Idea+and+Tool+Exploration

=NETS*T for Idea and Tool Exploration=

**1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity**
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers... .....a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness .....b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources .....c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes .....d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers... .....a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity .....b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress .....c. customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources .....d. provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers... .....a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations .....b. collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation .....c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats .....d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning

** 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility **
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers... .....a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources .....b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources .....c. promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information .....d. develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools

** 5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership **
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers... .....a. participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning .....b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others .....c. evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning .....d. contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community

=Reflection for Idea and Tool Exploration=

…..Unfortunately, a good portion of the suggested sites are blocked in our district. Blogs are not supported at present, and honestly I believe they won’t be any time soon. Slideshare is great for uploading PowerPoints as long as they don’t have anything fancy (like timings or animations or videos or sound, etc). I have found that SlideBoom better suits my needs. You can upload PowerPoints with all the trimmings in tact. The only drawback is that it messes up the timings. iSpring is an add-on for PowerPoint which converts your PowerPoint into a flash file (kind of like making it into a video) and then upload it. It works great and nothing gets mangled in the process!  …..Picnik is just plain fun. I have used it for my own materials and with my 5th graders. They had a blast (as did I!). The only frustrating part is that some of the really cool feature are “premiums” which require a paid account. There are still a ton of choices on the free account. The free account is limited in that you can only upload (and store) 5 pictures at a time. I did not really find this to be a big deal at all because I save frequently anyway and then just clean out the Picnik file regularly.  …..Wordle is fun, too, however I think the uses are somewhat limited. The Google Doc on ways to use it was helpful, but several of the suggestions were majorly a “stretch” - almost like they were looking for any way to justify its use. I did like #4 - that really would be a valid way to check for overuse of vocabulary in a writing sample. An activity like that would be a much more interesting and meaningful way to help kids understand their use in writing. I do also like the idea about using it for showing attendance. The kids would have a lot of fun trying to get their name to be the biggest on the Wordle. Displaying a Wordle of their hobbies and interests for events is also a good idea.  …..I’m not sure about Jing. I was able to put it on one of my computers at school, but then it messed up the formatting on every program I tried to use - it kept putting a black box in the whole section of the screen where the menu circle bar thing was.  …..I’ve used TED a few times and every one of the clips was very interesting and very well done. I have not used it in class yet, but there are a lot of possibilities.  …..All-in-all, there are tons of Web 2.0 tools available for educational use. I am increasingly amazed at what is out there these days. Every time I take a new class I find more - too much nourishment for my little brain!