Wrapping up the Course

Taking TPTE 486 has been a very great and informational course.  Not only have I furthered my technological knowledge, but I have learned how to use tools that will be beneficial to my future classroom.  When first starting this class, I had hopes of learning about a lot of new tools that I can use in my future, and I have definitely learned a great deal.  Many of the programs we used in class, I had not previously heard of, so learning about them proved to be very helpful.  Before taking this class, I considered myself "tech-savvy" but I have seen that I still have a lot I can still learn about these programs.  We have learned about tools that cover a variety of topics, so it will be easy to use them in various subjects I may teach in the futures.  Many of the tools we have used are very simple to use and create artifacts.  They are great for both student and teacher use.  Overall, I am very satisfied with the amount of knowledge that I have gained from taking this course.  The artifacts that I have created in this course will definitely be used again in my near future!

Website

For this course, we were required to create a website to display all of our projects completed for the semester.  I think that this is a great way to showcase the work that we have done throughout the semester.  This website is a perfect resource to use in my future classroom because of the various projects we have done throughout the semester.  I have not only learned how to use various tools, but I have learned how to apply them to future lessons that I can teach in my classroom.  Before taking this course, I had never created a website, so learning how to create one has been very eye opening.  I have learned how easily a website can be created and edited.  It is a great way to organize all of the information/projects I have, as well as inform my future students on what is going on.  Overall, I loved creating this website, and hope that I can use it in my future classroom.


Here is the link to my website:
https://sites.google.com/site/msboddiesclassroom/

iMovie

By far, iMovie has been my favorite project!  I created my educational video on "Healthy food A-Z".  This video is aimed to educate children or people of all ages on healthy food options.  Now that I have learned how to use iMovie, I can apply this knowledge in so many other ways.  For instance, in another class I have this semester, I have already used iMovie to create another movie.  iMovie is so simple to use, that anyone can easily create a video for any occasion.  Users can add photos, videos, and even music to edit into a new movie.  iMovie can be use for educational purposes, as well as for recreational use.  Now that I know how to use the iMovie software, I can definitely use it for my future classroom.

Below is the video I created:

Digital Diagram

The Digital Diagram was one of my favorite projects in TPTE.  Not only was this project fairly simple, but it allows you to create a diagram on anything.  For this project, we used the Inspiration 9 software.  My project was focused around the "Important Holidays by Season" for a 2nd grade Social Studies lesson.  For each season, I listed three holidays in a "web" format.  This project was so simple and easy to figure out how to design a diagram.  You have the option to create a web, tree or map diagram.  From there, you can do many things with the diagram.  You can change the color, font and even make the bubbles turn to different shapes.  In my project, I decided to make my bubbles into shapes that matched the text (ex- Halloween=pumpkin).  After doing this, I made notes on the holidays so the students can read on a holiday they may not know about.  This project will definitely used in my future classroom.


Below is a picture of my diagram:

ActivInspire Software

When doing the project with Interactive White Boards, the software we used was "ActiveInspire".  By using this software, I learned about its many pros and cons, and how useful this software can be when working with an IWB.  One of the most intriguing things about this software is how creative you can be! There are so many different ways that you can use this software, it can actually be overwhelming.  First, I wasn't sure what I could do my project on, but I decided to do it on Weather patterns, focusing on lower elementary grades.  There are 8 ways to build interactivity with ActivInspire.  In my project, I used 4 which included building a table, the infinite cloner, and drag to reveal.  It took me a while to get used to figuring out how to use the various tools.  I would definitely say that this software takes a while to master, but after you understand how to use it, it becomes very simple.  Overall, I loved using the ActivInspire, despite the challenges I encountered while using it.

Interactive White Boards

After discovering the many uses of Interactive White Boards, I feel that they can be very useful inside the classroom.  Any lesson can be integrated with the use of an IWB.  The great thing about an IWB is that it incorporates white board, but adds and interactive component.  This essentially makes a "computer screen" large enough for the whole class to interact with.  Anything that can be done on a computer can be mirrored onto a large projection screen.  IWB's are a great way to get the whole class involved at the same time..  This setting makes a IWB perfect for elementary grades, as well as high school aged children.  Things that can be done with an IWB include: quizzes, teaching of lessons, and showing of photos, websites and music.  In the near future, I definitely hope that I have a IWB available for my future classroom!

Source

Midpoint Check

So far, TPTE has provided me with a vast amount of information about technology.  I have learned how to use several tools that I can definitely see myself using in my future classroom.  At this point in the semester, I am feeling good at my progression of knowledge about technology.  I would consider myself "tech-savvy" but I have definitely learned a lot of new things in the past couple of weeks.  All the projects we have completed thus far seem to be great tools for use in the classroom, especially  the Web 2.0 tools and Webquests.  Overall, I hope I continue to learn more new things about technology use in the classroom.