creations to a development stage, such is the case for the prosthetics created at a fraction of the cost. This allows for a space for start-up businesses with creatively-minded individuals who all want to develop something new and useful.
Date: January 16, 2017
As Professor Diane Watt said in the first class, “How we use technology is what matters”. This is a great reference to chapter 2 of Johnson (2014) who talks about the importance what is being taught is guided by the learning goals and then integrating technology that is suitable to complement the desired learning outcomes. This is the premise of the Technological, Pedagogical, Content, Knowledge Framework (TPACK).
When integrating technology in your lesson plans, it is essential to pair them well with the task at hand. You must analyze only multimedia elements, use search tools, use hyperlinks, draw on information from multiple digital sources in order to explore and solve problems, recount and paraphrase information, include multimedia components such as digital photos. It is pertinent as a teacher to assess prior knowledge of your students in order to gauge where and what they need to learn to develop their digital literacy.
Johnson (2014) encourages teachers to make note of what computer parameters one has in the classroom such as firewalls, security, software, downloading, access, podcast, music type, social networking, video-conferencing, apps, blogs, speakers, and permissions.
I believe that when used correctly, technology can enhance learning, increase interactivity and creativity, and provide stimulation. As a result, this builds intrinsic motivation for students to want to take control of their learning.
Coiro, J., Knobel, M., Lanshear, C., & Leu, D. (2008). Handbook of research on new literacies. New York, NY: Routledge.
Johnson, D. (2014). Reading, writing, and literacy 2.0: teaching with online texts, tools, and resources, K-8. New York, NY: Teachers College, Columbia University.