DED 318 Final Questions
Discuss the TWO (2) tools that were your personal favorites from the semester and why.
Throughout this semester, I felt bombarded with more apps than I knew what to do with, but as I look back I realize how much more capable I will be of guiding students through creative projects and technological difficulties. The two apps I enjoyed and plan to use the most are Duolingo and Adobe Spark Page.
I have always been a huge fan of Duolingo as a consumer, because I am a big supporter of multilingualism, which I believe can build bridges like few other skills. I have a friend who has traveled the world and speaks several languages, and she once visited a convent in Italy during high school. Italian is not one of her languages and the nuns did not speak English, but they were all able to communicate through Latin, despite the fact that it is a dead language. Duolingo can help so many people to improve their communication skills and therefore their quality of life. It’s fun, it’s simple, and it’s competitive, all qualities that make it perfect for students especially. I did my Early Field Experience at Anthony Middle School in Fall 2015, and there was an 8th grader who had only been speaking English for two years, but did not receive any extra help for her disadvantage because she chose to remain in the regular classes. She often lost out on points because she did not understand instructions or due dates or procedures for turning in assignments. As a teacher, I would definitely consider suggesting that students like her download Duolingo and rewarding them with a few extra credit points for every level they pass, so they continue to work on their basic English skills and keep up grade-wise.
I also enjoyed learning to use Adobe Spark Page, from both student and teacher perspectives. As a student, I felt it was very easy to list all the content and materials I needed in a neat and comprehensive format. It also did not have a wide array of design options, which was nice because I could not spend absurd amounts of time customizing my pages. The simplicity and user-friendliness make it perfect for any students sharing projects/information. I even chose it out of all the options I had for my CKV project this semester, just because I love how professional it looks.
Look back through your entire website (yes the whole thing), look at all you have accomplished and learned this semester. Reflect on what you have accomplished & learned this semester.
I was very surprised by how thorough and extensive the course work was in this class. I did not expect to spend three or four hours on my iPad every week for a one-credit-hour class, but we covered an enormous number of approaches to using technology in the classroom. Reading all the blogs and writing reviews made me a much more critical reader, and over the course of the semester I found myself forming my own independent thoughts about the best ways to use iPads in the classroom, often disagreeing with what I read from other teachers. Faculty Jacobin was by far my favorite, as he shared many of my views, and I am glad his blog was recommended in this class. He truly spurred me to examine every action and every attitude I encounter within education, and develop my own ideas about what I saw.
When I was in high school and the administration rented out iPads to every student for $40, many of my teachers were cynical at best, and I used mine primarily for note-taking and Googling. Unfortunately, I was also required to use a school MacBook for virtual classes, and I had to bring my own MacBook for elective classes, and none of our textbooks were online, so the only impact technology really had was on my scoliosis-stricken spine as I carried a 25-pound backpack between classes. However, I can definitely see now how technology could make my job much easier, and give my students a few more options for their creative projects. There are so many options for creation and communication and development and gamification, this class was a great first step toward learning how to sort through them and select the best tools to enhance student learning.
Throughout this semester, I felt bombarded with more apps than I knew what to do with, but as I look back I realize how much more capable I will be of guiding students through creative projects and technological difficulties. The two apps I enjoyed and plan to use the most are Duolingo and Adobe Spark Page.
I have always been a huge fan of Duolingo as a consumer, because I am a big supporter of multilingualism, which I believe can build bridges like few other skills. I have a friend who has traveled the world and speaks several languages, and she once visited a convent in Italy during high school. Italian is not one of her languages and the nuns did not speak English, but they were all able to communicate through Latin, despite the fact that it is a dead language. Duolingo can help so many people to improve their communication skills and therefore their quality of life. It’s fun, it’s simple, and it’s competitive, all qualities that make it perfect for students especially. I did my Early Field Experience at Anthony Middle School in Fall 2015, and there was an 8th grader who had only been speaking English for two years, but did not receive any extra help for her disadvantage because she chose to remain in the regular classes. She often lost out on points because she did not understand instructions or due dates or procedures for turning in assignments. As a teacher, I would definitely consider suggesting that students like her download Duolingo and rewarding them with a few extra credit points for every level they pass, so they continue to work on their basic English skills and keep up grade-wise.
I also enjoyed learning to use Adobe Spark Page, from both student and teacher perspectives. As a student, I felt it was very easy to list all the content and materials I needed in a neat and comprehensive format. It also did not have a wide array of design options, which was nice because I could not spend absurd amounts of time customizing my pages. The simplicity and user-friendliness make it perfect for any students sharing projects/information. I even chose it out of all the options I had for my CKV project this semester, just because I love how professional it looks.
Look back through your entire website (yes the whole thing), look at all you have accomplished and learned this semester. Reflect on what you have accomplished & learned this semester.
I was very surprised by how thorough and extensive the course work was in this class. I did not expect to spend three or four hours on my iPad every week for a one-credit-hour class, but we covered an enormous number of approaches to using technology in the classroom. Reading all the blogs and writing reviews made me a much more critical reader, and over the course of the semester I found myself forming my own independent thoughts about the best ways to use iPads in the classroom, often disagreeing with what I read from other teachers. Faculty Jacobin was by far my favorite, as he shared many of my views, and I am glad his blog was recommended in this class. He truly spurred me to examine every action and every attitude I encounter within education, and develop my own ideas about what I saw.
When I was in high school and the administration rented out iPads to every student for $40, many of my teachers were cynical at best, and I used mine primarily for note-taking and Googling. Unfortunately, I was also required to use a school MacBook for virtual classes, and I had to bring my own MacBook for elective classes, and none of our textbooks were online, so the only impact technology really had was on my scoliosis-stricken spine as I carried a 25-pound backpack between classes. However, I can definitely see now how technology could make my job much easier, and give my students a few more options for their creative projects. There are so many options for creation and communication and development and gamification, this class was a great first step toward learning how to sort through them and select the best tools to enhance student learning.