EEDN 679 REFLECTION

EEND REFECTIONS

The time has come to roll on once again. As I reflect on my class experience, I am drawn to Digital Badges and Rubrics that communicate student growth through visual communication to enable all students to learn at their individual ability levels. 

Take a look.

   Digital Badges Personalization /Differentiation

Equity:
the quality of
being fair and
impartial.


At times, it is a difficult task to be impartial when I connect a name to an assignment. Sometimes it is for the good, the betterment of the student. A nameless paper is read and assessed for its quality. But then I see that it was written by a student who is capable of more detail, voice, or correct grammar. And I score accordingly: the proficiency grade, but then I will leave explicit guidance on the rubric to support deeper learning for better writing.
And not just writing, but in every subject. Best practice, gear the classroom according to ability level groupings and assignments in literacy and math. Move more slowly for certain groups, break down the lessons into smaller chunks, and find a multitude of visuals and concrete examples and activities to support all learners. Accelerated learners are given more autonomy than the rest, and teach each other. Peer tutors are a mainstay and have been for years in this classroom. 

 Digital badges are an alternative to grades. Using badges recognizes learning and growth wherever it happens and helps students connect their accomplishments across the curriculum. The badges enable students to see their full range of potential at a glance. They symbolize levels of achievement, honor, status or recognition.

Rubrics are essential in all classrooms. I use a lot of paper rubrics in writing, reading and Math. I now have experience with 
online rubrics using ForAllRubrics.com.

Genius Hour

The Idea of Genius Hour

I love the idea of Genius Hour because I am the type of person who wants to know
the answer to a question immediately. I use my computer while friends are constantly
using Smartphones. Either way, we are a group of people who want our questions
answered instead of wondering what the answer may be. Don’t get me wrong, first, we
brainstorm the answer: this is adults in my personal life as well as the students in
my classroom. I model how I think, how I work out a question seeking the answer.
Then, it is time to search for the answer. And I also model using 2-3 sources to confirm
the answer is correct using evidence from multiple sources.

Struggles

This specific question was easy to answer: How to restore old windows.
Renovation is something I am familiar with and enjoy. I know specific sites to
begin with like This Old House. I find myself taking far more time that I has
intended to find and answer. Sometimes, website have links and before I know it,
I have wandered onto other topics of interests. So my hurdle is focus.
Think Pinterest.Fortunately, today I was on a mission and remained focused.
I found great resources to learn from and developed this slide presentation
for future use- this summer!

Slide Show

Victories

The victories really are the wanderings as I find lots of youtube videos on restoration.
Being a visual learner, the videos are best for me. And I like to replay the videos
twice before I begin the task to ensure understanding. Think, measure twice cut once!

Genius Hour- teaching and learning

My administrator has already requested that we find time in our day to offer 30 minutes
of Genius Hour to our students. I have elected to make it part of my Soft Start in the
morning. Every team of 2-3 students has an opportunity to input questions that
they/ the class have had in the days leading up to Genius Minutes. I write their
questions on the whiteboard and photograph them. The questions are them projected
onto the screen in the AM during Soft Start. The students have investigated everything
we have read about from the Eiffel Tower to the Statue of Liberty to why pumpkins are
orange. They love it! Our biggest hurdle is the limited exposure to the keyboard that
the students have. We use Google Safe Search and Kiddle.co.

                         

EEND 676 Collaborative Tools in Education

I have enjoyed these past eight weeks learning more about collaboration. Collaboration exists within the classroom, the staff; both horizontally as well as vertically. It exists within the district and the state. What I was moved by most was the collaboration among the global community  for the betterment of society, education and the earth. I am inspired to do more for students to bridge the connection among other students throughout the world through social media, collaborative websites such as Global Read Aloud, and my own creations. 
   
Next steps: teach my grade level team, my students, and my staff with my mighty tool: Google Suites! Along with the collaborative products will be rubrics to assess engagement as well as the standards and essential questions.Lastly, an essential element, citing all images and information gleaned from other resources. Because fair is fair.

I am proudest of these interactive learning tools:
                   My initial collaboration with teammates: what fun!
  

Hurricane Adventure

Then I moved on creating this tools for students pairs to read, discuss, and select. They loved it!
  

Fact or Opinion Adventure

Something to enhance mathematical learning for 

students and families

     

   Free Math Apps Resource 

             

Number Line helps students visualize number sequences and illustrate strategies for counting and comparing comparing numbers. I tried it out without directions. A little bit of play and I was on my way adding, subtracting by overlapping number spaces on the numberline. This tool will be for everyone.

For scaffolding number sense, I choose Number Rack. This app uses rows of movable, colored beads, like a Rekenrek, so students think in groups of fives and tens, other wise known as skip counting, a second grade math standard.

Biographical Blabbers

Second grade students worked hard gathering facts through independent research. They then composed a speech to bring forth what they learned about a specific American who brought change to  the world.  Using Blabberize, students  brought  biographical people to life.
Blabberize records the voice of the presenter.  All you have to do is upload a photo to begin the project. The students worked independently on the research to bring forth why these people brought about significant change in the world.

Alexa	Sacajawea
Aiyanna	Ellen Ocho
Jairo	Abraham Lincoln
Jazmin	Ellen Ochoa
Armani	Henry Ford
Tony	Jackie Robinson
Mia	Harriet Tubman
Kim	Sacajawea
Diego	Abraham Lincoln
Stella	Sacajawea
Nate	Ellen Ochoa
Michael	Abraham Lincoln
Tomas	Henry Ford
Anthony	Jackie Robinson
Alexandria	Ellen Ochoa
Jonny
Leilani

EEND 675 Foundations of Educational Technology

And I am happy to report that after eight weeks of this introductory course, I am well on my way to understanding how technology enhances the educational experience of the educator as well as the student. Not only does technology invite innovation, creativity and fun, but it is an essential tool for including differentiation. I see technology enabling students who struggle with communication or multitasking being able to record their thoughts, or be read to with visual supports. There is so much more to technology than using the same intervention websites that I used as substitution and augmentation. I have moved forward to modification and redefinition. And it feels wonderful! Finding resources through the OER Treasure Hunt as well as EDpuzzle and G-Suites. My math instruction has bounded forward to more engaging lessons due to screencasts. Supporting life long learners is a goal. And I can see this year is an achievement within myself as well as my students.

Footnote: Designing the upcoming Biography Unit for my second graders, I find myself focusing on fair use. In the past, I copied author names, websites and URLs for the sole purpose of a reference for myself. But  now,. . . now, I want my students to see whose facts, research and images have been made available to them. I want them to know how important it is to give  credit to the author, researcher, creator. This hold true in conversations as well. When bringing forward a great strategy to solve a problem in your building, give credit where credit is due. Give credit to the person who planted the seed, who shared their concept that you agree with. Fair use exists in all aspects of our lives, respect it, respect yourself. 

 Multiplication Flip Grid

 One artifact that I am proud of because my students were able to put it to use immediately is the Multiplication lesson on BLENDSPACE. This artifact is supported by ISTE-E standard 1-Learners Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others and exploring proven and promising practices that leverage technology to improve student learning. Educators:1a Set professional learning goals to explore and apply pedagogical approaches made possible by technology and reflect on their effectiveness. My students had aha moments watching the screencast of the lesson. It also enabled some of the students to share to link at home to inform their parents what learning was happening in the classroom. An added benefit for the students was that each of them, or as pairs, could learn at their own pace. ISTE-E 2-Designer Educators design authentic, learner-driven activities and environments that recognize and accommodate learner variability. Educators:5a Use technology to create, adapt and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner differences and needs and 5b Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning. 

Because of this experience, I plan on continuing the screencast productions of lessons. I also plan on spending summer hours designing flip grids teaching number sense. These will be shared with parents at Open House so that everyone, students and parents, know what kind of dynamic learning goes on in second grade. I am teaching their 21^st Century learners. And I have the tools to share with them so that together, we can support the student learning at Laurel Hill. ISTE-E standard 4 Collaborator Educators dedicate time to collaborate with both colleagues and students to improve practice, discover and share resources and ideas, and solve problems. Educators:4d Demonstrate cultural competency when communicating with students, parents and colleagues and interact with them as co-collaborators in student learning.

   

And what started me on the path to successful integration was using the Illinois Open Education Resource. This is a digital library and network containing open education resources from a community of educators devoted to designing progressive curriculum. 

It was here I found a lesson connected to the new Math module I was about to teach to my struggling math students using repeated addition while arranging objects in equal rows and columns to form an array. I wanted an activity to support learning whole group then, put it into a center for the tech savvy kids to guide peer learning. ISTE-E 6 Facilitator-Educators facilitate learning with technology to support student achievement of the ISTE Standards for Students. Educators: 6a-Foster a culture where students take ownership of their learning goals and outcomes in both independent and group settings.

The Math lesson I found was from Illinois Teach & Talk. The lesson I selected includes teacher directions along with a student activity to support learning. I love that the lesson included the second grade standards as well as vertical aligning standards to first and third grades. This knowledge enabled me to balance the lesson based on need. The differentiated activities met the needs of all students in the classroom, the accelerated learners as well as the struggling learners. 7 Analyst Educators understand and use data to drive their instruction and support students in achieving their learning goals. A Jeopardy game using powerpoint was included which brings challenge, friendly competition and fun far all into the classroom. The standard builds on conceptual knowledge for multiplication. Students will be able to find the total number of objects organized in rectangular arrays and use repeated addition. Educators: 7a Provide alternative ways for students to demonstrate competency and reflect on their learning using technology.

Illinois Teach & Talk: Grade 2 - 2.OA.4 (2018).Retrieved from

http://ioer.ilsharedlearning.org/learningset/14472/Illinois_Teach_-_Talk_Grade_2-2_OA_4

EEND-678 Effective Technology Integration into Lessons & Curriculum

Reflecting on the initial weeks of this course enables

me to look deeper into my teaching practice.
Structured collaboration encompasses shared research and design.
Each member of the team has a designated job.
In second grade, this took on shared research by teams of
three and four students to study a research topic of choice.

Problem Based Learning follows steps in the procedure as well.

But it focuses on a problem to be solved. Students are expected

to solve it in a couple of weeks.

Project Based Learning is a long-term project with the content

learning within the project. It is a real-world problem students need

to solve in a creative and authentic way. Through researching a topic,

the students answer to the standards, and then present

their finds with a speech, graphic poster or a written paper.

   

Next steps was developing a Problem Based Unit implementing Wiggins and Tighe’s UBD model. Developing a multiple units outline enabled me to research websites that second graders will be able to manage on their own and create an answer to an essential question. It is through this outline that I grew as an educator to discover more applications available to students. Once I learned to use them myself, I realized it was far easier to teach my students how to use them than I realized. Fear of the unknown kept me from best practice. I am happy to say, no more. I now embrace the discoveries and the learning, and then pass it on to the 21st century learners in my classroom.

However, initials steps must be taken to

support the classroom and all who are

in it as well as the technology that resides

within the four walls as well. And this begins

with responsibility with the equipment.

Students must understand and respect

the property. Thus Infographics and contracts

are a must.

ClassroomTechnologyContractKeepstudentsaccountableyourtechnologysafe

    

But the very first step is to obtain what you need in the classroom. And sometimes, you have to ask. One way is to write a grant. It can be daunting. It can be done as a team, probably best. However, it can be done alone. iPads.

In the end, I feel I take away learning from my colleagues. With the variety of ability levels in technology, i was able to investigate what was brought forth in discussions. With this set of tools, I felt a deeper understanding of what i was able to accomplish and will continue to move forward personally and professionally. I thank you all.

678 Resources

With so many resources offered to me, I had to grasp my favorites that guided me through this technological adventure. I will continue to develop myself in best practice strategies. With this expertise, my students will be enabled to continue their education as 21 century learners. Below you will find tools I introduced into the second grade classroom. Students used these tools to learn from, as well as to teach their peers.

Gold Standard for PBL

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-heck-project-based-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron

Grant Wiggins UBD Part 1

Part 2

FLIPPED LEARNING

http://www.jonbergmann.com/mastery-simplified-five-tips-to-make-mastery-a-reality/

https://www.educreations.com/

Blendspace

Padlet

Using Playlists to Differentiate Instruction    https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/student-playlists-differentiation/

EEND 677 Reflections

Murray Foubister www.flickr.com

Reflecting on the experiences of my adventures 

in Educational Technology Tools, I have had 

an incredible journey. I have learned how to 

design a blog page, create a book trailer, 

venture deeper into G-Suites than I had in the 

past and more. I discovered applications on my 

computer that I had NEVER considered dabbling 

with before. Now I have discovered that garage 

band ain't just for makin' music, Martha! 

The app was quite useful in creating a voice 

recording of the audio of a short story. 

And the editing process quite clear after a 

trial run . . . or three.

Take a listen to the audio clip of Penguins!

 

And Google drawing, my nemesis no longer! Working with it and finding inspirational illustrations, I was able to create a wonderful graphic that challenged anything I had created in Powerpoint or google slides. Experimentation was the key. Let go of the end goal. Dabble with the tools to see what will happen, and then begin the final design.

    

 Which then transitioned to a screencast to 

teach  second graders

  

How to Draw a Penguin in Antartica 

  using Google drawing.

                                                 
                          

I took advantage of what I had learned and integrated pieces from the classroom room to a blog page for parents. Take a look at 

    

Tuxedos and Little Blue Fairies.

Educational Technology is so much fun and loaded with creativity! Introducing a couple of the technology tools of this class into my second grade classroom has engaged students whom otherwise may not have turned in assignments. I wasted no time integrating technology into the ongoing Penguin unit. I was also instrumental in introducing Padlet for students to post evidence from a text to allow peers ongoing conversation via an online bulletin board. And Padlet enabled the integration of iPads into the instructional day once again. Now my second graders understand how to use laptops as well as iPads and the have an educator who is far more comfortable and capable of teaching more multimedia tools in the classroom.