Reflections

Reflections
__Future (2009-2010) Plans__ Some of the software and technology in the EC lab was new to me, so I had to learn it myself this year before I could use it with my class. Therefore next year, I plan on using the technology and software earlier in the year then thereafter. I would like to teach my students to be more confident in using the help menu in programs instead of relying on me and waiting for me. I have used Inspiration this year, but would like to use it more in the future, especially during the prewriting process. I think I have used the technology, even the laptops, for every school subject. My future goal is to keep integrating it in all subjects. I want to use, not abuse (free play all the time) the technology as much as I can. My current students ask now "can we use this..." very often. I have students that are not my class asking me if I will still be teaching 6th grade when they get to 6th grade because they want to be in my class. I want to continue the way I teach and use technology so that student continue enjoying and wanting to be in my class.

__Document Camera Reflection__ At first I kept forgetting I had the document camera and would head to the copy machine to make an overhead then remember - wait I have a document camera, I don't need to make this copy. My class thought it was the coolest thing. I used it to show a science experiment with boiling water, cold water and food coloring. It was so nice not to have the entire class crowded around a small table. The girls saw my wedding ring and asked me to zoom in, so we also used it like a microscope. I also used it to record a "how-to-use" the digital camera short video to show during faculty meeting. I used the document camera often, until my VGA port in my classroom quit working right after Xmas and I haven't been able to get anyone to fix it.

__Student Response System Reflection__ This is a product I have wanted for awhile now. The first time I got the "clickers" out for my class to use, log in was a bit hectic. Many students could not get logged on or kept getting randomly kicked off. It made me almost not want to use them again. We tried them again, everything went smoothly. Students loved using them and wanted to know if they could start taking their spelling tests on them every week. (I can't imagine waiting for them to spell each word on the clickers.) Once my VGA port quit working, I thought I couldn't use them anymore because I thought I had to have my computer connected to the projector (which I couldn't) to show the test. So they sat in my closet for weeks and weeks until... Another trainer told me I could add a test without the questions and answers, only marking the correct answer. Then I make an overhead (because I can't use my document camera) showing all the questions at once. Students log in, answer at their own pace, then finish. Since I found out this trick, I have been using the clickers again.

__Mobile Lab Goals & Learning Objectives__
 * Have students understand proper laptop handling and procedures
 * Teach students how to save to school folder
 * Teach students terminology used in computers and software (portrait, landscape, cells, skew, in proportion, etc.)
 * Teach students about Excel - formulas, to how drag and copy formulas, how to create and edit a chart
 * Have students learn and complete a project in each of the mobile lab programs
 * Have students work individually sometimes and collaboratively sometimes on projects

__2008-2009 Goals__
 * Expose my students to as much technology as I can
 * Not just let my students "play" on the laptops, teach them how the software programs work (tips & tricks)
 * Help more people in my faculty get excited about technology

__Engaged Classroom Summer Class Reflections__

Day 1 I enjoyed learning about Grappling's Technology & Learning Spectrum. It was very helpful to hear specific examples for each level (using the clickers to do it was also fun!). I also reallly enjoyed the videos, I would show many of them to the rest of my faculty and couple of them to my class. The Wiki video was simple yet informational, it would be good for many of my faculty.

Day 2 Atomic Learning is a very helpful tool. I like how the "lessons" are brief yet to the point. I enjoyed the pipe cleaner animation activity. It gave me many ideas to use in my classroom. I also enjoyed my introduction to Comic Life. I can see students having fun using this program creating projects to go along with just about anything in our curriculum. I had never used Comic Life or Inspiration before, I will definitely use both.

Day 3 del.icio.us can be a useful tool (social bookmarking). It allows you to access your web bookmarks from any computer (good for someone that goes from a computer at school and a computer at home). I want to share the resources on UEN with my trainees and we will do a faculty meeting spot about them.

Day 4 It is good to be able to add group members to your del.icio.us account, which allows you to share your bookmarks and see their bookmarks.