Week 5 Journal

What technology tool(s) do you use often to enhance your learning or teaching? How do you use them?

In my masters program the majority of the classes are on-line.  Via blackboard I am able to interact with classmates across the state and country.  The discussion board is helpful for exploring ideas when everyone is on different schedules.  I am still able to learn from discussions rather than solely books when discussion boards are utilized.

As a learner, I find my tablet very helpful.  I can store documents I want to refer to and I can "carry" as many books as needed without my bag getting heavy.  E-books are so handy, especially when the software allows me to highlight and write notes as I read.  I also use my tablet to entertain my daughters when I am trying to cook supper or get something done.  They can play educational games to learn their colors, shapes, letters, and numbers even when I am unable to directly or exclusively interact with them.

Week 4 Journal

 

Questions for the Week 4:

You've been working on the movie-making for a while. What movie-making techniques have you found useful and effective for creating a good instructional movie?

The story board was more helpful than I thought it would be.  All the planning ahead of time was very useful in making things go smoothly during filming.  After filming is where I learned the most.  I was amazed at how much we were able to edit the movie to make it look better.  Adding titles and removing extra movement made the message more concise which will be more effective.  I wish I had the movie editing software and a video recorder that I owned.  I think I'll look into it.  I video my children's programs and it would be nice to edit the videos and then only save the best parts.  I can see how I learned things that will help in the classroom and in my personal life.

Week 3 Journal

Questions for the Week 3: 

What techniques and strategies specific to teaching with SMART Board did you like a lot?

I like how we were able to make the answers bounce out if wrong and give audio feedback when it was correct.  I also like how the board will work with the touch of a hand.  Preschool students who aren't yet holding a pencil correctly can still manipulate the board.  With the board giving the feedback, I would be able to set up the board as a learning center that a small group of students could do without constant adult supervision.  My only concern with that is the height of the board.  Preschool students won't be able to reach it without standing on a platform.  A table in front of the board would solve that problem assuming the students could safely stand on it and be aware of the edges so they wouldn't fall off.  

While I can see the advantages of the SMART Board, I still am advocate of hands on learning.  Preschool students will learn the parts of an apple better if we are cutting open a real apple.  All 5 senses can be involved in learning the parts that way.  The SMART Board would be good as a follow up using sight and sound.  Touch is involved but the touch wouldn't be about the apple, just the board.

Graphic Design Project

Graphic Design Project Part 1

Graphic Design Project Part 2

Smart Board Lesson

Apples Smart Board Lesson

Making a Movie

I've been working with Kylie and Sarah to create a movie about making Monster Cookies.  Here is our lesson plan and our story board.  Overall, it's gone smoothly in my first movie making experience.  We've filmed the making of the cookies and they tasted great!  Next up will be editing the movie.  Hopefully that will go as smoothly.

Lesson Plan

Story Board

Audacity Recording

Here is a recording telling about how the girls and I were Locked Out of My Truck last night.