Blog #7

Project Based Learning (PBL) and the use of technology have both become a very big part of teaching, and that is definitely a good thing. I feel that after this class, I will definitely be prepared to teach this way. I am really good with technology and I am pretty creative, so I do not think I will have a problem implementing PBL in my classroom. I believe that my only weakness is actually being able to find new forms of technology and new tools to bring into the classroom. I believe it will be difficult for me to find new things such as Poplet and think of new ways to use other forms of technology; however, I think that I will be successful in doing so as long as I do research and utilize my resources and my PLN.

Summaries of Videos:

iPad Reading Centers
The teacher in this video shows the viewers a really neat concept. This concept includes individual students reading a book aloud while recording themselves on an iPad. Once they are done reading, they replay the video to see if they made any mistakes while reading. This is such a great idea. I think that by listening to what they've read aloud while rereading the same excerpt, students will be able to identify and correct their mistakes. If I have such technology available to me, I will definitely be implementing this concept in my future classroom.

Students Sharing Board Builders: Video 1 & Video 2
In these videos, Mrs. Tassin allows her second grade students to share their board builder projects. I did not necessarily learn anything from these videos, but it definitely amazed me how technologically advanced these students really are. They know what search engines to use to find information, where to go to find images, and how to construct all of their findings into a presentation. I think it is remarkable and I hope that I can get my students to the same level in my future classroom.

How to Make an Audio QR Code
The concept being explained in this video is very interesting. I have a QR scanner on my phone and have used it multiple times, but never knew there were audio QR codes or thought about using them in the classroom. In the video, Ms. Bennett explains how to use the QR codes in the classroom. She explains where to make the recording and how to link that recording to a QR code. You can use these codes for several things; you can record yourself during a lecture, record the students reading, etc. Ms. Bennett also explains that there are several free apps for scanning the codes that you can download for smartphones and tablets; parents can download these on their smartphones or students can download them if they have access to iPads in the classroom. This is definitely an interesting concept that I intend to implement one day.

Using iMovie and the AVL in Kindergarten
This video conversation between Dr. Strange, Ms. Bennett, and Ms. Davis focuses on how kindergarten students are using iMovie and the AVL on a regular basis. Both Ms. Bennett and Ms. Davis expressed how amazed they are that five and six year olds can handle such technology and handle it so well. Ms. Bennett even mentioned that one of the teachers, Ms. Tuck, forgot how to use iMovie because the students were using it so well on their own that she didn't need to teach it anymore. I really hope to get to that point with my future students. If I am lucky enough to work at a school that is provided with such technology, I hope that my students will grow to use it so efficiently that they will be able to teach me more about it.

AVL and Kindergarten Students
In this video, Ms. Tuck explains how she implements the Alabama Virtual Library (AVL) in her classroom. AVL allows you to search for key words and provides you with information, images, videos, and audio recordings. After her students complete their search, she provides them with worksheets to complete. On the worksheets, the students must draw a picture about what they learned and write a sentence to go along with it. AVL definitely seems like a beneficial tool, and I will definitely consider using it in my classroom one day.

Popplet
In this video, Ms. Tuck talks about what Popplet is and how she uses it in her classroom. She explains that Popplet is an app that you can download onto the iPads. She has her students choose a subject matter, put the subject matter in the center, and then create a web of images and information around that center. The app allows you to access the camera on your device and take pictures from other books to include in your web. This tool is a good way to teach students how to organize information, and if I have access to iPads in my future classroom, I will definitely be using this app.

Discovery Education Board Builder
This video consists of Ms. Shirley and one of her students demonstrating how to use Board Builder on Discovery Education. This tool allows you to create boards. Boards are a way of organizing and displaying information on a certain subject. You can add a custom background, add photos and videos, and add information. The student also demonstrates how to search for photos and videos to include on your board. This tool is definitely neat and I definitely plan on using it in the future.

We All Become Learners
I really enjoyed this conversational video between Dr. Strange, Ms. Davis, and Ms. Bennett. The main focus of this video is the fact that everyone in a school setting is a learner. At the beginning of the video, Ms. Bennet explains that learning does not just involve an instructor teaching a student and that sometimes the roles are reversed. She expresses that nowadays teachers are teaching students, students are teaching students, and students are teaching teachers. Although some may believe that teachers should know all, they do not. Teachers are always learning, just as students are. We have to accept that and be willing to let others help sometimes, even if that means learning from our students.