Self Intro - Voki

This has honestly been an interesting and fun activity for me to complete. I have heard peers and coworkers talk about the site Voki, but I have never used it before. Therefore, I have been looking forward to seeing what this website is all about.  After creating an account, I got started by customizing my own avatar.  I selected a character, customized the character, added text, and chose a background. However, when I went to publish my avatar, it told me it could only be used in a Voki classroom.  Oops.  So I started over and finally finished my avatar.  I tried to choose a character that looked a little like myself, but only had the option of a mermaid after realizing I couldn't choose the ones with a graduation cap. I laughed a lot in this creation process. Take a look at my embedded self introduction below or by clicking here for the link!  You can also take a look at my Google Document I uploaded.

Voki could be easily incorporated into my classroom this year.  I honestly am throwing around the idea of using this feature as a first day of school introduction activity.  I think the kids would love it!  Creating an avatar would also be beneficial for students while working on their writing.  You can catch mistakes easier when someone else reads your work aloud.  Maybe I should learn more about creating a Voki Classroom.  The resources and lesson plans would be great to use!

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  This standard states the importance of communicating relevant info and ideas using a variety of digital media.  Teachers can use Voki as a digital teaching tool to introduce knowledge in a technological manner.  As a teacher, you could model using Voki to create an avatar and then use it with the students to further enhance their creativity and design skills.  

Word Clouds

This assignment was right up my alley because I love making word clouds with Wordle!  What is Wordle?  “Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.”  

First, I created a word cloud of the ISTE NETS T standards from 2000 by copying the standards and pasting them into the text box of Wordle. Then I created a word cloud from the ISTE NETS T standards from 2008. After making edits to the font, color, and layout, I used Jing to capture images of the clouds. After comparing the two word clouds I could visually see that the focus has changed within the 2000 standards to the 2008 standards. In 2000, the standards had a strong emphasis on technology. However, the significance in 2008 was then evolved to learning. Check them out below!

ISTE NETS T standards from 2000

ISTE NETS T standards from 2008

I also created a word cloud activity in my teaching field.  I wanted to create a meaningful word cloud that students would benefit from.  There are many students who aren't aware of specific holidays; they just see them as getting a day off from school. Before Martin Luther King, Jr. day, I would share his "I Have a Dream" speech word cloud with the students to help them understand what the day is about. Click here or look below.

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.  This standard is about designing, developing, and evaluating assessments and digital age tools.  This activity allows teachers to incorporate this technology tool into their teaching.  I could use word clouds on a daily basis for my visual learners in my classroom.  The students could also create word clouds to display assignments in a colorful design which will motivate student creativity.

Google Sites

We are finally doing something in this class that I am familiar with!  During my undergraduate experience at Fairmont State University, I was required to use Google Sites to create an electronic portfolio.  Last school year, I also helped my Principal create a website for the school.  Overall, I have found Google Sites to be user friendly. Of course I always run into a few glitches with most programs, but it has never been anything that I couldn't figure out.  

This upcoming school year, I finally have a full time teaching position at Volga Elementary School.  I am looking forward to this responsibility and think this assignment was perfect!  I chose to create a classroom website to help me interact with parents and students through technology.  I first began by choosing a teacher template and selecting a site template that was exactly what I wanted for this task - Simple and Easy Teacher Site.  I added some home page content, as well as a section about me, contact info, my teaching philosophy, my resume, and rubric to the sidebar. I also kept the sidebar items that were already included in hopes to fill them in when I get the information.  They included curriculum, newsletter, homework & event calendar, and resources & favorite links.  

Check out my work in progress teacher site!

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.  This standard is about designing, developing, and evaluating authentic learning experiences by incorporating digital age tools.  By using Google Sites, teachers can create a technology rich environment for the students, parents, and staff.  As a teacher, I can easily communicate important information through the use of this teacher created site.

Excel 2

Today's Excel assignment is a continuation of the first Excel Assignment. I once again used the state comparisons data from the NCES website to determine the research question - Does student’s gender impact 4th grade reading performance? In other words, I compared fourth grade females to fourth grade males reading test scores from 2011. Our hypothesis is that there is a difference between male and female scores. Therefore, our null hypothesis is there is not a significant difference between male and female reading test scores.

To figure this question out, I learned about a new Excel feature. A T-Test compares two sets of data to determine if the data is statistically significant or different from one another by comparing the mean and variance of the data. The T-Test allows the user to determine if the significance of both sets of information exceeds 5%. If the p value is greater than .05 then we will accept the null hypothesis. However, if the p value is less than .05 then we will reject the null hypothesis. To use the T-Test, I went back to the data analysis tool pack and selected the T-Test option. After choosing the data to be compared, Excel found the results!  

Since the p values (2.51 & 5.03) are greater than .05, we will accept the null hypothesis. This means “although there is a difference in the two groups, that difference is likely related to measurement error, or chance, and gender does not impact 4th grade reading performance.”

A research topic that I would like to construct within my 5th grade classroom could deal with basic math facts. Research question - Does student's gender impact the basic recall of multiplication facts? Hypothesis - Fifth grade females are better at multiplication facts than males. Null Hypothesis - There is not a significant difference between male and female basic recall of multiplication facts. Independent Variable - Gender (male vs. female). Dependent Variable - Multiplication fact averages of 5th grade students in my classroom. After performing a t-Test, I could determine if my hypothesis or null hypothesis is correct.  

This activity best relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.  It relates to this standard using Excel and analysis features within it allows teachers to contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self renewal of the teaching profession.  The research topic designed could allow me to reflect on my classroom and teaching methods.

Excel 1

Excel is a spreadsheet application developed by Microsoft Office.  This program has the basic features of all spreadsheets, plus numerous features that I am unaware of.  Hopefully, someday before my time is up I can figure all of the attributes out! Today, I installed the Data Analysis Tool Pack in Excel.  I also learned how to analyze the state comparisons data from the NCES website by using descriptive details, sorting, and number stuff.

Before I analyzed the data, it was actually hard to figure out where West Virginia stood in rank.  However, after analyzing the data I found that West Virginia, in relation to the other states, is not doing the best. We are at the low end of the totem pole for 4th grade reading in public schools.  Specifically we are ranked 43 out of the 52 jurisdictions.  Therefore, there are 43 jurisdictions above us and 9 jurisdictions below us.  The states that fall below us include Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Alaska, and capital District of Columbia.  Data showed me that there is a large difference between the scale scores of boys and girls in the state of WV.  In addition, I found that we were unfortunately below the national public average. 

Descriptive Statistics Total Scores

State Comparisons

State Comparisons Continued 

(Not included #1 Massachusetts)

Scatterplot

This activity was beneficial for me as a teacher.  It helped seeing the activities I completed in excel and especially the scatter plot chart.  I now realize how important it is to put 100% effort in my teaching.  I know that it will be difficult for one person to change these statistics, but we have to strive to start somewhere.

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.  This standard is about designing, developing, and evaluating assessments and digital age tools.  By using Microsoft Excel, teachers can analyze assessments and other information.  It would be great to insert your grade-book into Excel.  This would be beneficial because we can easily identify which students are understanding and excelling in specific subjects, as well as students who are struggling.  Also, Excel could be used as a tool to teach math skills, as well as other subjects to the students.

Rubrics

What is a rubric? A rubric is some type of template that stands as a scoring tool.  It is a way to gage a student’s performance.  A rubric lists detailed criteria for a specific assignment.  There is also a point scale that allows students to know what they need to achieve to get a certain grade. Not going to lie, I had some instructors in my undergraduate who wanted us to create our own rubrics without the aid of a website.  Do you know how difficult that task was?  Thankfully, there are websites out there like Rubistar that help teachers create quality rubrics just by signing up and clicking your mouse.  This tool is beneficial because it gives you options of topics, as well as categories.  Then you can store, print, save, edit, and analyze your saved rubrics.

For this particular assignment, I designed a rubric to go along with my Google Form on slavery.  I chose the topic of a Multimedia project dealing with the information students would have learned on slave family life.  The categories I chose were attractiveness, originality, content, organization, and presentation.  To share my rubric I downloaded it in excel format, then uploaded it to a Google Document.  Click below to check it out!

Multimedia Project: Slave Family Life Rubric

Creating rubrics from Rubistar is definitely something that I am going to implement into my classroom this fall.  I could create a rubric for any assignment or subject that needs clarification - oral projects, multimedia projects, research, writing, art, science, and many other products.  

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.  This standard is about designing, developing, and evaluating assessments and and digital age tools.  This activity allows teachers to create a rubric to grade and analyze student work.  Teachers can share these rubrics with students, parents, and faculty.  Plus, the best part about this particular tool is that it is user friendly and allows teachers to create high quality detailed grading criteria for assignments.  

Google Earth

What better way to learn about a new tool than playing around with it!  After installing Google Earth, I searched for my home address.  However, it was not able to locate my address.  It did give me the option to get a map of the city on my address - Moatsville, WV.  From just viewing Moatsville, I still could not see my house, but I did see landmarks that I was familiar with.  Google Earth is definitely an eye opener that I live out in the country; there was lots of trees, hills, and farmland with few houses.  When zoomed out, the resolution was high.  However, when I used tools to view closer the resolution then was low.  Next, I searched for the Taj Mahal which I found plain and clear.  I used the pan and tilt features which added some excitement to this tool.  

After locating the Google Map I created for the last assignment, I selected the KML option. KML is a file format used to display geographic data in an Earth browser such as Google Earth, Google Maps, and Google Maps for mobile.  It was very easy to then open the KML file for Google Map in Google Earth to compare and contrast.  When using Google Earth, the level of detail was beyond belief compared to Google Maps.  I could easily create virtual field trips for my class that are engaging and detailed right from a computer!  Both Google Maps and Google Earth would be great for students to use in their education as well.  View the differences below!

Google Map

Google Earth

For the last part of this assignment, I used Google Earth for Educators to find a lesson plan to use in my classroom.  Click Here to see the lesson plan I chose!  I decided that my students, as well as myself would benefit from a scavenger hunt of capital cities using Google Earth.

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 1: Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity.  It relates to this standard because when teachers make meaningful learning experiences through technology, it also teaches the students the concept as well as inspires the students to look further and learn more about the topics.  Students can experience a field trip in a virtual environment that is right at the tips of their fingers.  Or they can study a place far away and feel like they are actually there through the use of Google Earth.  Real world learning experiences are important for students and it is great to incorporate these experiences through technology and digital media. 

Google Maps

Google Maps is a free tool provided by Google.  I have never created a map and placed my own points within.  This activity, like most others in this class, was a new, fun learning experience for me.  I like how the maps I create are automatically saved under My Places.

Since I got a full time teaching position in Barbour County for this coming school year, I decided to focus my virtual field trip for 5th grade.  In my county, we have the privilege to say that the first land battle of the Civil War was fought in Philippi, WV which is located in Barbour County.  With that being said, I chose to plan my field trip and design an itinerary that shows where we will visit in Philippi, WV.  Therefore, all my place-marks will be located within main street of Philippi.  I actually might get to administer this field trip with my students during the Blue and Gray Reunion that takes place in May.  When I was in 5th grade, we went on this same field trip.  :)   

Click here to go to my Google Map!

Click here to see my Google Document!

The possibilities of using Google Maps in my classroom could be unlimited.  I could teach history, geography, reading, and even math using this feature of Google.  Better yet, why not teach the students to create their own maps!  The students could design their own field trip to some place that we have studied in geography or history or even just create a project.  I even found a webpage, 6 Sites to Get Kids Excited About Google Maps, that shows ways to get students excited about Google Maps by thinking outside the box.

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 1: Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity.  It relates to this standard because when teachers produce a meaningful learning experience through technology, it also teaches the students the concept as well as inspires the students to look further and learn more about the topics.  Students can interpret the map and create their own unique work to share.  Plus, this is a real world learning experience by incorporating a map and digital age media.

Self Grading Form

I was very pleased after learning how to create a Google Form in the previous assignment.  For this specific assignment, I created a small quiz on the Civil War that I could give to my 5th grade students next year.  There is only 5 questions so it could even be used as an exit slip or I could extend it and make it into the unit assessment. Google Forms are automatically connected to a spreadsheet where the responses are sent.  However, can they be graded?  Well, the answer is yes!  By watching the detailed YouTube video, Easy way to create a self-correcting Google Form, included in the assignment details I found how you can set up formulas to correct and average student responses into a grade.  The only downfall I see is that it would be difficult to include essay questions since they could not be scored within the Google spreadsheet.

Link to Form!

Link to Self Graded Spreadsheet!

Summary of Results!

Using this in my classroom would be very beneficial for me.  How many hours do teachers spent grading papers every day?  Too many is what I think.  Therefore, utilizing Google Forms and the spreadsheets with the correct formulas would eliminate paper grading time and be my new best friend!  Plus, the students would love being able to use technology to take a quiz or test.

Once again, this activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.  This standard is about designing, developing, and evaluating assessment and and digital age tools.  This activity allows you to create quizzes, surveys, and questionnaires that will help you to acquire and assess data on a frequent basis from students, staff, or parents. The best part about this particular tool is that it saves teachers paper grading time through making formulas on the spreadsheet.  Even though formulas can get confusing, students could be taught to use formulas in their own Google Forms that they might create.

Google Forms

Google Forms are a great user friendly tool for any teacher to incorporate in and out of the classroom.  A form made in Google allows you to give multiple question quizzes, collect surveys, plan events, or other questionnaires.  Another cool feature is that it is then connected to a spreadsheet where the responses are sent.  The spreadsheets are very clean and easy to read.  I would definitely recommend Google Forms to all educators.  I chose to create a quiz on slavery for this assignment.  

Click Here to view the form!

Click Here to view the spreadsheet!

Click Here to view the summary!

Click Here to view the summary!




I tried to embed my form, but it was way too large for the screen and cut off more than half of the form.  However, I saw that others in this class had successfully embedded.  Therefore, worked hard until I figured it out.  I simply adjusted the custom size when I clicked to embed!  There are many ways to share Google Forms: link, email, embedding, as well as social media like Twitter and Google+.  Plus, you don't have to have a Google account to get access to the form if you create it publicly.


Using Google Forms would be a great, easy way to incorporate technology in my classroom, not only for student use but also for parents, staff, etc.  Another advantage is that this type of quiz or survey would help eliminate paper grading since the responses are sent to a spreadsheet where you can then analyze in the next assignment.  Students can also create their own quiz or survey for the class to partake in.

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.  This standard about assessment and and digital age tools.  This activity allows you to create quizzes, surveys, and questionnaires that will help you to acquire and assess data on a frequent basis from students, staff, or parents. This can be done by simply creating and publishing a form.  Students could create a form to share data for science fair projects, research projects, and personal interests of their peers.

Presentation 3 - Prezi

Prezi is a fun and free presentation tool that helps you organize and share your ideas.  To me Prezi is about creativity and I like trying to branch out and be creative.  Prezi is awesome because I can use it as a teaching tool which emphasizes the power of presentation.  I also feel it is beneficial because it allows my students to see, understand, and remember ideas or content.  Personally, I believe that Prezi is better than PowerPoint because it is different.  Students aren't use to seeing a Prezi in comparison to the same old, same old PowerPoint presentations.  The two presentation tools are similar in the way that they both present information. However, one disadvantage is that I am not as familiar with it, but with more practice I would choose creating Prezi presentations over PowerPoint presentations.  
For this assignment, I almost used a presentation I had already created and then transferred it into Prezi.  However, I decided that I should create a new presentation on a topic that I could use in my classroom in the future on the Moon.  The only difficulty I had was getting my YouTube video to work.  I tried deleting it and re-uploading it, but the video still wouldn't work so I had to result to a backup video that  successfully played.  I like how I could choose from a template; I found a template that gave my presentation the perfect touch.  I enjoy that students and educators can access Prezi online, as well as saved to a computer and view it a speed that is appropriate for the instructor and each students learning style.  

Click Here to get the link to my Moon Prezi or check it out below!





This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  This standard states the importance of communicating relevant info and ideas using a variety of digital media.  Teachers can use Prezi as a digital teaching tool to introduce knowledge in a technological manner.  As a teacher, you could model Prezi and then use it with the students to further enhance their creativity and design skills.  This presentation tool is not only great to relay information to students, but also parents, and peers.  Students can create their own Prezi to present a topic they are studying or the teacher can create a presentation to introduce a concept. 

Presentation 2 - PechaKucha

PechaKucha 20x20 is a presentation format that is simple.  You show 20 images, each for 20 seconds. The images advance automatically and you talk along to the images.  The website informed that there are actually PechaKucha Night gatherings.  These gatherings are “informal and fun where creative people get together and share their ideas, works, thoughts, holiday snaps -- just about anything, really -- in the PechaKucha 20x20 format.”  I did not upload my presentation onto the site.  And I won’t be attending a gathering :), but still this is a neat way to introduce and teach content to students.

For this assignment, I created a life cycle PowerPoint Presentation with headings and pictures, as well as a few songs.  I worked hard to not fill my PowerPoint with text.  I saved my PowerPoint slides as JPEG’s which allowed me to upload them into iMovie which is already on my Mac computer.  It was a learning experience in many ways because I have never created a PowerPoint without text, used iMovie, and also talked during a presentation.  Even though I may have complained a little bit while working on this project, I am truly glad I am knowledge about these presentation formats for future use in my classroom. 

Click Here or view the embedded video below!

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 1: Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity.  It said in the description of PechaKucha that it is informal and fun and for creative people. This tool is a great opportunity for educators, as well as students to be creative in their instruction and learning.  Students can interpret the presentation and create their own unique work to share.

Presentation 1 - PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a classic tool that has been around for a long time now.  It was launched on May 22, 1990!  It is hard to believe that it has been around for that many years. This presentation program is great for many people and areas.  Teachers can incorporate Microsoft PowerPoint into meaningful teaching projects for multiple subjects if done correctly.   

The PowerPoint I have attached can be incorporated into young classrooms like kindergarten and 1st grade.  For this age level, I felt that a 50 slide PowerPoint would be a "Death by PowerPoint" experience for students with a minimal attention span. Therefore, I feel that this 23 slide presentation was plenty to get the point across without boring them. This presentation will help students learn about insects in a meaningful composition.  CLICK HERE to view!


This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 1: Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity.  It relates to this standard because when teachers produce a meaningful PowerPoint it also teaches the students the concept as well as inspires the students to look further and learn more about the topics.  Students can interpret the PowerPoints and create their own unique work to share.

Jing Screencast

What a wonderful tool to be introduced to!  I was excited about the Jing Image and now I am even more so about the Jing Video.  Jing video allows you to record what you see and do.  You select the area that you want to record and Jing will capture everything that happens in that area for up to 5 minutes.  For this assignment, I decided to use the Jing video tool to create a Wordle.

Click Here to see my Jing Video!

How do you determine and control the recording area of your screen capture? 

Once you click on the sun and capture the image, the lines will appear on the page.  Then you move the lines and click to size the image you want to capture. 

What are the options for saving a screen capture?  The options for saving a screen capture include saving it to your computer as an image (PNG) or video (SWF) or you could save it as a screencast to the web.

Where is the screencapture on your computer and how do you retrieve it? i.e. what is the address to it on your local machine?  The screencapture is found in the top right corner of the computer screen.  Scroll your cursor over the sun and click on the + sign to capture an image.

How do you push it to the internet? and share it with others?  To push the image or video to the internet, you need to click on the little symbol that says share.  It is then made into a screencast which gives you a link to share on the internet with others.  

What file type is a Jing screencast movie?  A Jing screencast movie is a SWF video file.

The Jing 'Sun'  has 3 prongs. What does each prong do? The three prongs each have a different task.  The one on the left that looks like a + sign allows you to capture the image.  The middle prong with photos on it navigates you to your Jing history. The right prong says more, which when opened gives you the option of done, send feedback, preferences, help, and quit.

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  It relates to this standard because teachers can use Jing video as a teaching tool that is digital. This is a great tool to incorporate into teaching because it is a technology rich activity. I could see myself making a Jing video to teach technology tools my student will need to develop.  I believe this will be great way to show students how to do some TechStep skills and lessons for next year.

Jing Image

Two thumbs up to Jing!  Once again, this is a program that I have never used.  I think I must have been hiding under a rock from all of these great technology tools.  I easily downloaded Jing and created an account.  Jing is a free feature that allows users to capture images and even record videos on computers (haven't experimented with this feature yet).  While doing this, you can customize by adding text, shapes, highlights, and arrows.  Plus, you can send your images and videos throughout the internet by saving them to your computer or getting a screencast that is sent to screencast.com for a direct link.  I have found that this will be a great teaching tool to use in my classroom because I can be more specific and detailed in notes and even directions.

I decided to create a graphic that I could use to teach the life cycle in science class.  I searched through Google images to find a perfect image of a frog life cycle.  I used Jing to capture the image and to edit it by using features such as the text tool, the shape tool, and the arrow/line tools. I saved the image to my computer and then uploaded it below. I also took a screencast of the image. Click here to see it!

Learning Outcomes

1. What file types come out of Jing?
   After saving and editing my image in Jing, the file type was a PNG image file.
   
   
2. How / where do you save images on your computer?
   I clicked on the save button while editing my image and saved it to my desktop because it is easy for me to find. However, after I uploaded it, I then transferred it to my EDUC 6305 folder which is located inside my Graduate School folder. There were other options to save to other than my desktop.
   
   
3. How do you access your Jing history?
   To access my Jing history, I ran my cursor over the Jing "sun-like" feature in the top right corner and then clicked on history feature.
   
   
4. What happens if you screencast an item in your history?
   If you screencast an item from your history then it begins to upload to screencast.com and allows you to click on the link to transfer you to the screencast.
   
   
5. How to import Jing objects into your blog posts?
   It was very easy to import a Jing object into my blogpost. All I did was click on insert an image in my blog tool bar. I searched for the saved Jing image on my computer and uploaded.
   
   
6. How do you publish your artifact?
   I published my artifact by screen casting my image and getting the link. I linked my screencast to my blog to publish. I could also upload it to Google Docs or Diigo.
   
   
   7. How do you share your artifact with others?
   I shared my artifacts with others by adding my image and link to my blog. Another way to share the artifact is through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
   
   This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  It relates to this standard because teachers can use Jing as a digital teaching tool to introduce knowledge in a new, inviting manner.  The neat features allow teachers and even students to put more emphasis on their current learning and technology.

Bookmarking

Diigo, Digest of Internet Information, Groups and Other stuff, is a free social bookmarking site that I have never heard of until today!  I actually had a difficult time with this bookmarking site at first.  I do believe that I was making it harder than what it actually was.  Even though I am still learning, this website is handy because it lets you find articles, tag, and highlight specific sections of the page that catch your eye.  Plus, you can add sticky notes to the page; I am a sticky note fanatic, so this extra is right up my alley.  The bookmarks are also added to a personal library for easy access and you can share your findings with friends and others in a virtual community.

After I signed up for a Diigo account, I then added the Diigolet to my web browser.  The URL for my Diigo account is https://www.diigo.com/user/akelley13.   I began browsing for articles that go hand-in-hand with my action research project.  I bookmarked 2 articles on phonemic awareness, specifically dealing with rhyming to help give me information and ideas for this project implementation.  I also bookmarked 2 technology sites to become more familiarized at how I can incorporate  technology in my classroom.  I shared one of these articles from my Diigo library to Twitter.  I experienced a difficult time highlighting with two of my bookmarks.  To keep from getting extremely stressed, I am going to shut down my computer and try again in the morning and hope for better luck!

I have used many various web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome.  However, with the purchase of my new Mac Book, the web browser that I used today was Safari.  A browser add-on is programs that improve and add to your experience on a website.  They are also sometimes called browser extension or plug-ins.  As of now, this is the only add-on that I am using on my computer.  However, after learning that this add-on is very beneficial, I am now open to finding out and using others.  


Diigo could easily be implemented into my classroom next year.  Often students do not like to read and do specific assignments.  However, with Diigo, I could create social reading experiences that would attract students.  I like how Diigo makes it easy for teachers to create a classroom within the website where the students can only see articles bookmarked by the teacher and peers, rather than the whole Diigo community.

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  It relates to this standard because teachers can use Diigo as a digital teaching tool to introduce knowledge in a technological manner.  As a teacher, you could save articles and information in your library and easily have access to it for a teaching tool.  Plus, you can gather information from the Diigo community and allow students to create their own.

Prezume

Making my resume into a Prezi template was actually very fun and user friendly!  It is attractive and much more appealing in comparison to my other resume.  I made my resume stand out in the crowd due to creating a Prezume. I like how I did not have to design a model, but rather choose from the whiteboard, desktop, or timeline template.  I chose the desktop template because it was engaging to me and "provided an intuitive visual metaphor to illustrate you skills and experience."  After choosing the template, I pulled up my resume and started filling in my education, interests, experience, references, and skills.  Below is a screen shot of my Prezume.

Click here to go to my finalized Prezume!  

Even though most of the students I am eligible to teach are younger, this activity would be great to introduce them to.  I could show them my Prezume and discuss the uses of a resume.  I could also use a prezi presentation to teach content knowledge, which would be much more engaging in comparison to lecture, lecture, lecture! It would even be wonderful to incorporate this digital age media into their learning by having them create a Prezi as a project instead of using the basic presentation options like PowerPoint.

This activity relates to the ISTE NETS T standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.  It relates to this standard because teachers can use Prezi as a digital teaching tool to introduce knowledge in a technological manner.  As a teacher, you could model Prezi and then use it with the students to further enhance their creativity and design skills.  I think this also relates to standard 5 because of the professional development aspect.  By displaying all of your knowledge and accomplishments on a resume that is digital, it shows your future employers why it is important and beneficial to hire you.