After 11 Tools: Reflections

1. What are your favorite tools you now have in your personal technology toolbox? Briefly describe a particular activity that you will plan for your students using at least one of these new tools.
Digital Storytelling: Using PhotoStory was definitely one of my favorite tools. It was a lot of fun and a great creative way to share a story. I know students would love to do something like this and would be engaged and eager. I would like to incorporate soemthing like this some time this school year.
Mobile Technology & Apps: Finding apps was antoher one of my favorites. I always like finding new apps and especially if there free. Finding the educational free games was easy and the games were fun to play. It would be cool to have a few iPods or iPads in the classroom to use as a workstation. A great benefit is that they are small and easy to store...at they same time they have interent access.
Image Generators: The different image generators were also fun to create and add to your page. Students would love to demonstrate the images they created.


2. How have you transfomed your thinking about the learning that will take place in your classroom?

After doing the 11 tools I was able to explore different sources that can be used in the classroom. My thinking has been transformed to the many possiblities these tools provided. There are many resources out there that I was not aware of until doing these 11 tools.


3. Were there any unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

I really didn't know what the 11 tools consisted of when I first started, but after completeing these tools it opened my eyes to different possiblities. There were a few tools that I found interesting and could be applicable to the classroom. The tools also opened my eyes to digital citizenship and Skype in the classroom. All in all completing these 11 tools was not as difficult as I thougt it would be and was a great learning expierence.

Tool #11: Digital Citizenship

I wasn't quite sure what digital citizenship was at first until I read up on it. I think teaching Digital Citizenship is  important to keep students safe and aware about technology. It teaches students technology etiquette, which I think sometimes is over looked. I think teaching digital citizenship can be done in the beginning of the year and just like classroom expectations. I think reminding students throughout the year about digital citizenships is also a way to keep students aware as well.
 When teaching digital citizenship I would focus  on responsibilty, safety and awareness. Students need to be aware of possible dangers and know how to use technology appropriately.  Students should also be responsible and safe by modeling responsible behaviors when online would be a way to demonstrate this to students.
I think maybe even bringing in a guest speaker about computer etiquette would also be helpful.

Tool 10: Exploring Mobile Technology And Apps

Having an iPhone made this tool easy. I love downloading apps on my phone and especially love to find good  free apps. What's great is that Apple is pretty good about providing good free apps and tools. I have a few educational games on my phone that my nephews enjoys playing and a plus is he's learning at the same time! Students could easily use an iPod or iPad during workstations and play appropriate gradelevel games and have fun in the process.
Some of the apps I downloaded and enjoy were:
1.Vocabulary Bubble: this was a fun vocabulary game that provided a definition and I had to match the word...I would say this would be for older students
2.Brain Tuner: This was a math game that was a lot of fun it covered basic math facts and I had to determine if they were right or wrong... Lots of fun...i
3.ABC: I would say this if for prek or Kinder .... it's a game with letters and sounds
4.Flash Time: Also a basic math fact game...lots of fun... it's also timed to that made it more fun

Tool #9: Sharing Information

Jing: I think Jing can be another way for students to collaborate and share information on websites that they may have found. At first I kinda was having a difficult time determining how Jing could be used with students, but the more I think about it students could also use Jing in different subject areas. Capturing images or websites to share with peers could be a use. Possibly even with problem solving or read alouds.

Sype: I have to be quite honest, at first I didn't see how Skype could be used in the classroom. We have used Skype a couple of times at home to communitcate with family members, but didn't see a use for the classroom. Thanks to an article posted on the 11 tools website  I was introduced to many ways Skype could be used in the classroom. From simple ideas such as chatting with an autor or having students develop language. Also having a guest speaker is possible with Skype. I'm excited at the many possiblities that Skype has to offer and am eager to see how I can incorporate this tool in my class. Oh and the awesome article was posted  is listed below.
50 Awesome Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom

Tool #6: Wikis

Wikis seems to be a good way to have a meeting ground if several people are involved in an activity, planning, lesson, etc. It seems to be a helpful way for grade level teams to store meeting agendas/notes of team meeting. It also seems like students can benifit from Wiki as well when working and planning on a research project. PBworks seems like a helpful tool to use in the classroom to create an actively engaged classroom and have students participate in activities. Students could easily participate in a class story, problem solving or science expierement using a Wiki. It's a great way for students to communicate as well.

Tool #8: Video Resources

  The two videos that I have picked out are songs to different concepts. I have used both videos and music in my class and find that student's tend to retain more information this way. Using video's that incorporate songs is a wonderful way to have students learn new concepts. It's easier for them to remember information that way....and they have doing it...it's always fun to learn a new song!!!

Tool # 8

Videos are a wonderful way to have students interested in what they are learning.