Tech Play 4
Option 2: Content Objects

I have used the Starfall website at school and with my niece. My kindergarten student really enjoy playing with the many tools on the Starfall website. I downloaded the starfall app for Ipad and Iphone. I allowed my niece to try the app out for me. She expressed to me that she thought it was a lot of fun, and enjoyed that it was on my phone.  I can see how this would be a great app to use on the Ipad and Iphone especially to use with special education students that might not be able to sit at a computer station. I think that this app fits into every category of the TPAK model. I truly think that this app is an amazing app. It teaches literacy skills in a fun and exciting way that engages kids.

The second app that I downloaded was Writing Wizard. I can see the benefits of using this app in my Kindergarten classroom. Many of my students struggle with learning and writing their letters. I think that this app is great because it shows the student how to write the letters from the correct starting and ending point. It uses fun shapes and colors to show the correct tracing of the letters.

I know that both of the apps that I downloaded for my Ipad can be used in the classroom with both general education students and special education students. I know that one of my special education students that would benefit from both of the above apps is a little boy that is missing parts of his index and thumbs on both hands. He has difficulty using a computer mouse and holding a pencil. Both of these apps would be great because he does not need a mouse or a pencil to use them.

I would like to set these apps up to use as a station during center time. I think that this would be great to use for students in a wheel chair or to even make the use of the app mobile. I had a lot of fun playing with these apps and know that my kids will love to play with them even more.

Tech Play 3

This week I explored the various apps given that you could play with on the Ipad. There were several of the apps that I wanted to play with, but they were not free. Here is a list as follows of the apps I wanted to play with, but did not purchase: Ansel & Clairs Adventure, Explain Everything, ComicBook!.
      I tried to pick apps that I thought my kindergarten aged students would like. Apps that were easy to navigate and produce a product.
    I downloaded the Toontastic app, as well as their Sherik and Pirate form of this app. I created several animated videos with voice overs. I thought this was  great tool to use for recall and use during the ELA block. However, I am sure with some creativity you could apply the use of this app to any subject matter.
   I also looked at the word seek HD app. This would be a great tool to use for helping our students learn to spell.
     I have in the past used windows movie maker to make presentations with music to show to my students. I also made a end of the year slide show of pictures of my students through out the year, animated it and put it to music. I found windows movie maker very easy to use.
   All of the apps I have listed fit into the TPAK model, because they allow students to show what they know, and then apply that content to their world making the information relevant to them.
     The apps listed are great for use in a special education classroom where mobility might be limited. This will help to level the playing field making the students more equal. I take my Ipad to school and have numerous apps that my students use. One of my students is missing his parts of his thumb and index finger. The Ipad is great for him. He is able to do things on the Ipad that he would never normally be able to do. His disability does not impair him using the IPad. He is able to use any app on the Ipad and be just like any other student in our class. The possibilities available are limitless.
     It is important to know how to use creativity tools that your bring into your classroom, because you need to be able to properly teach your students how to use the app. You need to be there and be able to trouble shoot the problems that are going to arise. Creativity tools are a great resource to have in the classroom. They can present the information that you are trying to impart in a whole new way. You can address numerous learning styles by using an Ipad.
    Kids are just drawn to using technology, tying technology and learning together engages students. They want to become an active part of their learning. They can take ownership of their learning.

The assignment this week was to go play with different mediums when it came to ePortfolios. I spent a majority of my time just going to different websites and looking at what they offered. I found numerous websites but a lot of them were not applicable to me and what I was looking for. I found that many of these websites offering free ePortfolio's were designed more for the business world and art world. I also found that these websites would have eportfolio's that were free but added so many more restrictions that it was not worth signing up. For example get the first month free, get the basic free version with access to posting 1 video and blank number of files and pictures. I am still in the process with playing. I have not created anything yet due to researching all the different sites to make eportfolio's.

I don't think that I would change asking my students to create an eportfolio. I think that it is going to be important that they have continuing guidance. This is a great tool for them to measure their growth.

Blogs in the classroom

    The year I taught 1st grade my principal mandated that we create and maintain a blog for our classroom. On this blog I would display upcoming events and parent news along with student videos, and work samples. Even though the blog was a great tool for my parents, I think there are too many challenges faced by my first grade students for them to create and use a blog. For example, my students had very little computer experience. Many of them had no idea what a blog even was. They did not know how to properly post things onto a classroom blog. Most first graders face numerous challenges when it comes to typing up work on a computer. I think that my first grade class was to young to use a blog independently.
    I do believe that blogs are wonderful tools to use in the upper grades of elementary school and secondary school. These older students can navigate and even have their own blog.
   The ways I would use a blog with older students is; I would have them post some of their assignments onto a class blog or onto their own individual blog. I know that having my class write assignments such as book reviews and portraying a character or figure from time would be extremely beneficial.
   Some of the affordances that I would incorporate into my blog is making sure the blog is layed out in a visually appealing manner. I want it to draw the person using the technology into the blog. Having easy icons and gadgets on the blog make the user have a general idea of what to automatically.
    My concerns with using a blog in the classroom would be how to ensure that only safe material is being posted onto the blog. That I could somewhat have control over who sees the blog.
   I think that the kids in my school in pleasant Grove would greatly benefit from the use of a blog. Many of them have never even seen or been to a blog. Having them be able to create their own blog means a lot to them. They can take pride and ownership of their work that they put onto the blog. These older kids will have opportunities to practice their writing skills, and to even receive peer reviews on their assignments.