EME2040

I think I will use reporting tools such as excel when working as a kindergarten teacher in order to keep track of grades. By using a spreadsheet I will have access to it easily online and it leaves less room for error then the older method of keeping a physical gradebook. I can also use it to keep track of contact information for the parents of my students. Being a kindergarten teacher I will be working with kids that might not be used to being away from how for long periods of time so I will need to keep parents updated on how their child is doing and having it all easily accessible will make that process go smooth. When reviewing my classmates blogs I really enjoyed looking at the creative aspects they produced throughout the course, specifically the newsletter and PowerPoint. These gave me ideas that I can use as a future teacher and I was able to see a glimpse of how a personal learning network would work in an education setting. I would like to learn how to use m...

I have looked into the idea of the "flipped classroom" a lot in my EDF1005 class last year. Basically, the concept is that students get videos and online content to look at and prepare to understand before class, and in class there is time for questions on the material, and applying what was learned through assignments. The flipped classroom is a newer idea due to the increase in technology in schools, and although it might not be completely feasible now, it is something that will be more widely adapted in the future. The website Khan Academy has a great source of videos that students can look at before they come in to class so they are prepared to learn the material. https://www.khanacademy.org/ The podcast focused on all things open, such as open education which I find very interesting. It is giving people knowledge they may want to benefit themselves without worrying about money or location. Open content is lectures, notes, sources, and anything that would be h...

Through my individual efforts I got a better understanding of what professional development was, and looked at Edutopia which has some really good resources for teachers to stay up to date on technology trends and teaches you how to implement them in the classroom. When I looked at other people's articles I learned about different conferences that teachers can attend to meet and share ideas.

Adaptive technologies can be very useful in the classroom to make learning more enjoyable and understandable for all levels of students. Using tablets and smart boards can engage students with attention disabilities, and also keep gifted students from getting bored. When I worked at a summer school when I was 16, there were younger students who needed extra schooling in order to learn English as a second language. When they came to camp in the afternoon we would sometimes use translating apps to communicate with them. The challenges for using these technologies, are that not all schools may have access to them, and it may take a long time for teachers to fully understand how to correctly implement them in the classroom. If a classroom of Kindergarteners were learning about the planets they could use PowerPoint in many ways to enhance their understanding through the process of Bloom's Taxonomy. In order for them to remember all the plan...

Today through my individual efforts I learned the importance of adaptive technology for children at different levels, specifically how inversing the colors on a computer can make such a difference for someone that is visually impaired. When I annotated I read about how hands on technology such as smart boards can help students with learning disabilities stay on track with their classmates. Finally, in the group presentations I learned the different ways in which adaptive technology can benefit diverse students, especially those who are learning English.

So far I have enjoyed using Twitter and being able to keep up with the academic community and my fellow classmates. I have learned a lot about education around the world from all the different networks I follow. I also can keep myself accountable by seeing where all my classmates are on their assignments and making sure I am staying on track. I am not someone who is very into social media, so the only issue I am experiencing is remembering to post, but the more often I go on, and the more I learn, the easier it is to remember. I have acquired some new skills through making this website, however I have made a website before so the skills I am learning are transitioning from a website for an assignment, to one I could use for my future class. I like the creative aspect of designing the website however I want, especially because I was very interested in art and digital design in high school. When I make a real website for m...