Artifact 1: Creating a Digital Badge Pathway and Original Digital Badge (EEND679)

I selected the digital badge pathway and original digital badge artifact because I like the possibilities it represents. I have never really thought about creating personalized learning pathways and the idea of a badge upon completion of the pathway is pure bonus. I appreciate the potential pathways have for all students of varying ability levels and fostering classroom independence. Rather than have a teacher-led poetry introduction, I think I would use my pathways to create more of an independent study/personalized learning opportunity. I would serve as more of a guide or facilitator rather than the "sage on the stage." When students have collected their badge, they have successfully completed their poetry introduction. I think the biggest challenge in creating this assignment was developing each level in the pathway. The assignment forced me to think strategically, deciding the best way to break down the overall goal into distinct levels. Creating the badge was just fun. I am really happy with the way it turned out and how it connected to my pathways.

A year ago, breaking from my usual tried and true methods would have had me in a cold sweat, but I now get excited about the new trends in teaching and how I can incorporate technology in my classroom. What a difference a year makes!

Artifact 2: Infographic (EEND679)

I included the infographic artifact for a simple reason:  it was something I never did before. I love when I discover a new tool or something I never considered, and the infographic did just that. In order to create the infographic, I used a program new to me--Easelly. I looked at Piktochart as well, but I liked that the Easelly infographics seemed to be more compact, meaning you don't have to scroll through in order to see all of the information. To create the infographic, I started with one of the available templates and customized it to fit my needs. At first, I had a hard time finding a usable template and creating one from scratch seemed too difficult and time consuming. Finally, I found one that I felt would work for this project. I did leave the provided template picture in the center of the infographic because I thought it was cute, but it really had nothing to do with the content of my infographic. If I did it all over again, I would delete the picture and add an image of something more pertinent to the infographic's subject.

What I love about an infographic is that it's a great way to alternatively assess using technology. Kids really have to understand a subject inside and out in order to be able to concisely convey information through an infographic. It also reveals how well students can organize information and use visuals to convey a message.

A big thumbs up for the infographic!

Course Reflection (EEND679)

There were many resources I found helpful, especially the video by Rick Wormeli. But One of the articles from the resources I really liked was "Know Students Better:  A Visual Guide to Formative Assessment Tools" by Tony Vincent. It's just so practical because it lists (in a visual way) the top online formative assessment tools as well as provides a brief description with the added bonus of a succinct review. I also like the provided links for formative question ideas. So helpful! It isn't a flashy article and it isn't ladened with educational pedagogy. It's just a down and dirty practical compilation of formative assessment tools. I referenced this article numerous times throughout the course.

I also really appreciated the discussion time we devoted to Genius Hour or Passion Projects. It was great to hear the different ways teachers were utilizing this time. Although I have never used a Genius Hour, there are teachers in my building that do and the kids love it. I am very impressed with their completed projects and ideas. I don't think I'm in favor of letting students pursue a topic or interest that doesn't align with curricular goals. I do like the idea of a PP or GH being driven by a "burning question," but that question should tie to the umbrella questions or essential questions of the course. For instance, if the umbrella concept is how civilizations survive, thrive or fail, students should have to pursue an idea that ties to that concept. Some of the questions that were listed as example GH ideas seemed like a simple Google search could answer them. I think a good GH project should have a burning question with depth, substance and maybe even a little mystery. The search and development should be as satisfying as the final result.

Because I am so intrigued with the GH or PP concept, I will definitely continue my learning by trying to implement this in my class. Since I teach instructional kiddos, it would need to be stripped down and simplified, but I think the kids would love it. I would also like to dabble with personalized learning and maybe even incorporate badges. What's so great about personalized learning and learning paths is that they can be individualized based on the needs of the students. Kids can also work at their own pace, which is so helpful when trying to reach all of the students.

Wow! I can't believe I just completed my reflection for the last class of the cohort. It's astounding how much I've learned and how far I've come. Here's to an educational future chock full of technology...cheers!

Artifact #1: Flipped Video (EEND678)

In this course, I am most proud of the flipped video from Module 5. At first, I didn't know how or where to begin. Flipping my classroom wasn't something I ever considered, but watching the Jon Bergmann video from the resources helped immensely. He brought up two key points to consider when flipping a classroom: 1) Maximize face-to-face class time; 2) Build in interactivity. No matter what I decided to do, I knew I had to incorporate those two ideas. In order to address point #1, I used the flipped video as a way to reinforce concepts the students didn't get the first go around; therefore, I used the flipped video as a "ticket" for a retake, but it could also have been a reinforcement of a standard or even some sort of assessment. In order to include interactivity (point #2), I included Jeopardy music that played along to some practice problems. I suppose my element of interactivity could have been more creative, perhaps a game or a more surprising element, but there's always next time, right?

What I also loved about this project is that it allowed me to incorporate elements I have already learned in my technology courses and even try my hand at something new. For the first time, I used an outside source (Slides Carnival) to obtain a free Google Slides theme and I used Google Drawings to create a video from an image. (This was how I inserted my Jeopardy music.) Also, for the first time, I used Google Drawings to turn some complex images I created into jpegs. For a middle-aged person like myself, I was mighty impressed I pulled it off.

I don't know if I want to flip my entire classroom, but I am in love with the idea of using flipped videos to reteach at home.

Artifact #2: PBL Unit (EEND678)

I am proud of my Module 4 PBL Unit, Shark Tank, but that's not why I chose to include it in my blog. When I first read about PBLs, it all seemed so daunting and overwhelming. But when I started to really delve into the resources, all of the pieces sort of fell into place and I somehow managed to tame the savage beast.

I guess I doubted that I could pull this one off...but I did. I put together what I think could be a really good PBL for my direct-instruction kiddos. For me, that was one of the biggest challenges of this assignment--developing a PBL that would be accessible to students with lower cognitive abilities. I think I did that and did it well, but that's all in theory. In reality, do I have the confidence time and know-how to really devote the weeks it would take to bring this unit to fruition? I don't know. And if I was being really honest, my answer would be I don't think so. Trying to balance a full-on PBL with standards based reporting, interventions and the prescribed curriculum seems like too much of a mountain to climb. Moreover, it concerns me that my low-ability students may not come away with enough basic-skill instruction to justify the project. And would they also "get" some of the other non-tangible PBL objectives like problem-solving, independent thinking and collaboration? I'm not so sure.

But is this PBL something I could have pulled off before taking this course? No way, no how. So I suppose that's the moral, isn't it? Maybe I will choose not to do this PBL, but if I make that choice, it won't be (or shouldn't be at least) out of fear, incompetence or ignorance. It would be because I purposefully and intentionally decided that it wasn't right for my classroom at this moment...and maybe, just maybe, that moment will one day arrive.

Course Reflection (EEND678)

I don't know if I had a favorite article from the course, but I really appreciated the resources from the PBL unit. Having never created a PBL unit before, the resources helped guide my project from conception to completion. Even the refresher on UbD and umbrella questions was really helpful. I also appreciated the Weekly Websites. Though I won't use all of the websites, I definitely stole some ideas from a couple of them (Parapara Animation and Dogo News). My favorite discussion threads came from the PBL Questions and Feedback discussion. It was so helpful being able to give and get feedback on our PBL units.

Next steps for me is to continue to apply what I've learned to the classroom. Now that I have a great PBL idea entirely mapped out, I should give that a try. If I get complacent or lazy, I definitely won't grow as a connected educator. I fear that if I don't use it, I will lose it, so I need to make it a point to keep trying new technology applications.

Reflections Of...

I'm probably dating myself, but there's that song "Reflections" by The Supremes, and in the hook of the song Diana Ross belts out, "Reflections of/The way life used to be..." When I think of my "teaching life" before these classes, the way I used to be, I was completely insecure about technology with a modicum of confidence. I wasn't a complete disaster, but I lacked a lot of 21st-century know how. Now, I have three of these technology classes under my belt and the way life used to be is just a distant memory...

When I reflect on all of the modules we have done in this course, I think I am most appreciative of the introduction to audio applications in the classroom, mostly because that's what I knew the least about, especially podcasting. The coursework articles I liked the best were the ones about typography and graphic design. I really appreciated "Why No One Reads Your Classroom Newsletter" by Jennifer Gonzalez and "Why Teachers Should Care About Typography." Both of those articles contained the nuts-and-bolts type of information that I can see myself wanting to reference from time to time. I also really appreciated the Google Drawings assignment. I have dabbled in the application before, but this assignment really gave me a deeper understanding of the functionalities within the program. Without a doubt, I had the most fun with the video book trailer assignment and I was completely inspired by the screencast assignment. I felt like that assignment was a catalyst of never-ending instructional possibilities.

I feel like my next step is to continue incorporating what I'm learning in my practice. It's so easy to get complacent and fall into familiar (yet luxuriously comforting) patterns. If I'm going to continue to stretch myself, I have to keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone and try something new. The next area I went to delve into is virtual reality through Google Expeditions and possibly use Skype to connect with another classroom or "mystery guest."

So here I am...reflecting on the way my technology life used to be, which was just okay. But who wants just okay when amazing is right around the corner?

Artifact #1: Book Trailer (EEND677)

In this course, I am most proud of the video book trailer from Module 4. Although I have used iMovie to create videos for the classroom, I have never used its trailer feature. In all honesty, I didn’t even know this feature existed until I started looking into various applications in order to complete the assignment. When I learned that iTunes had existing movie-trailer templates, I thought it would be fun to give it a try. When you create a new trailer project in iMovie, you get to choose between ten or so templates from various genres. I chose the “narrative” template as the music and overall tone seemed to best support the theme of my book. Once the template is selected, putting the trailer together is really easy. The hardest part is finding the video and images that sell a book the way the right film clips sell a movie. My biggest challenge was the time element. According to assignment parameters, the trailer had to be a minimum of two minutes, but most of the trailer templates are 1-1:30 minutes. To extend the length of the trailer, I had to change the duration of some of the clips, but to do that I had to convert the trailer to a movie. Once converted to a movie, the content is editable but I couldn’t go back to my original trailer. I know. Complicated, right? Really, it was not as bad as it sounds. My biggest challenge was editing the music provided within the template so it extended the duration of my new trailer. If you listen closely, you will notice a spot where there is a slight jump in the music. That’s where I couldn’t get a copied and inserted piece of the music to line up exactly right. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely passable.

Overall, I am thrilled with the finished product, but I do wish I would have had the foresight to give attribution to some of the sites I used like archive.org for the video clips. For those of you who don’t know, archive.org offers video that is in the public domain, so no worries about copyright violation. At the end of an iMovie trailer, there are credits and iMovie allows you to fill in the fields that make up the credits. This is where I wish I would have thought to put in archive.org or sites where I grabbed pictures. I didn’t really have to attribute the music because that is already built into the trailer template, and iMovie gives itself full attribution within the ending credits.

What I like so much about these classes is that I'm able to create materials I will use in the classroom, and my book trailer is no exception. I can't wait to "tease" students by playing the trailer prior to reading the book.

Artifact #2: SMORE Screencast (EEND677)

What I love about this course is that it keeps surprising me. I never thought I would successfully create a screencast, yet here it is. Voila! I decided to include the screencast not only because I am super proud of how it turned out, but I’m also really impressed with how I was able to take this screencast and turn it into a usable assignment that I can’t wait to unleash on my students.

Even though creating the screencast wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be, it definitely had its challenges. Arguably, at 15 minutes, my screencast might have been a bit too long. When I reviewed it critically, I could see where there may have been a lull, like when I was entering text. If I would have done another take, I could have tightened that up. I also wished I would have created a “screencast introduction” page on my computer that was on my screen rather than the Screencast-O-Matic website page. If I would have watched one of my earlier takes instead of immediately recording over them, I would have caught that. As a perfectionist, I also hate that it ends so abruptly. I had a perky, cute ending, but it got cut off. I’m not sure if I pressed stop too early or I ran out of the allotted recording time. So, yes, my good screencast could have been a great screencast with some tweaks, but there are still some things I did really well. For example, I thought that anyone could watch my screencast and know exactly how to use the SMORE program to complete the assignment, and I took viewers through the assignment from conception to submission. I was incredibly meticulous with my pre-planning outline, so I thought pacing and content were well done. I really took care to include overarching concepts like digital citizenship that I wanted my students to consider. All in all, not a bad effort for my first go around with this technology.

Until this assignment, I never considered all of the ways teachers could use screencasts in the classroom. From introducing new concepts in step-by-step clarity to flipped classrooms to student assessment opportunities, there really is a variety of creative uses for screencasts in the classroom.

Seeing is Believing

Why might incorporating graphic design into the classroom be valuable? I can’t say it any better than the wyzowl blog:  “…studies have shown that people tend to remember an impressive 80% of what they see and do.”  Eighty percent. That’s a staggering statistic. It almost makes me want to market a lesson the way an ad agency markets a soft drink. I see the incorporation of graphic design as really a two-way proposition. Teachers can be more purposeful when incorporating graphic design into their instruction and students can use graphic design as a new way of showing what they know.

As a special education teacher, I’m always thinking about how my students will absorb the information. It can never be one-dimensional and it can never be a one and done situation. The information needs to be presented using different mediums over different occasions. I always have to be cognizant of the font I choose, the size of the font and how much text I have on a page. To keep their interest, I often include visuals. And although I haven’t asked my students to make any infographics, I do spend time teaching them how to read them and interpret the information as a valuable part of the text. Something I would love to try do with my instructional kids is mind mapping or concept mapping, where pictures are used to represent and show relationships between ideas. Not all student are exceptional at using words to show acquired knowledge, but graphics give students another avenue to display learning.

In the spring, I will teach the novel Number the Stars. I never teach a novel without a guided reading packet that I create, and I have to give a lot of thought to the graphics of the packet. I always choose a serif font because it’s easier for kids to read (or so I was told by a mentor teacher I had many years ago). I also always choose a larger font size because I have some kids who are visually impaired. If I have too many words or complex sentences on the page, I will lose kids, so I have to make sure the layout is clean and uncluttered. I also use bold and italics to help draw attention to important aspects of questions. Additionally, I will incorporate images and fun icons as bullet points to help maintain focus and interest. Since the book is about the Holocaust and that is a complex, deep issue for kids, we could do some mind/concept mapping when exploring these difficult themes and concepts.