Technology Tid Bits

My Capstone Journey, Take II

Technology Tid Bits

UDL/MI – Universal Design for Learning & Multiple Intelligences

September 26th, 2010 · No Comments · 1

First comment – A Trojan hit my school laptop.  SO frustrating.  I know I can re-image it at school, but it is Sunday and I need to get my homework done.  I am now using my daughters Mini PC.  Small screen and keys….I am flexible, like a willow I can bend.

UDL – Fantastic articles about UDL in the classroom.  In reading them, I realized that the addition of an electronic version of the book the 6th grade students will be reading that my Capstone I exhibit will be based on, “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” by Agatha Christie is a necessary item.  Fantastic!  Even though my Capstone I project does not involve the entire lesson of reading the book, I know this will help many students in the class who may have reading difficulties.

Another thing that caught my interest, an ereader on an iTouch.  One of my teachers received a grant to purchase a set of iTouches for her class.  I am 99% positive we have downloaded a reader onto the iTouches.  Another recommendation I could make to the teacher and the students.  If you have an iTouch you could read the book from there.

Audio – Surely the school will have the audio version of this book!

At this point I realize I am handicapped as to having work with someone else’s class.  If this was my class one of the first things I would do would be to have the students take a learning style quiz, such as the one from ThirteenEd online.  A quick great little test. (I learned I am an interpersonal learner.)  I would also be privy to IEP and other information.  Note to self – I must sit down and talk with the classroom teacher to find out if there are any special needs in the class I will be working with.

In working on my masters of Instructional Technology I actually did read Howard Gardner’s book, “Frames of Mind.”  Of course since the book was first published a few more intelligences have been added.  I book marked the page that provided a list of the type of applications would work best with the type of intelligence – http://www.casacanada.com/multech.html.  Excellent resource.

The collaboration activity will be good.  It is always good to get peer reviews.  I must see how I can work that into my exhibit as well.

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Ugg!

September 19th, 2010 · No Comments · 1

Frustrating – I can’t get to my Capstone Portfolio to create a new one.  The old ones I did years ago are showing up.  I can’t seem to find where to start a new one.

PBL – Such an awesome way to create real and engaging learning environments.  Students learning by exploring, questioning, creating and sharing.  True learning could really take place.  Have to really get the teachers on board – but more importantly getting the administration on board.  How do we go past – yes that sounds great, but we have to make AYP and we have to pass SOLS, but good news Compass 2015 is heading us toward the right direction.  Somehow between what the federal government wants, the state wants, the district wants, the administration wants,  the teachers want then what the students want we have to come up with a way to make it work.  Ugg!

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My Capstone 1 Journey, Part II

September 12th, 2010 · No Comments · 1

What are your expectations for this course?  Learning how to use technology is one thing.  By now most teachers should be there (most, not all).   Knowing how to seamlessly integrate technology tools into your daily lesson is another feat.  I want to learn how to encourage and help teachers create lessons that will engage, teach and develop in their students the critical thinking skills that will help them be successful beyond the classroom.

What knowledge and skills do you hope to gain?  If I can learn the skills to develop quality 21st century lesson plans, then hopefully I can share those skills with my teachers. 

How will this professional development experience shape your future classroom instruction?  Classes such as these help to build the confidence in myself that I need to help others.  I have come to realize it is not so much knowing how to use the computer, which I can figure out anything, anytime.  But rather how to use a computer as a valuable tool in the development of highly creative lessons.  If I can learn how to develop creative lessons, then combine it with my application expertise, I can be a valuable resource for my teachers.

Your prior experiences using technology in the classroom.  As a CRS I am expected to be an expert at everything that deals with a computer.  To tell the truth, I know a little bit about a lot, but luckily it is usually more than the class room teacher knows about computers.   What I don’t know, I know where to go to learn it.  I learn fast.  Being my job, using technology is second nature, so I can usually figure it out from my prior knowledge.  Classroom teachers do not always have the time to explore that I do because it is not the basis of their teaching,

Challenges and successes you have experienced using technology.  I can work with just about anything with any type of application you throw at me.  Once you understand the basics, the rest is a piece of cake.  I have created wikis, blogs, podcasts, am a webmaster, a graphic designer, a database and spreadsheet cruncher, photographer and videographer.  I am on my way to becoming a Smart Certified Trainer; I teach staff development classes on Pinnacle, SharePoint, SchoolNet, Movie Maker and Interactive White Boards.  I Skyp, Blog, Tweet and Facebook.   The biggest challenge I have is keeping up.  Just when I understand an application, they go and update it.  Sometimes it is not too bad, I can usually figure it out, but other times I want to pull my hair out. 

I also find it challenging to keep up with all the new WEB 2.0 sites, latest gadgets and hottest items.  Gadgets and sites that do this or that and the teachers want to use them, but wait, our network won’t allow this part to work, or there is not way for the students to save this.  I have to troubleshoot on the run in order for a class lessons to go smoothly.  Of course it would help if a teacher would touch base with me first instead of panic calling me when the lesson isn’t working.

Any questions you have about the Capstone Program and the NETS*T.  I am totally looking forward to the challenge.  Having been though this before, I have a good idea of what to expect.

My own PLC consist of many – Classroom 2.0, http://www.classroom20.com/, The Smart Revolution, http://smartboardrevolution.ning.com/, FaceBook and Twitter.  I subscribe to many enewsletters; my favorite is Teachers First and my iGoogle Reader has too many blogs and posts for me to keep us with.

My Bookmarking site is and has been for many years – Porta Portal, guest access at:  http://guest.portaportal.com/kmsteacher

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