Week 2

Blog 2

This week in Educational Technology focused on the use of spreadsheets and databases in the classroom. I have used MSExel extensively for a variety of tasks from creating schedules, tracking budgets, managing staff and resources, keeping lists of supplies and materials and many other things.  I have also used MSAccess databases for mailing lists, creating invoices, tracking data and reporting to name a few.  In many of my past employment positions, I was the ‘go-to’ person regarding Excel and Access.  I have always found them fun to work with because I liked to see how they can manipulate data.  I have never enjoying looking at a plain screen full of white boxes and gray outlines.

I did not think much about spreadsheets and databases in classrooms until this week.  I can see a lot of merit in teaching students to use databases and spreadsheets and have been struggling on how to make it fun.  I was pleased to find ‘Internet 4 Classrooms’ and their suggestion of how to make spreadsheets more exciting and visually appealing.  Their website is: http://www.internet4classrooms.com/single_use_ss.htm  By simply coloring in selected boxes and using some text boxes, some numerical boxes and some clip art, spreadsheets can be more engaging to students than I would have thought.

I also enjoyed reading the suggestions on using databases for classroom management at: http://www.ehow.com/how_7721860_use-database-classroom.html  This site gave simple quick suggestions on using databases for classroom management and tying a lot of information together.  For example, I was surprised to realize that I could and should create a record for every student.  That record can have the students contact information, health information, emergency contacts, grades, favorite things, motivational tools and much more.  Teachers must know all of these things, but I had not thought of tying them all together in a database to be retrieved easily.

I am not teaching yet, but as an inspiring science teacher, I would like to have my students use databases and spreadsheets together to record, store, organize and retrieve information that they observed as results during a variety of science experiments.  For example, if students are experimenting with water quality, they can record the results of how fast the water moves over compacted vs. uncompacted soils.  Another experiment could measure how much particulate matter water can pick up as it moves downhill.  If a database was set up with these (and more) results, they can be retrieved and calculated together to find out how much particulate matter can be absorbed into uncompacted soils.

Technology Exploration 4

Bubbl.us & Wise Mapping

1.	Describe what you learned from exploring this resource.  Be thorough in your response.
	I learned about mind mapping software programs from Bubbl.us and Wise Mapping.  Instead of brainstorming on scraps of paper that can become lost or thrown away, on-line mind mapping can organize, save and share the brainstorm sessions and can be shared with multiple users wherever an internet connection is available.  Mind mapping can help people visually organize their thoughts using a diagram with a main concept or idea in the middle surrounded by related thoughts and information.  Completing the mind maps on computers excites students by allowing them to change colors, sizes, and fonts to make it more visually appealing and fun than just pencil on loose-leaf paper.  The mind map that I created using bubbl.us is below.
2.	How could you use this resource in a school setting?  It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
	Mind mapping can be used to help students organize their thoughts before writing reports or creating presentations.  Using the on-line software, students can brainstorm for group projects each from their own homes.  Also using the on-line or a computer based mind mapping software, students do not have to compete with who has the best handwriting or who keeps the groups notes. Bubbl.us and Wise Mapping both allow sharing of the maps among users.
3.	Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth.  Why or Why not?
	I would recommend the use of on-line mind mapping for classroom use to help students get organized for projects, presentations and reports.  Both Bubbl.us and Wise Mapping were very easy to use and had colorful and user friendly buttons and user options.  I would like to see an option to export the maps into a MSWord or Publisher format to better integrate it into other applications.  I was able to save a mind map into .pdf using my own .pdf writer.  Both softwares have free options though you do need to register in order to save and share your maps.  For a fee, you can upgrade to use more options.  I think that the free packages have enough options to most student use.

Technology Exploration 5

Animoto

1.	Describe what you learned from exploring this resource.  Be thorough in your response.
	I learned that Animoto is an on-line photo and video sharing website. Users can use a basic version for free to make up to 30-second videos using their own photos and Animoto’s music, animation and background scenes.  Users can select for-fee options to make longer videos and use commercially licensed songs.  Users photos can be uploaded straight from their computer, cell phone or from multiple social networking websites.  To look at the video I created in just a few minutes, go to: http://animoto.com/play/XXC8hsPQULQw5UcfVoTZYg
2.	How could you use this resource in a school setting?  It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
	Animoto could be used for class projects or presentations.  I would like to use it to create animated videos at the end of the year showing what the class did as a review of the year.  It would also be fun to use at the beginning of the year to show the students what they will be doing and what to look forward to.  Students would like to use it, because it is very easy to use and they can create video presentations after field trips and vacations.  Simple videos could even be used to teach or reinforce reading and language development skills, ie: show a picture of an apple while the word APPLE is the caption. Videos can also be e-mailed to other people and saved to be posted onto social media websites.
3.	Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth.  Why or Why not?
	I would not recommend Animoto.  I found this program to be similar to Photopeach, yet without the security and class settings that Photopeach offers.  If teachers require a free program, Animoto would fit the bill.  It was very easy to use and the basic version is free.  I think this is a fun software package that would make it exciting for students to create video reports and presentations.  The challenge would be to use this software when it is actually necessary, not just when it’s fun.  It is very easy to spend a lot of time trying to make a fun video rather than spending time on classwork (speaking from experience).

Technology Exploration 6

Google Docs

1.	Describe what you learned from exploring this resource.  Be thorough in your response.
	I learned that Google Docs in inaccessible and automatically transfers over to Google Drive.  Therefore, my technology exploration will focus on Google Drive.  Google Drive is an on-line storage program where a user can store, access, manipulate, edit and restore documents, files, images, and videos up to 5GB total for free.  All of the stored files can be shared with other users and editing privileges can be granted by the owner of the file.  Files can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. It seems that the only major difference between Google Docs and Google Drive is that Drive requires a software download before you can store files and Docs did not require a download.
2.	How could you use this resource in a school setting?
	Google Drive can be used in a school setting by a teacher wanting to share students files with parents.  It can also be used for students to store work that they have completed at home and access and edit it at school.  No longer can a student use the excuse “The dog ate my homework”.  Homework cannot be lost or forgotten at home or on the way to/from school.
3.	Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth.  Why or Why not?
	I would not particularly recommend the use of Google Drive in a classroom.  Although it is a relatively easy software program to use, it will take new users a bit of time to get used to the interface.  I do think that it is useful to share files among users, but feel that this is better suited for a professional setting rather than a classroom.  For faculty and staff, Google Drive would be a nice software program to have to share files throughout the school if a network server was not available.

Photopeach

1.	Describe what you learned from exploring this resource.  Be thorough in your response.
	I learned that Photopeach is an on-line slideshow making program.  Photopeach has an Photopeach Class Premium which is intented for teachers to manage many student files.  Students can each have their own accounts (which do not need e-mail addresses) and the teacher can manage how they are shared and used.  Photopeach Class Premium is a for-fee program and maintains high security on class files.  Student work will not be publicly displayed, students do not see advertisements, nor can they accidently delete files or accounts.  Photos can be set to music and manage the transitions to make video slideshows.  Photopeach does have a much simpler free version available to the public.
2.	How could you use this resource in a school setting?  It does not matter if it is in your field or level, you need to understand how the resource might be used in educational settings.
	Photopeach can be used by students to create reports and presentations in video slideshow formats.  This would be especially fun for students to make as a review after field trips.  They could also be used to show parents a slideshow of students work.  One set of students could make a slideshow to teach another set of students about their home cultures or classic art or other topic of interest.
3.	Would you recommend this resource to other educators? Like/Dislike; Ease of use, fee or not, and so forth.  Why or Why not?
	After reviewing both Photopeach and Animoto, I would recommend Photopeach.  I liked both programs and really appreciate the security settings on Photopeach Class Premium.  Photopeach does charge up to $25 per month, but I feel that this minimal charge is worth the expense.  I think that eliminating the students’ ability to ‘accidently’ delete a file and advertisements is worth the hit on the budget.  It is very user friendly and very easy to share slideshows through social networking sites.

Mind Map from Bubbl.us