Sunday, March 24, 2013

Week 11_Current_Event!

     This week's current event choice comes from Lauren Maeda.  Our task was to find a resource article from an online magazine on teachers using technology.  Lauren chose the International Society for Technology in Education's membership magazine, Learning & Leading with Technology.  The article that she chose detailed the learning resource, Learning without Borders.
     In 2010, a school district in Pennsylvania agreed to help develop an international classroom exchange called the Schoolwires Greenleaf program, which paired US students with Chinese learners to create a collaboration of learning and global citizenship.  This is an amazing vehicle to create global awareness and cultural understanding between two diverse and distant cultures from very different parts of the world.  Included in the article are the standards and curriculum of the project, which includes but is not limited to:  landmarks, iconic images, global citizenship, and our futures and careers.  The Chinese and American teachers worked via e-mail because of the different time zones, as well as through video and Skype.  While this program was piloted for high school students, it could be easily modified to work with students at lower levels. There is so much to learn about people from other cultures: geography, civics, government, and climate, just to name a few. This is a great example of technology truly being used to expand our borders of learning and understanding using the tools available in the twenty-first century!


http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-leading/issues/november-2009/students-without-

Week 3-2 Reflection:

     Once again I am so blessed to be a member of the Pue'o Group of amazing future teachers!  Our group manages to meet each week at Starbuck's despite our busy schedules.  What a great group of ladies we have! 
     Lauren facilitated and spearheaded our project for the week, being the most prepared and having previously posted.  Evette added to our task by sharing from the wealth of her ten years of classroom experience.  Cherise and I added our own thoughts and ideas.  I feel that we came up with some excellent ideas for our project and a solid set of SLO's.  Even though we are future teachers, we are really "chomping at the bit," if you will and full of great ideas for some awesome instruction.  Someday soon.
      As usual, I would have liked to have started earlier on the module.  I know, I know, I say this every week.  I want to be able to contribute all that I can; however, I always feel like I am playing catch-up.  What works every week is our group's awesome ability to meet and work together to accomplish our tasks.  We have an awesome group.  Even though we all have busy schedules and other responsibilities, every Saturday we get together and accomplish so much.  Thanks again, ladies, for a great week of work!

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Task_3-1 Reflection:

     This task was a task of true collaboration that tested our group cohesiveness.  I have always enjoyed working with my Pue'o group members; now I see that our working together is not only enjoyable but very efficient.  With this task, we were able to flex our collective and collaborative muscles and come up with a workable and wonderful finished product.
        Since I had off this week, I was the one who initiated the google document and sent it to the ladies.  They received the document and from there we were able to share ideas.  I began a basic format for our flyer, adding a graphic and some basic structure to the document.  During the week the ladies viewed the document and added to it.  By Saturday, Lauren, Evette, and I met at Starbucks to  share and edit the document.  Evette did the final typing of our document.
      I created the document on Monday while my car was being worked on.  I was glad to get a head start.  This does not happen most weeks.  I was able to figure out Google docs and send the newly-created document to my group members.  I loved working with Google docs.  It was fun and very efficient.  I plan to use it in future collaborations.
      What I would hope to do every week is to get started early.  This helped me by not creating a situation of stress and uncertainty as the deadlines approached regarding the project.  I also liked that Google docs created for the group another line of communication besides forums and e-mail with which to communicate ideas and information.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Web 2.0 Tool

     I am really digging Screen R.  For those of us who are time challenged as well as technologically challenged, Screen R is a fun tool that I will surely use.  It is fun and it is easy.  So I am using ScreenR to present yet another Web 2.0 tool which is also equally easy and fun and that is Class Dojo.
     Now Class Dojo may not be new to many of you, but it was new to me.  I enjoyed the video with the cute music and the narrator with the English accent, but it especially caught my attention when he said the word, "FUN".  I love technology.  I love technology that is easy to use.  But most of all, I love technology that is fun.  Check out my video!  ClassDojo is fun, it is easy, it is colorful.  Students will love it.  By incorporating Smart Board technology, your students can assist you in the taking of attendance or by customizing your class, you can get a lunch count.  You can give positive reinforcement and feedback to your students.  You can communicate with parents and they can communicate with you using parent codes for privacy.  Best of all, it cuts down on your paperwork.  Check it out.
     Are we having fun yet?   Yes, we are!!!  Aloha, and have a great week everyone.

http://www.screenr.com/embed/umq7