I constantly use my smartphone to do things I could accomplish on a laptop. I often search the web for answers to questions I may have. I also use it to look up directions to get from place to place. I use my phone to check into sorority events on google. I also fill out many forms on my phone that are placed on google docs or google sheets.

What do you find professionally efficient to do using your mobile phone?

              Using a phone to quickly look up answers to questions or to keep up with the news can be very efficient uses of a smartphone. As an employer or employee it is very easy to bookmark important sites for your business. When out of state, smartphones make it very easy to get in touch with people through email, text, or video chat. In the professional world, smartphones can help you budget your time by syncing a calendar with all upcoming important events. Using a smartphone can help you stay on top of your tasks or daily assignments. It is also very efficient in answering emails in a timely fashion. 

Do you regard a desktop, laptop, and/or mobile phone as essential technologies for teaching? Would you prefer a combination of some of these with other technologies?

              I think desktops and laptops are extremely important in teaching. I think they allow for more interactive lessons. Using this form of technology keeps students engaged and willing to learn. When phones enter the mix, I feel often times students can get distracted. When used correctly phones can add many benefits to the lesson. I believe sending group-me or remind text messages can benefit from children staying on top of their after school tasks. Classroom’s having full sets of laptops of Chromebooks allow for the teacher to plan more interactive lessons with their students. It also allows for them to get comfortable with life skills of searching the web and finding information on their own.

              This semester, I am not using any e-books for my college classes. E-books can be very different than reading regular paper books because they tend to be harder to navigate or flip back and forth. E-books do not allow you to write hand written notes, which is a good study tool while reading. E-books also tend to strain the readers eyes because it is being read through a screen not on paper. E-books are the same as paper books because they contain the same content. With more advanced e-books they allow for highlighting and other tools similar to using a regular book.

 

How often do you use the interactive features of e-book, such as built-in dictionaries, sticky notes, bookmarks, references, audio, and live links to other websites?

              When I used an e-book in psychology class, I did not use all the interactive features very often. I most often used the built-in dictionaries and found that tool to be very helpful. The sticky notes and highlighting tools did not seem to be very useful for me. When I would record down notes, it was not as easily accessible as flipping back and forth of paper books. I often lost what I had bookmarked or highlighted. It was much harder to study off of an e-book than real textbook. 

In what ways do you see e-books and e-readers changing your role as a teacher?

              As a teacher, e-books and e-readers allow for your students to be able to access the book anywhere a computer or laptop is available. They can also be a useful tool to ensure your students are reading by checking the interactive activities within the sections. Online textbooks are also cheaper, which allows more students to be able to afford the book. The interactive styles of the book may help students take in the information better than if they just read it straight off pages. In a younger classroom setting, having an online book allow for the students to learn different uses of the computer and all its tools.

              When learning math skills I prefer learning interactively. I also like to learn history in a multimodal and interactive way. When it comes to science and English, I enjoy the traditional book learning. I think for math and history, it keeps the interest of the students. I know math can be very hard sometimes and I learn best by watching it done first. History also tends to have long and dry lectures. With interactive teaching styles incorporated it is easier to focus and learn the material.

What are recent examples of new information that you have learned using online interactive websites or data visualization technologies?

              Last year was the last time any of my professors strongly incorporated interactive websites. In my psych class, the digital textbook required a lot of interactive activities and simulations. This helped keep the readings more interesting. Just last week, in my diverse learners class, we did an online stimulation for ADHD. I found this lesson to be very interesting and eye opening. It was crazy to actually feel what a student with ADHD goes through on a normal basis. I wish more of my class incorporated more lessons like that.

How do you plan to support different learning preferences of students when you enter the classroom as a teacher?

              As a teacher, in order to support all types of learning I plan on changing up each lesson with different methods. Some days I will display many videos and interactive activities to help the visual learners. Other days I will do more traditional, written work to allow students that learn best that way to preform best. When I make quizzes and test I also want to incorporate different learning strategies so everyone can do well. Since everyone learns differently it would not be efficient to teach the same way, every day. I will ensure my class has many mixed lesson plans and allows for all students to learn in the way that best fits them.

              Through years of experience, I have gotten better at taking multiple choice tests. I find eliminating the obvious wrong answers very helpful. I also like to read through all the questions because some give hints in helping answer others. No matter what on a multiple choice test, I always fill in the answer because there is always a 25% chance you got the answer correct. Teaching students how to use process of elimination is a very important tool in this type of test. Helping students recognize the obvious wrong answers will also allow them to get better at taking this kind of exam.

What skills and talents might be best evaluated by paper-and-pencil tests? What skills and talents are better evaluated by performance based measures?

              Skills like vocabulary and spelling are evaluated well through paper and pencil tests. Skills like reading or creativity are better evaluated through performance based measures. Pencil and paper does not allow for the creativity of kids to show. 

What kinds of performance based assessments did you engage in as a student? What performance based assessments do you envision using with students you teach?

              As a student I took many writing performance based assessments. I think that was an effective way to see if my writing has improved within a certain time. I also plan on using this type of assessment for writing. I also want to allow my students to shine through creativity, so I would incorporate assessments that allow them to show that.

              Often times bullying occurs when the bully is feeling unsure of themselves. Many times if something happens in their home life, they take it out on others in school. Teachers can help students by talking to them and trying to find out whatever underlying factor is making them act that way. Teachers can then try to help the student cope with their emotions in other ways without hurting other students. 

What age do you think teaching empathy toward others and respectful communication should begin in school? Do you know of or have you participated in activities that are effective bullying prevention strategies?

              Students should be taught empathy and respect from the moment they step into school. It is never too young to start teaching those qualities. Allowing kids to work with many different students in the class, allows for them to learn the differences in others and teaches them how to respect it. I think working in groups from a young age helps eliminate the judgement kids often have. Teaching about bullying and ways to prevent it are also efficient ways in educating the children and trying to turn them away from bullying.

As a teacher, what are you planning to do to create safe classrooms, corridors, and play spaces for all students?

              As a teacher I want to ensure a safe feeling in my classroom. I will have no tolerance for bullying and make sure that is clearly known. I will also keep a close relationship with each students, allowing for open communication. That way they feel comfortable talking to me about things going on in family life or anything that could make them feel unsafe in the classroom. I would like to hold workshops with my students to educate them on bullying and prevention methods.

              In high school, I would have enjoyed the option of taking courses online. It would have better prepared me for the online work and classes in college. I also would have benefited from it allowing me to get out of school early and complete it on my own time since I worked every day after school. This would have given me the opportunity to have more time after school to complete homework and projects before heading to work. A high school online class would have improved my typing and technology skills since we often did not use computers in school.

 

How might online courses and virtual learning better prepare students for future jobs and careers?

              Online classes are often allowed to be done on your own time. This allows for students to learn time management. With having online classes and regular classes, a student must learn how to plan time to complete the online class along with their regular homework. In the future, some jobs will require the use of time management so it allows students to practice. It also gives them practice on the computer and using different platforms to complete their work. This allows for the students to get more aware of technology which is now essential in most jobs. 

How might blended learning (courses taught partially in person ad partially online) be a help to students in comparison to an entirely in-person or entirely online experience? 

              A blended classroom allows for students to get the benefits of online classes and in class teaching. It allows students to learn the skills of having class online but students can still connect with the teacher in person when the class meets. I think this is the most beneficial type of class. Students still get face to face interaction while learning how to manage the online component of the class. I also think this type of class caters to lots of different types of learners. 

              Game play can help students develop outside the classroom. Since many of the games they play at home have problem solving aspects, it allows them to continue to practice problem solving outside the classroom. Almost all games have some type of competition, this allows children to learn how to win and lose in situations. It allows for friendly competition to be brought into the classroom. The interesting story lines games have keep the gamers intrigued, which is similar to stories taught at school. If children at home are interested by different storylines in their game, they may be more interested in the storylines of books in the classroom.

What are ways you might combine entertainment, edutainment, and education to develop exciting learning experiences for students with technology tools? 

              To create exciting learning experiences for students, you can theme activities in the classroom to go along with the entertainment and games they enjoy. If you are using technology, you can make the games they play similar to at home games but just add more educational elements. When teaching young children about code, there are websites that allow you to code in Minecraft. Combining fun games with education always get the children more excited to learn. Competition of games engages the students and allows them to get rewarded for their knowledge on a subject. 

              I think the fast nature of texting is one of the reasons it is so popular among young people. Within an hour people can send hundreds of texts and receive many back within that time. Another attractive part of texting is that young kids can hide behind the screen. People can be more confrontational through texting allowing them so say how they feel without seeing the reaction of the person on the other end. The constant communication is something young people crave. Texting makes talking faster, without face to face conversation, and lets you think about what you are sending before it is sent. 

In what ways might texting, with its improvised spelling, promote or hinder the development of children’s and adolescents’ reading and writing skills? Has texting affected your own writings skills either positively or negatively?

              Texting definitely hinders the spelling capability of everyone who uses it. With auto correct or texting lingo, it is easy to lose important skills learned in school. Texting does open up the opportunities for people to write and spell more often but they often do not use it in correct language. For my own writing skills, I have become extremely bad at spelling. I rely a lot on spell check through phones and computers. I was never a great speller but it has gotten progressively worse throughout the years. When writing, I often leave out key words in a sentence that are unnecessary in texting when you are just trying to get the point across. My punctuation skills has also decreased since comas, semi colons, and ending punctuation are rarely used in texting.

Are there changes you think teachers will make to curriculum and instruction because of the texting behaviors of students?

              I think teachers will have to continuously change the curriculum to be more spelling intense since it is a skill that is lost in many kids. I have already seen teachers do activities that mimic children texting one another. I think one benefit texting can bring to the curriculum is the apps that teachers can use to provide children with reminders and additional information outside of the classroom. I think teachers from elementary school throughout high school will have to adjust their curriculum to reinforce the importance of grammar and spelling into generations surrounded by texting and the shortcuts it brings.

In your experience, have digital presentations promoted or hindered class discussions? Describe any positive or negative effects you have noticed.
               In my experience, digital presentations have promoted class discussions. It is easier to keep track of the topic we are talking about based on the slide that is being presented. It also allows for the use of review games to be introduced and interactive ways of learning. Using presentations also allows for students to be able to access the slides after class. I find it to keep me more interested then someone just talking at the class. 

What strategies will you use to make digital presentations engaging and interactive, memorable and lively for student audiences?
               In my future classroom, I will always use an interactive component in each of my presentations. I will also allow for review games and videos to help keep my students involved. In order to keep them interesting, I will use multiple different platforms to present my topics. I hope to have fun videos and pictures that spark interest in my students. In order to assure my students are engaged, I will ask for their feedback on which platforms and games they like best. I would also like to throw in questions throughout the presentation to ensure they are always engaged, not just at the end when playing a review game.

              I most often prefer learning through hands on activities. My preference does differ on various topics. If I am in a math class I like learning through the instruction of a teacher or an online video. When I am learning history I like learning through lectures. For writing and science I do best with hands on activities to better grasp the material.  

How have you seen teachers differentiate instruction?

              Throughout most of my academics, my teachers have taught in a very traditional lecture and listen way. Some teachers will add videos to aid their teaching. My one current professor is very hands on. She brings out lots of activities and simulations to help us absorb the material. I enjoy her instruction much better than others. Another professor I had used the book for the entirety of the class, making class drag. 

How do you envision organizing teaching activities to support the learning needs of diverse students? How will you differentiate methods of learning?

              In my future classroom, I plan to switch up all of my lessons in order to reach all students. I will use a rotation system to keep organized and ensure I am meeting the needs of all of my students. In the beginning of the school year I will take notice of all of my students preferences and ideal ways of learning to help make sure I can teach in ways that suit them. 

              As a student I found projects to be the most helpful assessment. I liked projects because they required me to learn about the topic, but I could still be creative while making it. Projects were also enjoyable so I liked putting the time into them. I found writing formats to be the least helpful assessment. Every teacher expected different forms of writing and never gave back enough feedback. I felt writing assessments to be hard because they were bias based on the teacher. With wanting different styles, it was hard to create a writing masterpiece in any subject. 

As a teacher, when might you use test-based assessments (exams, quizzes, worksheets)?
              As a teacher, I will often utilize worksheets. Worksheets are a great way to review and practice what was learned. I will use quizzes more often than exams, allowing the students to have more small assessments rather than a few large ones. Quizzes are great for vocabulary, spelling, or going over math concepts. After giving the students multiple worksheets and small quizzes, I will use an exam to assess their overall knowledge of a unit. 

As a teacher, when might you use performance assessments (portfolios, writing, projects)?

              As a teacher, I would like to incorporate as many performance assessments as possible. As a student I enjoyed those kinds of testing way more. They are more enjoyable to make which encourages students to put more time into them. I do not personally like writing, so I would not use that as often as I would allow my students to use projects. I plan to adjust my assessments so the student can pick the type is best for them.

How might you organize classroom instruction to ensure that all students have substantive learning experiences with technology?
              Similarly to this course, I would ensure my students have substantive learning experiences with technology by allowing them to use it on their own. After using a specific platform in class, I would like to assign a group collaborative project based on the same platform. This will allow students to make their own project through the platform they learned about in class, giving them control of the platform. This will ensure the students have learned how to use it and all the features the technology provides.

Do you see Bring Your Own Device/Technology programs as a solution to or a continuation of digital divides, digital inequalities, and digital participation gaps?
              I do not see bringing your own devices being a solution to digital divides. Some students have very limited access to technology, not giving them the luxury of bringing it to class. This would continue to grow the digital inequalities because it would be unfair for the students who could not bring their form of technology. Another problem with bringing your own technology is that it brings awareness to the students who can not afford the same things as the others. I find that to be unfair to the students and I would not like to condone that in my future classrooms. I do not want to bring any unnecessary attention to my students of a lower class.