Tool #11 - Self Assessing and Reflecting

Tool #11 - Self Assessing and Reflecting

1.  I plan to use Google Docs, Blogging, and the IPads regularly in my classroom.  Creating a PLN will help expand my learning and my classroom.  I have used the IPads for videoing an photosynthesis experiment and had the students explain and show their results. 

2.  I have learned many new tools to help students connect with others and with reliable and updated global information.  When students work together and share ideas, the possibilities are endless.

3.  I found many new apps and websites that I can use in my lessons.  

Tool #10 - Underneath it All - Digital Citizenship

Tool #10 - Underneath it All - Digital Citizenship

1. How to determine if sources are legitimate. How to search for credible sources, How to cite works from the internet.

2. The nine themes of digital citizenship is an excellent source.

3. A class discussion of the nine themes of digital citizenship is one way to teach digital citizenship. Students could divide into nine groups and present the info to the class in their own words.

4. A form requiring a parent signature would be a great way to ensure that the information regarding expectations and rules with technology reaches the parents.

Tool #9: Incorporating Classroom-Based Devices as Tools for Learning

Tool #9: Incorporating Classroom-Based Devices as Tools for Learning

1. Technology enhances the learning process by allowing the student to access a variety of resources outside of the classroom and is also a tool to engage the learner in the daily objective. 
2. We need to hold students accountable  to ensure that the students are on task and accomplishing the objective.  Technology, when not used properly, may distract the students from achieving the objective.  The students need to produce evidence of accomplishing the objective through completion of worksheets, presentations, short descriptions, exit tickets, etc. 
3. Two websites that I found to be useful are:  "Natural Selection Game" – students evaluate animals’ adaptations in response to environmental changes.  The goal is to get your population to live a million years.  Students evaluate animals’ adaptations in response to environmental changes.  The goal is to get your population to live a million years. http://science.discovery.com/interactives/literacy/darwin/darwin.html This activity leads into the natural selection activity “Tiger Stripes”, where students create fictional animals with adaptations suited to their environments, followed by an environmental change.  Another website is "Interactive body" http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/interactives/3djigsaw_02/index.shtml?skeleton Each group will review systems of the body using this website, followed by a quiz.VirtualCell Animations 
4. The Virtual Cell Animations app includes an animation, still images, narrative, and content quiz. Students can view animations and complete the quizzes for accountability.
   TED.com Students can view talks at home and comment and discuss in a blog format or during class the next day. Ex. James Watson (discovered DNA)
   Labtimer - fun way to keep track of time during experiments
5. The IPads can also be used as timers and for videoing experiments. The camera on an iphone can be held up to a microscope eyepiece and video may be taken that way also. I haven't tried it yet with the IPad.

Tool #2: Building Community in the Online Environment

Tool #2: Building Community in the Online Environment

1. Following other blogs in my content area to create a PLN provides an excellent opportunity to learn from other teachers' experiences and activities and for me to share with them as well.
2. Participating in an online community provides an exciting learning opportunity for teachers to share experiences from around the world, instead of just next door or down the hall. I feel comfortable commenting and sharing with others in this type of format. I did not feel any different commenting on others versus my teammate, with the exception of trying to be a little more thoughtful and formal when commenting in a public format.
3. I came across an exceptional biology class website that is maintained by the teacher, who also posts contributions by her students. This is very inspiring. The site offers interesting article summaries and podcasts, and even poems about biology topics by her students. http://missbakersbiologyclass.com/blog/

Tool #8: Taking a Look at the Tools

Tool #8: Taking a Look at the Tools

For Tool #8, in your post:

1. After watching the tutorials, I learned how to set up an iTunes account; how to take photos and video on Netbooks, and how to Sync the iPad to the laptop
2. Students can create videos and capture images and answer assigned questions during laboratory activities and collect data and place into google docs. To ensure classroom management and accountability, the students will be told/warned that the lab videos will be graded. My students did this last month when they were conducting their photosynthesis experiment. During "down time" they had questions to answer using the ipad video. It took a long time to grade all the videos.  Each lab group was also responsible for their ipad during class and placed it in the correct location of the cabinet when finished.

Tool #7: Reaching Outside your Classroom: Online Digital Projects

Tool #7: Reaching Outside your Classroom: Online Digital Projects

1. Content objective: Students will compile, compare and analyze data from different class periods and teachers for lab experiments to reach a valid conclusion based on the data.
2. This objective may be implemented in the Fall semester for the scientific process lab experiment to compile, compare and discuss data among different groups.
3. The students will use google docs.
4. After collecting student email addresses, I will set up and share a google doc. The students will then be able to post and compare data for various experiments. Two other teachers will do the same, and then hundreds of students can compare data from different classrooms.

Tool #6: Using Web Tools to Promote Discussion in and out of the Classroom

Tool #6: Using Web Tools to Promote Discussion in and out of the Classroom

1. I created an account to voicethread and have created an account in GoogleDocs. 
2. I created a classroom blog for asynchronous discussion. Many students responded enthusiastically to the blog, although I found it challenging to keep up with regular posts. I have also used google docs to post group data. See #3 for the voice thread example.
3. I embedded a sample document that I could send to kids with a comment for further explanation. This is excellent for students that are absent. Also, here is a link to the document.
4. Students that love technology may respond to this method of communication more enthusiastically than more traditional formats. At the same time, students learn how to use the tools of technology for their own purposes after experiencing the format for their classes.