Blog Entry #8

 Social Media

    My perspective on using social media in my classroom is a blend of both positive and cautious viewpoints. Working with younger students makes me wary of the unpredictability that comes with social media platforms and the potential challenges in maintaining appropriateness. Nonetheless, I recognize the value of providing students with a real-world context for communication and collaboration, enabling them to channel their existing interests. However, it's essential to address the concerns tied to privacy and misuse.

    The integration of digital tools, including social media, into the teaching and learning process will necessitate adjustments in classroom management. Prioritizing lessons on digital citizenship becomes vital, equipping students with skills to navigate online platforms responsibly. Implementing a monitoring system is crucial for ensuring student safety. I find the idea of staggered device access appealing, as it aids monitoring efforts. While my school is yet to invest in security programs like GoGuardian, the prospect of such tools is promising.

    Collaborative productivity tools hold great potential for classroom enhancement. My thoughts are drawn to how these tools could benefit third-grade students. Take Google Docs, for instance, which could be employed for group projects. This platform facilitates collaborative writing, editing, and formatting, encouraging task division, idea sharing, and collective project creation. Classroom blogging emerges as another innovative approach. By setting up a blog via platforms like Kidblog or Edublogs, students can compose articles, express thoughts, and offer feedback. This approach hones writing skills while promoting collaborative and communicative abilities.

    This course has changed my thinking when it comes to new literacies. Before, I thought of students as more of an expert on technology than me. I hadn't considered the benefits and necessity of teaching students how to specifically use technology on a wider scale. I am definitely more comfortable with integrating more digital tools into my classroom. I am looking forward to implementing some of the ideas I got this semester. I am most excited to experiment with podcasts for students. 

Blog Entry #7

 Multimedia Presentations

Source: https://blog.skillsuccess.com/how-to-make-a-professional-looking-multimedia-presentation/

    I have had many positive experiences with multimedia presentations. In high school, I remember creating presentations that included music, pictures, and animations. What struck me the most was how these multimedia elements brought the subject matter to life. Instead of merely reading dry texts or listening to lectures, I was actively immersed in the learning process. Reflecting on those experiences, I have come to realize that multimedia presentations not only enriched my learning but also nurtured essential skills. As I navigated through the creation process, I honed my critical thinking, problem-solving, and time-management abilities. Here is one short presentation I made for an undergrad class about close reading. 

    There are many different possibilities for using multimedia as a teaching tool and as an assessment tool. As a teaching tool, multimedia presentations can enhance instruction by incorporating engaging visuals, interactive elements, and audio to cater to various learning styles. Teachers can use multimedia to present concepts in a more memorable way, fostering deeper understanding for students. Offering multiple options for students to learn from makes the concept more accessible to them. As an assessment tool, multimedia allows students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills creatively. They can create videos, podcasts, digital stories, or interactive presentations to showcase their understanding of a topic. Multimedia assessments enable students to express themselves beyond traditional written assignments, empowering them to tap into their creativity and critical thinking.

    However, there are some concerns associated with creating and using multimedia presentations as an assessment. Assessing multimedia projects can be time-consuming and challenging. Grading criteria must be well-defined, focusing on both content and technical aspects to ensure a fair evaluation. Teachers may need to provide clear guidelines and examples to help students understand expectations and produce high-quality work. Also, some students may face technical difficulties or lack familiarity with specific software or tools, holding them back from creating multimedia presentations. Appropriate support and training may be necessary to ensure all students can use multimedia tools effectively.

Blog Entry #6

 Supporting Apps

    Out of the apps that I reviewed, several stood out to me as good choices to implement in a third-grade classroom. One of the apps was Storybird. I loved how easy the platform is to use. There is preloaded art on the website. Students will have a blast picking their base illustrations. I can see a few different activities that this website could support. Some students may have a story already in their head, and find illustrations to match it. Other students may want to write a story based on illustrations they find. There are many creative options on this website. I didn't note any distracting features. I think that students will be engaged in creating their stories and motivated to use fresh images.

    Another website that I liked was StoryPlanner. I loved how many options this website provided. This website provides guidance for story structure, story summaries, and the story world. This website would be most helpful for older students, but there were still elements I found usable by elementary students. I liked how it sorted the templates by time to complete, ease of use, and development stage. This makes it very easy to look through and pick which template you need. I haven't seen a website like this before, and I think that students that need extra guidance would really like it. 

    Lastly, I really enjoyed the noredink website. This was a new website for me. I can see myself using it with my third-grade students. I like that it covers grammar and writing. One thing I did not like is that you need a premium account to access all assignments. Still, this looks like a fun way to have students practice grammar rules and do fun writing prompts. I liked that I could select specific grammar rules and have students practice questions with them. I could see using this website as a writing center. 

    These apps stood out to me for several reasons. They all had distinct and engaging features. I could realistically see my third-graders asking to use these websites. I thought the interfaces were simple enough for students to navigate independently. I did not see any features that I deemed distracting from work. Out of the three websites, Storybird will probably be the one they enjoy most, because most students enjoy looking at art, and the art on this website is fantastic.