What's Your Favorite Technology Tool?

Moodle (UOG)

University of Guam has been using the Moodle system for quite some time now.  I like the fact that some professors are 'going green' by requiring their students to use Moodle to submit their assignments and projects.  This semester, Moodle upgraded and I am still trying to adjust to the new look.  But overall, the old and new Moodle are fairly simple to use.  It is easy to navigate through the pages.  It also allows students to access their grades and feedback posted up by their teacher.  So far, I give Moodle a 5 since I have not encountered any difficulties with the system yet.   

Rating:  5

Firefox   

I have been using Firefox as my main web browser for many years and I have always been satisfied with it.  In my opinion, Firefox has always been a fast web browser and is user-friendly.  The current Firefox is awesome because you get to customize its appearance.  Firefox also made it easier for all users to have more than one website up in a single window.  This means you can have as many tabs open as you want and transitioning between the sites is painless.  I also like the fact that it offers a search bar that allows you to choose a search engine you prefer to use.  Overall, Firefox will stay on the top of my list.  

Rating:  5  

Google Apps (Gmail & Blogger)   

Gmail:  Google offers many service products that you can choose from such as Gmail, Google Calendars, Blogger, Google Scholar, etc.  But the service product that I am most fond of is Gmail.  The day my sister introduced me to Gmail, I fell in love with it!  Since then, I have been using this user-friendly, reliable, safe email service for many years now.  I would have to say that Gmail is quite different from the other email services that I have used.  Gmail provides a decent amount of storage for each account.  Unlike the other email services, Gmail does a good job at filtering out unwanted spam mail.  I would recommend this email service to those who are currently using Yahoomail and Hotmail.  You will not regret it!

Rating:  5

                                                     

                                                    Blogger: 

Blogger is another service offered by Google.  For those who love to blog, they should definitely try Blogger.  It is simple to use and it is free.  You can customize it anyway you want to with the many templates and background images they have.  You can even post from your mobile phone.  The one thing I love about Blogger is that it shares the same features as Google Docs - it automatically saves even while you are typing so you do not have to worry about having to constantly click on the 'save' button.  Although it automatically saves, at times you may encounter an error when you are trying to save or publish your work -- this can be frustrating.  

Rating:  3

Livebinders 

Livebinder is basically an online binder you can create to store anything you want from assignments, important documents, PDFs, to images.  It is just like having a binder in your hands, but in this case it is digital.  This is an awesome tool because it is quite easy to use.  You can organize your work with tabs and sub-tabs.  Livebinders can now be accessed from your iPad, if you have the app.  My only complaint is they need better background colors/images.  

Rating:  4



Wix 

Wix is another tech tool that you could use to create your own website.  This tool offers an array of templates and stylish designs that you could choose from.  You could customize it to match your personality.  This website may be free, but if you wanted the 'extras' (e.g., storage, bandwidth, remove Wix ads), it requires you to pay.  I have seen many of my fellow classmates from my previous classes use Wix to present their projects with and I thought that it would be an easy website to use.  My view changed when my Ed271 group decided to use Wix to present our project with.  Truthfully, I am not a fan of Wix and so are a few of my ED271 group mates.  Although it does state that it is user-friendly, we found it very difficult to use.  A few of us found it a bit confusing.  Overall, this tool is recommended to those who have the patience and are willing to spend for the 'extras' if they need it. 

Rating: 3

Weebly

Weebly is another tool you can use if you want to build a website.  I have used Weebly in the past and I find it way much easier to use than Wix.  Weebly offers many stylish themes to design your website with.  Another good feature of Weebly is the simplicity of managing the pages.  All you have to do is 'drag and drop' the page tabs to where you want it to be.  You can also have tabs and sub-tabs.  Personally, I think Weebly is an outstanding tool because it is so simple to use.  I wish all website builders were like Weebly. 

Rating:  5

Prezi

If UOG students aren't using PowerPoint for their presentations, then they are definitely using Prezi.  Prezi is another type of presentation tool that many prefer to use once they master the tool.  This tool is unique, fun to use and it never fails to amuse students who never seen or used Prezi.  Unlike PowerPoint where your information comes in slides, you can be creative with Prezi.  You can navigate through your information in a non-linear fashion.  You can also zoom in and out on information you want to emphasize.  First-time users may get a little confused, but after a while you will get the gist of it. 

Rating:  4

ooVoo 

If you are a regular Skype user, try using ooVoo!  ooVoo is a similar version of Skype, but better.  It is high quality, user-friendly and free!  It is a great communication tool that allows you to videoconference with up to 12 people (for PC users).  Not to forget, it also includes a mobile chatting feature where you can video call with up to four people.  The only downside to this tool is that you must have good internet connection in order to receive high quality video calls.  Also, since my group was responsible for learning about it and demonstrating it to the class, each videoconference call we did had a two-second delay each time we talked.  This did not bother me, but for those who might consider using ooVoo, it may be a problem for them.  

Rating:  3.5 

Rating Scale

1 - Poor

2 - Fair

3 - Average

4 - Good

5 - Excellent

Reference

Blogger. (n.d.).  In Wikipedia.  Retrieved November 24, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blogger.svg

*The rest of the images are all personal screen shots taken by me*

*All the tools I rated are hyperlinked*

Digital Safety First!

 

Can you imagine the world without technology?  I certainly cannot.  Most of us benefit from what technology offers and it has made our lives so much easier.  Communication can occur in a matter of seconds.  Paying your bills online with the click of a mouse is better than standing in line.  Shopping has become easier.  Games can now be played online with friends who do not have to be in the same geographical area.  Social networking websites offer a way to get a hold of old and new friends.  Since the emergence of texting, texting has become the popular form of communication most especially with adolescents.  As we rely on technology for various reasons, can we assume that what we do is safe? 

There are many risks that we need to take into consideration concerning the digital world.  Without the current knowledge on digital safety, those who use technology on a daily basis may encounter many problems such as identity theft or personal privacy being breached.  On Guam, adolescents in particular, must be taught the responsibility of digital safety since majority of them are regular users of the internet and are avid texters.  According to Common Sense Media (2012), “For preteens and teens, the Internet is social”.  It is considered an outlet for them to express themselves in many different ways.  As future educators, it is our responsibility to educate our students and influence them to practice digital safety.  Before we can instill that on them, we need to model it ourselves. 

Having to do this digital project made me realize the importance of digital safety.  The topics that were covered in class were very informative and intertwined together.  The knowledge I gained can be used to influence others and my students once I start teaching.  I feel that all adolescents whether they are technological users or not, must be educated in all five topics that we just learned.  The internet is an open playground for cyberbulling, identity theft and other scams. 

As a future educator, I feel it is crucial that we must take the time to enlighten our students on these topics.  First, I would briefly go through the topics with my students in class.  Next, I would have them get into groups and I would assign them a topic to research on.  After gathering all the important information, they would need to create a skit to show their understanding.  Having the students perform their skit in front of the class would be an easier way for the others to comprehend the material.  Afterwards, we would conclude the lesson with a discussion on ways to protect themselves.  According to Dunn (2011), we need to “help our students set personal boundaries”.  Teaching your students ways to set their personal boundaries is helping them practice digital safety. 

Overall, this assignment is beneficial for all of us considering that we will be out in the field teaching.  Having us work in our groups for this project allowed us to work cooperatively.  We used Google Docs as the tool to share the information we gathered.  For our presentation, the main tool we used is Wix. 

 

References

Common Sense Media. (2012, March 19).  Internet safety tips for middle school kids.  Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-for-parents/internet-safety-tips-middle-school-kids

Dunn, Jeff. (2011, October 24).   The teacher’s guide to keeping students safe online.  Retrieved from http://edudemic.com/2011/10/student-online-safety-guide/

Enabling Dreams with Assistive Technology

        When people hear the word ‘technology’, they associate it with many different ideas or devices. For many of us, it can simply mean an easier way to communicate with someone across the world or simply a useful device that allows us to perform many of our daily tasks.  While for some, it holds great significance to them particularly for individuals with disabilities.  As we witnessed technology progress over the years, it has impacted our society tremendously.  We see it in the business world as well in education.   Many have become heavily dependent on technology that it has become a necessity that many cannot live without because it assists us in our daily lives.    

In the educational setting, technology has its positive effects in the classroom.  It can be used to supplement classroom learning or more importantly, it can help students with disabilities keep up with their peers including achieve what a normal person is capable of achieving.  They too, can be successful like everyone else.  In the video, assistive technology has been very helpful for college student, Susanna Martini.  Susanna stated “Assistive technology is the major foundation of my life.  Without it, I could not assist as I am today”.  (Ellis, 2005).  Diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Susanna relies on assistive technology for mobility and a way to get her assignments done. 

As future teachers, it is important to keep in mind that lesson plans have to accommodate every single student sitting in our classroom.  Lesson plans should be modified when needed.  When modifications are done, this gives every diverse learner including those with disabilities a chance to be successful participants in the classroom.  They will all benefit as they will share the same opportunity to learn the lesson.    

         Teachers are also encouraged to keep up with the newest and most useful assistive technology available in the market.  Before any student with special needs can utilize any assistive technology, the teacher must be ready to take on extra tasks to ensure that all needs are met in their classroom.  According to Steele-Carlin (2011), “As with other technologies, training is essential to successful use”.  For the student to fully benefit from any assistive technological device, teachers must have the knowledge and ability to properly use the device before teaching their students to master that certain technology. 

           I feel that assistive technology is wonderful and it can bring out the best in individuals with disabilities.  As assistive technology slowly makes its way into the classroom, I feel that teachers have the power to help disabled students achieve their goals and dreams.  By altering lesson plans and including assistive technology to accommodate students with disabilities, learning is possible.  After watching this video, I now understand the importance of assistive technology.  Technology will continue to advance as the years go by and it will forever continue to make huge differences in our lives. 

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References

      Ellis, K. (Producer). (2005, February 02).  Assistive-Technology: Enabling Dreams [Video File].  Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/assistive-technology-enabling-dreams-video

     Steele-Carlin, S. (2011, June 15).  Assistive Technology in the Classroom | Helping Challenged Kids Get the Most from Learning.  Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech086.shtml

Addition Attack Reflection (Online Educational Game)

Addition Attack is an online educational mathematical game that allows for anyone to build or sharpen their math skills.  We use math in our daily life and many people do not realize the importance of math.  Teaching math is essential in order to help our students build the necessary skills in order for them to succeed.  Since math can be taught across all content areas, we can supplement classroom learning with many resources.  One great resource is online educational games.   

Having students do online educational games is one great way to ensure that the learning does not stop.  They are great tools for building or strengthening the important skills that are needed in life.  Although online educational games may be a fun way to learn, it must be evaluated by the teacher to see if the game is appropriate for the students.  This class gave us a chance to work as a group to evaluate the game we chose. 

As a group, the biggest hurdle that we had to overcome was the construction of the rubric.  Rubrics are important tools for evaluating an activity or a student’s work, so we had to ensure that the criteria we choose are appropriate.  We wanted to create a rubric where the criteria are observable, measurable and straightforward.  We did not a want rubric that had too many criteria or a rubric that was lacking criteria.  Additionally, thinking of good descriptors for the criteria was also another task we found challenging.  We had a rough time deciding the right words to use to ensure that all the descriptors are parallel and consistent. 

Overall, this group project was a great experience for all of us.  It gave us the opportunity to not only learn how to create a rubric, but also a chance to evaluate the game we chose with the rubric that we created. 

Voki link

Here is the link to the avatar I had made at Voki.com:

http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=6515605&height=267&width=200

Hello, my name is Shella.  I am currently enrolled in ED271-01.