Parting is such sweet sorrow.

So friends, fellow bloggers, and future technophiles.....

We have arrived at the conclusion of our semester's travels through technology, and I would assert that we're no worse the wear. Personally, I am satisfied with the knowledge and familiarity with educational technology that I have obtained. If I could pinpoint what I gained the most from this course, I would have to say it is the "gumption" (for lack of better words at the moment) to try new technology. Prior to this class, I was very familiar with the old school basics, like Microsoft Office, and I knew my way about the Internet quite well, but I didn't have much motivation to really try anything new. This class pushed me into new programs, such as Inspiration or Google Sites, that will really be helpful when I am teaching. They also were far less difficult than I imagined them. I probably would not have tried these applications if I were not required to use them. So, thank you TPTE 486 for pushing this future teacher outside of her comfort zone.

Danielle's Fairy Tale

Wanna know a little about me and my marriage? Well, thanks to our digital story project in class, you can! I had much fun learning to use Imovie (as well as MUCH frustration). I suppose that is the case for any good technology, though. Not only did I learn to use movie making software, but I now have a film I can treasure in the future!

Concept Mapping-To Kill a Mockingbird

Above is a concept map I created using Inspiration for the book To Kill a Mockingbird. I will be teaching this novel in the fall at Farragut, so I was excited to use this project as an opportunity to make a handout I can use with my students. I am happy with the result, and I found the software easy to use once I learned where applications were oriented in the program.

The handout briefly maps the historical context of the novel, and can serve as a template for taking notes or review for students. I may even use the map as a platform for a research project in which they can choose one of the subcategories to look into-we'll see!

Midway

After completing half of the course, I can honestly say I've both learned a lot and also realized that I already knew much more than I really gave myself credit. Many of the programs we've used are quite similar to other applications that I'm already familiar with; therefore, it has been an easy transition applying my previous knowledge. An example of this would be using Inspiration to make mind maps for my students. While I have never used the software before, it was very user friendly, especially if one is already experienced with other graphic oriented software such as Microsoft Publisher or PowerPoint. Another example would be the wiki project. Again, I had not used a wiki before, yet I found it very easy to manipulate. I think a lot of this is due to programs being oriented around the originals-Microsoft Office and whatnot, which have been around for as long as I can remember using a computer. I am excited to see what other new software I get to try my hand at in the rest of the course.

Need to learn your ABC's?

Below is my Google Presentation of our photo scavenger hunt from class today, with help from my cohorts Lauren, Sandy, and Justin.

Enjoy!

Curiouser and Curiouser-My COLORFUL Digital Collection

Below is my digital collection assignment. The theme, as you can tell, is one of my favorite books-Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and just color in general. I had a little too much fun with this assignment-sometimes I wonder if graphic design might have been my path in life! However, I am terribly excited about using art in the classroom. I love the idea of making literature come to life using stunning images, and it is something I plan to bring into my class.

To Kill A....Google Doc?

I think every teacher knows the importance of proper planning. I'm not going to get into detail about all the pitfalls of unruly students or dysfunctional technology that occurs when lessons are thrown together on a whim.

I will, however, muse slightly on my recent experience with Google Docs while writing a lesson plan.

Pros: The file is easily shared with others. This is really great for teachers within the same school who want to do similar lessons. Also, the file is kept online and never lost even if your home computer crashes! Always a plus.

Cons: Google Docs is at this stage in its development, in my opinion, still a poor imitation of Microsoft Office. While it essentially performs the same actions, it takes the frustration one normally experiences when trying to format things in Word to a whole new level. For this reason, I will probably use Microsoft Office for final formatting of anything I wish to print even if I've worked on it in Google Docs.

And for those who are interested........
Here is Justin Lamb's and my recent Google Docs. lesson plan Photo Interpretations of To Kill a Mockingbird. Enjoy!!!