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!