This week we had to read chapter 5 in TheConnected Educator all about using tools to support connected learning. Social bookmarking helps keep your important and to keep everything organized and to avoids overloading. Good websites for bookmarking and tagging are Delicious and Diigo (which i discussed in a previous blog). My favorite part of the reading was the discussion on blogs, of course they are journal like entries or post like mine. Edublog is a blog made for educators that allows them to communicate with students and their parents which I think is pretty great especially for parents. Two blog readers the chapter discussed was RSS Readers, and Google Reader (which has been discontinued) but these allow you to subscribe and it updates new content instead of showing a bunch of websites. Microblogs such as Twitter, Wikis, and google documents they allow you to share info quickly and swiftly with PLN's. The advice the chapter gives is build your own professional web page or blog, stack the deck in your favor, share your insights, be professional, and track yourself.
This week had to be the most nerve wrecking, anxiety ridden night of class ever. We had to present our social media etiquette presentation, I chose Officer Robert Garceau. A 20 year police officer who was fired over a Facebook post:
this was posted while he was still duty. A citizen was the one who saw the post and was completely taken back they went into the police department to bring it to their attention. The city of Flint MI, this violates their social media policy and the police officers code of conduct. Officer Garceau made this post because of the recent string of homicides in the city especially a recent one were 1 person was killed and the other in critical condition. Nothing has been stated on whether his motion went to court but he was in the middle of filing it in August 2015. Honestly we need to pay attention to what we post it can cost us everything and nothing we can do to erase it from the web.
This was the video I used, it is the perfect example of being careful what you say, if you wouldn't say it to your boss you shouldn't post it.
This week was one of the best we had so much fun in class discovering the wonders of 4d and augmented applications. I can't forget being able to experience virtual reality that was beyond amazing!!! We had our app smackdown this week and there were a lot of apps I ended up downloading. Camscanner is one I've already had it is great especially for anyone who doesn't have access to a scanner. You just take a picture of whatever document you need, take a picture and it adjusts itself, and once your satisfied with the picture you can email it and of course you can add more files to it. Where to go? is a great app for traveling it helps locate grocery stores to doctors, gas stations, malls and so on and it gives you turn by turn directions. One of the most efficient apps we learned about was glass door it is the best app so far to finding jobs. You can search by company see their salaries, see reviews on companies, you can apply , view requirements, and see the benefits (if posted). Medical handbook is one that is useful especially with having little ones. You can see all the drug from ibuprofen to any prescribed medicine, you can look up treatments and dosage intakes.
Zookazam had to be on of my classmates favorite app we got to see. You get either a little square or a big sheet and you can put whatever animal you like and bam it appears on your phone screen. Zookazam article goes over that there are 40 animals to choose from and there is even dinosaurs you can pick. You can take a picture and even a video this is ideal for a teacher going over animals and habitats. There is extra add ons such as weather and lighting effects that can make it appear more realistic. You can have it were it looks like the person is holding it in their hand without the paper. Just check out the video below it will make you want to download the app ASAP!
Aurasma which we learned about in class as well is an app that brings to life the periodic table of elements. The article is about an 8th grade teacher showing his students this new app and decided to have them do an assignment. The students had to prepare a video presentation and they had to use the auras, ipads were stationed for them. The use of the app turned out to be a big benefit to the students when learning about the periodic table elements in depth. The only set back the students found was having to hold it over the aura while watching the video but all in all it was a big help for science. Below is the guidelines for the assignment:
The
Periodic Table
Objective: To learn about the Periodic Table and share
that information with the rest of the class, creating a more complete
understanding of the elements that make up our universe.
Each person will pick a number (1 through 7) and all
the 1’s will get together and research properties found in Group 1, all 2’s
will get together and research properties found in Group 2, all 3’s….well you
get the picture
Each number corresponds to a section in the Periodic
Table as outlined below:
1-
Alkali Metals (include hydrogen)
2
– Alkali Earth Metals
3
– Transition Metals
4
– Metalloids
5
– Non Metals
6
– Halogens
7
– Noble Gases
Each
group will be responsible for researching the properties of the elements within
their group, creating a storyboard outline in your journals, then preparing a
short video synopsis*1 of your findings, and finally creating an
Aurasma Aura/Overlay so other groups in your class can see your video.
The following information will be included in your
video:
1. The elements that make up your group. If you
have the transition metals, pick 7 examples within that group.
2.Physical
properties that are common within your group.
Physical properties to consider are state of matter, melting point,
boiling point, density, conductivity, number of outer shell electrons, and
anything else that seems important.
3.How
does atomic mass change going down the group.
Offer an explanation for why the trend seems reasonable?
4.End
the video with a question about your section in the Periodic Table that another
group will have to research.
synopsis –a brief but comprehensive outline from
the Late Latin, from Greek, literally,
comprehensive view, from synopsesthai
to be going to see together, from syn (together)- + opsesthai to be going to see — more at optic
My personal favorite and I was close to taking one of my prof's cardboard virtual reality box. It was one of the coolest things i have seen in such a long time. I was able to look at a beautiful view of Arizona seeing a beautiful lake turning into a snowy mountain it was unbelievable. In the article Real life application for VR is about google cardboard and it is quite affordable starting around 17$. Presentation hero will help students or anyone who has to present anything from a paper to product. It is still in testing, but this will be amazing it tells you when to speak up, slower, faster, or louder. It also tells you how to keep eye contact, this app sounds great I wish I could use this for my presentation next week. Of course it gives you a timer at the bottom o the screen but nothing drives someone crazier than speaking and not knowing for how long. I will be investing in this app as soon as it is officially released, which I am hoping is sooner rather than later.
This week was pretty interesting we went over different programs that murder a boring ole power point. We talked about Office Mix made by Microsoft but totally redefines an original power point. A few others were Sway, Emaze, Haikudeck (which is my Prof. favorite) Powtoon, and Animoto. Here is the commercial for my class assignment i did using Animoto my Stockton commercial.
Animoto for edication Is all about how it benefits for being useful with educators, and it has a few tools to make it quicker, easy to use and capable of creating high quality finished products. Animoto is free for educators and is available on android and Apple's app store. You can choose different styles, add music, photos and videos can be uploaded directly to it, and you can add text slides.
Haikudeck It is simple not like any of the other tools mentioned, it limits the amount of bullet points. Haikudeck is used more as a crutch rather than a full on presentation, its like having index cards just on a site. You can get it on IOS but it is only available on the Ipad which is a downside, but you can easily get it on a web based version.
10-best-powerpoint-alternatives/ article basically goes over the other great sites to make an awesome side presentation. The mention Prezi, Powtoon, Keynote, Prezentit, and Sliderocket below you'll be able to check out video examples of all of these.
sliderocket
prezentit
This week we had the opportunity to talk to Astronaut Abby, who is by far an incredible young woman. Fresh out of high school Abby has accomplished so much in such a little time, besides being part of Track and Field, gymnastics, and dive team. She has been aspiring to be an astronaut since about 4 or 5 and has not given up on her dream. Abby started The Mars Generation, which is used to educate and get the youth excited about space and STEM. She was a speaker at Space Camp which she said was so surreal since she used to watch all her role models speak on that stage. Finally it was her time to be on there as these kids role model and shine. Social media is how she was able to get her message out to the world. Her actual website is how she has connected with the most helpful connections and her resources from Twitter and Instagram. It started on Twitter using it for quotes in history class, she ended up getting an interview with a NASA engineer. Her hard work paid off when she was able to work with astronaut Luca and started an educational outreach. Abby hopes to be the first astronaut to travel to Mars, follow her on twitter at AstronautAbby. The piece of advice she gave us is "if you meet someone in your career contact them within 24 hours, it is very important." I am still in shock at the fact she is only 18 and has been successful in making her dream slowly turn into a reality, You Go Abby!
In class this week we had to create a Linkedin account and follow professional groups in our majors. I was able to get 1 Forensic group if any can help me expand my search or know of any similar groups please feel free to add me Stephanie S. Thanks for the help in advance!!
The most exciting thing that happened to me on Twitter this week was on the forensic accounts I follow retweeted me! This is coming from a person who despised Twitter and slowly but surely I am starting to appreciate it.
In this weeks reading of chapter 3: Presentation Tools, it goes through all your options besides PowerPoint which many of us still use. Slide share is a tool used by educators and it allows you to upload your presentations and share them with educators around the world how awesome is that. With slide share you can add audio, upload mp3 files, you can even embed YouTube directly inside your presentation. Poll everywhere is one of the simple ways to have students answer open ended or multiple choice by text message. The teacher can opt to have students respond by Twitter, web devices on pollev.com, and by private link as well. Voice thread is basically a site you share photos and videos online and are able to comment on them. Last but not least is Prezi is not your typical powerpoint presentation, it glides through your content. The video I added will give you a better explanation of how Prezi's work, Enjoy!
This week in class we were able to have a Google Hangout video chat with Adam Taylor. He is a high school science teacher in Tennessee, his first passion is science his second is technology. In 2009 Adam was introduced to Twitter and got his students involved, in 2010 he found scientists and in 2011 he had his st online chat with a scientist and started to set up groups for a monthly chat. He calls it #scistuchat which over 150 countries have participated in this event. Adam was able to connect with the US Department of Energy in September of 2015 and his students were able to chat with them as well. Something very important he mentioned about getting out there on Twitter, "its not about the followers its about the connections you make."
I chose to watch a video about Neil Pasricha: The 3 A's of Awesome, he created a website called 1000awesomethings to remind of the simple pleasures in life. He went on to win a Webby award for best blog, he had thing like wearing underwear straight from the dryer. He went on to have a book published called The book of Awesome, the 3 A's stand for attitude, awareness, and authenticity. Attitude is about keeping it positive no more matter how painful the choices you have to make are. Awareness is about embracing your inner 3 year old, like the first time you drive you get a string of green lights or the smell of fresh baked goodies. Its about the excitement you feel just as a child would seeing animals at the zoo for the first time. Authenticity is about being you and being cool with it and always following your heart.
