Final Course Reflection

This class has taught me so much. I have learned how to incorporate technology into my future classroom. I believe as a future teacher, that every student has the ability to learn something. Even if it is just writing their name or learning all 50 states. This course has allowed me learn many different ways to engage with my students and their parents too. I have learned how to create a blog. I had always wondered how awesome it would be to have my very own blog. Now I know how to develop and publish a blog for my future classroom. I can use my blog to keep in touch with my students parents. I can make announcements on the blog, give reminders and let the parents know what is going on for the day in the classroom.

I also enjoyed learning about different types of web tools to use. I now know how to create an online test, which is much easier than using Microsoft word to create a test! I can also create a rubric for assignments. My students can have a rubric to go by when completing their assignments.

Working in google groups was a new experience. While taking mostly online classes, I had little "group" experience with assignments. This assignment allowed me and my two group partners to work together to create a story. Each person completed a paragraph and after we were all done we had a hilarious story! My future students can use this part of google to complete assignments and presentations on a certain topic bu using the google PowerPoint tool.

Creating my movie was also something that was a great learning experience. First of all, I learned to read  directions carefully! I downloaded the wrong version and was wondering why I could not get the movie to work right. Lesson learned. I learned how to navigate windows movie maker, how to upload photos, add a song, add a title and credits to the movie and how to make it a certain time length.

I also learned about how to create a website. I can use a website to have for parents to visit. I can list my contact information and assignment due dates. I can list whats new in class for the week. I could also use my website for parents to access their students grades when they wanted to. I think learning how to create a website is probably the best thing I learned from this semester. I can apply my new knowledge into my future classroom in so many positive ways!

Turnitin taught me how to catch cheaters in my classroom. I enjoyed actually copying someone else work and submitting it to turnitin's software. I then wrote my own paper about the same information and saw such a huge difference in the plagiarism I didn't even realize I did! It was interesting to use the software and see hoe it functions.

Lastly I was able to apply my past knowledge of assistive technology to an assignment. I created a PowerPoint that acquired all aspects, accommodations and modifications for my students with any type of disability.

I have enjoyed this class and again, I have learned so much!!

Assistive Technology

The assistive technology assignment was very familiar to me. I am a senior at USM and have had assistive technology drilled into my head :) Assistive technology is any type of technology device or resource that can be used to help students with different types of disabilities better function in the classroom. This assignment allowed me to put all of the information I had been taught about assistive technology into something that I can actually use as an assistive technology device in my future classroom. I learned how to press the "prt sc" button to select the current screen I was on and take a virtual picture of it for the PowerPoint. I also incorporated sounds, pictures, bold and highlighted text for all of the different types of disabilities that some students face. The NETS-T standards that applied to this assignment were 1 and 4. Standard number one states " facilitate and inspire student learning." By completing an assistive technology assignment for a specific student or students in my future classroom, I have used technology to facilitate student learning. Standard number four states "promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility." I have completed this assignment with my students who are differentiated learners in mind.  I have addressed all of the diverse needs of all of my students by using assistive technology in my future classroom.

Turn It In Assignment

The Turnitin software allowed the class to learn about copying and plagiarism software. This is especially important in today's society because students can just google everything and find information to use for their assignments that quick. Students then copy and paste this information into a document without ever reading or completing the assignment and turn it in for a grade. This is plagiarism and it is a huge problem in schools all across the United States. I was very interested in learning how to use, understand and publish the turnitin software. I can use this in my future classroom as a tool to detect illegal copying of others work. The standards that were used for this assignment were 3. NETS-T standard number three states "model digital age work and learning."In this assignment I gained the ability to work with students and parents to help detect illegal use of someone else's work aka plagiarism. Standard three states that the teacher is to "collaborate with students, peers, parents,and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation."

Website

The web site that we had to create was awesome! I always wondered how to create a website. I have a small jewelry making business and I use ETSY to sell my products. I always wanted to know how to create my OWN website. I had so much fun and learned a vast amount of important information during this assignment. I created a web site that was to predict what I would want my future students and their parents to see when they visited my web site. I had my contact information, due dates, assignment information and directions and a syllabus on the web site. I did not have any problems while completing the web site. The standards that were used for this assignment was number 5. Standard number five states "engage in professional growth and leadership." By learning about how to create a web site, I as a future teacher, are able to demonstrate effective leadership in understanding technology.

LINK for website

Creating a movie in windows movie maker was something new for me. I began the movie about my trip to Elvis Presley's Graceland. The movie seemed easy to create. I simply uploaded the pictures I wanted onto each corresponding page. I added a song, Elvis Presley's number one hit "Marie's the name of his latest flame." I got to a stopping point when I was to get the movie under two minutes. I could not figure it out. I has Mrs. Parker help me, we realized that I had downloaded the wrong version of windows movie maker. Once I downloaded the correct version, I was able to have the movie right at 2 minutes. The assignment was something new. I had never created a movie before. I had only completed PowerPoint's. The standards of NETS-T that were used for this assignment were 2 and 3. Standard two states "design and develop digital age learning and assessments." I  learned about the many uses of windows movie maker by completing the movie, adding a song and creating a title and credits. Standard number three states ""model digital age work and learning." Students learn about modern technology resources that are available. I had never heard of movie maker before this class. I now have the knowledge of how to operate and publish windows movie maker for my future students.

Google Groups/Presentation

Google Groups was a fun activity to complete. I enjoyed having an assignment that allows us to work with partners. I learned how to upload an assignment to google documents. I learned also how to edit assignments to google documents. Those two steps was very frustrating to me and took some time to understand. I am not very computer savy, but I enjoy learning new things. I solved the issue I was having with uploading my part of the google story to google documents by reading in my book. I also found a online tutorial on YouTube on how to edit and upload a document to google documents. The group I had was also very helpful. Our group leader Raja explained step by step what I needed to do. I can integrate this knowledge into my future teaching by my future students possibly creating their own story for a English or History assignment. Each students can add to the story like my group partners and I did. This is a fun activity that is something different than just writing on a piece of paper or looking in a book. The NETS-T standards that were used in this assignment are: 1,2 and 4. Standard one is to "facilitate and acquire students learning and creativity". The google groups allows for students to engage in a assignment in a different way and it inspires them to have fun while learning. Standard number two is "design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments." This assignment is completed completely based on digital age learning and knowledge. Standard number four says "promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility." LINK for online story   LINK for google presentation