Reflection Day 3

Today I found out that I have my own YouTube channel since I created a Google Drive account. I learned you can personalize it, sort of like Edmodo and Facebook, you can link things to your page that you might find interesting, and also add personal information about yourself if you choose to.

I used Screencast-o-matic. I had technical difficulties at first but once you figure out the gadgets it was really fun to use. I will definitely use this again in the future, but I have to get used to hearing my voice and maybe finding a quiet area to record (where my kids can't find me).

The level we target is Evaluation since the students are collaborating in analyzing their characters, then creating their homepages in a blog, and also peer evaluating each others homepage.

Day 2 Reflection

I found a couple of new blog sites I can use other tan Blogger. Weebly was one that I remember using when I was in college, Edublogs teachers can post resources, post, calendars and students can take surveys, quizzes, and communicate with each other.

I learned that the students have no excuses. He has a solution for every problem that occurs (no internet access, options on watching the videos, consequences for not watching the video, etc.) so the students will take responsibility for their own work.

I am analyzing a character from a short story or a novel the students has read and having the students create a homepage on the web for that specific character. I want the students to use Google Blogs, but I remember what the flipped classroom webinar said about giving the student choices on what app to use. So, I am not sure if I should give them a list of blog sites they can use and have them chose their own or just give them one choice and go from there.

How to overcome my technology barriers

For the first barrier (Internet access) I would love to use my blog in google. I want to list a schedule of times the students can stay after or before school to work in an assignment online for any subject. Also, I want to make sure that I can use the flipping instruction method where I can and create videos they can download in class before they get home, or assignments that they can download in advance as well.

Second barrier (network guidelines) is a very simple solution, just research anything ahead of time and have it approved by the district. I know this was a huge challenge for me the year being it was my first year of teaching.

The third barrier (environment) I can use a  screencast-o-matic and create video at the beginning of the school year explaining what my expectations are for the use of the net books for students and the parents.

The final barrier (available apps for ELA) well have to be resolve with time. I have to take thirty or even fifteen minutes of my time and look for the best available apps for my subject that are free, and that the students are engaged in. I have taken a couple of minutes this morning and I have a lot of you tube videos on apps you can use in ELA.

Reflection Day 1

What was new and exciting to learn was the SAMR Model. It really helped me understand where I am when it comes to infusing technology in my classroom, at one point I think I actually made it to the modification level.

One of the tools that I definitely need to incorporate in class is flipping instruction, I really can see how this would work in other subjects I am a bit confused on how to make it successful in mine.

I was actually thinking of infusing a character analysis lesson (character traits), or an inference lesson. Hopefully I can make a decision before the 2nd day of Tech Academy.

4 Barriers that make life difficult

First barrier would be students internet access. First semester of teaching was extremely easy for the students to complete their assignments online, the second semester they are overwhelmed with how many projects they have to create online and what teacher would be available to stay after school so they could have access to the internet. Second barrier I would have to say is the network guidelines. There were so many times I remember wanting to search a topic in class and lightspeed wouldn't allow it, and to be honest we don't have the extra minute to submit a request to allow us to view the sight because we have a limited time with our students in the classrooms. A third barrier is just the environment we work in. So many students in that school had so much trouble taking responsibility for their netbooks. I had students who would break it on purpose just so they wouldn't have to use it during class, others would forget their netbooks at home, some netbooks were taken from students my their PARENTS so they could browse the internet at home. The last barrier and a difficult one to get by is the apps available for us, the limited time we have to use them, and the cost to keep them. I was using Glogster one semester and it gave me and the students only 30 days to work with it of course in ELA that means you have time for one big project. The cost to keep it for 160 students was over 200 dollars. I also have trouble looking for apps that work well with ELA, now I know of plenty of apps that other teachers have used and seen how they work for their subject, it just gets a bit frustrating after a while trying to find one that align with the TEKS in ELA.