Tool # 11

There are a bunch of tools that I've enjoyed learning about but the interactive voting using your cell phone, animoto, and the wallwizard are ones that I've used recently.  These activities have helped me to incorporate more technology into my classroom in a way that I'm comfortable with.  As I continue to learn then I'll add more activities into each lesson daily.  This process has its ups and downs, but overall I'm glad that I've had the chance to learn about more ways to use technology into our classrooms.

Tool # 10---Digital Citizenship

When introducing technology to a group of students in a classroom I would definitely discuss 
1.) SAFETY. Don't share personal information like address, phone numbers, current plans with others. 2.) COURTESY. Too many times, posters will say things that are impolite, rude or hurtful when they believe they are protected by anonymity. This can carry over into our everyday lives. I would strongly encourage civil and respectful online communications. 
3.) Your posts stay out there FOREVER. Be wise and always consider what you have said BEFORE you post. Your posts make a history of all your interactions and you don't want those to be negative.


Atomic Learning has great lesson's on digital citizenship that can be incorporated into lessons.


Teaching digital citizenship  really ties in with our class rules at the start of the year along with our government units in history. We can introduce digital citizenship in the context of rights and responsibilities of citizens throughout world history as laws changed and adopted. 

I feel that sharing with parents really gets the parent buy-in to support what we are doing. I believe that our websites. I also believe that students, as well as parents, should have to sign appropriate use and non-plagiarism documents.

Tool # 9

• The objectives are what we are teaching so the technology should only help to make the objectives better.
• If we don't hold them accountable then why are we doing the stations/centers/active in the first place. This is how we can view what they are accomplishing at each center.
• My opinion is you use the technology applications that you are most comfortable doing. There are so many options so I feel you should slow bring them into your lessons so everyone isn't overwhelmed. The SBISD Interactive database has great lessons, apps, and activities that teachers can use to bring more technology into the class. Thinkfinity has some great ways for students to take notes as well.  
• List two to three apps you found for the iPod Touch/iPad that you can use in your classroom. What do you see that station looking like? How can you hold the students accountable for their time in these stations?
• This Day in History, Chron.com, & skype are three apps that I found can be useful in the classroom. Stations are challenging in small classrooms with 30 plus students, but students will be able to create material in an interactive way. There will be a rubric and Google Doc that the students can update throughout.
• The students could use the video camera to create news cast of important events in history to present to the class.

Tool # 8

3 Things I learned:
How to set up an iTunes account
How to take photos and video on I-pad
The ipads need to be charged overnight to get updates from the district.


Management is critical, yet teachers and students shouldn't have reservations about using the devices. Basic safety and respect type rules should be practiced, expected, and monitored in a classroom.  Students should be willing to share these devices.  I like the advise to have the students put their screens down when they aren't using the devices.  Active monitoring will be a key to keep everyone on task so rules must be in place.

Tool # 7

For your Tool 7 assignment, create a post and respond to the following:

1. Post the following about the project:
1. Students will demonstrate an awareness of the effects of your Cold War event by answering questions which I post on Edmodo about different Cold War experiences .
2. I'll implement this project during the 6th six weeks.
3. I plan to use Edmodo
4. "What affect did your Cold War event have on your country?" Students will interview different people and record any unusual experience on Edmodo.

Tool # 6

Try this audience polling system at Poll Everywhere

The polling site will be very helpful to encourage more student involvement and understanding for different topics during class.  I like how you can put them into power points or flip charts.  Everyone wants to use their cell phone during class and this is a way to do with instant feed back.

The website wallwisher is another great site that can allow for more student involvement from home or the classroom.  This site allows us the chance to see what different people are thinking and allow others to view it in a different way.  I'll add this to my web page to help for more discussion.

Tool #5 second website used

Tool # 5

Assignment:


I used Animoto and Big Huge Labs to create a couple of class activities and introductions for my World History class. These sites captured my students attention which is the goal of all lessons. I've also created a few Animoto videos to share of my swim team. My students have also used these sites to demonstrate their understand of different topics in class. I'll try to use more of them to get everyone involved.

Tool #4

I am fairly new to Google Docs, however, I have sent drafts of preliminary swim documents to my assistant coach over at SBMS.  I find it a convienient tool to use since we can see real time changes and suggestions that would normally take several emails or a phone call.  We don't have the same planning period, or are even on the same campus so getting a time to call is very frustrating.  Google docs have really cut processing time down.

I can envision using google docs to have students turn in projects.  I could give real time feedback without the hassle of multiple emails or only speaking to the students when they are on campus.

Tool # 3

A quick example of embedding video.  This is the 2009 state champion from my varsity swim team.  Embedding video allows you to share public domain and copyrighted video (with proper permission.) This kind of embedding can draw a student's attention with a preview picture before they even click. A regular hyperlink might not get their attention. I plan on using this not only as a World History tool, but a swim practice tool on a private blog so swimmers can analyze their strokes and technique.





This second you tube video is one I plan on showing in class this week. It is a good way to get my students to think about projects they might want to present and new ideas they haven't thought of. As a history teacher, my personal favorite sites for free domain videos are History.com and BrainPop.


Lastly, I use dropbox quite a bit already. I use it as a way for my swimming parents to place photos to be put in the swimming emails, yearbook photos, etc.

Tool 2

Well I visited 5 blogs from my fellow MHS educators and posted on one of there sites. Guess who's site I posted on? I also went to Google Reader.

PLN sounds like a great idea, but we sure need more time in the day to keep up with all of this new information. I see the benefits once we get started so hopefully this assignment will help. I don't mind sharing my comments, but I don't see how they are very help to many people.

In the future I plan on researching more http://www.classroom20.com/.  This site looks very interesting.

1st tool experience

Well, I survived the 1st tool experience in this process without too much trouble.  Let's hope the rest goes well.  I had a problem creating the avatar since the instructions were a little unclear.  Thanks for our great computer teachers at MHS for helping.