Final reflection

Coming into this class I was bit, bored, I should say because I have taking so many computer classes that were just boring and dull. I am glad to say that I have learned some new things in this class and they are things that I will use in my future classroom. My favorite things that I have learned in class are all of the web tools, google groups and the assistive technology project. The AT project is a big thing for me being a special education major, because the odds are I will use all of the devices we covered in the power point. My favorite web tool would have to be the word cloud and the online story book. I have seen several teachers use the word cloud for motivational posters or for word review after stories. The storybook to me was just very cute and I think it would be neat to do and exchange with other classes in the nation or globally. Kind of like pen pals, but story pals instead. 

            My strong points deal with things in word, power point, movies, and any other basic Microsoft functions. I have made plenty of rubrics and I have used turnitin.com before this class in high school and in college. My weaker points deal with anything that requires a lot of linking or clicking back and forth between pages. I tend to get lost, confused, or skip steps that make big deal. I also tend to over think assignments or want to add to much detail and it ends up causing mine to be different or not work the right way.

            Microsoft is a lifestyle in college and in high school so I have always been exposed to it and had to learn to use it at a young age in computer classes. My weaknesses are mainly there because the lack of using complex programs or software. My outlook is, if I can do it on word then let’s uses word, compared to using something else. 

            I would say I need to keep up with all of the new things out there to use in the classroom and how they work and what students they would benefit the best. Is there a newsletter or a club? Haha!  Something that is a weakness, mainly because lack of exposure and use, is using all of the new types of smart boards in the classrooms. We haven’t been taught how to use them and none of our teachers in the classes here use them. I have had one chance to play with one in a math class out in the field, but that is it. I wish we could have taken the time to use  them in this class or something to that nature.  I plan on integrating technology into the classroom by use of power points and using the web tools we learned how to use. I will especially being using all of the AT items in the special education classroom. And if my class has a smart board I will learn how to use it one way or another, because that is a great interactive tool to use in the classroom.

AT project

I really enjoyed doing the Assistive Technology project mainly because that is what I will be doing a lot with this area due to being a special education teacher.  I knew about some of the features that we experimented with but I have no idea how to do screen shots or the split screen and magnify option.  I find it amazing that computers already come equipped with these adaptations and that they are so easy to use. This makes it so much easier on the teacher when selecting tools to use with their students and it is amazing that it is free so that schools do not have to invest extra funds they do not have. It is also a great tool for parents to use at home with their child and it provides the child with tools to use, that do not take very much effort to use and they do not have to have assistance or be taught or have a teacher with them at all times while using.

There are multiple standards that can be applied to this area of technology and teaching. A few of the standards that can be applied are the following:

·         Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity – promote and support student learning, engage students in exploration, and can be used for students to reflect upon their learning.

·         Model digital age work and learning- teachers are required to have knowledge of skills and work that represents the digital world. Provides methods to collaborate with students and teachers.

·         Engage in professional growth and leadership- gives the teachers multiple ways to communicate in the community with creative methods of learning, provides evaluative methods and it makes learning in the classroom highly effective. 
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       This is the link to my AT slideshow 
       https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6YntfIp5iZeMWtINnhqZ3pLcU0
 

website

https://sites.google.com/site/thepanadaclass/

I actually enjoyed this assignment for one main reason...we didn't have to type code!!! I made a site in high school and we had to go through and type all of the code out and it was a PAIN! I really enjoyed having the chance to customize our site and basically make it our own. This would be a great way to communicate in your class about events or even big units such as mine based on china. I like all of the sites we were provided with to customize our page and how easy it was to use the creations off of the sites.

This would be great for a class and would be great for students to create and keep up to date. A class site is a great way to post student work or allow students to post their views and share their thoughts. It is also a great way to share with parents what is being taught in the class and the parents can keep up with what the students have due. This is a great way to keep parents involved in their child's education and can be a good way to hold conversations in the home

The NET standards that can be applied to this topic are


1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. (Gives students the chance to learn and create websites and promote a sense of ownership of what they have created) 

2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. 

3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning