After training post

I'm so glad to have taken this training. Despite having used several applications already I got a different perspective on how to apply them in the classroom. I'm thinking to use them as learning centers mostly. Jing will be great to explain procedures. Avatars and blogs to develop writing. Digital stories for reading. iPod touches apps for Math and Science. This 11 tools training has been great.

Tool # 11

I think digital citizenship is a very important piece while using technologies resources in the classroom. Setting up the rules on how to use technology is just one part. Students need to know that besides games there are other uses for the computer. Students also have to be aware that not all the information encountered in the internet is real.

Teachers at all school levels must create “thinkers” or students capable to develop an own criteria when using information from the internet.

Establishing contact with people over the internet may not be very safe either, young students should be aware the risk it represents.

Etiquette also becomes part of the digital citizenship as students need to know how to interact with others.

Tool #10

iPod touch Apps

I downloaded almost all the apps suggested by SBISD to my iPhone. I find that most of them are really useful for the classroom. I would like to highlight Planets and Sun 3D and my favorite Art lite. The USA factbook is also a good one. Having iPod touches in the classroom will be a great tool to differentiate in teaching.

I'm embedding the following video that contains a description of the uses of the iPods.

Tool #9

Using Jing and Skype in the classroom

I really find Jing very useful, especially when the piece of information you want to share is repetitive. This software will be a great tool for presenters and software trainers. I plan to use this tool with my team and my school in a way to simplify instructions to perform a task in a program, i.e. skyward. In the classroom when explaining learning centers to my class it’ll be enough to show this Jing video instead of repeating instructions.

I use Skype at home to call family and friends overseas. It’s a great service. I think Eduskyper’s phonebook offers a great chance to interact with students in classrooms from places around the world. What I love the most from Skype is that they developed an App for smartphones. You can use your phone to make calls without using your minutes' plan. The skype app can be downloaded and used in iPod touches as well.

Post #8 Video streaming

Active boards changed for complete the way we teach. The software that comes with the boards is already full of useful tools and functions but a very basic way to use the active boards it's as overhead projectors. I like to complement my lessons with short videos as I think visual learners and all the students have another chance to review a concept, in a different way. However showing a video should be a way to reinforce a concept, not the whole lesson itself.

I tried blinkx as it was suggested and I think it's a good tool. I'm posting 2 videos from youtube as I'm used to work with this website more often.

This video it's about the life cycle of the butterfly.





This second video it's about tornadoes.

Tool #7 Digital story.

This is my first story and it's about the oil spill currently affecting the gulf of Mexico. I plan to use stories similar to this one to prompt students to participate in a discussion. This kind of videos may also be helpful as anticipatory sets. I'll come back later to upload a digital story made on iMovie as I'd like to start using that software too.

Tool #6 Wikis

I use the wikipedia everyday! Wikipedia has become one of my favorite websites as it's the easiest way to corroborate a fact, get a picture or get quick information about someone or some place. I learned from the beginning of the wikipedia that it was created by other people and that when something was not truth or a fact was inexact you could contribute providing a different opinion, editing and saving the text. That is called wiki.

Using wikis in a classroom constitutes an excellent tool to make students participate and provide their ideas. In an organizational setting using wikis help the members to share information easily and in real time.

The following video explains how a website: wetpaint may help you create your own wiki and get in touch with people with common interests.