Journal #8

    

Click on the picture to visit my website!

    The web design assignment was one of my favorite things that we have done in the class.  I enjoyed being able to create something that was informative while making it aesthetically pleasing as well.  I used the website building software from Weebly to build and create my teacher site as it seemed to be the easiest option.  At first, I was overwhelmed by the number of choices that this website gives you to create a website, but once I took the time to watch the tutorial provided in the module and just look through all of the buttons, it was much simpler.  I also enjoyed being able to import photos from my computer, as I used Canva to create all of the backgrounds and link photo covers on my website.  This took a level of stress off of me since I'm already comfortable using this software.  One thing that I did not like about working on this web design assignment was that I had a hard time thinking of information to include, or link to provide in the resource portion of my website.  While this is not a flaw in the assignment, I think that some of this information should be more accessible to not only students like myself, but also teachers and parents.  

    Diigo has been a very useful tool for me as a student in college.  Since it allows me to highlight and create notes, I've been using the skill of reading and analyzing sources critically.  Diigo is very easy to access as a chrome extension so I have been improving this skill every time I use it.  I can use this in the classroom to read and annotate new sources and information that can be incorporated into lessons and materials.  This way I can stay on track, increasing my productivity in the classroom.  Since Diigo also allows for these annotations to be shared with a group, it is useful for group projects.  By uploading sources to the group Diigo, team members can stay organized.  Many of these factors can also be applied to my individual professional pursuits.  The organization and improvement of skills lead to me having a more productive professional life.  

    One site that I can use to stay up to date on educational technology is the online magazine Ed Tech.  This website has a variety of different topics and resources regarding different advancements and critiques on new technology.  There is also a tab that allows for readers to filter the articles that are published in this online article by state.  This way teachers can stay updated not only on national news regarding educational technology but also new information that only pertains to their state, and therefore their classroom.  There are also many filters on the main website that makes it easier for teachers to search for information if they have something specific in mind.  Overall, this website is a very useful tool for many people, especially educators looking to stay up to date.  

On that note, here is my teacher bitmoji! 

Journal #7

    

    While researching different types of teacher websites for Assignment 3, I came across the website titled Two Writing Teachers.   This website has multiple resources that both students, teachers, and parents can use to improve their writing abilities.  It allows these teachers to write about different books to increase student comprehension and writing workshops.  Many of their posts have examples regarding the topics that are being discussed and there is also a page that explains the vocabulary that is frequently used on the site.  They also provided a link to some of their other social media and allow readers to follow the blog through email, therefore expanding their reach.  This is important for students and families who may not always have access to computers but have smartphones and other technology.  

    Once I become a teacher, I feel as though technology will only enhance my abilities in the classroom.  I envision myself using technological software such as Edmodo, the Smartboard website, and my own teacher website.  These will allow me to enhance my communication with my students and their parents.  By being available outside of the classroom through this technology, and using it in the classroom to create a diverse and enriching learning environment, my future students will learn more efficiently.  

    My experience with PBWorks was not a bad as I thought it was going to be.  When I first saw the website, I was very lost and confused.  I believed that I was never going to be able to complete the assignment in an efficient and aesthetic way.  However, after I watched the tutorials provided and researching any questions that I had, I came to enjoy using this website.  It was surprisingly simple once I jumped in headfirst and took the time to figure it out.  What I like about this platform is that it can be used collaboratively, such as with Assignment 2, or by oneself.  I also like the simplicity of it as it makes it easier to complete assignments, without going overboard.  Since it provides many of the same qualities as a more advanced website building software, without an expensive price tag or unnecessary features, it saves time.  On the other hand, there are a few things that I did not like, or found confusing.  The biggest thing was adding pictures in.  It was needlessly difficult as you could not just copy and paste an image.  It would have to be saved to the computer and then inserted.  I also did not like that you couldn't adjust an image as easy as you could on other software.  I could use Wiki in a K-12 class as a teacher webpage, or similar to how it was assigned to the class, as a start to web building.  It is a useful skill to have, as technology continues to change and spread out through classrooms and the workforce.  

Journal #6

 

    My initial experience using Diigo was enjoyable.  I found that after watching the videos explaining how to bookmark and annotate the sources, I was able to use the website to its fullest ability.  I like that it gives me the ability to share interesting and important resources with my peers and in the future my coworkers, as well as being about to highlight and annotate important aspects of what I was reading.  Since it can be downloaded as a Chrome Extension, there is the ease of access.  This way I can remember why the source I was reading was important, and have the power to share this with the click of a button.  What I don't like about Diigo is how the interface looks.  I find it to be old as if it was made in the prehistoric age of the internet.  Since this does not affect the way Diigo is used, it doesn't necessarily bother me, but I wish it was updated. 

    I have been blogging since the beginning of my senior year of high school while I was taking an AICE Media Studies Course.  At the time I found it to be a bit annoying since there were specific rules I had to follow for the class, but this time around I find it to be pleasant.  It allows me to get my feelings out about what I am learning for this class and share my thoughts and opinions on it.  While it's not my favorite thing that we do in this class, I can appreciate taking the time to do a review at the end of the week.  Since I had the previous experience of blogging for my other class, which involved more intensive work, I haven't really learned anything regarding that in this class.  However, in terms of layout, I have learned how to link other websites and images to my own blog.  This adds a layer of personalization that fosters an interest in me since it is my own blog that I am adding to.  

    An interesting Web 2.0 tool that I may use when teaching is Edmodo.  I used to use this while in elementary and middle school, so there is already an air of familiarity with it and I remember being so excited to use it to talk to my teachers and friends from home.  I even used to call it 'Facebook for kids.'  From my research, I found that the software offers diverse ways to communicate, assign tasks, and even tests and quizzes.  Seeing as how I intend to work with students of kindergarten age, I think this would be a very useful tool to be able to contact parents and keep them up to date with assignments and exams so they can connect with the students at home.  

Journal #5

     

    I began using Twitter around eighth grade as a way to connect and talk to my peers.  Since it's not a social media app that doesn't use photos or videos as a form of entertainment, I didn't really find any value in it, so I actually ended up deleting it from my phone for about a year.  When I did come back to it, I came to the realization that it allows you to totally personalize your feed, based on who you follow, so I got a lot more into following people from my school and big comedy accounts.  Now I have three separate accounts that all serve their own purpose.  I have my main account where I interact with my friends from school; a fan account that I use to follow my favorite band and talk to other fans; and now my EME 2040 Twitter that I use to see what my fellow peers are talking about, as well as scrolling through the educational accounts that I follow.  I think that a Twitter account would be helpful in my future career, especially as an educator because it would allow me to see what other teachers are conversing about, stay in touch with technological changes in the education field, and gather resources that could help me in my own classroom.  

    The digital divide is a prevalent issue in today's education system.  While it may be expected that every household has access to technology and the internet, this is a common misconception.  For students, this divide can create many issues when striving for success in school.  If a student lives in a technology-heavy community but does not have access to their own, then they may struggle to complete assignments that are to be done on the computer.  Since they don't have them in their own homes, students may need to go to local libraries or use computers from the school, but there are not always available.  A student who does not face these external issues would have less of an issue turning in an assignment.  Some causes of the digital divide are lack of income, lack of knowledge, and being in a geographically isolated area.  Much of today's tech can cost thousands of dollars which is not feasible for every student or their family.  On top of this, if people don't even know about what kind of technology is coming out nowadays, they have no way of using it.   There are also certain areas in the country that are so isolated from bigger populations, that these issues combine, making technology less of a priority, especially in schools.  As an educator, these are issues I will have to face.  My teaching strategies will reflect my awareness by ensuring that I am creating and assigning work that is doable for my students and taking into consideration any factors outside of school that can affect a student's ability to complete something.  I will be lenient with how assignments are done as long as I know that the children are still learning the lessons.  

    Academic software is an important part of keeping a classroom fun and creative while also being educational.  Two software tools that I plan to use in my future classroom are Schoology and Google Docs.  I would use Schoology to play fun and informative games with my students to practice and review skills learned in class.  I also like that there is a way to assign tasks to individual students, making this an equitable educational tool.  Google Docs would be used more by me in order to create assignments that would be shared with my students to work on in class or as homework.  

    I think that badges are a great idea.  By rewarding students, it encourages them to go the extra mile causing them to dive deeper into assignments and really understand the tasks and lessons.  I also like that we can earn extra tokens, which takes the pressure off of looming deadlines in cases of emergencies.  I have yet to earn a badge, but I will be putting in any ounce of extra effort I have to collect my "gold star."