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Social Media

I had the pleasure of reading, “Why I Use Social Media in My Classes” by @heyjuliesmith. I was interested in reading this blog to read her thoughts about using social media in her class. Every class that I have been in has a strict no social media policy. It is always interesting to see the other side of a concern. Her number 1 reason for using social media in the classroom is that technology offers so many functions for the classroom that it doesn’t make sense to ban them from the class. She mentions Kahoot as one of her favorites to use in class. I have used the website in some of my college courses and they have always been a fun addition to a lesson. Number 3 on her list is that she uses a quick cell phone activity to break up her lecture and to give the students a brain break. I could understand this position because it is tough to sit and listen to someone talk for an extended period. With younger students we use GoNoodle to give them a much-needed brain break. I can...
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Technology in Education revisited

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I learned a lot about technology in education while in this course. I can admit that I was not overly concerned about using a lot of technology in the classroom. In my current class, we only use the smartboard from time to time. Being that I work in a preschool room, we are encouraged to only use the smartboard for more than a few minutes per day (our class is 2.5 hours per day). This fall, I will be student teaching in a 1 st /2 nd grade room, so I am beyond excited to use some of the tools that I have learned about. A favorite tool of mine is screencastify . I had never heard of the application and was nervous to begin using it. I wan unable to figure out how to use it for the first blog that required it but I was able to use it effectively for the next one. I learned how to add my voice and to switch between screens all while making a video for my students. I can see this being a big help when letting my students independently follow a tutorial just as they have done using y...
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Data Dig

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When it comes to the information that there is about us, a lot of personal information is online. Some of the things are connected to what we post ourselves, but others is public information. I was given an assignment to use search engines to find out what information was about myself online. I was a little nervous to see what I would find out but I was excited to see what I could find. When searching to learn more about myself I was not shocked at what I found. I was pleasantly surprised that everything that was connected to me was fairly accurate. One thing that continued to come up on every search engine that I used was the Mercedes Benz car dealership. Even when I used my last name in connection with my first, the car continued to show up. I always hear comments about my name so I am used to it but it was funny to see it repeatedly. Source: Bing.com search When searching youtube.com and linked.in.com I did not find any information about myself. I was happy because I do n...
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Personal Learning Network: Welcome to Twitter

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Before this assignment, I had never been on Twitter and did not plan on joining. I had stayed away from the app because I wanted to limit my time on social media but I was pleasantly surprised when I joined for this assignment. I was able to connect with educational establishments that I knew about and some that I didn't. I admit that I had to learn how to navigate Twitter because it has components that are not available in other forms of social media. I knew that people posted their opinions and quotes but I didn't understand the magnitude of what Twitter could actually be. I was really shocked to see the resources that were available. There are a host of very important individuals that use their platforms to address a lot of the concerns going on in the world. I think that is the most amazing part of Twitter. It is inspiring to be able to read tweets from those in the world that you look up too. Take a look at my Twitter account  @Mercede99536308 Twitter Chat I was able ...
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Thinglink

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Thinglink is a free digital platform that lets users create interactive images and videos for their use. It gives users the opportunity to turn any image into a multimedia experience. It allows you to add tags to any image which serve as links to various forms of information. Using these tags, users can access videos, music, facts, pictures, etc. Anything that you can think of can be enhanced by Thinglink. Thinglink can be used with a web browser or with an app. It is easy to use and would be a great addition to any classroom. The opportunities in the classroom are endless. The ability to take virtual field trips is a personal favorite of mine. I think that that tool alone makes Thinglink worth checking out. There is also a way to view 360 degree images and to build interactive maps. The common factor is that students will be engaged with the material which is a focus of todays’ educational system. The following video includes a variety of tips and resources for using Th...
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Children, Teens, and Entertainment Media: The View From The Classroom When we think of children today, the majority of their time is spent with some form of media. No matter where you turn, children are actively engaged in a video game, tablet, smartphone, social media, etc. Media has taken over as the number one activity that children are involved in.  I have seen this in my own children. My children are 5,7,and 9 and they have no idea how to be bored. They are so attached to their tablets that they cry and whine if they are taken away. I have to schedule screen time for them because they would stay on the tablet the entire time. I have been lucky in that my children have screen time but they are doing very well in school. This may not be the case for all students. Have you witnessed this with children that you know?  Common Sense Media performed a survey titled, Children, Teens, and Entertainment Media: The View From The Classroom that explores how media affec...
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What Does Active Listening Really Mean! When you mention active listening it is more involved then just hearing someone tell a story. In the classroom, active listening means that students are taking an "active" approach to their learning. They are engaged with the material and taking some control over how and what they are learning. The teacher is nearby to serve as a facilitator giving students the opportunity to do some learning on their own. Our activity and how it relates to active listening  My group and I read a blog about student feedback. The students were given a creative project and were given the task of critique the work of their friends. After reviewing the responses, the instructor decided to expand the lesson to include how to give appropriate feedback. Using the transcripts of the previous responses, she cut them into strips and had the students sort each comment into one of three categories: neutral feedback, strong feedback, and nonsense feedback. T...
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