Week 2

It took a while to jump into Google docs for the whole class this year.  I didn't want to create accounts for all of my second grade students, and I was a bit apprehensive when I thought of this daunting task.  I have 7 Ipads and Kathy has 3, so we combined our resources and dug in.

This is how I felt when the Google Doc project worked.

We wanted to have our students create a digital product.  We started the projects on the Ipad with the microphone, and moved to the computer lab to complete the writing.  The use of Google docs for this task was successful, and I will do it again.  I preloaded documents with each student's name to my own google account and had them access the drive application on the Ipads.  We were able to successfully share the Ipads without creating separate accounts for each student by preloading the documents.  (Having each student with a google account probably isn't such a big deal, but teaching a 1/2 was a bit exciting, thus one account for all my students)  The students simply had to chose their document and begin working.  It was so easy to view documents as they were working.  The use of the microphone, google research tools, and google share was an easy jump to modifications and redefinition in the SAMR model.  I did not share them on my blog last year, as I did not have one, but I certainly plan to share them on our class blog this year. Previously forays into the use of Google docs to produce writing in our class were brief and incomplete.  

This week was challenging.  I will say I have a different perspective regarding P21.  I loved the Lego presentation this week at the CUE conference, and it made me contemplate the role of businesses in education.  They are the work force and the people who employ our students.  I still believe it should be a moderated role when driving curriculum, but I do see how the two entities can work together and push students and educators to utilize previously untapped technologies and resources. 

When completing the TPACK diagram, I realized I do project based learning in my literacy activities, but not so often with math.  It was a shift to think of my teaching in terms of technology, content, and pedagogy.  I was pleased to count the various ways I use technology with math.  The Ipad aps, videos, songs, and resources are fairly lengthy.  On the other hand, I need to find more technological resources in the field of literacy.  

As I filled out my writing lesson plan using the SAMR model I contemplated the times I have reached the modification and redefinition stages.  Most certainly, I need to make an effort to achieve that level of technology more this year.  While reading the article and viewing the video on the SAMR model, I realized I have a variety of of Ipad applications at the substitution and augmentation level.  

This was a challenging, but educational week. 

Here's the link to my Venn Diagram

https://creately.com/diagram/id9p82hg1/mU52QJcZ3UXkcasbLZuMAbdNQ1M%3D

This is the correct one.

I just made a new Voki. See it here:

This got me started.  I have a blog for my son, who is serving a mission in Nicaragua.  It took me a while to figure out how to do his blog, so this was much easier.  I will continue to add pieces to this blog, just as I did his.  I  look forward to creating one for my class this year, as I plan to post the link to our school's facebook page each week.  My goal is to use it as another form of parent communication.  The articles and videos viewed for this week were insightful and thought provoking.  I look forward to using this class as an extended PLC.  I love to visit classrooms and learn new information, and this will be a techy way to do the same thing.  While listening to the videos, it caused me to contemplate lessons with students teaching their peers how to use technology in the classroom.  It's amazing to think of how the internet has changed the way we interact with each other, how we access information, and most importantly, how we teach.

Week 1 Reflection:
After viewing the videos from the TIMS Grade Level Index I came to this conclusion, I have a lot of technology that hovers between the Entry and Adoption levels.  I was particularly interested in the Photo Word Problem project at the Adaptation level
Goal #1
Implement the Photo Word Problem project.  I should be able to pair with Finley's 5th grade class.  The Green Screen Ipad Ap I played with during the CUE conference will work nicely for the video portion of the task.  I plan to ask some of my colleagues if they would like to combine class budgets and share some of the green screen equipment to lower costs.

Goal #2
Implement a digital citizenship curriculum.  I need to strengthen that part of my technology instruction, as it was lacking last year.  Lisa Sedgewick and the 1st grade team used a great program last year.  I will pick her helpful brain for ideas.

Goal #3
ISTE Standard 2.D  Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards, and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.  This can be accomplished by conducting my own DIBELS testing to assess reading fluency.  I will then use that data to track and progress monitor students who are in the yellow and red zones.  My weekly timed fluency passages will be submitted as data into a google spreadsheet.  This data, along with the DIBELS scores will drive my instruction in terms of reading fluency.  Cerina Gastinea has reading passages I may send home to involve parents in the task to increase fluency.  I used Read Naturally passages exclusively last year, but I just might branch out this year.

I am not ready for summer to be over.

I just made a new Voki. See it here:

I just made a new Voki. See it here: