When looking back over the past semester of learning, the first thought that comes to mind is “WOW! That was a lot to pack into just of few short months!” At times I think my brain will explode because it is on “overload mode”. On-the-other-hand, I also find myself getting excited about all of the great tools I’ve learned about. Being a first and second grade teacher, I feel that I will not use some of the tools that we learned about quite as much as others.
What I found helpful
I found that having the class Google site was very helpful. I knew where to go for assistance when I had a question. I liked just being able to login to find out what book to read and what assignments were due. It was much easier than searching through a binder full of papers. I also really like having all of the “how-to” directions in one central place with easy-to-understand tabs. Having time to explore various tools was also very helpful. I am the type of learner who needs to watch and do simultaneously.
What I will use
There are so many tools that we used in class that I am very excited about using in both my professional and personal life.
I will definitely use Google Sites in the future. I like the features that Google Sites offer that my district website does not. I also found it much easier to add and delete information from my Google Site than it is on my school website. Visual appeal is always important to me, too. I like how the Google Sites offer various themes to choose from. I think that I will try to have a link on my district website to my Google Site.
I have used VoiceThread in the past with my students and I will continue to do so. I do not think that I will use it to teach them skills unless I find a helpful VoiceThread already made by someone else. I do know that I will use VoiceThread to show off my students’ work and learning.
After a TILT II technology workshop in the summer of 2010, I was able to explore iMovie a little bit. I enjoyed working with the great tool, but my work was very amateur. After learning a little bit more about how to use it, I know that it will be something that I use even more for both school and personal use.
I completely love using Prezi! I do not feel that it is something that I will have my students create individually. However, I do know that I will use Prezi to introduce lessons to them. I also think that it would be fun to have the students help me create a Prezi following a unit. They would be able to help choose the information, but I would most likely need to be the one typing and organizing it.
I know that I will definitely continue to use Screencast-O-Matic. This is a great tool to help explain something to others. One of the ways I will use it most is to remind my students how to use various websites. These screen casts will be posted on my district webpage as well as my Google Site.
I learned about Diigo about a year before taking this class. I used it during the workshop when I learned about it, but not much after. I tended to have sites bookmarked on either my home computer or my school computer, but rarely both. I think that using social bookmarking sites such as Diigo may take some getting use to. Just recently my classroom computer had some Internet issues and our district tech support needed to reset my preferences. She warned me that my bookmarks could be lost, and they were. My thought, “I should have had those sites bookmarked with Diigo.” ~ I think I learned my lesson.
I have used You Tube in the past only to watch video clips. I never knew that I could have my own account and keep track of some of my favorites. I really never imagined that I would be able to upload my own clips. I can not believe how easy it is to do. This is definitely something I will continue to do.
Visual appeal has always been important to me when creating things that others will see. Although I haven’t read the book cover-to-cover, I know that I will enjoy reading and using The Non-Designer’s Design Book by Robin Williams. I will be able to use suggestions with my Google Site, my parent newsletters, and various other materials I create.
What I may use
As a first grade teacher I do not really foresee myself using Wikis with my students. However, I have recently asked the members of my Bible study group if they would be interested in using Wikis to plan our snacks and events. After a short explanation about what a wiki is, my friends all thought it would be a much better idea than trying to make sure you reply to the most recent email. One concern that I have about wikis is that it is difficult for multiple users to edit the same page at the same time. It takes some time planning.
I enjoyed using Blogs to post information for class and to respond to the posts of my classmates. I continue to think that I may use blogs in my classroom when completing my Flat Stanley project. I think that this year, we may create a “class blog” to tell about all of Stanley’s journeys. The aspect that I like about blogs is that it allows readers to respond to what they read.
Audacity was a very neat tool to use. However, I am pretty sure that I will not use at this time. I want to continue exploring it before it is something that I use frequently.
What I probably will not use
Twitter has never been something that has intrigued me. Many of the Tweets that I have seen have been mindless ramblings or thoughts that I really did not need to know. I do not really know if this opinion of mine would change with more exploration, but I currently feel that this is one area that is not necessary for me to use at this time in my life.
Final Thoughts
It is important for teachers to keep current on many of the latest tools in order to keep learning enjoyable and exciting for their students. I truly enjoyed learning about and using all of these great tools during this class. I know that I will need to continue to use these tools on a regular basis in order to continue developing my skills.
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