Summary of Learning – Part 2

We can all help others learn in so many ways. In this post, you will see ways in which I have contributed to the learning of others and my classmates.

I used Storify to catalogue some of my tweets and re-tweets – some which I think show evidence of my contribution to the learning of others. Storify is a great tool because you can search your own tweets, tweets from others, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Google, and you can also embed links to help you create and share a story.

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You can also see my Storify online.

Throughout the semester I have also created a collection of comments I have contributed to my classmates blogs and a few to YouTube Videos and other blogs as well. I don’t know if I’ve made a comment on everyone’s blog, but I gave it my best effort to read a wide variety of posts. Sometimes, I still find it  hard to find the right words to share in a comment …

Click here to see this GoogleDoc online.

It has been wonderful to read their ideas and to see what they have learned through out the semester. I have enjoyed offering feedback, support, comments and ideas to them just as much as I have appreciated receiving the same from them.

Summary of Learning – Part 1

For the presentation of my summary of learning, I did a couple of different things:

I first created a slideshow using sliderocket to organize my ideas and Scribd to share it here, as my file was too big to upload using Slideshare:

View this document on Scribd

 

Then, I took most of those slides and added my thoughts to them to produce the following video:

 

But since this summary was a little long, I took the above video and made a shorter version to be shown in class (highlighting what I really wanted to communicate and share with my classmates):

 

All three are a little different and I don’t expect you to view all of them. However, if you have the time to watch one of them, I would recommend you watch the second YouTube video for an insight into my learning from ecmp355 this semester.

Through being exposed to a variety of tools, information, resources and knowledge, I have learned a great deal and have gained a stronger understanding of the technology around me today – things that I will be using, things that my students will be using and things that other people are using. I am now competent with a variety of tools in which I can produce, remix, share, edit, and can collaborate with others through many means. I have a greater appreciation for: YouTube, the many tools Google provides, Twitter, the idea of re-mixing, digital story making, online learning spaces, WordPress, pod casts and the many forms of learning – synchronous and asynchronous. Most importantly, I’ve learned the importance of integrating technology into the classroom with learners of all ages.

Oh, and I highly recommend that all University of Regina students in Education take this course as it should be a requirement for your degree, and that it should be taken before internship would have been so beneficial for internship. Although, it has prepared me and made me ready to be in my own classroom with students and to use technology – I am eager to enter the profession!

 

LMS Evaluation

For this tech task, I worked with Emily, Colby and Brittany. We were to explore Learning Management Systems and chose to look at Edmodo and Schoology. Teachers can use learning management systems in conjunction with blended learning which is simply put as mixing face-to-face teaching and learning and an online environment. As a member of my group, I signed up for both of these systems. For Schoology, I created a student account, and for Edmodo I created a teacher account. Our group, collaborated using a GoogleDoc.

We each explored the accounts we created and combine our thoughts and ideas, answering the following areas:

– Key characteristics
– What the tools are designed to do
– Favourite features for each service
– Perspectives from student, teacher and parent accounts

You can also click here to view the document in a new tab or window in your internet browser.

Here are some of my reflections to a few questions for this tech task, based on my experience with Schoology and Edmodo.

– What are your thoughts on the design of these tools and how do these tools compare?

Both of these tools are similar in design, purpose and features. I would recommend Edmodo for younger classrooms and Schoology for older classrooms as the layout and access students have in Edmodo is simple and organised with a clear design. I like how Edmodo lets students customize their profiles, has a main feed stream on their home page, and individual streams for certain courses. Schoology is divided into specific sections for each class and has many sections such as pages, assignments, images and discussions. I feel both tools are great for creating an online learning space where students can collaborate, learn, discuss and share while they are in class and anywhere they have internet access. For teachers, you post quizzes and assignments, share grades and you can respond to your students discussions. I also liked how both services can allow to connect to larger communities of educators out there and how you can create and be part of a personal learning network. In the end however, I think that these tools are great and offer in general the same features and options, in the end, I feel that it comes down to personal preference of which program you would like to use.

– How easy are these tools to use and learn?

Emodo has a clear layout and I found it easier to use as opposed to Schoology. I used the tutorials offered by each site to find view the basic overviews of each program which I found helpful to get you started. One can also search Youtube for videos of how-‘s for Edmodo or Schoology. As an example, I searched for how to access and share a parent code for Schoology.

 

As well, there are also various blogs about Edmodo and Schoology that you can search. For example, I looked at:

• Edmodo with Ipads – which shows teacher and student perspectives about the program
• Edmodo as a Learning Management System – which shows how one teacher uses Edmodo

– Do you feel that these tools would be appealing to students?

I feel that both of these tools would be appealing for students because it is one more way that they can interact with their classmates and teachers using technology. Edmodo is similar to Facebook so students may feel comfortable using this program. Tests and quizzes online can allow students to see comments from their teachers, and their how their classmates view certain topics through the use of a poll. I think these programs are also appealing because students can send messages to their teachers and can ask for help with a question and can submit assignments if they are not at school.

– Is this something that you could see yourself using in your classroom? Why or why not?

I could definitely see myself using Edmodo compared to Schoology in my own classroom. I already have some many ideas in my mind about how using this tool could be beneficial in all subjects including language arts and social studies to name  few. I like how I can share resources with students, can post assignments or steps to follow, and can allow students to have discussions online. It seems like a great tool and can’t wait to try it out with actual students! I also think Schoology could be used as well, however, Edmodo appeals to me more in terms of features, layout, and tools offered.

 

Macbook Pro or Apple I-Pad

I have the opportunity to purchase a Macbook Pro or an Apple I-Pad. I would probably use a Macbook Pro more personally than I would an I-Pad, but my question is:

Do you think an I-Pad or a Macbook is more beneficial for a teacher to have in a classroom setting?

If you’d like to help me out, please leave me a comment or take a moment and fill out the Google form that I have created. I appreciate your responses!

Asynchronous Learning – Part 2

I came across another video by Angela Maiers which I found on TEDx Talks. “TEDx was created in the spirit of TED’s mission, ‘ideas worth spreading.’ The program is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level.” – TEDx.

Angela Maiers is an education and technology consultant from Des Moines, Iowa who shares with us how two words can change a life and her talk is entitled, “You Matter.”

I follow her on Twitter and now after watching this video, I understand the message behind #YouMatter.  If you have the time, I would highly recommend watching the presentation.

 

Here are a few highlights and important messages I took away from the video:

• We were created for significance, yet most of us have the feeling that we don’t matter.
• It is important to tell others that they matter and that you see them as a human being.
• “… the person at work, the person in your neighbourhood, … it could be you sitting there wondering, working and living and learning in a place where they do not feel significant. Where they do not feel like no matter what I do today, no matter how hard I work, no matter what I accomplish, is there anybody in the world that is going to notice me and that going to care that I got up and showed up today?”
• “People that matter know that when they are noticed, when they are valued and when they are depended on.”

• Watch the video to see how Angela inspires students through a notebook and see how they notice those around them, show others that they are significant and watch them be geniuses!

I believe that it is important each day to tell our students “you matter”. Tell them that you noticed the little things they do, the good things and even things that they can do better. Notice your students and get them to notice the good in others. Remind them that they are an important part of your classroom and that if they are not their, a piece of the class is missing. Together, the students need to know that they can depend on each other, and that you as a teacher can depend on them. Our students need to believe in their work and that what they are learning and doing each day is important to them, their families and community, the school and the world. You never know what your students will end up doing in the future so challenge them and inspire them. Give your students courage, inspiration, empowerment and get them to know that they matter, that they are significant and that they can help others know these things as well.

 

If you’re reading this post, I’d like to tell you that ‘you matter!’