Final Reflection

In taking a look back at the work we did over the summer and into these first few weeks of school, I am amazed at the amount of information we have learned.  As you have read in my past blog posts, I like to joke about how much my son Aidan knows and has learned about the in's and out's of an IPad in comparison to his mother!  I have an IPad of my own, but prior to the class, I was strictly using it for games, checking my Facebook account and work email.  I knew that the IPad had so much more to offer and my goal in taking the class was to become more knowledgeable of this "tool" and not only how I could use it as a teaching tool/professional resource, but to be somewhat more tech savvy.  What was most valuable during this journey was the opportunity to play around with some of the apps.  This trial and error approach, although frustrating at times, allowed me to gain confidence that this old dog could learn new tricks.  An even greater lesson was learning from others- whether a colleague, student or my son - and respectively teaching them something I had learned or discovered.
So how will I utilize this new found confidence in the IPad?  Since this summer I have been using my IPad a lot to access my google documents.  It has been very useful to access school documents, including lesson plans, and review or edit them anytime or anywhere (for the most part).  Along the same lines, I had considered using my IPad at EST meetings to take notes and then share the new/updated EST plan via google docs, but I have just recently learned that this confidential information can not be shared via the cloud.    I have plans to sit with a colleague who is going to share a different way to do this without violating FERPA regulations.  Thank you Lisa for that important tidbit!!!
There is an app we were introduced too - Scoop It - that gave me the idea of using this as a parent newsletter based on a specific topic.  I can use articles they suggest or it allows you to create a link to a website or article that you may have come across.  Comic life is an app that I plan to use with students.  In the 5th and 6th grade I typically have students write and draw the solution to a conflict or a bullying situation.  I will now use comic life as a tool for this assignment.  I have also considered using I-Movie for these same topic areas as the students in the 5th and 6th love role plays!  It would seem that the possibilities are endless, but as a non-classroom teacher who has limited time with students, sometimes it comes down to logistics and the reality that the IPad is not necessarily the right teaching tool for every situation.  As a person who teaches social skills, I feel students need a balance between screen time and face time...and being aware of social and online etiquette.  Our community is not immune to cyberbullying situations and/or poor choices about what information students choose to share online about themselves or other people. Finally, with my 8th grade students I plan to use the IPad as a communication tool to get information out about the high school transition process.  Last year I had created an email link to the parents and now I can send email info or reminders to the students directly (rather than chasing them around with flyers that then get lost or end up in the trash).
And where do I go from here now that our class has come to an end?  I certainly do not feel that their is an ending to my learning.  In regards to the workflow process, I feel I need to continue to "play" with the IPad and practice, practice, practice.  I am the type of person that if I am not using a particular app on a regular basis, then I will forget how to use it.  The difference now though is I know how (i.e. a you tube instructional video)  or who I could turn too if I needed help.  I really enjoyed the Ed Camp format and am hopeful that we continue to learn and share from each other about the various apps on the IPad as this adventure is far from over!

"Life on Earth" interactive book

WOW! Checking out only a sample of this book made me want to take a science class! The visuals (pics/videos) were amazing and I particularly liked the interactive diagram of the insect. It just makes for more interesting learning. Just like a regular textbook, the teacher still needs to guide students in the learning process by assigning sections to read...asking them questions to check for understanding and allowing time for students to gather info from their teacher that may not have been answered or understood by reading the material.

Flipboard (learning task 2, week 5)

An app that finds articles for me...based on my interests? Although I do feel apps like Zite and Flipboard will appeal to "non-readers", I do believe their is something to be said for reading from an actual book, magazine or newspaper. Albeit, this may be a hang up for someone who was not born into a technologically advanced culture. I did find myself being easily distracted at times and just aimlessly flipping through the pages and only reading the introduction to an article...would some students do the same? Could this be a challenge? On a positive, I could see kids thinking this is a fun way to do research or just read info on topics that you choose to read about.

Scoop It

http://www.scoop.it/t/internet-safety-for-middle-schoolers

My first idea when checking out this site was "wouldn't this be a cool newsletter for parents". What a neat tool for connecting students, parents or colleagues to info on the web! I did have trouble with getting this to show up on my browser so I instead, copied and then would paste the site I wanted. This worked rather easily. I found some topics to follow including school counselor, bullying, middle school and apps for middle schoolers. This "feature" to me is similar to the boards on Pinterest.

Challenge 4 reflection

This challenge was going "smooth like butter" until it came to emailing the document to the blog. The workflow process came to a standstill as the email was not going through. I have received error messages in my inbox related to my blog email address...so something is amiss. I watched the video tutorial again (on how to email to blog) and am not seeing what is wrong. What worked a couple of weeks ago is not working now. My next step in trying to fix this challenge is to get direction from a colleague. If I were in a class with students, I would not hesitate to ask the class as students have more technology experience than myself. Apps tend to come with pretty good help buttons/info as well. So, the biggest workflow challenge I have faced is emailing to the blog. The apps used for this challenge were very cool. I continue to be amazed at what an iPad can do...minus the many steps it seems to take to get there. As I was saying to Aidan today (while learning to tie his shoes) "it's hard right now, but you can't give up...the more you practice, the easier it will be." I grew up without computers and taught myself so I figure I can learn this WITH help...right? 👍With a little more practice I can see how I can work on school stuff without having to lug my laptop around. It would also allow me to reflect on student work without bringing home a stack of papers...how cool is that.
http://db.tt/5JaY8lsg

Melissa Fisher has shared 'Creating A Screenshot.pdf' with you using Dropbox

Hi,

Here's a link to "Creating A Screenshot.pdf" in my Dropbox:

http://db.tt/gtsvQOuF

Sent from my iPad

Reflection: Digital Storytelling: "Memories of my Father"

Because of the length of my video, I am unable to create a link for my video. I was, however, successful in posting my video on Facebook. Some of you are on my friends list and are welcome to see the video on my wall. I welcome some feedback!
In checking all 3 apps this week, I felt that I movie was the best app for the kind of story I wanted to tell and what I wanted to include. I was inspired bus story i viewed called " my mother's socks.". A teacher did a video in memory of her mother. I then decided I wanted to do a story about my father who died almost 2 years ago. I wanted the story to include pictures, music and a personal recording and I movie seemed the best fit. I Movie seemed to have more options and abilities for easy editing. The drawback is that I could not just email the video. I did upload it to Dropbox but when you view it it was choppy. Not sure if this is because of the length of the video? Professionally I was thinking that maybe some of my students would find it helpful to write/create a story related to a loss or create stories when discussing bullying or conflict resolution. I found this to be a fun process. I know students enjoy doing role plays in guidance class and this could create another way to practice and show what they have learned without it feeling like its a writing assignment per se.

Module 2, Challenge 2

Using the online whiteboards of Educreation and Explain Everything was fun and interesting (to say the least)! I don't know about other people, but I found myself being very critical with my recordings. Now I know how an actor feels when they take several shots of one scene! The final video is attempt 6...and that's my own doing! I wonder if I would do better if I wrote out a "script"? At one point I thought...good lord, do I sound like this in class??? I can see the benefits of this tool as a different way of getting info to students. I like that they can go back and hear what you had to say again if they didn't quite understand the first time around. A tool for them to use as well to present information.

Module 2 Reflection

It was very interesting to listen to Dan Pink regarding motivation and not be thinking about students. It is very common when we have a student who is not motivated to learn that we/staff brainstorm what we could "give them" in return for their good behavior (such as completing homework assignments). What happens many times is that their is no reward that seems to motivate that student. Would it then be true as Pink states that for those students it's more about learning that is self-directed, fun and satisfying and their is a purpose for the learning we are asking the student to do? I feel these factors certainly apply to learning as well. If, for example, we have a student that does not like to write. If the teacher can give them some autonomy in choosing the topic and/or way in which they will produce the work, etc. then the student may be more invested and motivated. Look at the students who through independent study produce amazing work!
In regards to note-taking and mind mapping on the iPad, I have found some positives and a negative. The only negative to note-taking that I found was the typing. I am not a fast typer on the iPad keyboard... More of a hen pecker! What I liked is all the different tools at my fingertips to use as I am writing notes. I do need to work at being a bit more concise with my notes, but I have always written a lot whenever doing this task. The mind mapping was a great way for me to "show" what I learned and I found it much easier to be concise with what I felt were the key ideas to remember. I had to stop myself from not going back repeatedly to make it "pretty". Sometimes having too many tools/options can be a distraction if you will. What was really cool is how the app organized your ideas into an outline based on how you created your map!
Overall, I have found the iPad to be like a leather man tool. When Marzano talked about instructional strategies he stated that their is not one strategy that will work for every situation. It's figuring out what works for you and the task at hand. This idea made me relate it to a leather man...different tools to use but each tool doesn't work for every situation. I like that the iPad has many tools to use...but it will not always be the instructional tool to use in every situation.

New Hampshire Fun

Spent the last 2 days in NH at Santa's Village and Storyland. Lots of fun! Now I need to finish my homework 😜

Practice what you preach?

So...this past week I am discovering how addicting an iPad can be...particularly when you are at home most of the day. In my profession and as a mom I talk about limiting time on technology...the dangers of Facebook, etc. And now here I am spending my spare time on facebook and checking out Pinterest what seems like constantly! I knew when I had told Aidan to get off his Wii followed by "you've had enough technology today!" and his response was " how come you get to be on your iPad all the time?" that I had crossed over into the addicting world of technology that I swore would not happen. I would like to think that when the newness wears off that I won't feel like I am consumed by this iPad. BUT, it is absolutely amazing the things I am learning and seeing. Aidan can still figure out a game before me, but I am okay with that and he loves to tell me I am wrong...much like his dad!

Picture Success!

Here is a pic I found on Pinterest...my favorite app at the moment.

Thumbs Up for Pinterest

In the last couple of days, I have really become addicted to Pinterest! A picture is worth a thousand words! I have been particularly looking at the photography board ( have a lot of saved images now on my camera), travel board (wishing I could be there) and the education board which has some really great ideas. I like that you see just the image and not all the personal comments that you would get/ see on Facebook. If you want more info, simply click on the image.

Fantastic "Toontastic"

Found a great free app today called Toontastic. This app was a lot better than Tell a Story. The app breaks down the story into 5 parts. For each part it gives you options for a background and characters. If you don't like their options you can draw your own. When you record a scene you can move the characters. After each scene you can add music in the background based on the mood of the story. Both Aidan and I created a story...very fun AND user friendly. Great way to create a writing piece or make a movie out of an already written script.

Tell A Story woes

Decided to check out the app Tell a Story as it sounded like a tool I could use with students. I am once again feeling "dumb" as I can't seem to figure out how to use it correctly. I have read the directions repeatedly, but they r not user friendly. What is cool about the app is that includes sounds that you can add to your self created story or add music that can play in the background while the recorded story is being played. I managed to record a story, but couldn't figure out how to add the background sound. If anyone has used this app, I would love your help!!!

Fire Ball

I can see how people get addicted to these games! When I first tried Fireball, I didn't get how to play...until Aidan took the iPad and told me what I needed to do. Amazing how a 6 year old can quickly figure out the game...and navigate his way on an iPad. Now that I have been set straight, I am having a hard time putting the iPad down. This game requires you to quickly strategize your next move. it took me several tries to be able to move on to level 2.

Quarrel

Had fun playing quarrel tonight. If you like playing scrabble, you will enjoy this game. My son was trying to help me come up with words, but it's a bit difficult for a 6 year old. It didn't stop him from trying!

Just about done setting this up!

I hope I am doing this right??