Yesterday was an EXCITING day in the classroom, even if I was only there digitally! Maybe that was the best aspect... that although I had to be out of the classroom for a New Teacher Training Program, I could still be part of what was happening inside the classroom through the use of technology. For my Art Basics courses, I made a short YouTube video that directed them about my expectations and the daily objectives. I think that it was helpful for them to know that I was still aware of what should be going on in class even if I was not present. When I returned today, the reports were much more positive than they have been in the past; I'd like to think that it had a little bit to do with this use of technology.
The second, and perhaps more exciting bit, was the Padlet website that I put together for my Painting students. I've inserted a link to it here: http://padlet.com/wall/franzmarccolor. Again, I was much more aware of what was happening in my classroom even in my absence! I was at my meeting AND checking my students' work and participation at the same time. I immediately saw the comment, "What is this, Ms. Baumann? You're daa bomb," and Ithought, It's working!! They like it! Indeed, they did. When I saw the students that worked on the website yesterday, they quickly mentioned that they enjoyed it and wanted to know more about it. I recorded a quick video that could easily be inserted onto the webpage to explain some of the website basics. Then the students read a Scholastic Art Magazine and filled out a few simple questions to try out the webpage. One question asked them to Google search an artist's image and upload it onto the webpage. We had a few issues with this task because whenever they tried to drag the image onto the page, as I had done on my home computer, it would switch pages and temporarily lose the information boxes that they'd already typed. Later, they reappeared and were sent to me in an update email.
The questions that most benefited from this type of exercise were the ones that asked students more open-ended questions or those that asked them to respond to something someone else had said. It becomes a community conversation... which seems promising for a class critique online!! Maybe students could make short videos that introduce the ideas/Elements/Principles/struggles/triumphs of their artworks to the audience; they would also ask 2 questions that they want feedback on. This would be posted on Padlet and opened for conversation to start among a small group of peers. This would allow for more freedom with honesty and clear feedback from a variety of students. I think they'd feel more responsible for participation and more confident in their responses by being able to type it on a computer, rather than to speak about their work in front of a group. It'd be a starting point for critique.
Looking forward to feedback!
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Week 1: My Starting Place
I am currently taking a class titled "Web Resources 2.0" for Professional Development. Last week, I was given the challenge, "This week you will start a blog and over the course of these four weeks (or longer), write about how you are using technology in your classroom. Then post a link to your blog on the teacher's Twitter feed." (Part 1--CHECK. Part 2--Still under debate. Do I join one more social media website or not?!)
For my first blog, I have decided to reflect on my past and current incorporation of technology, as well as where I currently stand on this topic during my ever-changing life that is called "First-Year Teaching" (or maybe just "Teaching" in general). I find that I am more and more interested in learning about advances in technology, but I am perplexed as to how to effectively incorporate it into my daily classroom routines without an excessive loss of instructional time. I know how much time it takes to log in, set up, and all meet at the same place online, not to mention the usernames and passwords that need to be individually set up for each student.
When I think about how I have used technology this week in my classroom, it has mostly been for "behind-the-scenes" kind of work. I have altered 80+ images using Adobe Photoshop for a Painting Project with Art Basics, created 3 handouts using Adobe Illustrator, uploaded and downloaded documents and handouts to my Google website, and used a projector with a PowerPoint presentation. All of these uses were self-directed and exclusive for me to do. My students did not partake in the making/learning/using of technology; yet, they reaped the benefits by being able to use the products.
We were asked last week, "What do you wish your students knew how to do?" I had responded, "Nothing. I think that they are pretty adequate technology users." I take my answer back! This week, I have been asked over and over again, "How do I print a picture?" That's the first thing I wish they could all do on their own... And I'm guessing more things would spring forward if I gave them technology tasks to accomplish.
It'll be good to have a class that challenges me to do give them more reasons to become familiar with using new and old ways of technology.
For my first blog, I have decided to reflect on my past and current incorporation of technology, as well as where I currently stand on this topic during my ever-changing life that is called "First-Year Teaching" (or maybe just "Teaching" in general). I find that I am more and more interested in learning about advances in technology, but I am perplexed as to how to effectively incorporate it into my daily classroom routines without an excessive loss of instructional time. I know how much time it takes to log in, set up, and all meet at the same place online, not to mention the usernames and passwords that need to be individually set up for each student.
When I think about how I have used technology this week in my classroom, it has mostly been for "behind-the-scenes" kind of work. I have altered 80+ images using Adobe Photoshop for a Painting Project with Art Basics, created 3 handouts using Adobe Illustrator, uploaded and downloaded documents and handouts to my Google website, and used a projector with a PowerPoint presentation. All of these uses were self-directed and exclusive for me to do. My students did not partake in the making/learning/using of technology; yet, they reaped the benefits by being able to use the products.
We were asked last week, "What do you wish your students knew how to do?" I had responded, "Nothing. I think that they are pretty adequate technology users." I take my answer back! This week, I have been asked over and over again, "How do I print a picture?" That's the first thing I wish they could all do on their own... And I'm guessing more things would spring forward if I gave them technology tasks to accomplish.
It'll be good to have a class that challenges me to do give them more reasons to become familiar with using new and old ways of technology.
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