Welcome to blogging! Please share some technical tools you have used with your students and describe how these
tools impacted students' learning. If you are not currently in the classroom full-time, share how you have used technical tools in the past or how you would like to in the future.
My current Web 2.0 favorites are Edmodo and Animoto. I use Edmodo to manage my class and to create an online learning community with my students. Animoto is a way to create stunning video and picture slideshows. I have my students make these for class projects as well as use it to document special events in my class, such as field trips.
ReplyDeleteI will try these and see how they can help teachers better engage students.
DeleteErin,
DeleteThis seems very interesting and organized for classroom teachers. I do a lot of Power Points for my counseling classes. Do you think this would be helpful for me as well?
Great Post!!
Tara, I think Edmodo would be useful for school counselors as well. You are able to connect with other educators to share ideas and resources, and you could also set up class groups for students to access resources and share thoughts and posts (there are options as far as moderating students postings within a group). You can do all kinds of presentations with pictures and video with Animoto. It's pretty limitless, and the students love it. You can also post your Animoto creations to your Edmodo group, so the students can view it again and again (and again...).
DeleteMy experiences are limited to PowerPoint thus far. I hope to get a better understanding of web 2.0 tools like Edmodo and Animoto for future use.
DeleteI have tried Edmodo but I get so easily confused by it. Maybe it is because I don't have many "friends" on it? Not too sure! I'll have to look into it again!
DeleteI've never had used any of these. I guess I’m glad to because I would have had no idea how to do any of this. I may have taken this class just in time.
DeleteI have signed up for Edmodo and Animoto but like Kathleen said, I, too get confused and caught up in everything and quickly feel overwhelmed. I will give it another shot. It sounds nice.
DeleteI just created an Edmodo account about a month ago. We use Edmodo in my Programmatic Teams at work. So far, I've only logged in twice but we are just getting started!
DeleteI have not tried these tools yet, but will give them a try this semester.
DeleteI looked up the web 2.0 tool Animoto last week, and I look forward to making a picture slidshow with my students. I aleady made my account!
DeleteWhile I myself do not often use technical tools for classes, I get to see teachers use technology every day to enhance student learning. Smart boards, responders, various web sites, edline, and even cell phones are very visible on a daily basis. While teachers use these tools effectively, it is even more impressive to see students use and share these tools. We have several students that have created web pages and blogs that they use in class.
ReplyDeleteI am so super jealous of people that have a smartboard! I want one so badly! The Moby's pads are nice and all but still not a smartboard!
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ReplyDeletehttp://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6040031/game-day
ReplyDeleteXtra normal video cut and paste above to view video I used to complete principal academy.
Several of my students love creating their own websites and power points for 7 Habits, published by Sean Covey. I use this program for my lessons in School Counseling. The students LOVE doing their own presentations and sharing all that they know. My schedule allows me to have Counseling classes for 45 minutes, so this gives enough time for the students to create a lesson for their peers!! I use www.sevenhabits.com.
ReplyDeleteI had a fourth grade class create a PowerPoint presentation on an early colonial craft of their choosing. Each student had to research a craft, write a paper and illustrate how the craft was produced. They were encouraged to put the presentation to music, add special effects and use pictures of themselves attempting the craft. The parents were invited to a special showing so each student could be given an opportunity to present their own PowerPoint presentations.
ReplyDeleteI love how you invited the parents for a special showing. What a great way to show the students that you value their work and that it is important. Great idea.
DeleteI love the idea of inviting parents in to see the presentations! I'm sure they loved that!
DeleteI am not currently in a classroom, but when I was teaching, I created a virtual field trip to study animal habitats as part of our science curriculum. I taught in a small private school and didn't have access to a smart board on a daily basis, but I was able to move my class down to a middle school room during our science class. My students had a blast and were actively engaged in the learning process. When I go back to teaching, I hope to utilize technology to a greater extent.
ReplyDeleteI think this was an excellent way to give your class a preview about what they were getting ready to experience and learn. I would be interested in knowing what tools you used to create a virtual tour. I am sure this made their field trip more interesting and engaging by pointing out things that they may not have focused on without the tour.
DeleteI really enjoy using moby pads and classroom clickers. They are interactive and allow students to participate in a way that is fun and exciting in the classroom. We also have an ipad lab that allows students to learn via applications that are game like. We use a program called "Type to Learn" that allows students to learn how to type using the home keys while making it easy! My students really enjoy using these tools in the room because it is fun and "cool". It has enabled my students to learn not only what is required by the state but how to use this technology to their advantage. My students know how to work technological tools better than myself sometimes! I, as a teacher like the app teacherpal. Try it!
ReplyDeleteI do not have a full time classroom but I have collaborated with several teachers to make the old boring stuff exciting and new. We have a foods class and one of their projects is an oral report about an herb. Usually, most kids won't do them and don't like to read. So I introduced Vokis (animated avatar heads) to them, everyone stayed on task and turned one in and then the avatar "read" the report to the class. Also, we had a Social Studies Teacher that was going to have her students to a brochure about a Point of Interest. I suggested that she allow them to use a Prezi instead. Here are examples of the finished projects:
ReplyDeleteVoki - http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=5888138&height=267&width=200
Prezi - http://prezi.com/hvbq10mgrvna/copy-of-the-grand-canyon-wine-block-2/?kw=view-hvbq10mgrvna&rc=ref-1028369
Okay: This isn't going well. I'll try again...
ReplyDeleteI have students research using Google and other search engines, join professional Listservs, post recorded presentations on YouTube for practice and feedback, and we've found Facebook (believe it or not) as a great way for them to stay connected, informed, and share info as a group for thier PRSSA Hood Chapter. They like how they can organize and make things happen by posting and alerting all about what is going on regarding events and happenings.
Some of the technical tools I use in my classroom are Animoto, Glogster, Prezi, Google Sites and Webquests.
ReplyDeleteI have a Google Site that is a home base for my students to get all of their work.
I have also been using Animoto for a long time. It is great for having students make different video project. One of my favorite projects is to have the students take different parts of the Constitution and make a video based on how that part is still relevant. Animoto is very easy to use and edits the video for you which saves time on editing. They must also pick appropriate music that goes along with their topic. They always come out great.
Prezi is a great alternative to PowerPoint and while I have started using this more my students seem to really like it.
Though I am currently a substitute teacher, I constantly use technology in the classroom. It is often part of my job that I just walk into a school and have to know how to use the technology that the students are working on with their class work.
ReplyDeleteComputer labs are the most important thing. I have to have an understanding of Microsoft Word and other Microsoft programs. The next is cell phones. I find myself often telling them to look stuff up themselves, implying that they use their smart phones.
There are lots of other technologies in the room like smart boards, but as a substitute teacher, I’m not trained to use them.
The impact on student learning is enormous. It is instant knowledge. So enormous that they often take for granted actually having to learn or memorize some things.
Good Evening! I teach first grade, so the technical tools I use are a little bit more geared toward 7-year-olds. We use classroom responders quite often. The kids think they are so grown up when they get to use them. I also use things such as DS's that allow the students to link together and learn using the same game or activity. They can also chat using the DS's. I do not have a smart board, but I do have several mobis that I try to use. I am excited to learn about some new things I can bring into my classroom to use on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteSandy: Ask them what they like to play with at home. My grandson won't leave the equipment alone. If it weren't for his reading and writing skills, he'd be a facebook, blogging, gaming ripper. Maybe someone knows about some tools that allow kids to get at it? Like a voice to text for input to pages? Or an image tool? Spose since he doesn't read much yet, it could be tough. He is coming this weekend. I'll ask him.
DeleteI haven't been in the classroom in for 10 years but I do have a son who is in first grade. I'm amazed how much he knows and understands technology. As soon as he gets home from school he wants to get on the computer and do first in math. Another website he enjoys is adventures to fitness. I definitely believe technology makes learning a fun and enjoyable experience. If I ever go back to teaching I will use these websites in my classroom because I can see how much my son enjoys them.
ReplyDeleteJulie: Does he link up with any of his buds online?
DeleteI forgot about Adventure to Fitness. I do that use that occassionally and the kids LOVE it! It is both educational and healthy.
DeleteI work at the state level, but have found using tools like Google Docs and Google sites have been very helpful. Both of these tools could easily be integrated into a classroom. Students today have grown up with technology. By incorporating tools such as Google sites they can interact with the teacher and classroom in a different environment than the traditional classroom.
ReplyDeleteHey everyone!
ReplyDeleteI've been a blogger for years using it for both personal and professional matters. In my classroom I've created class blogs such as http://degaetanoworldgeography.blogspot.com/ ,as well as have had students create blogs for their class. For example, my sociology students this year each have their own blog and have to post at least once a week and comment on at least one other student's blog every week. This has been very successful. Another new technology that I've learned how to usethis year is Prezi. I have been trying to use that instead of powerpoint for notes and slideshows in my classroom but it takes some time getting use to.
Joe DeGaetano (sorry I've used Munky for almost 10 years)
I love how you are sharing your ideas here! Keep it coming :0)
ReplyDeleteI am not in the classroom and I have only used PowerPoint during workshops and trainings. Internally, we have used Google Docs and Dropbox to exchange and collaborate on document updates. Personnaly I use Google Calendar to keep my office Outlook and Iphone in sync and myself organized.
ReplyDeleteFrom my previous classes, WebTop and Google App, I discovered so many applications that can be used in the classroom and with students. The different applications would allow them to document their research and decision making process while allowing feedback from teachers, peers and others for fine tuning. In the end the student can showcase their final product using their own Website.
After reading all these comments and replies I feel technologically challenged. I have never even heard of all those things. I have used powerpoint, laptops, and the smartboard. Since I am not in the classroom every day I do not use technology daily. I have, however, taught in a long term substitute position for fifth grade and we did a powerpoint presentation. The students loved it and most didn't even need help doing it.
ReplyDeleteI have seen how technology helps to engage and motivate students and when in the future I have a classroom of my own I plan to incorporate technology in my teaching.
Penny,
DeleteDon't be overwhelmed, It has taken me a very long time and I'm still learning. I am taking this class in perfect timing. LOL,
Keeping up with the new technology can be frustrating, My 8 year old knows more than I do about computers. LOL
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ReplyDeleteIn my class we use the Elmo, projector, and smart board daily. The students know how to use the internet to get on WV Writes and we do 6 tech steps a year. I thought I was doing pretty good teaching the students how to get on kid friendly sites and look up their favorite animals and ect. After reading everyones post and this blog I feel like I am very far behind. Not all but the biggest parts of my students have the hardest time logging on to sites. I have 25 students and it is hard to log them in and keep them logged in when we go to the computer lab. They do love the smart board and the interactive activities on different websites.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through the comments I realize how much I don't know about the amount of technology that is out there. I am not currently in my own class but I have used PowerPoint, smart boards, and laptops during my Student Teaching. I'm really looking forward to expanding my knowledge on all the different technology available!
ReplyDeleteI work in the West Virginia Virtual School office and frequently I use Blackboard Collaborate to work with students and teachers/counselors/administrators throughout the state. I am able to provide professional development and I use the program to show students how to manuever through their online course. I also have two monitors at my work station which is wonderful to monitor student progress. On one screen I have registration information and on the other screen I pull up course information. It makes it much easier to see both pieces of information at one time in full screen view!
ReplyDeleteI used Edmodo when I was in the classroom. Currently as an administrator I use an app: reminder 101 to send out a phone blast to my teachers. You can use this as a teacher to connect with your parents and you can hide your phone number from them so you do not get replies back.
ReplyDeleteI use dropbox all of the time and I love it! So many of our teacher now have iPads and I send out a newsletter every friday and they share their favorite new app.
As a French teacher, I have used several technology tools to enhance classroom instruction. Using the Smartboard, I can develop question and discussion activities that encourage student learning. Students can come to the Smartboard to do fill-in-blank and sorting activities, and play games to practice their skills. The Smartboard also provides many opportunities to implement formative assessments, including “Jeopardy” review games, multiple-choice quizzes, and concentration games. I love the CLEAR program offered by Michigan State University to design interactive dialogue activities for my students. Google and other search engines help my students do research on the history, culture, and geography of France, with which they create informative and visually appealing Powerpoint presentations to share with their classmates.
ReplyDeleteI have been exposed to a few tech tools such as edmentum, googledocs google sites. I am not currently in the classroom as a teacher, but I can use many of these tools as an administrator to communicate various things to the staff, students, parents and community. I can also foresee using some of these tools for professional development online.
ReplyDeleteI am familiar with Edmodo. I use it as a participant in trainings. However, I am in the process of trying to convince our central office that it would be a beneficial way for vertical and horizontal PLC's to communicate. I have not had the pleasure of using Animoto, maybe now I will. Voki is so easy, I love it. I have worked with teachers in integrating a variety of technology tools into the curriculum. Every teacher has access to responders, electronic whiteboards, document readers, and a presentation station. There are at least two computer labs in every school and a minimum of three computers in every classroom. Students have used dropbox as storage for techSteps projects, Google Earth, Google docs, Prezi, and of course the technology that is called for with the techSteps projects.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been in the classroom for a couple of years, but I remember being frustrated by my school's lack of technology accessibility. We had 2 computer labs for over 800 students. My classroom had one student computer that was over 10 years old. On the positive side, my last year there I did get an ELMO. Up until then I felt fortunate to have my overhead projector! I was required to do Writing Roadmap and TechSteps, but my heart wasn't really in those assignments because I felt the flaws outweighed the rewards.
ReplyDeleteWhen I did have access to the computer lab, we would go on Webquests and they'd complete online quizzes. Periodically I'd have my AA keep abreast of the news on ChannelOne.com.
I've never heard of Animoto before but it sounds fantastic! I will be sure to implement that when I return to the classroom. I also love Cheryl's idea of the avatars reading the assignment. For struggling readers, I know that would seem like the coolest thing ever.
I had never heard of Animoto until this class. Yesterday while my girls were taking a nap, I got on and started playing around. It was really cool. I had always used Powerpoint to do presentations, but look forward to trying this out when I get back into the classroom. I feel I have a lot to learn.
DeleteMy students have used powerpoint, music theory software, microsoft publisher, and various music or health related websites (kidshealth.org,dsokids.com,musictechteacher.com). The theory software helps students apply basic music elements in an entertaining experience, webistes help with hearing various instruments that I do not have access to.
ReplyDeleteI have used wikispaces to build webquests, xtranormal to have students create videos, student created videos with microsoft moviemaker. I also use powerpoint and responders in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteAs a classroom teacher, I used Edline.net (our district paid for this) as a repository for online media that my students used. From papers that I handed out to my lesson plans and make-up work. All of my PBL (Problem- or Project-based Learning) material was posted and stored on the class pages. This was also the starting point for many webquests, online lessons, as well as a way to contact students via mass emails. This website truly allowed my traditional class to become a blended delivery class. Student could also submit work, store/transfer files between home and school, as well as provide parents information about what was going on in my classroom. I don't think I could have survived without this website the last few years I taught science. I became more organized as well as what we did in class became apparent to parents.
ReplyDeleteAs a TIS, I helped several teachers use 2.0 tools including livebinders.com, facebook (transitioned to edmodo.com), xtranormal.com/education, TechSteps.com, and some online blogging. The one that I saw the most use of was livebinders.com. Vicky Robb, at Sissonville HS, teaches reading to those students who don't qualify for SpEd but still need extra help. One of her goals is to improve the student's vocabulary by using old and new works of literature to teach the 100 most common words on the SAT. One of her tools is visual-verbal word associations (VVWA). I was familiar with this as I used it in my science classes. So, she and I devised an online dictionary using livebinders.com where the students built their own VVWA diagram in PowerPoint, saved the file as a .jpg file and then uploaded it to their livebinder account. She noticed within a few days that no longer were the students asking her if they had things correct (as in the correct pictures and words) because when they did a google search for the word and then looked at the images that Google provided, they were able to clearly choose an appropriate picture. She used a standardized reading test at the end of the year to see which of her classes improved the most and saw that the classes that used the online VVWA process progressed twice as far as the ones using the traditional method. She was quite impressed!
We use engrade.com and I mush prefer it over edline, in my opinion. =)
DeleteOur district is moving to that next year. It is being "piloted" at several schools this year. I'm looking forward to learning it. I hear it is pretty awesome.
DeleteI forgot to include one of the "10 best" tools to talk about! I've used voicethread in the past (https://voicethread.com/?#u1763813) for a biology teacher friend. I set it up and she used it in her classroom. I don't know how succesful it was to her, but building it caused me to relearn many things as well as a few I didn't know!
DeleteMy students do half of these through techsteps as well!
ReplyDeleteFor this one I feel like I might be in over my head.... I'd like to extend the success of the students facebook site by engaging a site for the purpose of meeting others from other countries and cultures to bring alive the meaning of cultural differences in communication. For me reading and video works maybe because I've lived overseas and experienced several cultures personally. Noticed it doesn't seem so real for the students except when we are fortunate enough to have a student or two from another country.
ReplyDeleteI thing it has the potential to jazz it up and make it real. Hopefully increasing interest and engagement. Who knows? Maybe it will increase the line of sight distance across the ever flattening landscape.
I have never heard of these but I am looking into them due to a class project coming up. Thank you for introducing them to me. My students are getting sick and tired of PowerPoint.
ReplyDeleteI have recently put my students on Webtop and had them create Voki and Prezi accounts as well as had them access Google Drive in order to copmlete their lab notebook. I have a set of Mobis that I use, responders, and a SMARTboard. When I mix it up and use different tools a lot it keeps the students engaged.
ReplyDeleteI believe most of us are thinking in the term of public schools, but it dawned on me how home school parents could benefit from this course. A lot of the Apps could enhance the student’s technology skills at home. No one needs to miss out on the future of technology.
ReplyDelete