TED-Ed is a new resource to me, but one that I think I will begin using quite a lot.
I love that I can turn any youtube video into a lesson for my students. I think that it could be great for introducing a topic, but also as a homework and/or computer lab assignment for students to learn more on a topic of study. I can imagine posting TED-Ed lessons on my wiki for students (and their parents) to check out at home.
The following is the link to the TED-Ed video that I flipped on "Why Americans Vote on Tuesday?"
http://ed.ted.com/on/DivnIlYI
I chose this video because, with the upcoming election, I think it would be a great conversation starter with my students. The presidential election is such an interesting topic to study, and this video allows students to examine a new facet of this part of history. I also think that it could lead to students wanting to know more about other parts of our government's history.
Some other TED videos that I found interesting are:
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-power-of-simple-words
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/kevin-alloca-why-videos-go-viral
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms.html
Some
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Games and Apps for Learning
The number of games and apps available to the public has grown exponentially over the past few years and so have the possible uses of these and the devices they work with. The use of such resources is increasingly being used in the classroom in a variety of ways and for a multitude of reasons.
Some reasons for using games and apps in the classroom include:
- Increasing motivation and interest in students
- Many games and apps can provide immediate feedback to both the learner and the teacher that will allow for increased monitoring and help notice any needs for the adjustment of instruction
- Often less threatening than more traditional instructional methods
- Provides new and additional ways to review material
- Many of the new technology devices are more user-friendly for children and those with disabilities
- There are games and apps for every subject, as well as apps that can help students with other skills
- Provide the opportunity for more individualized instruction
A major guiding theory for teachers is Bloom's Taxonomy. The advent of using games and apps in the classroom has given teachers many more options for teaching according to the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.
Check out this excellent PDF at http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/Bloom%27s+quicksheets.pdf that explains each level of Bloom's and describes some digital activities that can be used at each level.
Here are some specific apps and games that I like to use for each level of Bloom's Taxonomy.
Check out this excellent PDF at http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/Bloom%27s+quicksheets.pdf that explains each level of Bloom's and describes some digital activities that can be used at each level.
Here are some specific apps and games that I like to use for each level of Bloom's Taxonomy.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Websites I Couldn't Teach Without
While I could probably come up with 100 websites that help me as a teacher, the following are the three websites that I have found the most useful thus far:
1. ALEX: http://alex.state.al.us/index.php/
Purpose- The purpose of the ALEX (Alabama Learning Exchange) website is to provide Alabama state-certified teachers with the courses of study and standards to be taught at each grade level, as well as additional resources such as lesson plans, web resources, and professional development information.
Three reasons I love this site-
2. Teachers Pay Teachers: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/
Purpose- Teachers Pay Teachers is an open marketplace for teachers to share their original lesson plans and creations with other teachers.
Three reasons I love this site-
3. Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/
Purpose- Pinterest is a place to organize and share all the things that you love.
Three reasons I love this site-
1. ALEX: http://alex.state.al.us/index.php/
Purpose- The purpose of the ALEX (Alabama Learning Exchange) website is to provide Alabama state-certified teachers with the courses of study and standards to be taught at each grade level, as well as additional resources such as lesson plans, web resources, and professional development information.
Three reasons I love this site-
- I love knowing exactly where to go to find the standards that I need to include in my lesson plans.
- The lesson plans posted by other teachers are an excellent source for new ideas.
- I also like that the website allows teachers to create their own personal workspace for storing and submitting lesson plans and teacher web pages.
2. Teachers Pay Teachers: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/
Purpose- Teachers Pay Teachers is an open marketplace for teachers to share their original lesson plans and creations with other teachers.
Three reasons I love this site-
- I love all of the available resources. There is just about anything that a teacher could ever need or want; and some things that you didn't even know you needed/wanted.
- I love that everything on the site is posted by other teachers. Knowing that the materials are coming from someone else experiencing the same sorts of situations as me, and that what they are posting are things that have worked for them gives me a bit of confidence in trying them out myself. Also, I believe that as teachers, we never stop learning; and, the best people to learn from are other teachers.
- The final reason that I love this site is that it provides teachers with a way to not only share their ideas, but also a way to make some additional income. We all know that teachers are not paid nearly enough, so any means to make additional money, especially with something that they are already doing for themselves, is excellent.
3. Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/
Purpose- Pinterest is a place to organize and share all the things that you love.
Three reasons I love this site-
- It is one of the greatest resources that I have ever come across for new ideas. There are more and more teachers using Pinterest now to share their teaching and classroom ideas. I have gotten lesson plan ideas, organization tips, management tips, etc.
- I love how easy it is to use. It is extremely easy to navigate. I also love how it allows me to organize all of the "pins" into boards that I can personalize to suit my own needs. They can be as vague or specific as I want.
- I love that this site is not specific to teachers. I get tons of ideas that were not meant for the classroom, but that are nonetheless helpful to me as a teacher.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
What Digital Citizenship Means to Me
As part of my Technology and Education class, I had to research digital citizenship, what it meant, what some of the requirements were, and why it is important.
Based on my research, I have come to the conclusion that in today's society a good digital reputation is a necessity. We live in a very technologically-centered society and need to not only be in the know and have a strong digital presence, but also make sure that we portray ourselves in the best possible way. This means that we need to get involved in digital activities and social networks, learn the "rules," and put your best foot forward.
When it comes to teaching students about being a good digital citizen, I think the best way to do this is to give them the experience. Having them interact with teachers and peers online in safe, secure situations is an excellent way to teach them about digital citizenship and prepare them for the future when being a digital citizen will be a requirement, not just a choice. I do think it is okay to have students posting work online, as long as it is on a secure site, controlled by a trusted entity, and closely monitored by the teacher. As I said, this real-world practice is going to be the most beneficial way to teach children how to become good digital citizens.
The following Spicynodes mind map provides information on how to act responsibly on social media sites as well as information that can be used to teach students about online behavior.
Based on my research, I have come to the conclusion that in today's society a good digital reputation is a necessity. We live in a very technologically-centered society and need to not only be in the know and have a strong digital presence, but also make sure that we portray ourselves in the best possible way. This means that we need to get involved in digital activities and social networks, learn the "rules," and put your best foot forward.
When it comes to teaching students about being a good digital citizen, I think the best way to do this is to give them the experience. Having them interact with teachers and peers online in safe, secure situations is an excellent way to teach them about digital citizenship and prepare them for the future when being a digital citizen will be a requirement, not just a choice. I do think it is okay to have students posting work online, as long as it is on a secure site, controlled by a trusted entity, and closely monitored by the teacher. As I said, this real-world practice is going to be the most beneficial way to teach children how to become good digital citizens.
The following Spicynodes mind map provides information on how to act responsibly on social media sites as well as information that can be used to teach students about online behavior.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
My Top Ten Favorite Places That I've Been
Traveling is a love and a dream of mine. I love every opportunity that I get to visit somewhere new. I have been lucky enough to visit some really amazing places, but still have a LOT more to go. The following are some of my favorite places that I have been.
10. Sweet Home Alabama
9. Washington, D.C.
8. New Orleans, Louisiana
7. Grand Cayman
6. New York, New York
5. Fort Worth/Dallas, Texas
4. Boston, Massachusetts
3. York, England
2. Edinburgh, Scotland
1. London, England
Web 2.0 Resources
As an assignment for my Education and Technology class we had to create several Web 2.0 resources that we could use to help teach a unit. I chose Biomes, which is a 6th grade Science objective in the Alabama Course of Study.
The first step was to create a concept map using bubbl.us. This site makes creating and customizing a concept map very easy. It's a program that not only could teachers make great use of, but one that would be beneficial for student use as well.
Here is my Biomes concept map: https://bubbl.us/?h=10057d/1e8085/10gu3LQR4DFrc
The next step was to create a Glogster page about our topic. Glogster is a really fun site that lets you create interactive posters on anything you'd like. I think that as a teacher it would provide me with a way to introduce a topic to students in a fun and exciting way. It would also be a great assessment tool to use by having students create a Glogster page at the end of a unit to demonstrate what they have learned.
Here is my Glogster page: http://kjoelleb.edu.glogster.com/world-biomes/
The third part was to create an Animoto video. Animoto is a site that allows you to create videos using your own pictures or video clips, set to music that the site provides, and in a variety of styles offered by the site. The process is very easy, as the site walks you through what to do step by step. This would serve as another great assessment tool for students.
Here is my Animoto video: http://animoto.com/play/2T704fveGaihO3fc3j4zYg
The final resource that I chose to use was the Tikatok book creator. This site allows you to choose from either pre-written stories in which you plug in a few details, story starters, and blank books. I chose the blank book and was able to customize the look, layout, pictures, text, etc. to suit my needs. This is a great way for teachers to either introduce a new topic or for teachers to allow students to learn additional information on a topic. It could also be used as an assessment tool or project for students.
Here is my Tikatok book: http://www.tikatok.com/view/book/earths-biomes
Please check it all out and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear what you think of these resources or if you have any others that you really like!
The first step was to create a concept map using bubbl.us. This site makes creating and customizing a concept map very easy. It's a program that not only could teachers make great use of, but one that would be beneficial for student use as well.
Here is my Biomes concept map: https://bubbl.us/?h=10057d/1e8085/10gu3LQR4DFrc
The next step was to create a Glogster page about our topic. Glogster is a really fun site that lets you create interactive posters on anything you'd like. I think that as a teacher it would provide me with a way to introduce a topic to students in a fun and exciting way. It would also be a great assessment tool to use by having students create a Glogster page at the end of a unit to demonstrate what they have learned.
Here is my Glogster page: http://kjoelleb.edu.glogster.com/world-biomes/
The third part was to create an Animoto video. Animoto is a site that allows you to create videos using your own pictures or video clips, set to music that the site provides, and in a variety of styles offered by the site. The process is very easy, as the site walks you through what to do step by step. This would serve as another great assessment tool for students.
Here is my Animoto video: http://animoto.com/play/2T704fveGaihO3fc3j4zYg
The final resource that I chose to use was the Tikatok book creator. This site allows you to choose from either pre-written stories in which you plug in a few details, story starters, and blank books. I chose the blank book and was able to customize the look, layout, pictures, text, etc. to suit my needs. This is a great way for teachers to either introduce a new topic or for teachers to allow students to learn additional information on a topic. It could also be used as an assessment tool or project for students.
Here is my Tikatok book: http://www.tikatok.com/view/book/earths-biomes
Please check it all out and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear what you think of these resources or if you have any others that you really like!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Introduction
My name is Joelle Bernhardt. I live in Hoover, Alabama with my parents, sister, and our six dogs, three cats, and four hermit crabs. Only one of those actually belongs to me. I currently work as a substitute teacher in Hoover City Schools and am an Alternative A Grad student at UWA. I am working towards my Masters in Elementary Education. I graduated from Spring Hill College in 2008 with a Bachelors of Arts with a double major in Integrated Communications and Electronic Media and a minor in Professional Writing. I never thought that I would ever decide to be a teacher (my mom is a teacher so I know all about the less desirable parts), but after the economy took a downward spiral causing my job to be cut, I began subbing and decided that it wasn't so bad after all.
School and work consume most of my time these days (and don't leave much money for any time leftover). However, when I do have free time (and funds) I like to watch movies, lay out in the pool, read, drive and listen to music, and play with my awesome dog, Fenway.
School and work consume most of my time these days (and don't leave much money for any time leftover). However, when I do have free time (and funds) I like to watch movies, lay out in the pool, read, drive and listen to music, and play with my awesome dog, Fenway.
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