iMovie

After much time and frustration my iMovie video is finally finished. This is an awesome idea for making learning interesting, but I do not think I will be using this in my classroom. I am a bit of a perfectionist, so this video took a lot longer than it should have. I chose a topic on the Civil War because some children think this is a boring topic. I could possibly see myself using this video idea for a shorter, simpler video, but I think I may have my work cut out for me if I try using this tool often. Cool idea, I just don't think it is for me.

Excel

The Excel spreadsheet project was fun! I always thought Excel was very complicated, and I never had a real use for the program. However, the idea to use Excel for an interactive quiz is great. I chose "Parts of a Sentence" as my topic. While working on the project I thought of tons of other topics and ways to use this in my classroom. I will definitely be using this tool as an enhancement to teaching and learning. I did think that the formatting was at times difficult, but the outcome is very worth it.

Inspiration Inspires

Using inspiration to create a diagram was both fun and efficient. The quick and easy to use graphics, templates, and editing tools made creating this diagram less stressful than previous diagrams I have created before. I enjoyed browsing through the many graphics supplied, and that's actually how I got my idea for this matter web. Setting up the design and layout was fairly easy, however, I did have some difficulty getting the linking arrows to curve correctly. I also enjoyed how you can add a link to the words as seen on the main topic in this example. I have linked an education site that supplies more detailed information on the topic. Overall, this is a great tool that I will most definitely use in my future teachings.

Animoto

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

This video is made from the popular Animoto Web2.0 tool. The whole video creation and editing was free, however, it is only 30 seconds. For longer, more advanced videos, a membership is required. I chose a few pictures from my trip to Myrtle Beach this summer. The Ripley's Aquarium was a great place to visit, and I got a ton of great pictures; so, I decided to share some of them here!

Scavenger Hunt

The scavenger hunt was awesome! Although I think we had one of the hardest topics, the hunt was a lot of fun. Our group got to search for opposites throughout campus and take 10 different photos. Some other topics were: colors, shapes, and alphabet. The activity was a group and individual project. The group took the pictures together and uploaded them. The individual part was a presentation of the pictures found. Below is a slideshow of the presentation I made. I will definitely try and use this in my classroom if I have all the right tools. I think that this is a fun and unique learning project.

Digital Images + The Classroom

I really enjoyed the digital image assignment. I liked using the five different picture collecting techniques: digital camera, scanning, free online image, screenshot, and clip art. Picture taking is a hobby of mine, and so, this assignment was really fun to me. I think that the digital camera, clip art, and free online images will be the most useful to my special education classroom. I think that the screenshot and scanning may be more useful for another type of classroom. Images will be a helpful tool to incorporate into lessons for special needs children. Many students with special needs get a great benefit from visual learning; so I can definitely see myself using this in my classroom.

Lesson Plan

I really enjoyed make the lesson plan, however, it was much more difficult than I expected. Describing all of the standards and steps were a little time consuming, but the biggest challenge was modifying the lesson plan for special needs children. I chose to work with Mariannina and alter her English lesson plan to meet the needs of children with learning disabilities. The task was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but when all was said and done I really enjoyed the assignment.

Google Docs

Google does it all, and this makes it very easy to keep different works in one centralized location. Google Docs is great because you can save your work in a place that does not take up space on your hard drive. It also allows you to access your documents from any computer that has internet which is handy. I see myself using this for backing up important docs and maybe to share with colleagues. However, I found myself becoming irritated with the limited formatting; so, I don't think I will use it very often.

WebQuests

I have probably used WebQuests before in some shape or form, but I have never been on the creation side of things. The process of creating is different and exciting. I will definitely use WebQuests in my classroom. I will be working with children with various special needs, and this Web 2.0 tool will allow each student to work at their own pace while also expanding their learning potentials. I also like that you can make lessons with different difficulty levels. This is especially appealing to special educators because we will see many different age groups throughout a day. I am very impressed and anxious to use in my classroom.

Wikis

     I am so glad we learned about this tool in class because I now love Wikis. I think the concept is great, and I have already started a Wiki in another class to collaboratively complete a study guide. I see how Wikis will be useful in my future teaching career. I think that students will enjoy using a Wiki to complete research and presentations. Also, I think that this tool will make it easier to communicate with other teachers and colleagues.

Web 2.0

     The Web 2.0 assignment was both informative and fun. Through the assignment I learned about a lot of programs that I had never heard of before. I also learned about some new and creative ways to use programs I was already familiar with in the classroom. For example, I never thought that Google Maps or Twitter could be used in class, but through the presentations I figured out that these tools can be very educational. My personal favorite Web 2.0 tool is Glogster. The presentation given in class displayed all of Glogster's awesome tools and design. I see myself using Glogster to create lessons and newsletters, and I also think that it would be a great resource for student projects. I also like Wordle and I will probably use it for unique titles. I feel as if I will utilize Glogster in my classroom more than any of the other tools. However, I do think that the other programs are very helpful and I see myself using those as well.

Website Evaluation Reflection

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/


     The website that I evaluated was a teacher utility site published by Pearson Education. This assignment helped me to pay attention to the small details I often overlooked. A reliable reference is one large detail I will now pay closer attention to on educational utility sites. I found myself questioning more of the information presented in front of me, and with this site all of the references checked out positively. I definitely recommend checking out the link above for any of your future teaching needs. This site is awesome.

Website Evaluation Tool

http://library.duke.edu/services/instruction/libraryguide/evalwebpages.html

     I found this website by Google searching .edu domains only. I checked the more prestigious schools' websites and found that Duke's library site has a good website evaluation guide. I liked that there where detailed tips and ideas on how to scrutinize a web page. I feel like this site is definitely very helpful and easy to use.

Self Introduction

     My name is Jessica Boatman, and I am a special education major. I am a junior at the University of Tennessee, and I plan on graduating in spring of 2012. I will then begin my internship in the fall of 2012. My main focus in special education is slight learning disabilities and behavioral issues. I plan on working in a resource center at an elementary school where I will see many different age groups throughout the day. 

     I have a true passion for children. I work at a local after-school care program at Pond Gap Elementary. I am involved in the Council of Exceptional Children (CEC) which is a group that focuses on all aspects of special needs children. Also, I was recently selected as one of two students to represent the College of Education Health and Human Sciences on the Dean's Advisory Board. 


     In my free time I love to stay busy. One of my favorite social outings is sushi with my girlfriends. I have a little sister in the BBBS program and we have a lot of fun shopping, swimming, and baking together. I am recently engaged to a logistics major at UT, and we plan on getting married after graduation. I am a family girl and love going back to visit my hometown when I can. I hope that my fiancé and I will find jobs close to our families, so we can move back after graduation.

Technology & Me

     I began using technology in elementary school where I learned the basics of computers and internet. Using technology in schools has improved my computer skills and allowed me to utilize more of what technology has to offer. I now use technology daily for checking personal accounts such as e-mail and banking, surfing Facebook, doing homework, and browsing.  I feel very comfortable using technology, and I owe this mostly to what I have learned in school. I believe technology should continue to be used in schools especially as the world becomes more technologically centered. I am excited to learn all the new and interesting ways technology is being used in schools today, and I hope to use these ideas in my classroom in the near future.