What I Have Learned...

Technology is being used everywhere and it is important for educators to be proficient in many aspects of technology in order to teach the following generation. I have learned several useful applications for technology throughout this course. Not only will these applications help in my personal life, but they will also be helpful in procuring a career in education and also in the actual classroom.

As an elementary school teacher I am sure I will be using Smartboard technology and Prezi in the classroom. These are two great tools for presenting and engaging the students in interactive activities. They make learning fun for students and easier for teachers! I also love Google Forms for quizzes and review. I love the automatic grading feature that allows teachers to spend less time grading and more time teaching and engaging students!

Technology in the classroom creates a more efficient classroom and allows students to learn more than ever before.

Collaboration and Communication

As teachers it is important for us to collaborate and communicate with fellow teachers, administration, students and parents. This is extremely important in most professions, but especially in the teaching profession. There are so many people to coordinate with for each student to be successful, and for us to be successful as teachers. It is important to collaborate with other teachers to learn and understand new strategies and techniques in teaching. We must also communicate clearly with students to be sure they understand us AND we understand them.

It is also important to encourage communication and collaboration among students. It is more likely that they will be inclined to work together and communicate if they see the adult role models in their lives communicating and exchanging ideas. It is important to give students group projects so that they can learn the dynamics of group work and understand how to work with and communicate with others to reach a certain goal. This skill is a necessary skill for students to have to be successful as they continue their education and enter the workforce.

Prezi Review

Prezi is a great tool for teachers to convey a message or messages to students in a way that is visually stimulating. I have reviewed several Prezi’s and would like to describe why I chose my top three.

#1 Adjectives

I chose this Prezi as #1 for several reasons. It is visually appealing. The colors are nice, and the font is fun and the size makes it easy to read. It provides pictures and charts to help the viewer understand the lesson. The presentation is not too long or wordy and it provides examples and descriptions of when to use adjectives.

#2 Mathamatweets

This Prezi provides videos and interesting information. This presentation is concise, not too wordy, and provides all the information in a visually stimulating format. It provides a compelling argument for the importance and uses for Twitter.

#3 Superbowl Trivia

I chose this Prezi as number three because I love football! I love the colors of this presentation and I like that it is not too wordy. It is an interesting way of using a Prezi as a quiz. I like that this Prezi provides pictures and interesting questions.

Flipped Classroom

I think the Flipped Classroom is a GREAT way to get the most out of the resources teachers have. This gives students access to the teacher when they need them! Todd's strategy is interesting and I think it is an improved model or interpretation of the Flipped Classroom trend. I think his strategy of keeping instructional videos to about six minutes is a great way to keep students engaged and convey the information without being repetitive. Because the videos are short, he can provide one example and the students can re-watch the video if they need clarification.

I would ask Todd what results he has gained from flipping his classroom. It is clearly a great strategy,  but I wonder if there was any dramatic increase in student grades.

After viewing this tutorial I would be more inclined to flip my classroom. I think it is an amazing strategy and I am so happy I learned about the Flipped Classroom today!