EDU630 Final Portfolio Presentation

As I am finishing EDU630...

Frankly, I started this course with a level of skepticism. The lack of enthusiasm was not because I did not believe in educational technology or because I was not tech-savvy. It was because I had a very supportive and skilled tech department at St. John's Prep and I was being prideful in my own abilities.

When we watched Sugata Mitra's TED talk in class, I felt inspired and marveled at the potential that educational technology has. However, I asked myself two questions: can something like that happen in my own classroom, and if so, if this course going to help me with it? I felt like the answers I needed were back at the Prep, and I maintained my skepticism.

When I started reading November's book, that's when I started realizing that there is more to educational technology and various purposes that I had not considered. Especially the tutorial makers who turn into global communicators intrigued me, and the thought that an assessment could hold actual meaning as a resource to the world was mind-opening. I really did not know a lot about educational technology, even those that I should be using every day.

As the course went on, I realized that it is the space for experimentation and the collaboration that happened between the students that really made this class exceptional. I gleaned not only tech tips, but also how to approach technology and how to become a better teacher in general. Units like assistive technology and special education are content that I would not have looked into if it were not for this course, and I am grateful for it as well. I can't wait to implement and think more about the technology that are available to us and the ones that I chose to use.


Here are some example lessons that incorporate technology:

Lesson #1

Lesson #2

Lesson #3

Here are the examples of how I would accomplish the following objectives:

Journal #1: Student Tutorial Designers
Journal #2: Student Researchers
Journal #3: Tech For Admin tasks
Journal #4: Student Scribes
Journal #5: Student Global Communicators
Journal #6: Parent/ Community Relations
Journal #7: Boardmaker (not my own)
Journal #8: Assistive Technology
Journal #9: Classroom Management

App Practical: Accessibility Menu on Apple Products (Assistive Technology)

For every class, I post my completed notes online for students to see, but I also give students who cannot write notes in class the completed notes as well. But aside from that, there are great resources that are offered by iPhones and iPads that provide assistive technology.

Steps to getting to Accessibility:

    1. Go to "Settings" from home screen, then select "General"        

    2. Tap on "Accessibility"

    3. Browse through the options, but I would like to highlight "Speech" function

    4. Students can toggle on "Speak Selection" to have the phone read content at various different     

         speeds to the user. 

App Practical: Showbie (Admin Tasks)

Showbie is the best LMS (Learning Management System) that I have come across that supports many of the admin tasks for not only the teachers but also for students.

Organization is made very easy with Showbie's accessible platform. This keeps track of what the homework and handouts are for both teachers and students, and it easily keeps everything together for students. Showbie has been very helpful in regards to organization, but it is also very helpful with its grading/feedback functions, including voice and drawing capabilities.

There is a cost involved in it, but I think it is well worth the organization and the cloud based classroom that is easy to manage.

 

App Practical: BaiBoard (Student Researchers)

As far as student research goes, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides offer great options. However, BaiBoard raises the level of collaboration to the new level. In BaiBoard, you can set up a "meeting" where you can listen and work on the same project at the same time. Many functions beyond drawing and typing are supported. Its potential uses can be working on group work in and out of class, collaborating on a project, and running a lesson remotely- even a study session before big assessments.

Here are some of the screenshots of the app usage, and here is the homepage for additional information:

 

 

 

Plans for Growth Beyond EDU630

EDU630 has helped me to think about the deeper philosophy and intriguing examples of educational technology, but the aspect I appreciated the most is the space in which to discuss and try different apps and sites. Here are some of the ways that I plan on recreating and fostering opportunities in which I can continue to experiment educational technology and grow as a teacher.

• Feedly: Feedly compiles articles and news that are relevant to the subscriber's interested topics. I have subscribed to sites that are related to education in general as well as educational technology. This is what it looks like.

• Facebook: I will be on the look out for new educational technologies, either posted by my fellow teachers or different ads. I have come across two apps so far that have proven to be very useful, such as Class Craft and KnowRe.

• Edblogs and Twitter: I follow other educators who discuss and implement new and old educational technologies like Kerry Gallagher. On her twitter page, she posts short thoughts, articles, and videos including her own TEDx talks. 

• ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education): ISTE is a conference that invites more than fifteen thousand educators from around the world, creating space for inspiration and innovation through sharing pedagogy. I have been to one of these conferences with St. John's Preparatory School before, and I am planning on attending more.

• Staff meetings: There are meetings within Professional Development as well as casual prep block conversations that allow instruction development in educational technology.

• Information Services Department (IT) /Tech Integrationists: There are staff members designated to work with students and teachers for better instruction and learning experience with technology. I am scheduled to meet with two of them on 12/21/16, and there will be many more meetings with them to discuss pedagogy. 

• Experimentation: Apps continue being created as well as updated. Even as I look for new technology to emerge, I want to keep checking back on the updates on older apps that now accommodate our classrooms. For example, the "draw" function on Microsoft Office apps on the iPad has made those apps very handy in a school system that uses PC. 

Troubleshooting Guide

There are three prominent devices that typically need troubleshooting in my classroom:

• iPads: students and teachers alike will have problems with their iPads, the problems ranging from iBook download, wi-fi connectivity, and frozen apps. Here are some of the tactics that help relieve some of the situations.

• Rebooting: Rebooting means to restart the app, wi-fi, and/or the iPad. Turning the device or app off and back on is like sleeping for the devices, and it solves more than half of the problems that arise. There is a difference between closing an app and turning it off. Closing involves pressing the home button or going to another app, while turning it off requires double pressing on the home button and swiping up on the app that you wish to close. Locking the device by pressing the power button once is also different from turning the device off by holding the power button for approximately 3 seconds. Make sure to reboot by turning off the apps and iPad. 
• App Update: Organizations that make apps constantly make changes so the app can operate best under the new iOS or the iPad update. Keep your apps updated so that the apps work as smoothly. You can do this by going to the "App Store: and tap on "Updates" on the bottom right corner. 
•  **A BIG caveat at SJP: app update and the iOS update are two different things. You must wait until you hear from the Infomational Technology (IT) Department to give a go before updating the iOS. Updating the iOS would require going to "Settings" on the home screen and tapping on "General", then "Software Update". If you update prematurely, your printing or connectivity capacity may get compromised. Once given permission, do make sure to update the iOS for the smoothest function of the apps.
• Manage Storage: make sure to delete the books from last year (they will still remain on the cloud) or apps that you do not need so there is enough storage for additional apps and ebooks. 
• For more troubleshooting guideline, check out Apple's support page

• Apple TV: Apple TV is placed above the projector and there are not too many problems happen with it. However, sometimes there are connectivity issues and when it happens, you can unplug and replug the power cord on the wall as well as rebooting the wi-fi on the iPad. Refer to Apple's Apple TV support page for additional information.

• Projector: Similar to Apple TV, there are not too many things that go wrong with the projector, but when they do, here are the possible sources:

• HDMI cable: check to make sure the HDMI cable is plugged into the wall properly, or the display will be distorted or off.
• Power cord: make sure that the power cord is plugged into the wall properly. 
• Lamp: if the display is tinted, faint, or off while the projector still being on, then contact the IT for a replacement.
• Refer to the pdf manual for the EPSON Powerlite 585w projector.

If the problems persist, call the IT department (x385) or email the Information Services Department.