Paint Pot Design Journal Entry

Paint Pot

This week I dove further into MIT App Inventor. I began with repeating some of the same features such as using buttons to complete a task. This week I learned about using a drawing canvas. Programming an app to sensor where a finger is touching the screen and creates a dot, or if the finger is moving it draws a line. This was a fun week and I've discovered several educational purposes for this app. I designed my app to have Isometric Grip paper as the background image to draw on. This will allow my students to draw isometric parts on their phones and submit them through the LMS directly. 

Advantage of the Basic Suite

Advantages and Uses of the Basic Suite Software

 

  The Basic Suite consists of Word Processing, Excel Spreadsheet, Presentation. The basic suite is used to help teachers and learners achieve goals that normally would take more time. The biggest relative advantage of the basic suite is the fact that technology is faster than paper and pencil.  “Getting organized, producing instructional materials, and accomplishing paperwork tasks all go much faster when software tools are used” (Roblyer, 2013, p. 109). 

 Word Processing/Google Documents

     Word Processing and Google Documents help teachers and students produce professional looking work. Relative advantage of both is that they have built in spell checkers and grammar checks. The use of word processing software includes the options of page layouts, inserting images, charts, etc. All of these can help individuals create flyers, brochure, professional papers, and articles. 

Excel/Google Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet software makes for data collection and representation a breeze. It's easy to sort out data and build graphs, charts, and other visual representations of your data collected. The advantage of this software is that it's quick and easy to use. 

Powerpoint/Google Presentation

Presentation software is a great tool that can be used to organize content and ideas. This is possible since you are creating slides and organizing the content to share with students. Presentation also allows users to import/embed graphics and videos. Teachers and students can also use the animation feature in this software to animate their graphics to help present their points. 

The basic suite has a huge upside in the education field. We must have our heads on and know that their will be a certain level of training needed for both teachers and students. You'll never have a full class of students that know how to use word, excel, or presentation to their fullest potential. In addition to just being able to use the programs, students and educators alike need to learn the best practices for design and layout. In my previous course, E-Learning and the Science of Instruction, we learned that there are several research based principles that can guide users to make presentations that enhance learning, rather than detract from it (Clark & Mayer, 2008). I became informed that some graphics can be distracting rather than helpful in the learning environment.

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2008). E-learning and the science of instruction, 2nd edition. Pfeiffer: San Francisco, CA.

Roblyer, M.D. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching, San Francisco, CA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Hello Purr App Design Journal Entry

This week I used MIT App Inventor for the first time.  Throughout the week I learned about the different views such as the viewer window and the block editor. The block editor is by far my favorite aspect of App Inventor. I've always been in to the programming and have designed websites using HTML5, Java, and C++. This particular way of programming is easy to learn and you can see the loops and how they are going to work.

This week I used a simple application to place a button that played a sound when clicked. I also learned how to access different sensors on mobile devices including the accelerometer that can tell when the phone is being moved/shaken. The app that was originally planned was a button that was the image of a kitten and when clicked it would produce a meow sound. I decided to create an app that was educational and helpful for my son in kindergarten.  They are learning letters and words that start with each one. I created an app that has a picture of an A. When you click on the A or shake the phone it activates the sound "A for Apple". I plan to develop the app to include all 26 letters as buttons. I may have to drop the shaking of the phone portion.

Instructional Software

In this blog I will be giving examples of the five types of software and the advantages of this software in the teaching of STEM.

Drill and Practice
This is a software type that enforces repetition for learners to learn a specific topic.

Example: Flashcard Maker app by Imad K
                Cram.com Flashcards app and website

Both are apps that allow you to make flashcards to study. It brings technology into the old fashioned index cards that we turned into flashcards before all this technology came around.
Advantage:
 Students can create the flashcards that they need to and the apps will generate random order every time they study so it's not memorization of an order, but students are learning the vocabulary.

Tutorials
These can be useful tools to present new computer software or even walk students step by step through a process.

Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lahyXq1ZDrE
This is a basic tutorial to Inventor that I've created for my classroom. Most of my students find this helpful.

Advantage:
 Students get to see step-by-step instructions on how to use computer software. Sometimes it's best to allow students to work through a tutorial at their own pace. Students learn at different paces.

Simulations
 Simulations are great tools that can create virtual lab experiences for students.  This is helpful in schools that have budget restraints and can't afford the expensive lab equipment,

One example of a simulation I use is. http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/circuit-construction-kit-dc

This is a circuit construction simulation created by Colorado University.

Advantage:  Simulations apply knowledge that students have learned into a real-world experience. This really helps active learners and is a cheaper route than purchasing equipment that you don't have.

Instructional Games
Games are engaging and fuel students competitive drives to be better than their peers in some cases. Games can be a fun way to improve math skills or content knowledge.

Example: Math Blaster

Math blaster and all the blaster related games are great games to improve mathematical speeds and science knowledge.  I know some of this could be considered lower level math, but I find it a great way to keep students accountable for their math and knowing how to multiply, divide and convert without the use of their calculators.

Advantage:
Students are engaged and learning content that will always help them in the future. It's a fun way to interact with students and push them to become better that you(the instructor). Some not all students strive in an environment of competition.


Problem Solving Software
 Example: Autodesk Inventor

Throughout the engineering curriculum students will have to solve design problems. These problems will give the students real world experience in solving common problems that engineers could face in their daily jobs. Inventor allows students to create 3Dimensional models to solve these problems. Using this software will help students to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.

EdTech 541 Vision Statement

Educational Technology Vision Statement

Throughout history one thing that has always impacted human lives is technology. Humans have managed through the Stone Age, to Iron and Copper Ages, to the Industrial Revolution all these enhancements are caused by the innovation of technology. Today's society is driven by technology and everyone is basically required to use it. My vision statement is stated below. 

         Educators will engage students with the technology to teach them 21st Century skills, language arts, science, mathematics, technology literacy, etc. To prepare them to be responsible college and career ready citizens. 

To achieve this goal I believe that as educators we have to set some goals for ourselves and our students. Educators need to be willing to integrate technology and use new/emerging technology.

Goals of Integration

• School wide adoption, promotion, and enforcement of an Acceptable Use Policy. Students will be instructed in appropriate online behavior, cyperbullying, the dangers of interacting with others on social media and possibility of hacking. Digital Citizenship curriculum is introduced and implemented throughout the district K-12 during homeroom/SWS. 

• Increase student access to technology. Through Bring your own Device policy, mobile labs/carts to allow for technology integration in classrooms. 

• Design lesson plans that follow the Quad D strategies provided by the Dagget System for Effective Instruction. (ICLE)

• Provide ongoing professional development. 

Technology Integration in the Classroom:

    "We need to create support for rigor and relevance systemwide"(http://www.leadered.com/our-philosophy/dsei.php).  Relevant lessons begin with the integration of technology in the classroom. Today's children are growing up with technology at their fingertips everywhere, why not in the classroom as well? Students need to be taught how to research, which sources are credible and which are not. Students need to learn how to use technology to organize data in graphical representations. Integrating technology in the classroom will lead to life long learning opportunities. The implementation of technology in lessons will allow students to take knowledge at their disposal and run with it, if the students take ownership of their learning.

Resources

 Our Philosophy. (n.d.). Retrieved September 4, 2015. http://www.leadered.com/our-philosophy/dsei.php

 Roblyer, M., & Doering, A. (2015). Integrating educational technology into teaching (7th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.