Looking ahead!!!!



http://www.canstockphoto.com/illustration/
frustrated.html#file_view.php?id=8482617

Looking back? Not at all!! Looking ahead? Definitely!!!

          I still remember the first day of class. Everything Ms. Nicole said sounded as if she was speaking in a foreign language and I thought to myself: “I am a preschool teacher,” “I don’t need to know about this.”

          Every lecture she gave fascinated me and deep down I wanted to hear more but at the same time I was reluctant to finish taking this class until the end.

          Perhaps it all started when I refused to create a twitter or face book account with the excuse that I like total privacy or when I refused not to explore any other technological tool at all.

          I remember I had a very hard time creating my blog and making my first post. It was like a child trying to read without knowing her abc’s. I asked some of my co-workers who also attend school for help but no one knew what I was talking about; except a teacher who is going to school for photography.

One day, I was very happy when I finally created my first blog!! When I showed to a friend of mine, who is also a teacher, I could see surprise and some kind of admiration in her expression. She thought what I once thought: “it seems so complicated that I do not think I will be able to do it!!!”

After ten weeks of lecture, seminars, hands-on practice, trial and error, and other activities, I have realized I am blessed to be part of this advancement in technology where our young children are growing with it and it is part of their everyday lives!! They are tomorrow’s society!!!

          Although this class is over, I want to continue learning about this world that even though it has been there for many years, for me is completely new.

My favorite tool

One of my tools that I would like to implement with my preschoolers is Blabberize. I think this is a creative way to encourage children's participation with any given activity. Although the hardest part is to give the blabber a mouth to give the impression it is talking, the most fun part is when children can listen to their own voices!!

Picture taken from clip art

 

 

Wikispaces a resource for teachers

 

I thank God for the opportunity He gave me to work with children. I want to be there for any child that needs to be nurtured and loved. I consider myself responsible and I am willing to mentor any teacher new in the field.

I think a person never stops learning. I appreciate constructive criticism and I am open to new ideas that will improve my teaching approach and better me as a person. But, I am somehow quiet and do not talk much unless I feel comfortable with people around me.

That's why when I read about wikispaces, I though this toolswas designed just for people like me. I think team work and collaboration is a great opportunity where people can utilize her strengths as well as weaknesses.

 

 

 

Tech, Tac, Toe  - QR codes

           A  QR code consists of black modules (square dots) arranged in a square grid on a white background, which can be read by an imaging device (such as a camera) and processed using Reed–Solomon error correction until the image can be appropriately interpreted; data is then extracted from patterns present in both horizontal and vertical components of the image.

 QR codes now are used in a much broader context, including both commercial tracking applications and convenience-oriented applications aimed at mobile phone users (termed mobile tagging). QR codes may be used to display text to the user, to add a vCard contact to the user's device, to open a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), or to compose an e-mail or text message. Users can generate and print their own QR codes for others to scan and use by visiting one of several paid and free QR code generating sites or apps. It has since become one of the most-used types of two-dimensional barcode.

WR codes can be read by downloading applications that are compatible with different devices such as ipads, iphones, androids, etc. When you take a picture of the code, it will take you to a URL, text, or a specific sms message.

    Throughout the week, children have been learning all about frogs; their natural habitat, life cycle, and other facts about frogs. At the end of the week, we will review what we have learned so far and some questions we still might have.

 I chose to use QR codes to review our theme. I will write down a question on a flash card with a picture of a QR code next to it. The children will have the opportunity to compare their answers with the answers provided through the QR codes!!

Example:

Where are the gills
when the tadpole first hatches?   

 

                     What do tadpoles eat?

                             

How do tadpoles protect themselves?

                                                   

 

What are groups of frog eggs called?

                                                                         

Which develops first? The front legs or the back legs?

 

What is a frog with a tail called?

                                                                 

 

What happens to the
 tail before the froglet
becomes an adult?

 

Why do adult frogs stay near water?

 

What does a young tadpole’s mouth look like?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tech, Tac, Toe - Wordle

          Another tool I found interesting is called Wordle. Wordle is a tool for generating "word clouds" from text you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.

          

          Since I was not familiar with this tool, I had to watch a couple of you tube videos that demonstrated how to make a Wordle. The hardest step for me was to find a file where to save it, since I decided not to save it in the website gallery.

Wordle in a preschool classroom

        Wordle is another tool I will be using with my preschool class for our "Frogs" theme. 

       Throughout the week, we will be learning theme-related vocabulary. Also, my children have been singing the nursery rhyme song: “Five Little Speckled Frogs” and other familiar songs related to our theme. 

I will provide children with cards with printed words on them and encourage children to copy and type them on Microsoft word. Frogs Facts and the nursery rhyme lyrics will be part of the text that later will be used to make a Wordle. I will strongly encourage children to type easy and short words but most likely most of the text will be typed by a teacher. By the time our Wordle is ready, children will be encouraged to use it for different activities:

•  Finding words beginning with the same letter
• Counting words beginning with the same letter
• Comparing rhyming words
• Finding number words
• Finding shortest vs. longest word

                                             This wordle was created with Wordle.net

Wordle was created in Wordle.net

  



 

         

          

Tech, Tac, Toe - Blabberize

   I recently learned about many interesting technological tools teachers can use to impact and enhance learning in a classroom in new and different ways. One way I found interesting and useful is Blabberize.  



http://www.illustrationsof.com/1078355-royalty-free-cell-phone-clipart-illustration

I

         Blabberize allows you to quickly animate any image to make it talk, by simply adding audio and specifying the bottomlip or jaw section. Within minutes you have a talking photo and the novelty factor of this will never wear thin for the students. They absolutely love Blabberize. Make a famous person speak, give an animal a voice, even add a mouth to an innanimate object like a hamburguer discuss its nutritional value. 

http://www.quotefully.com/movie/The+Muppets

     The amazing

life cycle of a frog  

Our classroom first blabber.!!!!!        

This week, my four-year-old class will be learning about frogs. To introduce the theme I will ask the children what they know about frogs and will write their answers on the board. We will learn about frogs' habitat, food they eat, colors and size, life cycle, and frogs' predators.  Next, I will read children's answers out loud so children get familiar with what to say when we make our first blabber!!
Children will have the opportunity to watch an listen to our "talking frog" as many times as they want!!!
         Like I said, our blabber will be a talking frog. When the children listen to the frog talk, they will hear their own voices!!!!!!!!
 
I look forward to encouraging children to make their own blabber. Although the hardest part of making one is to position the lines around the person's or animal's mouth and jaw, I think children will be able to make their own and unique blabbers under the teacher's guidance and supervision.

Reflection on a stranger!!!!!

Reflection on a strager!                                 

                                                                                              Whaaaaaaaaat?

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/health/conditions
/why-do-lean-people-get-diabetes-2-its-genes

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/ea/glowupdate/2011/07/

          A couple of months ago, I was trying                     to figure out what the different apps in my androide do and how they work. For some reason,     I said my address and pressed one of the keys at the
same time and what I saw next left me perplexed.
There was a picture along a description
of my house, its value, measurements, taxes paid, etc. I even could see pictures of my car and a couple of people who musthave been passing by. 

          I am not sure how, but I was taken to another website with information about me and my husband, my workplace, the names of some relatives, and other places where I had worked and lived before. Honestly, I was horrified. I am a quiet person who likes going unnoticed and like privacy (even digital privacy). It made me feel uncomfortable to think
that  all kind information about me or my family is only a click away!!!

                                                                               

http://www.tattoos20.com/category/rose-tattoos/page/6/

 

          I thought I had forgotten about that incident until a couple of weeks ago when I learned about digital tatoos in my technology class. Using a Power Point presentation, Ms. Nicole introduced the topic in a way that caught the students'  attention and when we realized, we all were sharing what our tatoos meant for us and how or when we got them. Throughout the lecture, I learned some people get tatoos just for body decoration or medical issues. For others, tatoos are symbols that represent tribute, pride, status, religion, and love. We concluded with the fact that although tatoos can be removed, complete removal is not possible. This took us to digital tatoos.

                                           

                                               Digital tatoos

The idea of digital tatoos is similar to body tatoos: complete removal is impossible. Ms. Nicole showed us a few archived websites and social media sites containing some old personal information. Some high schools, colleges and employers are now taking advantage of previous digital presence to monitor students and employee's personal social media posts. 

                                  

Reflection on a strager!

Finally, groups of two or three students had the opportunity to look up information about different people we did not know. Even though I was familiar with some of the sites we used for this purpose, the following are new sites for me:

Pepl.com                  Social mention.com              Intelius.com         Zoominfo.com

             Peekyou.com         Kred.com          Spokeo.com         Instantcheckmate.com

Illinois-teachers.findthedata.org               Chicago.blockstoper.com          

   Socialwise.biz           Spezify.com 

Using these sites enabled anybody to find out almost all kind of information from any given person:

Full name, username, gender, age, picture, salary, occupation, address, relatives, hobbies, etc. 

          The incident I used to open this post happened not long ago. However, from then to now there is a 360 degrees change in the way I see the technological world. I realized I can not swim against the current. I realized technology is part of the life of this and new generations to come. I realized technology is a great tool if used wisely. I am thankful I had to take a technology class that made me see the digital world in a different way. Thank you, Ms. Nicole!!!!!!!

          

What is SAMR?

    

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       A few days ago, I was able to listen to a recorded webinar presented by Susan Oxnevad  and facilitated by Nicole Zumpano. 

Susan Oxnevad is an instructional technology facilitator, edtech consultant, blogger and webinar host who is passionate about discovering and sharing innovative ways to use tech as an efficient and effective tool for learning. 

      The presentation was about (SAMR) Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition; a Model that offers a way for teachers to integrate technology in to the classroom, represented by a ladder-like graph displaying four levels of progression. 

http://thinglinktoolkit.wikispaces.com/SAMR+Ladder

      Enhancement - 

       Substitution tech acts as a direct tool substitute, with no functional change. At this level, computer technology is used to perform the same task as was done before the use of computer. There is no change in teaching or learning. An example would be to use Google docs to replace paper and ink.

       Augmentation tech acts as a direct tool substitute, with functional improvement. Using the Google docs example, the task is still mentally the same but some features might be performed: spelling, copy, and auto sharing in the cloud. The students might become more engaged in learning.

      According to the Samr Model, teachers who  implement technology on one of the above levels, they are teaching "below the line" level.

Transformation 

       Modification is the step over the line between enhancing the traditional goings-on of the classroom and transforming it. Classrooms tasks are being accomplished through the use of computer technology. It involves giving students a different kind of task. For example, using multimedia and adding a video. 

       Redefinition  Technology allows for creation of new tasks, previously inconceivable and gives students a stage. Technology used in this way leads to the transformation of classroom and student workflows and the technology is used in its most effective form: creating a digital storybook to share with students across the classroom, school, or the world,  creating a professional quality video, etc.

Wikispaces - 

       Wikispaces are one of the tools mentioned by Susan. I think they are great tools that calls for collaboration, critical thinking, imagination, language, evaluating other's work, problem solving, and learning from one another, among others. 

Wikis provide three options that are unlike most composing software and

that offer interesting possiblities for learning and teaching. First, wikis a1low

people to edit someone else's work. Second, they retain previous versions that

writers can revert to. Third, they keep track of everyone's individual entries

and edits.

     

Reflection - 

Although I watched this webinar a day later, I think the presentation was clear and easy to follow, even for people who might not be familiar with technological terms. I was able to read the questions participants had and the answers and information Susan provided. Nicole was a great facilitator who made the webinar to run smooth. I would like to be able to join a live webinar so I can actively participate in the chatting. After all the information I gained, my goal is to move forward to the next step of the ladder!!!!!!!

                                               

Technology in Education Report

Pew Research Center.

My seven-year-old son had been asking for an iphone     

 for his birthday. What do you want an iphone          
 for,?" "You are too young for that; you don't need one,"


http://www.climbingframes.co.nz/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/1082-460-Technology.jpg

 my husband and I answered. He said most of his

 friends had their own lap top, iphone, ipad, or an ipod.
 It took him a long time and effort convincing us       
to get one.

          During another incident a couple of years ago, I thought it was a little rude when I saw a young man texting during a church sermon. "It must be something really important for him to do it," I thought. I had never seen him talking to others, or texting or answering his cell phone during church time.
Later, I found out he had downloaded the bible application. 
         Now days, the use of technology has become a need for many people. People all over the world rely in some kind of technology for a variety of reasons: for socializing, planning business meetings, making reports, or educational purposes, among others. Many researchers have been conducted to evaluate and examine how effectively to implement technology in different areas of today's society.
         The Pew Internet & American Life Project is one of seven projects that make up the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan, nonprofit "fact tank" that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. The Project produces reports exploring the impact of the internet on families, communities, work and home, daily life, education, health care, and civic and political life.
          According to a research conducted by Pew Research Center in 2013:

•  78% of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of them own smartphones.  
•  23 % of teens have a tablet computer,
•  95 % of teens use the internet.

         Preschoolers is another age group that keeps up with technology. My preschoolers' show and tell sometimes are very expensive devices they handle better then I.
         Personally, I had fallen behind in the use of technology for personal use. However,  communication with my children's parents is mostly via e-mail and assignments researches have been easier for me thanks to technology!!
          The report also concluded that more than four in ten teachers report the use of e-readers and tablets in their classrooms or to complete assignments. I think this is wonderful for students who are given the opportunity to have access to technology in school. However, the main reason the majority of school that have not implemented some kind of technology in their facilities is the lack of funds. Hopefully, in a near future, all schools will benefit from all this amazing and useful technology!!!!!!

http://www.pewinternet.org/About-Us/Our-Mission.aspx