Assessing My Work In My Summer PD

My Summer PD class has come to a close and the last assignment is to assess the work that I completed using the assessment information I learned in the first week.

Some assessment tools for students would not apply, for example, improving on keyboarding skills, but let's take a look at the assessment tools that would apply.  

Did the student:

• try to solve problems before asking for help,
• display creativity and critical thinking in the achievement of goals,
• teach others,
• create a document that included all the elements required, 
• shows evidence of learning by using tech knowledge and save what they created in their portfolio,
• transfer knowledge from previous lessons,  
• complete daily goals, and 
• know correct language to verbalize.

Now let's take a look at the projects.

Project #1

• If you don’t already have a teacher blog, set one up.  
• Link to your blog is on your digital portfolio page so classmates can find you.
• Join class wiki account and set up your personal page—your digital portfolio. 

Project #2

• Try three online tools of your choice that address this week's theme
• Complete a project in one or more and upload or embed to your digital portfolio and your blog.
• Use a screencast program to show how to use the online tool.  Upload or embed screencast to wiki page 'Common Tech Problems' or 'Skills' to share with classmates.
• Include a screenshot of the video using one of the suggested screenshot programs.
• Embed the screencast into your blog.

I didn't have a blog, so I had to create one.   I chose to use Google's Blogger because my district is using Google in the Classroom.  If I assess myself using some of the assessment tools listed above, I would say that I was a problem solver, reviewing all my options to create my blog before I sought help. However, there were times where I had to seek ideas with questions posted to the discussion board. The easy way would be to have someone  tell me how to do a task while I feverishly write down all the steps.  It would be much faster this way, but I have to admit that problem solving on my own always changes my brain.  I am constantly having a conversation with myself on how to solve the problem.  I have that far away look on my face as I think, "Maybe I just need to do it this way."   

That experience has led me to try to help other by sharing what I learned from my trial and errors.  I don't want to deny them their own brain growth, but if I thought I could offer a suggestion to help, I would.  And the saying is, "Students remember 90% of what they teach."

One of the best benefits of learning  creative new ways to showcase my own work was how I could apply the information to student's work, "This will be good for the California Missions, and this one for a 'Getting to Know You' activity."

I was diligent to include all the elements requested, and completed the goals within the time period to stay on track, even though we had an extended amount of time if needed.  I was having so much fun learning new programs that I completed eight projects.  I saved all my work that demonstrates my learning to both my wiki portfolio and my blog, using the technology that I had learned, a screenshot and a screencast, so I could review the information later.

I found that many of the programs, applications, and websites followed the same steps to link, or embed the page, and post to my blog, so it was relatively simple to seamlessly move from one program to the next, enabling me to transfer my knowledge between lessons.  I had to stay on it, practicing day after day.  If I took a break, even from the morning of one day to the evening  of the following day, I found myself digressing, and thinking, "Did I do it this way, or that way."  Practice, practice, practice was crucial.

Probably the hardest task was to use the correct vocabulary when I was making the screencasts.  It wasn't that I didn't know the difference between a "screenshot and a screencast," "copy and paste," or "link and embed," but the correct word would escapes me while recording.  Hence, I noticed a few error in my vocabulary.  

All in all, I would have to say that I am pleased with what I accomplished and learned over the last three weeks in my Summer PD class.  It wasn't always easy, but it was always thought provoking.   I am happy with the work that I have accumulated in both my digital portfolio, and my blog, and loved sharing the assignments with friends, family, and fellow teachers.  "Listen to what we had to do," I said, as I read the assignment.  "Wow, can you do that?" they'd ask.  "I can now," I replied.

More Projects From My Summer PD

My summer PD class on technology techniques to use in the classroom has been keeping me busy exploring websites that use technology to showcase student's work.  The class has provide me with numerous ideas on how students can present their learning and knowledge in fun and creative ways. 

Here are a few more examples that I created, along with the links to take you to the site for more details.  Just click on the name of the website, to show the link.  The website is also shown below the project.

Smore

Below are two examples of flyers to fictitious events that I created in Smore,  The first serves well as a flyer, and the other is formatted for a newsletter.  Both were easy to create, utilizing drag and drop, or fill in the blank formats.

https://www.smore.com/u/annemaddox

Easel.ly

Below is an example of an infographic I created, outlining the steps involved in the scientific method. Again, this was very easy to create with examples all set to drop in my information. It also had some options to add or remove items, or create my own from scratch.

http://www.easel.ly/create/?id=https://s3.amazonaws.com/easel.ly/all_easels/1035792/Scientificmethod&key=pri

Pearltrees

Another site to store information that you don't want to lose.  This has recently undergone an appearance change, moving from circles into more of a Pinterest format.

http://www.pearltrees.com/jamaddox

Tagxedo

This is a screenshot of a Tagxedo.  I find that this program works better using Firefox vs. Chrome.

Protopage

Here's an example of my start up page using Protopage.  Another easy to create, just drag and drop the items that you want to include.

http://www.protopage.com/mrs.maddoxclass

Projects From My Summer PD Class

You may remember that my goal for the summer is learning new technology.  I’m currently taking a summer personal development class, Summer PD, where I have been learning technology techniques to use in the classroom.

Below is a project that I have created in ThingLink, along with a screen cast video showing how I used three different tools, ThingLink, Jing, and Screencast-o-matic, to created my product.  I’ve included a video to assist students, parents, fellow teachers, and myself to follow along in a step by step guide.  It’s amazing how several projects can run together.  I find myself thinking, “Wait a minute, did I use a link, or a widget to transfer that to my wiki.” Adding the video should help as a reference for the future.

Let's take a look.

How Did I Do That? You Ask
First, before I created my ThingLink, I uploaded several images of California from Google Images, and saved them onto my computer in my picture folder.  The video below will show you how I selected my California image, and entered icons of various features onto this image.


After I completed my projected, I shared it onto my wiki page by copying the http code found under "sharing," and pasting it into a text box in widget under "other http."
This is an example of using ThingLink for a California state project.  Each icon can include additional text, as well as a photo, or even video.  This would also make a fun "getting to know you" project using an avatar, or photo of the student; a California Mission project with more details of the mission; or a solar project.
Click the link below to view the ThingLink image with active icons.

The picture of California below is a captured image, so the blue icons will not work until you click on the link below.  This will take you to the ThingLink site to view each of the icons.

ThingLink

https://www.thinglink.com/scene/675366860635504640

Click the link below to view the video of how to post the image to the wiki page.

http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/coijDsfZ9j





LunaPic

The following images were created using a pencil sketch in LunaPic. 

Click the link below to view the video of how to create and post the image to a blog page.

http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/coiQiifT6Q

How To Take a Better Photo

You're probably wondering why I'm writing about photography when I shared that I was focused on technology this month. Well, cameras have increasingly become very technical over the past decade.  

I currently have a simple point and shoot camera that I use in the classroom, however, I not happy with the quality of the photo I'm getting.  The pictures need to be sharper, especially if I plan to upload them to the blog, or use them for class slideshows, such Animoto, or in yearbooks, such as Shutterfly.  I also use my Samsung Note tablet, or the school's Ipad, but again, blur.  This is probably a user issue, and that will be another post.

But for now, I'm thinking of investing in a better camera sometime this year.  I'm not the type to rush out and buy the first camera I see, or the newest model.  I do all my research first to ensure that I'm happy with my choice, a strategy teachers try to pass along to students.

Some blogger are becoming very knowledgeable in their quest for the perfect photo, even offering online classes.  Melissa, over at the British style blog mediamarmalade.com, who asks in her blog that if I redistribute her content, to credit her with a direct link, shared these tips on photography that sounds like it will give me the clear photo I desire, but it also sounds like the camera I buy will have to be DSLR.

"In the summer, your shooting settings generally will need to change versus those in the dull, dark winter months.  With more natural light you can drop your ISO down to around 100 – 200, to ensure you get a crisp and sharp image. You can up your shutter speed, up to 1000 – 1500+, this means you’ll get a very focused and ‘no noise’ image. With so much natural light, your shutter speed can be much quicker, meaning action and movement is captured so quick, you’ll have no blurring or ‘movement’!  

So bright light = drop your ISO, up your shutter speed."

“Action and movement is captured so quick,” that is exactly what I need for my energetic, fast moving students. But hold on a minute, DSLR, ISO, “up your shutter speed.”  This all sounds pretty techie.  Good!  This is just what I wanted to investigate this summer.  I’m off to do some research.  Maybe I don’t need a new camera, maybe the tablets will be enough, and I just need to learn how to use them. 

If you would like to read more of Melissa’s tips, check out the whole blog post at:

http://mediamarmalade.com/2015/06/5-photography-tips-for-shooting-in-the-summer.html

Welcome

Hello,
This is Mrs. Maddox.  Thank you for stopping by my blog.  I created this blog to share information on how you can help your child succeed in school.  I hope that you will enjoy reading the latest news in education that will assist your child in becoming a better scholar. 

As I read magazines, newspapers, blogs, and books on educating children, I’ll pass on the bits of information to help you apply it to your own child’s education

I am currently focusing on technology this month.  It probably comes as no surprise that children are very tech savvy beginning at an early age.  We want to encourage this exploration of technology while still keeping them safe.  Little changes as fast as technology.  As a teacher, I am teaching students to prepare for jobs that have not yet been created.  Isn’t that amazing?  Jobs that seem common place now were not even thought of as little as five years ago. 

Come with me, and let’s take a look into the latest news on technology over the next month.  I would like to learn more about infographics and how to create them, as well as how to use them to help students learn.  Technology is very engaging.  I'd also like to learn more ways to put technology in the hands of students the minute they step into the classroom.