After 11 Tools: Reflections

My favorite tools in my personal technology tool box are digital story telling and mobile technology/apps. A particular activity that I will plan for my students is digital story telling. I will use photos for my students to learn sequencing in reading. Students will place pics in chronological order and then write script for story.

I have transformed my thinking about the learning that will take place in my classroom by realizing that students need me to teach them correct digital citizenship, hands on computer skills and introduce them to many tools for the 21st century learning.

Yes, the unexpected outcome from this program that surprised me most was that I feel really excited about the new technology that will be accessible in my classroom!

Tool 11

I recall our librarian showing my students a Brainpop video about being a good Digital Citizen. The video was great in that it teaches what are digital feelings. The three lessons I would want my students to know about computer etiquette are the rules about how to treat others on line, cyberbullying, and information privacy. I would "teach" the idea of digital citizenship to my students by teaching them that different fonts, text size, etc. mean different types of feelings on line. These feelings are to be respectful of others.

Tool 10

The free apps that I reviewed are Google Earth for Android Market, USA Factbook and Carpenter's Tool from Marketwall.com. I have used Google Earth from an iPad to find directions to area restaurants. I really liked to USA Factbook apps. These apps would enhance needed facts for social studies and other subjects. The carpenter's tool would be handy for students in class that need measurement tools.

The ways my students will use iTouch or iPads in class: iPads can be downloaded with free apps to enhance a student's spelling. iTouches can be used to download free apps for geometry lessons.

Tool 9

The screencast Jing would help in the classroom to show students a lesson while they are using the student computers. The students could use Jing to view exactly what I have on my computer screen at their own computers.

I could use Skype in the classroom so that students could communicate with students with like topics throughout the school, the district, the state, the nation and the world.
Perhaps I myself could use Skype for parent conferences whenever a parent is unable to come to school in person.

Tool 8

The videos will be useful resources for my students because I will set up a video play list called Mrs. Lail's weekly learning videos so that students and parents can reflect the reading lessons discussed.

The two videos I selected will add to the learning in my classroom by aiding students with finding the main idea of a paragraph and learning The Main Idea Song.

Videos are from Blinkx
Reading Comprehension: How to Read A Paragraph
Main Idea Song: From Reading Learning Upgrade

Tool 7

My experience with digital story telling was a little more difficult because I didn't have pictures saved to my computer. Due to recent photos sent to me I saved these photos to my desk top and began the digital story telling process.

I will use ditigal story telling in my classroom with a story board and have students arrange photos in order and narrate the story.

Tool 6

Students could aid in their learning by using wikis in my reading class to debate children novels. For example students could discuss character analysis, different endings and various opinions about novels.

I like the atomic learning wikis because students can discuss their favorite stories and discuss with other students outside of their classroom.

Wikis can help my team by team members sharing their favorite reading wikis.