Blog Post 5 Part B

PLN: Personal Learning Network

Throughout this course, I have learned so much from the assignments we have been given. The most helpful tool we were given was to comment on teachers' blog posts. I learned several techniques and tools from watching these teachers put their life's work out for the world to see. In my blog, I have posted about several teachers I was assigned to comment on, and I chose posts that I found intriguing. It was great to learn from so many different people around the world.

My PLN:

My professors and lab assistants
Comments for Teachers (and the things I learn from them)
Comments for Kids (being able to learn from young students and the types of assignments I could give)
Comments for Classmates (seeing my classmates' ideas is very important)

Using organizers such as Symbaloo will help me keep track of my PLN and all the events happening within it. I am very excited to start my journey into my PLN and to become a better teacher because of it.

Blog Post 16 Final Reflection

Project 12 SmartBoard Project

Blog Post #13

Assignment: Blog Post #13

How can we incorporate Project Based Learning into Physical Education Classes? 

Create a lesson plan that incorporates PBL into Physical Education and share below. 

Age: High school
Assignment: Come up with a lesson plan for the opposite sex, and someone your age to complete. DO YOUR RESEARCH! Take into consideration their age, metabolism, differing athletic abilities, interests, etc. Create a presentation to give the class. You will have two weeks to complete the assignment. Enjoy! 

Calendar for PBL Project

Lesson Plan for Day of Beginning of Project

Rubrics for Grading Students

Blog Post #12

What assistive technologies are available to you as a teacher?

In Physical Education, using assistive technologies is very important. Knowing what technologies are required for students with disabilities is key in understanding how to incorporate these students into regular Physical Education programs.

C4K #8, #9, #10

C4K #8
Erik L's post:
Erik did a book review on one of the books in the Left Behind series. These are stories about life after the rapture when God takes the believers and the young to Heaven and off the Earth. He is about halfway through the series, and I am hoping he finishes it because it is a great set of novels!

My comment to Erik:
Erik,
I am a college student at the University of South Alabama. I am studying to become a teacher. This sounds like a great book! I would love to read the whole series, it sounds very interesting! I have read the first book and I really enjoyed it. Nice review!

C4K #9
Ashton's Blog post:
Ashton gave a great description of a kids' triathlon he participated in. He went into great detail about the day leading up to the event. Ashton used very good grammar and a few onomatopoeia's to enhance his reader's interest. I really enjoyed reading his post.

My comment to Ashton:
Ashton, my name is Abby and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in the United States. I  liked how detailed you were in your post! You are a great writer, keep it up!

C4K #10
Paul's Blog post: 
Paul came up with a recipe for a lunch for his teacher. It consisted of very funny, witty sources of food. I looked at other kids' recipes in his class, and all were very creative. What a great idea for an assignment!

My Comment to Paul:
I am a student at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I am studying to become a teacher. I enjoyed your little recipe. This was a very creative idea, and very witty! I’m not sure I would enjoy it very much.

Blog Post #11

In the Tedx Talk Back To The Future, Brian talks about his strategies used for getting poverty-stricken students involved in Project Based Learning. He first wants their full attention and involvement, so he lets them crush cans, make hot air balloons, and all different kinds of fun things that will grab their attention. He tests them by having them video their projects and embed them into a blog post. He asks comprehensive questions that will have them explain what makes their hot air balloons work. Many of the students are English Language Learners, so he also includes language intensive work that will help his students learn the English language better.

The next video is about the Blended Learning Cycle, and the power of the question. Blended learning is based on mobile, online, and classroom learning. Paul Andersen also explains the Learning Cycle, beginning with engaging, then exploring, explaining and expanding. All of these are based around the evaluation stage. The Blended Learning Cycle is summarized by QUIVER:

Question

Investigation/Inquiry
Video
Elaboration
Review

The goal of being a Super Digital Citizen is to surf the web safely, respectfully, and responsibly. The teacher in this classroom also uses great ideas to get his students' full attention. He explains what it is to be a digital superhero, which is someone who uses their powers on the internet to help people. I would personally love to use this lesson in my classroom because I think it will teach my students to have good character as well.

In the engaging video Project Based Learning, it is described as something that engaged learners and gave them a deep understanding of what they were learning. Teachers in a Canadian school describe the process they went through to make Project Based Learning happen in their program. First, two teachers combined Canadian Literature and Canadian History with the computer class in the school to make one big project-based class that would offer them three credits as opposed to one.

In Roosevelt Elementary's PBL Program, the teacher describes what Project Based Learning is to her, and how she incorporates it into her classroom. She includes her definition of PBL, which is in depth learning with integrated thematic instructions, based on real-world problems, and will be presented to the class after being thoroughly researched.

I think all schools should think about incorporating Project Based Learning as a requirement to graduate because it will help students in the decision making process and will help them understand topics deeply rather than the little they fully understand in a lecture-based class.

I think all schools should think about incorporating Project Based Learning as a requirement to graduate because it will help students in the decision making process and will help them understand topics deeply rather than the little they fully understand in a lecture-based class.

Blog Post #10

What can we learn from Mrs. Cassidy?

The first video, Little Kids…Big Potential, students in Moose Jaw, Canada are interviewed and asked specific questions about how they learn in the classroom. They know all ground rules to comment on other's blogs, they blog regularly, and they use Skype regularly to talk to people from all over the world. The students believe that using technology helps them to learn problem solving and how to share.

In Part 1 of the Skype interview with Mrs. Cassidy, she tells us about the techniques she used in the classroom blog and the students' use of the internet. The number one rule is to protect the identity of her students. First, use only first names, no last names. Also, when pictures are posted, she makes sure that no pictures are paired with a name. She stresses that technology is very prevalent in students' lives and should be used as it can open new windows to education. The best part about this section of the interview is Mrs. Cassidy harping on the good that blogs do for students. She likes them because students can write and show the world, rather than showing just their teacher.

She asserts that technology is more advanced than it used to be, and that teachers should all be technologically literate by doing things that they like or are interested in. She suggests that students who are learning to become teachers should begin having their own network, starting with Twitter. In Part 3 of the Skype conversation with Mrs. Cassidy, students from Dr. Strange's class ask questions in which she offers insight from personal experience. She is very helpful with giving advice to young teachers who are coming into the technologically-advanced education system. It is very encouraging for us students to hear that our work will be helpful in so many students' lives.

Videos links from Skype interview:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

C4K #5, 6, 7

Jonathon S's post:

Jonathon wrote a summary of a book he read called "Big Nate; What Could Possibly Go Wrong?"He gave great feedback and used very good writing skills to make a great post. He has a good vocabulary, which made his post more fun to read. I liked that he gave his personal opinion and rated the book at the end because he has the opportunity to express his feelings about the book.

My Comment to Jonathon:
Hey, Jonathon! I am a college student at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I am studying to be a teacher. I thoroughly enjoyed your post! I thought you had a great use of vocabulary and you did well summarizing Nate's story. Good post! Here is a link to my blog if you would like to read more about me and my work! http://bakerabbyedm310.blogspot.com


Kaylie's Post: 
Kaylie gave advice to younger students going into high school. She gave great advice such as staying calm, because high school is not as bad as it seems. She also suggests not to procrastinate because it is very hard to stay caught up. Her advice is relevant in college as well.

My Comment to Kaylie:
Kaylie,
I am a college student at the University of South Alabama and I am studying to be a teacher. I really enjoyed your post! I agree that going to high school can be stressful. Your advice is very good, and I think it is safe to say that your words of wisdom should be taken to college as well!

Kate K's post:
She tells the story of Jonah and the Whale, and adds a few endings that she thinks could have happened. In my opinion, she chose a great biblical story with a good moral.

My comment to Kate K:
Great creativity, Kate! I especially like the ending. :)
I am a student in college studying to become a teacher. I really enjoyed looking at your post.

P.S.-The story is a good one, isn't it?

Project #9

Blog Post #9

What can teachers and students teach us about Project Based Learning?

In the article Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning, the authors give insight as to what makes a good project. They give seven parts of a project that should be present at all times:

1. A need to know
2. A driving question
3. Student Voice and Choice
4. 21st Century skills
5. Inquiry and Innovation
6. Feedback and Revision
7. A publicly presented product

In each of these, students will conduct a project on something the teacher feels is important to their education, and they will work to answer the question in which the project is based on. They will use their own creativity to properly finish the project while collaborating with groups. The goal is for students to come up with more questions as they learn, which increases their need to learn more about the topic. They give feedback to their peers and help one another revise, and then present the finished product to the class.

In Tony Vincent's video, project based learning is question-driven, and given out over a period of time. It requires application of knowledge and evidence to answer the questions. Questions must be inquiry-based and open ended, problem solving and personalized. According to Vincent, students learn a set of skills while doing each project:

• Collaboration skills 
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Career and life skills

He encourages us as teachers to question, investigate, share, and reflect during project based learning. He teaches us that students are in charge of their own learning. As Einstein said, "I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn." Tony Vincent believes that PBL is giving students a voice and choice in their learning, just as the authors do in Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning. 

As a future Physical Education teacher, the most interesting advice came from Project Based Learning and Physical Education. Based on the seven skills listed above, it was easy for author Andrew Miller to explain how each could be incorporated into a PE classroom in a high school. "The driving question: How can I create the best exercise program for middle school students?"

In a blog post called Project Based Learning in PE, the author agrees that students could benefit in many ways from creating an exercise program for middle school children. Not only will they learn teamwork skills, they will learn what it is to be healthy, which may cause them to lead healthier lives as they grow older. What was the most blaring part of this blog post was the statement that "Physical activity and fitness is a literacy in our world today." 

In the video What Motivates Students, students are asked what motivates them to do well in school. 

What each student said:

• When given positive feedback and congratulations
• Success later in life
• To get into college and get a degree 
• Fear of a lack of freedom

Growing up, I had many of the same motivators as each of the young students who spoke. Also, positive rewards are a great reason for students to repeat what good they have done. 

All in all, I have learned a lot from both students and teachers. I have learned how to better motivate students, what kind of projects I can give in my Physical Education classes, and the basic guidelines to follow with giving Project Based Learning assignments.

Blog Post #8

Dr. Randy Pausch was an advocate in the education field, and due to his Last Lecture, everyone has access to a few pieces of his life. He taught computer science courses that were completely project-based and had great success with his ten years of experience in this area. Randy created several courses that were solely project-based, and even created a "Building Virtual Worlds" class. To do this, he brought computer scientists together with dramatists and designers to have a course that would focus on getting the most out of his students. To me, this is a great goal to have as a teacher. In his Last Lecture, Randy explains what it is to follow your dreams and lead your life. This video showed me how to become a great teacher and person.

(Part of) What I learned from Randy:

• Learn how to have fun, ALWAYS.

• Teach your students in a way that they may learn something hard and have fun. 

• Make your students think they are learning how to create something extraordinarily fun, while it really teaches them something very valuable (the term is "Head Fake"). 

• Give yourself and your students a chance to learn from each other. 

• There are lessons to be learned every day. 

• Get the most creativity possible out of your students.

These are just a few things I learned from this video, while I am sure I would write more if I watched it again. Randy Pausch has most definitely left a legacy in the world of education, and I will be proud to become part of it!

Project 7 Part B

Introduction to Parent Video

Introduction to Class Video

Blog Post #7

According to Dr. Strange's Using iMovie and the Alabama Virtual Library in Kindergarten, kindergarden students are using iMovie to make book trailers for the books they read in class. Every time they start a new book, they make a new book trailer. I will need to learn how to effectively use iMovie so I can teach my students. I would like to leave some room for them to try different things and show their creativity. If iPads or MacBooks are provided at my school, I would most definitely put iMovie into use and have each student participate for a grade.

Michele Bennett, the Media Specialist at Gulf Shores Elementary, converses with Dr. Strange in the video We All Become Learners about how students learn from multiple sources, including each other.  I will have to become more in tune with the programs my students will be using, and be ready to help them if need be. However, the best part about incorporating technology is that most of the time, you will only have to teach it once. The students learn from one another…Even teachers are constantly learning from their students! Michele's students are eager to use the media and have begun to ask one another for help, rather than asking her or any other teacher in the classroom.

The video iPads in the Classroom opened my eyes to many educational programs that help students in Chicago public schools learn every day. At one of the schools that special needs students attend, iPads are used to help students communicate using the iConverse app. At a Chicago high school, a physics teacher uses iPads in the classroom helping students build virtual roller coasters. 

What's the moral of the story? The more they use technology, the more engaged they are. The more students are engaged, the more they will learn. 

What does it mean for me? It means a lot of extra time, work, and research on my end to make a difference in my students' lives!

What are the Top 10 Reasons to Use Technology in Education?

1. The students love it. 

2. Uses four key components of learning that students should be involved in

3. Professional development

4. It makes teachers' lives easier

5. Improves test scores

6. Helps students with low attention spans

7. Learn from the experts

8. Encourages completion of homework

9. Saves money

10. Remove obstacles

All in all, technology is changing education. We as educators have to change with it!

C4K #1-4

C4K #1

Jesse B's post: 

In Jesse B's blog post, he summarized "I am Malala," a story he read. The story is about a girl named Malala who lived in Pakistan and stood up for education. Sadly, she was shot by the Taliban. The great part about the story he read gave him insight about real world situations that happen daily. Also, I like that he is learning just how fortunate he is for being able to get the education we get in America.

My comment to Jesse:

Hey Jesse! My name is Abby and I am a college student at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I love your posts and I especially enjoyed this one! I am glad you are able to read stories like Malala's and talk about it because these are real life events. This is a great post! Here's a link to my blog if you would like to see mine! (my link)

Jesse replied almost instantly, and he even commented on my Blog Post #3 about Peer Editing.

C4K #2

Macie W's Post:

Macie posted a noun video with two of her classmates. They explained what nouns are and gave great examples of nouns throughout the movie. She also added music to the movie, which made it more catchy. It was a great post for an 8th grade level class, especially because none of the classes I had growing up were so technologically savvy. Overall, I was very impressed with the movie!

My comment to Macie:

Hey Macie!

I am a college student at The University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I'm studying to be a teacher, and I think it's so cool that you are using technology so efficiently in your class! I also play volleyball for my school. Believe it or not, using technology will be of great use to you as you get older. It looks like you and your classmates had a great time making this video! Here is a link to my blog if you would like to check it out!

C4K#3

Aiden's Post:

Aiden summarized Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and did a great job! I like it that students are required to post about what they are reading/doing in class, because whether they like it or not, they are learning great technology skills that they will use for the rest of their lives.

My comment to Aiden:

Hey there Aiden,

I am also a student at the University of South Alabama, and like Patricia, I am studying to be a teacher. I enjoyed your summary of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The whole Harry Potter series is great! I liked how you ended your post with a question because it leaves readers thinking. Great job Aiden!

C4K #4

Diane's Post:

Diane spoke about her beliefs on Valentine's Day and Friday the 13th being the day before. She believes that you should take every day as just another day, and she used great style. She has a bit of a negative outlook about the whole idea of Valentine's Day, but that usually depends on the person.

My comment to Diane:

Hey Diane,

My name is Abby, and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I am studying to be a teacher. Like you, I agree with encouraging people to have a great day on Valentine’s Day, no matter what. I think you did a great job expressing yourself and showed a great sense of style. If I were you, the only thing I would look out for in your posts is typing out each word completely, and throwing in a few missing punctuation marks in sentences. However, I thought you had some great ideas! Good post!

Blog Post #6

In watching the videos with Anthony Capps, I have learned many things. One of the statements he made in Project Based Learning Part 2 was the most blaring topic of most of the videos. Anthony and Dr. Strange agreed that Project Based Learning not only involves a way to evaluate students, but it involves their creativity and teaching themselves. They stress that the most important part about Project Based Learning is that the students actually learn.

In the video iCurio: Conversations with Anthony Capps, Anthony talks about iCurio, an online tool that allows students to safely search audio, video, and different websites. iCurio has a storage space that will allow students to hold information that they find in folders, and it helps students organize. For Anthony, it seems that iCurio has been a great success.

Anthony also speaks with Dr. Strange about Discovery Ed and why he thinks it is important in the learning process. Discovery Ed is a good resource full of information about any science or social studies questions students may have. Students and teachers use this search engine that helps students listen and/or watch and learn rather than attempting to read and learn, as many students today are more visual learners. 

I liked the video Use Tech Don't Teach It simply because of the title; let the students use technology in the classroom, don't just talk about it. Today, students are around technology at home, so why not use it in the classroom? He says to incorporate technology into the curriculum, so that students are learning how to use the technology while learning. 

In the video Anthony-Strange Tips for Teachers Part 1 discussed six tips for future teachers:

"1. Be a constant learner

2. Teaching Never Ends, It is hard work, but very rewarding

3. Be flexible, the unexpected will happen!

4. Start with a goal

5. Engage 100% of your students, 100% of the time, in 100% of their projects

6. Reflect, Revise, Share, Work with an audience"

I learned a lot in watching these videos, and I will most definitely use them for future reference! 

Project #7 Four Movies Part A

My sentence is...

Quote by R.S. Grey

My passions are…

Search Engine Project

WolframAlpha is the search engine that will calculate any problems you may have. Under the search bar, there is a link for examples and random problems. This would help in almost any math or number-based class and will also help in any computer based classes. I had never heard of this search engine until recently, and it seems like a good one to use.

ixquick is "the world's most private search engine" as stated on the home page. It protects your privacy and ensures that your business is your business, and not the business of anyone who wants to know what you have been up to, and when. They try to offer good search results with great privacy. I have just now learned of it, but it seems very logical to use ixquick if you want to hide something!

Bing is a decent search engine as it shows news and has a popular page where the world's most popular stories are shown. It also has a search bar that will bring up much of the research you may need. It also has tabs at the top for Images, News, Videos, Maps, and many others. Bing has not always been my top search engine, but it does have its perks.

Yahoo! Search is the second largest search engine behind Google and is powered by Bing. Yahoo! sends its directory of websites to you. It also has a trending box on the home page, where the most talked about people have stories written about them, and the most important news of the day. It also has the current weather using the location services on your device. I personally use Yahoo! on occasion.

Ask.com is a great search engine for anyone with a random question… Ask will find it for you! On the home page it offers questions of the day and previous questions of the day, just to spark interest. I think that would be a good search engine for kids to use, because they may learn something new just from the home page. When you search a question, different websites will appear offering their best answer for you.

Aol has SafeSearch on automatically, and will be turned off only if you choose. It is enhanced by Google and seems like a reliable search engine. I have never used Aol, but I could see myself using it if need be.

Excite search engine offers websites that will help you book airline tickets, concert tickets, hotel rooms, shop on ebay, and even credit score websites. It seems like a good place to book vacations and see the latest news, as well as offering a customized site just for you.

Dogpile brings results from Google and Yahoo! to researchers. It presents links to popular stories of the day that may interest readers. Along with the usual tabs, such as web, images, video, and news, it has local, shopping, and white pages. When searching, the first few results to pop up are ads, and below that is other search results, such as websites with answers to questions.  

Blog Post #5

Personal Learning Networks are the set of tools and people you acquire to be successful as a professional educator. A good PLN requires a lot of work and patience, but learning from your own PLN will provide you with tons of knowledge that will make you a better educator. The ever-changing education system is what makes PLNs so effective- it gives teachers the opportunity to stay in tune with new programs and technology than can change the way students learn, for the better of course. 

To create your own Personal Learning Network, you must compile a list of people or things of interest. According to Dr. Strange's post, all you have to do is search them, follow them, and even communicate with them using the tools you already have. Learn from them! Then, expand your PLN with even more points of interest, being open to new activities and lesson plans. The best thing about PLNs is that it requires a good bit of open-mindedness that will also help you as a teacher in a classroom. 

In my PLN, I will search for Physical Education teachers who are not your average PE teachers. Of course, we all have a curriculum to follow, but I want to expand on the curriculum and make a difference in my students. I want tools that will help my students make physical fitness part of their every day lives, not just because they have to. If I can teach them that fitness and making healthy choices is a great lifestyle to have, then I have done my job. I'm not saying that all children have to run so many miles or push so much weight, but that being healthy is not hard, and with making it a habit to stay active, people live longer, happier lives. If there are any tools or people that will help me with this goal, then sign me up!

Group Assignment 1- Group Rubrics

Student Name:

Group:

Document:

Individual Performance In a Group Activity

Component	0 Unacceptable	1 Acceptable	2 Good	3 Excellent
Good cooperation with group members/ Good attitude	Failure to communicate.	Very little communication.	Decent communication.	Great communication. Good attitude.
Skill; Brought their own strengths to the project/assignment.	Brought nothing constructive to the project.	Brought little contribution to the assignment.	Brought good information/ contributed well to the assignment.	Brought an abundance of information and skills for the assignment.
Participation	Did not participate.	Little participation. Attended one session or less.	Decent participation. Attended a few sessions, but not all sessions.	Excellent participation. Attended every session.
Resourcefulness	Did not use time effectively. No commitment.	Little time was spent on project. Lack of effort.	Effort was applied, but did not excel in material.	Awesomeness. (Overall exceeded).

Comments:

Student Name:

Group:

Document:

Evaluation of a Project

Component	0 Unacceptable	1 Acceptable	2 Good	3 Excellent
Creativity/Effort	Showed no creativity or effort.	Displayed little creativity.	Showed sufficient effort.	Excelled in effort.
Attention to Details/Organization	Very scattered. No complete thought.	Provided little detail, slightly organized.	Some organization, good detail.	Expertly organized, showed great attention to detail.
Accuracy/Knowledgeable	No knowledge applied to project.	Little knowledge, many errors.	Few errors. Showed applicable amount of knowledge.	No errors. Showed a plethora of knowledge.
Resourcefulness	Did not use time effectively. No commitment.	Little time was spent on project. Lack of effort.	Effort was applied, but did not excel in material.	Awesomeness. (Overall exceeded).

Comments:

 Student Name:

Group:

Document:

Evaluation of a Blog Post

Component	0 Unacceptable	1 Acceptable	2 Good	3 Excellent
Creativity	Showed no creativity or effort.	Displayed little creativity.	Showed sufficient effort.	Excelled in effort.
Attention to Details/Organization	Very scattered. No complete thought.	Provided little detail, slightly organized.	Some organization, good detail.	Expertly organized, showed great attention to detail.
Grammar/Mechanics	10 or more errors. Used no mechanics.	6-9 errors. Used minimal mechanics.	2-5 errors. Used average mechanics.	1 or less grammatical errors. Used proper mechanics.
Multimedia/Cites Sources	Did not use multimedia.	Used multimedia, improper use of citations.	Used some multimedia and properly cited sources.	Used an abundance of multimedia and perfectly cited sources.

Comments: