As a teacher, I need to attend Professional Developments to improve my personal and professional growth. Also, CNMI Public School System, our school district, requires to complete certain courses to upgrade our teaching certification. With that being said, Instructional Technology is one of the courses that I need to complete to earn a standard teaching certification. However, I consider this as a refresher course to revisit amazing digital tools, discover new instructional tools, and deeply learn more of it especially if there are upgraded features on the tools that I have been using.
Most of the contents of this course is similar to the Educational Technology (EdTech) that I've taken before when I first started working on this profession. It's currently our 2nd week out of the five-week timeframe for this course. What I've learned so far on Week 1 are Basic Computer Terminology and Skills, e-Safety reflection, screen casting, converting file formats, and shortening URLs. The digital tools covered in this week are familiar because I've been using them in my classroom setting. It was great to refresh my mind on the terms and skills, and use other sites that offer the same service.
Meanwhile, the focus of Week 2 was on Google Apps for Education. Google Contacts, Mail, Drive, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Forms are some of the outstanding digital tools that offer free and easy access. We can go totally paperless with these tools! Internet connection stability might be an issue because Google Apps rely mostly on internet access to save changes, access numerous features, share files, and collaborate real-time (live). Thanks to its offline offer, you can still work on these apps but with limited access.
Here's a short video about Google Apps for Education.
Here's a Bitmoji version of my actual classroom that I created on Google Slides.
This was a way to have my students feel their "home sweet classroom" from home when they go on to remote learning. I also have different themes that match with special events, their E.L.A. Journeys Anchor Text, and other content areas. I still use Bitmoji Classrooms during my face-to-face sessions, and my students will always look forward to see this every time I project or share my screen.
Also, thanks to Week 2! I had the chance to blog again! It was like six years ago when I last posted on my blog. I really enjoyed blogging, but I was too overwhelmed juggling time with lots of things on my plate. I hope to continue to hold on to this urge of excitement for my future blog posts.
PowToon is another web-based tool to enhance presentations. The plus factor about Powtoon among the other web tools is that users are able to add animations into their presentations. Powtoon is indeed an eye-catcher for a variety of audience. Well-known businesses such as Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Cisco, eBay and a lot more around the globe use this for marketing strategies. Powtoon is also very essential in the field of education. It has a very interesting interface for teachers and students to use in a classroom setting especially for project ideas. Powtoon is web-based which requires secure internet connection. It takes time to load due to several animations. You can create Powtoon presentations for free . However, in able to enjoy premium features, you have to subscribe to their monthly plan. If you are a newbie, it is a requirement to verify your email and Powtoon will give you free u...
(I created a Class Dojo virtual room on Google Slides. Check this link to make a copy of your own for FREE !) Are you looking for an educational platform that promotes communication, engagement, and socio-emotional learning all in one place? Well, Class Dojo has it all! It is 100% FREE for teachers and schools! Since teaching as a classroom teacher, I have been using Class Dojo, which brings families, teachers, and our whole community together. It is a secure place to share photos and videos and school-wide events. It has a private feed to share photos, video lessons, and files with students and families. Students can take ownership of their work with customized learning and feedback skills. They can use this platform as a digital portfolio with journal, drawing, photo, and video features. It fosters effective communication with families to stay deeply connected to the classroom and school. Moreover, language is never a barrier; its automatic translation feature makes...
Digital Citizenship Course Reflection The Digital Citizenship course stands as a cornerstone in Educational Technology, offering vital insights into online safety, cyberbullying prevention, and digital literacy. Educators can enhance their understanding of ethical technology use, covering aspects like copyright considerations and fostering responsible digital content creation. Personally, the course has honed my abilities in teaching critical thinking, media literacy, and positive social media use. As a kindergarten teacher, I can directly apply these learnings by integrating digital citizenship into my classroom. I aim to create a conducive environment for my young learners through open discussions, clear expectations, and modeling positive online behavior. Leveraging age-appropriate resources and interactive tools, such as those available in Nearpod, I can teach online safety and critical thinking skills effectively. Here is a student-friendly video used in Nearpod's digital le...
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