Wow! Amazing week of explorations. This week’s technology explorations were more familiar than some earlier ones. Prezi, Edmodo, Glogster and You Tube were all four things that I could see due to the logos they present and hearing my children talk about their various assignments.
Synchronous and Asynchronous were two words that I was not familiar with, until I saw the actual meanings. I have been surrounded by them, however just didn’t realize it. The majority of my world used to strictly be asynchronous, due to me only emailing. Today, I would say that I have a good mixture of both styles. Emailing still exists quite frequent in my day, with the addition of facebook. The discussion board assignments would be another avenue of asynchronous communications. When looking at synchronous communications, texting, face time and chats on facebook have exploded in my day to day life within the last year.
I liked the way that the 2009 Horizon Report: The K12 Edition One Year or Less put it: “The value of online communication tools goes well beyond social interaction. Access to these tools gives students an opportunity to experience learning in multiple ways, to develop a public voice, to make connections with others around the world and to compare their own ideas with those of their peers.”
Visual Imagery-
This last week we were given an assignment to review 3 blogs. These blogs were from our peers. It was very informative to look at, in seeing how people use similar information and show their perspective within writing, images and layout. I was able to receive some great feedback and hope that my blog, as well as others benefit from the changes that I am making. I noticed that the ones with targeted images were definitely more appealing to me. The style of font, color and size were also another point to consider.
Visual Literacy-
Visual Literacy is the ability to see, to understand and have an emotional feeling all at the same time. Whether it is that picture of Mona Lisa (cartoon, lego, or actual image), a picture from the depression times or any other strong emotionally connected image, we see things through our emotions. I now realize why we had to incorporate a visual on our blog in a past lesson. Pictures really do speak, without text.
Overwhelming would be a good choice of words. Watching Scorsese’s video and how he spoke of film in the curriculum and how it shapes your learning and then on to the wiki site showing the tools for editing (ie: photopeach & bubblesnaps to name a few). Students need to be taught at a young age how to filter and see these images for what they are. Editing is a powerful tool! In the 21st Century skills, our students need to be able to create this style of framework as well as understand it. So much of the gaming is going on at home and that seems to be the attractor. Learning is competing with this style of imagery and visual literacy gives us that way to stay in the game.
The PBS site had so many pieces to choose from! In looking at one, I noticed a topic of stereotyping. It seemed to be a great way to allow students to give their perspective and then watch various videos to prove or disprove their original thoughts. I liked how it walked you through a complete lesson to help students dig deeper.
The two that I looked into more were:
In the Mix-Self Image: http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/educators/fant_real.html
Don’t Buy It http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit
Both had to do with what is real and what is fake? The affect is there though. We want the perfection. However, perfection, at least thru the media isn’t perfect or real. It all has to do with how the artist wants the image to be portrayed. In their vision, it is to be perfect. It is to be wanted and needed.
The ‘In the Mix-Self Image’ piece goes thru the typical thoughts and then shows why they aren’t obtainable. It also gives statistics on things like eating disorders and what an average size a real American is typically. I liked the way that the site offers actual strategies for students to determine what is real and what is not. It allows for critical thinking and problem solving.
The ‘Don’t Buy It’ was interesting and gross at the same time. Forget making the picture perfect meal…at least if you want to eat it. Wiping down my food with soap and sewing it, isn’t my idea of perfect. Ads are viewed multiple times a day and we salivate!! It shows that the connections are there. I think of the good ole Golden Arches (aka McDonald’s). McDonald’s food may not be as appealing as a steak, however the smell, the visual of the golden arches and Ronald McDonald bring back an array of memories from being a child.
Take-A-Way-
I can totally see using pictures with my students to get a feel for their processing. With not having a class yet, I am starting to build up a tool box of goodies. Learning and Behavior Disorders can be a wide variety of learning. Being able to see what ‘Visuals’ can offer, has been amazing. The presentations thru video on Teacher Tube was my favorite by far. Another piece that I learned was that due to visuals being so powerful, we need to guide students thru age appropriate pieces, as well as, in the best way to process the information accurately.
Technology Explorations #15
a.) Prezi- http://prezi.com/
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be thorough in your response.
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Prezi is a way to create presentations. ‘Ideas matter’ and ‘Create, Learn & Explore’ are two phrases that you will see on the site. My son is actually doing a presentation right now for his 4th grade class using Prezi. This program allows you the ease of working from anywhere. He started it at school in the technology lab and then with a simple log in, he was working right away on the ipad. It is more visually stimulating than a powerpoint, with a more commercial look. The avenue allows for brainstorming, creativity and then a mode to present.
The image that I included is one that my son has started. It has to do with the cancer journey of a person.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
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It can be used as a pathway of learning for the students. Give them a set topic or allow them to choose a topic to write about. They dive into their learning, allow them to be creative and then present their found knowledge to the teacher or class. This pathway allows a way for them to go passed the textbook.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth. Why or Why not?
I would most definitely recommend this site to other educators. It is extremely easy to use whether you are a teacher or a student. There is a free option, so budgeting wouldn’t be a concern. And it allows the students a freedom to be more creative with their explorations.
There are three different tiers of settings. ‘Public’ is a free way to go. ‘Enjoy’ is $4.95/month (however billed $59 annually) and offers a 30 day free trial. This option allows for private presentations, use of your logo, premium support and 500MB storage space. The ‘Pro’ is $13.25/month (billed $159/annually) and also offers a 30 day free trial. This option allows for working offline, private presentations, own logo and premium support.
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b.) SpicyNodes- http://www.spicynodes.org
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be thorough in your response.
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SpicyNodes is very creative in format and description. The website’s lingo brings you into the kitchen, getting ready to create a fabulous dish using all your tools. The website states: “Entice visitors to explore and savor the experience of visiting your website, add visualization to your blog, create a mindmap or organizational chart, or encourage students to delve deeper.”
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
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I can see SpicyNodes being utilized in upper grades, for instance middle school levels and up. It is more conceptual and I believe that the younger grades might not grasp just yet. This style allows for multiple topics that can connect and flow together, giving students that extra connection to the concepts. Allowing them to work thru this method, it pushes them to dig deeper and further their critical thinking. It is just a newer look to the Venn Diagram and adding fingers.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth. Why or Why not?
I really liked this version of mindmapping and presenting. It allowed for a ‘big picture’ take on things and then the ability to dig deeper. I liked the way things moved around and came up to you when clicked, while at the same time, keeping the other headings in the distance. The ability to offer assessments with this program makes it an extra plus. A rubric is offered to help with evaluating for the classroom. The prices vary with SpicyNodes just like many others. There is a free version and then pricing for more specific pieces. The ‘Organization’ is $24/month and the ‘
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Technology Explorations # 16
a.) Edmodo- http://www.edmodo.com
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be thorough in your response.
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“..helps connect all learners with the people and resources needed to reach their full potential.” It looks somewhat like a facebook account, however isn’t as public. Teachers set up the account and give the students their log in. The students can add a picture to go along with their name to personalize. It is a way to chat, ask questions or leave comments on the class’s content.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
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Huge resource for the students in the classroom! Assignments can be posted ahead of time, giving the students the option to start early and knock them out, do as assigned or catch up. It offers the teacher an extra connection to the students outside of the classroom when they are at home and get stuck. It also offers a way for classmates to assist each other within the comforts on their own home. Parents can have a special log in as well to see the assignments posted, keeping them in the loop.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth. Why or Why not?
Very easy to use site, it’s secure and allows great connections outside the 4 walls of a classroom. We strive for collaboration, here it is!! It is FREE!
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b.) Math Dictionary- http://www.mathematicsdictionary.com/math-vocabulary.htm
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be thorough in your response.
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Wow! I am so happy to have found this site. This is a ‘Visual Mathematics Dictionary’. The vocabulary words are on the left side of the screen. When you click on the word, the main screen brings up the word, definition and a picture. It allows for access to all terms, as well as, breakdowns with specific grade levels. For example: K-2, 3-6, 6-8 and K-12.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
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This is a great resource for not only students, but teachers and parents. I can see the parents using this site, when reviewing homework with their child. For some, it has been longer since they have been in school. This just allows for a fresher look, so to be able to assist the child. Students can use this to help them study, visualize the term and grasp the concept. I personally have to ‘see’ things. So, I am sure others would like this option as well. Teachers could actually work vocabulary terms based on the site. Giving students the vocabulary at the start of a section, provides a way for teachers to reinforce terms in the lessons.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth. Why or Why not?
This would be a site that I would recommend the teacher using in the classroom as well as offering the site as a link on the class website. Anything that we can offer our parents at home to extend our students learning is a plus! Free!!
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Technology Explorations # 17
a.) Glogster- http://www.glogster.com/
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be thorough in your response.
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I had heard of Glogster and know that my daughter did a group project on ‘Healthy Habits’ for her technology class, so I only had limited knowledge until exploring. Glogster is a way to combine a blog and creativity. It is a poster like concept, but without the use of poster paper and more interactive. Pictures, music, graphics and videos are all options in addition to your text. This can be as simple as a presentation tool, to sharing all over. I went ahead and adding an image of a biome project that was done on Glogser.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
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In a classroom setting there are so many options for this interface. Class projects (individual or group), adaptive curriculum, portfolios and more. Pushing a student out of his/her comfort zone, allowing further knowledge to be obtained and allowing another method of expressing his/her self is always a plus as a resource. The fact that the learned knowledge can be easily shared on a wiki, edmodo, email and more is even more beneficial. The information can be studied much more easily in this form, than on a posterboard. Assignments can be created thru this interface as well. Longevity is there for multiple years to come as well as editing and tweaking the assignments.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth. Why or Why not?
I don’t think you would use it on every assignment, however it is a great option to have to add variety. There are varied pricing levels as well with this interface. ‘Educator Free’ allows for 10 students, ‘Educator light’ allows for 50 students & is $29.95/annually and ‘Educator Premium’ allows for 200 students, is $99/annually & offers 1 month free trial. This pricing guide is for a single license. There are other options for school licensing as well. It’s easy, fun and interactive for all.
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b.) Jing- http://www.techsmith.com/jing/
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be thorough in your response.
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Okay, so my new found friend is Jing!! I have been struggling with the whole ‘print screen’ button on my laptop. My earlier pictures of Prezi and Spicynodes are from where I took a picture and sent to my computer. The image above for glogster, came from my daughter’s assignment and then the use of Jing!!! LOVE IT!! Tech Smith offers some amazing tools for editing and communicating. Snag it is another tool offered as well that is great for capturing information and tweaking in a new format.
This tool allows for you to copy a whole page or just a fine specific from your screen and either save the image itself, or send it to your screencast.com account. This allows for you to send images thru email or instant message without the large piece taking up the screen. The receiver just clicks the link and bam, the image is there. Video can also be captured, so you aren’t limited to just images.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
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Jing could be used as a great tutorial! How about the saying ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’? This allows for easy explanations.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth. Why or Why not?
I immediately downloaded Jing, so I would say ‘yes’ to recommending to other educators. It is free and easy to use.
It can be used so often, I am not sure why I haven’t looked for this sooner.
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Technology Explorations # 18
a.) You Tube for Education- http://www.youtube.com/education?b=400
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be thorough in your response.
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You tube for Education is somewhat different than your regular You tube due to content. This is still video sharing, however from the education/tutorial standpoint vs sheer entertainment.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
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I can see this more of a tutorial for the older student looking to strengthen their skills, or for a teacher needing to get extra knowledge to offer another view point.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth. Why or Why not?
This website would be more recommended for educators of adult education classes rather than younger students. It is really easy to access, however doesn’t have the ‘wow’ factor or attractiveness that so many others have. It is however a free source.
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be thorough in your response.
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School Tube is another version of You Tube. This is an education piece that allows for various videos to be created and able to be viewed. I was able to type in the school and pull up different videos from those students, which was pretty cool. These are typically projects that students work together on and then present.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
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A resource example of the school setting, would be for the students to be paired up for a project and then create a commercial to promote their work. This allows for problem solving, creativity and furthered learning, while being a fun activity that they can create. I can also see lessons taught in a fun way and then linked.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth. Why or Why not?
Definitely an easy resource to use to get the students involved. It is free and easily accessible as well.
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c.) Teacher Tube- http://www.teachertube.com
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Describe what you learned from exploring this resource. Be thorough in your response.
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Teacher Tube was my favorite out of the three. This seemed to be just another YouTube experience until I went a little deeper. Yes there are videos, however there is definitely a whole lot more. Worksheets, quizzes and other strategies to learning are also available to go along with multiple videos. It is like a teacher bag of tricks.
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How could you use this resource in a school setting? It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
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The easily accessible learning can be used with most lessons, whether a teacher uses it to just offer another perspective of teaching or actually shows the videos to add to the lesson.
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Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth. Why or Why not?
Teacher Tube would be my top recommendation out of the three explored. It is free and easily accessible. Creating tutorials and adding to the site seem pretty easy as well.
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