My Technological Journey

At the beginning of the semester when we had to identify various Web 2.0 tools to determine how much we already knew about technology, I knew I had a lot to learn.    I had never heard of most of these tools and the one I had heard of I was not sure how to use them or of what use they could be in the classroom.  Throughout this semester, however, I have discovered several extremely helpful tools and products that will create technologically literate students and increase understanding while doing a lesson.  Now instead of a lecture I can show a digital story and do a flipchart.  Instead of a paper, I can have my students create a Timetoast about the project or edit a historical picture with Pixlr.  Instead of inspiring fear with a quiz, I can check for understanding using a Google Form.  All in all, the tools I interacted with in this class will be very beneficial no matter if I end up teaching middle school or high school. 

My iMovie

iMovie was the tool we used to create our digital stories this week.  Overall, iMovie was a relatively easy tool to use. Simply drag the images and music you want into iMovie and place those things in the order you want.  Next, unfortunately, adding captions was a bit of a hassle.  There were limited options for text placement and the font menu was sometimes difficult to access.  For the most part, however, iMovie is a good tool to create educational videos for your class.

The video is above is the movie I made for my digital story and is titled "The First Five Presidents of the United States".  The finished video came together well and would be very useful in the classroom.  It could be used as a review before a test as important events can be correlated with a president's administration.  Digits storytelling and iMovie can be used for almost any lesson and can add a new, exciting element to any classroom.

Digital Storytelling

Currently in class we are working on creating a digital story via iMovie.  This tool is really convenient and easy to use.  Simply upload a set of pictures and create captions.  The user friendliness of this product makes iMovie a joy to use.  Finding the correct pictures for each scene was a bit trickier.  Since we had to make sure the images were not copyrighted, we had to be very careful where we got our images from.  Since my projects is about the first 16 presidents, that was less of a problem for me as it was for others, but still I had to be careful.

Using digital storytelling in the classroom by creating movies would be a fantastic way to introduce or review a lesson.  For example, for my project I am presenting all of the key moments of early United States history and matching those events to the president in which these events occurred.  This would be useful towards the end of the year when the students are reviewing what they learned in class throughout the year.  Also this movie would be helpful for putting a name, face, and time period with the various events that they are required to know.  This movie could even be used as an interesting introduction to what the students will learn about for the year.  Overall, this versatile tool can be very useful for the social sciences and has a multitude of applications.

Digital Diagrams

This week we created digital diagrams using software called Inspiration.  The logo for this neat software is the picture posted above of a person with colors shooting out of his head.  It is relatively easy to create a digital diagram and the results look great.  I liked how much freedom the program gave the user, allowing me to be able to create whatever it is I need without many impediments.  One thing I did not like so much about Inspiration, however, was that note pages had to be attached to a concept box.  I would rather have had my notes standing on their own since often times they applied to the entire project instead of just one particular area.

Digital Diagrams would definitely be useful in the classroom.  These diagrams could give clarity during a particularly complicated lesson or simplify a concept a student is struggling with.  Since creating digital diagrams with Inspiration is so easy, I could even let my students create their own.  If we were studying the Civil War, each student could be assigned a different aspect of the war to work with.  This would give students a unique way in which to interact with history and technology, and hopefully increase their understanding of the subject.  With so many uses, digital diagrams is sure to be in my repertoire of tools to use in the classroom.

Storybird

This week the Web 2.0 tool we studied was Storybird.  This tool allows users to create their own stories.  Storybird can be accessed by students or teachers, depending on the grade level and what type of lesson Storybird is being incorporated into.  Just by playing around with this tool for a few minutes it became obvious that creating stories on Storybird was fun and engaging.  You can even add art from a multitude of different artists.  All it takes is a little creativity and your book is finished.  There are options to purchase the book so that students can easily access a physical copy of it.

There are a couple of issues, however.  With a regular account, Storybird restricts you to only using art from one artist.  PowerPoint, while more difficult to make into an actual physical book, actually essentially does the same thing as Storybird but lets you pull art from anywhere on the web you find it.  This tool might not be too useful at the high school level, since students might feel as if Storybird is too "kiddy".  At the middle school level, however, there may be some uses.  Students in a history class could create a story based around what it would be like to live during the middle ages in order to really connect to the time period.  Storybird, while a bit restrictive, can still be used as a fun, instructive tool in the classroom.

Google Forms

I really like and think the Web 2.0 tool Google Forms has a lot of potential in the classroom.  It could be really useful for getting to know your students, emergency contact forms, or even for low stress assessments to check for understanding.  In fact I think this is my favorite part about Google Forms.  From my experience in the classroom as a student and as a teacher, doing an assignment online usually creates a more relaxed atmosphere.  If I was to give out an assessment using paper and pencil and the same assessment using Google Forms, I think the mood of class would vary greatly between the two ways despite it being the same assessment.  Google Forms are really easy to create and distribute to students.  These reasons all have me very excited to begin using this awesome tool in the classroom.

Interactive Whiteboards

Even though we just began learning about interactive white boards, the benefits of these neat tools are already evident.  This can be a great way to weave technology in with learning.  I really like the different ways you can make the board interact with a class.  This could really get students more engaged and focused during instruction.  I also like how easy it is to edit or change issues on the fly.  While we were learning about interactive whiteboards, a problem arose but was quickly fixed.  Also I like that one can write on top of whatever notes or webpages are on the screen.  This makes things easier to explain to students.

This tool would definitely be useful in any classroom.  The three branches of government lesson on the interactive white board showed the differences in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.  This adds a new and exciting element in what can sometimes be a boring lesson.  Also any time a student actually interacts with the whiteboard that helps the learning set in better.

Digital Images

I really enjoyed participating in the digital image scavenger hunt.  This exercise has broadened my knowledge and ability working with digital images.  First off my team had to scour campus for images related to our scavenger hunt.  After posting these to dropbox, each of us edited the pictures and posted them to Picassa. This process thus far has been quite confusing; therefore I am glad I get to practice this before I actually get into the classroom.  Other than being slightly confusing, this project has been a good introduction to digital images.

I think using a scavenger hunt would be an awesome activity to do in the classroom.  While teaching a history class, if I could take a field trip to a museum and set the students loose with a scavenger hunt, I think that could be a great learning opportunity.  Also this would be a good opportunity to use technology with my students while teaching my subject matter.  Making a presentation while using these materials would activate learning on many different levels.

Thoughts on Wordle

This week we learned about Wordle, a tool used to highlight the most used words in a block of text.  This tool has strengths and weaknesses.  The main issue with this Web 2.0 tool is that once you create a wordle, it is extremely difficult to find it again.  If you do screenshot the page after making a wordle, then you can use this tool in the classroom. 

If saved immediately after creation, these wordles can be very useful.  For example, as a teacher I could combine all the essays together and create a wordle.  Or I could give students the main idea of any speech or primary document. Wordle would create a new and exciting way to view documents and speeches in a history class.      

Time Toast

The Web 2.0 tool I researched is called Timetoast.  This is a tool which allows users to create time lines for any topic they can imagine.  If a timeline is done well, the finished product looks sleek and appealing.  Unfortunately, BC dates are not supported by Timetoast so one can only make time lines of the past 2000 years.  While working on a timeline, I found myself having fun and wanting to make it larger and more detailed.  

This tool would definitely be useful in a classroom.  As a teacher I could construct a timeline with Timetoast  for a lesson about a period in history.  This would be extremely useful for keeping track of dates and chronology, one of the hardest things for high school students to keep track of in a history class.  This tool could also lead to neat projects in which students themselves create a timeline.  Making my timeline I learned many things while researching the dates and information to put on my timeline.  I am sure students would learn along the way as well.  After students create the timeline, they could even teach what they have made to the class.  Timetoast would be a valuable addition to any history class. 

Inquiry Based Activity

In this activity I learned how to create learning by letting students use the internet to perform research. I can foresee many instances in which inquiry based activities will come in handy in my classroom.  The internet is often forbidden in schools, so students will naturally be excited to use it in the classroom.  They will not only learn about the subject that they are researching but they will also learn how to use a new medium for education.  This will acquaint students with the internet in an unique way.  They will be able to see the educational benefits of the internet.  

History and geography both lend themselves well to inquiry based research.  In geography a student could become an expert on a particular country and create a wiki page on it.  Then other students, while studying for the test, would have all the information about all the countries on the wiki.  In history, inquiry based activities would introduce students to the notion of online research, an extremely valuable skill.  Activities like this would be an opportunity to discover what is appropriate and inappropriate for online research  

How to Recognize a Great WebQuest

A WebQuest can be a fantastic way to spark learning through technology in any classroom.  It works especially well in a Social Studies classroom, however, because it gives students an opportunity to conduct online research. This would be a great lesson to learn in high school.  When I got into college my professors expected me to be able to write a well researched paper and I did not have the skills to be able to identify appropriate online sources.  Not only do students get to intensely study a certain aspect of a lesson and learn how to utilize online sources, they also learn how to express this through various media forms.  PowerPoint, pictures, and videos are all used in a really good WebQuest.

The best WebQuests should be efficient and easy to understand.  Also WebQuests should create a collaborative environment in which students must work together.  Critical thinking skills should also be promoted throughout this process.  A WebQuest that promotes group work, uses a wide variety of technology, and inspires higher order thinking should be welcomed by all social studies teachers as an invaluable resource in the classroom.

Reflection on Website Evaluation

This assignment has given me a good foundation to be able to evaluate websites for my classroom. It is important to not only ensure safety and accessibility, but also accuracy.  If the website has inappropriate images or text, the students' exposure could lead to negative consequences for myself as the teacher or for the students themselves.  If the website is not accessible, it will be useless to students.  Accuracy, especially for a history course, is also extremely important. If the author has a bias or some agenda all the information on the website could be slanted.  Students should be given a fair chance to create their own ideas and opinions about history and government without someone telling them what to think. This activity has shown me the key areas to look for while evaluating a website.

Expectations for the Course

In this class I expect to be exposed to new technology as well as learning new and unique ways to use technology I am already familiar with.  Through this process I will become better prepared to operate a more successful classroom that embraces technology and the benefits that can derive from the smart use of technology.  The teaching of history and geography can be be made new and exciting through skillful use of computer tools.  From interactive maps to virtual field trips, each class I teach should greatly benefit from the knowledge I acquire in this class. Also, I will become completely computer literate and can pass on this ability to my future students.