Module 8: Reflect and Plan

1. What was your favourite module in this course?

My favourite module was Module 3.  I enjoyed the process of creating a blog site and learning how to use WordPress.  As far as my teaching goes ‘blogging’ is a game changer, I’ve started to think differently about how learners can produce and present their work.  I can introduce it in the form of digital notebook for learners to store their work that grow to become ePortfolio that show academic achievement and growth.    There’s a sense of achievement and satisfaction that comes with having produced a living document that can be shared with the world, friends, colleagues and employers.  Its no longer such a scary idea to me but an exciting journey that can open up the door to new experiences, aquaintences, friendships and learning.

2. Which module in this course was the most challenging for you?  What did you learn from that experience?

I found Module 7 the most challenging! The idea of making a screencast for all to see was daunting and I felt myself slipping into procrastination.  I ‘flapped’ and ‘faffed’ until eventually, I talked myself into getting on with it. I realised that it didn’t matter if it wasn’t perfect, the odd fluffed word or too long a pause, this wasn’t a Holywood blockbuster, it was a screencast to teach something and the information was the important bit! The bells and whistles will give me something to work towards as I become more experienced, but the key thing is to just do it!

3. Choose two tools from this course that you would like to start using in your teaching or work.  How exactly would you use them?  If you don’t plan to use any of the tools from this course, talk about the reasons why.

Voxer

I loved Voxer. I loved the way that Jennifer got us to use it on this course and having experienced Voxer as a student I can see the benefits for my learners. What a great tool!  I would like to follow in Jennifer’s footsteps and set up Voxer groups organised by subject or profession and have students learn and support each other.  It was great to have the support from my Voxer group and it was a little less intimidating posting assignments to members first.  Their feedback and encouragement was very helpful.  Voxer will be a great tool to accommodate learner engagement, collaboration and motivation.

Screen-o-matic

Screen-o-matic was very easy to use.  I’m looking forward to creating screencasts and seeing how this works in my teaching. First item on my list: create a screencast to show how to download and use http://www.malwarebytes.com to remove malware (the software does it all for you).  It’s so easy to do and can save a costly trip to a PC repair shop.  This is a preventative measure on my part so that teaching and learning isn’t hindered by a laptop that turns up riddled with malware and stops a learner in their tracks.  Malwarebytes has been one of my best tech tools, since learners started to bring their own devices into the library.

Next on my list: screencasts for everything else – iPad and Android Tablet courses, Window and Macs, the list is endless but it’s going to be a fun and rewarding project. As far as the screencasting software goes, I’d like to give CamStudio portable a try (program runs on USB without installing on the PC) so that I can use it to record, ad hoc in the library with learners.  It will be really effective to record the screen when giving a one-to-one demonstration and have them take away their own individualised lesson to revisit later.

4. Browse the Teacher’s Guide to Tech and choose two new tools (or categories of tools) that you would like to learn next.  Explain how each one might meet a particular need, help you reach a certain goal, or solve a problem for you.

Symbaloo

Symbaloo is next.  I am looking forward to organising my bookmarks within Symbaloo to share with my learners.  This will be great! I can create a Symbaloo to place all of the resources for digital literacy.  I watched a YouTube video by ‘organising my bookmarks within Symbaloo to share with my learners.  This will be great! I can create a Symbaloo to place all of the resources for digital literacy.  I watched a YouTube video by ‘organising my bookmarks within Symbaloo to share with my learners.  This will be great! I can create a Symbaloo to place all of the resources for digital literacy.  I watched a YouTube video by ‘Ms Computer Teacher‘ where she gives an example of a Symbaloo page that links to online work created by her students (Google Slide presentations).  Great for linking ePortfolios, blogs, Padlets, and basically anything that has a been created online where the web link can be copied. There is also a Symbaloo Lesson Plan tool which I need to explore further.

Whilst researching Symbaloo I also came across SymbalooEDU Certification and I’ve put this on my training to do list (link also included below under Further Resources).

TED-Ed

I was introduced to TED.com on a training day presented by Dr Sangeet Bhullard, Director of WiseKids, ‘Promoting Innovative, Positive and Safe Internet Use’.   During the session Dr Sangeet Bhullard played a video of Sugata Mitra’s winning TED talk of 2013, ‘Build a School in the Clouds’, I was hooked.    I’d like to share these inspirational and educational videos with my learners and use them to introduce topics based on the flipped classroom model of pedagogy.  Lessons can be built around TED videos, with learners responding to multiple-choice questions, and following resource links to ‘dig deeper’.

The YouTube video below gives a demonstration on how to create a TED-Ed account and how to create a TED-Ed lesson.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H1PLk-7JAs

Tip: Due to YouTube’s terms of service, downloads are not allowed but you can download the same TED talk directly from TED.com as shown in the screenshot below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Set three concrete, measurable tech goals for yourself.  Set a deadline for each one.

Here is my list of tech goals:

1. I’m working towards the Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP) 10.11 certification and attending  OS X Support Essentials 10.11 Certification Training in August 2016 provided by Amsys.  I have previously attended their iOS Deployment in the Enterprise (for iPad deployment) and iOS Support and Troubleshooting.    [Update: completed and passed]
2. Twitter for Students and Teachers online course by Jennifer Gonzalez to be completed August/September 2016 [Update: Completed]
3. The Symbaloo certification program offers three courses: Basic, PD and Student. I’m interested in the PD program as it includes other education tools such as Edmodo, Prezi, Evernote and Thinglink to be completed August/September 2016   [Update: In progress]

On my wish list is Angela Watson’s 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club that Jennifer recommended.  I missed joining in July 2016 so I’ve clicked to receive a notification the next time the club opens to new members.

6. What has been your most important take-away from this course?  In other words, what is the most important lesson you learned?

This was my first time on a course where the majority of learners were in different countries, it was amazing to be part of online collaboration on this scale.  I’ve learnt so much from other members, and the way technology is being used for teaching in different subject areas.

Further Resources

11 ways to use Symbaloo in the classroom – https://www.theedublogger.com/2014/04/09/11-ways-to-use-symbaloo-in-the-classroom/

Check out Symbaloo Plugins and Symbaloo Certification and Training – http://edublogs.org/2014/04/12/new-plugin-symbaloo/?utm_source=symbaloo&utm_medium=partnership&utm_campaign=symbaloo

Apple Approved Training Centre (AATC) in the UK – http://www.amsys.co.uk/

Anglea Watson’s 40 Hour Workweek Club – http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/40hour

PortableApps.com – http://portableapps.com/news/2012-06-07–camstudio-portable-2.6b-r294-released (remember as with any software you download, do your checks first)

Othe portable app site https://online.cameyo.com/public   (remember as with any software you download, do your checks first)