My 21 Things Portfolio

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Thing 21- Standards and Capstone

Standards:

Reflection:

I had this app downloaded a couple of months ago. On a blog I read it was suggested to download the app to help with lesson planning. I don't have to lesson plan or align lessons to the common core due to the fact the curriculum that is used at my school is already aligned. This app wouldn't be helpful to me but I could see the advantages of having this app anywhere you go as a general education teacher. Being able to access these standards with any device can make lesson planning easier. It also breaks down the standards for parents and students to understand what needs to be covered in the course of a year.

Capstone:

http://bit.ly/1fmOeL1

Thing 20- QR Codes and Augmented Reality Add a

QR Codes:

QR Code that links to my classroom website.

Reflection:

3 ways to use QR codes in the classroom:

1) To increase independent learning a teacher can put QR codes to websites that students are allowed to go to for enrichment activities. Students would be able to focus on learning what the teacher would like them to learn when they aren't one on one with the teacher.

2) Students can create QR codes to add to their posters in the hallway. They can create videos on YouTube and include them with visuals on their posters or presentation boards.

3) Teachers can add a QR code with a link to the classroom website on student worksheets so the students can turn in assignments in a selected area on the site.

Augmentative Reality:

AR Flashcards, the

Reflection:

Augmentative Reality apps are able to give students actual images of what is being explored. Students can watch a battle instead of just seeing the picture. AR apps let the students interact with learning materials in a way that wasn't thought about years ago. Students can be more independent in their learning using AR apps in the classroom and throughout the building.

Thing 19- Research and Reference

Citations:

Using the EasyBib app, I created 4 APA citations in a few short seconds.

Reflection:

I wish I would have known this app was around a few years ago to make my grad school experience easier. EasyBib made APA seem not so bad. I used to dread doing a works cited page after all of my pages but with this app I would have not minded it at all. The only issue I had was the scanning. I was only able to scan 2 of the 4 books that are on the list. The alternative was typing in the book titles, and that was very convenient. So the pros definitely outweighed the cons.

Dictionary:

Reflection:

I would recommend the Dictionary.com app over the Merriam-Webster app. I felt that the Dictionary.com app had a better microphone to look up words. It recognized the word right away where as the Merriam-Webster app took several tries to hear the word. I also like the synonym feature and how easily accessible it is. The Dictionary.com app has an easy way to store the words by hitting the star. Sharing the definition is also easy to do and it is helpful for younger students to share with a teacher what they have done. The Dictionary/com app also has an origin and history section to help people understand where the word came from, which from an educational point of view is awesome!

Online Bookmarking:

Reflection:

I have a Diigo account and have been using it since I went to Brad Wilson's presentation last summer. I love it! Storing my bookmarks online has been extremely helpful. I can access my saved websites from any device I have. I loved the Diigo Browser! I liked the way I could save my sites easily and have a way to just read the text. The read it to me feature is also very helpful to me because I love to read blogs and would be happy to multi task. I find the feature of saving the websites with a label very helpful when trying to remember what I am looking for.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Thing 17- Creative Expression

Visual Expression

Reflection:

http://soundcloud.com/meaghan-garbutt/visual-expression/s-6dJgl

Audio Expression

Using the GarageBand app, I created a very brief overview of my classroom for new students.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIlHzAiR5zY

Reflection:

http://soundcloud.com/meaghan-garbutt/audio-expression/s-awa5e

Thing 18- Study Skills and Visual Thinking

Study Skills

Reflection:

http://soundcloud.com/meaghan-garbutt/study-skills/s-amUv7

Mind Mapping

Reflection:

http://soundcloud.com/meaghan-garbutt/mind-mapping/s-WCRVA

Thing 16- Content Area

Evaluating Apps

Finding Apps

Emotions was another app I chose based on the needs of my class. This app shows how people feel different emotions and what to do in certain situations. You have to buy the feelings that say "Info" on them. This app had great illustrations and an easy voice to listen to on a somewhat dry subject.

Remember the Milk was an app that I had heard of. It helps people remember their list of things to do. I am always looking for good apps that help me with lists. This one was highly recommended.

This is my evaluation of the Going Places app.

Going Places is an app that models real people participating in different places in the community. I chose this app because it has a lot of relevance for my students. They could watch is this as they prepare to go out to the community.