Xtra Normal

So we had a staff meeting last week and our art Teacher decided instead of getting up there and just talking out ears off about a project he would like to have at our school, he decided to use technology.  He made a video for us from the Xtra Normal website.  Since I am in this class I of course decided that I needed to take a look at it for myself!!  It is amazing.  I am still new at it but for fun during snack time my class and I played around with it a little!!  I think it could be a great way for a student to do an oral presentation without having to stand up there and talk the whole time.  I just see many possibilities to it and I am glad our Art teacher introduced us to this!!

Here is my attempt at one:

Voice Threads

 WOW!!  This whole idea might be the craziest.  Wasn't sure what this all meant but stumbled upon this Voice Thread website, which gave a great tutorial to me!  The idea of using this kind of makes me think of a Wiki except that you have have this conversation at present time!!  What a great way to do a group project!!!

Digital Storytelling

This whole idea of digital storytelling is still very new to me!  I have taken time to do some research and looking around the web to learn some more information about it.  This blog Digital Storytelling Part One gave me the most information about using digital storytelling within the classroom.  I love on this blog when the author expresses, "New technology tools allow us to connect, communicate, and collaborate with others around the world."

I love the idea of taking the stories our students create and having them connect with students around the world.  By using this it would allow the students to share their differences and similarities that they have in a world of technology.  We always say some of the best learning a child can have is from their peers, well now we are just taking that idea a step further with technology.  Now instead of students learning from just their peers within their classroom or school, they can learn from peers from the other side of the world!  What a fascinating idea!!!

Richardson Chapter 3 and 4

Wikis and Blogs!!!  Oh my, is there a lot for me to learn.  While reading these two chapters, this quote by Richardson stood out to me: “Regardless of how educators feel about the potential of wikis, and I can understand the hesitancy many teachers feel, one thing remains certain: The collaborative environment that wikis facilitate can teach students much about how to work with others, how to create community, and how to operate in a world where the creation of knowledge and information is more and more becoming a group effort” (p. 69).   I would say that this quote definitely expresses my thoughts on wikis. I am nervous about them, yet, at the same time, I am quite intrigued with the idea of them.

 I have had many thoughts floating through my mind.  The ideas of wikis are still very new to me, yet I am beginning to see how great they could be.  For example, while searching for examples of wikis I came across Mrs. Ballweg's 3rd Grade Class wiki.  I could definitely see myself, at some point, doing this within my own classroom.  I love the idea of student learning being collaborative.  I like the fact that they can go in and work on this “working document,” adding and taking away what they feel is best.   Seeing students working and learning together is something that is extremely important to me.  I have a lot to work on before ever putting something like this into play within my classroom, but I could definitely see the benefits of using wikis within the classroom.

Animoto Thoughts

When thinking to myself about animotos and how to use them within the class room I came across a great blog that had an animoto that I could really see myself using.  Plant Vocabulary was great video of exactly how I see myself using this feature within my classroom.  I would love to use this across the curriculum from science to math.  Looking through some ideas of different animotos definitely open my idea to how I could use them in my classroom, as well as some idea for my project within this class.

Richardson chapter 1 and 2

While reading Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classroom, I really began to look at my own classroom.  As a third grade teacher, I struggle with the idea of a child having too much technology.  I feel as though sometimes these children are around technology way too much.  .  However, this is our future and I believe that I need to embrace this within my classroom and incorporate technology as much as I can.

            One thing that Richardson (2010) wrote that caught my eye was, “The National Technology Plan released in January of 2005 went as far as to admit that ‘today’s students, of almost any age, are far ahead of their teachers in computer literacy.  They prefer to access subject information on the Internet, where it is more abundant, more accessible, and more up to date’” (p. 7).  I must admit though, with-in my own district, unless I teach myself, there are not tons of classes on technology within the school.   However, I would say that I completely agree with Richardson’s comment that teachers don’t have the same level of education with technology like the children of today.  I am 27 and my third graders, at times, know more than me.  The reason is that since they were born, technology has ALWAYS been around them.  Would you consider this a good thing or a bad thing??  I have a huge issue with that.  Many students of today do not go outside and play, they go home after school and sit in front of some technological instrument.  I am not sure this is the best either.  However, I am a realist and I do realize that as educators we do need to incorporate the technology to help our students be prepared for the future.  I do, however, also believe that the technology does not need to be on in the classroom all the time.  Let’s get a good combination of using technology for these students and working on being able to sit and listen to a lecture or lesson and take notes, because whether we like it or not there will always be people (bosses, etc.) who are not fond of technology.  I feel there needs to be a nice balance of both.

NETS

New literacies to me are the future!  Technology is coming into full force; it is changing the way the world communicates, learns, and gathers information.

While reading through the NETS for students, I could not help but think that there are so many standards here that we don’t even touch upon.  I truly try to bring technology to my students; however, in my district we don’t have the most up-to-date technology for these students.  One section that I really thought was great was the Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making standards.  I think something our future generations are going to have to do every day is within this standard!  So we as teachers need to start molding it now!  Future generations are going to be around technology at all times, so how will that play into critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making?  I see some of it happen already, but I am sure it will play in more and more as the years go on. 

            When looking at the NETS for teachers,  I felt as though the main idea is to create a learning environment that is rich in the digital world.  Which I believe is a great thing, but at the same time, I feel sometimes too much of the digital world is not a great thing either.  When looking through the standards, I loved the one of Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.  This is how I think every teacher feels; I know we are heading towards a completely different world with technology surrounding us.

I guess my biggest question is: How are we in the education world going to help with this?  I am only in my 4^th year of teaching and I am going to get to see this all unwind, which is something I am excited to see happen.

My World, My Everything!!!

This is my first try at an Animoto!!  But I mist admit I really enjoy it!! Now how to use it with in my 3rd grade class???

Make your own slideshow with music at Animoto.

First class

OVERWHELMED!!  I thought at one time that I was really good at technology, however after sitting through this class I have realized there is so much more out there for me to learn! :/  I am excited to see what this class will teach me and what I can incorporate in my classroom!