Excel

As a teacher I would be able to use data collection (surveys) and/or reporting on Excel to have an insight on how the students in the classroom are doing on a certain subject in this classroom. Using this would allow the students to answer the survey questions which would allow me to know which topics I should review and cover again so that the students have a better understanding of the topics discussed in class. 

Two of the topics that I found most interesting from reviewing my classmates' surveys were about Siblings and a quiz about dogs. I found them interesting because they were fun to fill out and very interactive because some of the surveys had the option to drag the answer to the selection I wanted. Besides their interesting quizzes, one of the blogs that I enjoy is Lauren's. She always has the most interest topics and has a very aesthetically pleasing blog. The Blog titled, "Blog 9", is the most interesting because it gives me an insight on how others also find Powerpoint interesting and useful. 

A technology-related skill I would like to learn about next is another chapter on Powerpoint. I understand that we learned a lot about things that we can do on Powerpoint, but if we were able to cover everything that is offered on Powerpoint it would be very beneficial because it is something that almost everyone uses, and if i was able to use it to its max potential it would be awesome. 

OER/ Powerpoints

The point of a Flipped Classroom is to have students practice applying key concepts with feedback while they are in class which prepares students to use these learned key concepts to then check their understanding and extend their learning. I believe this is a very important and essential way of learning so that they can learn and reach their educational potential. 

Open Educational Resources (OER) are any type of educational materials that are in the public domain or introduced with an open license. The nature of these open materials means that anyone can legally and freely copy, use, adapt and re-share them. It's an available resources list for groups that provide flexible environment to organize, create, share, and discuss resources with others in your network. Collaborate with group members, tag, and add resources to shared folders, create your own collections, all within a public or private group. Being able to use these Open Educational Resources is a way to gather educational resources for anything you need. 

OERu is a Free Online Course for Students Worldwide. This website provides students a way to expand their digital literacy while applying these skills in a business setting. This resource will allow students to gather information and apply these to their personal businesses for projects that they are working on now, and also be able to apply them in their careers in the future if they chose to go into the business world. Being knowledgable about digital literacy in this time period that we live in is essential to the success of a business. 

One of the skills that I was mostly excited to learn about when using powerpoint was to be able to make quizzes. I thought that there was a complicated way of doing it, but it was actually just by the use of hyperlinking to the same slide on the same Powerpoint. 

Professional development

Some of the skills that I have used from working with Diigo is that it is something that I can use personally when working on papers. While doing research on a certain subject I can make annotations and notes while reading certain articles so that it will be easier for me to go back and actually write my paper when its time to. This application is something that will be useful in my classroom by sharing different resources on a subject and sharing it with each other.

I can use PowerPoint to support student learning at each level because one of the first steps is to create, and you can create a PowerPoint on a subject about that you're not too familiar about so that you can go back and review it. 

Technology and teacher professional development is important because educators need to always be up to date on the most recent technologies so that their students learn in the best way possible. This website: http://www.teachhub.com/staying-current-technology-classroom, is one of the most up to date website for educators to be current on educational technology in the classroom. 

ILP #2 Participation is about my professional development inside of a 12th grade ENC1101 prep class at Godby High School. In this professional development I learn about how technology is used within higher level classrooms: https://voicethread.com/share/13206063/. My ILP #2 Design is about a website called Easil. It is a website that can be used by educators, students, social media influencers, and businesses. In this voicethread I show different kinds of things you can do on this program for free.  
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Assistive and Adaptive Technologies

Ever since downloading Twitter for my EME2040 class it has allowed me to communicate with other individuals who share the same interest and passion in education and ways to help students with the use of technology within and outside the classroom. One of the benefits of using Twitter is to be able to communicate with others who have the same passions while being able to network with other people on the internet. I haven't found any issues from being on Twitter.

While working on the Web Design assignment I reflected on my past projects and was able to compare the things that I have done in the past and how they have progressed immensely throughout the process. One of the things that I didn't like about the assignment was the short amount of time that the students have to complete it in, but what I do enjoy about these assignments is the amount of creativity we can put into an assignment. One of the things that I can do to improve next time is to start earlier so I can put as much detail as possible into it. I can also use this to make a website for my future students and parents: http://elizabetharza.weebly.com/

Assistive and Adaptive technologies support learners who need them by assisting them in any way possible. That is why they are called Assistive and Adaptive technologies in the first place. I have not used assistive and adaptive technologies nor do I know anyone who has used these technologies but one of the challenges that I can see happening is having an educator that is not prepared to accommodate to the students within their classrooms.
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Technology within the classroom

There is a teacher at Amos P. Godby High School that teachers two Spanish classes. Throughout the teachers section on the school website includes an introduction about the teachers herself, their expectations, and rules about the classroom. This teachers name is Cabrero, Maria and she teaches Spanish classes throughout all high school levels. 

I envision using technology to accomplish my professional responsibilities more efficiently and effectively by involving it within my classroom on a daily basis. Technology is something that is surrounding us everyday and we need to learn how to use it to further our students education and to allow educators to have plenty of resources to teach students. 

Last week I visited the Technology Sandbox with my classmates and one of the pieces of technologies that stood out to me was the Samsung Oculus. This is such a cool piece of technology that I plan on involving my students with in my classroom in the future. The Samsung Oculus was a way of using virtual reality to learn about educational topics. For example, if I were teaching a history class my students can use this technology to learn about Anne Frank and her life. 

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Diigo

Diigo was very confusing at first. I wasn't sure what exactly to do and how to do it. I then began to play around and explore the website and it's tools by adding comments and commenting on other classmates posts. I do not like how confusing it is to use at first. I would like there to be a tutorial on the website and how to use it when you first download the extension. 

I really enjoy the blogging aspect of this class. Being able to reflect and write about the things I am doing in and outside of class is very exciting to me. It allows me to look back onto the things that I have done throughout the semester and is something I look forward to looking back on at the end of the class. 

Bloom's Taxonomy's different levels consist of Evaluation, Synthesis, Analysis, Application, Comprehension, and Knowledge. Knowledge consists of memorizing and recalling. Comprehension consists of describing and explaining what you've learned. Application can be literally described as applying what you've learned to certain situations. Analysis means breaking down and distinguishing and identifying the outline to a test. Synthesis complies component ideas into a new whole or propose alternative solutions. Evaluation is to make and defend judgement based on internal evidence or external criteria. One of the ways that I was able to apply Bloom's Taxonomy to my Powerpoint creations was learning about the different topics that I wanted to talk about in my Powerpoint, then comprehending and applying what I learned to create my Powerpoint presentation. 

An interesting Web 2.0 tool that I plan on using in the future is Skype. I plan on being in contact with other educators in other parts of the United States and possible other educators from other countries which would allow myself and our students to interact with others in real time. www.skype.com 

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Twitter, Digital Divide, and Academic Software

When I first downloaded twitter I had no idea how to use it. I wasn't sure if my status consisted of me directly @'ing someone or just sharing my thoughts with the general public. At first, my twitter consisted of me following celebrities and my friends. Now I have chosen to follow political figures, my friends, and funny profiles that post jokes and memes. Along with my personal twitter, I also have an educational twitter that consists of me interacting with other students in my major and professors from my university.

The Digital Divide affects the students success in school because different students have different knowledge about technology and some students may not have any knowledge on technology at all. One of the main causes of the digital divide is the division of socioeconomic cultures and being aware that not everyone is financially stable and have access to technologies. As an educator, you need to be aware that there are going to be students within your classroom who are not as fortunate as the others and are not able to have as much exposure to technology as others. 

Two of the academic softwares that I would like to be available in my future classroom is Carnegie Learning and IReady Math. These two softwares are focused on mathematics and are both resources that students can use by monitoring their own work and by working at their own pace. These are softwares that I have used as a student as have seen students in today's generation have used successfully as well. 

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ILP "Design"- Canva

My Independent Learning Project introduced to me a website called Canva. This website allows me to further expand my knowledge on using technology in an educational way and this would prepare me to expand my knowledge in educational technology as an educator in the future. Canva is a website that allows you to make animated posters, newsletters, and other technological work. This is definitely something that I will be using in the future because there are so many reasons to use it and is a resource that all educators should be using. Here is a short presentation of the kind of things you can do on Canva.

Canva: https://www.canva.com/design/
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ILP "Participation" -Professional Development

This Independent Learning Project was based off of a personal experience that I have had within a classroom at Jefferson County Somerset Academy. While in the classroom I had a chance to see a first-hand experience on how students and teachers interact with technology on a daily basis. Within this VoiceThread,  you are able to get a more personal look into a 4th grade classroom and how technology is used within it. I believe that this personal experience was a great way to expand and help with my professional development as a student and future educator. Working and observing a classroom that I want to be in, in the future was such an eye opener and it was a way for me to further understand the dynamics of using technology within the classroom.






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How to use technology as an educator

I think out of 8 ELA technology standards I feel prepared to teach them with my existing knowledge except for LAFS.4.SL.2.5, which is the ability to add audio recording and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes. This is something that I cannot do with my existing knowledge, it is still a skill that I am trying to develop throughout my education because I haven't come across many free online programs that allow one to add audio and visual displays to presentations. But with the help of my EME2040 professor, myself along with the students in my class we are now aware of a website called, VoiceMemo, It is an online website where you are able to add your voice to a presentation. I will remember this website as an educator in the future. 

Using the CPALMS Educator Toolkit, HE.4.C.1.3, is a standard that describes ways a safe, healthy school environment can promote personal health. This is essential to an educational environment because students need to feel comfortable, because the more comfortable you feel in an education setting the easier it is to educate these students. Not only would this help with the physical healthiness of the classroom, but it can also help with the mental health of the students in the classroom as well. This is something that I wish some of my teachers were conscious of when I was younger, so it is something that I will be aware of in the future. 


From working on the Newsletter Design Assignment I learned to really enjoy the process. Designing things based off of aesthetic was something that I was not accustomed to do in an educational setting, but I understand that it is something that I would need to be aware and knowledgeable of when I am making Newsletters and/or making other Designs on a Word Document. One of the ways that I would improve my Newsletter Design in the future, I would add more detail to my design and make it more intricate. In the future, I would definitely use the skills that I acquired in this assignment to further educate my students. Here is a look at my Newsletter Design Assignment:

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Microsoft Word, Academic Honesty, Cyberbullying, and the Digital Divide

As a student Microsoft Word is something that I use on a daily basis. It is what I use to take notes during class, work on my papers, and plan out my future on. Microsoft Word is my main source of my academic success as a student at Florida State University and without it I would probably be very unorganized. Along with the many ways that I use Microsoft Word, my teachers also use it very often. My teachers use it to make Newsletters, Rubrics, Outlines, and to make other educational resources for us students to use. These things have helped me throughout my education. 

My experience with copyright and fair use of material in an educational environment is very brief and recent. It wasn't until my EME2040 class that I learned how important it is to copyright your work so that others don't take credit for your material and hardworking. Mainly, the experience that I have with copyright and fair use of material is learning about plagiarism during my high school and college classes. One of the ways that I could implement these things as an educator in the future is to make sure that my students know how important it is to use your own work and how important it is to give others credit when it is necessary and appropriate. 

Academic honesty, Cyberbulling, and Digital divide are technology implementations that must be spoken about in all classrooms. Especially classes that implement the use of technology. Academic honesty is something that must be spoken about because it is imperative that all students use their own work and give credit when they are using or referring to someone else's work. Cyberbullying is something very important to talk about because it is something so common that occurs. Cyberbullying is something that is common because people can hide behind a screen and say whatever they want without feeling the need to think twice about what they say. The digital divide is something that needs to be thoroughly spoken about because it can be a very sensitive topic. Digital divide is something that is circumstantial based off of culture and socioeconomic status of the student and their family. 

ITSE Standards

One of the things that influence teachers and students to use technology in the classroom is the fact that technology is extremely involved throughout society and it is something that we need to be comfortable with. Teachers mostly use technology within their classrooms because students tend to be more comfortable with computers and other forms of technology, so having the student feel comfortable throughout an activity is crucial to the classroom's learning environment.

ITSE standards are very important to be implemented within the classroom setting. Specifically, ITSE standard 3a which states, "Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible contributions and exhibit empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community". Being aware of the way that one speaks and interacts with other individuals is crucial. Working together as one unit will not only decrease the pressure on you having to do things alone but knowing that you have the support of others is always a good thing. One of the ITSE standards that is a little outside of my skill set might be ITSE standard 5b which states, "Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital tools and resources to maximize active deep learning." One of the reasons why this might be difficult for me is because at times it is difficult for me to come up with certain ideas on my own an I sometimes rely on other people's feedback to formulate my own idea.

I agree with the labeling of today's youth as being "Digital Natives" to a certain extent. Within the United States today's youth are very advance in the technological field, but we need to remember that there are children and individuals all over the world that do not have access and the resources to the same technology as others. Being a Digital Native means that you were born in a time where technology was at its peak and it is very easy for you to understand how the technology works. I have seen many differences between Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants' use of technology because whenever I observe one of my professors struggling to open up a Powerpoint and/or a simple Word Document I sit back and reflect on how grateful I am to be educated on these technological subjects. I feel as if my generation and newer generations will continue to have a gap in how to understand technology. Technology will continue to advance and I think the older you get the harder it is for you to stay up-to-date with recent technology that is of the time.


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All about Elizabeth

Hello everyone! My name is Elizabeth Arza and I am a senior at Florida State University majoring in Sociology with a minor in Education. I am from Miami, Florida and am of Cuban descent. I am interested in helping the lives of students through the use of Sociology and Education. One of the things that I enjoy doing on my free time is being a member of the Marching Chiefs Color Guard. Spending my weekends cheering on our football team is something that fills me with joy.

Some of my experience with technology within the classroom has actually been within the classroom setting as a Paraprofessional. Being a Paraprofessional at a K-12 Institution allowed me to work hands-on with students and by pretty much being the assistant to the main teacher in the classroom. Some of the technology that we used was IPads, using a reading program called IReady, and using Smartboards to project and show the students their classwork and presentations. These are things that were similar to the technology that was used when I was a student in Elementary school.

I am very excited to take this class because it will allow me a better idea of ways to integrate technology into a students life. Considering that I will eventually like to become an educator in the future, technology is something that I need to be up-to-date and comfortable using in the classroom. Throughout the years technology is taking over the traditional classroom experience, and being as educated as possible will not only make the learning experience better for the student but also for educators everywhere.

I hope to have a very wonderful semester with my professor and classmates in further educating ourselves in education through the use of technology!
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