These are a few of my favorite technology tools

As I discover new technology tools I want to give readers a chance to see my critiques and insight on each tool. Through this blog I will give you ratings (5-point scale) and a brief description of the tool, followed by a personal review. Today I am featuring 8 technology tools: Moodle, Chrome, Google Apps, LiveBinder, Twiddla, Emaze, Squarespace and GetTimely. Feel free to comment below if you want more information on any of these tools. - Joy

1. Moodle

https://moodle.org/ 

 Rating: 4 out of 5

Description:
Moodle is a learning management system (LMS) that can be used to complement face-to-face courses or deliver courses completely online.

Review:  
My interaction with Moodle is strictly limited to completing courses at the university level. It is a helpful tool that manages every component a student might need for a course. Professors and students can interact via Moodle without ever meeting face-to-face. My only challenge with this tool has to do with how proficient the user is. Some professors navigate well with Moodle, while others don't utilize it effectively - this leads to inconsistency.  

2. Chrome

http://www.google.com/chrome/ 

Rating: 5 out of 5

Description:

Google Chrome is a freeware web browser developed by Google. It used the WebKit layout engine until version 27 and with the exception of its iOS releases, from version 28 and beyond uses the WebKit fork Blink.

Review: 

I don't normally use Chrome to browse, but when I do I experience good speed and good security. In my opinion it functions just as efficiently as other browsers I use and it is also a benefit to have the built-in Flash player and PDF reader, eliminating those frustrating moments you need to stop browsing to download software.

3. Google Apps

 https://apps.google.com/

Rating: 5 out of 5

Description:

Google Apps is a suite of cloud computing productivity and collaboration software tools and software offered on a subscription basis by Google. 

Review: 

This technology received an easy 5 out of 5 due to the sheer convenience of it all. Thanks to Google Apps, I no longer have to open docs, save, attach and email to others, but I now can easily open docs and work together with peers without ever being near each other. From email, to blogger, to sheets to docs - Google Apps is easily the best tool to use for any and all needs.

4. LiveBinders

http://www.livebinders.com/welcome/home 

Rating: 3 out of 5

Description: 

Online digital binder.

Review:

LiveBinders is a simple tool to organize your resources, and is used often by educators. My personal review of LiveBinders 3 out 5. While it was simple to decipher and navigate through the site, it is dull and lacks appealing graphics and colors. Reviews state that it is an awesome tool, but I did not see nor envision ways I could use it beyond simple organization.

5. Twiddla

http://www.twiddla.com/ 

 Rating: 4 out of 5

Description: 

A web-conferencing tool that allows users to mark up websites, graphics, and photos, or start brainstorming on a blank canvas. Browse the web with friends or make that conference call more productive than ever. No plug-ins, downloads, or firewall voodoo - it's all here, ready to go when you are. Browser-agnostic, user-friendly. 

Review:

Twiddla is a great tool to use when interacting with students and peers. Despite the aged graphics, the premise of the technology tool is useful in classroom settings. Live time revisions can be made along with presenting and highlighting key point of a particular webpage. Twiddla is definitely one of my favorite technology discoveries.

6. Emaze

https://www.emaze.com/?emazehome 

Rating: 5 out of 5

 

Description:

Emaze is the next generation of online presentation software. Select any of the professionally designed free templates to create amazing presentations.

Review:

I have used several online presentation software to create and present, Emaze is far and beyond the best quality and easiest to use. Unlike other online presentation tools, Emaze is user friendly and has good supports to save and recall work. Excellent graphics and free templates allow users to create sharp and appealing presentations. I will likely be using Emaze for future presentations.

  

7. Squarespace

https://www.squarespace.com/ 

Rating: 4 out 5

 

Description:

Whether you need a powerful landing page, striking galleries, a professional blog, or an online store, it's all included with your Squarespace website. Best of all, everything is mobile-ready right from the start.

Review: 

Squarespace was my first introduction to building websites and it was a frustrating process figuring out how to maximize the site. Overall, Squarespace is an excellent tool to create and launch your online presence, but much of its limitations have a lot to do with the money you want to spend. Depending on the amount of dollars you invest, templates are equipped with limitations and features. If you are looking to create a professional site, this is definitely a go-to because of the supports and security, otherwise I recommend using free options such as Wix.

 

8. GetTimely 

https://www.gettimely.com/

Rating 2 out of 5

 

Description:

Online appointment scheduling software

Review:

GetTimely provides individuals and businesses the means to conduct appointment scheduling and booking via secured, online means. However, GetTimely requires far too many steps to complete each task and is users attempting to book appointments encounter several issues that hinder the booking process. While it does its job, it requires a great deal of time to structure and organize each appointment.

Multimedia does a lesson plan good.

      Creating a lesson plan for a class is a thoughtful and organized process. Teachers must

consider every student and learning style when piecing together a lesson. Master teachers are also master lesson planners. They can look at a learning goal and piece together key components that will ensure that their students meet the goal. Not all lessons need to be a reinvention of the wheel, but there are several hallmarks of well-crafted lesson plans (Tenkely, 2016). A well-crafted lesson plan can utilize a variety of methods to engage and inspire learners, but as teachers today, it is imperative to incorporate multimedia when creating lesson plans. As milk is to the body, multimedia is to a lesson plan.
 

     Working collaboratively as a class to compose this multimedia lesson plan was a unique experience. I am more comfortable working on lesson plans alone and with my own ideas, it was interesting to hear and see how we each differed in terms of how to compile a lesson plan. Looking closely at the ISTE*T Standards, I feel our lesson is most in line with standard 2c to "design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments" (ISTE*T, 2c). Using multimedia was the premise of this assignment which guided how we tailored each component. We used several online components including Google Drive, Google Sheets and Padlet. While the lesson was very simple, students were encouraged to use technology to complete each task.

     In terms of changes, revisions and special accommodations, I feel our group was able to craft the lesson plan with just the right amount of difficulty and needed practice. I don't personally feel it would need to change to be more challenging, but if a higher level task was requested, I would include a research-based assignment. This would be a written component to correlate to the results of the cereal comparison done within the class period. Also, this lesson is helpful for students with special needs in that work is done primarily in groups and students are able to receive immediate feedback and assistance throughout the task. In the event a student is unable to use or engage in the group activities, the teacher would easily offer an option of doing the assignment with oral or visual aids. 

     The most beneficial part of this assignment was working collaboratively with my peers. By doing so, I was able to see different methods and lesson planning strategies that I can incorporate into my own process. The most challenging aspect was working on a lesson plan that was outside of my content. I felt like I could not fully contribute to ideas because I was unfamiliar with the standards and expectations of the lesson. However, it was an excellent learning experience and I enjoyed working with my peers to complete this multimedia assignment. 

References:

Didau, D. (2012). Planning a perfect lesson. Retrieved from http://www.learningspy.co.uk/training   /planning-a-perfect-lesson/

Tenkely, K. (2016). 10 steps to better lesson plans. Retrieved from http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/9177-10-steps-to-better-lesson-plans

The Chaotic World of Pandemic 2

 

     Pandemic 2 is an interesting world of controlled chaos. The aim of conquering the world with sickness is a daunting task, but looking beyond the game's premise I was able to discover a variety of ways to incorporate this into the classroom environment. From basic calculations to detailed bacterial genetics, this game offers teachers and students a tool to further engage in learning and application.

     My experience with this online game and our group presentation was enlightening. I am not a gamer so initially I was not excited about playing or learning this game. Once my group selected this game, we were each tasked with attempting to play it and figure out the strategies. From the start I had a difficult time with the game and it was frustrating for me to navigate through the game. However, as I continued to interact with the game features, I quickly discovered some interesting ways I could incorporate this into my school content. 

     

     The best component of learning this game was learning how versatile it is in terms of incorporating it into the different contents. You could use this game in a Social Studies class because world government, geography and world maps is a large component of the game. With Science and Health, this game would be useful in investigating the types of diseases, the symptoms of each disease and how they can and do evolve. In terms of Math, there are basic calculations that can be practiced because of the score or points that are accumulated through the duration of the game. Finally, in regards to Language Arts, teachers could use a journal or log to track the progress of the disease and the spread of the illness. Language Arts students could also play the role of reporter and practice a way they would write an investigative story.

                                

     If you would ask me whether I would continue to play this game or use it in my classroom, I would say no. While there are definite ways it could be used for different contents, the interface and design of the game is somewhat unappealing and I believe that students would not be attracted to the game. I also would not play it on my own time because it is not a style of game I would be drawn to. In spite of that, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of learning this game and introducing it to my classmates.