Blog Journal 5

I first began using Twitter as a way to connect with fans of celebrities I liked. When I was in high school, I began participating in Twitter chats. Since then, I have significantly grown my PLN. I have enjoyed gaining tips and resources from other teachers in the field. I participate in the following Twitter chats: TLAP, MGBookChat, Build Hope Edu, and Always Believe. I plan to continue participating in Twitter chats going forward.

The digital divide has a major impact on students today. Some causes of the digital divide include low socioeconomic status and limited access to the internet due to living in a rural area. As a classroom teacher, I will most certainly experience some students who are unfamiliar with technology because of the digital divide. It is my job as an educator to ensure these students feel included. I can do this by incorporating technology into daily activities, so students can become more familiar with the various softwares and applications. I can also apply for technology grants for my classroom if it is lacking. Students can use technology for group work. I can assign peer mentors to assist those who might be struggling.

I liked assignment 2 because we were able to create different pages to upload information. However, I disliked assignment 2 because the table was not accessible with my screen reader, In my classroom, I could use canvas to upload reminders for students. In addition, I could put practice rehearsal tracks in modules. I could publish music vocabulary worksheets and listening or practice journals for students to complete. Finally, I could assign an ungraded check in quiz to assess each student’s progress.

Blog Journal 4

I chose to focus on the k-2 collaboration computer science standard. By using this standard, teachers will be expected to teach basic key word searching skills and exchanging emails and texts with others. I believe I am ready to teach this material because I have experience with both of these things. For key word searches, students could search what is interesting to them as a way for them to be engaged in their learning. I could have students send practice emails to each other. When I need teaching resources, I can do my own research as well as reach out to my pln.

I was not aware of the CPALMS educator tool kit until taking EME2040. I think the tool kit is useful for teachers because it gives them lesson plans which match the standards. Additionally, it gives teachers ideas for creating their own lesson plans. I searched music 6-8 standards. In one lesson plan overview, students were expected to examine the tone quality when playing their instrument.

I believe internet searching is important for teachers because it allows them to gain teaching resources for different lessons. For example, a teacher could use the advanced Google search feature to find activities for teaching reading or activities for building community. They can filter the search to only include certain things. For instance, a music teacher could search for music appreciation and filter for only power points. In addition, a teacher could use the reverse image feature to learn where a picture originated from. They could then use other images from that source. When I teach, I can use the quotation feature as well as the and/or feature to search for resources.

Blog Journal 3

Material that is copyrighted belongs to the person who created it. This means that it is illegal for someone to use the material without their permission. Fair use means that certain materials can be used without permission if the meet the four requirements for fair use. Ultimately though, fair use is decided by a judge. As an educator, I would ensure that I purchase all my materials from a reliable source and give credit to the owner. For my students, I would make sure that their work remains private because it is copyrighted to them.

There are several technology issues which can occur in the classroom. In this blog post, I will touch on lack of funding and academic dishonesty. As a solution for lack of funding, I would apply for various technology grants. Additionally, I would hope to purchase a set of class iPads to be used in group work or for individual assessments. To address the issue of academic dishonesty, I would have students sit spread out, so they could not read each other’s answers. The students would have the same questions on the assessment but in a different order. I would then block access to certain programs, so they could not look up the answers. I would choose to have written response questions like reflections which would make it difficult for students to cheat.

By completing the newsletter assignment, I learned how to share important dates and other announcements, how to create a banner for the design of my letter, and how to create a permission slip for class trips. I can use my newsletter template when I teach as a method of sending important reminders to students and their family members. I could even insert a link for practice tracks for students to review. For future newsletters, I would like to improve on having more details in my announcements. I would consider creating a Google Form for people to ask questions anonymously.

Click here for a link to my newsletter.