Overview of the semmester

This semester I have learned so many new and exciting things about technology.  Everything that has been covered in this class will be a useful tool within a classroom.  Not only did I learn new things but it was enjoyable learning.  All of the assignments to an extent were interesting and I wanted to do them.  They were easy but extremely helpful especially when I get my own classroom.  I can honestly say that I enjoyed everything about the class.  I actually hate to see it end due to the fact that I feel like there are so many other things that I can utilize when I graduate that I am still not aware of.  This semester has really opened my eyes to me realizing that technology and it uses are far more extensive than what I was aware of.  I plan to use each of these tools in my own classroom and I am pretty sure that they will have a heavy impact on the learning process.  Anything that will intrigue or inspire learning is something I am interesting in.  I think will all of these tools combined any teacher would meet the requirements for technology use in the classroom.   This class has really prepared me to better engage not only the students but the parents as well.  I think all around communication makes for a useful classroom.  I cannot wait to put all of my new found knowledge into progress and what how my students react.  I am sure their reaction would be such as bright as mine.  I never realized what the entire internet had to offer me.  It was all right there in front of me all I had to do was learn how to use it.  Due to this class I am now aware of these useful tools and how to use them.  Mostly I am excited about making my own website for my parents and students.  I think that was the most useful tool that I learned about this semester.  All of the information I gained this semester will help me connect with my students better I believe.  After all technology is growing rapidly just as the students are.  Anything that the students can do on the computer, active board, etc they are more interested in.  

Website

Being able to create a website through Google is a great tool that I am certainly excited to use in my own classroom.  This tool can be use for informing the parents of your students exactly what is going on in the classroom.  It can also be used to communicate with the parents.  It is more common now for parent teacher communication to be done via email due to the changes in technology.  It is likely that a teacher would include on his or her website an email and phone number so that parents are able to be in touch with their child’s educator.  There could also be a discussion board of some sort made so that parents could communicate with each other about different events that are occurring at that time.  The website can be used for homework assigning and turning in. All teachers should take in consideration thought that all of their students will not have a computer and or internet connection with in their home.  

https://sites.google.com/site/misshillsfirstgrade/ 

Google Groups

The Google Groups project was amusing to me.  I have also liked stories and been a dramatic person.  For me to be able to be dramatic and include it in a story for a grade was great for me.  This assignment however opened my eyes to a whole new world on Google.  I never knew about Google document or presentations until this assignment.  I think it is quite neat that someone such as my future students can create an account on Google, create several different items and then publish them for the world to see.  Of course I love making and designing power points, which is very close to Google Presentations.  This assignment I prepared a lesson for a second grade class and presented it to them in the form of a presentation.  This will be useful in the classroom especially since most classrooms have computers and active boards in them now.  Anyway to utilize technology is fascinating to me.  When I have my own students I hope Google Groups and Documents is something that they all find interesting and have are able to use it while having fun too.  I can see this being a tool that is used daily within my classroom.

My Movie Reflection

My movie project was the most fun to me.  I liked being able to be creative with picture, music, and captions.  Although there this tool seems like it would not be as useful as other that I have been exposed to in this class so far, it could also be used as a reflection over the school year or even the semester.  As a parent I love seeing my daughter within her classroom.  This can be used to show the parents that the students are learning and having fun at the same time.  Which again, as a parent and future teacher I think both are just as important.  My movie is of my daughter of course.  She is the most important aspect in my life so I saw it fitting to crate my move about her. 

This also could be use to show steps in a project that a teacher may want to assign to her students.  When a project is presented to me even as a college student is a more creative way than just a sheet of paper with instructions on it, it makes me for eager to do the project and do it well.  

Web Tools

I felt that the web tools assignment was very helpful.  As a future educator I think it will be important to utilize sites such as these that can speed up the planning process.  When I have my own classroom I know these tools will be something that I will look back on and use for my own benefit.  These sites also speed up planning which is important since there are never enough hours in a day’s time to complete all task asked of you as a teacher.  I am glad and excited to have these tools at my finger tips to use in the future.  I think that the most useful tool would be the quizlet site.  It is quick, easy, and creates mass production.  Using these sites in the classroom would be beneficial to the teacher and student.  The students could use them to prepare for test and make their own study guides and such.  Using games may be the way that a student learns best.  Being able to put the correct information into a database and it creates a game for the student is something I would suggest for all teachers to offer their students.  All in all I think that this assignment thus far will be the most beneficial as future educator.  

Rubrics- 

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

Quizes-

http://quizlet.com/

Turnitin.com

Turnitin.com is a web site use to help writers make sure that they did not plagiarize. The writer can upload their work in to turnitin.com and they will issues a percentage in which the paper was plagiarized.  This is especially a useful tool when writing papers that require sources.  Not only is using another author’s work illegal but it so easily done.  With this site it can be easily found and prevented.  I was not aware of this site until the assignment was giving and now I use this site for all of my other papers in other classes. It has made sourcing and writing much easier.  I would recommend this site to all students and recommend that other teachers use with site with their students.  Also this would be a useful site for a teacher to put on their school website so that parents would be aware of this useful tool as well.  Anything that can help prefect work is a useful to in learning.  I wish that I would have known more about web tools such as this one when I was in high school.  I will be using this site when I write any paper from now on.

http://turnitin.com/ 

Concept Mapping and Inspiration in the classroom

Being that all students learn and grasp concepts differently, having multiple ways of teaching material is a must.  As future teachers we must understand that all students’ cognitive learning is different and we have to adapt to their need.  Every student has the capability to understand and it is our job to discover the best way for the student to gain understanding.

 One particular approach is Concept Mapping.  Concept maps break down topics down to the smallest unit.  The map shows the different relationships between concepts.  I have always found concepts maps fun and enjoyable due to just how creative a student can get in producing a map.  Concept maps also enhance communication, collaboration, and creativity.  Concept maps just might be what finally breaks the barrier of understanding for a student. 

Inspiration is software that can be downloaded to the computer form the www.inspiration.com website.  Inspiration is real easy to use and free which is idea as a future teacher.  This software is student and teachers friendly and used to create different diagrams for learning. 

NETS and Common Core require this for technology learning.  They both have expressed their seal of approval for the software.  They push the importance of taking advantage of the free technology software    available. 

Introduction

My name is Shelby Hill and I am 23 years old.  I attend the University of Southern Mississippi in the hopes to gain a bachelors degree in Elementary Education.  I will also graduate being highly qualified in English and Social Studies.  I have a three year old, very active, daughter named Rylee Grace that is the light of my world.  I can honestly say that I enjoy the perks of technology and I think it is pretty amazing how far it has come over the years.  I do however get frustrated with the fact that as a 23 year old I feel that I am behind in the technology world.  My computer is years old and it not nearly as updated as the technology is that I will be using as a teacher.  That being said I can appreciate this class maybe more so than my peers would. 

The purpose to the Blogfolio is to reflect on the technological material that will be introduced and expected to be learned in the class.  The Blogfolio can be compared to a diary about how well the blogger is grasping the different concepts that will be learned over the semester.  I have already considered using a Blog to communicate with my future students parents.  This is a great way to mass communicate.