Tool 11 Self-Assessing and Reflecting

Well, I have finally arrived at Tool 11!  Yay!  This has been a great journey of new learning!

My favorite tools are Wordle, Voice Thread, and Animoto.  I had only tried one of them before 11 Tools.  I plan to use Wordle as I work with a small group of students in math.  I think this will be a wonderful tool that could be used a a pre-assessment tool for students to share vocabulary that they know relates to a certain math topic.  I love that two students can be working with the same tool, but typing in vocabulary on 2 different topics depending on their IEPs.  For example, one student can type in words related to addition while another student types in words related to place value.  Then we can revisit the Wordle and make a new one after doing further instruction and practice so that students can see growth in what they have learned.  I'm excited about using Voice Thread for one of my students in particular.  He is working on retelling stories by drawing the events and telling about them.  We will be able to upload his own pictures, and then have him narrate them!

My eyes have been opened to many possibilities that I was not aware of in the tech world.  I have enjoyed trying out different tools and am planning to go back and work on some of them more this summer in order to become more skilled.  I have especially appreciated being able to look at other teacher's blogs in order to see the ideas they have come up with.  One of the hardest things for me has been trying to figure out how to apply some of these tools in a meaningful way in my classroom, especially because I don't directly teach science and social studies, and don't teach a whole class.  Other teachers' ideas have helped spark my imagination on how to implement some of the tools.  In addition, comments in other teachers' blogs have helped me when I got stuck with how to embed something into my blog, or when I was trying to decide what tool to investigate.  I look forward to continue learning from my peers by revisiting their blogs.  I think this project has provided an easy way for us to collaborate on technology that was not present before.  After also attending a staff development session about using the iPod Touch, I am now feeling more comfortable with how I can make use of them in my classroom.  I think the challenge will be working out a good way for the Resource department to share the 4 devices we will have because I imagine that we are all going to be excited about the possibilities!  I know that our students are often more tuned in when they get to use technology.  I definitely want to practice using the iPod Touch and find some great apps this summer!

I was surprised that this was easier than I was expecting.  With all of the unfamiliar lingo like Web 2.0 tools, Google docs, and PLN, etc., I felt very overwhelmed when I started.  I was so thankful for Arlene's support and guidance and the camaraderie of some peers who met and worked through some of these tools in May.  I was so thankful for the posts of these peers, so I am surprised at how short some people's posts are.  I really got a lot out of the longer posts where teachers explained in detail what they did and how they were going to use tools!  Thanks to you!

Tool 10 Underneath it All - Digital Citizenship

I want to make sure that my students understand that netiquette is important.  They need to treat other people the way they would want to be treated online just like in person.  I think this is a good extension of our TRIBES Agreements, and we need to explicitly teach the concept in relation to cyberspace.  Students also need to be aware that bullying is unacceptable online too.  If they encounter comments that seem like bullying, they need to ask me for help.  Students also need to be clear in their communications, and should reread them to make sure that they are correct.  This is a hard thing for young students, so they will need to ask for help with editing before they post.  I plan to use the Brain Pop video on Digital Citizenship in order to introduce and discuss these important ideas with my students.  I will draw parallels to our TRIBES Agreements of mutual respect and appreciations/no put downs.  Students already understand how these work in the classroom, and their experiences will help them to transfer the idea of respect to the internet as well.
Parents need to be aware of digital citizenship.  I will share what I am teaching with parents through Open House night as well as in newsletters.  I would like to do a better job of sharing educational websites to support students at home.

Tool 9 Incorporating Classroom-Based Devices as Tools for Learning

It is important to tie technology to the objective so that the technology is serving a purpose for the students, not just serving as an interesting activity.  The technology should be a tool to help accomplish your objective for what the students need to learn.  There are many options out there in the world of technology and we want to teach students how to use them to enhance their learning.  They should not be used only because they can be.  

We should hold students accountable for the stations/centers because it is important for them to do the planned task to accomplish the learning objective.  When they know that they are going to need to write about it or show their work or thinking in a station, they tend to stay on task more instead of playing.  Their reflections or responses from the stations also serve as a tool for the teacher, letting her know which students are "getting it" and which need more help.

I visited LearningGamesforKids.com.  I chose a spelling game for short vowels.  I then chose short a, and had more choices for games!  I tried out several, but I really liked one called Letter Fall.  A word was given auditorily and in the context of a sentence.  Letter blanks were visible on one side of the screen.  Once the word was given, I could move the little mouse character with the arrow keys to catch the letters that spelled the word.  As I caught each letter, it appeared on the blanks so that I could see what I had caught and how many letters were still needed.  There was an option to hear the word and/or the sentence again.  This was presented in a video game type format with bonus points for certain letters and bonuses for catching objectives considered mouse food too!  As I advanced through the levels, the letters and objects fell more quickly.  I think that my students will really like this game.  It would tie into segmenting words, spelling 3 and 4 letter words and short vowels.  I could hold students accountable for the station by writing a certain number of words they made on the game or by forming a certain number of words from the game with magnetic letters on the dry erase board.

I set up an account and tried some tasks on Studdyladder.  I really liked this one because I think that I can set tasks up for certain students.  I saw one task that was a video of a man showing students how to count on to find the sum of 2 groups of fish (made from pattern blocks).  After watching this very short video, I could assign an interactive task where students are given pictures of fish in a fish tank and fish in a net to find the sum of.  I liked that the activity showed students how many problems there would be across the top of the screen. Each time that the problem was answered correctly, a circle was filled in.  If the answer was incorrect, the correct answer was shown.  To hold students accountable, I could have them draw a picture of a problem they solved or a similar problem.  I could also have them act it out with manipulatives.  I can't wait to try this out with my students!

I  am excited about trying the app "I Write Words" with my students.  They can write letters and then words given a guide.  The program does not allow them to form letters from the bottom; they have to use correct top down formation.  I think this will be a great way to reinforce handwriting and help my students to practice writing and internalizing the spelling of sight words.  I also want to try Everyday Mathematics Monster Squeeze which reinforces number recognition and practices number line concepts.

Tool 8 Taking a Look at the Tools

After watching the video about using iPod Touches, I learned that I can set up a free iTunes account in order to download apps to use in the classroom.  One question that I immediately had, since I am sharing 2 iPod touches with 2 other teachers, is will we set up one account or 3 in order to sync to the same devices.

I also learned that you can move apps onto other pages to make others that you don't want to use less available. There can be up to 11 pages of apps on the device.  I learned you can download music and movies (like Discovery Education) as well.

I appreciated the videos, but they are very hard to see.  When I enlarged the screen, it is very unclear.  I would have liked to have followed along a little better with the voice because I am a visual learner.

Because we are sharing devices, I'm not sure if the devices will be stored in my room or another special ed teacher's room.  Since I have small groups all day, I think that I will probably manage getting the devices out and ready because I may be having to go get them from the other teachers' classrooms.  The management piece we will have to figure out is how to manage a check out system or a schedule for their use.

Arlene just showed us some iPod touch station cards in which a teacher puts icons for the apps on a card as options for the students in a station.  I think that I would more likely be choosing a particular app for a very specific purpose that goes with individual or small group instruction for that day or week.  

Tool 7 Reaching Outside Your Classroom

I had a little trouble trying to figure out what kind of project I could collaborate on because I teach very small groups of students for reading and math only; many of the examples or suggestions were geared more toward science and social studies.  However, I finally decided to collaborate with one of my fellow special ed teachers on a Google Docs presentation about the strategies that good readers use.  I would like our 2 emergent reading groups on similar levels to work on this project.  I would like to implement this project  by the end of the first nine weeks.  Students will identify strategies that they use as good readers, and upload a picture that represents that strategy into a Google Docs presentation.  The students in each class can edit and add to the presentation.  This project will help students become more aware of the strategies they are using, as well as learn about other good strategies from their peers.

Tool 6 Using Web Tools to Promote Discussion

I made a Wallwisher page.  I think this will be a fun tool for students to use in order to post their thoughts in reading.  My first idea was for students to use this at the beginning of the year to share their goal for becoming a better reader.  Another idea I have for using this tool is to have students post their ideas about what they have read.  I think that students could post big ideas, connections and questions.  Students could also post character traits with evidence for characters from a book.  In small group reading, I often have students who finish reading before others.  After teaching and modeling how to use this tool, students could go to a computer independently to post their idea after reading.  I think it will be very motivating for reluctant readers...they often enjoy using the computer more than physically writing their ideas!




I tried out Voice Thread.  I think this has possibilities for my very young students and students who struggle with writing.  You can upload an image or a video.  Then students can comment in on it through written comments or audio comments.  I uploaded an image of Nate the Great from Nate the Great and the Big Sniff.  When my reading group was reading this book, we worked on identifying character feelings.  So, in this example, I typed in 2 words to describe his feeling in the picture when he comes out of the store and Sludge is missing.  Then I recorded an audio comment.  To record audio comments you can use a microphone or you can have Video Thread call the phone number you put in.  I tried this feature; it called me seconds after I entered my phone number!  Then all I had to do was say what I wanted to record into the phone and hang up.    When I clicked on my picture, the 2 written words I typed in appeared one after the other.  Then my voice comment followed.  Students could each record different words that they think describe a character's feeling depicted in a picture.  

I am looking forward to trying this with my students!  I think that many could record comments about a character from a book, about a picture they have drawn, about a math concept we are studying.  As a special education teacher, I see the benefits of this tool in the general ed classroom for science and social studies.  A teacher could upload a picture; then students who struggle with writing could express their ideas with the voice comment.  For example in second grade, a teacher could upload a picture of a bird.  Then the student could identify the type of beak and tell what he knows that bird eats.  I believe that you can upload several images to the same thread.  Voice Thread was fairly easy to set up and use.  I had to do a little exploration once I had uploaded my image in order to figure out how to comment, but it has a wonderful "how to" video at the beginning.

Tool 5

Making this Wordle was soooo much fun!  I typed in sentences about the story Flight of the Phoenix that my 5th grade students are reading.  The words that you use the most show up the largest.  I think this would be a very useful and motivating tool for my students.  I would like to see them typing in summaries of chapters in their books.  

This is a project that I made to introduce the book Flight of the Phoenix to my 5th graders.  I used images from the book as well as real images that depicted one of the settings in the story.  The images show some of the characters and sketches that the main character made during the course of the book.  I was able to choose music that sets the mood for adventure.  The students asked me to replay the video several times.  After we watched, we listed what we saw in the video and made predictions about the story.  I will definitely use this tool again!  

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.