All About Me Survey

All About Me Survey NETS-5
     My form is an online “About Me” survey for students to take and it focuses on educational interests.  The questions are presented in various formats including multiple, scale rating, and short answer.  The answers provided from the forms are reported back to me through Google Docs in an Excel spreadsheet that I can download.  Using Google Forms is an effective way of portraying to students how evaluating data is a professional practice that supports student learning and leadership.

Journal 4: One Size Never Fits All

Journal 4: "One Size Never Fits All" NETS-1

Courduff, J. (June/July 2011). One size never fits all. Learning and Leading with Technology, 38(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx

        In this article, Courduff explains how the use of technology is the key to learning especially for students with special needs. Also the idea of integrating technology into the curriculum is not so difficult as it seems.  The Etiwanda School District in California implemented a district wide technology integration program for all teachers.  The training included Intel Teach to the Future and the application included effective use of Microsoft Office Programs in teaching and learning activities.  Some of these activities included digital storytelling, e-portfolios, and integrating emerging technologies such as interactive white boards.  The program was then offered to special needs and created a practical technology support plan for teachers working in specialized academic instruction programs.  

        The program was designed as a Community of Practice model that allows a scaffolded learning approach that provided assistive technology toolkits.  Results showed that it takes more than three years for teachers to make the transition from knowing how to use technology to integrating it into learning tasks.  Courduff states that in order for technology to be integrated meaningfully, teachers needed individual and group mentoring and flexibility, so the program was divided into three tiers. In tier one, the teachers participate in hands on workshop sessions to learn how to use the technology. Moving on to tier two, a teacher's training moves to the development of e-portfolios to student led conferences. For tier three, a teacher's face to face support and collaboration continues, but online collaboration becomes a larger component of the training.  
        The training was effective with positive results.  Students met their IEP goals faster and student performance on district benchmark improved.  Teachers learned to  match specific curricular tasks with technology resources that engaged students, increased their understanding, and enhanced their learning experience.  The goal was to create an environment that is engaging and inspiring for teachers and students, increases student achievement, and addresses students’ learning goals.  Some technology tools learned were to implement programs such as speech to text feature in Microsoft word, word prediction, and text to speech programs which changed the students’ attitudes toward writing.  The implementation of technology into learning and teaching is a slow progress, but the tools help address students’ needs.

Question 1:  Why does it take more than three years for teachers to integrate technology into learning activities?

Some of the complexities result from not focusing on students needs, IEP goals, time restraints on teachers, school culture, and administrative support.  If integration is less than three years, the focus on the students needs may not be as high because the teachers may become so involved in utilizing the tools learned.  More than three years gives the program enough time to integrate it meaningfully within the classroom, while being aware of the school’s culture and earn administrative support.

Question 2:  How are AT toolkits important to the learning and engagement of students?

AT toolkits consist of digital storytelling, Fusion Writers, and microphones to engage students.  The importance of the toolkits is that it increases content understanding and allows for students to meet their IEP goals.  For example, students who have difficulty organizing their thoughts and putting them into words on paper may not be motivated to write at all.  A program speech to text feature from Microsoft word allows students to dictate their stories on paper.  Students then visually see their stories come to life and their attitudes towards writing change because of the boost of confidence that a learning tool helped them achieve a goal.  After the story has been dictated, the student then can creatively go back and edit until the story is a finalized product.  Engagement is the first step through dictation and the learning comes from the practice of editing stories.

Journal 3: Abracadabra-It's Augmented Reality!

Journal 3: "Abracadabra–It's Augmented Reality!" NETS-3

Raphael, R. (June/July 2011). Abracadabra-it's augmented reality!. Learning and Leading with Technology, 38(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2011.aspx 
        
        Recently, interest has expanded on developments that allow direct participation with augmented reality (AR.) Raphael mentions that adding layers of information on the real world is not new and it is something that is continually being developed especially during economic uncertainty.  AR is being driven  by an increase in mobile computing, processor speed, and greater access to bandwith.  As a result, the greater availability of these products are changing the way people interact with computers.  Finding ways to introduce AR to students is imperative for educators because students will then have access to channel their creativity.  AR is beginning to cross paths with education and educational technology through children’s books and AR curriculums that have been released.  In his article, Raphael introduces one example of how AR is being introduced today through AR authoring tool Zooburst which is a simple intuitive digital storytelling tool for creating AR viewable pop up books.  Zooburst is an interactive app where students drag and drop elements into stories, create narratives from scratch, characters are linked to text or sound, and digital portfolios can be created with a discussion forum.  Other examples are presented as well through mobile apps like Wikitude, an app that provides information about the immediate environment.  Some apps are virtual telescopes like Pocket Universe and Star Walk which allow one to point a device up to the sky and see information such as star names.  There are also AR games like TagDis and the Hidden Park which create projections and allow one to map an environment onto a physical space.  Overall, AR tools encourage students to feel at home as creators in an age where technology is becoming very accessible.

Question 1:  What are some AR programs that are out in the market?

Some AR programs out in the market are Zooburst, Wikitude, Pocket Universe, Star Walk, TagDis, and Hidden Park.  Raphael specifically mentions about the benefits of Zooburst which is a storytelling tool for creating viewable pop up books.  Through Zooburst, students can drag or drop elements into stories, create narratives from scratch or bring digital creations from other applications, characters can be linked to text and sound, creative work can be exhibited through digital portfolios and include a discussion forum.  Last but not least, Zooburst adds teacher management tools where teachers can create student accounts and a private environment for students’ responses to each others' work.  This is a powerful way for students to feel comfortable with technology and also have the freedom to use their creativity.  

Question 2:  How can Wikitude be used in the classroom?

Wikitude provides information about the immediate environment.  For example, on can point at a monument and have historical images and information pop up.  A teacher may implement this during a field trip to a museum.  The teacher can be the only one with the device and program and point to specific paintings ect. that pertain to what is being learned in the classroom.  The information that comes up in the application can be presented to the students and the teacher can make connections to the material he or she is teaching in class.  The use of technology is open to many forms of implementation in the curriculum.

Journal 2: Join the Flock

Journal 2: "Join the Flock" NETS-5

Ferguson, H. (June/July 2010). Join the flock. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-june-july-2010.aspx

           

            Ferguson states that the reason for becoming a part of the Twitter network is to develop a PLN which is a professional learning network. This then transforms Twitter commonly know as a place for social networking into a community of learning. An educator may build communication and collaboration dedicated to making learning fun.  To build this community, it only takes a small commitment of creating an account, but the amount of time put into it depends on the person. The tools to help one build his or her own community of learning are creating an account, learning to follow people who share same interests, tap into other network lists of people, learn and read from people you follow, give by retweeting which means repost something interesting another person said, then later expose oneself by participating in conversations, and finally tag a tweet by using hashtag. Hashtag allows one to post a tag to the streams of the educators who follow that hashtag.  The best part of building this community is that one is learning from people who share the same interests as oneself but can also learn from those who have more information on topics that one wants to build on.  Having a network means that the availability of information is constantly streaming meaning that it is always there and one can also go back to certain posts or conversations.  Ferguson also comments on how twittering helps one succeed because of the network one creates.  The PLN or professional learning network is at one’s hands available when one needs help on strategies for class. If one posts a question, the whole network of followers are there to reply with any information they have.

Question 1: How can twitter be implemented in a classroom where resources such as computers may be limited?

            Twitter can be implemented into the curriculum by creatively finding solutions to limited resources in a school.  Some students may not have access to their own cell phones or internet at school but the school can provide a learning environment where online networks can be accessed.  For example, a teacher may ask for permission to have class at the school’s computer lab once a week and if that is too much he or she can request twice a month.  The request is subject to negotiation.  While at the computer lab, the teacher can show students how to set up and use twitter accounts and then create their PLN based on what she is teaching from the curriculum.  If he or she is teaching the class how to analyze and interpret stories then the twitter account can be set up on discussion of a specific story.

Question 2: How can students succeed through the network they create?

            Through the network they create on twitter, students can discuss a specific story by posting their own thoughts on the story and creating a discussion forum.  They can also choose to follow others who are educators and have uploaded information about different opinions on a specific story that is being discussed.  Students then can retweet what their classmates post thus creating an environment on learning.  One strategy of teaching is socratic seminar where discussion is opened by one person and all classmates participate.  Twittering is a form of socratic seminar teaching except that it is online.  Students become learners and educators in an online world where the teacher can remain the overseer and give students the power to control their own learning.

Technology Self Assessment: School 2.0

        I researched the 2nd NETS-1 module, Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. I read an article Too Cool For School? No Way! by Punya Mishra and Matthew Koehler.  The article explains how we live in an age of cool tools such as Facebook, Iphone, Flickr, blogs, Cloud Computing, Smart Boards, You Tube, Google Earth, and GPS can be repurposed as classroom aids that change the way we think about teaching and learning.  Mishra and Koehler state that in order to integrate and repurpose the tools, educators are required to have a specific kind of knowledge called technological pedagogical and content knowledge, TPACK. It is a knowledge of embedding content, pedagogy, and technology and it lies at the intersection of what we teach and how we teach.  The reason I chose this article is because it is topic in today’s society of how to make classroom instruction creative and engaging for students based on their interests.

In the article, I learned that each technology has a potential and a problem that educators need to understand before using them for pedagogical purposes.  There are several steps in repurposing a cool tool.

1. Knowing the rules of the game/application and which rules to bend, break, and to leave alone.
2. Transformation of content needs to be intellectually accessible to students.
3. Deep understanding needs to be developed through training and deliberate practice.

There were three examples provided that can be repurposed for educational instruction which are Microblogging, Visual Search Engines, and Music DJ Software. I thought it was interesting how Visual Search Engines that include Viewzi, Cuil, and Clusty  can help students understand intertextuality in an English class. Intertextuality is a concept that texts often refer to each other in complex and intricate ways in order to create webs of meaning. Students use a search engine where they input a famous line or a character’s name.  Students then see how words and phrases are borrowed and how the words or phrases can have separate meanings in different contexts.  Finally, teachers can create discussion around the nature of intertextuality.  As I searched some of the engines, it looks like Viewzi is no longer available since 2010. 

Try these out:

Cuil

Clusty

Journal 1: 100 things that make my heart happy!

Here is the list of 100 things that make me happy:

1. My family

2. Anything artistic

3. Reading

4. Cupcakes

5. Enjoying a glass of wine

6. Travelling to new places

7. Bright colors

8. Vanilla Chai Tea

9. The messiness of eating pomegranates

10. Mango and Pineapple

11. Going for a jog

12. Orchids

13. New jogging shoes

14. Crayons

15. Coloring books

16. Sundaes

17. Mojitos

18. Fries with ranch

19. Hot wings from Buffalo Wild Wings!

20. Having a blue moon drink once in a while

21. Spending time with my nieces and nephews

22. Painting

23. Drawing

24. Taking pictures

25. Going to the beach

26. "Carne Asada" Sundays with my family

27. Celebrating my birthday, in general celebrating life

28. Middle Eastern food

29. My Mom's tamales, enchiladas, and caldo the albondigas

30. The smell of mugginess when its hot and it just rained

31. Facials

32. Getting my hair done

33. Listening to Arabic music by Haifa Wehbe and Nancy Ajram, even though I don't understand it I like watching their music videos.

34. Steak with ranch is a good combination to me

35. Baking cupcakes and cookies

36. Cooking

37. Listening to Belanova, spanish pop rock group

38. Learning about different cultures

39. Cookies and cream ice cream

40. Reading books by Julia Alvarez, Isabel Allende, and Paulo Coelho

41. Relaxing on a hammock

42. Spring break 2008 in France

43. Attempting to learn new languages

44. Growing into who I am

45. Keeping life simple

46. The smell of new books

47. The smell of new crayons because it reminds me of kindergarten

48. Spending time with my mom

49. Helping out my Father around the house

50. Chinatown in New York

51. Helping others

52. Fulfilling a goal

53. Dark chocolate with almond nuts

54. Being curious

55. Reminding myself that life is a journey

56. Listening to Cher

57. Mermaids and fairies

58. Spending time with my sisters

59. Willow trees

60. Bouganvillia flowers

61. Camping

62. Dancing

63. Barnes and Nobles Bookstore because I could be there for hours just browsing.

64. Magazines

65. Mexico

66. Coffee shops

67. French food

68. Crepes with nutella and banana, eclairs, and cannolis

69. Victorian architecture and furniture

70. Candles

71. Speaking Spanish

72. Fanta strawberry soda

73. A chicken, pepperoni, green pepper, mushroom, and onion pizza

74. Hummus and pita bread

75. Homemade flour tortillas

76. Happy meals from McDonalds

77. Butterflies because they remind me of my childhood and of my grandpa.

78. Italian food

79. Limoncello

80. First day of school

81. Girl's Night out

82. Spending time with my cousins

83. College days

84. My college friends from the east coast

85. Cape Cod vacation with friends before graduation 2009

86. Summer 2007 in Rome, Italy

87. Family reunions

88. My long hair

89. Relaxing under the sun

90. Taking my nieces out to the movies

91. Watching foreign films

92. Art museums

93. Festivals

94. Writing during my free time

95. Listening to my parents, aunts, and uncles converse about the good old days.

96. Postcards

97. Weekend mornings of doing nothing

98. Planners

99. Settings goals

100. Living in the present and enjoying every moment.

I am Alicia

       Hi everyone! My name is Alicia Angela Lopez.  I was born and raised in Fallbrook, California.  Some of my interests include writing during my free time, reading books by multicultural authors, and if I get a chance I also enjoy drawing and painting.  My ethnic background is Mexican American and I love everything about my culture.  I come from a large family of eight children and I am number five “numero cinco.” I have a double Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and Visual Arts Studio with an emphasis in painting from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.  I decided to leave my family’s nest in California and moved to the east coast at the age of eighteen.  I had a wonderful experience living in Massachusetts and was able to visit places I never imagined I would have when I was a young girl.  I experienced seeing snow for the first time and was able to see every season. My favorite being fall.

Before leaving to Massachusetts, I had a difficult time coming to terms with the idea that I was moving away.  I come from a really close family of ten.  My childhood consisted of being around so many aunts, uncles, cousins, and of babysitting my nieces and nephews.  From kindergarten to second grade, I went to Maie Ellis Elementary School.  I will never forget my kindergarten teacher Mrs. Blanchard.  After second grade I attended Fallbrook Street Elementary School, Live Oak Elementary, and then Potter Jr. High Middle School.  Finally, I ended up at the only high school we have in town, Fallbrook Union High School.  I loved living in Fallbrook and I loved being around my family, but I felt like I needed to move far away and experience something different.  One can say I enjoy being adventurous which is how I ended up obtaining my undergraduate degree out of state.  When I arrived at Holy Cross, I was culture shocked because the environment and student population differed so much from California.  I graduated from College of the Holy Cross in 2009.  After graduation, I moved back to California because I missed my family and the southern California culture.

My experiences with technology are standard.  I prefer to stick to the basics such as checking my email, facebook, editing pictures, sometimes shopping online, and also texting.  I try to keep it as simple as possible, but I feel that I need to jump on the bandwagon of familiarizing myself with blogging, twitter, and even creating a website.  Students today live in an age of technology and information overload that educators need to become familiar with tools to connect to students and at the same time introduce different styles of learning.  I am open to learning more on technology even though at times I can get somewhat frustrated when something becomes complicated but I try to remain positive and open.

I think it is important that educators commit to diversity and life long learning. The reason I chose to apply to CSUSM is because the environment is committed to professionalism and in preparing thoughtful educators. When I begin teaching, I want to be prepared for my students and be able to apply the tools that I learned in the School of Education.