The Future of Technology in the Classroom (J6)

When discussing how technological in the classroom might advance, it is important to evaluate those technologies we already have. Take for instance the Bozeman Elementary School 3rd Grade class page. From their page, you can access a list of the programs they use in their classes from the Student Links tab. The Parent Links give you access to the parent portal, cafeteria menus, Class Dojo and the Florida Standards. They also supply a monthly newsletter with both current and archived articles, and a list of upcoming events in their own tab. And of course, they supply contact information for parents wanting to know more. Unfortunately, their page has not been updated recently, which does count against them. It is also a little minimalistic, thought that adds to the elementary school charm. You can find their site here! Go check them out!

While I know I have spoken about Google Docs before, its use as a means of writing and sharing files from any computer with instant feedback will likely prove invaluable in my future career as a writer. I also can see myself using sites like World Anvil to create a more interactive way of engaging with the worlds I create in my writing. World Anvil also organizes a lot of that information in clear ways, which will help a lot. And of course, having virtual reminders to keep me accountable is appreciated.

The tech sandbox opens up even more possibilities when it comes to bringing in new technology into the classroom. I am especially excited about virtual reality tours, as this could allow schools to take field trips more frequently and with greater accessibility to disabled students. 3D printing is also promising, as it offers a chance to bring models into the classroom. This could come in handy in a creative writing class, where being able to visualize and codify your characters and the world around them is essential.

ILP "Participation" - Drawing Digital Art in Photoshop

Salutations, everyone! This week I wanted to show you all what I learned from Lynda.com's "Drawing Digital Illustrations in Photoshop" course. In it, I discuss my experience of Lynda's interface, some of the most interesting things I took from this course, and anything else that caught my attention.
I had a lot of fun with this project, though it did prove to be a bit of a technical rollercoaster. While the lessons themselves were fantastically intuitive, getting my VoiceThread ready for the first time was a bit of a struggle. Still, this experience has given me insight into how I might improve in the future moving forward! Below is the thread itself. Take a look!

https://voicethread.com/share/12197146/

Web 2.0 (J5)

My first impressions of the Diigo extension have been pretty positive. Being able to share bookmarked sites in a way that is easily sorted for what you need is very useful. And the annotating tools are a godsend when I am doing research or taking notes! My only nitpick is that the tagging system is a little cumbersome. But it is perfectly serviceable for what I need it to do, so that is alright!

I am really glad to be able to share my experiences with you all! Blogging has been an interesting challenge, to say the least. Keeping up with it may take me out of my comfort zone, but I still love being able to put all of my thoughts in one place. Besides which, blogging means I can continue to practice writing consistently, something all writers should do. Getting used to the way these posts are formatted and what they are capable has been a fun ride, and one I hope we can continue together!

The introduction of Web 2.0 has redefined how we use the internet. I am especially excited to incorporateYouTube video essays into the classroom. Whether they are being used as a sort of "illustrated podcast" for my students to go over when I am absent or as a review, video essays help to give information in an engaging way that my students can deliver direct feedback on. Perhaps I could even have students experiment with video essays themselves, although that may start delving into the digital divide. Regardless, the idea of introducing my students to new concepts in a way where they can react to what is being shown is highly appealing to me.

Software in the Classroom (J4)

So far the people I interact with most on Twitter have been the people from this class on my school Twitter for the sake of finding new resources or discussing assignments. However, I also use Twitter to keep in touch with artists, writers, and creators that I love to see what they are working and what they are thinking about at the moment. I see Twitter as a powerful tool for myself and other creators to communicate with our audience and announce new projects that we are excited about. Having a medium where we can communicate our thoughts quickly and succinctly can be extremely valuable to someone in a creative field.

The digital divide can create a huge disparity in how prepared a student is for their assignments or how well they are able to perform. Because some students grew up with more access to technology do to greater affluence, wealth, or personal connections, students without access to these materials are at a significant disadvantage at using these tools despite similar levels of experience. Students from lower income backgrounds deserve to have the same chance at success in my classroom as any other student. It is my job then, as a teacher, to avoid assigning homework of such nature to my students, and instead encouraging technology-based learning experiences on school time, such as interactive games or presentations.

Personally, I would love to expose my students to programs like Word Anvil. Word Anvil is a site designed to help you create and organize all the elements of world-building for writers and role players, and is remarkably robust and intuitive. Hemingway could also be a useful application to have in the classroom! It's a writing checker that checks all spellings for you, checks if you're overusing adverbs, picks out over-complicated sentences, and so much more! A very handy tool for young writers!

Standards and Resources (J3)

The ELA standards serve as the backbone for the majority of what we as teachers need to accomplish in our lessons. I myself feel most comfortable in exploring the standards for 11-12 English Creative Writing, particularly LAFS.1112.W.2.6. This standard asks students and educators to use technology to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products. Where I start to falter however is in regards to standards involving the integration of multiple sources of media, such as LAFS.1112.RH.3.7.

I found the Digital Storytelling website from CPALMS to be an interesting potential resource. It provides worksheets and lesson plans designed to help students create narrative products in a digital format, helping them to understand the process of script writing and adaptation in the process. As a Creative Writing teacher, I appreciate the chance to give my students a hands-on experience with creating their first professional project.

The newsletter was a great way to introduce the idea of conscious formatting. I really liked the idea of a format where you can let students know about advancements in your field and possible opportunities to get their writing out there. I am still figuring out how to create attractive banners, and figuring out what content I should share. But I am excited to have a means of keeping my students informed on what is happening in the world of writing!