Podcast: Wordfoto

Wordfoto or aTypo picture is an app used on iphone, ipad, and etc, that can be used for educational purposes such as word reference or memorization of specific words.

ASP Tech Club visit # 6

This was the last tech club meeting for cohort #1 and I must admit that I was a titch sad to see this day come, however; it was our best tech club yet at Whittier Elementary. Sierra came prepared with an awesome project so that we would end our session on a light note. The students would create their own comic strips using the computer while incorporating into their comics five specific words that we had given them and then color them with just regular markers. I went down and got the kids as usual and we actually had nine kids which was a relief since last week we only had two. If that had happened again it would have been two students and six instructors since we had cohort #2 observing us and that would have been slightly odd, but that didn't happen we had nine kids. YAY!

To start the class period we made introduction of ourselves because we had a lot of new students that had not previously been to a tech club and then we had cohort #2 make their introductions as well. We went over the rules while students went and grabbed their computers. However, since something wrong has always gone amiss with us it stood to be the same today and thankfully it was nothing drastic. The Google URL shortener that Sierra had made to get to the website was blocked on the computers so we just got onto the website, readwritethink.org, for the students so that they could start their comics right away. We then spent the next 45 minutes circulating seeing what students had created and answering any questions that arose. A few students got their comics done early enough to where they could color them but most kids worked on their strips up until it was time to leave.

It was a good end to a very education learning experience, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I learned how to adapt in a school environment with elementary kids which was educational for me, and it is my hope that the kids in our tech club took something away as well. Also I will miss the few students that we had consistently throughout these past five weeks; they were enjoyable to work with. Also I hope that we informed the second cohort well enough so that they are prepared with several ideas for next week.

Digital Storytelling Contextual Analysis

For the Digital Storytelling assignment I decided to make a short movie about the book Fantomina, a short summary of the book. As an hopeful English teacher I thought this to be an excellent idea because when I was in school teachers were always asking for a typed summary of the reading as well as certain reoccurring themes in the book. With some books I thought this was a great idea because I had trouble with the material so writing a summary was helpful but with other books I found it ridiculous because the plot was so straightforward. However, as I came to find out that books have several layers and each person interprets the plot and themes differently. Since students see and interpret things differently they should be able to have the option for choose an assignments to show how they understand the information.

Students will create a summary of a book in movie form upon completing the project the student will have the knowledge to retell the plot of a text and interpret themes of the book in both media, written work, and speech.

CCRA.R.2 Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas

CCRA.R.3 Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop over  the course of a text

CCRA.R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

As a teacher I would use digital storytelling as a creative option for a paper or to diversify assignments. To teach students different methods for analyzing texts as well as presenting information in different medias. Students love to use technology and show off their chops so being able to do an assignment with technology would get them excited enough to do the work. Simultaneously, it shows what they retained from the text and how they effectively research what they cannot remember to put in their project. Also to give them the skills to create a digital story for literature or any subject, because it is apparently handy to know especially in college! If a colleague challenged my methods of using digital storytelling I would inform him that it allows the students to not get stuck in ruts of writing papers, allows them to be creative, and allows them to show more of their interpretation of the text that they would be unable to show in a paper. Diversify methods of retention allows for new pathways to be formed in the brain so that students will be able to comprehend and retain more information.

ASP Tech Club Visit #5

This was our last visit to Whittier elementary that we were own before the second cohort joins us in the tech club. We had hoped to work with the Prezi program so that the students could finish their presentations. If we could not get on to Prezi we would try and do a skeleton writing project. Where the students would write for a couple minutes then switch computers and continue other students stories. Then at the end when each student got back to their own computer they would add some pictures to their story. Then if there was time at the end the students would present a summary of their story to the rest of the class.

Once again we could not work with the Prezi program because the computers were not updated and we hit a glitch the the writing only having two students in tech club between the three of us. Also we had to move to a different location since Destination Imagination was in the library and the mobile computer lab is a pain to moves. It isn't quite mobile. At one point we had three students but then he decided that recess was more to his liking. The two we had were tech students that we already had so for the first ten minutes we let them go on to pbskids.org while we discussed our options. We decided that we would do the writing project but use PowerPoint so at the end they could add pictures more easily. This didn't go over so well since they wanted to stay on PBS and play games. However, after exerting a little authority they reluctantly got off the Internet and started the writing project. We spent the rest of the time on this project they would write for five minutes creating a story using specific words we gave them for each round. Since it was only the two students and just us three instructors we lightened the mood with some music. After several rounds when they arrived back at their computers again they went back onto the Internet and found pictures to go with their stories. Since there stories were quite short they were able to present them to one another since it was only the two of them.

Next week the second cohort will be joining us in tech club since we arrive a few minutes early we will confer with them on how they would like to go about this visit and hopefully there will be more than two students.

ASP Tech Club Vist #4

Of course we arrived early to see if the computers were behaving this time but of course they had not been updated so we were unable to continue with our Prezi lesson. So we came up with some ideas that we might have the students use PowerPoint with a research project or a fun interactive educational website. We were more prepared for curve balls this time around.

I went down to the gym to get the kids and during this visit to Whittier Elementary we only had four kids that came to tech club and these were students that we had already had in previous visits so when it came time for tech club to start we just jumped right in. We didn't go over the rules but we did have them up on the wall as a reminder. After the kids were quietly seated at the tables they got up and went to get computers. Since there was only four of them we decided to go for the fun interactive educational website of pbskids.org/go, where they got to pick the games that they wanted to play. The first half hour was nice and quiet with the kids with their headphones on just playing games online. I must admit that when just walking around and making sure that they were indeed on PBS they games actually looked really fun and I was jealous that they didn't have some of these games when I was in middle school. Then for the last fifteen minutes we brought the class back together for another fun activity on switchzoo.com where the students had to create their own animal, name it, and create a short bio for it. This was very amusing and the kids are extremely creative. We were going to print a copy for the kids to have of their new animals but we hit a snag with the printing. We couldn't get the computers to print to the printer in the library wirelessly or with cords and unfortunately the librarian was not present to help us with this technical difficulty. At this time Ms. Katelin was in the library with some kids doing Planet Turtle Tuesdays so we asked her if she might know and she didn't but we saved each of their animals to the desktop and wrote down which computers they were on so that they might be printed at a later time.

This visit ran more smoothly than the previous visits even with technical issues. It was nice only have four kids whom were engaged and behaved. However, it was an eye-opener that some days will be heavenly and others will be chaotic, and I need to be on the ball and prepared for any curves. I will admit one thing I am having difficulty with Mac computers they thoroughly confuse me, so I must work on my skills with a Mac computers. Also side note that I've just remembered as I was writing this we forgot to take down our tech club rules and take them back down to the gym along with the markers. Also must make sure to clean-up after each tech club.

ASP Tech Club Visit #3

This visit to Whittier Elementary I was much more confident in going into the schools and working with kids. I've semi-gotten over my irrational fear children. So I was mentally prepared to work around younger aged kids. However, it would appear that I wouldn't need mental preparedness but physical. For this visit we had planned to continue to work on the kids' Prezi presentations about themselves and to become more familiar with it as a tool to use; we encountered a couple hitches.

So we all arrived to the library around 320 and got ready to do some computer work with kids. I went down to the gym and 330 to pick up the tech club kids and bring them back to the library. It was apparently a slow day so the kids didn't get down with snack till about 345 while I waited I pick up our rules and some cat cash from Ms. Katelin. I got the kids back to the library and had them sit down. Then we did table by table and kids got up to get their computers. We put up the rules and went over them. First hitch we only had two of the kids that we had last visit the other five or so were new.  This was easily overcome because they could start their own Prezi and if they need assistance their were three of us to help. Then came the second hitch Prezi had updated its system so the adobe flash player on the computers need to be updated and we did not have the password only the library did and the librarian had gone home for the day.

The kids were already had were disappointed that they wouldn't be able to work on their Prezi presentations and the new ones had apparently had heard of Prezi and also disappointed that they would not be able to create one. Then the kids were trying to get on other internet sites and we had to have them shut their computers on put their hands on their heads to keep from trying to browse the web. Sierra of course being fearless when it comes to kids with all her experiences had a really good back-up plan. It was of course moma.org where kids got to travel through a fictional museum of art which did contain some actual pieces of art from museums around the world and they got to interact with the artwork and even create their own. This kept them preoccupied and fairly quiet for the remaining time. So to make it a learning activity we asked them at the end to write down what they liked most. i.e. artwork, game, and etc. The kids then put their computers back nicely and headed back to the gym.

For next time, we are going to try and work with Prezi again so the kids can finish their presentations and if that doesn't work. I need to come up with a back-up plan between now and then.

ASP Tech Club Visit #2

Tuesday September25th, 2012

  As this was our first time actually leading Tech Club it most certainly had it moments. We had planned an introduction class; each of us created either a PowerPoint or a Prezi presentation about ourselves. They were short, and sweet. Next we would create some club rules with the kids so that we were all on the same page with expectations, and lastly our activity for the day. The kids would create their own PowerPoint or Prezi about themselves and then present it in front of their peers that way we could learn their names and a little about them. All around great plan, however; even with all our preparations we hit a few snags here and there.
  Both Sierra and I got their quite early so we went to the library to set up and meet the librarian whom we did not meet last week. The librarian was quite helpful in showing us how their projection system worked, showing us where giant pieces of paper were, and also she let us know what she expected of us in the library. Everything going pretty good still until I went to pull up my PowerPoint; I have learned that HP and Mac programs have a lack of compatibility. The Mac slide show program had fun editing and rearranging my Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, so I had to quickly fix what I could though I had no idea what I was doing. Macs are like Russian language to me; I don't understand them at all. The same went for Shannon's PowerPoint. We both got them fixed up enough to present to the kids. The next snafu was the overwhelming amount of energy these kids had and that they literally needed a chill pill. Yes, I understand the concept of new people and so we must give them grief but little kids really know how to push my buttons when it comes to being disrespectful and inattentive. So we spent quite a few minutes trying to get the kids to calm down so we could start but it took some time then as we were presenting they thought it necessary to interrupt after every word so more time passed then desired. When we moved onto rules well lets just say not all rules were relevant to tech club or even after school activity in general. Finally we got to the learning activity and that actually went alright; all the kids wanted to make a Prezi, and I can understand that because it is pretty cool. Once we got them on the computers and into making their own Prezi things quieted down and we just circled around helping the students where they needed it. However, we didn't get to presentations because too much time was spent on the first two activities.
  Next Tuesday I shall expect the worst and come with contingency plans just in case of any tech problems. Ms. Katelin has also given us Cat Cash to reward the good students therefore re enforcing good behavior, which will be an incentive to other students to behave. Cat Cash at Whittier is like freshman and sophomore incentive, ChampChange, we have here at MSU. The difference being that the students at Whittier gain Cat Cash for good behavior, and MSU students gain point for being involved but both still use their points for prizes. For next time come with contingency plans, a firm resolve against the overwhelming energy of students, and reward students with good behavior.