Learning Summary

Heather Fowler
EME 5050
Learning Summary

Going into this course, I already knew a lot about integrating technology into the classroom. I did know how to create a digital story, but never thought to use PowerPoint to create one. My students are familiar with this format and it makes it easier than having to teach them how to use Photostory.
Also, I got great “How to use PowerPoint” resources for my students that is linked to my wiki site. I also became a fan of Diigo, where I can access my bookmarks from anywhere. This is very helpful because as a teacher I do a lot of searching for resources for the classroom at home. Speaking of resources, I was able to get my hands on several new resources from my professor and our textbook. Slideshare is a resource I will continue to use in the future. It is great way to display student projects. Even though I didn’t do my project using Prezi, I think it is a cool resource and I may refer to it in the future.
I also realized how important rubrics can be in the classroom. It really puts the grading in the students hands. I have shared irubric with my colleagues. I liked creating my curriculum page. I love do these type of activities that I know that my students will benefit from in the future. In conclusion this course was a great introductory class into educational technology.

Final Project

Here it is http://fowleridyllwilde.pbworks.com/Poetry%20Page#comment1272680876

Heather Fowler

Rubric Creation

I have created rubrics in the past, but not like the one I created today. Yesterday, I begin searching through the rubric resources that Dr. K provided. I tried IRubric first, I liked it, but I want to see what Rubistar had to offer. Well, I ended up choosing IRubric because I liked the format better. While I was putting my rubric together, I kept adding assessment elements of the Poetry Project. I felt that there were crucial parts that needed to be included. I liked how easy it was to add a row onto the rubric. I finally figured out why Dr. K has decimals in his rubric. I like rubrics, but they are time consuming and I wouldn't want to create them for every assignment done in class. After using IRubric, I would like to give my old class project rubrics a makeover. I really think this helps the students be accountable for their own work.

Out of the four classes I have taken so far, this class is by far my favorite. I love how we are completing assignments we can use for our own classrooms!

Heather Fowler

Evaluating Educational Technologies

It is important to evaluate educational technologies because you need to know the the information provided is valid. Over the summer, Keith and I took a course that evaluated websites. They began with this website http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html. As I was reading I began to worry. Then my super smart fiance picked up that Dihydrogen Monoxide was water. So it was very interesting to see how people can take information and twist it around. This is why it is important to check the author and you can do that at http://www.register.com/whois.rcmx. All you do is copy and paste the URL in the lookup area and then everything you need to know is available to you.

Our professional development instructors showed us this cool website http://www.radcab.com/ that helps students evaluate online information. I think it is important to teach our students all the steps of evaluating information and a good website to use is http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/. There you can take them through all the steps of RADCAB. Another important thing is to tell the students that they shouldn't take the information serious unless they can find that same information from two other resources.

Heather Fowler

Curriculum Page

I had tons of fun putting together my page! I will still need to go back and add a few additional things, so I can use it for next year. I feel like my directions need to be more explicit. I did think my ESOL students couldn't do this alone. I would sit with those students while they are completing their poetry pages. Unfortunately, I can't book a time for the computer lab because they are all used either for the specials wheel or for testing. So I'm thinking the period of time with have to be stretched. Maybe I could change it to Poem 1 versus Day 1.This could allow them even to get ahead. I would need to set up centers so students at the computers were given about 20 minutes. As far as trying to create a web page in word, PBwiki would not allow me to display it as a web page. It is possible I was doing something wrong, but for some reason it wouldn't work. Instead I copied and pasted what I had created into my wiki page. I'm excited that I will have this page for many future classes. I'm hoping to add my student examples that they created in the next month. These presentations will help model for my students to come.

Digital Storytelling

Digital Storytelling

View more presentations from hfowler13.

Learning Plan

My Learning Plan

After FCAT, I plan to use more technology in my classroom. I want to have my students using Cam Studio to review math concepts we have learned this year. I think having students “teaching” these concepts will help them retain the information. I plan to attach these projects onto my wiki. Also, I would like to add more educational links on my wiki for my students to use. This would be convenient because I could just add my wiki link on to my desk top and students could just click on math websites when they were done with their work or during math centers.

Since my fiancé is also a teacher we are trying to collaborate on a science project where my fourth grade students are the “experts” and his first grade students are the “learners”. I will be excited to see how that goes.

Also, I would like for my students to create a Voice Thread project using the poetry they will be creating next month. I would like to get staff or their parents to comment on their poetry. I will attempt to get a writer or a poet to comment on their work.

I want to be able to get my administration on board for using more technology in the classroom. I’m not 100% how I’m going to do this. I figure I could show them some examples of student projects and maybe that would help them to see the benefits. Another goal I have is getting other teachers to integrate technology into their classroom. I have already shared my SSYRA Blog with them. I’m going to be planning science and social studies for my team and I think those subjects lend themselves to technology.

A long-term goal I have is writing a grant for a Smart Board. I think that would enhance my instruction and help to gain attention from my students. I’ve looked into so possible leads, but I or my school didn’t meet all the requirements.

I might think I have met my goals when I am always working on at least one project, but I know that I will have created even more goals that I will want to attain. I think that is what being a great teacher is all about. I am continuously trying to improve instruction and student understanding.