Final Project for ETC class

I am at the end of my journey in my ETC class through Full Sail University. I choose TikaTok.com as my favorite Web 2.0 tool from this month's class. This is a short documentary on using TikaTok.

BP12_2010033_One Minute Message #2

Credits for this Podcast:

Images taken from Storybird.com to promote the Website for Educational purposes.

Music: Freeplay from iTunes Holdin Back 10

This movie was narrated and created by Collette Ishizaki using GarageBand.

storybird.com

BP9_2010033_Edublog

I have been looking for a blogging site that is affordable, preferably free and that would work with elementary students and keeping them safe. The criteria I have desired is having control over approving, editing, or deleting comments; if they were inappropriate. Creating usernames for my students so they do not have to use e-mail addresses and making the blog private for persons directly connected with my class/school.

After checking several blog sites the one I have chosen to sample is edublogs. Thanks to my classmate, Eric, for pointing me in this direction. I set-up an account and added the following pages: Welcome, Blog, and About Me. The Welcome page introduces the site as a fun way to get to know classmates. About Me page gives a brief biography of myself, as the teacher. Blog page is where I have posted my first blog.

There are many other features available on this site. I like that a variety of themes are available to choose from with the choice of free blogs. I can create usernames for my students and control the site to how I see fit. If I want comments on a page, I can select or deselect that option. I can also choose whether it is a private or public site.

I chose to use the free applications, but there is an opportunity to sign up for Edublog Pro for $3.33 a month and it includes the following:
- Get and enormous 5GB of upload space for your audio, video and other files
- Absolutely no advertising on teacher or students blogs
- Integrated statistics to let you know who’s reading your posts
- Brilliant plugins make discussion and interaction a breeze
- Creating a beautiful, powerful blog has never been easier
- Easily back up and save all your posts, pages and comments
- Lightening fast and incredibley reliable
- Powerful privacy and security functionality
- Easily create and manage dozens of students blogs

http://edublogs.org/

BP11_2010033_Link to comment on Q's blog

This is a screenshot of Xtranormal from Q's blog. To follow my comment on his blog click:

comment on Q's blog

BP10_2010033_Link to comment on Lorri's blog

This is a screenshot of my comment left on Lorri's blog. To read my comment follow the link:

link to Lorri's blog

BP8_2010032_One Minute Message - #1

Credits for this iMovie:

Permission given of individuals in pictures (last names withheld for safety precaution):
Natalie, Noah, Rachel, Rolando, Sara, Andrew, Cassidy, Julian, Taylor, Tyler, and Candis

Two images taken from TikaTok.com to promote the Website for Educational purposes.

Two images created from a standard theme page in Keynote.

This movie was narrated and created by Collette Ishizaki using iMovie.

BP6_2010032_Link to Comment on Eric's blog

MycommentonEric'sBlog

BP7_2010032_Link to Comment on Leah's blog

CommentonLeah'sBlog

BP5_2010032_Storybird

The image above is a screenshot of stories that I have started and I will invite my students to collaborate with me for a final story.

I have quite a few students asking me on a daily basis to e-mail them and forward different websites that I use in the class for teaching. Socializing through the Web is a wonderful avenue to use and keep these 5^th graders engaged while building their critical thinking skills. In doing so, I will utilize Storybird. Thanks Ms. Hanaway for the insight to this website.

Storybird is a free Website that is simple and easy to use. It is geared towards younger children, but all things can be adapted. If you just want to read stories on Storybird, you are not required to have an account. But, to make your own creations in Storybird you do need to create an account. If a person is under 13 years of age a parent/guardian needs to sign-up with the child. I will send out an e-mail to my student’s parents and they can walk through the steps with their child and create an account, if they so choose. I plan to use Storybird as an after school, at home activity.

Storybird will allow my students to create stories with simple, easy steps. When beginning a story students can choose from artist’s creations or themes. Once they have made the choice a template comes up and then a variety of artwork is displayed to the sides of the book. Just click and drag the artwork and write words to go with the picture. Click “Add a page” to continue to the next page. The cover is basic and chosen for the authors; that’s all the author has to do is create a title and the username is automatically inserted as the author.

In Storybird you can start a story and invite others to collaborate with you. I created a story titled: Wise Sayings. I created five pages and now I’m ready to invite my students to join me in authoring this story. What a great way for students to spend their time on the Web after school hours. I am excited to see the outcome of using Storybird in this way.

Storybird. Retrieved March 13, 2010, from http://storybird.com

BP3_2010031_TikaTok

The above image is my class list from TikaTok that I can access my student’s work and what they have accomplished and where they are at in creating a story.

The Web 2.0 tool I have chosen that is of interest to me to utilize in my classroom is TikaTok. This tool enables children to write and publish their own stories and when their story is complete they can purchase their creation as an eBook, a hardcover book, or a soft paperback book. TikaTok allows students to upload original stories and illustrations. There is also an opportunity for students to use templates, as well as choosing a topic to write about. The site is free and it allows a person to save their story and illustrations.

I can see myself using TikaTok in the writing portion of my 5^th grade class. I encourage students to use their imagination when creating a story. I often start by reading a published book that was written by a student. This gets the 5^th graders excited and feeling confident that they can be original when writing their own story. To change things up a bit TikaTok could be used in the classroom as a visual for students to see their words produced on a page, similar to a book that they have read for leisure. Throughout the writing process this site would aid in the importance of building a character, the setting, and theme of a story. This would happen through the visual aspect of student’s choosing which words to put on what page and deciding what illustrations would best represent the words that coincide with a page. It is important for students to express themselves through words. I believe a student writing a story and seeing it written on a page would be beneficial because it is a different perspective than just writing a story on notebook paper. In addition, for the students that find themselves challenged in writing stories they would have the opportunity to use a template provided by TikaTok. This would allow some weight to be taken off the child’s shoulders and in return the student may have more fun with the assignment and enjoy writing. TikaTok also gives helpful hints throughout the story writing process, which will give additional aid to students. If a student would like to purchase an eBook, hardcopy, or paperback of the story he/she created that would be available to them.

Reference

(2010). Tikatok. Retrieved March 7, 2010, from http://www.tikatok.com/create

BP4_2010031_RSSfeeds

I have created RSS feeds for professional purposes. I have added them to my Google Reader account and they are placed on my ETC Tab. The RSS feeds are as follows:

Classroom 2.0
http://www.classroom20.com/forum/topics/digital-storytelling-for
This is a blog that deals with digital storytelling lending help and assistance to those wanting to implement digital storytelling in the classroom. I would like my students to produce digital stories, but I need assistance in how to accomplish the task. This site may be helpful for me to gain insight in how to create a successful digital story assignment.

Edutopia
This site keeps up with current stories of teaching and learning. I am hoping to gain insight and knowledge with technology used within the classroom.

Lit And Tech Digital Storytelling Ppt
http://www.slideshare.net/macw68/lit-and-tech-digital-storytelling-ppt
This slideshare Website gives Power Points with various subjects. I found a digital storytelling power point with specific guidelines to teach how to assign a digital storytelling assignment. This site will aid me with lesson plans for my students to create a digital story.

Movie Maker in the classroom
http://www.innovativeict.net/welcome/tutorials/movie-maker-in-the-classroom/
This site has tutorials for Movie Maker. I am not familiar with this program, but it is what my school has available for students to use on the mobile lab computers. I need to get familiar with Movie Maker in order to utilize the resources that are available to me.

Teach Students Alternative Uses for PowerPoint
http://technological-teaching-aids.suite101.com/article.cfm/teach_students_alternative_uses_for_powerpoint
This Website updates and supplies information on using Power Point in the classroom on various levels. Growing my knowledge in multiple uses of Power Point will help me incorporate PP with student’s presentations and brainstorming.

BP2_2010031_EduUses4Blogs

In researching uses for blogging in education I came across the use of literature review. In my 5^th grade classroom I often encounter students that struggle with choosing a book that interest them. Students may read what the book is about and then part way through they either don’t understand what is going on or they are not intrigued by the plot and put it away. In my experience I have found that the books I read and share excitement about are the books students tend to gravitate towards. It doesn’t surprise me that a litblog would prove to be productive. Storie states, “A litblog include features like book reviews, recommendations, reading journals, publishing news, poetry, creative writing, as well as a lot of semi-related miscellany” (2007, p. 38). The things I learned with a little searching was what a great tool litblogging is to implement with those readers that haven’t found books that interest them. I could have my students or myself check out some litblogs and converse with the author of the blog or read the blogs and spark some interest that way. I can see how litblogs are a valuable way for students to learn, discuss and reflect on books. Blogging is popular and not new to students, it seems to be an interactive piece of technology that fits hand and hand with literature review and vocalizing comments in regards to books, especially books that have just been released. The use of a blog is simple and cost effective as opposed to a different media site like a Website, which mandates maintenance. This blogging has opened my eyes to new learning tools. I am excited to be on this blogging adventure.

Storie, D. (2007). Exploring the litblog: How literary blogging can be used to guide readers in the selection of new books. English in Education, 41(1), 37-50. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

BP1_2010031_iGoogleScreenShots

This blog is for Full Sail University, ETC, Emergent Technologies in a Collaborative Culture.

The following screenshots display my iGoogle tabs:

WGO/Home tab

ETC tab

FSO tab

AR/CBL tab

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