Sway is a presentation tool created by Microsoft that I have found to be much more fluid than PowerPoint. In Sway, one can design a presentation that contains all of the different sections as one continuous column. This continuous column of information can be broken into sections using different headers along with pictures. Sway can tie into the Danielson Framework through Component 3a, communicating with students. I believe that there is a strong tie in with this component as Sway is a good way for teachers to provide information to students that the students might miss in their notes. In a classroom with technology, students would be able to have the sway document open on their devices and follow along with the lesson. If a classroom does not have one on one technology for students, a sway document can be used to supplement instruction and can be posted online for students to review later. In my classroom, I could use this tool as an introduction into units. This tool seems to be useful in giving a brief overview of a wide variety of information, and could be used as an outline for what will be discussed throughout the unit. I could see myself using this tool if the students in my classroom were one on one with tablets and if there was a program for the students to be able to take notes on the Sway document while following along with it. Having the students taking notes on a Sway document would cause them to write down detailed information and have the general information already in their notes, which is much more effective than having them copy down only the general information from a PowerPoint. Microsoft. (2015). Sway. [Computer software]. Redmond.
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Twitter is a powerful tool that teachers should use to connect with other teachers from all over the country and even throughout the world. Building these connections is what builds a teachers PLN, Professional Learning Network. A PLN consists of other educators that a teacher is connected with and can share ideas with. Being active on Twitter allows teachers to connect with other teachers and develop a PLN.
As a future educator, having a large PLN is beneficial in several ways. The first reason that having a large PLN as a preservice teacher is it allows me to connect with and share ideas with teachers who have been in the field for several years. Connecting with experienced teachers is a great way to learn what works well in the classroom and what does not work well. Another reason that building a PLN as a preservice teacher is important is that it can provide opportunities. Through a Twitter chat, I was able to connect with a teacher from a school district that I hope to teach in, and she even invited me to do a field experience with her. Dorsey, J., Glass, N., Stone, B. & Williams, E. (2006). Twitter [computer software]. California. Nearpod is an assessment tool that can be used to engage students in learning by through formative assessment. It can be used as an interactive whiteboard by using it through student iPads. The "draw it" feature allows students to write or draw to demonstrate their understanding of topics, then the teacher is able to view the work that their students have shown. Using nearpod, teachers can combine informative slides with quizzes and questions, allowing the teacher to implement formative assessment throughout lessons. Nearpod also offers lessons created by other teachers that can be used for ideas on how to teach different topics. Nearpod fits well into multiple components in Danielson's framework, but I believe that it can best fit into component 3d, using assessment in instruction. Nearpod fits into this domain because it allows the teacher to integrate quizzes and questions into presentations, so teachers can build checkpoints into their lessons to make sure that students are understanding what is being taught. Nearpod can also be tied into component 3b using questioning and discussion techniques as well as component 3c engaging students in learning. Nearpod is a program that is great for classrooms that have one-to-one technology for students. The ability to assess in the middle of a lesson and get instantaneous feedback is a powerful tool for teachers that could help guide and change instruction based on the needs of the students at any point during a lesson. I would consider using this tool in my classroom if all of the students in my classroom have technology to use the program at the same time. If there is limited technology in my classroom, I would consider using this tool as a "station" during station work. Abramzon, E., Kovalskys, G., & Sommer, F. (2012). Nearpod [software]. Available from https://nearpod.com/
For my Pinterest, I created four boards which I titled as Math Classroom Ideas, Science Classroom Ideas, Tech of Instruction, and Classroom Management. I created math classroom ideas to have a section designated to ways that I could improve my math classroom and help students with learning math. Science Classroom Ideas is a board where I can save engaging activities that other teachers have created and I could try if it fits the objectives of my lesson. The Tech of Instruction page is a place where I could save different ideas on how to integrate technology into the classroom. Teachers are always finding different ways to use technology in classrooms, so this is an area that I can expand and continuously grow. Classroom management is key to creating an effective learning environment for all students. Every class will be different, so my classroom management will need to change with every class. Having a Pinterest page for classroom management will allow me to find ideas on how to work with different classroom atmospheres and find what works best for any given group of students.
The reason that I chose these four topics as my boards is because math and science are my focus areas that I will be teaching. I can use Pinterest to find different lesson ideas to modify my lessons for students with different needs. I chose Tech of Instruction and Classroom Management as my two other boards as these are topics that are constantly changing and I can always improve upon. As technology changes, teachers are finding different ways to improve lessons through technology, and Pinterest is a great place to learn about these new ideas. Classroom management is necessary for all classrooms and is something that even the most experienced teachers can improve upon, Pinterest is a great place to get ideas from different teachers on how to manage classrooms. Silbermann, B. (2010). Pinterest (Version 6.61.0) [software]. Available from https://www.pinterest.com/ For my co-op teacher, I created a review assignment using QR codes that each lead to a few math problems that will help the students prepare for state testing. I used Google forms to create the questions so the teacher can view how the students respond to see what the students need more help with. I also used QR Code Generator to create the QR codes. With QR Code Generator, all that you do is copy and paste a link to the site that you need a QR code to link to, and it creates the QR code. Using QR codes for classroom instruction ties into Danielson's component 1f, designing student assessment, because it can be used as a way to create formative assessment for students. Assessments can be designed as scavenger hunts or links to different problem sets. QR codes create a different form of assessment that will likely be new and exciting to the students, which will better engage them in their learning. I like how easy QR Code Generator was to use and it is definitely a tool that I would use in the future. Designing lessons that get the students up and out of their seats can be difficult, and keeping students engaged in learning while moving adds to the challenge. Using QR codes can increase students willingness to solve problems because students may be excited and want to complete more problem sets to be able to scan more QR codes. QR Code Generator - Login Site. (2018). App.qr-code-generator.com. Retrieved 5 April 2018, from https://app.qr-code-generator.com/manage/?aftercreate=1&count=5 For my co-op, I designed a formative assessment quiz using Kahoot. Kahoot is an online app that allows students to answer questions posed by the teacher and compete to score points by answering questions quickly and accurately. The questions used on Kahoot are multiple choice and have time limits, but faster answers are awarded more points. Kahoot fits well into Domain 3c of Danielson's framework, engaging students in learning because many students are naturally drawn to competition. This program allows students to score points by answering questions quickly and accurately. The point scoring system will make the students want to answer questions correctly to score more points, which will engage them in learning. Kahoot also fits into Domain 3d, using assessment in instruction because it is designed for formative assessment. Teachers are able to ask the students a question and instantly receive feedback on student comprehension by how they answer. Kahoot is a tech tool that I could see myself using in my classroom. I would definitely use it for science to assess student recognition of different species or topics being discussed. Kahoot could definitely be incorporated into the math classroom for checking student comprehension on math facts or other problems that should be able to be done quickly. One thing that I do not like is the time restraint on it, as some students need more time to think through math problems, but this tool does not allow students much time to think through problems. Brand, J., Brooker, J., Morgan, P., & Versvik, M. (2013). Kahoot!. [Software]. Available from http://kahoot.com
Flipgrid is an ed tech tool that allows groups and classrooms to virtually connect through video posts where members of the group are able to post videos sharing their ideas. This tool allows the teacher to pose a question and students to answer the question through a video. The great thing about this app is that a video can often show more than a written paragraph. Teachers and students are able to display emotion and be more meaningful when posting a short video clip than when posting a short paragraph or text.
Flipgrid is also a powerful tool for teachers because it allows for connection with groups all over the world. Teachers are able to share ideas with others from all over the world and teachers are able to search for posts related to certain topics. Teachers are also able to create privacy settings to monitor what their students are posting and searching for.
https://info.flipgrid.com/
Google Forms can be a useful tool in the classroom. It can be used to ask students questions and obtain a fast response. It can be used for formative assessment, possibly summative assessment, and it can be used to receive parental input. Teachers can email a link to a google form to parents asking them to answer a series of questions, giving teachers information from families within a matter of a few days.
I have created a google form designed to be used to gain input from students at the end of each 9 week grading period during a school year. This form will allow the teacher to see what students think of their teaching styles in a way other than just looking at the grades that students receive. This idea demonstrates the reflective teaching cycle because if the teacher receives feedback that certain teaching procedures are not working for students they can change what they are doing to try something that does work. The tech tool that I chose to use is Canva. Canva allows you to choose a design layout that can then be modified in various ways to meet the needs of what the designer is trying to portray. The different layouts provide a good starting point and give ideas on what it can look like. Different colors, fonts, and pictures can be used along with graphs and charts to portray any information that the designer is trying to get across to the audience.
Canva can be tied in to Danielson's framework in several ways, but one of the most obvious ways is through Domain 3: Instruction. Teachers can use Canva to create handouts for students that show what is being learned. The use of Canva can benefit student learning because it is an easy way to be creative and include student interest in the course material. Canva can also be used for Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities by creating handouts to send home to parents that are visually appealing rather than an intimidating looking professional document. Parents are probably more likely to read a flyer made through Canva than to read a bulleted list or a document of paragraphs explaining what students are doing in class. I could see myself using Canva in my classroom at the start of units by creating a list of what topics will be covered in the unit and include a picture to represent each topic. This way students will be able to see what will be covered in the unit and they will be able to reflect back on the list throughout the unit. The pictures can even serve as a reminder to what each topic was about as the unit progresses. Adams, C., Obrecht, C., & Perkins, M. (2012). Canva [Computer Software]. Australia. |
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