EdPuzzle Activity for McCarthyism

Final Vlog

Imagery and Figurative Language Lesson

Gamestar Mechanic- The Crucible

Media Discovery 7- Video Game Creation Tools

Scratch

Usability:

Scratch was designed especially for kids ages 8-18, so in the world of game design it is fairly easy to use. First-time users do have to familiarize themselves with the features and tools which can take some time.

Motivation:

Students can use Scratch to create their own interactive stories, games, and animations and also share them with others. It helps students to think creatively, reason, and work collaboratively.

Pros:

• Can be used at all levels and across disciplines (math, language arts, social studies, etc)
• Free
• Teach basic programming concepts

Cons:

• Limited features

Kodu

Usability:

Kodu is a fairly easy to use game creation tool designed for users of all ages with no design or programming skills. However, it does still take some time for first-time users to familiarize themselves with the features and tools.

Motivation:

Kodu can be used to teach creativity, problem-solving, storytelling, as well as programming.

Pros:

• Free (PC version)
• Offers a XBox version as well
• 3D 
• nice graphics

Cons:

• Limited features

Week 6 Vlog

Having Fun with Augmented Reality Apps

Media Discovery: Augmented Reality Apps

Aurasma

Usability:

Aurasma is an easy to use augmented reality app that can be used by both teachers and students. The Aurasma app offers users a clean, user-friendly interface as well helpful tutorials that walk first-time users through the process of creating their first "aura".

Motivation:

The possible uses of the Aurasma app in the classroom is limitless. Teachers can use it to bring their curriculum to life so to speak and offer their students a more engaging and effective way to learn new material. Students can also use the app to demonstrate their understanding of information or a concept.

Pros:

• Free
• can be used on Chromebooks and can upload images and videos that are save in Google Drive
• App is extremely easy to use

Cons:

• Although auras can be created on Chromebooks, students who used the app found it to be much easier user-friendly.

SkyView

Usability:

SkyView is an educational astronomy augmented reality app. This app is easy to use; you simply point the device at the sky to begin learning.

Motivation:

This app offers a fun, interactive way for students to learn about stars, planets, constellations, satellites, and the sun and moon.

Pros:

• Wifi is not required 
• offers a free version, but even the paid version is $0.99
• Users can select a date (past or future) and view the sky on that particular day

Cons:

• not compatible with all mobile devices
• alignment can sometimes be off, but still in the general direction

Week 5 Vlog

"The Raven" lesson using EDpuzzle

Media Discovery- Multimedia Assessment Tools

playposit

Usability:

Playposit, formerly known as eduCanon, is very easy to use. First-time users are led through the features and shown how to create their first "bulb". There are also several tutorial videos and articles to help users navigate and use the tool.

Motivation:

Playposit seems to be a great alternative to Zaption and Edpuzzle. It is a great tool for assessments and checking for understanding. It is also a great tool for helping students strengthen their listening skills. With the paid version, students can also create their own bulbs which could be another great assessment method.

Pros:

• Offers a free version
• Paid version is still less than $100 per year
• Offers an extensive library of pre-made "bulbs" or users can create their own
• Accepts videos from YouTube, Vimeo, TeacherTube, Shmoop, Google Drive, School Tube and other services

Cons:

• Free version offers limited features

Vizia

Usability:

Vizia is extremely easy to use. Simply upload a video from YouTube or Wistia and add questions; it's that easy. For those who need help their are tutorial videos and articles that explain how to use it.

Motivation:

Vizia is a great alternative to zaption. It could be used for assessment or checking for understanding. It offers a much more engaging experience for students than simply answering questions on a worksheet.

Pros:

• 100% free
• responses are collected in a spreadsheet that can be opened in Google Sheets

Cons:

• Videos can only be uploaded from YouTube or Wistia, so somewhat limited

Week 4 Vlog

Classroom Lesson Recording

Media Discovery 4

Wirecast

Usability:

Wirecast is easy to use, even for students at various skill levels. There are also numerous videos and articles that provide users with instructions and tutorials for navigating and operating Wirecast.

Motivation:

Wirecast offers high-quality, professional looking broadcasts. It could be used to broadcast lessons, provide video tutorials and presentations, or even to allow students to participate in a daily school newscast.

Pros:

• Offers a free trial version
• Captures presenters computer screen as well as video
• Works on Mac or PC
• Stream live to YouTube or record and save for future uploads
• Switch between "scenes" from multiple video inputs
• Add titles, images, and pre-made video or audio

Cons:

• Price starts at $495

Open Broadcast Software

Usability:

It is fairly easy to use if you understand a little about video creation and have taken the time to familiarize yourself with its interface. There are also numerous videos and articles available that provide instructions and tutorials on how to use and operate OBS.

Motivation:

OBS could be used to broadcast lessons and to provide tutorials and presentations. These could either be streamed live or recorded for future use.

Pros:

• Free, open-source
• Allows you to both stream live and record
• Add your own "watermarks"
• Can be uploaded to a variety of streaming services

Cons:

• Can be time consuming simply because it offers so many tools and settings
• Involves some tweaking and adjusting to get the end result just right

Week 3 Vlog

Video Editing Tools

Windows Movie Maker

Usability:

Windows Movie Maker is fairly easy to use; however, it can be time-consuming, especially for first-time users.  

Motivation:

Movie Maker is a great tool for creating photo/video slideshows. It is also a great tool for introducing students to the world of filmmaking and editing. The project potential that this tool offers for the classroom is limitless.  It is also a great tools for creating and editing tutorial videos for the classroom.

Pros:

• Free
• Easily add photos, video, music, text, and even voice overs to presentation
• Allows users to add a variety of effects
• Good sharing options

Cons:

• Other than being a little time consuming, I have not found anything that I don't like about Movie Maker.

   Camtasia

Usability:

Camtasia makes it easy to import and edit video, even for people who are new to video editing.

Motivation:

Camtasia is a great screencasting and video editing tool that could be used for a variety of instructional purposes including creating video tutorials and instructional videos for a flipped classroom.

Pros:

• Allows users to add images, captions, menus, narration and even quizzes to their video
• Allows users to add royalty free music to their videos
• Users can add links to websites or take viewers to another part of the video
• Offers reduced prices for educators

Cons:

• Costs around $200

Irony Edventure

Week 2 Vlog

Media Discovery- Slide Show Tools

Google Slides

Usability: 

Google Slides makes it incredibly easy to create and share presentations.

Motivation: 

One of the best things about Google Slides is that it allows users to share and collaborate with other users.  It can also be used with other Google Apps for Education which makes it particularly appealing to teachers whose schools have embraced GAFE.

Pros:

• Free
• Work is instantly saved 
• Teacher can monitor student work and provide real-time feedback
• Users can easily share and collaborate on presentations
• Users can access their work anywhere anytime
• Users can easily add images, video, sound, and animation to their presentation

Cons:

• No offline access
• Presentations are pretty basic

  PowToon

Usability:

PowToon is fairly easy to use; however, it can be quite time consuming to create presentations, especially for first time users. It does offer a variety of templates that can be edited, which makes it easier for users, especially young user, to get started with the tool.

Motivation:

PowToon offers a great alternative to the traditional PowerPoint type presentation. Animated elements combined with music and narration create movie like presentations that are more engaging then traditional slide-decks.

Pros:

• engaging
• includes a variety of ready-to-use templates
• includes a free version 

Cons:

• free version is somewhat limited
• can be time consuming to create

Haiku Deck

Usability:

Haiku Deck makes is extremely easy for users to create presentations that beautiful, simple, and to the point. Because of its limited design options, a teacher could realistically teacher his/her students to use the app in about minutes.

Motivation:

Haiku Deck forces users to focus on the visual aspects of their presentation and to keep the text, bullets, and notes to a minimum. Users must really choose their words wisely.

Pros:

• Includes something like 30 million free photos which available under Creative Commons license
• Allow users to also use their own personal photos
• Clean and simple design
• Offers a free version
• Work is automatically saved

Cons:

• No offline work
• Some users may be turned off by the limited design options

Animoto

Usability:

Animoto is extremely easy to use. First time users are literally walked through the steps to help them create their first video slideshow. 

Motivation:

Animoto offers a great alternative to the traditional slide-deck presentation. It could be a great tool for introducing a new theme or topic or even for creating a visual story. 

Pros:

• offers a free version
• users can add pictures and videos from a number of sources including the Animoto image/video library, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, and much more
• offers a large selection of music 

Cons:

• Like most apps, many features are only available for a fee
• Uses in the classroom may be limited

Windows Movie Maker

Usability:

Windows Movie Maker is fairly easy to use; however, like PowToon it can be time-consuming, especially for first-time users.

Motivation:

Movie Maker is a great tool for creating photo/video slideshows. It is also a great tool for introducing students to the world of filmmaking and editing. The project potential that this tool offers for the classroom is limitless.

Pros:

• Free
• Easily add photos, video, music, text, and even voice overs to presentation
• Allows users to add a variety of effects
• Good sharing options

Cons:

• Other than being a little time consuming, I have not found anything that I don't like about Movie Maker.

Soundscape-Hiking Through the Forest in the Fall

I created this soundscape in Audacity using a collection of sounds that I downloaded from Soundcloud. I then uploaded the finished product to Soundcloud in order to post it here. The sounds that I used are: 1. walking on dried leaves 2. birds chirping 3. walking on rocks 4. cracking branches 5. running water 6. a rock skipping on water 7. a rock skipping on water with a "plop" 8. rushing water 9. someone breathing heavily 10. someone running 11. a breeze blowing through the trees 12. walking and then running on dirt 13. a bear growling

Week One Vlog on Multimedia Learning

Recording Tools for Vlogs and Screencasts

This week I was introduced to "vlogging" and created my first vlog ever using Google Hangouts on Air. Although the experience of vlogging is entirely new to me, I have used Google Hangouts on Air to record a live interview I did over the summer, so I was somewhat familiar with it already.  What's great about Google Hangouts on Air is that it's really easy to use and the videos are automatically posted to your YouTube channel, making them easy to share as well.

Another online tool that is great for creating and editing videos that can also be easily posted to YouTube is Windows Movie Maker.  I've used Movie Maker several times in the past to create videos and presentations both for my master's work as well as for delivering content to my students. Although it could be a great alternative to using Google Hangouts on Air for creating vlogs, overall I found it to be a little more time consuming than using Google Hangouts on Air.

A tool that I have used for screencasting is Snagit.  Snagit makes it possible to take a still image or capture a video of the content on screen. It is also possible to record audio along with the video capture making it a great tool for tutorials. I found Snagit to be extremely easy to use and all captured content was automatically uploaded to my Google Drive.  Snagit used to be available as an extension in the Chrome Web Store, but now it must be purchased from TechSmith.

Growing as a Connected Educator

              Participating in the Creating on the Web course with Professor Ed Warkentin of Fresno Pacific University has been one of the most rewarding and valuable learning experiences I have had thus far as an educator.  Prior to taking this course, I had no idea what it meant to be a connected educator or how crucial being connected was to my learning and growth as a teacher.  These past six weeks have really been eye-opening as I've built by PLN and realized all of the opportunities I've missed out on to be a better teacher.  I am already pushing myself out of my comfort zone and making an impact that extends beyond my school.  I am overwhelmed by the support that I have received by educators all over the world simply by connecting with them on Twitter. I have to admit that I never understood all the hype about Twitter, but now I do. I now see what a great networking tool Twitter is and how valuable it is for educators looking to learn and grow in the profession.
           Building my website has been an amazing learning experience.  Through the process I learned that I am capable of much more than I've ever given myself credit for.  Every challenge that I overcame left me feeling extremely proud and confident that I could do even more.  My initial feelings of not believing that I had anything valuable to offer the education community are finally starting to diminish. I recognize how valuable of a tool my blog can be and I am excited to see it continue to build and grow.
          I'm taking Whitaker, Zoul, and Casas' (What Connected Educator Do Differently) advice and really pushing myself to be better tomorrow than I am today.  For too long I've thought of myself as an average teacher who doesn't have anything to offer other educators. I now realize that I have been selling myself short. As a connected educator I am a leader and I have much to learn as well as give in the field of education. As I continue on my path as a connected educator I will also take the following steps recommended by Whitaker et al.:

              1. Be a model by demonstrating risk-taking.
                   Next week I will be leading a session on Google Apps for Education during professional development for my community's elementary school district.  I am very excited about this opportunity to connect with other educators and share what I've learned.  I am hoping that I will also be able to help them find their own courage to step out of their comfort zones and take risks.

             2. Set aside at least 15 minutes each day to read a book, newspaper, or magazine.
                   There definitely comes a time when we all need to unplug and set our technology aside. Yesterday as I read Whitaker's et al. book from my ipad, I realized that I was watching television, reading from my ipad, and checking my smartphone simultaneously.  It was actually pretty ironic that at that same moment I was reading about the importance of taking time to unplug.

            This course may be coming to an end, but the knowledge I've gained and the connections I've made will last far into the future. I am excited about starting a new school year and feel more confident then I ever have. Who wouldn't feel this way when they know they are supported and backed by the greatest people in the world......EDUCATORS!!

This Week on Twitter

              This week Twitter has been flooded with conversations about two big P words.....politics and Pokemon.  I've never really been a big fan of either, so I focused instead on the trending topics in education. One particular topic that continued to show up this week and really caught my attention was whether or not teachers should assign homework. I was surprised to discover that there is quite a large group of educators in support of the no homework movement. But I was also relieved to find that many of the arguments made against assigning homework are many of the same arguments that I have as well.
            I myself have never been a huge proponent of assigning homework, nor have I ever seen any real value in the homework that my children bring home from school. In fact, I think that because I am both a teacher and a parent I have formed the opinion of homework that I have. As a parent I know the frustration of spending hours every night trying to help my children finish their homework. I myself have spent countless hours on the Internet trying to learn Common Core math just so that I can help my 3rd grade son.  Even then I'm pretty sure I have taught him wrong and done more damage then good. Not to mention the time it takes away from extracurricular activities and family time. My kids are already in school nearly seven hours a day, why is it necessary to add on another two hours for homework?
           The homework debate is one that will undoubtedly continue and I look forward to reading the arguments from both sides. Check out #NoHW to follow the conversation yourself.

A Collection of Google Docs Resources

Created with Padlet

Building a PLN

     These past few weeks I have gradually built what is becoming a pretty strong professional learning network (PLN). I must admit that in the beginning I was a little nervous and even skeptical about reaching out to complete strangers. I feared that no one would be interested in what I had to say, and even worse, that I would indeed have nothing valuable to contribute. However, these fears instantly vanished as I realized that educators really are the most supportive, welcoming, and generous people in the world.
     Twitter has allowed me to make connections and build a PLN faster and easier than I could ever have imagined. Honestly, I am completely shocked that I have as many Twitter followers as I do. It just goes to show that educators, like myself, are always searching for ways to learn and grow, and that means reaching out and connecting with as many like-minded individuals as possible. But it also demonstrates how supportive educators are of each other. In their book What Connected Educators Do Differently (2015) Whitaker, Zoul, and Casas explain why it is so easy to build a network of connected educators using Twitter. They state, "connected educators know that starting out to build a learning network can be difficult and can even be a waste of time unless you are following people who follow you back. As a result, connected educators tend to follow many of the educator who follow them..." (p. 47).  This has definitely proven true, as many of the individuals that I follow follow me as well.
     Although Twitter has allowed me to connect with the greatest number of educators, it has not been the only platform I've used to connect. This week I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to interview Catlin Tucker via Google Hangouts on Air. You would think that it would be nearly impossible to get someone like Catlin, who is so accomplished and undoubtedly busy, to give up their time for a complete stranger. But it wasn't difficult at all.  All I did was simply ask, and she said yes. This is just another example of how supportive educators are of one another and how dedicated they are to improving education. This experience definitely opened my eyes and made me realize that perhaps I need to be less selfish with my own time and knowledge. There's nothing wrong with being on the receiving end, but to truly benefit from a PLN, I need to make sure that I give as well.
      Connecting with other educators and having the opportunity to share ideas, thoughts, and resources has been one of the most beneficial learning experiences for me as an educator. As 7th grade English teacher Pernille Ripp states in Whitaker's et al book, "I didn't know I was unconnected, until I got connected" (p. 41).
   

Follow, Find, and Take

This week after reading chapter 3 of Whitaker's book, What Connected Educators Do Differently,  we were instructed to follow a connected educator, find one resource or tool, and take one new action step. I decided to begin following all of the connected educators that my classmates will be interviewing this week. This includes Vicki Davis, Susan Stewart, Ryan Wiggins, Will Kimbley, Jimmy Casas, Jim Sill, and John Eick. For the resource, I wanted to find something that would be useful to those looking to build their PLN. What I found was a post on the Edutopia website titled How to Use Twitter to Grow Your PLN. One of the action steps suggested by Whitaker that I plan to take is to create a school Twitter account which will be used to connect with staff, students, and parents. I decided to hold off on actually creating the account until I am able to get administrator approval.

Interview with Connected Educator Catlin Tucker

I was extremely lucky to have the opportunity to interview Catlin Tucker. She is a high school English Language Arts teacher, a Google Certified Teacher, a blogger, and the author of Blended Learning in Grades 4-12.

Visit her at catlintucker.com and on Twitter: @Catlin_Tucker

Guest Blogger Grace Kwee on Coding in the Classroom

    

Are you hesitant to jump on the coding bandwagon?  That’s understandable.  Writing code for computer programs seems to be a great skill for aspiring computer programmers, but what about the rest of your students? Well, I’ll tell you why coding proves to be valuable for all students.

Students can feel successful in designing their own computer programs, but when there’s an error,students have to find the mistake in the code and fix it, which contributes to further success. In short, coding encourages students to think, troubleshoot, and persevere, all of which are important life skills. As far as social development goes, you’d think coding would discourage communication, but that’s far from the truth. Seymour Papert, MIT mathematician, computer scientist, and educator, points out that in technology-rich classrooms, there’s actually more socialization going on, and technology often contributes to greater interaction among students and instructors.

Are you convinced enough to try coding in your classroom?  Check out these coding resources to start your students in taking small steps toward learning important life skills!

https://hourofcode.com/us

https://code.org/

https://scratch.mit.edu/educators/

Grace Kwee, elementary educator
www.stepintoedtech.blogspot.com
Twitter: @stepintoedtech

What Kind of Teacher Am I?

     When I first became a teacher many years ago, I asked myself what kind of teacher I wanted to be. Did I want to be a teacher who my students feared, or one who my students could consider a friend? I thought back to my own teachers and the kind of relationships I had with them. There were definitely some teachers who I was afraid of. These were the teachers who I tried to avoid as much as possible. I went to their classes, but I hated it.  I never asked these teachers for help or sought their advice out of fear of being yelled at and embarrassed in front of the whole class. However, academically I did well in these classes. Not only was I self-motivated, but I was afraid of what would happen if I didn't come to class, pay attention, complete my work, and turn it in on time.  I knew that these teachers meant serious business and I didn't want to get on their bad side, so I just tried to fly under the radar as much as possible.

        I also had teachers who were kind, respectful, and welcoming. These were the teachers who I knew I could approach and ask for help and I enjoyed going to their classes.  I did well academically in these classes as well, and for many of the same reasons that I did well with the "scary" teachers; I was afraid. I was afraid of disappointing them.  

      So, with this reflection, I decided that I would be the kind of teacher that is somewhat in between. I think that it's important that my students not necessarily fear me, but fear the consequences of their actions. They need to know that certain behaviors are not acceptable and will not be tolerated, so it's necessary for me to be strict and firm in my expectations. But, at the same time, I believe it is important for me to be welcoming, respectful, and kind to my students. I know from experience that when a teacher is "too hard" on students, many will in turn act out. Children, and particularly teenagers, are very proud creatures and become very defensive when they feel that someone is against them or has it out for them. Some refuse to feel intimidated and will even challenge their teachers without any fear of the consequences.  Through many years of trial and error, I have found a way to deal with students that works best for me, and allows me to be true to who I am which is a happy, friendly teacher with high expectations and no tolerance for bad behavior.

The following is a TED Talk video of a speech given by educator Rita Pierson entitled Every Kid Needs A Champion. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do.

Twitter: What Have I Been Missing?

This week I came across one of Alice Keeler's blogs entitled "Using Tech and You Are NOT on Twitter? Rethink That". The title alone seemed to speak directly to me, since I am in fact using technology and, up until this week, was not on Twitter. Even the way she capitalized all the letters in the word "not" left me feeling that I was alone, left out of the loop, and crazy for missing out on something so extremely important.

And the truth is....I should feel this way. As an educator I am constantly looking for ways to learn, grow, and be a better teacher. Like many teachers, I spend countless hours on the computer searching for tools, resources, blogs, tutorials, videos  all in an effort to improve. As I now realize, Twitter is a much easier way to do this.

Why use Twitter?

Among many other things, Twitter allows teachers to:

• Connect with other educators who share similar interests, experiences, and goals.

• Get advice and support from other educators including experts in the field.

• Share ideas, resources, and helpful tips and strategies.

• Stay up-to-date with developments in the filed of education.

I'm still trying to get the hang of this Twitter thing, and it does feel a little overwhelming. However, I now see the benefits it offers and Twitter may just end up being my new best friend.

So It Begins

Welcome to my blog! Whether you are purposely visiting my site or have by some chance stumbled upon it, I welcome you and invite you to take this journey with me. Since this is my first post, I'd like to begin by sharing a little about myself and why I've started blogging. For starters, I am a wife, a mother, a teacher, and a student. For the past twelve years I have taught English Language Arts for a small high school district in California's San Joaquin Valley. In that time I have taught literally every English class that the district offers, from a general English 9 course up to AP Language. Two years ago I began teaching at the district's continuation high school which is where I continue to teach today. In addition to teaching, I am also a graduate student working on my masters in Educational Technology. My goal with this blog is to share with you what I've learned as an educator and a graduate student and to learn from your experiences as well. My posts will focus on anything and everything that can help teachers create effective 21st century learning environments for their students.