Thing 8 - Screencast

Screencasting using Screencast-o-matic was actually pretty neat and pretty easy to use too. I had no issues with the website, software, or audio.

I can definitely see how teachers and students could use screencasting. The information I read about and the examples of Mathcasts that I looked at show how this tool would be extremely useful to a math teacher. Being able to show students how to solve math problems and also being able to have students show how they solve math problems in this format, which can be embedded onto a classroom website or wiki, allows for students and even parents to understand concepts learned at school. All too often, parents try to help their child with a math assignment at home, and they show their child a "different" way to do the work. Students get confused and frustrations arise. With an explanation of how to do the math concept readily available, this situation can be helped.

I really like the idea of students explaining something learned. I often have students help each other in the classroom because it allows them to learn from each other. Sometimes they learn better from each other than from only hearing and watching me teach them. Screencasting allows students to explain their way of doing something which in turn can help someone else understand.

As the fifth grade technology teacher at my school, I can see how creating screencasts on how to use applications and software can be useful. After students first listen and follow along to my instruction, if they need to be reminded of a step they may have forgotten, the screencast would be available for them to use. This helps me, and it also helps my students!

I believe screencasting could be used in any subject. Besides math and technology instruction, it would lend itself well to history or geography. Students could show movement of people throughout history with maps, images, and links done in a Powerpoint. Science screencasts could also be created in Powerpoint with images and diagrams to show a subject being learned.

Now that I've created my first screencast, I am sure to use it in my classroom instruction!

Thing 7 - Screencast

Here is a screencast I created about how to make a banner in Microsoft Publisher:

Thing 6 - Comic Creators

By atillman | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

I believe the comic creators I explored including, ToonDoo, Kerpoof, and Five Card Nancy would all lend themselves to potential assignments/projects for my students. Although I used ToonDoos to create my comic, there is inappropriate content that students could run across, so utilizing the subscription ToonDooSpaces that ToonDoos created for educators and students might be the way to go. Kerpoof would require students being aware of the fair use info required.

Students in grades 4-6 would probably be most interested in creating comics. The cartoon I created is an example of an assignment I could give to my 5th graders. They would have to use the four types of sentences: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory using correct capitalization and punctuation to create their comic. I can also see students creating comics to show chronological order of events (plot) in a piece of writing. Older students such as 7th grade could take a story with flashbacks and put the events in order using one of the comic creators. Students who recognize the flashback/s would be able to adapt their creation to show chronological order of the events.

What a fun way to engage students in creating stories as well as learning about story elements and sentences!

Thing 5 - VoiceThread

After browsing the many Voicethreads, I found this classroom poetry Voicethread. I am going to be having my fifth grade students create poetry after our spring break, and thought that this would be a great way to showcase their work.

Teachers and students both can use VoiceThread to share ideas and creations. Teachers could use it to "teach" lessons that could be posted to classroom websites or wikis for students to access at home. This would be especially useful to math teachers teaching math concepts. Not only can students watch and listen to the teacher, but they can comment back through text or audio. Students can also create their own Voicethreads for any subject being learned...science, social studies, and math. Another way I could use Voicethread is by having students create group stories. One group could write the beginning (setting and characters), a second group could write the plot (conflict and events), and a third group could write the ending (resolution). It could then be pulled together with Voicethread while having students record the story to go along with illustrations or other found images.

What a great tool that I have yet to use in my classroom and am looking forward to implementing!

Thing 4 - Skype

I really like Skype! Personally, I use it often to Skype family...my dad, who spends part of his retirement in Florida during the winter months and my brothers, who do not live locally. It is a great way for us (My kids love it too!) to stay in touch with them and feel connected. Professionally, I also have been using Skype at my school. All of the teachers have Skype accounts, and we often message each other with questions as well as video Skype between classrooms. Our students think it is the coolest thing!

I had one video conversation with a colleague (to complete this "Thing") discussing the possible uses of Skype in the classroom. Our connection was good with little to no audio/visual issues. We talked about having our partner classes Skype each other to share stories we have written. It would also be great to use if a student who is absent for an extended period of time (due to illness or being on vacation)and has access to Skype to touch base with his/her class during their absence. I would really like to set up a Skype call with an author that my class/es have been studying. I've never really known where to start, but now with some of the resources shared from this course, I want to begin that process sooner rather than later.

Possible problems with skyping in the classroom could be equipment failure or issues during the call or setting up a convenient time with the person or class being skyped with that works for both parties. Students would also have to know the rules to be followed during a Skype call as to not be disruptive.

Skype is one of the Web 2.0 tools that is a must for the classroom!

Thing 2 - Twitter

So...this is the second time I've set up a Twitter account. I have one that I use to post messages to my classroom wiki and now a second one to use as my PLN! After reading all about Twitter, my first response is "Wow!" I didn't realize all that was or could be involved such as Tweetdeck, TinyUrl, and hashtags. I look forward to learning more about Twitter as I become more involved in it myself. As far as how I use Twitter and how I will use Twitter, there are many possibilities.

Personally:
I could see Twitter becoming a way to stay in touch with friends and family with quick tweets to let everyone know what I am up to. And, vice versa, staying in the loop with friends and family!

Professionally:
Creating a Twitter account to follow other educators is a great way to stay informed, share, and even collaborate with teachers, both locally and globally. Starting a PLN using Twitter is an easy yet effective way for me to continue my goal as a life-long learner. I can also see it being a great way to get tech support when needed.

Pedagogically:
There may be ways to implement Twitter into my classroom such as allowing students to reflect on any subject being taught as well as responding to their peers' reflections. Helping students to stay up to date on current and world events is another use that I will look into. The more I become comfortable with Twitter, the more I will be able to see the pontential of its use in my classroom!

Thing 23

Web 2.0

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