WEEK 15 ded318 FINAL PROJECT
2 Questions:
DISCUSS THE TWO (2) TOOLS THAT WERE YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITES FROM THE SEMESTER AND WHY:
My personal favorite tool from this semester was ADOBE SPARK PAGE. It was just fun! It was fun, but also simple to use, not a ton of details that I had to figure out, and had a really nice product at the end. I'm one of those people who doesn't want to have to take a TON of time to figure out how to use something - I'd rather have something pretty straight-forward to use and then use the simple directions to then vear off and be creative and fancy with it. That's why I really liked this app. The bonus part of that though is that the end result was super snazzy and fun to look at and explore. I know that if I were a student, I would for sure enjoy looking through an ADOBE SPARK PAGE to learn a concept. Students get bored the same old same old, but instantly have interest peaked at new and innovative things. Technology gets their attention, and this one in particular is unlike any other type of media that I've seen before, so I really think they'd enjoy it! It's also nice how all the information is right there in front of them, so exploring is open but guided. I liked my final product on "How to Mail a Letter" and think that I could use it someday as a lesson. With younger kids I think we could do it all together, but with older kids (4-6) they could navigate and explore the SPARK PAGE on their own.
Another tool I really like is WEEBLY! I have my very own website! I am so excited to have a website-making tool because websites seem important for professionalism of teachers. It can be really frustrating when you go to a website and the way it is put together makes you feel either stressed or confused. And I feel like before knowing about WEEBLY, I would have come up with a random website that was just that - confusing and stressful. And I wouldn't have enjoyed making it at all. But WEEBLY has been enjoyable to use and has given me a "portfolio" I am proud of to have on display for others to see. I feel confident in my page because of WEEBLY because it's set up well, it looks professional and clean and organized, and it's fun to explore! THANKS WEEBLY! :)
2 Questions:
DISCUSS THE TWO (2) TOOLS THAT WERE YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITES FROM THE SEMESTER AND WHY:
My personal favorite tool from this semester was ADOBE SPARK PAGE. It was just fun! It was fun, but also simple to use, not a ton of details that I had to figure out, and had a really nice product at the end. I'm one of those people who doesn't want to have to take a TON of time to figure out how to use something - I'd rather have something pretty straight-forward to use and then use the simple directions to then vear off and be creative and fancy with it. That's why I really liked this app. The bonus part of that though is that the end result was super snazzy and fun to look at and explore. I know that if I were a student, I would for sure enjoy looking through an ADOBE SPARK PAGE to learn a concept. Students get bored the same old same old, but instantly have interest peaked at new and innovative things. Technology gets their attention, and this one in particular is unlike any other type of media that I've seen before, so I really think they'd enjoy it! It's also nice how all the information is right there in front of them, so exploring is open but guided. I liked my final product on "How to Mail a Letter" and think that I could use it someday as a lesson. With younger kids I think we could do it all together, but with older kids (4-6) they could navigate and explore the SPARK PAGE on their own.
Another tool I really like is WEEBLY! I have my very own website! I am so excited to have a website-making tool because websites seem important for professionalism of teachers. It can be really frustrating when you go to a website and the way it is put together makes you feel either stressed or confused. And I feel like before knowing about WEEBLY, I would have come up with a random website that was just that - confusing and stressful. And I wouldn't have enjoyed making it at all. But WEEBLY has been enjoyable to use and has given me a "portfolio" I am proud of to have on display for others to see. I feel confident in my page because of WEEBLY because it's set up well, it looks professional and clean and organized, and it's fun to explore! THANKS WEEBLY! :)
LOOK BACK ON THE WHOLE WEBSITE YOU HAVE MADE AT ALL YOU'VE CREATED THIS SEMESTER. REFLECT ON ALL YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED AND LEARNED THIS SEMESTER:
I am astounded when I look back on my little "Abby Sweeney" website. I have grown a lot in technological confidence - both in myself to be able to do it, but also in technology itself, that it is indeed important and innovative for education! And that's an exciting feeling to have. : ) I have gained a lot of access to tools that I had no idea existed for educators before this semester, ones that are easy to use and helpful for more effective ways of engaging learners. They are ones that I now believe that teachers are using all over the place. After exploring Twitter and Pinterest this semester, I see that teachers all over the world are using technology in the classroom. They use apps, media, projects, presentations, etc. to make their lessons more effective and fun! Now I feel like I'm on the same page as so many other teachers: techonology should be integrated into the classroom! I still think that I have a somewhat conservative viewpoint on the issue - I'm not saying that I will use technology for every thing possible - but I for sure admit that it's an important tool that would be foolish to ignore in this age of development.
I have enjoyed seeing the end results of projects that I have looked at the directions and asked "how am I going to be able to do that?? That sounds so hard!" But then I conquered the projects using the tools given to me. For example, using QR Codes instead of website links came across to me as if they were going to be more of a pain than a helpful tool. But I was wrong!
I am astounded when I look back on my little "Abby Sweeney" website. I have grown a lot in technological confidence - both in myself to be able to do it, but also in technology itself, that it is indeed important and innovative for education! And that's an exciting feeling to have. : ) I have gained a lot of access to tools that I had no idea existed for educators before this semester, ones that are easy to use and helpful for more effective ways of engaging learners. They are ones that I now believe that teachers are using all over the place. After exploring Twitter and Pinterest this semester, I see that teachers all over the world are using technology in the classroom. They use apps, media, projects, presentations, etc. to make their lessons more effective and fun! Now I feel like I'm on the same page as so many other teachers: techonology should be integrated into the classroom! I still think that I have a somewhat conservative viewpoint on the issue - I'm not saying that I will use technology for every thing possible - but I for sure admit that it's an important tool that would be foolish to ignore in this age of development.
I have enjoyed seeing the end results of projects that I have looked at the directions and asked "how am I going to be able to do that?? That sounds so hard!" But then I conquered the projects using the tools given to me. For example, using QR Codes instead of website links came across to me as if they were going to be more of a pain than a helpful tool. But I was wrong!
ebook.pdf |
My QR Codes project above turned out to be cool and easy enough!
I began the semester really prejudiced against the idea of using a lot of technology in the classroom. "Put me in a one-room school house in the middle of a large plain with chalkboards and textbooks" was my attitude, I guess. But I realized throughout the semester - and now, as I am sitting down and reflecting - that my attitude has really changed! I honestly don't feel walls go up when I am told to use some sort of technology, because I have seen that it's not too bad. In fact, it's really pretty good!
I am very SURPRISED to say that I really feel like my eyes have been opened to the beauties of integrating technology into the classroom!
I began the semester really prejudiced against the idea of using a lot of technology in the classroom. "Put me in a one-room school house in the middle of a large plain with chalkboards and textbooks" was my attitude, I guess. But I realized throughout the semester - and now, as I am sitting down and reflecting - that my attitude has really changed! I honestly don't feel walls go up when I am told to use some sort of technology, because I have seen that it's not too bad. In fact, it's really pretty good!
I am very SURPRISED to say that I really feel like my eyes have been opened to the beauties of integrating technology into the classroom!
HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SEMESTER!