Student Response Systems

I really wanted to find out more information about student response systems because I have never seen them used before and I feel like they could be so useful in a classroom. I explored the systems available through SMART and eInstruction. I liked how many different response systems are available based on the needs of the class. I think the systems would increase engagement of students and provide immediate feedback for the teacher. I can see how these systems would make assessment easier for the teacher and the students would benefit from the immediate feedback. When exploring Socrative I thought it was a great idea! I would definitely use this in the classroom for many reasons. I really like that it is free to use and students do not need a login. It’s convenient that it will work on any device with an internet connection and no additional technology is needed. The amount of activities that are available is really nice. One feature that got my attention was how a report is sent to the teachers email and opens in a spreadsheet. I think all of these response systems would be great for the classroom. 

Video Conferencing Web Tools

Video Conferencing Tools:	Features:	Pros/Cons:
Skype	·         Call- can call any device anywhere in the world (cost to call mobile and landlines). Have options for forwarding calls to your phone and caller ID. Can connect to individuals or a group. ·         Video- Face to face conversation with an individual or a group. ·         Messaging- many different ways to message (video, text, sharing pictures and location). ·         Sharing- Can share files, screenshots, pictures.	·         Skype is a free download that allows the user to connect to anywhere in the world. ·         Great to use for education and connecting the classroom with outside resources without having to leave the room. ·         Premium options cost money, but the free options are great too!
Adobe Connect Now	·         Teamwork Space- Allows for shared online files, so many individuals can work on the same document without having to meet face to face. And it has set up options to manage who you want to see the document. ·         Shared PDF document reviews- Allows user to get feedback in one PDF file. ·         Personal File Storage- Everything is stored online and accessible with any device.	·         This program reminded me a lot of Google Docs, which is free. But it does have a free trial offer. ·         With online storage, the user doesn’t have to worry about losing documents. ·         This tool requires a login and after the free trial the user would have to pay for services.
Tiny Chat	·         Can chat with an individual or a group. ·         Can create Tags, so other users know what your chat is about. User has a maximum of 10 tags with the free version. ·         Pro allows for more options (Video, No advertisements, priority directory list).	·         Very unprofessional images and videos for all users to see. ·         Can use the tool from multiple devices. ·         Can import videos from Youtube to share with students. ·         I wouldn’t use this tool with students, for fear of them finding inappropriate things. Just hitting the Tiny Chat icon while in the chat room will take you to the home page.
Meeting Burner	·         Allows for screen sharing and audio conferencing. ·         Meeting scheduling. ·         Has in meet chat available. ·         Paid versions have meeting recording options, which can be shared.	·         With the free version the user is only allowed 10 attendees. ·         With the paid version it allows the user to record the meeting. This would be great for feedback for the teacher or if a student was absent from class they could review the information covered.
Go To Meeting	·         Can host a variety of conferences (Trainings, Webinars, and Meetings). ·         Available to use on many devices (besides the training option). ·         Have the options of audio or video conferencing. ·         Meeting scheduling.	·         Free 30 day trial available. ·         This tool seems very user friendly and shows how to set up a meeting step by step.
Yugma	·         User is able to share documents, images or desktop. ·         Application sharing allows the user to show audience what they want them to see. ·         Skype integration- can conference with Skype contacts. And adds instant desktop sharing to Skype. ·         Presentation tools include a whiteboard for brainstorming, notes, or drawing lines and shapes. These changes can be saved. ·         Recording, Playback and Webcast- The user can playback or share the information.	·         One feature that I really liked was the whiteboard option. I can see how helpful this would be during a lesson. The teacher could write notes or the student could add information, answer questions, or complete graphs. ·         Allows the user to host a meeting up to 500 people. ·         15 day free trial available. After that pricing options range from $9.95 a month to $159.95 a month.
Webex	·         Share- can share desktop, files, applications, and change presenters. ·         Collaborate through video, chat, and a marker tool to highlight important information. ·         It is possible for each user to choose their view.	·         Free version only allows for 3 people per meeting. So if using in the classroom, the students would have to work as a whole. ·         With the free version the Whiteboard is available, so the teacher and students could take notes.

After exploring all of the video conferencing web tools available, I think my preference would have to be Skype. Some of the other options I enjoyed as well, but I think Skype would work best in the classroom for educational purposes. When I was going though some other options I found that they would be very helpful in a business setting, but for the classroom I think a simple, user friendly program is the best option. Skype would be a great tool to use in the classroom to connect to individuals around the world. In Social Studies the students could learn about different cultures and connect with individuals from different countries to ask questions and learn directly from them. Using Skype in the classroom allows that students to go on a field trip without ever leaving their seats. This would be good in Special Education because with students with behavior and physical disabilities some field trips can be hard to manage or impossible to attend. Overall, I can see how video conferencing tools like these can enhance the learning experience for all learners.

Search Engines

This weeks assignment opened my eyes to all of the search engines available to students. I had no idea there were so many. When going through all of the search engines I decided to stay with the same topic and see which one yielded the best results. The topic I researched was Unequal Distribution of Technology in Education for my research paper in Issues. I was already regretting this topic because it was a challenge to find any relevant information.

After searching through all of the search engines some of them were very helpful. Some of these included:

• Academic Info- I liked how this provided the user with many sources based on your search. It was easy to use, but it took me to so many different places I finally ended up at Education World and found good information there.
• BASE- I liked the look of BASE because it is set up like many search engines I have used before. The reason I put this search engine in the helpful section is because I did find some useful articles, but I didn't like how I had to search through the pages to find them; this was very time consuming.
• ERIC and Google Scholar- Both of these websites I have been using to find research articles for a long time. I like the layout of both sites and they always have articles I can use for my research.
• Infotopia- This site filtered the information very well, I was able to find one article that would be helpful for my research located on the first page. I looked through more pages to see if any other information was relevant, but it wasn't. I would definitely use this search engine in the future to save searching time.
• RefSeek- This search engine provided me with some good results for my research paper; it is powered by Google, so it was set up very similar. The only thing I didn't like was when I clicked on a link and then wanted to go back, it would bring me back to the first page of results no matter what page I was on. 

The search engines that weren't as helpful included: 

• The Archival Research Catalogue- This didn't help me with researching my topic at all, but when I searched for a more basic topic it provided a lot of resources that looked helpful. I might use this in the future for other research.
• LibGuides- I found this site not very helpful because I needed to broaden my search too much before it would give me information I wanted. Some of the sites it took me to required a log in or weren't what I was looking for.
• Library of Congress- I liked how you could limit the search by formats, but when I went to type information for my research nothing came up that was helpful for me. When I tried to limit the formats to find relevant information it still didn't come up with anything useful.

Overall these search engines will help with my continuing education. As an educator I would definitely share some of these sites with my students because they are great information resources. 

I enjoyed reading the Web 2.0 article and it is very true. I remember using technology growing up and it gradually became more interactive. I remember first using the computer to learn typing and playing basic games like Oregon Trail. Then AIM and MySpace became popular and it was possible to connect to others. Today when I think of technology a major part of that is being connected. Individuals can Skype, play games together, and share information with ease without needing to leave the house. Web 2.0 is great for education because it allows students to engage and interact while learning. It provides experiences that wouldn't be possible otherwise. 

VoiceThread, Animoto, and Wordle

I thought this weeks assignments were fun to do. I can see how useful all of these tools can be in the classroom. After exploring all three, I enjoyed Animoto the most. It was easy to create a video and I liked adding comments and being able to pick my own music to go along with the video. I think that VoiceThread was the most difficult; I have never used this program before, so I have to watch the tutorials and explore the website before I could even begin to create.

I do like the idea of using VoiceThread in the classroom because it allows for collaboration between the students. A VoiceThread could be created about anything and the rest of the class could comment. For example, when studying presidents each student could pick a different president to create a VoiceThread for. I think it would be helpful in math class to show students steps to solving problems. I created my VoiceThread about solving simple math word problems. 

VoiceThread

Animoto was a really interesting tool to use. I can see how useful it would be in the classroom for many reasons. I would love to create a video about field trips, the Special Olympics, and other memorable events. It also would work good as a learning tool. The teacher could create a virtual field trip using this program, introduce a unit, or use it to teach part of a lesson. There is a link to my video below, I wasn't really sure what to make it about and I don't have a lot of pictures; the pictures I do have are from my field observation hours from last weekend......so I hope everyone enjoys Robotics :)

Animoto Video


I thought it was very easy to create a Wordle and I can see myself using it in the classroom. The Wordle that I created is about Special Education (link below). I like that you can enter as many words as you want and randomize your words until it creates a design that you desire. In the classroom I would use Wordle with my students for many things. For example, the students could practice their spelling words, site words, vocabulary, the main idea of a reading, or to make as many synonyms as they could think of.

 Special Education Wordle

Microsoft Access

This was the first time I have ever used Microsoft Access. At first I was a little hesitant because I was unsure of so much, but after looking though the tutorials and playing around a little with the program I started to really like it. After completing the assignment I can see the usefulness of the program and I prefer it over using Excel. Some of the features that I liked were being able to import Excel documents, the Queries, and the ease of entering data. I think the Queries are a great feature because the user can limit the data in a table to just the information they need.

I would use this in the classroom for my own use and in my lessons. I could use this program as a grade book. Creating Queries would be helpful for grades, grouping students based on academic levels, and seeing work students still owe. For use in the classroom, students could use Access in math class for data collection, creating representations based on data, and creating tables and lists.

I also think Access will come in handy in my personal life. I have a wedding to plan at some point and this would be a great way to keep track of guest, their information, what I received from them, and whether or not I sent them a Thank you card yet. Another way I could see this program being useful is with finances. I wish I would have learned about Access sooner, but now I think I will put it to good use in my personal and professional life. 

Web Tools

I enjoyed exploring all of the web tools this week. I found some of them to be extremely useful in the classroom. When narrowing my list down I concentrated on the tools I would be most likely to use.

I would love to see SmartBoards being used more in the classroom for interaction rather than a fancy dry erase board. So the first tools I looked at were about using interactive whiteboards with students. I downloaded Triptico and explored the free resource. Some of them I could really see myself using in the classroom, I liked the Word Magnets for ELA and phonics to create sentences using the words in the correct order, or they include 42 other backgrounds like a Venn diagram or graphic organizers. I would definitely use the timers and selectors in the classroom for multiple subjects. The quizzes tools would be good to use for review before a test. This tool is user friendly and I was able to enter the information very easily and save my creations to the computer. The Plus version offers so many more options and isn’t that expensive, this is a tool I will definitely look more into.

Organization can be a challenge for students and I think graphic organizers are a great resource. Text2MindMap was one of the graphic organizing tools I like because of the simplicity. This program was very user friendly and the organizer could be color coded. I like how easy it was to create another branch, by pressing the Tab button. To preview your graphic organizer, just click the create button and you can go back and edit it. This tool could be used in any classroom because the graphic organizer can be made very simple or more complicated. I would have students use this tool in many subjects to organize their thoughts.

Another tool that could be useful in the classroom is creating timelines. Xtimeline is a good tool for online timelines because the user is able to add more information, which shows up as a separate box when that event is selected. When the timeline is complete I liked the look of it. For example, the dots are spaced based on the time they occurred. I would use this in the classroom to have the students can complete timelines about history, themselves, and ordering events in books they have read. Really the possibilities are endless.

I have been introduced to so many great web based tools during the class that will make my classroom a technology hot spot. I can’t wait to start engaging learners with these tools! 

Web Based Tools

I really enjoyed learning about the web based tools this week and found many of them helpful for teachers. The five I decided to look at more carefully I could definitely see myself using in the classroom!

Voki:

When first exploring Voki I really liked how the students could create their own Avatar to show their creativity. It would be a great tool to use in the classroom for students who are shy and don’t like to speak in front of the class. I thought it would be a great tool to use in ELA when students are learning about summarizing a story. Not only is Voki good for use in the classroom, but it also offers rated lesson plans for teachers. In order to have others view your Avatar they only need the URL, but if a student wanted to access past Avatars they do need to create an account.

Edmodo:

This tool has a similar setup as Facebook, which is good because it would relate to the students life outside of school and make it easy to learn and use. It could be used as a great communication tool in the classroom between teachers, students, and parents. With this site students could develop independence and accountability to check the site for updates and events, like an upcoming test. The only con for me would be that I am elementary certified and I would feel more comfortable using this site with older students.

Cel.ly:

Another web based tool that I found helpful for communication is Cel.ly. It is very convenient because this tool can be accessed through multiple devices. It is a great tool for teachers to use in the classroom for feedback and checking for understanding. Each student in the class can send comments and ask questions, and then the teacher can privately respond back to individuals or send out the response to everyone. One concern I have with this tool is making sure all students have access.

Adobe Education Exchange:

I liked this tool because it is such a great resource for educators. Teacher can go to this website with questions and receive answers and contribute to discussions. The self-based workshops are helpful because you can complete them when it is convenient online, or if a teacher likes a hands-on approach this site provides information when training sessions will be held. To become a member it is free and once you have set up your profile, it is possible to follow other educators and create favorites. All the tutorials and resources are rated to help users decide what to view.

Testmoz:

Testmoz seems like a great tool to use for online testing. It was very user friendly and I was able to create a test very easily. I liked how you could pick between 4 questions types, multiple choice, fill in the blank, true/false, and multiple response; using these four types of questions is great for students because they get used to the different types. After creating the test the website made it clear to not forget the URL….this seems like a pro and con. On the positive side if the internet connection goes down the student can get back to the sight, but on the negative side will the test restart and what if the URL does get misplaces or forgotten.

Microsoft Excel

Out of all the programs in Microsoft Office, Excel is the program I am least familiar with and honestly it is because I have never had to use it. Whenever I think of Excel I think of creating data sheets or keeping finances in order. Going through the basic tutorial was fine and I was able to go through it rather quickly, but the advanced tutorial was much more time consuming. I was able to complete most of the steps, but honestly I would have to use the tutorial again to complete some.

I chose to make a crossword using Excel because I believe it would be more useful in an Elementary classroom; this was actually and easy thing to do and I had fun making it! I planned everything out on paper first and the only thing I did search in Google was what size to make my cells. I can definitely see myself using Excel again to make a crossword for early finishers during a lesson or an extra credit activity.  I would like to learn how to create a timeline and other things using Excel as well, but that might require some extra research.

After exploring Mail Merge more with Word and Excel, I can definitely see the usefulness of it, but I can’t think of when I would personally use it. Maybe sending a letter home to parents?

Microsoft Word

Whenever I would think of Microsoft Word writing papers or assignments would come to my mind. After exploring Word using the advanced tutorial it is much more than that. If only I would have known about some of Words advanced features while going through college. It would have been much easier to edit my work and create a reference page, and with some of the features I could have made my papers look more professional.

The features that I would find most helpful would be the editing tools and Citations & Bibliography feature. To this day when I was writing a research paper I would use a website with APA format to create the references and in text citations myself; now I am very happy to learn that Word will do that all for you! I have known about the editing features like Comment and Track Changes because many of my professors in Undergraduate courses have used those features to provide feedback on my drafts. I find them to be extremely helpful rather than just changing the document. A feature that was entirely new to me was Mail Merge. Before this week I never knew of its existence. Although I can see how useful it can be I can’t see myself using it anytime soon.

I believe that some of the features I have explored today would be very useful in the classroom. For example, I have already seen the Language feature put to good use. A student in the classroom I currently work in came from Puerto Rico last January and his mother can’t speak, read or write in English at all. The translation tool worked perfect for communication between home and the classroom! Some other ways I would use Word in the classroom are to have students edit each other’s writings, create other documents, and for myself to create worksheets. The students could use Word to create posters or fliers.

This tutorial has opened my eyes to the possibilities of Word and my thinking has changed; Word can be used for many more things that just writing papers. 

Google Apps

I have had experience using Google Apps before exploring them this week, but some were new to me. I find all of them to be really useful and some I will definitely start using in the future.  I am very familiar with Blogger, Gmail, and of course using Google as a search engine, but some that were new to me were Docs and Drive.

As a student I could use Google Drive all the time. I would compare it to a flash drive, but you can open your files anywhere without having to carry anything around with the fear of losing it. That is prefect for an on the go lifestyle and if you find free time here or there you could log in and work. When learning about Docs I thought of some great ways it could be used in the classroom. Students could take a quiz or answer a survey and all the data would be right there for the teacher; it would make a great out-the-door ticket. I thought it was really useful that it was possible to select different question types.

Two other Google Apps that would be useful are Calendar and Sites. I liked these and might use the Calendar to keep organized, but I think it would be more useful in a business setting, like the tutorial example. With Sites it could be used as a teacher’s website; students could go there to find out homework info or keep up on classroom events. The comment part would be useful because students can post questions about homework or make a comment when needed.

All these Apps are great ways to stay connected and organized!