NETS- 1 Collaborative Narrative/Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Blog
As a future educator it is important to incorporate the use of technology to promote creative thinking and collaboration. Blogger, a free online blogging application from Google, is a great communication tool that utilizes links and postings to journal thoughts, exchange ideas, and collaborate with colleagues, students and parents. Blogger provides many different design options which allowed me to express my individual creativity. In my Blog, I included a personal profile that highlights some information about myself; I utilized tag rolls to act as a portfolio that display my education projects; I also posted my educational journals for my professor or colleagues to view, comment on, or ask questions; finally I embedded educational links I think are important that others have immediate access to. As an educator, a Blog page is a technology tool that would allow both me and my students to communicate and clarify understanding with each other, parents and the community. In addition, it would also create an arena for students to share thoughts, exchange ideas, and display creative projects.
Newsletter
To show knowledge of incorporating technology and innovation within the classroom, a creative newsletter that is geared specifically to students is a great a tool. Through the use of Microsoft Word, a word processing application that allows for the creation of documents, I was able to design a classroom newsletter that incorporates creativity within technology. My classroom newsletter is a visually inviting document; it’s appealing, newsworthy and interesting for my students and their parents and communicates useful information regarding my classroom. The design of the newsletter includes word art, horizontal line art, a classroom mission statement within a table, and relative clip art and is enhanced by bold headings, colors and a drop cap. Creating a newsletter through Microsoft Word showcases my technology skills as an educator. This newsletter changes the thought process of classroom assignments from paper and pencil to computer. Allowing students to create a newsletter of their own, would give them the opportunity to strengthen their own technology skills as well as showcase their creativity.
NETS- 3 Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Presentation Project-Prezi
In hopes of becoming a future teacher, it is critical I show knowledge, skills and obtain work process that displays creativeness in a global and digital society. I used Prezi, a cloud website that is used to create visually appealing presentations to efficiently demonstrate information to peers, colleagues and or students. Prezi gives the opportunity of using graphics, text and hyperlinks to create a visually pleasing presentation. I used graphic images to accompany lesson plans I constructed in relation to Nets-for Students. In addition, I directly routed my presentation in a specific order to keep the arrangement organized and eye appealing. My prezi presentation exemplifies how using new technology helps communicate relevant information to my students, parents and peers using different types of media. Using technology like Prezi inside the classroom models an effective use of new tools to students so that they may discover, investigate, and assess resources in learning.
iMovie PSA
Through the use of iMovie, a video editing software application, we used to communicate a public service announcement to fellow classmates and students in promoting Cal State San Marcos. By using imported video clips, graphic images and music from itunes I made an intriguing short movie. Using edit tools, I also added titles, transitions, and video enhancements like black and white. My iMovie models innovation and the use of digital tools to maximize subject matter learning in a web environment. The use of this application reinforces student success by designing a video using digital-age media.
NETS- 4 Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Google Docs
Google Docs lets any individual with a Google log-in to import existing documents, spreadsheets, presentation or create a new one. This service is accessible anywhere that a web browser is available. If desired, you may share and invite others to collaborate with you on your documents at the same time. I used Google Docs to collaborate with one other classmate in creating a Task Stream narrative #1. We each researched the standard and then wrote our individual narratives on the same document in Google. Proceeding the completion of the narrative, we peer edited and corrected each other’s work. This site helps build a cultural understanding and awareness by collaborating and working with students, fellow educators and/or any other peer. Google Docs gives learning a centered strategy and provides access to digital tools and resources.
Cyber Safety Group Website
Google sites provide an easy way of making information accessible to individuals who need fast and up to date access. This site lets several people work together on a site to add file attachments, videos, graphic images and several other content to make one site. The ability to control who can access and edit the document is available in using Google sites. This application is available on any computer that has Internet connection, and it can be published to the world if desired. My group researched and created a site that outlined six topics of cyber safety. For each topic we defined, discussed issues, provided tips for students, educators and parents, included resources and added video to enhance the visual component of the site. This site offers support to teachers, students and parents in giving them resources on cyber safety. It also provides global awareness by appointing students, colleagues and any other individual to use resources in life long learning.
NETS- 5 Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Personal Learning Network
A PLN (Personal Learning Network) is a reciprocal network that an individual creates to learn from, obtain new information, connect with others and hopefully share with peers. My PLN consists of a Twitter, Delicious account and involvement in a digital discussion forum, Educators PLN. In all three tools I obtained new information and resources by following and involving other educators in my network. For this assignment I discussed with several other elementary school teachers the importance or lack of importance when it comes to the topic of homework. A PLN allows a teacher to connect and share with other educators interested and passionate in the same subject areas. This network also gives educators the opportunity to participate in local and global communities; developing and learning from the skills and knowledge of others.
Journal Articles
Journal articles are reflections based on articles provided by ISTE that present topics based on technology growth and use within the classrooms. In my blog, I posted 9 journal articles that address a specific Nets-T standard, name of the article, author, citation and a summary of what I learned and obtained from the specific reading. In addition, I asked two questions that were easy to identify and then answered them following. Journal articles allow for digital collaboration and promote the effective use of modern technology. Educators can show leadership by publishing their journals on a blog or website open to other life long learners. In obtaining new information from an educational publish like ISTE, teachers share in community building and help develop technology skills of others.
