Before Pictures of my Classroom

As you can see in the before pictures, I have students set-up in small groups.  I also have a carpet where we complete large group activities, Morning Meeting, as well as some small group activities.  I have a Guided Reading table where I conduct Guided Math and Guided Reading groups.  Students are allowed to sit wherever they wish during Daily 5 Math and Reading stations.  Many choose to sit on the carpet, while others will sit underneath tables, behind my desk, and in the rocking chair.  I have students sitting in groups of five to six for collaboration purposes.

After Pictures of My Classroom

More of a 21st Century Design in Mind!

When re-designing my room with 21st Century learning in mind, I had some difficulty rearranging it with the tables and furniture that are already provided by my school.  I brought in two tables from my hallway and placed the one table to make an Osmo learning station.  The other table I placed in the center of our room as a Tech Station.  I have student iPads on this table, along with clipboards and whiteboards located underneath.  Behind both, I placed students' Daily 5 Reading and Math Station work.  I also placed the pull-out drawers in this area as this is where students place completed papers.

Osmo Station

Library Nook

I added more of a display to show the books from the library that can be overlooked.

Tech Station (iPads)

Paper Return

Daily 5 Math and Reading Stations

Tech Station

Clipboards and Whiteboard Location

View of entire classroom

Future Classroom Images

If I had $1,000 to spend right now to change my classroom set-up, I'd do a few things differently!

I have a few images below that allow you to see my different visions for a 21st Century Classroom.  They are all different but have some similar principles in mind.  I like the idea of flexible seating, seating students in pods or sections for learning, along with bright pops of color!

This design I really like as it has different types of seating, plus it is very colorful!  It still provides an area for students to use desks, but they have the options of where they would like to learn.

I like this design because the classroom uses tables, along with stools which are more of a 21st Century design than regular desks and chairs.  I like the colorful tables and different areas or pods around the room.

This classroom I like as it provides different types of flexible seating for our 21st Century learners.  The room is still set up in sections, but students have the option of sitting in a chair, stool, or on a floor cushion.

Finally, I thought this classroom was an interesting design as it clearly has different sections in mind.  Students would have privacy to work in different locations around the room.  I like the different types of seating, such as the couch or the small red ottomans.  This looks very futuristic to me and I would enjoy this type of set-up in my own room due to its modern appeal.

My Thoughts on Design and Student Learning

Personally, I think the design of any classroom is vital to student learning.  It has a direct impact on how students learn in a variety of ways.  First, if students are sitting in small groups, they are very easily able to collaborate on assignments and projects.  If students have the ability to sit somewhere in a quiet section of the room to work, they have this option as well.  Students who are provided with flexible seating have their needs met as they can freely sit where they are most comfortable, whether it be on the floor, on cushions, stools, or chairs.  Students are more focused when the design of the classroom is conducive to their learning and their personal needs.  Students do not always need to work at a desk as they are using iPads.  Students who complete collaborative projects, need areas to express their ideas freely and to be able to work without seating restrictions.

I think my room is more like a 21st Century design now that I changed some things around.  My thoughts in my designing process were that I wanted to continue to keep the carpet area front and center as my students use this often for a variety of reasons.  They do partner work, independent work, along with large group work here.  I decided to set up an Osmo station as this is something new we just learned about.  I have one iPad to use with the Osmo, but I figured I'd provide one sole area for this to be used as the iPad does not have a case on it.  Finally, I decided to provide students with a center area where they have access to their iPads, stations, clipboards, and whiteboards.  This allows students to have a one-stop shop and they can grab whatever they need.  This is actually working out well because I have a charging station at the back of my room where I am charging iPads whenever needed.  Before I was charging all iPads at once and it was a little time consuming to plug them in every other evening.  This way, I am providing students with more responsibility by requiring them to keep an eye on their battery.  I also really like my library nook that I created.  I have another carpet in this area and students enjoy lying here to read stories.  The new design was the bookshelf that displays some of our library books that tend to be overlooked.   I think this new set-up, even though the changes are minor due to the furniture I have access to, is definitely an improvement from what I had before.  In fact, one of my students came in the next day and said: "It's like we have a brand new room."  It doesn't matter how minor the changes, they can make a huge impact on student learning.  

Images were taken from

 https://www.artcobell.com/sites/default/files/blog_entry_05.png

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2d/99/85/2d998504b3e904f018b0883197d78099.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/e7/cb/cc/e7cbcc45e691115e07ff7313f8741508--learning-environments-learning-spaces.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/78/b3/6e/78b36ed1837a40f3105caf7363cb9e45--udl-classroom-classroom-setting.jpg

Genius Hour Curation Board

After seeing that I was allowed to use whichever curation tool I’d like for this project, I right away decided to use Pinterest.  Pinterest is so easy for me to navigate and find creative ideas for any topic.  I created a board and titled it “EDIM 516” so I knew this was where I’d be placing all of my Genius Hour pins.  I love when I search something on Pinterest, there is a picture and a small description underneath so I can quickly gauge whether or not I want to read more of the article or blog.

I was having a little bit of trouble with my curation board at first. I was pinning items that I found useful, but they were not showing up for others to see. After realizing that my board was not displaying all of my pins, I decided to look into Diigo and Flipboard.  I did not find them nearly as user-friendly as Pinterest, but this could be due to my familiarity with Pinterest.  I decided to stick with Pinterest for this project as it is more important that I can see all of my pins for this project. I ended up emailing Pinterest and within a day my issue with not displaying my pins was resolved!

I think that my initial sources that I found state many advantages to Genius Hour. I’m also finding many teacher created blogs out there, which I enjoy reading, but I also would like to find more resources that have actual research to back up the facts.  The nice part about Pinterest is that I can search for something via Google and then Copy/Paste that link into Pinterest.  I can pin that particular webpage to my board.  I’d also like to find resources that show the negatives of using Genius Hour in the classroom so I can view all sides of why Genius Hour will work or not work within a classroom. Overall, I think my Pinterest board is off to a great start for my final project.

Imaged Taken from: http://www.curata.com/blog/content-curation-the-art-of-a-curated-post-infographic/

Should Toddlers Use Handheld Devices?

Researchers: Using an iPad or smartphone can harm a toddler’s learning and social skills

By: Terrence McCoy

(February 2, 2015)

This article was very interesting as it discusses the possible impacts of toddlers using handheld digital technology at such a young age.  In this article, McCoy explains that toddlers are now in an age called the “App Generation” due to having access to handheld devices from birth (2015). Almost 70 percent of children under 12 use tablets and almost 40 percent of children between two and four years of age have used mobile devices (McCoy, 2015).  The article continues to state the impact of having handheld mobile devices is relatively unknown when it comes to the development and behavior of children (McCoy, 2015).  However the article continues to state that children who are younger than 30 months of age have difficulty learning from television and videos in the same way as they would learn from real-life interactions with others (McCoy, 2015). If children are using a device that is not educational in nature, it could be harmful to their social-emotional development. If the devices are used primarily to distract and calm children, it is a concern that children will not be able to develop their own self-regulation mechanisms (McCoy, 2015).  Finally, if the handheld devices are used for educational purposes, they could teach young children vocabulary acquisition, but if the information is not educational in nature, it may be harmful as it could decrease their develop of social and language skills (McCoy, 2015).  Overall, it is important that children are engaging in human interaction in order to develop their social-emotional skills, along with participating in hands-on activities that help them increase sensory motor and visual motor skills (McCoy, 2015)

The Guardian

No, research does not say that ‘iPads and smartphones may damage toddlers’ brains’

Pete Etchells

February 2, 2015

This article is one that discusses the exaggerated press release about tablets causing “brain damage” to toddlers’ brains (Etchells, 2015).  Etchells writes that nowhere in the article does it say anything about handheld devices causing brain damage and the study actually only used results of seven different cases (2015).  He continues to state that really, there is not a whole lot of research out there when it comes to children's use of handheld devices, such as Smartphones or tablets and that when the research has been conducted, results were very different and mixed (Etchells, 2015).  All in all, it is believed that more research is needed on this this topic as there are many cases where exaggeration happens within news stories and in press releases (Etchells, 2015).  Etchells continues to state that the research findings that have occured have mixed results.  Some of the information provided states that iPad and tablet usage can create a language delay in some children, while other articles consulted say that really, there is no proof that using a tablet or handheld device at a young age hurts children (Etchells).  Overall, more research is needed on this particular topic.

Civil discourse about topics, such as the above are incredibly important as it allows readers to see two sides of a story.  Both articles were nicely and respectfully written and provides the readers with an opportunity to make their own decisions about their beliefs based on what they read..  Sharing thoughtful and respectful opinions about controversial topics can be difficult at times and sometimes quite uncomfortable.  It is important to do this in order to provide a different perspective on a topic and to engage readers to be thinking about content in a different way.

After reading both of the articles and considering my own son at home, I personally feel that handheld technology at a young age is not a bad thing.  My son will be turning two in a few short days and he is already extremely savvy when it comes to using my phone or iPad.  He knows how to use Youtube and how to find his Elmo and Dr. Jean videos.  It is amazing to me how much he has learned from watching these educational music videos.  The other day we were watching the “Letter of the Day” song from Sesame Street and the letter “D” popped up on the screen.  He looks at me and right away says, “D” without hearing it first!  I was pretty impressed to say the least.  I truly believe he is learning his letters and numbers by watching Sesame Street and Dr. Jean.  He is also reading books with me at home and we are doing a great deal of social interaction with him.  The technology is not the only thing in his life that is teaching him, but I definitely think it is supporting what we are doing as parents.  Reading the articles about possible “brain damage” in children makes me a little uneasy.  I wasn’t sure if allowing my son to use my phone would cause life-long problems for him.  Then, as I continued to read both articles, there truly is not enough research being conducted to make a final judgement call on if using this type of technology will actually be hurting my son.  In my personal life, I have only seen positive outcomes, but I also only show my son educational videos.  

The one article also stated the negative effects of using a handheld device to calm or soothe your child. I have to say, I am guilty of this at one point or another!  My husband and I took my son out to lunch and it was near naptime.  He was beginning to get fussy and slowly becoming louder in the restaurant.  The people around us began looking and I could just feel the vibe that they wanted us to leave.  We hadn’t received our food yet and so, what did I do?  I pulled out my phone and turned on Elmo for my son to watch.  Sure enough, he became quiet and we could eat our meal in peace.  Sometimes I think mobile devices are a blessing in times of need.  We do not use my phone to calm or soothe my son all the time, but when we are desperate, we definitely use it!  Overall, I thought these articles were an excellent read if you are a parent of a young child.  

References

Etchells, P. (2015) No, research does not say that ‘iPad’s and smartphones may damage toddlers’ brains’. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2015/feb/02/no-research-does-not-say-that-ipads-and-smartphones-may-damage-toddlers-brains

McCoy, T. (2015). Researchers: Using an iPad or smartphone can harm a toddler’s learning and social skills.  The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/02/using-an-ipad-or-smartphone-can-harm-a-toddlers-brain-researchers-says/?utm_campaign=buffer&utm_content=buffer15e6b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_term=.3901d9a53b7f

EDIM 516 Unit 1

Introduction Video

Where do you find the majority of your teaching resources?

The majority of my teaching resources come from my colleagues.  We are required to complete four collaborations in a six-day cycle with our peers.  It is such an important part of finding new and useful teaching resources.  This morning, I had a collaboration that involved our technology coordinator.  He provided us with many tools that we can use to help our readers.  For example, he showed us how to place graphic organizers into Seesaw (our online portfolio we use with our students) and allow students to answer comprehension questions about stories read, along with sharing those ideas with their parents.  Our tech coordinator also demonstrated using Google Slides to type phrases and have students practice reading those phrases to improve their fluency.  Finally, he demonstrated Toontastic for summarizing and retelling, along with Voice Record Pro for students to record themselves reading fluently.

Who do you look to for support and research for new ideas?

 I truly look at my current Wilkes University classes as a way of support and research of new ideas that are innovative to try within my classroom.  I use discussions and blog posts of my peers to learn about new games and activities that have worked with their students.  One virtual simulation game I learned about via a Wilkes class was Prodigy.  I learned about this math simulation game last year and I am still currently using it!  The students absolutely love it and it provides accurate and informative data that I can use at conferences.

Do you follow any particular blogs? If so, please share.

Currently, I do not follow any particular blogs.  However, I am definitely open to suggestions so if anybody is following someone who has excellent ideas to use at the elementary level, I'd love to know!

What challenges do you face as you try to incorporate new ideas and research with your students? 

Some challenges that I have faced in the past is the technology we are given for our students is not always compatible with what I'd like to complete with my students.  An example I have of this is Storyboardthat.  I learned about this website in my last class and played around with it a bit.  I have a pretty good grasp on how it works and decided I would have my students create a storyboard for a narrative writing piece.  I had my students get a laptop from the cart and probably about half of them did not even turn on.  When they did turn on, they were incredibly slow and my students became frustrated.  I decided that I would have the students use their iPads as we went 1:1 this year.  Students accessed the website, but it crashed on them due to our iPads not supporting the site.  So, once again, I decided to scrap the idea even though I thought it was extremely beneficial and downloaded Comic Maker on their iPads instead.  This worked well and we created a comic instead of a storyboard about their narrative writing.  This is frustrating when I find something incredibly cool to use with my students and the technology we have just does not support it.

Public Service Announcements

While viewing two public service announcements, I was taking on the role of a parent and my thoughts and reflections on the questions reflect this role.

“The Essay”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-uOO6O9uus

1. What was the main idea or point being made?

As I watched this video, I feel the main idea or point being made is to allow your child to take risks and be creative regardless of what others may think.  I believe it is acknowledging that children are our future and teachers need to be aware of and teach 21st Century skills that may be unfamiliar.

2. What audience was the video trying to reach?

I think the audience for this video is both teachers and parents. It provides teachers insight as to the thought processes of a young student and how she views and understands technology.  I believe the target audience is also parents.  It pulls at the heart-strings by having a young child reading a profoundly written essay about the future and having confidence in herself even when faced with adversity.  The video demonstrates parents standing behind their child and providing support of their child to be bold and brave.

3. Were the methods used to create the video effective?  Why or why not?

I think the methods used in this video were effective because of the child reading the personal essay. The child’s voice catches my attention as a parent because it makes me think of my own son.  I think by using parent emotion and other students’ reactions are powerful, but I did have to replay this public service announcement several times due to difficulty in understanding what the child was saying due to her accent.

“We Think”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiP79vYsfbo

1. What was the main idea or point being made?

The main idea in this video is showing the importance of sharing ideas and connecting globally to others around the world with the ease of technology.  It is demonstrating the ways to use the web for the creative mind, but also as a way to increase knowledge about mass innovation while sharing ideas to help others learn.  It is a way for people to work together to learn and invent.

2. What audience was the video trying to reach?

I think this video is trying to reach both teachers and administrators.  In the video, it provides many reasons as to why people should use the web, such as to encourage innovation.  It is important that when my child attends school, he learns 21st Century skills like sharing ideas collaboratively with others online, along with thinking creatively and being encouraged to innovate.  This video is also demonstrating to teachers and administrators that students need to have a voice and a say in their learning.  By using technology, this can be achieved with ease.

3. Were the methods used to create the video effective?  Why or why not?

I think the methods were incredibly powerful that were used within this video.  They were powerful due to the music and using only words.  It forced me to focus and read without a lot of other distractions.  The video flowed from one idea to the next and thoughts were short and powerful.

Using Infographics with Third Graders

Infographics are a powerful tool that can represent factual information in a creative way.  Students are using 21st-Century skills by comparing data and deciding on its importance.  They are creating an image that is strong while making a statement about the content they are displaying.

I believe that I could implement infographics with my third graders.  We do PBL within my classroom and it would be an excellent way to culminate a final project's findings.  Students could develop their infographic to display the vital information learned from the PBL and then design it for their target audience.  This would be an excellent way for my third graders to decide which information is important to share and how to display that information in a way others will understand.
As I ponder the thought of infographics and how I can use them within my classroom, I was thinking that my third graders could research a skill in a math unit.  Then, after they are proficient with that skill, they could teach others about it via an infographic.  It would be an attractive way for the students to display important information on their math skill.

I am lucky due to the fact that I have ten iPads within my classroom and I have access to two iPad carts, Macbook carts, along with five Chromebooks.  My third graders are accustomed to using technology in my classroom and would be excited to display their hard work in this creative format.

Thinglink VS. Adobe Sparknote Video

I had the privilege of making a Thinglink presentation and an Adobe Sparknote narrated video with images.  In this blog post, I’m going to be quite honest about my feelings on both of these presentation websites in ways of the ease of use, my final product, and whether or not I believe elementary students would be able to use either of these applications with success.

When I created my Thinglink, I found the website to be a little confusing at times.  When I started working with the tools, I noticed that many of them needed me to upgrade and pay in order to use them within my presentation.  I wasn’t a huge fan of this; however, I used tools that were free and I thought my presentation turned out well.  The dots are a neat feature, but I would’ve liked to do a voice-over in order to intrigue my students to read each one of the points about two-dimensional shapes.  I thought the colors that I used and the background image were attractive.  I think that I would use this as a whole group or small group presentation and most likely not independent work for my third-grade students.  I would want to make sure they hit on each bullet point I wrote and go in the order in which I presented the content.

My Adobe Sparknote video was extremely easy to create and narrate!  I loved making this video because I was able to pick a template, add music, and create a voice-over with ease.  I was also able to complete my voice-overs on each slide as many times as I needed to make it perfect. My students could refer to this tutorial during station time and could replay it as often as needed.

I believe these are two very different types of presentations that I created which could be implemented with elementary-age students.  I could see myself using the Adobe Sparknote video feature due to it being very kid-friendly.  I had an easy time navigating the site and uploading my images and narration.  

My students are currently working on researching a body system for Health.  The project consists of the students finding information on their particular body system and then creating a Google Slideshow to present their findings.  I think it would be more powerful to use Adobe Sparknote video because they will be able to add images, voice-overs, and have fluid transitions to capture their audience’s attention.  I would be able to assess their content and I could also use a presentation rubric to assess how they narrated their information. Students would be able to get their presentation finished in the allotted time provided as we have access to iPad carts, Macbook carts, and our own classroom Chromebooks.  I look forward to trying this out with my third graders to see how their presentations turn out!