Learning Log

Today in class we mostly got time to catch up on things and go over what is due over the next few weeks. We also were introduced to a new assignment. The way that is was presented was awesome. I love that everything that was expected of us is on the website, so now we can go look at it and refer back to it if we have questions. In order for students to do well in my classroom they need to know what is expected of them. I learned in my Curriculum class that you should have a rubric for everything that you do. By having a rubric the student knows what is expected of them at all times. Having the rubric should eliminate lots of question, if not then the rubric needs to be rewritten or clarified.

Learning Log

Today we did something really cool. We designed websites for our future classrooms or made-up classes. I really enjoyed this because it gave me an opportunity to explore all the tools that google provides for their websites. I liked that you could make a calendar on google and put it on your website. I also liked the assignment and the criteria for it, because it gave me ideas of what I would put on my website that I would have never thought about. I could use this in my future classroom by designing a website for my class and sending out a notice letting the parents know that it is available for them to keep updated on the events that are happening in the class. I also think that it would cut down on confusion and questions, because they can see exactly what we are doing in class everyday and what homework needs to be done.

Learning Log

Today in class we just worked on our digital stories. We were also introduced to photo story. I am getting really excited about my groups digital story, it is coming together really nice and we are exploring new things. I always like to learn something new in technology, it makes me feel like I am keeping up with the rest of the world, even though I am not even close. But anyways we learned the basics of photo story and I really liked the fact that is did the transitions for me. I could use photo story in my own classroom, I think that it would be fun to do a narrative of some sort with the students. They could write a story and then find pictures to go with the story and then narrate the digital story.

Learning Log

Today in class me and my partner got together and we discussed our Digital Story. We were going along the lines of the geographic and cultural differences of the New England colonies, but that topic was feeling a little dry. So we decided to go with the Salem Witch Trials. We decided to go with this topic because it gave us some emotion to put into our digital story. We also explored a little with a program used to record sound. A way that I could use this in my own classroom, is that I could have the students introduce one another through this program. So they could gather some information and then record themselves introducing another person. This would get the students out of their comfort zones ans liven things up a bit.

Learning Log

Today in class we did something a little bit different then what we usually do. We went through some power points on some aspects of digital stories. Some of the things that we talked about were story boarding and some unique ways to keep organized while creating a digital story. The one that i have chose to use is the one with post it notes. Some ways I could use this in my classroom is using different strategies to teach things, because all students learn differently so giving them options would help them to find the one that works for them best. I would also use the idea of story boarding in my classroom. Not only when creating a digital story, but I could use it when they are creating power points or when they are making a book. Anything that includes putting words with pictures. Doing a digital story would be really fun in my classroom because its a fun way to get a point across. If I taught older grades then I could even have them create their own digital stories.