EDLD 5366 - Group Site

This is our group site.  On the assignment we were asked to include the following:

Your website will contain at least 6 pages to include a homepage with your logo and an overview of the site, a parent page that provides resources related to the integration of teaching, learning, and technology, a regular education teacher page that provides technology resources and research on current uses of technology,  a special needs teacher page that provides resources and current research on uses of technology with special needs students , a How-To page for teachers and students that describes how to create an animation and instructions for at least two other Web 2.0 tools, and a digital ethics page that provides resources for digital citizenship, ethical uses of technology, and creative common license. Be sure to include options for others to provide feedback and comments on each of the pages.

I am VERY proud of our group, their work, research, and our final product.  It is a wonderful resource!!

https://sites.google.com/site/letsengageeveryone

Animation

When asked to create an animation with at least 10 steps, I created this very simple animation. Although I am not impressed by my animation-creation skills, this one it gets the job done!

This is my example of an animation using 16 steps as my stick-figure attempts to catch a ball, falls, flips, and then catches the ball on it's head.  Check it out!

EDLD 5366 Week 1 - Digital Project for C.R.A.P.

Using www.glogster.com, I created a glog, or digital poster, to use with my teachers during professional development trainings to integrate technology into their classrooms. I have used Glogster with my students for the past few years, but it was rewarding to create one of my own again. I really enjoyed designing this glog! This digital project represents the principles of design: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity.  I used contrasting text color with the background.  Repetition is displayed in the common topics throughout the glog.  I aligned text and images to follow lines of symmetry.  Common topics are grouped together to demonstrate proximity.  

See the full glog at: http://dsicking.edu.glogster.com/engage-students-with-technology/ 

Video Project - Visual Poetry

Visual Poetry Project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2APpMpexeE

Web Conferences

Web Conference Reflections

Tuesday, December  4

I set aside time tonight to attend this conference, but it never started. I tried several times throughtout the evening and double checked the schedule thinking maybe I read it incorrectly…. Hummmmm???

Saturday, December 8

As my four kiddos tune into Saturday morning cartoons, I set up to attend this conference.  Yea! It starts on time.  I find out soon after starting, when someone else asks, that I was not the only one that tried to attend the Tuesday evening conference on Dec. 4.  Dr. Abernathy said she forgot to log on.  I was a bit frustrated, but we all make mistakes.  I knew then that I needed to schedule in more time into this busy time of year to attend or watch another recorded web conference.  I enjoyed the live feedback from hearing from the other attendees.  It is great to see the faces of some of the classmates and the professor.  Hearing or reading their comments about how they communicated with their teams was a good insight to how other teams were collaborating.  I was even able to see and hear from another attendee how she was watching an eagle on the lake. I wondered where she was sitting in the sunshine while I was bundled up from the cold northern that had blown in the night before.  I was glad I attended the conference live since at the end, Dr. Abernathy stated she forgot to record.  The chats do not have all the information, but luckily I was watching and we have plenty of other opportunities to attend another before the end of the course. 

Monday, December 10

I watched this web conference recording after my children went to bed.  I really enjoy the fact that I can still feel connected to the professor even in an online class. The recorded web conferences are a life-saver for me and my hectic life. Tonight Dr. Abernathy went over many aspects of our completed program such as graduation (too far away at the moment to be excited about), ILD, and certification exams.  I am familiar with all the information, but hearing it aloud helps to remind me that I need to schedule my ILD and think about when I will take my certification exams.  I am always glad to hear from the professor even if I am not attending a live conference.  Also after this conference it reminded me to look at my final grades again from the last course in Banner.  I felt ill when I read that I had received a D in my previous course!!!!  As I took a few deep breaths, I emailed both Dr. Abernathy and my IA for clarification.  I had no idea why I had a D posted as my final grade when I had an A in Blackboard (a 100% in fact).  I thought that maybe it had to do with my Tk20 submission, but from what I could tell, I had submitted everything correctly.  When I finally heard back from Dr. Abernathy a few days later and a few emails later, she stated that she had miss keyed my grade and I should have had an A for the course. She was applying for a grade change, but it might take a few weeks to reflect in Banner.  I was quite relieved I had not received a D!  As a teacher, I understand how a simple mistake can happen when typing, but as I have become a student again, I am more aware as I type in my grades although I still have made mistakes.  I am just GLAD that I will have an A on my transcript instead of a D.  Lesson learned…always check and don’t assume. 

Sunday, December 16

I watched this conference recorded.  I was quite confused by the end.  This is the last week of this course which has been very difficult to follow!!!  Blackboard assignments say one thing, announcements say another, weekly overviews read a different way, and often IA need clarification. After the end of this web conference I read the posted week 5 overview.  It said that we needed to post to the discussion board.  In fact during the conference it was suggested to post the discussion board a new feed.  I went to find the discussion board, but it was nowhere to be found.  I thought maybe I was missing something, but after an email to my IA, I was forwarded an email from the professor that stated there was no discussion board for this week.  After the week 4 assignments were null or not needed, I wasn’t wasting time trying to decipher the differences between the overviews and assignments.  I went straight to the IA for clarification.  I can’t help but wonder if I was the only one who felt so lost and frustrated and confused throughout this course.  I enjoyed the content, but the outline was very difficult to follow.  I have not had this difficult a time following the course content since I began my graduate studies in June.  I have been trying to embrace change (being flexible) and also trying to sympathize with the IA and professor when technology is undependable and changes have to be made, but as a student who depends on consistency, it is very difficult.  This course has definitely made me more aware of how necessary it is (especially with adults) to be consistent and prepared with my students.  

Video Pod-casting - Camtasia

Here is my first attempt at video pod-casting for a video editing software called Camtasia Studio.

Script for Personal Digital Story

For the Week 1 Assignment of EDLD 5263 - Multimedia Video Technology class, we were assigned to create a Personal Digital Story. 

After looking over the list of resources on http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com I found a video tool called Stupeflix.  I was able to create my video with music and captions. I then completed my personal digital story with Movie Maker.  With this program I was able to add my narration and transfer it to YouTube very easily.  I really enjoyed this assignment as it caused me to reflect on my own life and record my reflection with visuals and audio. 



Here is my script and a link to my video:

“What do you want to be when you grow up, Debbie?” I remember hearing these words from my grandfather. There are still days I do not know who what want to be when I grow up.  I work as hard as I can and be as positive as I can to do a job well done.  Sometimes I wonder Do I make an impression?  Do I inspire? 

Inspiration is what drew me to teaching.  What a wonderful gift!  I realize I can give the gift of inspiration to others individals so they can succeed.  I try my best to do this every day.

Recently I was nominated for the prestigious Jack Harvey Academy of Exemplary Teachers Fellowship Award. Although I was not chosen as the winner, I was awarded with a gift.  A simple silver bracelet adorned with sparling gems and engraved with descriptive words. 

So, do I inspire others?  Do I make a difference?  How will I be remembered? Each of the nominees received a bracelet, and I know this bracelet was chosen specifically for me.  The words engraved read: loving, devoted, hero, caring, unconditional love.

For the last 10 years I have devoted my life as a wife, teacher, and now mother of four young children.  It has been a balancing act to juggle all the responsibilities, but I owe credit to my parents, who taught me how to build a loving home, my husband, who has supported me whole-heartedly from day one, my past teachers, who have inspired me to be a great teacher, our family and friends who is there for us whenever we need them, and my children, who have made me a mother.   

I cannot be described as loving . mother . generous . devoted . hero . kind . friend . mom . caring . cherished .  or unconditional love without those who make me who I am.  Without my children, husband, family, friends, and students I could not inspire others and that is my true passion in life – to make a difference in someone else’s life.