Reflection

  In the beginning of the semester I was a bit intimidated with this course. I am not much of a technology person. Throughout the course my intimidation grew less and less. I found the assignments to be quite easy to follow.  All of them were really exciting to work on. I am familiar with Facebook and Twitter so those two were probably the easiest to work on. Although I can admit that I didn't know how useful these two social medias could be in the classroom and library. Until now I had only used them for social purposes. The assignment on Easel.ly, Piktochart, and Infogra.am was probably the assignment I had a little more trouble with. I had never used any of these infographics before this assignment. My librarian uses Piktochart for her flyers, and I always wondered how she created them. Now I know exactly how to create one myself. My favorite assignment would be Animoto and QR Codes. I really enjoyed working on this assignment. In my opinion Animoto and QR Codes would probably be the most useful for students especially in the library. Having students create book trailers in Animoto is a great idea. They will benefit from this in so many ways and the QR Codes are just so much fun! Students will be so engaged with these internet tools that the assignment wouldn't be seen as an assignment. It would be more of a fun activity with learning at the same time. Podcasts would also be useful for students but not as fun as QR Codes. Another internet tool that students would enjoy working with would be Cartoons and Comics. Over all I really enjoyed taking this class. I learned so much and useful information that can be used in our classroom and in the library. 

The Great Debate

Is media merely a vehicle that delivers instruction as Clark states or how can media be used to influence learning as Kozma states is the great debate that is still being asked.  Clark states that media does not influence the learning outcome; method of instruction does. Kozma states that media can influence the learning of students.

I don’t agree with Clark but at the same time don’t 100% agree with Kozma either. I agree with Kozma in the way that media does influence learning but it has to be used correctly. As teachers we have access to so much technology, but if we aren’t using it in a way that is effective to our student’s learning it won’t make a difference how much media we have access to. If we show a video to our students and don’t make a connection with the skill they are learning; showing the video was a waste of time. In my opinion media on its own isn’t effective without the teacher. As Becker states, “Nothing works better than a good teacher, unless it’s a good teacher with descent tools.” (Becker, 2010)

In today’s world our students are born into a world of technology. We see children as young as two years of age with cell phones, tablets, or computers. These are the children that will be on our schools in the future. These children are “digital natives”. (Prensky, 2001) As educators we need to build our lessons with the knowledge that the students in our classrooms need more than just a lecture; we need to reach them in an way that they will be engaged and what better way than through media which is what they are used to.

Sources

Becker, K. (n.d.). The Clark-Kozma Debate in the 21^st Century. Retrieved November 17, 2016, from http://www.academia.edu/462857/The_Clark-Kozma_Debate_in_the_21^st_Century

Prensky, M. (2001, October). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On The Horizon (MCB University Press), 9(5). Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky - Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants - Part1.pdf

Podcasts

     There are so many ways that Podcasts can be used in the classroom and library. Students can create short radio broadcasts summarizing books they have read, teachers can create podcasts on homework and have students listen to them at home, or students can perform interviews and create podcasts of them. Technology has so much to offer to keep our classrooms and libraries exciting for our students.
     I first looked at Podomatic it was very easy to sign up for and it was free too. It gives you plenty of options of whom to follow. It was easy to upload and share your podcasts. It also gives you what's trending. It allows you up to fifteen GB per month.
    The next podcast service I looked at was Audioboom, this one was also easy to register for, but they are very exclusive of whom they choose to broadcast. It also offers plenty of channels to follow.     The last one I looked at was Soundcloud which is the one I chose to broadcast my podcast. It was very easy to register for and record. I found this one to be the easiest to one to record on compared to the other two services I looked at. I decided to create my podcast on a read aloud. It is a great way to have students listen to read alouds. Teachers can create a channel where students can listen to a read aloud on a weekly basis. I created the following one.


Pete The Cat and The Missing Cupcakes

    

Sources

 Macpherson, E. (2014, August 7). 10 Podcasting Projects Teachers Should Try In The Classroom. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.weareteachers.com/10-podcasting-projects-teachers-should-try-in-the-classroom-2/ 

  

Cartoons and Comics

     I had so much fun working on this assignment. Didn't know how easy it was to make comic strips. It's such an easy and fun way to get students engaged in our lessons.
     First I explored ToonDoo. It was easy to register for it. It asked you for the basics such as your email, name, and password. It has so much variety to choose from. There are backgrounds, characters, layouts, text, props, and you can even upload your own pictures. It is so easy to create a comic strip and even a book. All you have to do is drag what you selected onto each panel and fix it how you wan it. Then you choose the type of text bubble you want and enter your text. When your done you can save it and send it by email to anyone you would like to. Here is the comic strip I created. Since I am a writing teacher I decided to create my comic strip on writing.

      Second, I registered for Pixton. This one too was easy to register for. It asked for the same information as ToonDoo. One huge difference that I noticed was that this one is free but only for fifteen days unlike ToonDoo. ToonDoo didn't mention that it was only for fifteen days. This had a lot more variety of backgrounds, characters, and props to choose from. It also gave you the option to upload your own pictures. What I liked about Pixton is that it gave you templates to choose from according to what you said you were. It gave you the option to choose if you were a student, educator, or work environment. I didn't see that on ToonDoo, unless I overlooked them. It had a templet of a comic strip on homophones and that's where I got the idea to create mine from. It is such a clever way to teach homophones. My students have so much trouble using some homophones and by creating comic strips is a fun and engaging way for them to learn homophones. I loved this idea! Here is the comic strip I created on Pixton.

      Lastly, I explored MakeBeliefsComix. This one we didn't have to register for. You can simply just start creating your comic strip. Some characters on this tool are in motion. Their mouth and eyes move. Like the other two this one also has a variety of characters and backgrounds to choose from. It was really easy to create and save. 

     There are so many ways to use comic strips in our classrooms. You can use it in any subject. For example, instead of giving students problem solving on paper we can give them each a comic strip with problem solving on them. Students are still learning to solve problems but in a more engaging way. It's fun for students, yet they are still doing the same work. 

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

Youtube is very popular among students. Not only can you find social youtube videos but also educational videos. From the list of links we were asked to see here the videos I chose.

The NHSLibrary:
The NHS Library Website is the youtube video I found most helpful for students. It guides them on how to access the NHS library website. There are many reason to access the library website and if students don't know how to access it they won't be able to take advantage of the resources available within the website.

Tiger visits the NHS Library is the video I think students will like the best. It shows their mascot visiting the library.

The Unquiet Library:

The Sinco Tutorial video is probably the most helpful to students. It shows them how to embed a voice thread or Prezi into their Wikispaces page. 

I think The unquiet library on Wheels is the video the students will like best. I think it's awesome that the librarian goes to the students to offer books for students to check out. Going to them instead of waiting for them to come to the library is a great way to keep them reading since high school students aren't known for coming into the library. It is also convenient to return books. 

Pikesville High School Library:
The Course Advisement video is probably the most helpful video for students. It explains step by step what to do in order to register for the correct courses the students still need in order to graduate.

The Wii Like to Party video is the video I think students will like the most because it shows different ways to have fun at the library. It also shows pictures of themselves enjoying the activities offered in the library.

BBMS Media:
Noodle Tools: Creating a Book Citation is the video most helpful to students. It shows them step by step how to create a citation for a book.

The Hotline Overdue Drake video is probably the video the students will like best because to shows students dancing to Drake's song while returning books to the library. It reminds the students to return their books in a fun and exciting way instead of just an announcement over the intercom.

     The book I chose to create my book trailer on is We Forgot Brock! by Carter Goodrich. The reason I chose this book is because my librarian said it's a very popular book in the lower grades. I wanted to see if my students, fourth graders, would be interested in reading it after they saw my book trailer. They were left intrigued and wanted to head to the library and check it out. This is a great way to get students to read books. Make them want to know what happens next. Leave them curious enough to want to read the book. It worked with my classroom!


Publisher Synopsis:
     Phillip and Brock are best friends. Everyone can see Phillip, but only Phillip can see Brock. A night at the Big Fair is all fun and games until Phillip gets sleepy, heads home, and forgets Brock! Brock misses Phillip. And Phillip misses Brock. Will they reunite? With the help of another pair of pals, they just might. Because even imaginary friends get lost sometimes. Finding is part of the adventure.


     QR Codes can be used in the classroom in many ways. Students will find them interesting and fun to work with. We can create QR codes for book trailers just like we did for our assignment. We can print and place them inside the books we want students to read.  Students can scan them to see if they would be interested in reading the books. I would like to use this when I become a librarian. Another way we can use QR codes is for students homework. Teachers can create QR codes for screencasts they've created. If students forget how to work out a problem they can scan the QR code and watch a screencast to assist them. These are just two ways to use QR codes in the classrooms.

Here is my QR Code. Enjoy!

Sources

 (2014, December 7). Retrieved October 29, 2016, from http://www.emergingedtech.com/2014/12/25-ways-to-use-qr-codes-for-teaching-learning/ 

 [Video file]. (2014, January 16). In Course Advisement. Retrieved October 29, 2016, from https://youtu.be/Q3MuhcD2y_c 

 [Video file]. (2015, May 12). In Getting Started with the NHS Library Website. Retrieved October 29, 2016, from https://youtu.be/PjpxzgZQkZM 

 [Video file]. (2016, June 6). In Hotline Over Due Drake Library Parody. Retrieved October 28, 2016, from https://youtu.be/lydaMN3417g 

 [Video file]. (2016, February 10). In Noodle Tools: Creating a Book Citation. Retrieved October 28, 2016, from https://youtu.be/ps8TUylUepQ 

 [Video file]. (2012, September 13). In Sinco Tutorial. Retrieved October 29, 2016, from https://youtu.be/mipDakS7yjo

[Video file]. (2015, May 4). In Tiger Visits The Norman High. Retrieved October 29, 2016, from https://youtu.be/NeUhXLvFAi4 

 [Video file]. (2012, September 14). In The Unquiet Library on Wheels. Retrieved October 29, 2016, from https://youtu.be/puYlDaLQKVI

 [Video file]. (2014, May 4). In Wii Like to Party @ Panthers Library. Retrieved October 29, 2016, from https://youtu.be/-ysT9BZVTG4 

Screencasts, Instagram, and Vine

I personally have an Instagram account but never thought I could use it in my classroom until it was mentioned in this assignment. Although I think that Instagram and Vine haven't been as popular as they were when they first came out some students might still use it. I teach fourth graders and I think they still use it when compared to Jr. high and high school students. I researched on how to integrate Instagram into the classroom and found a teacher (Dallas Thompson) in elementary who uses it with her fifth grade students. She noticed that some of her students were constantly talking about the apps that they use, so she thought of a clever way to use Instagram with her class. She created an account for her classroom and invited the students who already had an account to follow hers. She would posts questions for her students to answer. For those who weren't allowed to have an Instagram she would allow them to log in before class started, so they would still be involved in the discussion. She made it fun for her students to learn from each other. This gave me something to think about.

Here is a picture I posted on my Instagram. This is one way to use Instagram to motivate our students to read.


Screencasts are a great way to teach students how to do different assignments. I for one find it easier to complete an assignment when our professors provide screencasts for us to see. It just answers any questions we might have.

Screencast-o-matic and Jing are to softwares you can use to create screencast. Although they are both free to use, in order to use Jing you would have to download it onto your computer. They both offer tutorials on how to create your screencast. I found Screencast-o-matic very easy to use and it's the one I chose to create my screencast. The only downfall from it being free is that it only allows you a fifteen minute screencast unless you go pro for only $15 a year.

For my screencast I chose to show my students how to use TTM (Think Through Math) from home. Here is my screencast.

Citation

(2014, June 25). Retrieved October 22, 2016, from www.nerdynerdynerdy.com/2014/06/using-instagram-as-classroom-toolhtml

Infographics

Infographics

I registered for EASEL.LY, PIKTOCHART, and INFOGR.AM since they were all free.

First I registered for INFOGR.AM and I noticed the backgrounds available were for charts and graphs. It had bar, line, and pie graphs just to name a few. It wasn’t what I was looking for.

PIKTOCHART was the second one I went into and found it had the backgrounds I needed for my Infographic but it seemed a little more complicated when compared to EASEL.LY.  

EASEL.LY was the easiest for me to navigate through. It was self-explanatory. I was able to create my Infographic easily with out any problems. It had the background I needed for my type of Infographic.

            The reason I chose to create my Infographic on Beverly Clearly was because she was one of my favorite authors growing up. I loved reading her books, especially her Ramona Quimbly series.   

Citations

Biography of Beverly Cleary. (n.d.). Retrieved October 14, 2016, from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/beverly-cleary