Technology IBook

The IBook was a new experience for me. I usually prefer tangible pages that I can flip back and forth if needed. However, I surprised myself by liking the IBook more than I thought I would. One reason I think I liked it so much was due to the material covered. I did not need to highlight a lots of information, but rather I was reading and watching the videos. I think the IBook worked well for teaching about technology tools because it was not a subject I had to spend a lot of time memorizing information, but technology is more of a hands-on subject. I was able to see demonstrations in the provided videos which were extremely helpful. The quizzes at the end of each chapter were also really great. The IBook allowed me to check my answers quickly which I would have not been able to do with a traditional book. It helped point out the important information I should have remembered from the text. 

Something I thought might need a little work were some of the galleries of pictures and additional text. I would sometimes overlook these by mistake because I did not realize they were additional material. I think maybe referencing all of the additional material in a paragraph on the page would guarantee the supplements would not be overlooked by mistake. 

Another reason I liked the use of the IBook specifically for this class was because while we were reading and learning about technology we were using technology. I was learning about Flipcharts by reading on the Ipad, but I was also learning about the Ipad by using the Ipad. This duel learning experiences was wonderful! 

Interactive White Boards

Reading this chapter made me think about the importance of having knowledgeable teachers using the interactive wipe boards in classrooms. One of the first things I took away from the chapter was how teachers needed to clearly understand how to use the IWBs in order to create a positive and productive learning environment for the students. It was informative to me to learn that training sessions for teachers were available through professional development and IWB companies. This will be important for me in the future as I integrate IWBs into my classroom. I will now know where I can find resources to learn about how to correctly integrate the technology into my classroom.

Another thing I found very interesting was the different aspects of the IWBs that proved most beneficial in classrooms. The tools that students could interact with such as highlighting, hiding/revealing text or images, getting feedback from activities via the IWB, and engaging with student response systems. These tools could be used for quizzes, games, or review sessions. One of the reasons I believe they are proven to be beneficial is because they allow the students to physically be engaged in learning. They are often using their bodies by getting up and moving things around with their fingers or a stylus. This physical activity goes beyond just listening to a teacher lecture about a subject, but allows the students to become involved in their own learning. This helps engage their minds and creates an environment that can support more gains in learning.

 

Digital Story Telling

It was interesting to read about different aspects of digital storytelling, and I think it will benefit me as I start to create my own digital story. One of the most beneficial things was to see the 7 elements of digital stories and compare them to the 10 elements of educational digital stories. I want to make my digital story as educational as possible so learning about these elements will help me create my story. I want to make sure I pay attention to the content of the story. It should be relevant to the age group I am teaching, and it would be even better if the story lined up with one of the state standards. Another thing to pay attention to in educational digital stories is grammar and clarity. The story should be professional and purposefully teach students about a topic. Bad grammar can be distracting and misguiding. Also if the story is not able to be clearly seen or heard by the students it will not be a productive learning tool. 

One thing that surprised me about digital stories was how long they have been around. I learned that Joe Lambert was one of the forerunners in creating digital stories and was using them in the early 1990s. It quickly developed into a great tool for teachers to use in classrooms, and it also became a way for students to learn by using their creative skills. Recently students have become more technologically motivated, and by using digital stories in classrooms teachers can make learning more fun and exciting.