Techology in the Classroom!

Welcome to my technology blog, a requirement for the completion of ED 638, a requirement for the Language and Literacy Masters program. I have posted a few technology related assignments on this page to show you how much I have learned since I began my masters program. I can now create blog pages, I can download pictures to a slide presentation that I can share with those who visit my page - I don't have to print my pictures to share them. I also learned to create a webpage in my ED841 class last spring and learned to hyperlink so that you can access my page from here. In this blog, I have included some information on internet tools and sites that I think are worth visiting for excellent instructional resources. Uploading a picture to my blog was one of the skills I learned in this class. This is a picture of me standing in front of one of the great pyramids of Egypt. I still can't believe I was there.

My IRA Sites for Great Instructional Resources

Part of the requirements for ED 638 is to research and select websites that are to be submitted for possible inclusion in the Guam IRA newsletter. These are the sites I selected and submitted.

Faye’s 1st IRA web address upload

http://www.timeforkids.com

Faye’s 2^nd IRA web address upload

http://www.braam.ik.org/

Faye’s 3^rd IRA web address upload

http://www.poetry4kids.com/modules.php?name=Poems

Faye’s 4^th IRA web address upload

http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/storyhour/

Faye’s 5^th IRA web address upload

http://pbskids.org

My Top Three Internet Tools

One of the three internet tools I chose as a resource for teaching is Google. Google is considered to be one of the top search engines in the world. It is a search engine that offers a wide variety of services including but not limited to internet searches, services for creating blogs and sending and receiving email messages. Google also provides social networking tools, organizational tools and chat tools as well as services for mobile devices. The features of Google that are useful for classroom instruction are gmail which can be used for written communication between teacher, students, and parents; google Earth which provides 3D overviews, through satellite images, of major cities and other places, driving directions, and maps to numerous locations; google blogger (web log or blog), a social networking service for connecting with friends and family , posting your opinions, giving advise, staying in touch, and a host of other communication needs. Using google in the classroom or as part of the instructional plan helps to build up the technology skills and to meet the academic standards for technology literacy. Some of the ways to use google in class is to have students use the internet to search for articles and other resources, search for images, post their blogs to communicate with their classmates, use it to communicate with other students around the world, download photos, create blogs, and create an organizational site that can be used as a portfolio of their work. There are countless ways to be able to achieve techology literacy through the use of google.

I used google to create this web page as part of the course requirements for ED 481G last spring. It was, at first a bit challenging but once I figured out how to use the tools and navigate around the pages, I really got involved in developing the page. The most fun I had was editting the pages. Everytime I thought I was done, I would think of something else to add or delete. The final product (and grade) were worth every bit of anxiety and sweat. But the best part of this was that it was free! http://sites.google.com/site/fayecamachokaible/Home.

Slideshare

My Pictures on Slideshare

View more presentations from fkaible.

Slideshare is a media site useful for sharing slide presentations and documents , including pdfs. It can be linked to other social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. The user uploads slides and documents to share information, ideas, or just to connect with friends and colleagues. It is a very inexpensive way for sharing your photos because there is no cost for establishing an account with Slideshare .

Slideshare allows the user to embed slideshows into their own blog or website. Slideshows can be shared publically or privately. Audio can also be added to the slideshows. Others with the same interests can view your shows.

These are pictures of flowers I've taken from my garden and from around the island. I used slideshare to create a slideshow of the pictures. It is easy to use but the uploads may take time depending on the size of your file and the speed of your server.

Teachers and students can have fun taking pictures then uploading them to slideshare for a slideshow presentation. There is no limit to the number of presentations that can be created. Presentations can be presented directly from the website or the url can be embedded into your blog page. Slideshows can be created for presentations in social studies, science, language arts, and even math. Teachers can also create a slideshow of vocabulary words. There are many uses for this internet tool. Teachers can also use the features to create lesson plans that can be shared with other teachers.

Using slideshare.com as a means for uploading my pictures into a slideshow is one way to present my photographs without the expense of developing the pictures. Slideshare is a free internet tool for sharing slide presentations. It boasts to be the "largest community for showing presentations on the web."

For those with limited technological skills, this is the tool for you. All you need to do is create a FREE account. Download your selected pictures to a folder (one that can be easily accessible for upoading) to in your computer. You will need to establish an account - which is free. All that's left to do is upload the pictures in the order you want to show them. The step by step directions are very easy to follow. The final product is worth the time and effort.

Tokbox

Tokbox is a service that provides free video calling, video conferencing and instant messaging services through an online application, similar to Skype . Tokbox also allows users to create video posts, to sites such as Twitter or Facebook, that can be embedded on other web sites. Budddy lists from instant message programs can also be accessed by TokBox. TokBox was founded by entrepreneurs Serge Faguet and Ron Hose, and financed by Sequoia Capital and Bain Capitalt.

The number of people that can be involved in a video conferencing at one time is not limited to a few. Up to 20-25 computers is determined by Tokbox to be the useful limit. The video mail can be recorded and sent out as emails to other Tokbox users or to any email address.

As an instructional tool, Tokbox can be used by the teacher to communicate with parents to provide class assignments, progress reports, upcoming events, tec. The instructor can also use this for communicating with students who are absent, to provide the class assignments, provide clarification relative to the assignments, and to provide feedback. It is also an excellent tool for show what a final product should look like or for modeling an activity or strategy.

Students can use this tool to visually communicate with each other, to ask questions about assignments, or just to chat. Students who are less likely to speak up in class to ask questions will find this tool beneficial for this purpose. Tokbox does not require software to be installed to use the video conferencing features. Only one user is required to have a profile to make the call. this user can then send links to other users, through email or an instant message program, so they can join the conference. Adobe Flash is the only requirement.

I learned of this sight from another technology class and I tried it out by sending video email messages to my grandchildren while I was off island. This helped me to stay in touch with them in a more personal way and they loved the idea of seeing their Nani on screen. I also recorded my surrounding s while I was talking so that they could see where i was and see what I was seeing at the time. This helped them to relate to what I was doing and it helped them to feel less distant. using Tokbox from their end allowed them to make comments and to ask questions. The joy of receiving a video email from them was priceless. There are more features that Tokbox offers and tech savvy users can have a lot of fund exploring the possibilities.

Getting to Know You (Lesson Plan)

Class Content: Language Arts

Unit of Study: Writing

Audience:

9^th grade boys and girls of different ethnic backgrounds, different levels of English language proficiency. 11 boys 13 girls. There are 3 new students from the Philippines who have never been to an English speaking school. One student is in a wheelchair but is academically proficient. One student is a special education student who does not have an aide. Students have been in the class for two weeks and are just getting comfortable with each other but don’t really know each other.

State Objectives:

1. Students will gather information about each other using interview-type questions and convert the interview responses into a biographical narrative.
2. Students will publish a newsletter of their narratives that introduces themselves to school personnel, parents and classroom visitors.
3. Students will be use technology (digital cameras, video cameras, computers, scanners, etc.) to incorporate pictures, graphics, and other visuals in their narratives and in the newsletter layout.

Select Media, Materials, and Methods

• Digital cameras for taking pictures
• Computer with a publisher software program for developing the newsletter layout and for downloading graphics, pictures and other visuals. Also for processing the narrative articles.
• Internet access for downloading clipart, pictures, etc.
• Color printer to print narratives and newsletter
• Interview questions
• Writing paper and pens/pencils

(Optional Equipment):

• Scanners for existing pictures that are not downloadable to the computer.
• Video cameras as an option for taking pictures and to document interviews
• Recording devises if available (as in digital cameras, mini recorders, etc)
• Graphics software (Print House, Print Shop, etc)

Utilize Media, Materials, and Methods

The class desktop computers (2) will be used by students to electronically produce their biographical narratives and to input pictures, graphics, or visuals to their narratives. They will also be used to develop the newsletter layout and to format the newsletter for production. Pictures, visuals, graphics that are not downloadable will be scanned and saved for later use in the production of narratives and the newsletter. Several students have personal laptops and digital cameras and/or cell phones with camera features that they are willing to bring to class for this project.

Require Learner Participation

1. Students will be told that they will be interviewing each other to produce a class newsletter that will introduce them to parents, class visitors, and school personnel.

2. Students will be prepped for this activity by using interviews from previous years or from magazine and newspapers which are read and discussed. The writing process (prewriting, writing, revising, and editing will be discussed along with the guidelines for writing biographical narratives.

3. The class will brainstorm interview questions to ask during the interviews. Students will not be limited to the amount of questions they can ask so that they are able to get as much information as possible.

4. Once students have some ideas for interview questions to ask, they pair up and conduct their interviews. They are encouraged to take notes during their interviews so they will be able to remember the information.

5. Students use their notes to write a biographical narrative about the person that makes them come alive to the reader through creative use of dialogue, action, and specific details.

6. Once the students produce a rough draft, they will go through the writing process to produce a final narrative. They can ask classmates to read their narrative and to make suggestions for revision.

7. After the articles reach the final drafts, they are organized to produce a newsletter that is developed and published as a class project. All students will provide input on the layout and design.

8. Newsletters will be shared with parents, school personnel and classroom visitors.

9. An extension to this activity could be the publishing of the newsletter online, creating a class blog, or developing student web sites.

Evaluate and Revise

1. Student performance will be monitored by the teacher.

2. Student narrative will be evaluated using a rubric for writing traits.

3. Students will evaluate the activity and make suggestions for improving the activity

4. Teacher will ask for parent, school personnel, and visitor input on the quality ofthe newsletter.