Presentation

Hi Everyone,

The culminating activity for this course is a presentation that incorporates video, audio and a collaborative component. I am also registered in ESL Part I that requires a presentation of a researched culture. I have combined the two tasks and have created a single presentation. Please take a look. Please note that in order to click the links or view the videos, you must download the presentation to your computer by clicking the SlideShare icon at the bottom right hand side. Had I used Google Presentation, it would have embedded a lot easier but I used PowerPoint instead. Lesson learned! Thanks!

Image Manipulation

I have not had much opportunity to use image manipulation programs as I was always a pencil to paper kind of gal. Even touching up photos that I take is beyond my patience level and I very rarely do it.

One tool that I use regularly for PowerPoint or posting photos online is http://www.webresizer.com/. This makes photos that you take in high res quality and makes them much smaller so that your file size is much smaller. It allows for faster loading and transitions.

I can certainly see merit to image manipulation for creative projects. Google's Picasa is a free tool that is fairly easy to use. You just upload the image and can edit as you see fit. This is a free resource, which is always a bonus. GIMP is a free resource that does the same thing.

One thing I find so many students love to do is create memes. I think this would be a fun way to incorporate some of the subject matter in class and have them create a customized meme. This might be a fun way to create PSAs (Public Service Announcements) as well. There are a lot of sites to do this such as http://www.mememaker.net/create. Students can upload their own images and create the caption.

5 Teaching Strategies that Incorporate Audio in the Classroom

1.  WWII Radio Segments

Outline: Students will create a series of podcasts based on the various battles that Canadians were involved in during the Second World War. These "broadcasts" will aim to sounds just like those that would have been broadcast during that time period and will require student research and collaboration. I can't take credit for this idea as I saw it when perusing Pinterest. The link to the original idea is https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Battles-of-World-War-II-Radio-Show-Project-962509.

2.  Using pre-recorded audio (with or without video) to deliver instructions to students.

Outline: This works well for students who need to hear the instructions more than once. You can set this up in a centre or section of the room where students can go to in order to hear the instructions for the exercise again. This may also work for homework. The teacher can record the day's homework and post on the classroom website or blog for reference.

3.  Using Audio / Video as alternate method for presentations.

Outline: For those students who have difficulty standing in front of the class, allow them to use an alternate method to present their work. By pre-recording it, they are still challenged to take a risk and step outside their comfort zone as the class will see the video or hear the audio, but it allows them to do re-takes or take extra time to get it just the way they want it.

4.  Using music for writing assignments.

Outline: Choose a piece of music that exudes the mood or tone of the piece of writing you wish the students to produce. It helps put the concept of mood into context for those who have difficulty with that.

5.  Create your own audio book.

Outline: Students can record their own work, other student's work, or just regular books / stories, and create audio books to add to the classroom library.

Audio Resources For Use in the Classroom

Audacity

This software is a free download from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. It's great because it is very versatile and works on practically any platform (i.e., Mac, Windows, Linux). The interesting thing about Audacity is that it is an open source software, which means that users with the know-how can make changes and improvements.

For more information and a complete list of features, click the following link: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/about/features

GarageBand

This is an Apple product so works on any Apple device in some form or another (i.e., iPhone, iPod, iPad, MacBook). It is a great tool for creating music or podcasts but what's also great about this tool is that there is a pre-existing library of various instruments that you can use to create music. It even has built-in lessons for piano or guitar! For more information about this resource, click this link:
https://www.apple.com/ca/mac/garageband/.

Kaizena

I was immediately drawn to Kaizena, although I haven't actually used it much yet. I used to work for a company that embraced the Kai-zen philosophy of continuous improvement and recognizing individuals for contributing to on-going improvement. This program allows teachers to edit student work electronically, even adding voice comments instead of using the dreaded red pen. This company is great as well because they're Canadian and dedicated to education and making improvements. For more information, check out https://kaizena.com/.

A Few Cool Tools / Resources

The first tool I would like to share is the Prezi presentation software. 

A lot of students are really getting into using it for presentations rather than using the more traditional MS PowerPoint. I think it is a bit more fun to use as they have really fun templates and makes the presentations a bit more engaging for students to work with (or watch). A public account is free and you can download the desktop app as well as working online. It's pretty easy to navigate and you can imbed videos and links, just as you can with MS PowerPoint, but it seems a bit easier. I like to format of bobbing from bubble to bubble and you can navigate to any bubble at any time with the click of the mouse.

The next tool I would like to highlight is iMovie. 

What kid doesn't love creating videos? iMovie is easily accessible on most apple devices and allows you to create and edit videos. It does take a bit of practice and skill to piece together a presentation, but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy and the end result is really professional looking. iMovie is fun to use to commemorate class trips, as a possible format for class yearbooks, and really any movie presentation if students are looking for alternate ways to present their work. In the era of YouTube and social media, students really engage in being allowed to present their work in a variety of ways.


The third resource I would like to share is ePals (http://www.epals.com/#!/main).

I haven't actually used before but it looks really cool. I'm wondering if anyone has any personal experience they can share or perhaps point me in the direction of a similar resource. The resource is called ePals. Classes from all over the world can log in and connect with other classes for a variety of purposes. They can just become pen pals, work on a collaborative project over the internet, Skype one another, etc. When I was going through it, I did see a few Canadian classes registered. When you register, you write a quick commentary on what you're looking for in terms of collaboration. I think it would be really cool to get together with a class on the other side of the world to collaborate on a project with.

Google Docs vs. Office Online

The task of comparing the above leaves me feeling a little out of my element. But I suppose that is the point of the Integrated Technology AQ course that I am taking and creating this blog for :)

So how do I go about conducting a professional comparison without much prior use of either tool? Well, I certainly do not wish to pretend I am any expert. However, I am a new teacher and as such, I am always looking for innovative ways to get my students to collaborate with one another and getting comfortable with using Web 2.0 tools. Therefore, I will do what any teacher would likely do in this situation and turn to the ever knowledgable "Google". Upon a quick Google search (I typed in "what is the difference between Office Online and Google Docs"), I found a few blogs with just such a comparison.

The first I read is a blog called "How-to Geek" where the differences between Office Online and Google Docs was very simply explained. I encourage you to take a look if you are unfamiliar with either:

http://www.howtogeek.com/183299/a-free-microsoft-office-is-office-online-worth-using/

For a more detailed look at the two, I turned to a second blog called "PC Pro". Here, the various functions of each are broken down (note: I had to answer a survey question to see the full content of the entry but I didn't have to enter any personal information):

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/391192/office-online-vs-google-docs-which-free-online-office-suite-is-best

One final blog entry I would like to share in this comparison is by "Tech Republic" where the author offers 10 comparisons between Office Online and Google Docs:

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/google-in-the-enterprise/10-comparisons-between-google-apps-and-office-365/

So where do I go from here. I've now read all I need to read about the two, and have played around with the various tools offered in both. Personally, I still gravitate towards Office Online in a professional capacity based on its ability to integrate with my desktop version. However, in a school setting, where many schools are still using Open Office which, let's be honest here, is not all that great, I think that Google Docs is probably more familiar to the students. What I like about Google docs is the additional add-ons you can use and add to your documents:

The Add-on tools are incredibly diverse and mostly free, which is a word that as teachers, we totally love.

I think that both of the above have their merits in the classroom. I really don't think you could go wrong in either situation. I just find that most students seem to have more knowledge with Google Docs. That being said, I think there is merit in using Office Online as most students have access to Office at home (both on PC and Mac) and most professional businesses turn to MS Office. Ensuring that students are familiar with this software will certainly set them up for future success.

Did You Know?

Resources and Software Available in Ontario Schools and the Halton District School Board

Ontario:

The Ontario Software Acquisition Program Advisory Committee advises the Ministry of Education on the acquisition of licenses for publicly-funded schools in Ontario. The Ontario Educational Software Service is the distribution method whereby the software is sent to School Boards, Faculties of Education and First Nations Schools. Check out this link for more information on the software available to schools in Ontario. 

https://osapac.ca/ccpalo/home/

HDSB:

Elementary Internet Tools - HDSB

This site is a great reference that students in the board have access to information at home. Some of the items require student specific information, such as a library card number, but these are all things that students of Halton District School Board would easily have access to.

http://www.hdsb.ca/library/pages/elementaryinternettools.asp

Bring I.T.

HDSB is piloting a program where some classrooms are Bring I.T. classrooms which allows students to use personally owned electronic devices.

http://www.hdsb.ca/aboutus/IT/Pages/BringIT.aspx

Halton District School Board has a multi-year plan in place that states by the year 2016 the "Halton District School Board will provide and maintain a technology infrastructure to engage and support 21st Century learning for all students and staff. 

Targets - By 2016:
• WiFi connectivity will be provided in 95% of the Board’s portable classrooms (currently 0%), and in 99% of school building classrooms, including all school libraries (currently 80%); 
• develop an annual plan that will maximize the efficient use of technology; 
• within the next four years, 60% of the Board’s classrooms will be "Bring IT" classrooms (currently in pilot)". 

http://www.hdsb.ca/aboutus/Plans/Strat%20plan%20all%20pages.pdf

Blogs Related to 21st Century Teaching and Learning

I, for one, found this task immensely daunting. There are so many great educator blogs out there so where does one begin?

I found that instead of being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of blogs, I would just do a Google search for technology and education blogs and see what caught my attention.

The first one that caught the eye, was one entitled "Educational Technology and Mobile Learning". The site is authored by a group of Canadian teachers who share their teaching tools and technology ideas. They post reviews and recommendations for various tools and apps that can be integrated into the classroom. This is definitely a site I will be bookmarking for future reference.

The next blog I found is actually written by someone I have come across a few times in my Google searching. The site is called "The Innovative Educator" written by Lisa Nielsen. There is one post in particular that I was drawn to and I think points to one of the biggest arguments about using technology in the classroom, and that is how much is too much? And is there such a thing as too much technology? The post was written just a couple of days ago on February 10, 2015 and is entitled "How Much Technology in the Classroom is Too Much"? Lisa argues that there is no such thing whereas her counterparts argue that perhaps at times, using technology can become a gimmick or fad in the classroom - or a way for teachers to integrate technology somehow because they want to but maybe it's not so effective. It is all about how you integrate and how much technology you use. The interview Lisa gives on the radio program is definitely worth a listen if you have a few minutes to spare.

The third blog I chose to reflect on is called "Blogging About the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom". We've talked a lot about Web 2.0 tools during this course so it only makes sense to take a look at a blog that is specifically dedicated to that topic. The gentleman who writes this blog is Steven Anderson and is a teacher in Texas, and an author. His latest post (as of the time I am writing this post) was on February 6, 2015 and he reflects on a conference he recently spoke at and attended. Steven spends a great deal of time using social media and convincing others how social media can impact your classroom. He has one presentation specifically on using Twitter that is especially interesting if you are not Twitter savvy.

The best part about these blogs is that it really doesn't matter what country the person who authors them is from. Technology is global and many of the recommendations or reviews are relevant regardless of where you are. What matters is how you integrate the technologies into the curriculum content you are delivering. Keep in mind, that while technology is fabulous, we should not be integrating technology for the sake of integrating technology. If you are not particularly tech savvy, then start small. Find one or two programs or applications and introduce them. If they go well, you can start to find other ways of incorporating things. Your students may even have suggestions of how to integrate technology into their assignments, etc.

Blended Learning

The Ontario Ministry of Education offers a clear definition of blended learning:

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/elearning/blend.html

Blended learning should not be confused be e-learning. Blended learning combines a variety of tech-tools with face-to-face interaction in classrooms. Please take a look at the following video to understand what blended learning is in more detail. Please note that the video is American but the concept remains the same in Canada.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xMqJmMcME0

Our task is find one example of blended learning in each of the divisions (primary, junior, and intermediate) and share how it enhances learning and teaching. This should be a relatively easy task considering how many options there are out there...but that's the problem! There are SO MANY OPTIONS out there!! So how do I go about choosing which ones I want to showcase here? I guess it just comes down to authenticity...which ones would I actually use in a classroom? Well, here goes...

Primary Division:

I am not a primary teacher nor do I have much experience in any primary classroom. Therefore, I have to take the word of others. I know I have referred to BrainPop in an earlier post but I think it's pretty relevant here. There is an option to connect to the Ontario curriculum, which is perfect and it even works on a tablet or hook it up to the SmartBoard! 

Junior Division:

The In-Class Flip: A lot of schools in the states are moving to a flipped classroom model where students watch a pre-recorded lesson at home and then do that actual coursework or homework in class where the teacher can spend more time on the actual application of learning versus the delivery of the material. However, this depends upon student access to technology at home. The In-Class Flip is an interesting take where the teacher would still pre-record the lesson and set it up at one station. Here's a short video on how it works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhq3Yn_QgIA

I think something like this is great because it still frees up the teacher to move about and assist students in smaller groups. It is easier to differentiate and provide individual student attention and assessment.

Intermediate Division:

I haven't used this before but it looks really cool and I am definitely going to give it a try. It's called Kahoot! and isn't just pre-formed games or activities. The teacher has the ability to create, quite easily, and tailor the activities to the specific unit or assignment, etc. The program is free and there is no need to student accounts. The teacher has a free account to set everything up. This is a way to gamify your classroom, especially if your board has a BYOD (bring your own device) program or something to that effect.

https://getkahoot.com

Incorporating blended learning into your classroom on a regular basis is great for students with special needs. There are so many assistive devices (text-to-speech, dicto-text, gaming programs, etc.) that are easily incorporated into a blended learning environment. Having all students using similar technology makes our classrooms feel more inclusive and the students who require the assistive technology won't feel as though they stand out more than others. 

The Role of the Teacher When it Pertains to Learning and Understanding 21st Century Tools

On top of everything else that a teacher must be concerned with, there is even more we need to concern ourselves with in the 21st Century. We need to ensure that we are not only educating students on how to use the tools available to them, but how to do so properly with respect to copyright and licensing. Although as educators, we do have a little bit of leeway with respect to providing copyrighted materials for the purposes of educating, our students may misconstrue this use and fail to understand how important it is to cite any information that is not owned by them.

I have seen many teachers using various forms of multimedia in the classroom without citing their sources, especially teachers who are not particularly "tech friendly". It is so easy to overlook and with such time constraints sometimes in the planning phase of our lessons, sometimes priority has to go to just putting the material together so that we can present it to our students. We need to try and take a few minutes and just create a Resources slide or section on what we present to students. If we do this every time, students will begin to recognize a pattern and can use it as an example of what to do in their own work.

The role of the teacher is to be an example. Yes, there will be times where we will explicitly dictate what must happen in an assignment, lesson, etc., but we need to model the behaviour we expect from our students. It is part of the gradual release of responsibility we are hoping to impart on our students. At some point, we need to cut the cord and allow the students to take charge and be independent.

Professional Standards for the Teaching Profession in Ontario

The five standards of practice for the teaching profession are:

1. Commitment to Students and Student Learning;

2. Professional Knowledge;

3. Professional Practice;

4. Leadership in Learning Communities; and

5. Ongoing Professional Learning.

(http://www.oct.ca/public/professional-standards/standards-of-practice)

All five of these standards are incredibly important to me as an educator and is something we should reflect on regularly to ensure that we are meeting the standards. I think that regardless of what century we are in, these standards can and should be met by all educators. Number 5 is where it is important as educators to keep up with the times and adapt to our changing environment. In the 21st Century, this means becoming subject matter experts on ever-changing technology and how to effectively incorporate this technology into the classroom daily. It is no secret that young people seem to be quicker to adapt to technology and can often sweep the floor with adults in terms of technology. We should embrace a student’s prior knowledge and employ these students as leaders in the classroom and not be afraid to learn a little something new from them. I always feel humbled when a student shows me something really cool.

I think it goes without saying that commitment to students and student learning is what comes to mind when one thinks of the teaching profession as a whole. Teaching is not just a profession where we come in a 8am and leave at 3pm, enjoy our weekends and summers, etc. As any experienced teacher, and even not so experienced, there is so much more to the day for a teacher. There are often no lengths we won’t go to achieve student success, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem to the outsider.

I may not have a classroom of my own yet, but I have a significant amount of experience working with youth in the cadet program and I have worked in a few classrooms as well as a student teacher or volunteer. I’ve been an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces in the Cadet Instructors Cadre for 12 years now. I work in an incredibly diverse and urban area and I think a lot of my experiences with the cadet program overlaps with that of a teacher because I provide instruction and training to youth. I would like to share one experience with you that has truly humbled me. The cadet program hasn’t always been known for it’s ability to accommodate or modify its program for those with various learning challenges. In recent years, we have worked with a number of cadets with varying challenges and I think we have done an excellent job at facilitating their success in the program. Five years ago, as the training officer of my squadron, I was considered the subject matter expert on cadets with special needs. As such, I was handed an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) for a new recruit. In it, the cadet was identified with having Aspergers. We had recently had another cadet diagnosed with the same so I had a little experience but this new cadet was going to be a challenge. He had high anxiety, was regularly medicated, and wanted to be a pilot.

I was a little overwhelmed, so I went straight to the source: The Parent.

Never have I worked with such supportive parents. They are always a call or an email away and we have developed a strong working relationship over the past 5 years.

This cadet has done exceptionally well. Although he has not been successful is attaining his pilot’s license at this point, he has successfully attended many overnight activities, attended 3 week summer training opportunities, been appointed important leadership positions within our squadron, and will be promoted to the second highest rank achievable in the program. He is striving to be selected for the Cadet International Exchange Program this summer, which is the highest sought-after camp we offer, and he maintains a part-time job for which I acted as a reference for him. This may sound like an advertisement for the cadet program, which is certainly not my intention, but I have seen this cadet grow so much over the past 5 years and I can’t help but know that this is in great part due to the effort I have put forth in training our staff, and communicating with the cadet and his family to set expectation. My staff now know how to read an IEP if one is presented to us as many of the same accommodations a student receives as school can be made at cadets.

I know that I still have a great deal to learn. As I am not teaching right now, I am taking this opportunity to take a couple of Additional Qualification courses to work on my professional development. As soon as I saw that this course was being offered, I jumped all over it. I love technology but know that I am not as savvy as I could be. I rely on my husband a great deal when I am struggling with something and if I am in a classroom, I can’t exactly call my husband and ask for help! I have learned a great deal about some of the resources available for teachers but I know there is so much more out there. I even logged into Minecraft tonight to check that out! I’m not sure if my husband has ever been more proud!

Strategies to Teach Safe and Appropriate use of Social Media Sites

Dealing with twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (or other social media sites) is a reality in the classroom. What are strategies that you could employ to help teach safe and appropriate use of these sites? 

There are many resources on the web to assist teachers and parents when teaching internet safety (see below). I think a lot of teachers feel the need to start from scratch or to create strategies on their own. Professional Learning Communities are great because they are a safe place to share ideas and strategies. Of course, the Internet serves as a sort of PLC where we can share strategies with other teachers all over the world or right in our own neighbourhoods. 

One of the strategies I learned a lot about in a past course is gamification. There are many ways to achieve this. There are a lot of sites online that have pre-made games that teachers can use (i.e., Brain Pop). In one of my placements in teachers college, the teacher used a software that was provided by the board for Health. The students played games, created Public Service Announcements, took quizzes, watched videos, etc. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of it right now, but if I do, I'll update this post.

Although, the software I'm referring to is not specifically linked to safe use of social media, the strategy of gamification can be. Teachers can model appropriate behaviour by using these sites in class. Students can assist in the creation and maintenance of class websites. Teachers can create scavenger hunts where students must navigate these popular sites and ultimately get more comfortable using them. Avoiding social media altogether is absolutely not the answer. By having students get familiar with these sites in a supervised environment, they are able to get comfortable with things like privacy settings and appropriate content. 

With all of that being said, abuse of social media is evident by our students. The issue of cyber bullying has increased because of how easy it is to target someone without having to face the person. By modeling and teaching students about appropriate use of these sites, it is our goal to reduce the occurrence of cyber bullying.

Some interesting links:

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/curriculum

http://mediasmarts.ca/teacher-resources/find-lesson

http://www.brainpop.com/educators/community/bp-jr-topic/internet-safety/

How is the Role of the Teacher and Learner Changing in the 21st Century?

When I saw this question, my mind immediately wandered to two of my nephews. They are 5 and 8 and both can totally whip my butt at anything Mario and Nintendo. They play Minecraft and watch YouTube tutorials on the game as well. They spend more time online than they probably should and my opinion on the matter is divided. We can gain a lot of knowledge by playing games, not to mention, some solid hand to eye coordination. I even think there are some great educational games out there that we can incorporate into the classroom.

I’m torn though…

I remember being a child and you could not keep me in the house. We always had a computer as my Dad is an engineer and always kept up with the latest “gadgets”, but I was not reliant on the computer to satisfy my learning. This is where the role of the teacher and learner has changed in the 21st Century.

Technology has come a long way. We are dependent on it to organize even the simplest of tasks. We have XBox 360 with Kinect and Nintendo Wii parties and keep track of our diets and exercise regimens on our phones. It only makes sense that we would prepare our students for a lifestyle they likely already lead. A lot of teachers are “gamifying” their classrooms and incorporating iPads or tablets, as well as interactive whiteboards to keep students engaged.

I think as teachers, we should do whatever it takes to keep our students interested in learning, so long as they are, indeed, learning. If we can make learning more fun by incorporating technology into the classroom, then I think that’s great. We just need to keep in mind that technology cannot be a replacement for teacher instruction and peer interaction. I also think that by using technology, it demonstrates to students that teachers aren’t dinosaurs and can stay current with the changing times. It is also important that we demonstrate to students safer ways of communicating online and how to create an appropriate digital footprint.

Teaching Using Social Media in the Classroom

Reflection Question: How can teachers use Social Media in the classroom as both, part of the instructional approach in teaching as well as helping students understand the online web 2.0 environment?

I think it is really important for teachers to educate students in the environment within which they live. We live in a technology-infused era, and as such, we need to prepare students for it by adding technology to our teaching strategies. By integrating technologies that they would likely use on a regular basis, we can build upon their prior knowledge and we are able to show them safer methods and how to use Web 2.0 tools for more than just snapping “selfies”. As part of an instructional approach, I think using technology in our daily lessons and assignments demonstrates to students that schools are not afraid of technology, as they once seemed to be when I was a student, and that we are embracing a tech-enhanced environment.

I think I was in grade 7 or 8 when we had our first computer introduced to our classroom. I’m not sure it was ever turned on. I do recall taking keyboarding on little electronic keyboards instead of software on the computer but our classroom computer went widely under utilized. We also took a computer class (our school had recently installed a lab) but it really wasn’t fun at all and we weren’t in the lab very often. I want students to be able to explore and co-create assignments to be able to build upon their own individual skill level with technology. I want them to learn to be creative and to think outside the box, but most importantly, to be safe and to build an online footprint that they can be proud of.

Introduction

Good day all!

I am not a "blogger" but will certainly give it a shot. I am creating this blog for the purposes of an Additional Qualification course I am taking at Brock U.

A little bit about me...

My name is Candice Clark. I am married to my wonderful husband Andrew and together we have beautiful beagle, named Lazarus, and a brown tabby, named Claude. No children as of yet as life has not yet taken us in that direction.

I went to Humber College and earned my Law Clerk Diploma in 2004. From there, I worked at a large Title Insurance company in Oakville for about 4 years. The recession hit in 2008 and I lost my job. Upon careful consideration and great support from my husband, I decided to return to school and get a degree. I went to U of Guelph and earned my honours BA, majoring in English. From there, I attended the Teacher Education program at Brock U and earned my BEd. I graduated this past spring. Now, I am like many other new teachers, I am unemployed and eager to get started in my teaching career.

For the past 11 years, I have been a member of the Canadian Armed Forces as a CIC Officer (Cadet Instructors Cadre). I currently hold the rank of Major and am the Commanding Officer of 758 Argus Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in Brampton, Ontario. The cadet program is open to youth ages 12 - 18 and is the largest federally sponsoring youth program in the country. It is this program that instilled in me the dream of becoming a teacher.

This photo was taken June 2014, when I assumed command of the squadron. On the far right is the outgoing Commanding Officer, in the centre is our presiding officer, and on the left is me!

Apart from that, I have a ton of hobbies. I tend to get started on projects, only to get distracted by others. I love to read, scrapbook, crochet, and really anything crafty. If you can make it with your hands, I'll give it a try!