Final Project - Maker Movement

Interview

For my interview regarding the maker movement, I chose to interview a teacher that began her maker movement journey at the beginning of the year. Her building and job title is comparable to mine, so learning from her would make implementing more feasible for me. Here is our conversation regarding what she has learned the past year.

Movie Maker

As a culminating project, I created a movie using Movie Maker regarding the Maker Movement and specifically Maker Spaces. To complete my project, I researched information regarding the Maker Movement, curated these resources in Flipboard, and summarized my findings in a movie. Below are the references for my content as well as images. After viewing my movie, I hope you have a better understanding of the Maker Movement and it's positive impacts on students. Though I focused mainly on MakerSpaces, this information can be applied to the Maker Movement as a whole.

Below are the 2 magazines I created to curate the information for my project.

  View my Flipboard Magazine. View my Flipboard Magazine. 

References:

DeWitt, P. (2017, March 22). Makerspaces: A Tool That Can Transform Learning. Retrieved April 21, 2017, from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2017/03/what_are_makerspaces_a_tool_that_can_transform_learning.html?cmp=soc-edit-tw

Jairio, H. (2015).  [Online image]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/time-tiempo-count-day-future-699965/

Jarrett, K. (2012). Engineering design process. [Online image]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/kjarrett/8223940390

Jena, Passut. (2016, March 28). Q&A with Makerspaces Innovator Laura Fleming on the Best     Creative Spaces in K–12. Retrieved April 21, 2017, from http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2016/03/qa-makerspaces-innovator-laura-fleming

Makerspace in the main library. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/5chw4r7z/16375687852

Makerspaces: the Challenges. (2015, December 12). Retrieved April 18, 2017, from https://curiositycommons.wordpress.com/makerspaces-the-challenges/

Provenzano, N. (2015, July 15). Fostering Creativity With Makerspaces. Retrieved April 21, 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/fostering-creativity-with-makerspaces-nicholas-provenzano

Reid, J. [Online Image]. (2006, October, 4). Hand. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stop-hand-caution.png

Rendina, D. (2016, April 13). Defining Makerspaces: What the Research Says. Retrieved April 19, 2017, from http://renovatedlearning.com/2015/04/02/defining-makerspaces-part-1/

Santana, L. (2011). Creativity. [Online image]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/llowrain/5523800294

Tierney, J. (2015, April 20). The Dilemmas of Maker Culture. Retrieved April 20, 2017, from https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/04/the-dilemmas-of-maker-culture/390891/

Gamification in Education

What if there was a way to instill persistence, problem solving and agency in students all while learning in an educationally sound yet fun environment? Proponents of gamification in education believe bringing games into the classroom will instill these attributes in students.

Students Learn...

When a student partakes in gamification, they are given the opportunity to not only learn the content, but also:

• participate in gaming which they may already find entertaining and engaging
• work at their own pace
• earn points or badges for their hard work
• learn without having the pressure of knowing everything the first time
• engage in a social environment where all students support each other
• experience immediate feedback related to their learning

With gamification comes badging - where students can earn badges or points each time a level is completed. This first time I heard of badging was at a 2013 conference where Todd Nesloney (Tech Ninja Todd) spoke about how he successfully used badging to teach students the elements of Google Education Apps. Each time a student completed a unit successfully, they moved on to the next unit and also earned a badge for their work. The badging, I believe, aid students in understanding what they have already mastered, have yet to master, and provides motivation to continue.

Test Driving a Game

To test out gamification in education, I worked through levels in GameStar Mechanic. The reason why I chose this one is because I know of a Gifted and Talented teacher that uses GameStar Mechanic as an avenue for students to learn game design. Even though she touts how her students are extremely interested in the game and learn along the way, I had not yet had a chance to see what GameStar Mechanic had to offer, until today.

What caught my interest immediately was the fact that students had the opportunity to just play games through the first few levels. Though it felt like these levels were just there for fun, the user is actually learning how games work by playing one! Once the player is accustomed to how games are made, they are moved onto levels which provide them opportunities to build their own games, using what was seen and learned in the first part of GameStar Mechanic.

After playing levels, I have come to conclusions about gamification in general. Since gaming is something my students are already extremely immersed in and have experience with, it makes since to bring games to education. When reading about gamification, various students came to mind; those who really love video games and want to be gamers when they grow up, students who are not motivated by typical lessons, and competitive students. I do believe all these students would be served extremely well with gamified education. Gamification can be extrinsically motivating to the students due to the earning of badges and competition between classmates. However, intrinsic motivation is provided as well in the form of engagement and excitement created by the games. I believe a good game must have a balance between intrinsic and extrinsic to keep students motivated. When playing GameStar Mechanic, I was thinking about my English Language Learners and low readers in relation to the hurdles they would face reading the back story at the beginning of the game. The game itself was frustrating at times; there was one level I just couldn't seem to get passed and no help was provided by the game. This is where intrinsic motivators may fail but there still is extrinsic motivation for the user to cling to.

Explore Like a Pirate

One of the people I follow on Twitter is Michael Matera (@mrmatera) who is the author of Explore Like a Pirate. I've always really enjoyed his tweets and even take time to explore what he posts. This education game-changer has his students learning their content through games. He even sells badges on his personal website. In a blog post, he calls learning involving games "purpose driven learning". At the beginning of the year he talks about this kind of learning and discusses their learning using the words enthusiasm, effort, confidence, focus, resilience, dependability, initiative, creativity, curiosity and empathy. What an exciting yet focused way to begin a gamification unit. Right away, the students are understanding they aren't just playing a game, but instead instilling various abilities in themselves.

References
Chou, A. Y. (2017, February 26). Gamification in Education: Top 10 Gamification Case Studies that will Change our Future. Retrieved April 12, 2017, from http://yukaichou.com/gamification-examples/top-10-education-gamification-examples/

Gamification of Education. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2017, from http://ed.ted.com/on/uk36wtoI

Matera, M. (2016, December 05). Building Inner Strength Through Purpose Driven Learning…. Retrieved April 12, 2017, from http://explorelikeapirate.com/building-inner-strength-through-purpose-driven-learning/

Flipping A Classroom

Flippin' A Class
How do you spend time with your students during your classes? Are you able to provide individual attention or do you spend your precious time trying to reach everyone all at once? Proponents for Flipped Classrooms believe their pedagogy allows teachers to utilize classroom minutes to reach all students on an individual level. By providing instruction via online videos for students to watch at night, teachers allegedly have more time to work individually with students. When students enter the door of a flipped classroom, they should already be possessing knowledge on a specific topic from viewing videos (created by the teacher) the night before.

The idea for a flipped classroom sounds intriguing. I have listened to teachers present at conferences about how their students thrive in a flipped classroom. There is no doubt in my mind the students in these particular classrooms are learning at intense rates. The positives of flipping a classroom seem fairly obvious: students can watch and re-watch videos as necessary, being absent has less effect on your learning, and applying your knowledge happens in the classroom instead of at home on the kitchen table doing homework. With all that being said, in my position I do not believe the complete flipped classroom model would be beneficial to my students because:

• I teach 6 classes a day to various students in K-5 (read: that's a ton of videos)
• Most of my students do not own their own devices
• The families in my community do not have internet access, unless it's through a phone
• Seeing my students every 4 days is not optimal for carrying over learning

But of course, I am not like every classroom. If I was back teaching in my 5th grade, Catholic school building I would give flipping a classroom a try! Two students who were extremely high in math come to mind. I can imagine the possibilities of flipping math for their benefit!

Giving It A Go

For my video, I used Educreations instead of screen casting. Though Educreations is not new to me, it's been a while since I've used it, unlike the screen casting I do numerous times a year. The topic is digital footprint geared toward my 4th graders. Before you view my video, here is what I learned from my experience:

1. Educreations has simple tools, which for me, made life harder. Why can't there just be an undo button instead of erasing everything?
2. The video took me 2 tries, the first time my Flash decided it was too late in the night to work.
3. I have horrible handwriting and it is intensified using a drawing tool.
4. I realized student comments and conversations tend to drive my instruction. Impromptu conversations that arise when discussing digital footprint is something I miss.
5. Saving halfway through and trying to view your work is NOT possible (I learned the hard way).
6. I can add pictures? Wahoo!
7. My 4 minute video took me an hour to create.
8. Creating a video for my students to watch instead of giving the same directions over and over would be helpful! For instance, if I hear How is it again that I log onto Google Classroom?" I can point them to a video.

References for pictures in video:

Free Image on Pixabay - Brush, Paint, Art, Colorful. (n.d.). Retrieved April 06, 2017, from https://pixabay.com/p-1318350/?no_redirect

Garcia, D. (2016, January 06). Found an old, chubby Sharpie in the mix. Aficionados will know the difference. #sharpie. Retrieved April 06, 2017, from  https://www.flickr.com/photos/gypsyroguescholar/23578214663

(n.d.). Retrieved April 06, 2017, from https://pixabay.com/en/road-start-beginning-intention-368719/

R. (2006, February 14). Retrieved April 06, 2017, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/rufino_uribe/99768345

Learning Spaces

What I Already Have
This is my third year teaching in the school I am currently at and each year I move, remove or add items to make my library more user friendly, comfortable and spacious. Over the last three years I've rearranged floating shelves, rearranged tables and chairs, added items to my walls, and moved seating and carpets. As I was reading the articles for this week, I was reflecting on what I currently have in the library. Reading the article from USC Rossier Online titled The Science of Classroom Design I realized my space is already conducive to learning. For example, my walls are blue which makes one feel comfort and secure, according to the author. Personally, I don't have clutter, so my walls are mostly bare. The infographic states, "keep 20-50% of wall space clear to optimize student learning." This is not an issue in the media center. Lastly, I am blessed with an abundance of windows that let in natural light, which the infographic states can increase math and reading scores. I typically keep the blinds shut due to the glare on my Promethean board, but with the shear number of windows I have, plenty of natural light still seeps in. A teacher once told me florescent lights can cause students with attention problems to be overstimulated so ever since then I only turn on half my lights.

Only about half the windows I currently have - most now open accepting light

Two areas for technology work or for looking up a book

Expectations are posted for all to see

This make-shift bulletin board is for students to write book suggestions

Extra seating areas for quiet reading or partner work

As students walk in, the area is free of clutter and free of floating shelves

Open area where Kindergarten through 2nd grade sit.

The tables and chairs are arranged to encourage working as a team

What I Can Change
Since I have such an open area, there is not many ways I can change the arrangement. For instance, I already have particular areas for computer and partner work. Students are allowed to work anywhere in the media center on their projects, giving them lots of space to spread out. When working as a class, I have tables that provide a more intimate setting then personal desks. With my younger students, they have plenty of space to sit on the carpet and listen to me read a book. My students are also lucky to have comfy chairs to sit on while reading a book or working with a partner. The one change I did make was adding my bean bags. Typically, these are given out as "rewards" to students who are listening and following directions, but after reading the articles for this week, I realize the importance of leaving the bean bags out for anyone to use at anytime. Another idea that was sparked by this week's readings was making my MakerSpace less crowded. Today's assignment prompted me to move out a book cart I had placed in the area so that students had more room to make and take.

 Bean bags were added for more seating options

 I created more space for students to work on their MakerSpace projects

My "stuff" organized and out of the way

What I Would Like to Change

Having $1,000 to change the look for a classroom or library would be a teacher's dream! Right away, a feel ideas came to mind when listening to Rebecca Hare and Robert Dillion talk. First, I would love to add more color to the walls and shelves. Though blue is a nice color, I feel the space would feel more student friendly with bright colors. For example, being able to color the shelves of fiction, nonfiction and Easy books would really help students know where to find books. 

Source: http://www.wbur.org/artery/2015/02/21/boston-library-renovation

Keeping themselves out of trouble while waiting for classmates to check out is a problem my students constantly struggle with. To aid in this, I would add areas that allow students to practice their STEM skills in the open areas of my library.

Source: http://vanmeterlibraryvoice.blogspot.be/2016/03/community-coloringits-all-rage-in.html

Source: http://orchardschoollibrary.weebly.com/library-makerspace.html

I would love to add some flexible seating in the open spaces on the sides of my shelves. Students are needing other areas to read or work with their devices. This is a picture of fun colored seating area that could double as a work area or reading area.

Source: http://ideas.demco.com/trends-topics/spaces/space-design/

Source: http://www.designshare.com/index.php/projects/ps1-bergen-library/images

The last idea is to change the lighting and add in some plants. Since I already have lots of natural light, I don't need huge fluorescent lights. How great would it be to dim the lights a little instead of having it constantly glare in my student's faces? Being able to shut a few lights off at a time would also increase student concentration.

Source: http://www.slj.com/2011/04/industry-news/divine-design-how-to-create-the-21st-century-school-library-of-your-dreams/

Closing Thoughts

In the end, my ideas might add up to be more than $1,000 but from the articles I read I do believe these would be important changes to make some day. The information in this unit really got me thinking about what it is that I could change to increase learning and make my students feel more comfortable. After reading the articles, what did you read or hear that really stuck out to you and made an impression on you?

References:

Shareski, D. (2017, March 07). A Conversation about Learning Spaces. Retrieved March 29, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6jYMf3BSV0

The Science of Classroom Design [Infographic]. (2015, October 05). Retrieved March 29, 2017, from https://rossieronline.usc.edu/science-of-classroom-design-infographic/

Changing Role of Libraries

The purpose and look of libraries are changing to meet the needs of today's world. Instead of entering a Library to quietly find a book, quietly read it, then return it, libraries are now becoming a hub for hands-on make and take learning, which is being steered by the Maker Movement. For example, in my Library I have Legos, building blocks, Ozobot robots, squishy figures, iPads, computers, duct tape, cardboard pieces, toilet paper rolls, oh and of course books!! This school year I began my Makerspace journey by reading articles and going with my instincts. Due to the limited amount of time I have with my students, I am slowly rolling out different ideas. Next year, I hope to provide my students with more making opportunities before and after school.

To aid in my journey, I read articles relating to the Maker Movement to see how other libraries are structuring their space as well as finding items for making. Flipboard is a great way to curate all these reliable sources into one easily accessible place. This is where I created a Tips for Education magazine as well as an Educational Articles magazine. For me to process information and easily find articles later, I place articles in separate magazines. In the future, I hope to add a MakerSpace Tools magazine where I can drop websites that have ideas for various technology tools.

View my Flipboard Magazine.
View my Flipboard Magazine.

Commenting, easy flipping, and overall layout are three reasons why I chose Flipboard. Adding an article to my magazine just takes two clicks. The layout does not overwhelm me but instead makes browsing for articles a breeze. Though I have not yet tried the commenting feature, I do find it intriguing I can leave my two cents. In addition, sending an article to a friend who does not have Flipboard is extremely easy if you know their email address. This makes sharing what I find with other Technology Integrationists doable. Even though I found some great people to follow on Flipboard, sticking to Flipboard itself was not ideal for me. There are articles I have already saved outside of Flipboard, adding the Flipboard Chrome extension was the next logical step.

I look forward to curating a magazine full of tips and information related to growing my MakerSpace. Instead of just book marking them in Chrome then sifting through the bookmarks, I can log on Flipboard and view in block format what I have found.

In your school, is there a designated space for making? If so, how often are your students entering this room? I have decided my students find the making process relaxing and exciting at the same time. It provides them with the opportunity to think and process with their hands, experiment with various ideas, socialize, and feed off other's ideas to create their own take. These opportunities are not typically allowed or flourished within the usual confines of a classroom. Below are pictures of a 4th grade class taking time to build with tools and experiment with robotics.

Tech Tool Tuesday - Blendspace

If you were unable to attend the Tech Tool Tuesday on the 21st, here is a quick overview of the tool Blendspace.
Essentially, Blendspace is a place to curate all the items you need for teaching about a particular unit. You can include pictures, video, quizzes, documents, web links, PDF's and so much more. What makes this a wonderful tool is that little effort is needed adding content as it's very user friendly. Another great aspect is that when students are completing their work, everything they need is in one place; there is no flipping between websites.

As you can see in this screen shot below, the user can add content to each block by simply clicking in the box or dragging and dropping content. On the far right side you can see all the platforms compatible with Blendspace allowing you to bring in content. 

When you are ready to share your content, just hit the share button and there you will find a link or embed codes for various social media sites. You can even change the privacy settings so only people with the link can view your content. If you and a fellow teammate are using the same board, you can add your teammate as a collaborate so two or more people can add content.

If you need help using Blendspace please let me know as I am happy to help! If you do end up using this site, please send me how you used it!

Happy curating!

Two Articles on iPads and Young Children

I recently read two articles with varying titles. The first title claims iPads and smartphones are hurtful to toddlers. The second title claims no research has yet claimed devices are hurtful to toddlers. You would think with these two varying degrees of titles the information presented would be completely contradictory, but I have come to a different conclusion. Read the two articles, then see if you agree with my statements below. 
- Amanda

Washington Post Article

In the 2015 article from Washington Post entitled Researchers: Using an iPad or smartphone can harm a toddler's learning and social skills it called out the need for parents to be aware of the potential, though not yet substantiated, harmful effects of iPad use on a young child's brain. The article bought attention to the fact that "70% of children under the age of 12 use tablets", according to a 2012 Nielsen report. Though the article does confess there is not enough information on the topic, it speculates that iPad time can be detrimental to a child's empathy, sensory skills, and social skills (McCoy, 2015). Links to other articles are also provided, including one to a AAP.org pediatrics page where it gives parents suggestions on how to prevent damage to their child, such as limiting time on the iPad, using age appropriate apps, and ensuring "unplugged time" during the day (Radesky, Schumacher, and Zuckerman, 2015).

Guardian Article

In the 2015 Guardian article, Pete Etchells calls out the information presented in a different Guardian article titled Tablets and smartphones may affect social and emotional development, scientists speculate written by Joanna Walters (2015). Pete Etchells explains there is not enough evidence and research to suggest tablets and smartphones are effecting child development. In the article, Etchell claims Walter's Guardian article is used to scare people instead of educate. He sites the only true research-based fact is that looking at a screen before bedtime can be harmful to sleep habits, but other than that there is much more needed research.

Concluding Thoughts

In my opinion, these two articles come to the same conclusion; more research is needed. The Washington Post article provides the reader with information regarding television and learning, but then speculates on the impacts of technology on children. The articles also states the impacts on children when an adult is using the device, but not when a child is using the device. It uses words such as "could be" and "maybe" letting a reader know there isn't actual data, as the title may suggest. The Guardian article goes so far as to call out other articles on their misleading titles and explains in clear language that not enough research has been done to provide distinct answers. Though the Washington Post article by McCoy may throw in other data related to devices and education, it does not actually say there is research on the negative impacts of devices. The Washington Post may use other facts and articles to distract the reader and lead one to make speculations, both articles let the reader know more research is needed, though you have to read through the lines more carefully in the Washington Post article. Where you able to come to these same conclusions or do you believe McCoy sited enough other research to make the connection that iPads are bad for learning and social skills in children?

References

Etchells, P. (2015. February 2). No, research does not say iPads and smartphones may damage toddler's brains. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2015/feb/02/no-research-does-not-say-that-ipads-and-smartphones-may-damage-toddlers-brains

McCoy, T. (2015, February 2). Researchers: Using an iPad or smartphone can harm a toddler's learning and social skills. Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/02/using-an-ipad-or-smartphone-can-harm-a-toddlers-brain-researchers-says/?utm_campaign=buffer&utm_content=buffer15e6b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_term=.9bffaaf3b907#comments 

Nielsen (2012, February 16). American families see tables as playmate, teacher and babysitter. Retrieved from http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2012/american-families-see-tablets-as-playmate-teacher-and-babysitter.html

Radesky, J., Schumacher, J, & Zuckerman, B. (2015). Mobile and interactive media use by young children: The good, the bad, and the unknown. Pediatrics, 135 (1),  http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/135/1/1

Walters, J. (2015, February 2). Tables and smartphones may affect social and emotional development, scientists speculate. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/01/toddler-brains-research-smartphones-damage-social-development

Intro to Me

A little about Amanda...

Hello EDIM 516 from Iowa! You can view all about me and my qualifications in the video below. Some important things I failed to mention is that I've been married for a wonderful nine years and have two young boys who are in Preschool and PreK. When I'm not teaching or working on my Masters, I am running around outside, trying to keep up with my two littles. This is my 10th year teaching, most of it spent in some various form of technology teaching. I do have experience teaching all grades levels kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Research and Implementation 

I find a majority of my teaching ideas from my Twitter feed. I follow a plethora of technology teachers near and far from me that have fantastic ideas and resources. There are other Technology Integrationists in my district who have awesome ideas they share. Trying something new and different is not something I am afraid of, even if I fail (which I do at times) there is plenty to be learned. Following blogs is something I did more religiously when I had time before taking on a Masters degree. Personally, I follow and use as a guide freetech4teachers by Richard Byrne as well as the Daring Librarian Gwyneth Jones. Though sometimes I feel heavy with guilt for not trying as interesting ideas as the Daring Librarian, I have to remind myself I am doing all that I can. When I  am in need of support I look towards other Technology Integrationists in my district as well as my Specialists Team. Both sets of peers are my cheering section when I present a new idea and need that added push to go from concept to reality. After implementing new ideas there are inevitably challenges that I must overcome. It's never in the form of administration push-back, it's usually a challenge with time. With only seeing my students for forty-five minutes every fourth day, time is not on my side. A large project or idea can take months to complete, which takes away from other units I am needing to teach. Another challenge is finding an idea that motivates all of my students. Media class is typically interesting and technology-rich, but sometimes I just can't get everyone on board with a particular unit. I typically have a handful of students who push-back or aren't motivated to complete the work. Each year I try something new, using what I learned in years past as well as what I've learned about my students the last three years. This aids in finding ideas that everyone can enjoy.

(u07a1) You.com

For this assignment, I created two new webpages which positively increases my digital dossier. The first new addition was the creation of an about.me website pertaining to myself. I choose this website because the URL is extremely short and easily to follow, as well as the sleek look it has. Personally, I like how it is only just 1 page, but you can include important pieces of information. If a person is wanting to know more, I like how that person can click on the link "Visit My Website" and is taken to a new website with further details. The about.me website has a modern feel, and in today's fast-paced world, it presents just enough information to get the user interested in more.

The second webpage I created was a PBworks wiki. Needing to add more information then was allowed on the about.me, I begin to input further information about myself including employment, more contact information and examples of past work. Looking back, I wish I would have chosen either just a wiki.com or a wix.com website because the look of a PBworks just isn't as clean.  I do not like the numerous additional information on the sides of the page. Eventually, I hope to update and transfer my data to one of the above mentioned websites.

Overall, I am happy with having supplementary data about myself online for others to view. These pages positively increase my digital dossier and allow others to observe my work. Who knows, maybe some day I'll be using this for my digital portfolio/resume when applying for a future position.

(u06a1) Attend a Live Webinar

I am not new to attending live webinars. Over the past 10 years, my role as a Technology Integrationist has included imputing data into our student system, running our PBIS Team, operating a media center, among various other add-ons. Through these little niche' areas, webinars seem to be a prevalent way to spread information. Recently, I attended a webinar over our tiered PBIS system, which I typically attend once a month. There are usually two speakers who have two different focus areas. The webinars are very in depth, including a PowerPoint slide show that is downloadable, live shots of a website, and views of the speaker. Each time, the presenters are well prepared and organized.

One aspect that I like about the webinars is being able to ask questions of the speakers during their presentation. If I don't understand something, I can write a question and it appears on the presenter's screen. Typically, the person who is not currently speaking is the one who types a response.

One of the pitfalls of the webinars I attend is that it's at least one hour long. As a busy educator, it is difficult to dedicate at least one hour to this webinar. Another pitfall is that I can easily got bored if the topic is something that does not pertain to my school or a topic I already know about. I tend to zone out and work on other items until a new topic is presented.

A live webinar could be used for high school students who need a little extra help. A teacher could host a weekly webinar over a specific topic so those who were absent or struggled could find extra help. Another idea would be high school or middle school students being the presenters over a topic or technology tool and present it to teachers. Students would be utilizing higher order thinking skills such as synthesizing their ideas and experiences.

There are benefits to incorporating webinars into teacher or student education, one would just need to find the time to dedicate to the webinar, either as a presenter or an attendee.

(u06a2) Broadcast Yourself

For this assignment I created a live webinar about Skype in the Classroom and posted the link to ipadio.com for others to view. The toughest parts were not recording the webinar nor was it uploading the audio, but instead choosing my topic and deciding on a time to host the webinar. The first challenge was deciding on a time and date that would work best for not only me, but also my viewers. With two little children who want to be at my side constantly, I knew I needed a particular time they would be busy or asleep. The other challenge was remembering to publicize my topic, time, date, and website for my webinar. I"m not one to share much about my personal ideas so it was a little nerving to publicize the webinar.

I decided to just record my voice instead of videotaping my face as well. I have attended live webinars before; it just feels a little awkward at times when it's just a person's face in the screen. Also, going back to having small children, I didn't want to risk one of them being on the screen. Lastly, I really wanted my viewers to be able to view the Skype website while I was speaking.

For a few days I wrestled with ideas regarding the topic of the webinar. Trying to find something that was interesting to most educational levels as well as a tool that most have not heard of was the demand. In the end, I decided on Skype in the Classroom because there are many different options available depending upon the classroom age and not very many teachers are aware of the options available. Using my past experiences with Skype also aided in my explanation. Previously, I have attended 1 to 2 hour webinars over various topics, thus I knew I didn't want my webinar to be that long.

Overall, I do believe my webinar went smoothly and I found a topic that could meet various needs. In the future, I would work backwards from what I did for this assignment. My comfort level would include recording my webinar first, then broadcasting a link to the recording over social media. I do understand this would limit anyone's ability to ask questions to me directly, but with busy schedules of teachers, it is hard for most educators to attend a webinar on a specific date and at a specific time.

(u05a2) Integrating Social Networking

Skype in the Classroom - Mystery Skype

Description: Students in 4th grade will be using Mystery Skype as a way to not only communicate with another classroom from a different state, but also learn where states are located in the US.

Goals:
1. Students will learn how to navigate a US Map
2. Students will understand how states boarder each other and how this information can be useful in a Mystery Skype
3. Students will appreciate how being part of a team and having their own role, plays a part in how the mystery Skype is completed.

Objectives:
1.The learner will generate a list of geography yes/no questions.
2. The learner will communicate with another class from a different state to learn geography skills.

3. The learner will demonstrate their understanding of geography by narrowing down a list of states until the state is determined.

Instructions:

1. Explain to students they will be participating in a Mystery Skype with another classroom from a different state, though they are unaware of what state it is. Have students understand they will be using yes/no questions to narrow down the state in which the other class lives. Make sure students comprehend that the other class will be doing the same by asking them yes/no questions.

2. Start brainstorming a list of questions that can be used to narrow down where the other class resides. It's important for students to understand they should start with broad questions and then begin to narrow down using more specific questions. Aid students in coming up with a list for reference.

Mystery Skype Hints and Clues 

Bodies of water in or bordering your state: 

Fun vacation spots: 

  

Major crops or industry: 

  

State that borders your state: 

Physical features of your state: 

Climate:   

Weather: 

  

Time zone: 

Season it is: 

We are north/south/east/west of:

3. Give out jobs and materials to each student. Explain what is involved in each job and how it relates to the end goals. 

4. Layout Skype Expectations with students. You can have students come up with the expectations or post them yourself.

5. Practice the Mystery Skype so students understand how their jobs work and answer any questions they may have.

6. After setting up a time and date with another class, begin the Mystery Skype.

7. At the end of the Mystery Skype, evaluate as a class what went well and what could be changed for future Mystery Skypes.

Evaluation: 

Students will be graded on their level of participation. Did they come up with questions and/or fulfill their roles? Were they passive or participatory? 

(u05a1) The Seven Day Social Immersion Challenge

7 Day Social Immersion Recap
A challenge. Not only is this in the description, but it also sums up how I feel about this assignment. Sharing my personal life every day with others is not on the top of my to-do list. I like to take pictures, but it was hard to find the time to drag out my laptop, email myself the picture, upload it to my blog site, and create a post describing the picture. It might have been easier if I had the blogger app on my phone, so I could just be on one device and quickly upload from my phone each day.

I would have enjoyed sharing photos relating to what I do in the classroom instead of what is happening in my personal life, but I don't take photos during the day while I'm teaching. With students cycling into the media center every 45 minutes, finding time to take pictures is problematic. Instead, most of my pictures are from what happens outside of the classroom, when life is a little slower.

(u05a1) The Seven Day Social Immersion Challenge

Day 6
Nolan and I hosted a Christmas Party in February for all of my husband's employees. Since November, December, and January are busy months, we postponed the party until this weekend. No only did we enjoy amazing steaks at a local grill-your-own steakhouse, but we also played a few games. Two of my husband's secrateries prepared a game called "How Well Do You Know Your Boss" and another called "What's on Your Phone". Everyone had a great time seeing if they could be the winner of a Scheels gift card.

(u05a1) The Seven Day Social Immersion Challenge

Day 5
Today turned out to be a beautiful day, so after school I cleaned my car while my boys played outside. They were in heaven! My little farm boys love to be outside playing in the dirt, riding their bikes, or swinging on the swing set. We stayed outside until the sun set, which isn't typically possibly in the cold weeks of February in Iowa.

(u05a1) The Seven Day Social Immersion Challenge

Day 4
Work/life balance is something I have been struggling with this week. I am hoping to take some time away from it all this weekend and just be in the moment with my family. With conferences next week there is plenty going on in my media center and with our PBIS team. I will make it through, I just hope I am spending enough time with my family and on my work to be successful at both.

(u05a1) The Seven Day Social Immersion Challenge

Day 3
Doesn't this look delicious? The local country club my husband and I are members of typically hosts a weekly meal for it's members. Tonight, our good friends made these amazingly good ribs. When asked if we wanted to take some of the extras home, I did not hesitate to reply with a yes! We were also privileged to take home some of the extra desert as well! Yum!

(u05a1) The Seven Day Social Immersion Challenge

Day 2:
Today is Valentine's Day! My boys had parties at both their daycare center and preschool thus resulting in a lot of candy in the DeWall household. We just finally ate the last of our Halloween candy and now we have Valentine's Day candy taking over the cabinet space.

(u05a1) The Seven Day Social Immersion Challenge

Day 1:
Today I piggybacked off a 1st grade classroom lesson on visualizing. Teachers in the 1st grade are having students visualizing during their reading lessons. Today in my Media class, we worked on this as well. First graders are just beginning a unit on David Shannon and his hilarious books. First, I had students lay on the floor and listen to me read Alice the Fairy without looking at the pictures. While I was reading, students visualized the story. Next, they went back to their desk to draw something they "saw" while I read. Lastly, we came back to read Alice the Fairy one more time to see if what they visualized was what actually happened in the book. This is a fun book to use this strategy with because without looking at the pictures, David Shannon really makes the reader think the story is about a real fairy.

Digital Story Created With a Cell Phone

In this assignment I had to think about when I decided to become a teacher. Growing up, my Mom was a teacher, so teaching was already a part of my life from middle school on. It wasn't until high school that I really decided that I, too, would enjoy being a teacher. Working with younger students and helping others always interested me and made me happy, but it wasn't until I had the opportunity to actually experience the classroom from an adult perspective that I knew I would end up in the classroom.

To create this project, I pulled out artifacts from my high school experience and put them together to create a video. I shot the pictures using the Photo app and curated all the pictures in iMovie. I also used the voice-over feature in iMovie to include audio. The Ken Burns affects aren't my favorite, but they do give a little interesting twist here and there.

I originally thought I would record my voice in the audioboom app, then upload this audio file and the pictures to my computer so that I could use MovieMaker to put it all together. In doing so, I had to also use Audacity to convert the .mp3 video files to .wav files so Movie Maker could read it. Also I had to log onto Audioboom from my computer to download the audio files. This was becoming too much work. Instead, I opened iMovie on my phone and got to work curating the pieces through the app. This was much less time consuming as I didn't need to send the files to myself via email.

In the end I learned that if I use my cell phone to create parts of a project, I should also finish the project on my cell phone. It's much easier then dealing with uploading, downloading, and converting the files. The viewer will need to turn their volume up because of how I recorded the voice over.

(u04a1) Mobiles in the Classroom Interview

For this assignment I reached out to a fellow technology teacher in a different district who is 1:1 with iPads. This teacher, Katie, works at the middle school level with 5th-8th graders. This is the 5th year her middle school has supplied iPads to the students.

What are the biggest challenges you face on a daily basis?
Katie says keeping students on task during down times in the classroom can be the biggest challenge. Though many of the social apps are blocked, students can still access YouTube.

How do you deal with these challenges?
Students in this middle school sign an AUP, as does the parents of the students. This means there is a step-by-step process in place for any student who is misusing the iPad, taking off profiles, or damaging the device. At the beginning of the year, the district hosts an informational session that parents must attend regarding their student's device. Here, they explain how teachers monitor the iPads, what happens if the iPad is broken, and what we do with infractions due to misuse. For example, she takes away iPads for a week if students are misusing their iPad or removing profiles. They want parents to understand the expectations ahead of time. They also have students take an iPad class before receiving their iPad. They explain the same information that she did to the parents and also teach students how to use their iPads.
To keep students on task, Katie's district employs a student profile management system that does not allow students to add apps or update them. If an app is deleted, Katie knows because certain profile-related issues pop up.

When it comes to financing a 1:1 environment, what have needed to spend money on that you didn't necessarily need to before going 1:1?
Katie explained the district now spends money on apps, broken iPads, extra iPads for borrowing when an iPad is broken, iPad covers, wages for summer work to prepare the iPads and a student profile management system. There is money needed to run the 1:1 environment, something some districts do not consider when implementing 1:1 devices.

What kind of parent involvement have you seen?
As was stated earlier, the district has parents take a class at the beginning of the year, especially for any parents of incoming 5th graders, to attend. This aids parents in understanding how the iPads will be used for and the expectations the district has for the students. She tells the parents up-front that when an iPad breaks, it is the family's responsibility to pay the bill. The district will send  the iPad in for repair and provide a student with a loaner, but the parent must foot the bill. Because of this, parents do emphasize to their children that taking care of the iPad is extremely important.

What advice would you give district looking into going 1:1?
At Katie's district, they have had various other districts visit during the day to see the iPads in action. Teachers ask questions of students and teachers as well as administrators. So, Katie says, do your homework. She states found out how many money it takes to not only start-up the 1:1, but also how much money it takes to maintain the environment. Think about how you will provide teachers with professional development opportunities that increase use of the device is another thought Katie had. Lastly, make sure that not only students, but parents, are also on board. Without their agreement there will be lots of uphill battles, she explains.

(u03a2) Discovering Something New

Seesaw
Richard Byrne and Kathy Schrock is my go-to people when I'm looking for new ideas or if a teacher has come to me with a need but I'm unable to come up with a solution on my own. I decided to dig into SeeSaw, as I presented Kidblog to my teachers a few months ago, but they would rather have a site that is free. This assignment provided me the time to see what features SeeSaw provides students and teachers.

Pros:
1. As soon as you log in, you can see a feed of recent activity.

2. You can share a SeeSaw link with parents and they will only be able to see their student's work.

3. Students can log in using a QR code or class code.

4. The website can be password protected so student work isn't available for anyone on the internet to see.

5. When a teacher posts a note to the news feed, she can also record her voice. This would be great for the lower readers I have in my third grade classes

6. Everything posted from the students will have to be approved by the teacher first.

7. Seesaw can be accessed on any device, allowing me to use iPads if the laptop cart is checked out.

8. There are various items you can post; videos, pictures, notes and even a drawing!

9. The site contains is a built-in grade book to easily keep track of student scores.

Cons:

1. To post to the blog, you first have to publish to the news feed, then click a button on the bottom of your post which says "Publish this item to the blog". It took me a while to figure this out. This is due to SeeSaw being a digital portfolio platform first and foremost.

2. The site seemed a little glitchy when I was using it. It seemed to not stay at one size.

3. Everything the student posts needs to be approved by the teacher.

Overall Experience:

It is a terrific platform for housing a digital portfolio, just a little tricky when trying to utilize the blog page. The interface is very children friendly, with few buttons to confuse young learners. Everything is posted onto the news feed, which a student can scroll through. This would help keep frustrations on knowing where to look for instructions. The teacher and student platform is user friendly and with a straightforward layout.

Draw and Tell

For my next choice from Richard Byrne's directory I decided to try out an iPad app. I've been looking to spice up my unit on David Shannon and am hoping to find an app that students can use after listening to one of David Shannon's funny stories. I was immediately excited to see it was another Duck, Duck, Moose creation as I already love their ChatterPix app! I was also pleasantly surprised to see the app was made in conjunction with Khan Academy.

Pros:

1. There are only 3 options available when you open the app - blank paper, coloring and view your drawings. Not only are there only 3 choices, but each is a different color. This will aid my students in knowing which to pick just by me telling them the color. Lastly, the app will speak to the child telling them of their options as well.

2. After choosing a paper, students have the opportunity to not only draw and put in stickers, but also record their voice.

3. The choosing of colors, stickers, and utensils is very straightforward. There is no clicking between screens - everything is laid out for the student. To maximize space, there are options on the bottom and top as well as the side. This actually doesn't get confusing because the placement of the items makes sense.

4. The app has many stickers, including numbers, letters, animals, and shapes. When retelling the story, it will be nice for students to have options. During the recording phase, the stickers can be moved to enhance the retelling.

Cons:

1. Music is consistently being played in the background. Even though it's soft music and from classic  nursery rhymes, it can get a little nosy with 20+ iPads. Thankfully, there is an option to turn off the music with just one click, but this will take time.

2. I had a hard time figuring out there were stencils. I of course didn't take the time to read that it said "stencil" but I also know my students would not have read the word either. It is good to have a stencil option, it will just be something extra I will need to explain.

Overall Experience:

It's a robust app for lower elementary students for retelling a story, creating a new part of an old story, or for designing their own page of a book. It's simple to navigate and easy to show how to create a page. I also think my students will enjoy the coloring pages for when there is down time while we wait for everyone to finish their work.

uJam

When my students complete a project about online safety, one of the options is to use an online tool that creates beats to record a poem about staying safe online. I decided to test out uJam to see if this could also be employed for this project.

Pros:

1. Easy to create an account.

2. What you have created cannot only be saved on the website, but also in Google Drive.

3. Students do not need a lot of musical background to turn their ideas into music. The site does a lot of the work for the student.

4. There are lots of options available, but none seem to have an overwhelming amount.

5. You can speak directly into the mic or upload a file that you've already created.

6. If you are really musically talented, you can change chords and and melody.

Cons:

1. You must be 13 or older or have parent permission to use the website.

2. To add space to your uJam account, you must complete certain steps.

3. When I went to replay my song after saving it to my account, I was unable to hear it. Not sure what I was doing wrong.

4. There are no teacher controls over student accounts and no way to control what songs students can access from other users. I'm concerned about lyrics on other songs.

Overall Experience:

A fantastic choice for adding music to the classroom at the middle and high school level. The user doesn't need a lot of music background to create a song that relates to education. It is fairly user friendly, but would be confusing for elementary students without a lot of walk-through guidance before hand.