Learning with technology

I used to think I new all sorts of technology tools, but as I started module 1, I did not know anything. I literally did not know what a Padlet was unitl I used it in this class. It made me think of what other tools I was missing out on. As a future elementary teacher, I need to start looking up tools that will be engaging to the students because as it once was said, kids have very short attention spans. I think with using Padlet, that will be possible. 

Productivity tools

I used to think all thses apps, especially google docs, slides, sheets, and forms, were beneficial and I still think that now. They were each created uniquely to make people's lives easier and I can guarantee that. Google docs is useful for essays, google slides is useful for presenting lessons, google sheets is useful for keeping track of data, and google forms is useful for obtaining data. I will definitely being using all of these in the classroom. 

Digital organization

I used to think that organizing the websites we save to go back to later was beneficial and I still think that now. Organization is essential to keep you on task. As teachers use technology to find resources for their students, they need to keep them in an organized place so they can come back to them at a later time or use them for a future reference. I personally used Pinterest because I am somewhat more familiar with it. It has become very popular over the years. With Pinterest, both teachers and students can collaborate and lean on each other to sharing ideas. 

Digital citizenship

I used to think think that digital citizenship was not a big deal but now I think otherwise. In today's society, everyone is familiar with the term technology even kids. As teachers, it is important to start teaching them the importance of good behavior while using technology. It is not just about playing games or being social, it's about using it responsibly. The Digital Passport tool is very helpful for students to learn about the good and bad of being online. Since it is in a form of game, it will catch their attention.

Online safety 

I used to think online safety was very important and I still think that now. As the technology use is increasing expecially in kids and teens, they need to be careful on the type of websites they get onto. The internet was created to be a good thing but there are people that took it upon themsleves to make it bad. I would encourage my students to practice online safety and pass it on to others. Some students might think that it's a game but it's not. Bad things can happen if we are all not careful. 

Cyberbullying

I used to think cyberbullying was a serious offense and I still think that now. The bullies might think it's all fun and games because it is happening through a screen but in reality they are hurting the person on the other side of the screen. There should be serious consequences towards these actions because there have been people who take their own lives. I want to encourage my students to be nice, in person or online because in the end we don't know how they other person can react.

 audio

I used to think that audio recordings were fun and I still think that now. The tool I had used during this module was podcast. It was my very first time using this technology. I have seen that podcasting has become popular over the past few years. It is a fun new way to expand information especially since now everyone carries some type of tech device. The only challenge I experienced with this technology was figuring out how the audio was going to be put together. I could see myself using it in the classroom for like making morning announcements with the students.

Video

I used to think making videos was interesting and engaging and I still think that now. The tool I used for this module was Adobe Spark. It was my first time using this tool and I like it. It was not complicated at all to use which is perfect for elementary students. I like all the features it has like adding pictures, videos, even audio, music. I know I will be using this tool frequently in my classroom for little projects. This can be making videos about science, math, language arts, P.E, etc.

Assessment

I used to think taking assessments through pencil and paper was very boring and I still think that now. With implementing technology in taking assessments, there's something about it that it feels less stressful. There's now been many forms for teachers to let students take quizzes like kahoot and google forms. I will definitely be organazing my classroom to take tests and quizzes online because pencil and paper feels outdated. Plus although its going to be for a grade, it'll be fun. 

Adaptive learning

I used to think that online assessments like IXL or No Red Ink was busy work but now I think it is actually very beneficial. Sometimes kids get tired of hearing the teacher talk and talk for long periods of time. With using technology like that, they can practice things individually and master skills at their own pace. Since not all kids learn and work at the same pace, this will really help them. I will definitely be including these in my classroom.