Voki: Self Introduction

This week's assignment gave me opportunity to explore integrating different programs to create a self introduction. Firstly I wrote my self introduction on a word document. This was easy because I use MS word nearly everyday. Turning readability statistics was a bit challenging. I created an account on Voki and created  my Voki character that does introduce me. During this process, I learned that I can use this program in my class to introduce different concepts. I can create an avatar that talks about money when I want to teach money. I can use this program as a reinforcement for my students to create their own avatars.

My Voki link

My Google doc self introduction.

This activity fits into the second NETS for teachers 2008. Teachers are expected to; Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.
I think designing avatars brings digital-age learning experiences for students.

My Self introduction Voki  image

Word Clouds

Today I created word clouds for NETS T standards 2000 and 2008. At first, the word cloud was not working because my computer did not have java plugins. Aftre downloading the required plugins I created a word clouds for NETS 2000 and 2008. I think the new focus for NETS 2008 is to enable students to learn effectively and live productively in an increasingly digital society. By this approach, the NETS seeks to use technology as an ultimate learning tool for students K-12.

Please follow links below to see word clouds I created.

NETS standards 2000

NETS standards 2008

My profession word cloud

NETS 200 image

I also created a word cloud for my profession.

Wireless Mobile

How prepared are you to engage in each type of learning (Carpe Diem vs St. Mary’s)?

Choosing a type of learning style over another is a tedious process as there is no such thing as “the best learning style”. At least in my class, I tend to use Carpe Diem simply because it’s a hands on approach to learning. As explained in the webinar, students spend some time on the computer exploring while the teacher maintain close guidance. My students use tailored Ipad apps to learn Social Support, Behavior, Data, Visual Supports, and Functional Communication Training. I teach special needs students and the Carpe Diem approach helps students retain attention, focus, and improve communication skills and motor skills. I however, interchange Carpe Diem with other traditional ways of learning where I have to let my students do book reading, worksheets, and some vocational work. At St Mary’s Ohio, students learn through use of smart phone. It seems that the smart phones have to be disabled of several apps to avoid student distraction. St Mary’s is an interesting idea but I am not yet ready to use it.

    Provide specific examples including devices and apps or software, of what you are currently doing in each model if you are teaching.

In my class, I use Ipads for instruction. Here are the Apps that I use. Note that most of the Apps come free.

Social Support:                                             

Hidden Curriculum for Adolescents

Hidden Curriculum for Kids

Everyday Social Skills HD

Initiating Social Skills HD

Model Me Kids Going Places

 Behavior:

i-reward

Preference and Reinforcement Assessment

Behavior Tracker Pro

Autism Tracker Pro

i hour glass

Data:

Sym trials

Super Duper Data Tracker

Data Analysis

ACB Data

Video Modeling:

My video schedule

Model Me Kids Going Places

My Picture Talk

Pictello

Video Scheduler

Visual Supports:

My video schedule

First and Then visual Schedule

Choice Board Creator

Time Timer

Scheduler

Popplet

Picture Card maker

Pictello

Picture Scheduler

Stories2 Learn

Custom Boards

Answer Yes/No

Step by Step

Iprompts LX

Functional Communication Training:

Look2Learn AAC

I Click I Talk

My First AAC

Grace

Proloquo

SLP Pocket

Tap to Talk

Tap to Talk Uploader

iCommunicate

My Talk Tools

AAC Speech Buddy

Sono Flex

Writing:

Letter Lab

Coloring Pictures by Fingers

ABC

ABC Lite

Early Literacy:

ABC Alphabet Phonics

Alphabet Fun

Pocket Phonics

Reading / Sight Words:

Sight word flashcards

K-3 sight words

Kids Learning Sight Words

Sight Words

Sight Word List

ABC Study Words

Letter Lab

See Read Say

DTT:

ABA Problem Solving (3 apps)

ABA receptive ID (4 apps)

DTT Autism (colors, letters, numbers, shapes, words)

ABA Flashcards

ABA Flashcard Apps (actions, ABC, emotions, fruit, nouns, musical instruments, sports, things that go together, animals, clothing, zoo, famous places, shapes, things you play w/)

ABA Flashcards and games

Self Management:

Sosh lite

Voice Meter

Calm Counter

Goal Tracker

Reinforcement:

Talking News

Talking Tom Cat

Feed Me

Goal Tracker – token economy

I Hear EWE

Game iscream

Big sticky story game

Academic Math:

Counting Money

Dinosaur Kids Math

Telling Time free

Flash to Pass Math Flashcards

My Math app

Math kid

My math Flashcards

Rocket Math

Master the Math

Tell Time

IEP Support:

Goal Tracker

Language / VB:

Language Builder

Question Builder

Sentence Builder

Story Builder

My Day with WH words – Social Story

Question Lite

Speech journal

Describing Words

Other:

What’s next / Patterns

e-books 4 u

Bob Books Reading Magic #1

i-books

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox

Talking News

Special Education Edition

Kid Fun Kit

Amazing Match Lite

Autism APPS 

What would you recommend in terms of a school wide initiative to improve teaching and learning at this point if you were in a position to do so? 

My recommendations will be that, technology need to be taken seriously as a instructional tool and a s a tool. I would recommend implementing virtual classrooms. Instead of my school having snow days, this could be replaced by virtual classes. I would explain to my principal and parents how virtual classes save money to both the school and parents. Parents may save on cutting trips to drive their kids to school, while the school serves on supplies and amenities that they will cut if students are not taking classes on site.

A mixture of the 2 models (Carpe Diem vs St. Mary’s) is probably in everyone’s future. How do you see executing your version of the blend in your field?

I will use both models but leaning more on Carpe Diem. So far, Carpe Diem is successful in my class so I intend to improve it. St Mary’s may not work for the population that I teach. Smart phones may be more of a distraction to my students.

Spreadsheet

In this assignment, I used the formula provided by studentsttest.com to calculate t-test results. A t-test helps to show whether the means of two groups are statistically different. In my case as a teacher, I can use this method to calculate the mean for female versus male students in my class.

Here is my t-test results for female students

Here is my t-test results for male students

Click here to access t-test results for male and female students. I do not reject null hypothesis. I thought about a research topic for my class. The following is our research topic. Effects of gender on project choice in a 9th grade wood working class. The independent variable is the gender male/female.

Scatter Plot

This assignment gave me an opportunity to work with numbers in Excel. My state, Virginia, ranks 45th. There are forty four states below us, and  five states ahead of us. We are above average.

I realized that I can use descriptive statistics in my class to calculate average and standard deviation for various student scores. I can determine performance levels for each student in my class and design person centered  instruction.

Google Site

My experience with Google has been through email and web browsing. I had not considered having a website hosted by Google. My Google site I created for this class has helped me understand how much I can get from Google for free as far as web site construction is concerned. I have my professional website that I built with with webs.com. The experience of using tools provided by Google some how proved easier than what I previously thought. Choosing a template was easier as there were many that I could choose.

I intend to build my Google site for my class and use it for:

• Student home work
• Parent teacher communication
• Calendars
• Class announcements
• Student games.

Prezi Lesson

Prezi is  cool tool that allows power point, still images, you tube videos to be integrated in one presentation. The zoom function enables a personal experience to reading a presentation. This in a way separate prezi from regular PowerPoint. As part of my assignment, I prepared a lesson on African masks. When I was preparing my presentation, I found it a little overwhelming to master all the functions provided by Prezi for an excellent presentation. My lesson image is shown below.

Rubrics: Making egg shakers

Check out the rubrics I created for making egg shakers. Click here for rubrics. My excel spread sheet can be accessed here.

General Knowledge Quiz

Google forms can be used to created self grading quiz. Here is an example of a General Knowledge Quiz that I created. The spreadsheet is also available. This tool is very useful in any grade level although we have to keep in mind that students learn differently and that no learning tool is the last thing to enhance learning.

Google Forms

Today I have been so excited to create a Google Survey and a Spreadsheet to get valuable information about my upcoming concert. I am going to email my form to parents of my students, friends and other contacts to get an insight as to how best I can plan my concert.

I noted that I had to be signed into my gmail account to be able to create a survey. When I signed in, I needed to upgrade my Google drive to access more Google apps. This is different from other sites like surveymonkey where you can sign up for a free account to create a survey with out necessarily being in your email account.

The coolest thing with a Google form was that I got my results instantly in a spreadsheet! The forms can be viewed in HTML form. They can also be downloaded as word documents. I completed one of the forms that I emailed to myself. This is a great tool. I am planning to use this tool in my future research studies.

Prezi Lesson

Prezi is  cool tool that allows power point, still images, you tube videos to be integrated in one presentation. The zoom function enables a personal experience to reading a presentation. This in a way separate prezi from regular PowerPoint. As part of my assignment, I prepared a lesson on African masks. When I was preparing my presentation, I found it a little overwhelming to master all the functions provided by Prezi for an excellent presentation. My lesson image is shown below.

My presentation relates ISTE NETS T standards in that students employ higher-order thinking skills and creativity to figure out various meanings of symbols on African masks. This topic also fosters creativity and art skills.

Photostory Lesson: How to repair and tune a Mbira

I have created a lesson on repairing and tuning a Mbira. Some ethnomusicologists refer to it as a Thump Piano.Mbira is an African instrument much common in Zimbabwe. This instrument is good to teach in World music lessons. Its is fairly cheap, portable and easy to learn.

DRUM CIRCLE PPT I

Here is my power point lesson about a Drum Circle.

A tour of interesting places in Harare city, Zimbabawe.

I have created a Google earth map for interesting places in the city of Harare, Zimbabwe. Here is an image of my map.

On the Google earth for educators' site, I found a lesson plan about Malware. Click here to access the lesson plan.
A KLM is file that expresses geographic annotation and visualization for earth. My Google earth map above is a good example of visualization given by the blue marks for places and buildings shown on the surface of the map.