We're halfway done!

This week, like the others, was extremely busy!  Between classes, subbing, and working on the IDD project and IT History project, this week just didn't seem to end.  Well it finally did, and here we are moving into the next week.  8 weeks including this week left!  Woohoo!

The presentations this week were really good and very informative.  I learned a lot about both topics and I learned about a new web 2.0 tools to make timelines.  Tool time was also really helpful to advertise about ourselves and is a great addition to our portfolios.

We've been busy working with weebly to get it look perfect for our project.  While I find it extremely user friendly and WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get).  There are a few limitations to it we are finding (free accounts only get 5 pages) and sometimes moving things is not the easiest thing, but overall I think we're happy with how the website is shaping up and I'm excited to have used another website making page.

Alrighty, I leave you all to get back to work on my IDD project, and to maybe get some stuff done for my husband's 30th birthday party next month (it's a big beer tasting party!!!).

10 Weeks to Go...

But who's counting?  I know I am!  I am beginning to think taking on two graduate classes, especially two core courses is quite a bit of work.  I knew that going in, but it's finally starting to settle in.  This was my week to have a stress meltdown, but after I had it, I felt better and I feel like I'm finally starting to get a handle on everything I need to for IDD.

I really applaud Kellee, Elizabeth, and Faiza for being the first to go for their IT History project and it made me look at the chalkboard in a whole new light!  And gave me a few ideas for our project, which is the last to be presented!

I said this as my Ah-Ha, but it was so awesome to see plickers in action.  I thought it was the coolest idea when I heard about this summer, and I totally want to give it a try!  Really makes a new idea for clickers!  Thanks Elsann!

Well I leave you all now...time to prepare for Yom Kippur

A Busy Week...

So last week was uneventful and this week was busy!  Started off with subbing, finished with the Jewish New Year, and had some IT History and IDD work in the middle!

The IDD meeting was actually good because it helped clear up some confusions I had on how to do the analysis portion we are working on next.  I'm glad we had that meeting and had a chance to meet others in the class.  That's what I miss most about online classes.

We worked on our IT History project and got to learn about a great timeline tool, Capzles.  I'm going to use it for my Time Capsule project as well, and I love it!  It's a great 2.0 tool with lots of ways to customize the information put on!  I'm excited to see the first group go on Wednesday and to also to do my tool time!

Other than that, we got a new TV...fancy 4K, Ultra HD.  It's pretty nice!

An uneventful week!

So this week we had no class, but I used the time to meet with Dana so we could work on our IT history project.  We started working on the timeline and organizing all our plan and materials to begin the project.  I'm excited to do this and present on the topic we chose!

Also spent the week working on our Needs and Goals statement for IDD, all while subbing for the first time this year.  That was great and I loved getting back into the classroom and with the department that I student taught with!  Missed some of my students too and it was great to see them.

Overall, this was a pretty boring week in my life, and not much happened.  The coming weeks will be more exciting.  Wow, can't believe that September is almost over...it just flew by!

Here is a link to the NJAET conference.  I wasn't able to go last year, and this year I too am not able to go (last of 3 weddings I'm in this year!), but I have heard it is a great conference to attend, and has a wealth of knowledge to gain from it.

And We're Rollin' Along...

So the first full week of classes are done, it's starting to feel like fall, and the sun is setting earlier.  It's almost officially fall, which is sad because that means summer is over.  I was so busy, I feel like I didn't get to enjoy it much (lots of weddings do that to ya!).

This week in class I got to work with Kahoot for Monica's Tool Time presentation.  Since it was my first time using this Personal Response System (I have used polleverywhere, Socrative, Smart Tools clicker program, etc.), it was nice to see something a bit more graphic.  While, it probably is a bit too juvenile for high schoolers or business workers, it is still a great website that allows formative assessment in real time.  I'm really glad I get to add another PRS to the list I have used, and I'm going to keep it in my back pocket!

I also had the opportunity to work with the undergrads taking their technology class.  It was nice to meet a lot of them and get to help them out.  I know for them, this is all very overwhelming, but I think being able to talk with me and listen to someone who has been there and come out the other side, calmed their nerves a bit.  I'm excited to get to teach them about Smartboards and Clickers/PRS.  I think they're going to really enjoy those technologies because they were two favorite after taking that same class with Dr. Harvey!

Speaking of Dr. Harvey...IDD has begun!  We're working on our problem statements, and while I was told I have good one, some students have suggested being more specific on mine.  Yes, there are parts that could be more specific, but I'm still unsure how specific we should be on them.  I guess I'll figure it all out when I post my final draft tomorrow!

Well that was this week...I'm going to leave you with a website I found when I was googling for timeline creators for our IT history project.  It seems to have a lot of articles on it for Instructional Technology, so I thought others would be interested!

I leave you to get ready to help my baby brother shop for engagement rings!  He's finally gonna propose to his girlfriend...we're all pretty excited!

First Grad Class: Completed!

So I successfully survived my first grad class, and left not feeling completely overwhelmed like I would with some undergrad classes.  I am a little worried about taking two graduate classes during my first semester, especially with one of those being Instructional Development and Design, but I figure if I organize my time wisely, I'll be ok!

I'm excited to being my masters program and to continue learning about Instructional Technology.  I had blast doing some of it undergrad when I got my teaching certificate, so I think I will continue to learn and enjoy the content!

Please excuse that my blog is a bit unfinished/updated.  I recently decided to add a bunch of my teaching portfolio to it because of an idea I saw at TEACHmeetNJ where another classmate made her blog into something that employers could look at.  So I am currently in the midst of posting all of that!  Slowly but surely, it will all be there!

During my daily facebook stalking I noticed a friend had liked lynda.com.  I remembered them from back when I did my first degree and people were using them to supplement the information myself and the other TA gave about Avid (a video editing program...I prefer Final Cut now).  However, I went over to the website and they now have a whole section about education, especially some things on design and development.  Thought it might come in handy for those of us taking IDD this semester.  Take a look!

Alrighty, I'm off to get ready for one of my best friends' baby shower!  See you all on Wednesday!

November TPACK

This month has not been much different from the previous months.  I have not seen much technology actually used in the classroom (other than the projector), but I did learn about some of the technology in the school and the district.  I got this information from the ladies in charge of technology in the school.  They were very insightful as to how the technology could be used so well in class (although they think the school has a lot of technology, especially in the form of power point and videos), as well as suggestions for new teachers.  They believe that technology needs to be incorporated correctly into the classroom lessons for it to be effective.  They also told me to embrace the technology movement because that would give me an advantage over the more veteran teachers.  I found their information insightful and surprising (I had no idea the school had smartboards in the library, so they do exist there!).

With the use of technology we do have, it's nice to see how Mr. Altagracia (as well as myself when I was teaching) utilized it when teaching lessons.  The students love videos and little games.  So both Mr. A and myself try to incorporate lots of videos to demonstrate the lesson we were going over that day.  Many of the students will ask questions pertaining to the lesson as the video goes along, and that's when I know the students are beginning to understand the content knowledge.  I think at this time it's great to see the pedagogy I have been learning, the content knowledge I know, and the technology all work together to create a good experience for the students, one where they are able to learn more!  Through this class and my fieldwork experience, I have been able to truly see how technology can be implemented properly in a classroom, even if it's not the fancy kind of technology.