Blog Reflection #15: Extra Credit

This was a blog was titled Using Cell Phones and Scan Codes in the Classroom.  I am sure many people have seen these scan codes popping up around you neighborhood, in stores, on packages, and in airports. Well if you have never seen these codes, they are called QR coded or Quick Reference Codes and they are taking the world by surprise. Jeff Utecht is trying to explore the possibilities of using these QR codes in the classroom and with the larger school communities.  This seemed like an interesting topic, because I haven’t heard much about QR codes. I have now actually seen them in magazines and some advertisements I get in the mail but I really do not know how they would work in the classroom, it is something interesting to look into!

This is what the scan codes look like:

Does anyone know more information about this???

Blog Reflection #14: Extra Credit

This is another blog a read from a Principals Reflection blog site.  The blog, Cultivating Authenticity in Learning, was about using Skype in the classrooms.  He basically restated what our professor has been saying about the debate of using technology in the classroom.  This principal is pro-technology.  He believes that it only gets students more engaged in what they are learning.  He talked about this program they have based on the Holocaust where students are able to skype with Holocaust survivors.  So instead of reading a second-source textbook, they are able to get accounts from primary-sources who were actually witnessed and were a part of history!!

Blog #13: Extra Credit

A Principles Reflection  

This was a great blog about an eastern school principle who traveled to schools in Iowa who are using the 1:1 laptop ratio in their everyday classrooms. After visiting these schools she came up with many different observations as to why all schools need to be 1:1 laptop ratio.

We need to prepare our students to be doers and creative thinkers who can compete with their peers all around the world. Schools that don’t use these methods are at a disadvantage. Students in schools with 1:1 programs don’t ask what they have to do to get the right answer.  Instead, they are asking thought-provoking questions, challenging assumptions, making interdisciplinary connections, applying acquired knowledge, and are immersing themselves in authentic learning experiences.  Each 1:1 school in Iowa represents a “Field of Dreams” to each and every student enrolled there (Scott McLeod!)

Final: Scenerio

I believe that some of my strongest attributes as a future educator is the empathy I show for other people.  I really feel strongly about getting to know my students and connecting with them in deep, personal levels.  When students feel that a teacher really cares about them, and connects the curriculum to their daily lives, then they are more open to learn and they are more apt to actually let the teacher know about their problems.

I think technology can open many doors to both teachers and students.  The standard that I chose from National Education Technology Standards was #3: Digital Age Teaching.  This standard states that teachers will collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.  A teacher can really get to know a student by volunteering in their community and by having a really great relationship with the students parents.  Parent-involvement is a must, when it comes to student achievement!

One way I can do this as a teacher is through Digital Media.  I can have students create a video about their family history (migration, genealogy, etc) or their culture.  I can have them talk to their parents and collect stories and pictures that they will be able to use.  Then I can have them edit everything on the school computers.  I can have a family night were the students will present their videos to the community and celebrate their families and their culture!  If everything goes well I can encourage the faculty of my school to make this an all school event, where different grade levels use  different  websites to get their projects done.  Some of this resources can be Animoto for lower grades, Glogster and Voicethread for upper grades.

Twitter Reflection

So I got a Twitter account at the beginning of the semester, and whoa is it amazing!!! I started following lots of education professionals and they just post so much valuable information and resources!! Plus, I can always get a personal twitter account just to be random! lol I really like following this technology teacher who is based out of Junction City, her name is Amy Trujillo and she really gives tons of valuable information.  I think you all should get a twitter account and start following people who will only make teaching less stressful for you!! Hey and you should follow me too!

Final: My Wow Moment...

My wow moment was probably GoogleDocs.  There are a bunch of wonderful resources that I can use as a teacher.  I think that it is such a wonderful resource because as a teacher you can group your students up and have them work and edit on different computers simultaneously.  I know that I have used this resource many times after finding out about it.  The best part about it is that it is all free!!

Final: Favorite Podcast

My favorite podcast is TechChicks.  I really like how well they present the resources in their podcast.  They are very upbeat and funny ladies!! Some of the other podcast presenters were really monotone so I couldn't really even stand hearing them.  I believe that even if you have the most valuable information if you present it in a boring way you will never truly be able to captivate the audiences.  I know I would become disengaged and started thinking of other things when I heard over other podcast presenters, but every time I heard the TechChicks I would really stay focused on the topic they were talking about.  I felt like I was actually sitting there next to them and having a girly girl conversation.  Their actual website layout is also nice to look at and very organized!!

Final: Semester Favorites

This semester I learned a lot in technology class.  Reflecting back on all the wonderful resources I was exposed to I would say that Prezi and ToonDoo would be the two resources I enjoyed and will actually use in my classroom.  Prezi is this website were you can create a presentation using a canvas were you can organize text, video, and images to follow a certain path.  During the week we discussed Prezi we also discussed challenge based learning.  This is where students create videos or different presentations and challenge their classmates to become better citizens by doing certain tasks.  You can find a description of the project here.

In class our team focused on tornado safety.  Our  challenge was to have students come up with their own family/household emergency tornado plan.  This is what our final presentation looked like:

Tornado Safety on Prezi

 I enjoyed Prezi so much that I actually used it for another presentation I did in my seminar.  The focus of this presentation was to talk about the different diversities.  Our group choose the topic of exceptionalities and  focused on Autism.  This is the Prezi we presented; I was actually in charge of putting it together and I'm really proud of how it turned out:

Autism on Prezi

The other resource I enjoyed was  ToonDoo.  This is a website were students can create comic strips.  I found that it can really reinforce certain concepts that students are learning.  Many times concepts can be too abstract, but if students get to break them down and put images to words they are able to really understand things.  For example, the comic strip I created was about the U-Curve of Cultural Adaptation.  There are four stages: Honeymoon, Hostility, Humor, and Home.  In the first stage the person feels euphoria, in the second they feel anxiety, in the third they feel rejected, and in the last stage they adjust the the new cultural.  All of this information is presented in this comic strip:

By sotoangie | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

Challenge Based Learning Reflection

In class we created a Prezi involving Earth Day and a challange we could present to our classmates or future students.  Prezi is a website were u can organize your presentation inside a large canvas instead of a powerpoint.  You are able to insert text, images and videos and you are also able to choose the rotation of them.  I think this is a great website; instead of powerpoints teachers can have their students present on the Prezi. 

Challenge based learning is also great because it gives students the opportunity to learn about something that is environmentally important and challenge their classmates to do something about it and in turn change the world.  You can learn more about challenge based learning here .


This is the prezi our team created.  We did ours over Tornado Safety, and our challenge was to get students to come up with a family plan they would follow in case of a tornado.

Tornado Safety on Prezi

Edutecher Site Reflection

I visited the EduTecher website. Fist I noticed was the links. WOW so many resources by subject in the links tab. You can share links, notes, and messages. You can also comment on others links. There is a EduTv which was also very informative. So many helpful resources that are very beneficial to teachers. You should check it out!

Classroom 2.0 Site Reflection

This site made by teachers and for teachers. I love how it is interactive and I can post questions for fellow teachers. I'm also glad that this has many resources for multiple ideas. Classroom 2.0 is interactive and more like a blog site that any teacher (that is subscribed) can discuss information and is helpful to all teachers across the board.

ToonDoo Reflection

So this is a comic strip about the U-Curve of language acquisition.  The first stage is the honeymoon stage where people feel happy and excited because they are learning a new language.  The second stage is hostility because they are feeling down on themselves if they are not able to succeed they feel people are making fun of them.  The third is humor because they are able to look at the bright side of things.  And lastly the stage of home is where they are accepting of themselves. 

I created this using ToonDoon.  This is an excellent tool that teachers can use to reinforce a certain concept or topic.  Students are able to use both pictures and words to illustrate what they are learning.

By sotoangie | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon