The top ten tech tools that I could not live without are:
1. iPhone: This phone makes it easy to do just about anything. It is alot more convient to search the web on the iPhone versus having to use a regular computer.
2. Laptop: I could not live without my laptop. Being able to do my school work anywhere instead of being confined to one location (like with a desktop) is great.
3. GPS: I love my GPS!! I love to travel, and this helps me not to get lost. It also tells me the approximate time that I will arrive at my destination.
4. Facebook: Facebook allows me to stay connected with people I went to school with and family that I don't see as often as I would like to. It also allows me to stay up to date with current events.
5. iPad: The iPad makes learning fun in my classroom. My students love using the iPad during centers to plays games or research information. It's also nice because it allows me to have more access to the internet with my students.
6. Email: I use email everyday. It is a quick and easy way to communicate with others. Alot of my communication with my parents is done via email.
7. Pinterest: I LOVE Pinterest!! This is a great website when looking for activities or lesson to do with my students. I also love the recipes, home decorating tips, craft and cleaning ideas, and holiday decorations ideas it offers. I could stay on Pinterest for hours at a time!
8. Bubbl.us: This is a great website that I did not know existed until this class. It makes concept mapping fun and easy. I plan to test it out with my students this year. I believe they will enjoy it.
9. Glogster: This is a neat way to make a presentation. It is very user friendly. This is another site I had never heard of until this class. I plan to make presentations over the summer for next year.
10. Google: Google makes surfing the web so easy! It is the most user friendly search engine I have found!
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Mobile Apps
I teach fourth grade, and my students love playing on the iPad. Here are some apps that my students really enjoy:
1. Chicken Coop Fractions: This is a fun and interactive game that allows students to work with proper and improper fractions. They convert fractions and also have to plot them on a number line. My kids love this game and ask to play every chance they can. The best part is it is free!
2. Math Ninja: This is also a free app. It is fun and interactive. The students can select which operation(s) they want to practice (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division). They then have to destroy the robot dogs that are trying to invade their treehouse. The students will answer as many math problems as they can in a specified amount of time. The more questions they answer correctly the more ammo they will receive to help defend their treehouse. I like to mix up the operations so they have to look at the problem instead of just doing one operation.
3. Synonyms: This is a free app. With this app students can work with synonyms or antonyms. A word will be given and the students have to take the letters given to them to either form a synonym or antonym for the given word. This game is challenging, but my students enjoy it.
4. Fourth Grade Smart Kids: This app is also free. It allows students to with different subject areas. They can choose which area they would like to complete. Each subject has four sections. They can either choose a specific section to work, or they can click the general section. This section provides different topics for them to work with instead of just doing one skill or concept.
1. Chicken Coop Fractions: This is a fun and interactive game that allows students to work with proper and improper fractions. They convert fractions and also have to plot them on a number line. My kids love this game and ask to play every chance they can. The best part is it is free!
2. Math Ninja: This is also a free app. It is fun and interactive. The students can select which operation(s) they want to practice (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division). They then have to destroy the robot dogs that are trying to invade their treehouse. The students will answer as many math problems as they can in a specified amount of time. The more questions they answer correctly the more ammo they will receive to help defend their treehouse. I like to mix up the operations so they have to look at the problem instead of just doing one operation.
3. Synonyms: This is a free app. With this app students can work with synonyms or antonyms. A word will be given and the students have to take the letters given to them to either form a synonym or antonym for the given word. This game is challenging, but my students enjoy it.
4. Fourth Grade Smart Kids: This app is also free. It allows students to with different subject areas. They can choose which area they would like to complete. Each subject has four sections. They can either choose a specific section to work, or they can click the general section. This section provides different topics for them to work with instead of just doing one skill or concept.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Digital Citizenship
Why is it important to be a good digital
citizen? What value does a good digital reputation have?
Being a good digital citizen helps you understand the appropriate uses for the internet. It helps keep you informed about netiquette and internet regulations. It helps you create a reputation on the internet that you would not be ashamed of.
A person's digital reputation follows them. A good digital citizen monitors the content that is posted about them. A good digital citizen never posts negative comments towards anyone. They are cautious about what pictures they are tagged in and how they interact with people on social media networks. It is a lot easier to put information on the internet than it is to remove it. Many employers check a person's Facebook or Twitter account before hiring a person. If you have poor digital citizenship it may cost you a job opportunity.
Being a good digital citizen helps you understand the appropriate uses for the internet. It helps keep you informed about netiquette and internet regulations. It helps you create a reputation on the internet that you would not be ashamed of.
A person's digital reputation follows them. A good digital citizen monitors the content that is posted about them. A good digital citizen never posts negative comments towards anyone. They are cautious about what pictures they are tagged in and how they interact with people on social media networks. It is a lot easier to put information on the internet than it is to remove it. Many employers check a person's Facebook or Twitter account before hiring a person. If you have poor digital citizenship it may cost you a job opportunity.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Material Generators
Material generators are a great asset to the classroom. I use material generators all the time. The three material generators I decided to focus on are:
Computer-Based Test System: I would absolutely love using a computer-based test system. This would allow the students to take assessments without having to use a pencil and paper. Using a computer-based test system would cut down on the time I spend grading tests and students would not have to wait to see their grade. It would also cut down the time I spend at the copy machine every week copying tests.
Puzzle and Worksheet Generators: This is something I use in my classroom a lot. My students love completing puzzles. I create puzzles for just about every subject. When I use the puzzles in my classroom I notice my students try harder to successfully complete them. Puzzles are a different way to present material in a challenging, but fun way.
Database Software: The district I teach in uses INOW. This system allows me the opportunity to do many things. INOW keeps attendance, grades, student information, and allows me to complete lesson plans. It is very user friendly.
Computer-Based Test System: I would absolutely love using a computer-based test system. This would allow the students to take assessments without having to use a pencil and paper. Using a computer-based test system would cut down on the time I spend grading tests and students would not have to wait to see their grade. It would also cut down the time I spend at the copy machine every week copying tests.
Puzzle and Worksheet Generators: This is something I use in my classroom a lot. My students love completing puzzles. I create puzzles for just about every subject. When I use the puzzles in my classroom I notice my students try harder to successfully complete them. Puzzles are a different way to present material in a challenging, but fun way.
Database Software: The district I teach in uses INOW. This system allows me the opportunity to do many things. INOW keeps attendance, grades, student information, and allows me to complete lesson plans. It is very user friendly.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Types of Software
Technology is becoming a very important part of our society. In chapter 3, Roblyer and Doering define instructional software as programs that are designed to either assist with the delivery of instruction or to deliver the instruction. There are 5 types of educational software: drill and practice, tutorial software, simulated software, instructional games, and problem solving software.
Drill and Practice: This type of software allows students to work on a concept and it provides immediate feedback. Drill and Practice software is designed to help transfer material into long term memory. This type of software can be in the form of chart fill in activities, flash cards, and branching drills. An example of this type of software is Multiplication Math Games for Kids. This allows students to practice their mutliplication facts. It provides immediate feedback after they answer the problem.
The website is http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/math_games/multiplication/flash-cards-multiplication-by-elevens.html.
Tutorial Software: This type of software was designed so that students can learn content without the help of additional materials. It will include several practice sequences to check for comprehension. Math Tutor is great to teach students math concepts.
The website is http://www.mathtutor.com/.
Simulated Software: There are two types of simulation. One teaches learners how to do something. The other teaches something. This type of software allows students to choose different tasks. It also provides them the opportunity to choose which order they would like to perform those tasks. An example of this type of software is Primary Games. Primary Games offers a variety of learning options for students.
The website is http://www.primarygames.com/.
Instructional Games: This type of software is fun and motivates students to learn. Instructional games have game like rules. One example of an instructional game is Outlast. I use this game a lot in my classroom. It is a reading for information game that students play. They enjoy this game a lot and do not realize they are doing informational reading.
The website is http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/product/productDet.jsp?productItemID=1%2C689%2C949%2C371%2C923%2C790&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474395182632&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181113&bmUID=1359849013480.
Problem Solving Software: This is a type of software designed to teach students how to solve problems. It provides steps in order to reach their goal of solving the problem. One example is teaching students how to develop their critical thinking skills. The following website helps develop critical thinking skills.
The website is http://www.criticalthinking.com/index.jsp.
Drill and Practice: This type of software allows students to work on a concept and it provides immediate feedback. Drill and Practice software is designed to help transfer material into long term memory. This type of software can be in the form of chart fill in activities, flash cards, and branching drills. An example of this type of software is Multiplication Math Games for Kids. This allows students to practice their mutliplication facts. It provides immediate feedback after they answer the problem.
The website is http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/math_games/multiplication/flash-cards-multiplication-by-elevens.html.
Tutorial Software: This type of software was designed so that students can learn content without the help of additional materials. It will include several practice sequences to check for comprehension. Math Tutor is great to teach students math concepts.
The website is http://www.mathtutor.com/.
Simulated Software: There are two types of simulation. One teaches learners how to do something. The other teaches something. This type of software allows students to choose different tasks. It also provides them the opportunity to choose which order they would like to perform those tasks. An example of this type of software is Primary Games. Primary Games offers a variety of learning options for students.
The website is http://www.primarygames.com/.
Instructional Games: This type of software is fun and motivates students to learn. Instructional games have game like rules. One example of an instructional game is Outlast. I use this game a lot in my classroom. It is a reading for information game that students play. They enjoy this game a lot and do not realize they are doing informational reading.
The website is http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/product/productDet.jsp?productItemID=1%2C689%2C949%2C371%2C923%2C790&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474395182632&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181113&bmUID=1359849013480.
Problem Solving Software: This is a type of software designed to teach students how to solve problems. It provides steps in order to reach their goal of solving the problem. One example is teaching students how to develop their critical thinking skills. The following website helps develop critical thinking skills.
The website is http://www.criticalthinking.com/index.jsp.
Web 2.0 Resources
This week we were assigned the project of completing a Web 2.0 Resource assignment. This assignment was very time consuming, and made me hvae to branch out of my comfort zone. We were required to create a Glogster page, and video using Animoto, and also create a free choice resource. At first, I did not think I would like Glogster. I had never heard of Glogster before and had no idea what I was getting myself into. Once I started on my page, I found out I liked using Glogster. It is a fun way to present information. I could see using a Glogster page with my class in the future instead of always using a powerpoint. Next, I had to create a video using Animoto. I always thought you had to buy a software program to create a video. This website allowed me to create a 30 second video for free. I will definitely be using Animoto in the future with my students. Short videos always seem to capture their attention, and they seem to remember the information better. Last, I created two games for my class to play with Classtools. I had the most fun creating these games. They were games that I know would capture my students' attention and would also help reinforce what has been taught. Overall, this assignment helped me learn about three different web resources that would be very beneficial to an educator to use.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Should Students Play Games at School?
Every child loves to play games. Educational games are a great way to have fun in the classroom. I believe that children can learn educational material while playing games at school. In my classroom, I incorporate a variety of games. We play board games, computer games, and interactive white board games throughout the week. The key to a child's learning is to capture their attention. What better way to capture a child's attention than by playing games? In my classroom while my students are playing games, I walk around and I am amazed by the learning that is taking place. I do not feel games should be the primary source of a child's learning. They do need the instructional time from a teacher. However, I do believe games are a good supplement to reinforce what has been taught. We are teaching 21st century learners, and the traditional book work and worksheets we grew up doing are not sufficient anymore. The children need hands-on activities to enrich their learning. The best part about incorporating educational games into the curriculum is the children are learning and do not even realize it because they are having so much fun!
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