Collage

For this project I had to download (for free) Shape Collage. This program takes your chosen photos and makes them into any shape you want!

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in this blog and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of North Dakota State University/Valley City State University or any employee thereof. NDSU/VCSUis not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by this blog.

All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information. These terms and conditions of use are subject to change at anytime and without notice.

The materials for activities on this blog were obtained legally with permissions from the distributor. In short, I did not steal anything. Feel free to use any ideas you see.

NETS

NETS (National Educational Technology Standards) have to do with advancing teaching in the digital age. They are "the standards for evaluating the skills and knowledge educators need to teach, work, and learn in an increasingly connected global and digital society." (ISTE.org).

5 Standards for Teachers:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Student Standards:
1. Creativity and Innovation
2. Communication and Collaboration
3. Research and Information Fluency
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
5. Digital Citizenship
6. Technology Operations and Concepts

In order for students to meet these standards, I need to be modeling all of them myself. For example, to promote creativity and innovation in students, I could help students research real-world issues and discuss ways to solve problems with the use of technology. I will also stay engaged in the learning process and show students how I use digital tools to collaborate with others.

Another way to promote the use of digital tools for students is to always be giving them examples of tools to use for every subject. Students may know about certain technological features for subjects like science, technology, and math. I need to be responsible for showing them the vast array of features they can be using for all sorts of subjects and interests.

I also feel that it is extremely important to promote digital citizenship, and portray to the learners that there are rules for using technology and that we are all responsible for our actions. This could range from teaching them about copyright and plagiarism to telling them about the dangers of talking to strangers online/sexting/cyber bullying.

 Learning about new digital tools is becoming increasingly important for our school system. I believe that it will be my job to show students the potential they can reach when using these tools, but to also be using these tools responsibly.


References:

"NETS". International Society for Technology in Education. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards

Multimedia Project

For our multimedia project we researched Fakebook and how we can use it in the classroom. This website allows you to create a fake Facebook profile page for ANYTHING. One can use it for book characters, historical figures, landforms, plants/animals, etc. Basically it is just a fun way for students to present information on a given topic. With how popular Facebook and social networking is in general, I figure that students will absolutely love to create their own profiles :)

Link: Fakebook

Here is the handout we created for the site

Holiday Plans

I am so ready for winter break I can hardly stand it! I love school, but with everything piling up all at the same time things tend to get very stressful when I also have a job/tutoring to think about as well. There aren't too many specifics planned for this break, but I do have a few things to look forward to (besides simply relaxing, of course):

1. December 15th: Christmas celebration on Dad's side.
That Saturday we will be getting together with all of my dad's family at one of his brother's houses. We tend to have very casual gatherings with them for Christmas, usually just making a game day out of it and ordering pizza. We are also all planning to see The Hobbit together, so it should be a very nice day :)

2. December 23rd: Christmas at Mom's side.
We will be getting together with all of my mom's family at my grandparents house as we have every year! It will be a potluck style dinner and there will be aunts, uncles, and grandchildren all around the house. I am especially excited to see a few of my cousins whom I have not seen in quite some time. It should be a very long but special day for all of us. We will also be celebrating my grandpa's 80th birthday that day!

3. Christmas Eve: Boyfriend's Family Christmas
Pretty self explanatory. They usually make awesome food, we watch a movie, exchange some gifts, and play games!

4. Christmas: My family's Christmas.
Christmas Day has become sort of a 'vegging out' day for my family. Since everyone usually has plans with the other side of their family on Christmas, my family ends up hanging out with each other. We usually wake up and have breakfast together (cinnamon rolls every year). We then watch Christmas specials on TV, and really just enjoy each others' company. Later that day our family friends usually come over because they are in the same situation as we are, and we all play games and eat for the remainder of the day. I have come to love this super relaxing holiday tradition.

Aside from specific holiday plans, I am very excited to see a lot of my friends from my hometown. Although we are somewhat growing apart, it is really nice to see them and hear about how they are doing. Aside from that, I'm sure I will be playing indoor tennis at some point with my family, going shopping, hanging out with my cats, and watching a lot of movies. Then I will be setting some New Year's resolutions that I probably won't stick to, but here's for trying!

QR Game

Example of QR Code (Plenty of QR Code Creators Online)

For this project I created a worksheet where students would use an iPad or any phone where you can download a QR Scanner (free). In this specific instance I listed social studies terms on one side of the sheet. There were two columns: one for the definition and one for the picture of the term. I then used blue and red poker chips to stick the codes on (each with a corresponding number or letter that the students could write on the sheet). For example, if a student scanned a code and it had a picture of a mountain on it, in the "mountain" row under "picture", they would write the corresponding letter/number of that poker chip.

My Wild Self

This was something we created in class using "Build Your Wild Self". This is just a fun website where one can create a person using parts of wild animals. When you choose a part, it also gives facts about said animal. Kind of cute! The link to the website is provided in the picture caption.

http://www.buildyourwildself.com/

SnagIt Video

Below is the link to my groups SnagIt video for a tutorial on Fakebook. We used the free trial of the program SnagIt to make a video of us using the website, while we talk over it and explain. It worked pretty well, except some of the sound is a little muffled. If you do use it, make sure you always get close enough to the computer microphone and try to have absolutely NO background noise. Otherwise, a great tool.

iPad Rules Poster

To go along with our iPad unit, we were to make a poster with rules for iPads in the classroom. To make mine I actually used a scrapbook layout from a digital scrap-booking site (free and legal) but I cannot for the life of me remember which one. I then changed the backround, sizes of the rectangles, colors, etc. and added my rules, title, and created my own picture of an iPad. Lots of fun!

iPads in the Classroom

iPads are latest popular tool schools are using in the classroom! When I found this out, I honestly couldn't really believe that every student would have access to an iPad because I myself have barely used one (I'm getting old, already). Honestly I was a bit skeptical about using iPads because as much as I love new technology, I kind of hate what it has been doing to social skills, manners, and creativity. That being said, there are some GREAT apps on the iPad that can be great in the classroom. I feel that as long as I have a good balance in my classroom and give students the understanding that rules do apply to using technology, I can definitely see it fitting in to my philosophy.

One of my favorite things we were able to do in class with the iPad is use a whiteboard app. There are plenty of free ones that work just fine, but the one we used was not free. It allows the teacher to write on the board WHILE MOVING AROUND THE ROOM! I think that's pretty cool. One can write on a blank background, a website, or an image. Basically whatever comes on the screen, you can write on it, make notes, highlight, etc. I thought this was a pretty handy tool.

There are many apps for specific subjects: math games/flashcards, reading out loud, vocabulary, science facts/games, social studies, art, and music! There are some great games to help students learn new skills. A lot of them are so entertaining they probably won't even realize they are improving a skill!

Some sites I found very helpful for finding cool apps were:

100 Ways to Use iPads in Your Classroom
Apple in Education
15 Creative Apps for Kids
Apps for Teachers

Polaroid Pictures

 For this project we created Polaroid pictures! We downloaded the templates for a strip of Polaroids and one large one for a self-portrait. Then you simply use Photoshop to place your photos behind the frames (put photo layer behind the frame layer). Very easy!

Favorite Teacher Websites/Blogs

There are many different websites/blogs that I like to follow, but I will share my favorites.

http://thecutestblogontheblock.com/

First: The Cutest Blog on the Block. This website taught me how to make awesome backgrounds and headers by using digital scrap-booking supplies that can be downloaded for a small prices or free (and legal!) from their website.

Second: A website that I like to take a look at as my inspiration for a true classroom blog is Mrs. McDavid's 3rd Grade. It doesn't really focus as much on activity ideas, but serves as an inspiration for the kind of classroom website/blog I would create for my classroom and parents.

Lastly: Since there are ridiculous amounts of blogs/website to look at, I decided to talk about the site that has them all: Pinterest. Pinterest is where I find most of the blogs I follow and gives me some GREAT ideas for lesson plans, project, organization, etc. There are so many great things that can be found on Pinterest to use in the classroom.

Forms

For this assignment we were to create a form using Powerpoint and Photoshop. The form on the top was one that I had grabbed from my cooperating teacher for my 40 hour field experience this semester. I took her form and made it my own by changing the layout a little, creating a border, and changing the fonts to make it more visually appealing. I thought it turned out really well. Below that I created a worksheet based on one that I had seen on Pinterest.

Mp3 Audio Book

For this project we had to use a free program called Audacity to record ourselves reading a book. Once we recorded ourselves, we burned this file on to a CD. I thought this was a really cool idea, especially for students who may need certain kinds of accommodations when it comes to reading. I also thought it would be a good idea for center activities to record myself giving directions. Below I have provided an image of the book a link to the Amazon site.

Miss Malarkey Doesn't Live in Room 10 

Teacher vs. Student

Right now I am in the middle of making a transition from being a student to learning how to be a teacher. So far the transition is going smoothly, but there are definitely some things that I have had to learn. As I continue my education, as a student, I have realized that we are all learning to be more professional even amongst our own peers. Being a student usually meant that I was able to be totally relaxed and casual with everything I did: how I dressed, how I spoke, etc. Now I am learning how to be a professional in my college and in the field.

During my field experience hours this semester I learned a lot about student-teacher interactions and how to keep things professional AND lighthearted. There are things that I might say to my younger cousins or joke around about with other people that I would probably not say in the classroom. NOT because any of these are inappropriate, but I have learned that one has to maintain a level of professionalism when talking about teacher-student relationships. It is important to remember that I am their teacher, and not there to be their friend. I think that has been the hardest part for me, as I get along well with children but I really like to make them laugh all the time. This isn't a bad thing, but I have been learning that if you joke around too much with students they will probably not take you as seriously when you are trying to teach.

There are many different dynamics that one must adjust to in every day life. How I act with my friends in different than how I act with my classmates, professors, field experience students, co-workers, etc. Becoming a professional is all about knowing how to act and when, without actually losing your identity.

Germ Cover Image

We made covers for spray-hand sanitizer to have in the classroom. I made this cover in Photoshop. The letters were downloaded from a scrap-booking site, and the rest was made using the shapes provided in Photoshop. Pretty neat!

Instagram

This project involved taking a template and placing pictures we already had on it in Photoshop to create an "Instagram" photo. For this I first cropped each of the photos into a square. It didn't matter what size originally because when I resized it later as long as it was a square it was fine. What I found to be the easiest was using the 'shapes' tool to create two long rectangles. From there I placed each picture inside of the rectangle so that there was a little bit of white showing all around it. Just make sure you put the strips of pictures on a 4x6 background so that you can print it like a normal picture!

About Me

Hello all! My name is Casie Antony and I am a North Dakota State University/Valley City State University student (senior) working towards my dual degree in Elementary Education and Human Development and Family Science. I have also received a Spanish Minor and Coaching Certificate, and I am working on getting my Middle School Math Endorsement and Title I Reading Certificate. This blog was originally created for my Educational Technology course, where I have been keeping track of all sorts of fun projects and tools for teachers to use.

I graduated high school from Monticello, MN where I live during the summers with my wonderful parents, brother (20), and sister (15). We also have two cats, Felix and Oscar, which I adore. Family is extremely important to me and I love them all dearly.

In my spare time I like to read, watch movies, play tennis, sing, and play the piano. I love to laugh and spend time with my friends and boyfriend.

Hopefully this blog will be a useful tool to help me keep track of all of the new projects/educational tools I learn about, and I may eventually use this blog or one like it for my future classroom. Thanks for viewing, enjoy!

Blurring Faces

For this activity, we used Gimp! This is a free program that has some of the same features as Photoshop. To blur faces, once you open a picture you are going to look at the tools provided on the lefthand side. On the top row there will be a circular shape with a dotted line, use that tool to make a circle around the face you want to blur. Next, on the tool bar on top, choose "Tools", "Blur", and "Gaussian Blur". You can type in larger numbers for a stronger blur so you cannot see as much of the face. This is a great tool to use if you are going to put any pictures from classroom activities on the internet, and if you do not get permission from parents to have their students' picture up, you can blur out their face to give them privacy!

Photoshop Cupcakes

This was a small project to show us some basics of Photoshop. We started out with a cupcake picture, and had to use the magic lasso tool in order to select the whole cupcake and delete the background. This way, when we save it as a PNG image, it won't show up with a white background rectangle but rather will have the item sitting nicely on whatever background you already have on your blog/website/worksheet/poster/etc.

Next we had to use the lasso tool to select the top of the cupcake and change its color, and same for the bottom half. Then we used a brush tool to add "sprinkles". Although my sprinkles are kind of "splotchy", I think this is from the brush I was using. Overall it was a simple project in order to learn some of the basic mechanics of Photoshop.

Magazine Cover

For this project we were to use Photoshop to create our own magazine cover. Once again, I decided to use a photo of my cat because I think he's hilarious. Anyways, when I opened the original in Photoshop I first had to use the magic wand to make a rough outline around Felix. I deleted everything except what was inside the outline, and then I used the eraser tool to get rid of anything around the ages that was inside the outline.


Next I put that photo on top of a background image. I used an image from Photoshop, but there are plenty of digital scrapbooking sites to get some adorable backgrounds. Once that was done, I made text boxes to create my headlines, added a few "shapes" from the program to spice it up, and I was done! It turned out really well in my opinion, and I can't wait to see what else I will be able to do with this program.

iSpy

This was a very cute project we did with the inspiration from the "iSpy" books. We took small objects and arranged them however we wanted to, and took a picture from straight above. Next we would put them on a slide and write something like this:

"I spy a pink paperclip, a smiling bee, and a shiny dime." Students can then try to find the objects that are listed. Supplies were limited so this iSpy was pretty easy, but there are so many small items that we could use in order to make some for our students. It is also a great project for students to make themselves, so they can create pictures for each other!

Poster

This is the poster I created using Photoshop and Powerpoint. Since there are many creative posters on Pinterest, it is natural that we would want to have some of these for around the classroom. Due to copyright restrictions, we cannot always use a poster created by someone else for free (unless of course they give this permission). I took a poster that I found on Pinterest and tried to create something very similar. Luckily things went smoothly and I think it looks great! Once again Photoshop proved to be a wonderful tool for creating classroom art.

Poster Sites

Today I was able to test out a few different poster sites in order to create fun projects that I may use in a classroom. Honestly, I didn't really like most of them and I would much prefer to make posters on my own using Photoshop. Of course, I may not always have the luxury of having Photoshop on my computer, so I did find one source that seemed fun. This program was called Poster Forge, and it was something that I had to download and install on my computer. Some of the installation process was somewhat tricky (not too bad, but not like a normal installation process either). I thought this would be a fun program for students to use because it is very EASY to use. It only gives three different poster options: a wanted poster, a movie poster, and an inspirational poster. I thought that specifically the movie poster and wanted poster would be great things to incorporate into reading/language arts, using what they know from a story to create a poster for it.

I am excited to find more poster sites that I will be able to use with students inside the classroom, as well as for my own personal use.

Reflection 4

Copyright

As a future educator/U.S. citizen it is extremely important to know about copyright and the rules we must follow in order to legally use resources we find on the internet/other places. I know that I will be using a lot of resources in order to facilitate learning and to make lessons more fun, so I will have to be making sure that what I am using is legal and that I am using it in a legal way.

Something that people should be aware of is that even if there is no copyright symbol on a certain product, it is still copyrighted. That being said, we need to be extra careful when we are using books/music/templates that were made by others. Another thing I have learned is how long copyright actually lasts (70 years after the death of the author). It is nice that I won't have to worry about using adapted version of classic stories, because they no longer have copyrights.

I was definitely not aware that we are not legally allowed to show movies in class because it would be an audience of 10 or more students. That really bummed me out, because I remember in school having movie days right before holiday breaks, etc. Apparently there are sites where you can legally stream shows like "The Magic School Bus", "Reading Rainbow", and other educational shows, so that will be a nice tool to use. On the other hand, I'm still sort of sad about not being able to show fun movies in class (probably because it was a memory I had from my own childhood).

Copyright is frustrating to me at times because of how MANY rules there really are. On the other hand, I do understand the reasons for copyright and giving authors due credit for the things they have created.

Learning

This semester is my first time being a full time VCSU student, working towards my Elementary Education degree. I have to say, the classes are much different than any classes I've ever taken at NDSU, but I am definitely enjoying them. I think my favorite part about finally being in my education classes is actually getting to talk about my major/ideas in detail with my peers. It is so interesting to hear the opinions and experiences in education from other people so that I am able to gain more perspectives and build a philosophy (with the help of the actual courses, of course).

Like I mentioned in a previous post, I have started my practicum in an elementary school. The classes I am currently taking have helped me a lot to make connections between the material and real world experiences. I really love that our program includes all of these practicums, because I feel like I will actually be prepared for the experience when I am out in the "real world". I think the classes that have helped me the most so far during my practicum have been my Intro to Ed class and Educating Exceptional Students. In my Intro to Education class we have talked a lot about classroom management, which I am constantly observing, as well as about how to communicate with students in general. The other nice part about my Intro class is that everyone gets to share about their practicums, which is great for comparing and evaluating. My "Exceptional Students" class has made a difference since a lot of times I am working one-on-one with students who are having a harder time in a given subjects (whether or not they have a confirmed disability). This has made it much easier to know how to approach learning, as well as how to come up with different ways of explaining topics. I do love my other classes (Ed Tech and Math), but since I am just in the school for my first practicum, I don't really get to use the things I have learned in these classes.

I have already learned so many things, but I think that there are a lot of other skills I can improve on/learn. Something that I think will be a really good thing for me would be to learn is about organizational skills. Although I feel like I am pretty good at organizing in general, I look at the classrooms I have observed and realize how much STUFF there actually is. I would like to learn more tips and tricks for keeping everything organized and keeping TRACK of where everything is.

Overall I am thoroughly enjoying my time as a VCSU student. Some of the grading/criteria is taking a little getting used to, but I am loving the content of the classes as well as the teachers/students I have been privileged enough to work with/learn from.

Practicum

This semester for our Intro to Education class we have been placed in classrooms for a 40 hour practicum. I have already observed/been a part of about 15 hours in a 3rd grade classroom in West Fargo. I am already learning so much and am having a wonderful time! It has certainly been an eye opening experience so far.

I think one of my favorite things that I am learning is about classroom management and organization. The teacher I observe is so good with making the classroom nice and neat as well as a comfortable and positive place for students to succeed. Some of the things I really enjoy include her different seating areas for students based on what activity they are doing (desk/tables in groups, rug with a square designated for each student for group discussion, comfy chairs for reading time). I feel like these things make students feel much more comfortable in the classroom, rather than making it feel like a stuffy/uncomfortable place. I am also learning about how technology plays into the classroom every day. The teacher has shown me some really cool ways of using a Smart Board (lessons, visual aids, timers, videos, etc.). My favorite (although not a lesson) activity that she has the students do is called a "Brain Break", where she puts a video on the Smart Board with simple choreography for the students to dance along with in order to have a break between long periods of working time. There are many things I have been learning, but these are just a few of the fun things I have noticed.

Being placed in a teacher role rather than being a student for the last 15 years has been very interesting. Although I have had a chance to TA at NDSU for the past 3 semesters, it is not quite the same when I am working with people much younger than I am. My interactions with children must be simpler, as well as a little more structured/formal than if I were to talk to my goddaughter. It is somewhat difficult for me to adopt the "student and not friend" mentality, since I am so used to working with kids in a more relaxed setting (cousins, tennis camps, etc.). The more I am in the classroom, the more I am able to practice this skill, and it seems to be going very well. My goal is to keep things light and positive without the relationships becoming too informal, and keeping professional.

I honestly like most of the things that I am seeing during my observations. I love getting a chance to converse with the teacher/other practicum students about ideas and opinions. It is so nice to hear the perspective of other about teaching elementary learners. As far as complaints go I luckily haven't had any bad experiences yet, and I hope that I won't have too many to share!

Winter?

The beginning of October has JUST begun, and what better way to start it off in Fargo, ND than to SNOW! With this snow comes early thoughts of what I will be looking forward to this winter. To be honest, I really do prefer summer and fall, but I suppose there are a few winter activities/traditions that I do enjoy very much.

First of all, the obvious are the holidays: Thanksgiving and Christmas. I will be spending a lot of quality time back in my hometown with my immediate/extended family, as well as with some of my friends to celebrate! I think my favorite thing about going home for holidays are the smells of great food and the festive music that always seems to be ringing throughout the house.

Another fun thing that comes with winter is MY BIRTHDAY! It is just far away enough from Christmas where I don't get the whole "combined birthday/Christmas" celebration that some people get, so it's super nice! I will most likely be spending that with friends as I will be back up at school, but every year when I come back around my birthday my mom has a chocolate cake waiting. Awww.

Honestly, my favorite 'winter' activities are probably curling up under a blanket and watching movies while sipping hot chocolate (preferably a Caribou milk chocolate raspberry hot chocolate) with my boyfriend or cat(s), but I also enjoy sledding with friends and ice skating! When I'm home I'll also build the occasional snowman with my young cousins.

Overall, I am excited for these fun winter activities, but I am definitely trying to cherish the autumn moments (if there are any left!)

Reflection 3

Google Apps for Education

I had never really explored any of the applications in Google before, so it was pretty neat to see all of the ideas and services it can provide for all sorts of purposes. Obviously right now we are looking at the applications to be used for education, and I did find some that I liked. Some were more for personal use, like the calendar, which would be great for organizing and planning lessons/units/projects/etc.

One of my favorite parts of Google Apps is Google Docs/Drive. I really like this application because there are so many possibilities for uses of this particular app. I can not only create a document such as the one I am creating right now, but I can create presentations for the classroom or for meetings, spreadsheets for grading/organization, drawings (this could be useful in plans like seating arrangements, etc.), and my favorite, forms. I like forms because you can use them as pre-tests, quizzes, ways to get to know your students, surveys, and much more. The other thing I like about Google Docs is that you can have a shared folder for the classroom, so that you can edit/view all the students’ work.

My other favorite Google App is Google Sites/Blogger. Being a huge Pinterest fan, I have already seen so many great ideas and inspirational posts for the uses of websites and blogs for the classroom. In a blog, one can share a little bit about themselves to the students and their families, post assignments/schedules, share what they are doing within the classroom, and many more things. The possibilities and ideas are really endless.

Overall I really enjoyed exploring Google Apps and all it has to offer. I will definitely be utilizing quite a few of them, most definitely the apps I mentioned previously. It is so nice to find something that really promotes organization and fun new ways to educate students.

Reflection 2: Part 2

4 Year Olds With iPhones 

I enjoyed reading this article by Marc Prensky mostly because when I saw the title I thought I was going to absolutely hate it. I ended up being pleasantly surprised, but I do hold a few reservations. First of all, there were indeed many positives to a child with an iPhone. It is great that you are able to turn off the phone function. That would be my first worry in giving a child a phone. That could open the door to expensive charges as well as dangers. I also enjoyed the different apps that make learning (whether it be ‘school’ skills or other basic skills without their knowledge of actually being educated) fun. I love the voice recorder idea, and I think these types of technologies still allow the child to be creative. Then again, when children are constantly presented with ready made apps with things already created for them so that they don’t have to do anything but draw, strategize, etc. They don’t really get to come up with anything on their own, or some up with a different use for it. Also, I just can’t get into the idea of children sitting in front of screens all day. It really gives me a Wall-E type of vibe where everyone is sitting around, morbidly obese, with screens dangling above their heads because technology has allowed them to do everything without actually DOING anything. If I did have the money to buy an iPhone, I don’t think I would buy one for my own child. At the same time, I might buy things or find fun little activities for them to do on our actual computer. I just don’t want something portable that they can beg to sit with no matter where we are. For students, I also don’t know that we should be spending our money on providing these for the students, but maybe there will be some sort of compromise.

Reflection 2: Part 1

Khan Academy 

 In Marc Prensky’s article for Educational Technology titled “Khan Academy”, he talks about the site created by Salman Khan that provides videos of explanations of lessons (originally starting with math) and has now branched into a variety of subjects. I liked how he praised Khan for not selling out to companies who would want to charge for his services, and instead wants to reach students to help them better understand. I actually do agree that Khan Academy can be seen more as “a beginning” rather than a final solution. I do think that what Khan has done is so helpful for many students (I have looked into it and have gotten great ideas for TA’ing, and my younger brother swears by it). I understood what he meant about this resource being an example of “teaching old things in new ways”, and that we should be striving to find NEW ways to teach material. At the same time, I have found this website to be very helpful and very easy to understand. Then again, I know these methods would not apply to every student, especially when their case is not that they didn’t pay attention but that they simply aren’t interested in the material (especially in the lecture/blackboard format). Overall I agreed with Prensky’s article, and I understand what he says about moving forward, but in general (even without NEW methods of instruction) Khan Academy is an excellent resource for students and teachers.

Reflection 1

Technology Bill of Rights and Brad Flickinger. 

    I had mixed feelings about this blog. On one hand, Brad Flickinger seems like a very intelligent and thought-provoking person who has made great strides in the use of new technology in a classroom setting. His goals are understandable and I am in agreement with many of his points. I do think that as educators we need to be up to speed with the newest technology and to be aware of the types of resources available to students. His “Educational Technology Bill of Rights for Students” was very interesting to read and gave some great tips for teachers in the classroom regarding technology and trying to veer away from traditional ideologies. That being said, I also believe that there is a line that can be drawn when it comes to technology in the classroom and its effectiveness. I consider myself to be a pretty open-minded person, so I am hoping through this class and through the perspectives of many others I will gain further insight about the positives of using many types of technology in the classroom (even the dreaded cell phone).
    Specifically looking at his Student Bill of Rights, I very much enjoyed what was said about being taught by instructors who know how to manage the technology in their classrooms. It’s not fair for students to be forced back to the Stone Age just because their teacher does not want to learn how to use any new forms of technology. The tools and resources we have nowadays are so amazing and helpful, why would we want to keep that from students. I do not think that we should make technology as taboo as it has been in some of my previous classroom experiences. While I surely had teachers who embraced all technological advances, there were always a few teachers that refused to use any new products in their classroom, even if the school was supplying them. To be honest, I was mostly in agreement with all of Brad’s posts and ideas.


I feel that this photo shows technology in the classroom in a very positive light. Teachers should be up to speed on the new technology that kids can use. Makes the class much more interesting for the students!

There were some things mentioned that I still feel might not be effective. Yes, I may sound old fashioned, but I have been in the cell phone/Facebook world long enough to know that many of my peers were severely distracted during class. I do not want students focusing more on who said what about whom when I am trying to teach them new skills. I am all for embracing technology and teaching my students how to be marketable, but there is a difference in using technology time positively in the classroom, than using it to be distracted from learning. I know that this class and future readings will probably show me the light when it comes to these issues and how to correctly handle them, but for now I am still a little bit skeptical about social networking. I understand that we communicate in this way now, and that I can use it as an educational tool, but is it realistic to think that they still will not serve as hindrances in many ways for many students? Overall a very insightful blog, but I still have many questions.

This is what I think about when I imagine cell phone use in the classroom. This comes from experience being around peers who did this constantly (and doing so myself). Guess what I wasn’t doing when I was using mine? Answer: Paying attention.

Educational Technology Bill of Rights (Plus Additions)

Google Docs Form

Favorite Technology Lesson

The other day in class we made...Scratch Offs! I thought that these were really creative ways to reward students as well as to create activities for lessons. You can either create the content of the scratch offs in Microsoft Word or a software like Photoshop.

Once you get them printed, you are going to cover the center square (the part they are going to scratch off) with a mixture containing 1 part dish soap and 2 parts metallic paint. Make sure you coat it enough so that you cannot see the words through the paint, let it dry, and you have your own scratch offs!

Word Clouds!

Word Clouds are great/fun projects to use. I made this one using Wordle. I think it is a great way for students to express themselves, create a great project etc. It will also help me to better get to know my students (and for them to get to know me!).

Here We Go

Hi everyone! My name is Casie Antony and I currently working on my education classes through Valley City State University. Welcome to my blog!