Since beginning the MTT program I've become more aware of implementing technology in my classroom. I gradually began by using Edmodo as a way to have my students post reader response journals. I stopped using Edmodo, because not all my students had access to a computer at home and there was not enough time for the students to complete that homework assignment in class. This semester we introduced Glogster. It was an instant hit! Our students love to be able to do work on the computer and still use their reading abilities and learning. I love that I finally found a way to get them to read and write about what they learned! Little by little I hope to be implementing more technology applications in the classroom. What is your favorite classroom technology application?
This is my second year using Edmodo and I love it. I use to choose weekly topics, but for the upcoming sixweeks I will change things a bit using this class' method. Each class will work on a weekly post and classmates will create threads to the post. Using Edmodo in my class allows students to keep track of assignments, quizzes and upcoming events. Also, it allows students to view what they missed when absent. Edmodo also provides easy grading, immediate feeback and its in realtime, so students can view their grades and comments in realtime. --Esther
I, too, am happy using Edmodo. I can share notes, links, and files with the students. I can send the students an alert for an assignment, test, and an event. Even from their home, when absent the students can check for assignments being done in class. As Esther mentioned, Edmodo makes it easy for grading and the students can check comments on assignments.
Since I am a librarian, I want to figure out how I can use Edmodo because I think it is a great tool. I showed some teachers how to use it, and they love it. However, with 1200 students, I haven't figured out how to incorporate it into the library. My favorite tool right now is jing. I have been creating jing videos for our students. I keep telling them that I want them to become independent library users. Not that I don't want to help them, but that I want them to be able to do it without me. So I have created videos for using the online catalog, requesting books from me online, and I even have one for accessing the DISD student e-mail. I show students where to find the videos so that if I'm working with another student or I am teaching a class, they can find it. I keep a list of questions students ask me, so whenever I get a chance, I create a video for it. I also have jing videos for teachers.
I would love to learn to use Edmodo, because I hear so many teachers using it. I need to get the link and really play around with it. My 13 year old child needed to turn in a pppt presentation so I asked her if she needed my pen drive and she replied, "No, I need to submit my lesson to Edmodo." It seems her team of teachers are having them use Edmodo to turn in their assignments. Itza has a good point when she talks about students not having a computer or internet access, so I have seen this as a challenge.
I am going to begin teaching my kids how to create a Voki. This is a great tool for students to create an avatar that can present for them on certain topic. I am going to have my students work on an important person of the Revolutionary War and have them present it using their Voki. I will include the website so everyone can have a chance to look at it. Another great feature of this web 2.0 tool is that it has lesson plans for all grade levels and subjects.
I also like using Glogster. It is unfortunate that I do not have the time to use it with my students the way I would like to. My hope is that once STAAR testing is done we can use it the way I would like. Glogster is very user-friendly and my students like so much. In close second is Prezi. I really enjoy using it for classroom presentations. It gives me an option other than powerpoint. That alone grabs my student's attention because it is new and different.
I totally agree with you on having more time to use thses technologies. Hopefully, one day using technology will not be the exception but rather the rule.
I also like using Glogster. It is unfortunate that I do not have the time to use it with my students the way I would like to. My hope is that once STAAR testing is done we can use it the way I would like. Glogster is very user-friendly and my students like so much. In close second is Prezi. I really enjoy using it for classroom presentations. It gives me an option other than powerpoint. That alone grabs my student's attention because it is new and different.
I totally agree with you on having more time to use thses technologies. Hopefully, one day using technology will not be the exception but rather the rule.
I began using EDMODO in my classroom because of how highly Esther spoke of using it in her own classroom. I was hesitant at the beginning, but once I became familiar with it, it was so easy and I have incorporated fully in my classroom. I loved it so much, that I helped my team teachers to use it in their own classrooms, and so now all of our students use EDMODO for their content area classes. It makes grading, sending notes, creating quizzes so much easier and easily accessible. I also appreciate that parents can log on at home using their Parent Code, so they can oversee their child's work. It is true what Elva and Itza mentioned about internet access at home, so what I do with those students is either give them an extra day to finish the work in school, or they need to use the Computer Lab after school hours to finish their work.
I like Glogster too but Prezi is also very cool and I am enjoying working with it. My classes have really enjoyed using glogster and they have found intrest in doing them on their own, which is very rewarding. Its like doing a mini research but not realizing that they are actually working on it. Our principal loves technology and she is very supportive in out MTT experiments. I also used edmodo and schoology and sometimes it is so hard to lend time to technology integration and little by little we have found many ways to implement it.
I like a lot, but if I had to chose I think I would say Prezi. While at first I really just thought about it as a different moving Power Point Presentation, as I started using it I noticed that the kids paid more attention to it then Power Points. I guess it is because the slides move in different ways and because the colors and shapes are more vibrant. It is also easy to use one you get the hang of it.
--Esther
I am going to begin teaching my kids how to create a Voki. This is a great tool for students to create an avatar that can present for them on certain topic. I am going to have my students work on an important person of the Revolutionary War and have them present it using their Voki. I will include the website so everyone can have a chance to look at it. Another great feature of this web 2.0 tool is that it has lesson plans for all grade levels and subjects.
http://www.voki.com/
I totally agree with you on having more time to use thses technologies. Hopefully, one day using technology will not be the exception but rather the rule.
I totally agree with you on having more time to use thses technologies. Hopefully, one day using technology will not be the exception but rather the rule.
It is true what Elva and Itza mentioned about internet access at home, so what I do with those students is either give them an extra day to finish the work in school, or they need to use the Computer Lab after school hours to finish their work.
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