Good Bye For Now!

Well guys this has been a great class. Thanks Dr. Strange for all of your insights and help. This really has been the most helpful class. Good luck to all of you!

Final Posts

1. First off I started my very first blog in this class. I love it! I love how I have been able to view other blogs, comment on them, and have others from around the world comment on my blog. I have learned so much just about blogging! I have not learned a lot about wikis but I am wanting to learn. Also, Google Docs has been a great program that I have enjoyed learning about. These google docs allows you to create presentations, share documents with others, and create so much more. I know that my school now uses Google Docs and it is a great help for teachers to collaborate.

I also have enjoyed creating podcasts. Who knew all of the great things you can use podcasts for! I enjoyed creating these with my fellow classmates and posting them to the web. Comments4kids and Comments4teachers was a great experience. This experience allowed me to interact with other teachers and students from around the world.

Now the sites such as Delicious, ACCESS, and ALEX has been very helpful. Delicious has helped me bookmark websites and helpful information for teaching. ACCESS and ALEX are great for future reference.

I do have to say that one of my favorite programs that I learned and used a lot was SKYPE. SKYPE is great. I used it to interact and stay in contact with my fellow classmates in this class. Also, my husband's family is from Bosnia so I have been able to use SKYPE not only for school but for my personal use. I think it's great that this is a free program. It does have it's glitches at times, but it's great!

Overall, I am sure I forgot to mention some things that I learned in this class but I really enjoyed it. I am currently teaching sixth grade now and I took this class to renew my teacher's certificate. I am really glad that I took this course as it has helped me learn so much more about the new technologies and programs that I can use in my classroom.

2. There is not really anything that I wanted to learn in this class that I did not. I learned a lot more than I ever thought I would.

3. There isn't anything that I learned in this class that I don't feel as though I should have learned. This class was very informational and helped me learn things that will help me not only in my classroom but at home.

4. This class did excite me. I was very excited after I recorded my first podcast and did it correctly. I was also excited when I figured out how to compile movies in iMovies and create them the way that I wanted them. I thought that was really neat.

5. I found everything to be somewhat challenging but in a good way. I think learning should be sometimes challenging. I did not find anything too hard or intellectually challenging.

6. I was not bored with this class at anytime. To me, there was nothing to be bored about. I enjoyed all of the projects and blog posts. At first I didn't really understand how this class would work and what the projects were, but then I understood as we went through the classes.

7. I would not really change this course in any way. Even if you added assignments and new programs I don't think that there is anything wrong with that. Some students may complain about the work load, but in reality it was not that bad. I did not feel overworked in this class. The only thing that seemed a bit confusing was where our next assignment may be. It was hard to keep up with the Google Docs, email, class blog posts, and syllabus just to make sure I didn't miss as assignment. I was continually checking everything to make sure I finished and did everything. There was no list to go by. But, overall I really enjoyed the class very much.

8. I do think that I am technology literate. I have learned quite a bit of things in this class and I have actually taught a few teachers at my school some things. I think that my technology literate level is Good. I know I can always learn more.

9. I am currently teaching now but I will maintain my technological literacy by continuing to blog and use the other programs that I started and learned about. I also will be going to workshops about using Smartboards. I know that I will get better once I start using these programs even more in my classroom. I hope that Mobile County Public Schools will soon be able to access the Internet more easily and maybe even use Skype!

Project 14 How to Use a Smartboard

Amy Stork, Sherik Butler, and I did a presentation on how to use a Smartboard. What we did was we did the actual presentation in class. We wanted to present this in class so we could actually use the Smartboard as we presented. When it comes to a Smartboard teachers can really do things that are hands on with their students. There are games, talking calculator, hands on writing, typing. Students are able to actually come and touch and use the Smartboard themselves. This has the students actively engaged. Take a look!

Project 8 "Sit, Stay, Good Dog!"

I chose to teach my dog how to sit. I have a boxer named Cooper who stars in this video. This video starts out by showing you how to get started teaching your dog how to sit and stay. I end the video by showing you how to teach your dog how to lay down as well. Cooper did a great job and the video was fun to create. I hope you enjoy!

April 25th post

7th grade student's PLE

What a great video. This student obviously knows what she is doing. This is very inspiring. I think it's great that her science class is paperless and has the students working online al the time. They are learning responsibility and so much more. This student uses her PLE for reflections, note taking, creating things, and a lot more. She explains how her PLE and having to work online gives students the sense of responsibility that is really great. I know that I am just starting my PLE. My PLE is not as thorough as hers but I liked the way she has hers all set up in one place. These students are able to do so much. She also creates digital posters that I found to be interesting as well. When she takes notes the system she uses keeps track of where she finds the information. This is great. I have a long way to go to get as organized as her.



2 Questions:

What's my sentence? Well, I really have never thought of that question in that sense. I will have to think of my sentence. This question really makes you think of your purpose as an educator. What is a teacher's purpose? What do we intend on doing for our students? Parents? Once I find out this answer, I will have a better understanding of my days as a teacher.

Was I better today than yesterday? Another great question. I know that I have not thought about this until now. This is a good motivator. We all should be better tomorrow than we are today. I don't think we always are, but we should strive for this. This is a great motivator for us as teachers and for everyone.

2nd Post on my PLN

My PLN.... Well I can say that I have had fun creating my PLN. My PLN started with a few websites on Delicious and meeting a few teachers through EDM310. I am now adding more and more sights to my PLN such as Mrs. Rose's Kindergarten class Blog and great sites for using the Smartboard.

I now follow Mrs. Kelly Hines on Twitter and she is always posting tweets. Not only have I explored many new educational sites and blogs, but I have also spoke to other teachers at my school about technology in the classroom. Most teachers that I have come across feel the same as I about technology. The local teachers in my PLN are not able to use technology like the other teachers I have come across in other areas around the world. Mobile Public Schools are limited when it comes to computers in the classroom.

Overall, I am now starting to use ALEX in the classroom. It allows me to look up lessons and interesting sites to use in the class. Thanks to Dr. Strange I am able to continue learning about PLNs and enlarge my own Personal Learning Network.

Project 13 Videocast

Check out our videocast!

It's Time For Technology Talk

Project 15 Interview

For this project I interviewed a local teacher Ame Clements. She teaches eighth grade and she actually teaches a technology class. I asked Mrs. Clements how she used technology in her classroom on a daily basis. In this video you will hear what she has to say about her classroom and how technology plays a major roll in it.

Comments4kids Week 14

This week I commented on Mrs. Cassidy's student Kayla. Kayla posted a comment about getting a new dog. She named her new dog Maks. I commented and told her that I liked dogs and animals and that I have two dogs of my own, Maya and Cooper. I asked Kayla what kind of dog she got. She also commented that she may have had to take the dog back because Dylan was allergic to it. I asked her if they had to take it back. Great post Kayla!

April 18th Blog Post

Do teachers need to be technologically literate? Do teachers need to know about the Internet? Do teachers need to teach their students about the Internet? Watch this video and tell me what you think.



What an interesting video. This child is right. Are we going to be teachers that don't even know the Internet? I have said it before and I will say it again. Just like the Zax video we just watched. Time is changing. Schools have still seemed to stay the same. Teachers need to be learning more and more. We should not stop our education after college. I think teachers should all take EDM310 and learn all of these new technologies that I have learned. I graduated college in 2005 and I had already taken EDM310. Boy have things changed. I am taking this class to renew my teacher's certificate, but I really have benefited from this class. This class has changed for the better. I have learned many programs that I didn't know, I have experienced interactions with other teachers from around the world, and I have found new teacher resources and websites to share with my students. I do think that teachers need to be technology literate. Our students will pass us up when it comes to technology. We should be teaching them about the Internet and sharing their thoughts and ideas with the world. What do you think about this? Are you ready to incorporate technology in your classroom?

Vocaroo Comment

For my Vocaroo project I commented on Amy Stork's (Class G) April 11th post.

Why Post Work?

I think it is very important for students to post their work to blogs. Students are able to learn, have an audience, create, smile, get excited, and many more things. Students not only learn how to use blogs but they also learn how to venture out and learn about other people and see what their friends have posted. They can also meet new people and talk to people all over the world. What a great advantage for students. Not all students have this advantage. I found actually many inspiring things that are great examples of why students should post their work to blogs. Check them out!


This video sums it all up!

Here is a kindergarten blog that I found to be very interesting. These students are creative and the teacher posts things about their days. The teacher seems to post most of the articles on this blog, but it is still all about the students!
Mrs. Rose's Kindergarten Friends



Now this is a fun blog. Mrs. Yollis' Classroom Blog!
This video shows the students learning about North America. Mrs. Yollis updates her blog regularly and shares her students' work.

Comments4Teachers Jenny She

My Comments4Teachers assignment for these past two weeks was about Jenny She. Jenny's blog was "created to record my experiences ,reflection, learning, sharing and any other things that matter to my career as a teacher." Jenny has this posted on her blog. Also, Jenny is a primary school teacher in Auckland New Zealand.



My first comment April 6, 2010

Hello Ms. She. My name is Tiffany Lindell Karamovic. I am taking a college class entitled EDM310 for Dr. Strange at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, AL. One of my assignments was to visit your blog. I will be following your blog and keeping up with your ideas for the next couple of weeks. I am glad he assigned me to your blog. I read your post and was very interested. The class that I am taking is actually about technology in education. I am also a sixth grade teacher her in Mobile. I have just recently learned how to use imovie and all of it's features. I am still learning. In the class we are taking, Dr. Strange is teaching all sorts of programs and things that will be very helpful to us as educators. I am glad that you have come so far. It seems as though you have done a great job. Come visit our class blog if you get a chance. Click here! My own blog.


My second comment April 12, 2010

Ms. She,

I was glad to see your post. I have used a technique like this in my classroom. We call them "Centers" and not taskboards, but they are very similar. I like that with taskboards the students can actually go and see where they are supposed to be and what they are supposed to be doing. In Centers the students are in certain groups and go do certain things while the teacher completes guided reading with a group. The other students that are not in the guided reading group are assigned to a certain center. Teachers can either create their own center depending on what they are working on that week or month, or they can have a set center such as computers. I also see students getting frustrated when they have to leave a certain center that they have not completed. I will try your technique. I am sure this will work much better and the students will get the full benefit of the center. I will also try the taskboard. That will also help with confusion and questions. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas.

Comments4Kids Week 13

Hossanah's favorite thing to do at Camp.....

I was assigned to the CLASS OF YEAR FIVES AT PT ENGLAND SCHOOL blog. The student's name was Hossanah. He posted a blog post about his favorite thing at camp. Hossanah loved to skate. He even used great descriptive words to explain a time that he fell. He said he got right back up and continued skating, even though it hurt little. I told Hossanah to keep up the good work and to keep blogging!