Blog #11

I would definitely like to become more familiar with Microsoft Excel. The assignments we are completing for class are definitely helping, but I would really like to become more experienced with this.  I think Excel is very important for a future job as a teacher to help with organization and grading. To practice, I could find ways to incorporate Excel in various school projects in preparation for using this program in a future career.

Blogs I commented on:

• Katelyn
• Kathryn

Blog #10

Regarding technology professional development, as a teacher, I will utilize webinars in order to understand how to use software that could be effective in teaching my class. I think it’s important to incorporate technology into a classroom, and teachers should constantly be adapting to the ever-changing technological world around them to help their students. I would also take advantage of blogs in order to see what other teachers around the country are doing to help make their classroom successful.

From working on the past to PowerPoint assignment, I’ve become more experienced with hyperlinks and slide navigation. There was not much that I disliked about the assignment since I feel that all of the skills I acquired would be useful for a future career in the classroom. I really like to get opportunity to be creative and put my own spin on each of the assignments.

Blogs I commented on: 

• Kathryn 
• Bailey

Blog #9

In flipped classrooms, students are expected to learn the material at home through videos a teacher has uploaded, instructional videos, or online prep for class the following day. Students learn the material at home, then when they come to class, teachers are there to help them with any specific issues they may be having. My Spanish class was a flipped classroom, and it was extremely helpful since I was able to learn on my own, then learn more of the specific applications and more examples in class with a teacher there to help.

The impact of the digital divide does not just affect others’ access to technology, but it also affects skillsets and real-world applications. Students with access to technology at home are believed to have greater success and opportunities in their educational career. Students with limited or no access to technology enter college or the workforce with a disadvantage compared to students that do have access to technologies at home and at school. This can be geographically impacted as well. As a teacher, I would ask how much access students have to technology at home, and I would assign homework depending on how great or small that level of access is. I would also allow the students to become more familiar with technology at school and in the classroom so that they will be better prepared for college and the workforce later in life.

Prior to completing these PowerPoints, I wasn’t entirely sure how to hyperlink. However, after this assignment, I feel that I’m very familiar with it, and I would definitely be able to use this in a classroom in the future. I also became more familiar with effectively creating tables since I put together a Jeopardy game for one of the assignments. I really like that I was able to be creative, and that I was able to gain a new skillset that I will be able to apply to a classroom. Next time, I can improve my PowerPoints by including more graphics and transition animations.

Blogs I commented on:

• Katelyn
• Alexis

Blog #8

Assistive and adaptive Technologies are used for people with disabilities who require alternate means of gaining information and materials rather than the standard method of presentation. For example, if a student were dyslexic, spellcheck and other services would help them to write papers with less difficulty. Also, there are laws protecting the rights of people with disabilities in learning/work environments, such as the Americans With Disabilities Act.I have not used any of these technologies, nor have I known of anyone who has used them, but I think it’s extremely important for a learning environment to be accommodating to everyone regardless of disability or learning style. There could definitely be difficulties using adaptive technology in the classroom simply because I am not well acquainted with it. But, If a student were to require this method of presentation, I would definitely work to the best of my abilities to help make sure they are successful in the classroom. 

I think Technology would be very important in my future career, whether I decide to be a writer or if I decide to pursue teaching. Microsoft programs such as Word, PowerPoint, and excel would definitely help in any work environment, allowing my responsibilities to be completed more efficiently and effectively. I would also use technology to help students learn, since that seems to be a way that students are a lot more receptive to learning materials, as they are more familiar with it due to our society/culture’s emphasis on technology. 

Working with the WebQuest assignment, I learned more about how to set up a webpage, and how to effectively explain the process of an assignment for a class. I really liked the opportunity to be creative and make up my own assignment/presentation catered to a classroom that I would like to have one day. It was a bit difficult to navigate at times, but ultimately I felt that it was a really useful tool to use in future classrooms. For the future, I feel that I could include more outside resources, and make it more visually appealing. I think that this method of presentation would be really helpful for high school students, which I hope to teach one day. They are easily able to navigate websites and utilize outside resources, allowing them to get the full use and benefit out of the WebQuest.

https://knswebquest.weebly.com/task.html

Blogs I commented on:

• Gabi
• Kayla

Blog #7

From 3rd to 5th grade, I attended to DeSoto Trail Elementary school, so I decided to take a look at their teacher pages almost 10 years later! The website is very basic, and once you click on your desired Grade level and teacher, it shows what the teachers past teaching experiences were, biographical information, and how they hope to influence their students. For example, it shows when the teachers first job was, when they began teaching at their current school, and a bit about what they like to do outside of the classroom.

https://www.leonschools.net/Page/24195

I first became acquainted with blogging with a book report I had to complete in middle school. For the book I read, I had to create a blog page and present it to my class, which provided my initial familiarization with blogging! Also, I had to complete a blog for a project I had in my 10th grade English class, which I had to keep up with every week, similar to this class. I have ultimately learned that blogging is a great way to communicate with other classmates and educators in order to further develop and share your own ideas. There aren’t many things I dislike about blogging except for the fact that I’m terrible with technology and I sometimes don’t know what I’m doing! :)

In the last assignment for our web evaluation, I got a lot more comfortable with constructing tables on Microsoft Word and customizing them based on what I need. I like how it challenged me to think from the perspective of a teacher, and what I would expect from my students when picking sources for a project. Again, there’s not much that I really dislike about the web evaluation assignment, other than the fact that I’m not great with technology, and my broken wrist is forcing me to function with one hand at the moment, so it’s a bit more difficult. :( For next time, I think I could include more categories, and more subcategories in order to make the overall evaluation more detailed and precise.

Blogs I commented on:

• Alexis
• Gabi

Blog #6

Sorry this is almost a week late! I broke my wrist pretty badly, I can't move it for 2 months, and I have one functional hand to type, so this should be interesting!! Pray for my sanity y'all :)

I think students today definitely have an advantage due to the amount of resources and academic software they have access to.  One software tool that I believe would be beneficial to have an a classroom is Microsoft office. Microsoft Word and PowerPoint play a very important role in students assignments in and outside of a classroom, and I feel that getting students used to these programs will further help them in a work environment later in life. I also think that Kahoot is a good program to use for students. It presents information in the form of a game so students will be able to have a fun way to learn.

On Twitter, I have interacted with a few of my classmates, and education technology pages that present suggestions for educators and how to improve their classroom. I think Twitter could definitely help with contributing ideas to a classroom since teachers have a way to share suggestions with one another through social media. This could also be a beneficial tool for students to use to interact with one another and contribute/share ideas.

Blogs I commented on:

• Minnie
• Lucy

Blog #5

    Specifically for grades 11-12 (since these are the grades I would like to teach if I pursue a career in education), I feel comfortable with LAFS.1112.L.3.4, demonstrating the ability to define words, parts of speech, etc., and present them in the proper content to students. I feel that I would do a great job at teaching the material, but I still study with the technological aspect of its presentation.  I think I would struggle currently with LAFS.1112.RH.3.7, requiring you to “Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media”. This is definitely something I would like to improve upon, and this class has definitely allowed me to become more interested in expanding my knowledge and skillset regarding education technologies and how they would be applied to a high school English classroom.

    One of the resources on the CPALMS website was a lesson plan to go over “grammar pet peeves”, which I think would be really helpful in an English classroom.  Though the overall idea of the lesson sounds a bit elementary, I found the idea in the section for grades 9-12.  Even in high school, students still seem to struggle with basic spelling, grammar, and composition issues, so I feel that it would be important to stress these ideas when teaching English language arts.  This resource suggests that students pick out their own grammar pet peeves, and explain why it is important to use this technique in the proper way. I would definitely use this resource, and allow students to compare their findings since one student may struggle in an area that another student performs well in.  I think it is not only helpful, but vital to the success of a classroom to let students help and interact with one another to learn from their mistakes and improve upon them.

    I actually loved working on the newsletter design project! Even though I have been using Microsoft Word for years, I learned so much more about this software even through this assignment. It allowed me to become even more excited about the possibility of becoming a teacher in the future! I really liked how open the assignment was, and how I had the freedom to pick what I wanted to talk about! I think that was really helpful since I would be able to apply these skills for a high school English newsletter specifically to a future classroom.  There weren’t many things I disliked about the newsletter process, but there were a couple of formatting issues I had a hard time with. I wouldn’t say that I disliked it, I just need more practice.  Next time, I think I could include more graphics and make the newsletter even more colorful and eye-catching!  

   

Blogs I commented on: 

• Amanda 
• Kayla

Blog #4

    According to https://sparcopen.org/open-education/, open education provides a more affordable means of acquiring knowledge, and breaks down the financial and geographical barriers that standard educational methods bring about.  Going beyond the podcast, this website points out how the prices of textbooks have risen, and open education is a way to assist learners in this area.  Also, the website states that “students learn more when they have access to quality materials”.  Students are able to go beyond textbooks through open education, and are able to acquire a vast array of knowledge rather than limiting themseleves to only a few paid resources.

    www.Oercommons.org was mentioned in the podcast, and the website goes even more in-depth regarding the importance of open content. The website states that through using open content, educators are able to adapt their methods to fit the needs of specific students and learning styles.  This is extremely helpful to teachers since they are able to cater specifically to different types of students mostly for free.

    Open Source Software is also important according to https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-sourcebecause “open source licenses affect the way people can use, study, modify, and distribute software”, which is extremely important in an educational setting.  Tying this concept back to the podcast, it allows a program to be further developed, benefiting a vast array of users.

    Open educational resources are extremely important to educators since this is a financially-friendly way to ensure that students are gaining knowledge from multiple resources, and are not limited.  Versatility and diversity of material is extremely important for a student’s learning environment, and it is important to teach students early on the importance of drawing helpful tools from multiple resources.  Not only are these resources important to classrooms and people who decide to learn on their own, but this material can also be built upon. You can personalize resources, use them the way you acquired them, change the material up a bit, combine it with your own work/findings, and even grant others access to what you have contributed as well.  The following is the link to an OER blog, specifically used for a college setting, or for this level of education. https://libguides.tcc.edu/faculty/OER/blogs

Blogs I commented on:

• Karla
• Minnie

Blog #3

As a student, I have used Microsoft Word for essay responses, research papers, among other assignments, whether this involved submitting them online, or turning the documents in during class. Prior to college, I knew enough about Microsoft Word to get by, but I only knew the basics.  Upon entering college, I have been forced to pay more attention to formatting, whether this is for something as formal as a research paper, or an informal homework assignment.  Also, I have taken a computer fluency course, which has expanded my understanding of Word. I now know more about how to incorporate graphics, set up a page with columns, among other necessary skills. This class so far has continued to challenge me when using Word, and I am still learning more!

I have been briefly acquainted with copyright laws in the advertising course I took last semester, which talked about how long a copyright lasts, and what copyright infringement looks like.  As far as practical applications go, I have been instructed by many high school teachers and college professors over the years that plagiarism is a serious offense, and it is not tolerated.  I have learned that paraphrasing can still infringe on another person’s original work if it does not differ enough from the author’s content, and if the source is not properly cited, you are technically stealing someone else’s work. As a teacher, if a student of mine were to violate copyright laws by passing off another’s work as their own, they would automatically receive a zero on the assignment, and would be unable to do extra credit for that semester.  Copyrights should be taken very seriously, and students need to learn early on that copyrights exist for a reason.

One solution to copyright and fair use issues in a classroom would be to have informational sessions 2-3 times each semester to refresh students on what does or does not count as copyright infringement or plagiarism.

A solution for academic honesty would be giving students zeroes on assignments that do not reflect their original work.  It is important to establish this standard in a classroom to promote original ideas and creations, and allowing students to see the severity of cheating and/or plagiarism.

One way to address issues of cyberbullying would be to have informational sessions for students to show them not only the impact cyberbullying has on their peers, but also the severe consequences.  It is important for students to know that this is a serious offense that could sometimes make the difference between life and death for someone.  Outreach programs should also be available for victims of cyberbullying by allowing them to work through these issues.

Blogs I commented on:

• Sierra 
• Bailey

Blog #2

I feel that teachers and students are influenced to use technology in the classroom because they want the classroom to be adaptable to time periods.  Looking at schools in the 1800s, we don't write on chalk boards anymore, and we don't write everything by hand.  However, in this time period, there was not access to tools like iPads, smart boards, laptops, or the internet.  However, now that our society does have access to these tools, it is important to bring them into the classroom for an effective and innovative learning experience, which also prepares students for future technology use they will encounter in their jobs.

Reflecting on the ISTE standards for students, I love how it stresses the importance of not only using technology for a personal benefit, but also to make an impact globally.  It stresses the importance of technology in a world whose technology is constantly evolving.  It is important for students to learn at an early stage in life the importance of technology, and how to apply this and adapt throughout their lives in order to make an impact.  One standard for educators that is meaningful to me is #2) Leader.  I love working with kids, and I think it is so important to help them not only realize their potential, but also take strides to reach those goals. I really like how the site says that this standard is to "support student empowerment".  Sometimes students just need the extra push to reach their goals, and it is important as an educator to help them realize what they are capable of! A standard that is outside my skillset at the moment is #5) Designer.  Currently, I don't know much about how to gear lesson plans toward different types of learners.  However, this is something that I hope to improve upon in order to become an effective instructor!

In some respects, I do agree with the term "digital native", but not applied to entire generations of people.  One example of this is when small children know how to play games on a parent's smartphone, or when they know how to operate an iPad at age 2 (I've seen my cousin do this, and it's crazy!!).  However, some children don't have access to this technology, so it is unfair to label them into a group in which they do not have the necessary tools available to embody this label.  I see a difference in how I use technology and how "digital immigrants" use technology.  However, most of the time, they are more skilled than I am! My educators have all done an amazing job with incorporating technology into the classroom, and I would argue that just because technology is a learned skill, doesn't mean that you can't excel at it if you are not born into a generation surrounded by emerging technologies.  I feel that my future students, depending on their access to technology, could potentially know more than I do.  But I really feel that it depends on their environment, upbringing, and accessibility.

Blogs I commented on:

• Courtney  and  Katelyn

Blog #1

    Hi everyone!  My name is Kinsley, and I'm a Tallahassee local, born and raised!  I am currently entering junior year here at Florida State, and my major is Editing, Writing, and Media.  After I graduate, I hope to either become a high school English teacher or work for Tallahassee Women's Magazine.  Some interesting facts about me are that I love music, I play three instruments, and I love to sing!
    In the past, I have used technology a great deal for my classes, not just writing papers and submitting assignments on Canvas, but also using a blog to track my progress for another class.  I have my own personal blog as well, which I began using in high school.  I have taken one other technology-centered class at Florida State, Computer Fluency, so I have become very familiar with Microsoft Powerpoint, Excel, and Word.
    Through this class, I hope to gain knowledge on how to apply technology to a classroom.  If I choose to pursue a career in teaching English following graduation, it would be extremely helpful to have this knowledge when planning lessons and trying to create an effective learning environment for students.  Also, I want to learn more about how technology can enhance my own education currently, and why it is so important to my success in college and beyond.