Tech Tool Review

Pic Monkey

          I really had fun playing around with this webiste. I have used a website that was very similar to this, but they closed it down a couple years ago. So I am super excited that I have learned about Pic Monkey. As a teacher this will come in handy to make pictures more fun and interesting for the students. It will even be fun for the students to play around on. There are so many ways to create unique photos that students will love. 

As a teacher you can use this site to create black and white photos. Kind of like I did here with some tulips I got for Valentines Day. I used the black and white tool, but reversed it, so I was able to apply the black and white where I wanted while still having a 'pop' of color. You could use this as a teacher to teach students the dynamics of colors.  

I like that you can add text to the pictures!

QR Code

Khan/Koller Review

The Khan Academy is a very interesting resource. After signing up and exploring the website, my first impression was that the website was very neat, organized, and in depth. I found that this was definitely a site that I would use myself. It has information, lessons, videos, and problems that teach me – as a college student, while also having those same elements at the education level of the students I could be teaching.

Because of the statistics, progress tracking, activity tracking, and other valuable student measurements that the website offers, I would also be interested in using it as a teacher to help teach my students and would encourage them to utilize this resource. One worry for this website would be the difficulty to use the website by younger students. It is a complicated website that may not have the usability that a young student would need. This may be solved by having a parent help the younger students access the website at home. Another worry I have in using this website is internet / computer access at home.

I thought that the videos were well made. One of the history videos that I watch had multiple speakers talking about the subject. This kept my interest in comparison to a single speaker that “drones on”. It felt like the information was presented in a non-lecture way, where I was free to think about the information being presented, pausing where necessary, or even going back to re-watch a particular segment.

I do not think that credentialing through online courses will be the future. I believe it may be a part of the learning process, but the credentialing process will stay in the schools. While I do not believe that this will be the primary style of education, I think that it will make learning and strengthening our minds more accessible and students with the drive to better themselves will have better resources to do so.

            A course that interests me on Coursera is Dog Emotion and Cognition. I like dogs and understanding more about them sounds like fun. The course also sounds different from the normal course, so I am interested in seeing what I would learn.

           Columbus State does not appear to accept Coursera transfer credits.

           I have not taken a course on the website so I cannot say for sure, but the courses do not appear to be more challenging than those I have experienced before. I imagine as long as I pay attention and take the time to learn the material I feel that the course would be as difficult as any other college level class. In terms of interest, being able to pick a subject of study would allow me to learn about what interests me. In the end, who teaches a course has a big impact on the difficulty and how interesting it is presented.

             I think that MOOCs are the wave of the future. I do not believe they will be the only method of learning, but a supplement to how we already learn. It will allow a student like me to go to class and learn like I currently do, but also go home, learn more if I am struggling, cement subjects that I already understand, and become a better-rounded individual by learning subjects that I may not consider in a college environment.

Pintrest in the classroom

Pintrest idea for Dr. Suess Week

I have used Pintrest before.I am what you can call a Pintrest Junkie. I use it on a daily basis. . I find stuff on there from stuff for the classroom to dyi or recipes for dinner. I love what Pintrest has to offer, there are so many different things you can find on it. 

I have used Pintrest many times for inspiration on things to use in the classroom and even ways to organize my classroom. I can't say that Pintrest was main resources for teaching resources, but it is now. It is filled with endless possibilities!! I love how you can find inspiration for classroom activities, lesson plans, and even free printable worksheets to use in the classroom. Pintrest is a wonderful way for teachers and even students and their parents to share ideas and tips. 

The only downfall with using Pintrest for lesson planning and activities is that these activities do not always pertain to Ohio's state standards or even other state standards. Some activities could pertain to other state standards and not Ohio's. It is important for every teacher to look in depth at the activities and/or lesson plans to make sure that they do indeed pertain to Ohio standards. 

ORC Lesson Plan

          The lesson plan I selected is appropriate for grades third through fifth. I plan on using it in my fourth grade classroom. I believe it will give the children a challenge without being super hard. This lesson plan is a science lesson, but also incorporates literacy skills into the activity. This lesson introduces students to a study of the tropical rain forest. Pre-reading activities allows students to access and build upon prior knowledge, including listening to sound effects of the rain forest, writing, and drawing. During reading, students use simple note-taking strategies, find patterns in text structure, and learn vocabulary. During post reading activities, students demonstrate synthesis of the text by writing efferent and effective responses to the text. 

For the Common Core Standards I first checked out the Ohio Department of Education website to take a look at the Common Core Standards. The fourth grade learning standards focus on helping students recognize the components of various systems and then investigate dynamic and sustainable relationships within systems using scientific inquiry.

Next, I went to the ORC website and checked on the strand that I would focus on in my science lesson. I plan using the first topic under Earth and Space Science, Earth's Surface. The strand: Earth's surface has specific characteristics and land-forms that can be identified. 

       

My plan for this lesson would be to implement this lesson in its entirely. I like how it gives the objectives of what the students will be able to do and have sections about what will happen in each section. I also like how it offers extensions to further their curiosity and student assessment and reflections. I would like to make this lesson a "lab" over a couple of days to allow the children to get the whole experience of the rainforest and not just skim it. 

The objectives of this lesson are:

Prereading: Students will

1. Brainstorm a list of words associated with the rainforest
2. Draw and describe a picture representing their concept of the rainforest
3. Work together in groups to brainstorm a list of facts about the rainforest

During reading: Students will

1. Discover locations of the tropical rainforests through a globe or a map
2. Listen to text read aloud
3. Determine and take notes on new vocabulary and facts about the rainforest
4. Particpate in classroom and group discussions of the text
5. Draw and describe a picture representing a new level of knowledge about the rainforest
6. Discover features of the text structure
7. Reread the text to pratice fluency

Postreading; Students will

1. Choose from a variety of genres (e.g., letter, description, poem) and write about the rainforest
2. Generate a list of questions about the rainforest and proceed in a small group to research using the Internet

Challenges of this lesson would be classroom management and time management. Often time students get excited about "lab" days that they sometimes forget some of the classroom expectations and rules. I would begin my lesson by setting expectations with the students and discussing what the objectives for the lesson are. We would discuss as a class the procedure for "lab" days in the classroom. 

Assistive Technology for students with Austism

       According to Dictionary.com, autism is defined as a pervasive developmental disorder of children, characterized by impaired communication, excessive rigidity and emotional detachment. Autism is a word that refers to a wide range of developmental disorders that some people are born with or develop early in life (Kids Health). This kind of disorder affects the brain and makes communicating and interacting with others difficult. People with autism often have trouble talking and understanding language from an early age. Autism is a pervasive disorder, meaning that most people with this has delays, differences in many developmental areas making learning harder for them.

             

              What is assistive technology and how is it beneficial for students with autism? Assistive technology is an item and/or piece of equipment that is used to maintain, increase, or improve the functioning capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Computers are an example of an assistive technology strategy for students with autism. Research has show that using computers can increase attention and decrease anxiety-related behaviors in students with autism. Computers provide predictable, concrete learning environment and provide students with a sense of control and consistency in a world that generally affords them little of either. the teaching and learning opportunities available through the internet are numerous and varied! Free lessons, courses of study in almost any subject are available online. 

              There are numerous software programs available that can focus on a variety of skill areas. There is software programs for basically all the skills such as language skills, attending skills, problem solving skills, fine motor skills, academic skills, and even provide appropriate leisure time activity skills. 

              Students with autism can benefit from the use of a smart board in the classroom.  Interactive whiteboards such as the SMART Board interactive whiteboard can help teachers to include these sorts of learning enhancements by including engaging multimedia in their Notebook lessons, encouraging students to interact with the Smartboard on an hands on basis, and creating schedules and templates to instill routine and structure in lessons (Blossom Learning).

              Many students with autism have difficulty communicating and interacting with others. The Bluebee Pals are an assistive technology tool used to engage students in learning and socialization (Autism Speaks). Their wide range of compatibilities introduce an exciting communication device that provide enhanced educational opportunities for special needs children (Bluebee Pals).

              

            Visual stimuli, interactive manipulative and sound are all important learning augmentation that can help students with autism to excel in the classroom (Blossom Learning).  Technology has come a long way from where it first began. I can only imagine what it will look like in the next few years. Smartboards have become what the future looks like for classrooms with special needs children and all children for that matter. The product can only help children and will only get better. I foresee that classrooms will begin to introduce not only the smartboard, but also ipads in the classroom. Our world has become all about technology and it has become the future of our classrooms.               

References:

Kidshealth: http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/autism.html

Dictionary: http://Dictionary.com

Autism Speaks: http://autismspeaks.org/family-services/resource-library/assistive-technology

Bluebee Pals: http://bluebeepals.com

Blossom Learning: http://blossomlearning.com/showerresource.aspx?rid=56

  

Ohio DL Schools

          After looking at the five different distance learning K-12 schooling options in Ohio, I would choose to send my child to Ohio Connections Academy. I chose this distance learning classroom because when I first clicked on the link to the website I felt welcomed. The site was easy to navigate and understand. I really liked how the teachers are experienced in online instruction and interaction. It is one thing to keep children involved and engaged when you are standing in front of them, but a whole completely different story when you're teaching them online. Ohio Connection Academy teachers get to know their students and their families, allowing them to personalize lessons and coursework to ensure that each student receives the right degree of challenge and support they need. Many parents worry that with distance learning classroom children will not get the social involvement aspect of a school community as they would in a normal classroom. Even in online school, Ohio Connections Academy students are connected to a school community. Students meet regularly in online LiveLesson sessions and have opportunities to share ideas, compare experiences, and have fun learning together. Ohio Connections Academy offers many ways for online students to meet and learn through field trips, online school clubs, and special school events. These socialization opportunities gibe students a chance to explore the world around them and form friendships with other students. They also help students gain social confidence, learn teamwork, and develop leadership and communication skills. 

          Along with the good, comes the not so good. After looking at the five different distance learning k-12 schooling options in Ohio, I would not send my child to Virtual Community School of Ohio. When I first clicked on the site it did not send a warm and friendly vibe. There was a kind of FAQs page, but it was more of a here's what we think parents will ask and not so much what actual parents asked. After looking around a bit, I came across their curriculum page. The site did not really talk about their curriculum or what they have to offer for their students. In order to learn a bit more about their curriculum you had to clink on a side link that brought up all the different subjects. Some of the subjects I clicked on were blank, while others had a small description of the subject. However I did like that each student K-5 receives a material box with a variety of learning materials (such as textbooks, lesson guides, arts and science supplies, etc.) that corresponds with the lessons taught in their grade level. As much as I like this, I wish that they supplied these material boxes throughout all their grades.

My Prezi

This Prezi is an introduction of who I am, where I am, and where I am going. The intended audience for this Prezi are the students I teach and their parents, faculty and future employers.

This was my first time ever using Prezi. I am a full on PowerPoint girl, but I have to say it was pretty easy and I like it! I like that you can get really creative with the layouts and designs of it. I would defiantly recommend using Prezi over PowerPoint!

Three Teacher Blogs I Liked

          Technology has come a long way from where it first started. It has changed the way people communicate with each other and how they function on a daily basis. Technology is great, but can be difficult to understand, especially when it comes to the classroom. Technology has become a major part of every classroom and it is important for teachers to understand it and how to incorporate it into the classroom. Many teachers have created blogs as a way to help out other teachers and to keep in touch with parents. For this assignment I needed to find three teacher blogs that I liked. I looked for preschool teacher blogs because that is a future goal of mine (to work with preschoolers).

Three teacher blogs that I liked:

1) Preschool Ponderings --> http://www.preschoolponderings.blogspot.com/

          I liked this blog because the teacher has worked for nearly ten years with toddlers and preschoolers. I loved that when she started teaching, she worked at a Reggio inspired school. What i really liked about this blog was that the teacher made post that were inspirational for other teachers. She had blogs about way to organize the classroom, helpful tips about behaviors and curriculum. 

2) Not Just Cute, Intentional Whole Child Development --> http://notjustcute.com/

          "Not all children are the same. They are not bags of chips on the conveyor belts of a factory - they are humans." I feel like this quotes sums up this teachers blog. The main focus on her blog is DAP or Developmentally Appropriate Practices. "'Developmentally Appropriate Practices' bring that term up in a room full of early childhood educators, and you'd better get comfy. They'll have a lot to say on the matter. But bring that term up with just about anyone who is NOT an early childhood professional, and you may get blank stares." This blog talks about the importance of DAP and how to help teachers understand and how to use it.

3) Art With Mrs. Nguyen  --> http://www.artwithmrsnguyen.com/

          I really liked this blog, even though it was not geared towards preschoolers, because art is a very important aspect of any level of education. Art is important because it allows children to express how they are feeling and can be a stress release for some children. I liked this blog because she talks about different ways to do art. She had posts about working with clay, watercolors, and other art expressions. 

Welcome to my Blog

Good Evening and welcome to my education blog!! 

        My name is Erica Svensson and I am currently a student at Columbus State Community College. I am studying early childhood education and will be graduating with my associate's degree in May of 2016!! I am currently working at a childcare center in Dublin, Ohio. I absolutely love the staff there and especially the children! They make every day better when I see their smiling faces!! Even though I am graduating from CSCC in May, I plan on continuing my education in early childhood education and get my teaching license. My original goal was to become a fourth grade teacher, but after working with younger children, I have decided to further my education with a bachelor's degree in early childhood education and get my teaching license later. I would love to work in a preschool. 

        I am not married (although there has been talk about a ring!! Guess I'll just have to wait and see), but do have a loving boyfriend of four years. He is a mechanical engineer and is currently in Japan doing some training for work (is it march yet?). I love spending as much time as possible with him and with my friends and family. They all mean the world to me! I have many interests and hobbies, but will not bore you with all of those!! I love being creative, whether that's through drawing, painting, crocheting, or even making bracelets. I also love to read and hang out with friends and family. 

        I have always loved just being around children. I am the one at the family reunions who is running around with the children or sitting reading a story  or playing princess with them. So to make a career out of something I only imagined is a wish come true. It took me a couple years to realize that I wanted to be a teacher, even though the thought has always been in the back of my mind. 

        My goals as a teacher is to make a difference in the lives of the children and their parents. I want to see the excitement on the children's faces as they enter the classroom. I want them to be excited to come to school and keep that excitement throughout their school experience. My goal as an educator is to promote the child, encourage them to imagine and explore the world around them. To ask questions and seek out answers. To mold their mind through process rather than product.