ePortfolio

I ultimately decided to place my ePortfolio at http://tgriset.pbworks.com/w/page/41228660/FrontPage.

I have created pages for all of my courses and attached files.  My Educational Technology Statement is also posted there.

Tech Play 4

Tech Play 4

a. Discuss the tools you explored, what you liked or disliked about each one and which one you selected one to continue to reflect on.

I explored two specific tools.  One was an app called iTooch 8^th Grade Language Arts.  I liked the content, although it was at a rote memory level and reminded me of a worksheet.  It did not get to the critical thinking level I like content to be at for our students. 

Next, I evaluated at Jog the Web.  I really like the idea of tailoring research projects and pointing kids to specific sites and documents for their research, although it is time consuming.  I see this as a librarian tool.  The campus librarian could create Jogs for class research projects.  The largest problem with a Jog is the creator would have to continually double check links to make sure they are still working, live and contain the information needed.

b. Describe how this content object that you selected might fit into the TPACK model. Specifically, describe the content, pedagogical and technological aspects of some student work that uses the creativity tool you selected. Make sure you discuss the type of work you would design around that tool so that students would learn the information required by the standards.

iTooch is not a creativity tool at all.  It is basically fancy worksheets.  I may use this as a vocabulary game, but the likelihood is that I would come up with another game.

Jog the Web can be used to the level you want to push it.  It all depends on the information and documents you link to the site.  It would be very easy to incorporate high levels of thinking by combining content, technology, and pedagogy. 

 
c. Identify other ways that students could use the content object you selected.

Once students were familiar with using a jog created by a teacher or librarian, an educator could have them create their own jog.  For instance, assign a research project over the life and times of Shakespeare and have the students create a jog showing their both their print and online research to the class.  You could even end the project with a research paper and a presentation of their jog.

Tech Play 3

I began by downloading Evernote to my droid tablet.  I started adding important to do lists and then realized I could see, edit, and print these items from my computer.  I can see that students and teachers could use this app for notes, study guides, to do lists and reminders.  I really like the app and plan on conducting a training for my teachers on the uses for it.  This is more of a lower level thinking application, although I can see how teachers and students could both use it for organizing their thoughts.

I downloaded Flipboard to my phone at the beginning of the week.  I immediately thought of my AP English teacher who uses Economist for AP readings and questions.  I suggested to the teacher to try it out and see what he thought about the articles.  Not only did he love the app, since most of his students could pull up the readings, but he shared it with our Government teacher on staff who is now using it for current events and economical analysis. 

ePortfolio

I have decided to use a Google Site.  Here is the address:  https://sites.google.com/site/tiffanymatlockseportfolio/welcome

Portfolio

I had created an ePortfolio for another class.  The link is:  http://tgriset.pbworks.com/. 

I had not looked at this since the creation two years ago.  I started looking at it and adding documents to my ePortfolio.  I enjoyed the reflection of my courses so far and will continue to update and add to my ePortfolio.  Luckily, I have saved all of my coursework on my computer, and I have ready access to the files.  As I go through my coursework and add it to my ePortfolio, I am reflecting on what I have used in my job as a librarian, and what I feel I need to learn more about. 

I like this site for my ePortfolio, although I think a Google Site would be easier and more user friendly.  I like using my Google account, since everything is kept in one place.  You have your email, drive, blogs, calendar, and sites all in one place.  It makes it easier to edit things you have completed.

I also created a Google Site at:  https://sites.google.com/site/tiffanymatlockseportfolio/ and https://sites.google.com/site/grisettm/.  I created the "grisettm" one for my ePorfolio two years ago.  I like the Google Sites and will probably use one of them for my portfolio. 

I believe an ePortfolio is required for my degree, although I need to speak with someone in the LMS department to find out. 

Week of November 4, 2013: Ways to your Blogger in the classroom.

I currently use Blogger to upload digital picture books for a Spanish class, although I would like to see what students could do with a blog. Since I was an English teacher, it is always easiest to think of English classes first. I will look at English II first, since I am currently assisting a new teacher with her curriculum for To Kill a Mockingbird. I could see her assigning a blog for her student to do a variety of things. She could assign each student group a topic like character analysis, then the students create the blog and the rest of the class would comment, ask questions, and critique the blog. I would love to see a class do something like this and see how it would work.

I take most of what I am using from a progressivist viewpoint.  I see a more student centered classroom and learning environment.  My belief has always been whoever is talking and doing is the one learning. 

I can see blogs being used in many different classrooms to encourage writing across the curriculum, color and design, abstract symbols, and much more. 

The biggest obstacle I see is that you need a computer to create this.  On our campus, we have limited computers, and it is sometimes difficult to implement a project as this.