My ISTE Experience

Welcome to San Antonio!

My ISTE 2013 Experience

 

Attending ISTE 2013 was an awesome experience for me! Besides the pre registered workshops I attended, I was able to visit several stands at the Ed Tech Exhibit and other student and teacher led tables modeling their experiences with technology in the classroom. 



IPAD in a Common Core Classroom



 The presenters made it very easy for conference attendees to record their websites using their devices to scan the quick response codes (QR codes) like the ones shown in the picture above. This saved time and gave attendees the opportunity to store as much information as possible as they circulated the exhibition. By speaking to one of the attendees, I learned about how this skill can be used in the classroom as well. The QR codes are a quick and fast way for students to quickly access a website for an assignment using their devices.


Ed Tech Exhibition



 

At the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Stand




One of the things I learned as a result of pursuing my Masters degree in Instructional Technology is that as educators, we have to model digital citizenship to our students. In modeling digital citizenship, we have to equip our students with the tool they need to consider the ethical issues surrounding use and ownership of copyright materials, including a  copyright checklist. Also, we easily get carried away by having all the new and latest technology devices. It is important that we, as educators establish a strategic and meaningful way to enhance students' learning through these tools. We have to prepare them for the real world which is very competitive and always requires the knowledge and ability to utilize 21st century skills.

Some of the resources I gathered at the conference are below, please take a second to browse through these.

•  Education Grants (I attended this grant writing skills workshop, this can always come handy :) The presenter was phenomenal.)
• ISTE 2013 Common Core Apps
• Center for Algebraic Thinking
• NETS evaluation tool







I'm going to the ISTE 2013 Conference!

I'm excited about this opportunity to attend the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in San Antonio, Texas! I registered for several workshops including Virtual Manipulatives for Teaching Algebra with iPads, Cole's Chromebook Craze!, Going Google: Save Resources and Maximize your Chances for Success and much more! My goal is to learn things I can come back to share with my school and class. I also hope to get a better sense of how teachers can implement the NETS standards for students without being overwhelmed with their normal class requirements. I will be back to share my experience via pictures and possibly videos. More to come...

Wikis and Assistive Technology

As long as I can remember, technology has changed the way we learn, not only in the K-12 setting but in college and beyond. In this class, I’m learning how software and hardware are applied to students’ learning. I’ve always been interested in ways to motivate students to learn using the latest trends in technology.  With this class, I’ve been able to explore more technology software and hardware to enhance student learning.

 

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During the past week, the class discussed their opinions on allowing their students to utilize wikis as a reliable source of information. I believe the opinions were split 50/50. Some of my peers were strongly against using wikis as a reliable source while others were all for it. One of the questions asked was “What policies could wikis enforce that could garner more confidence from the public?” There were several interesting suggestions, however, the one that stuck out to me was that of Erica, who stated that “Wikipedia could partner with different educational organizations and require that all people who contribute to their wiki are a scholar in their particular area of interest”. I believe that this is something that will gain the trust of the public. It doesn’t change the idea of a wiki because several people are still contributing to the content but have a greater knowledge on the topic. I also had the opportunity to explore different assistive technology for students with special needs. I really appreciated this discussion because students with special needs tend to be left out of the discussions in education. I look forward to learning more about assistive technology and ensuring that what I learn is felt in my organization by the students with special needs.

Some Wiki sites:

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/how-to-use-wikipedia-for-academics.shtml

http://suite101.com/article/5-strategies-for-using-wikis-in-the-classroom-a124331

Assistive Technology Resources:

http://www.iser.com/special-needs-software.html

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/adjunctprofs/2009/10/100-useful-tools-for-special-needs-students-educators.html

Blogging- International Student Collaboration

 

First of all, I’m very excited about starting my first blog. I’ve always wanted to blog but don’t seem to ever have the time or anything interesting about my life to do so. I read a lot of people’s blogs but hardly ever comment.

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Working in an urban education setting, I believe that blogging can be a good tool for our students to enhance student collaboration with students worldwide if you used effectively. Some of the students don’t have the opportunity to travel or experience other parts of the world. Students can use a blogging tool as a way to learn about each other’s culture and background. There are a plethora of tools for students to use to facilitate collaboration; however, a blogging tool will allow students to write to students in other parts of the world. The students will be able to read the responses and ask questions to further their understanding of each other’s culture. Technology has made a way for students to learn beyond the 4 walls of their schools. Blogging is one of the tools that can make this way of learning happen.