I am so behind on posting to my blog, Google+, LinkedIn, etc., or participating in Twitter Chats. Trying to juggle classes for my Ed.S, teach 4th grade ela, teach Technology Enrichment, exercise for my health, spend time with family and friends, teach Sunday School, prepare for an upcoming speaking engagement, and prepare to lead an upcoming Vision Party...well, fitting it all in can be very challenging. However, I do want to share just how fulfilling the Technology Enrichment Class has been for me. They're learning; I'm learning; we're all learning, sharing, and growing! It's a win-win situation. Tennessee may not have been completely ready for TNReady, but I must say that my students are ready to conquer anything. They will not hesitate to dive in, ask questions, explore new realms, etc. I am so proud of each of them. I feel that I'm really accomplishing something worthwhile during the few short minutes we spend together each morning. We started near the beginning of the school year with a different group when it was trial and error. We have worked out a lot of kinks, and things are running pretty smoothly. Of course I look forward to that day when I can have my own computer lab with plenty of room for students to store their Lego/Playdough creations or whatever else they may be designing. If someone our there is cyberspace can share with me how we can get in on Genius Hour between 8:10 and 8:40 on any weekday, please share. I'm also looking for more information on Arasma and Green Screening (best app?).
So far we've explored Tagxedos(Wordle is blocked due to a Java issue), Storybird, PBS LearningMedia Storyboards, HUE Animations, Edmodo, Google Cardboards, and Chatterpix. We're also looking to do an exciting virtual fieldtrip. (Any ideas/suggestions on that is welcome as well).
Happy Valentines to each of you, and have a great long weekend (President's Day on Monday)!
Our Technology Enrichment Class is designed to introduce advanced students to various types of technology to assist them as they become more forward thinkers preparing to compete in a global society. These students are full of passion and creativity. They are always willing to explore and inquire. They like to know, "Now what? What's the next big idea?" These students are pursuers of all things innovative. They are not afraid to dive deep and reach high. Here you will find the link to two of our newest projects (actually, our very first projects) using the Hue Animation Studio given to us by HueHd. This was a learning experience for the educator as well as the students, so it took us a little while, and they are in no wise perfect. However, I think the students showed great potential in what they have created. The groups rotate every three weeks, so I still have Lego buildings, backdrops, and themes perched on my shelves awaiting a time when the original creators, who have rotated on to another group, can find the time to get back in my room to complete their animations. This is our first year having an enrichment class of this magnitude, so it has truly been a learning experience. I found that students sometimes spend far too much time gathering their thoughts and ideas, not realizing that it would be disastrous for every group within the rotation to wait until the last minute to use the Animation Studio (I will work on convincing my school to purchase another device in the near future). This gave me the idea of introducing project management if allowed to do this again next year. This gives students an opportunity to learn to create a timeline and set deadlines. This makes learning authentic, and it prepares young scholars for the "real world."
