Educator's F.R.I.E.N.D.S

    As a future educator, I believe it is vital to collect, analyze, and execute data in either form, Excel or surveys. I will use data collection such as Excel and surveys as helpful tools during my time as an educator as it can inform me on my performance as a teacher and allow me to reflect on my class and practices. My subject area is special education, the grade level can range from k-12, I will be happy teaching any age and grade level. The use of surveys and excel will allow me to organize my responses from my students, the parents of my students, and my peers that analyze my teaching strategies and its effectiveness.     While reviewing my classmates' blogs, I took note of interesting topics such as Christina's blog post regarding her Independent Learning Project. She discussed the evolution of technology in classrooms and how advancing classroom tech along with how she would incorporate fun academic online games. After reading this post, I am encouraged t...

Getting to Understand Learning Analytics Denotation Understanding learning analytics is to know the process of gathering, analyzing, and reporting data regarding learners and their outcomes within a particular learning system . Learning analytics is the process of being able to collect and understand information that reflects a learning system and its accomplishments .  Benefits Learning analytics can be extremely beneficial for teachers as they can understand how their students are responding to the teacher's performance . Learning analytics has to mode to gather information towards learner's behavior which then provides feedback for the teacher . This feedback can be helpful for the teacher as it allows them to see what is increasing student improvement and what might not be as effective . Learning analytics is a great outlet that incorporates technology into a classroom to better analysis student performance .  Challenges/Barriers Certain challenges...

       Defining distance and online learning may be a bit confusing to differentiate, however, the two are helpful towards student success . Distance learning can be defined as an unconventional style of learning where teacher and students do not meet in a classroom environment but rather interact through the internet . Distance learning uses certain tools such as: e-mail, mail, etc. . Online learning can be defined as a course that is offered online in aim to break down barriers among  schools and students .  Both styles of learning may be appear the same but they are not . Distance and online learning are similar but not the same as they focus online but not exactly  the same   as I have learned .         Tools that can be used for distance and online learning come in many forms, for example Khan Academy. Khan Academy is a site that aims to better enhance a student's learning on an array of subjects. Skills teachers m...

Reflection on Teacher Presentations        When searching anything online, one may receive hundreds of options that may be a but confusing and not helpful which is why using internet searching skills such as advanced search is beneficial . I use internet searching skills to make my internet searching easier . Certain skills I have acquired or use while searching come from implementing different resources such as, quotation marks and file type operators . Using quotation marks indicate that you will only get searches of articles, blogs and websites that have those specific words searched . An example would be: "Special Education PPT" .          After researching about teacher presentations I learned helpful tips and tricks regarding how to grab and maintain an audience's attention and what's the best way to format a powerpoint or presentation visual . Helpful tips included making sure that you were prepared by practicing many times wha...

 Making A Prezi!       For my independent learning project I covered "What is Nature in Science?" The purpose of my ILP #2 is to cover an educational tool or resource that I have yet to go over in my EME 2040 class. I have decided to Prezi. Prezi is an enhanced presentation design website that focuses on design and transitions. I was really excited to use it as I have never created my own Prezi before. This was an educational assignment as I learned my way as I went. Prezi is an overall easy to use website that is completely free for users! Below I posted a link to my voice thread, I hope you watch it and enjoy, thank you!

       Diigo is a social site that allows people to bookmark and annotate websites and then share them with a group or individual. I have obtained new skills regarding Diigo such as bookmarking a website. Before my EME 2040 assignment that incorporated Diigo into the lesson I had no idea how to bookmark a website nor share it with anyone. However, after completing multiple assignments with Diigo I have learned how to annotate a website with digital highlighting and sticky notes. This application would be most useful in my classroom as it allows me to analyze a website and share with my students and even with team members. Being able to bookmark a website and analyze it helps in memorizing the information and truly understanding it and then applying it into my lesson plans which shows how Diigo can help my individual professional efforts.         As a future educator I want to assist in every student's process of learning which is why I wil...

        Twitter is an interactive social media website that allows people to tweet comments and pictures regarding numerous topics. Thus far, my experience with Twitter has been an enjoyable and educational one. I have learned much on the topic of special education and about different organizations that centers itself around building a better community for special needs students inside a classroom. Twitter has many beneficial aspects to it as it enhances communication and allows people to educate themselves as well. Twitter allows people to communicate with others who may be states and countries apart, yet due to Twitter they can now communicate and discuss topics that allow both people and other Twitter users to participate in the discussion and expand their knowledge. I have not experienced any issues regarding Twitter, Twitter was a bit tricky to understand since I was new to it but now its very easy to use it. I have found Twitter to be both, fun and educatio...

       Teacher pages are pages created by a teacher at a particular school who post a multitude of material regarding what is currently taking place in their classroom and other relevant information online, either on the school’s website or even their own personal blog. Teacher pages are extremely beneficial as it allows the teacher to post information regarding classroom assignments, due dates and contact information. I visited Redlands High School home page which provided a link labeled “Teacher Pages” which then led to an alphabetical list of all the teacher’s pages. Th information publically presented in all Teacher Pages are their contact information, course description, assignments, and teacher calendar. The teachers also. Provided an “about” link that discussed the teacher’s expectations of the class and even provided a grade breakdown. I looked at multiple teacher’s pages and the grades range from 9 th to 12 th grade as Redlands High School only caters to th...

      Working with Diigo!      Diigo is an interactive bookmarking tool that allows people to share interesting websites and blogs along with creating annotations or “sticky-notes” to the content. Diigo was a foreign site to me as I had never used it prior to my EME2040 class. My initial experience using Diigo was to interact and communicate with my peers through education websites we sought out and comment on each other’s. I found Diigo a bit confusing at first as I had to install an extension and I did not know how to do so, however, after obtaining help from my Professor and peers it became easy as I was able to understand how to navigate the site. Once I was able to understand Diigo, it became easy for me and I really do enjoy this site as “Bookmarking” and “sharing” with my group promotes communication digitally and enhances an academic conversation.        My experience with Diigo is not long at all as I was only introduc...

The one with Twitter talk…          Twitter is a form of social media that is known as a micro-blog as it allows people to publish “tweets”, these tweets can only be 140 characters long hence the word micro blog. Twitter is a popular networking site that allows people to post messages and interact with other people in a digital environment. My early Twitter experience began about 6 months ago when I first created a twitter. The origin of my Twitter was mainly funny pictures and memes as opposed to what we do now in my EME 2040 class. Thus far I have interacted with my peers in my education classes by retweeting their posts or commenting under a tweet of theirs that I found to be educational or enjoyed the content. I have found Twitter beneficial as it has a friendly environment and provides a great deal of informational regarding my interests in special education. Twitter can be helpful in my future career as it allows me to interact with fellow educators ...

      For my independent learning project I decided to participate in a Twitter Chat. I do use twitter for sharing & re-tweeting funny pictures & videos, however, I am aware that Twitter can be educational. For my topic when looking & participating in certain chats, I used the hashtag "#Speded" as its focused around special education classroom tips & stories. I do want to become a special education teacher & work with students who have special needs. While being an active participant in these chats I found helpful classroom tips! Tips such as having role-play activities with my students that help create friendships such as "How to nice to someone" skits that help students recognize how to be friendly to everyone, regardless of their special needs.       Special education is a field within education that focuses on helping students that having certain needs. Some of these needs are down syndrome, autism, dyslexia, etc. However, othe...

         From what I have learned and practice thus far in my academic career, I feel the most prepared to teach ELA technology standards to 5th graders. ELA technology standards regarding 5th grade focuses more on creativity such as poster design and children friendly magazines regarding  educational topics. I do believe that I have more of a creative touch, thus teaching ELA technology standards to 5th grade would become an outlet for my creativeness and in return I could educate my students on how to be creative and find fun and safe online tools to learn. I do feel as if I need more practice concerning 11-12th grade ELA technology standards, on my part. I have not been as educated on the newest kind of technology meaning that I need more practice in order to better teach 11-12 th  grade especially that their standards cover websites and graphic organizers that I have not used ever but there is always room for practice.     ...

       As my time in high school and even in college thus far Microsoft Word has been a major factor in my academic career. I am no stranger when it comes to Microsoft Word. I have used it multiple times when creating documents for essays and lecture notes. My experience with seeing my teachers use Microsoft Word is usually seeing their lesson plans stored in a document then projected onto the white board. None of my past teachers have ever taught any lessons regarding Microsoft Word which lead me to be unaware of most features Microsoft Word has yet with EME2040 Microsoft Word is becoming more familiar and expanding my skill set regarding the usage of Microsoft Word.       My experience regarding copyright and fair use of material in an educational environment was slim to none before college, however, my EME2040 was the first course that emphasized the need and usage of copyright in a classroom setting. As a future educator, I will place much emp...

The One Where We Talk About Technology            We live in an advancing age of all kinds of technology. While some people may be foreign to new technology, by understanding it thoroughly, we as future educators can include it in our classrooms! What influences teachers and students to incorporate technology into classrooms is how educational and playful it can be. Certain technology outlets such as "Kahoot" allow for technology to come into the classroom along with offering the students a fun way to use their cellphones and interact with their peers. Along with this, the majority of students are natives to technology which will grasp their full attention if technology is implemented into the learning.            International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is an organization that focuses on helping educators implement technology into classrooms. One meaningful standard belonging to ISTE is being a "Digit...

The One Where I Post For the First Time If it hasn't been your day, your month, or even your year this educator friend will help!     My name is Rachel Green, I began this blog during my first year at Florida State University. I am studying special education as I hope one day to help students gain the basic knowledge of the world and how to become an active citizen in our society despite any mental challenge or disability. Education has always been a calling for me, I loved the idea of helping the future generations learn and strive in our world. I am a young, not much experienced future educator but as time approaches and different lessons are taught I hope that I will become the friend to all other aspiring educators!   I was born in an age of newly advancing technology. There was always new eye catching technology approaching when I was younger, yet, I never seemed to get the hang of it. It took me about a month to understand how to "copy and paste" on a Ma...