Mrs. Armour's Math Blog

I think the trend that will have the biggest impact on learning and the classroom will be mobile learning. I think this mainly because cellphones have become staple in students life’s and they are way cheaper than laptops or tablets. They can be purchased with government assistance and they are the smallest device that can have access to the entire world wide web.  The future of online learning will be driven by mobile learning because more students will have phones more than any other device. Especially since every year, phones get closer and closer to being able to do what laptop and computers can. I believe that this is definitely not a fad and will essentially become a necessity to not only online learning, but  learning in general. 

The LMS that I think is the best is the Blackboard Learning Managements System. It meets the needs of all the important stakeholders in a school. For students, it makes sure that the learners can have access to the system whether though mobile capability or an offline version that doesn’t require internet. For teachers, it provides opportunity to easily differentiate the classroom. It also provides an assistant that can help teachers with instruction by automating certain parts of the lesson simultaneously. The IT department will have an easier job with data because of the SIS integration which allows easy seamless integration and allow data to flow easily between the student and the Blackboard Classroom. For the administration, the system can easily be implemented with all the training being provided by Blackboard as well as having a bi-directional information system to ensure a smooth transition. For the developer, Blackboard’s design for mobile apps enable learners to interact and ...

http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cbfjVg6Stx The screen capture can allow students to see what’s going on your screen while, speaking to them about the content you are teaching. This is great for modeling with student exactly what you want to be done in an assignment or teaching them a new method within the system. Teaching can be modified by now having the ability to review lessons and pause the teacher on their own pace.

I used the Google Hangout tool. I practiced the video tool, as well as the phone call feature and the messaging feature. I also practiced with my favorite application which was the screen casting that allowed students or other users view my current screen on my laptop. While using the tool, I found that it was very simple to login because it is lined to my Gmail account—which is also free. It was very easy to navigate as a teacher and I think students would be able to work with it as well. The only problem that may arise is that the user must have a Google account, which you must be 13 years old to have. So parents will need to make an account for their students, but everything else is completely free and easily accessible. Overall I think Google Hangout would be very beneficial to the classroom. It will give the opportunity to have the face to face interactions between the teacher and the students and also give a platform for conferences with parents or small groups. 

When it comes to synchronous learning, I personally prefer commercial software verses open source. Open source software usually comes with features that are catered to the learning environment. They are easy to use, and they add value to the learning community itself. Also, many commercial software can be verified as research based so it has been proven to be beneficial and improve the learning experience in some way. Plus, commercial software has many gadgets that I, as a tech geek, enjoy to use during instruction. In contrast, the open source software is drastically cheaper—free, which can be a great asset to teachers who are not given the opportunity to have resources available to them. Also most open source software is very basic which allows younger users to be more open to using them every day during instruction. Essentially open source software would be ideal for schools or teachers who want all students to have accessibility to the need materials for the class without ruining ...

     The Participate module has made sure that each of the standards listed above have been met. In regards to standard C, I could create lessons on teaching others how to be safe online and follow the legal laws of copyright and fair use. I also came up with several presentations that could be used in a lesson, including the presentation: “How to be Digitally Safe in a Digital World.” I have made presentations about internet etiquette and developed a social network of bookmarks for students to use to be a part of digital learning communities which shows mastery in Standard E. The biggest lesson that was most beneficial to me was the digital health portion. So often, teachers just focus on the work, and making sure the students learn; but it is also important to make sure that they are healthy. I feel that this goes with standard J because teacher must be professional but also they should be role models even with being an example for healthy interaction with online learn...

I found myself constantly changing my posture after I began researching about technology habits. I like the idea of a calendar to remind me of activities that are necessary for the health because it can be easy to forget the simple things. Also, I have programmed my Fitbit to give me updates to move around every so often when I am constantly sitting at my desks. Teachers can create opportunities for students to get up and walk around the classroom or in their homes during online lessons. Also students can make sure to set time aside to go outside and play or run or walk instead of play video games and watch tv.

   I created this presentation using PikoChart, something new to me, but very simple and easy to use.   This presentation could be given at the beginning of the course as a way to make sure students are aware of how to protect themselves. Students should take notes then create their own presentations about how to be safe in a digital world and how they plan to be safe while taking the course. Also allowing student to create dangerous situations and work together to discuss what needs to be done is a way for students to shouls mastery of being digitally safe.

The only way to ensure that DLCs guarantee that the community is responsible, safe, and ethical, is to make sure all people involved are knowledgeable to how to create such an environment. Students must be taught how to make sure they follow all the laws about copyrights and fair use as well as be held accountable by the teachers and fellow students for making sure that they are following said rules. Teachers should begin every course making sure students know what Fair Use is and how Creative Commons Copyrights can be used in their work. Teachers should also allow the class to create norms and acceptable use policies. Doing so, the class can really take the time to analyze what should be done and shouldn't be done online. Also, teachers should establish the consequences of not following said rules and ensure that they are being enforced strictly. The best way to ensure that students follow and understand the benefits of Digital Rights and Responsibilities is to create an or...

I created this Prezi illustrating the importance of understanding internet etiquette during online interaction. I researched the content using the materials and articles given to me, including: Colorado State University: Core Rules of Netiquette, Education.com: Rules of Behavior on the Internet and, Netiquette: Your Online Manners

My county was ranked number one in the state for accessibility of internet in households. I know that this is mainly because my county is partnered with Verizon that provides internet to all students. Also there is a program for students with free or reduced lunch to get internet at a reduced rate. I believe that if there wasn’t opportunity for students to have internet at home, I would help students to ensure they have access to internet and a computer during school whether in my classroom or library and that I would give them opportunities in the class to work with technology. Being that the entire course is offered online, if it becomes a major problem for students to have access to complete work, I would try to help the student and parents to find other avenues of learning. In the end, ensuring that the student has the best opportunity to learn is key, so if need be, I would ensure that the students have what they need before anything else. 

     When thinking about which web based tools I should use, I thought about what would beneficial for my students in a math classroom. I googled virtual versions of the tools I currently use in the classroom and that helped mold the decision about what three tools I would bookmark in my social bookmarking website. The three tools that I bookmarked in my social bookmarking website were virtual algebra tiles, a math dictionary, and a scientific calculator. I chose these tools because math has been very paper based for centuries and many thinks that it’s difficult to be successful in math virtually, but it is possible with the proper tools. An orientation at the beginning of the course would be the perfect way to teach students how to find important tools like these and how to ensure that the tools are beneficial and also safe for the classroom. Important policies that should be used in deciding which tools are safe and helpful would be that is the site isn’t on the ap...

     I think the most important factor that is needed for a great digital learning community is organization. For students to be interested in participating in a DLC, they want it to be easy to use and easy to navigate. So, the site must be organized and concise for all users. Also, it must be modern and appealing. If the sites bookmarked isn’t interesting, it doesn’t peak the students’ interests and they will not be excited to use the site. If a DLC isn’t attractive but needed for the classroom, a teacher can create opportunities to use the sites in a different manner—maybe within another site or activity. Also, connecting the DLC with other websites can give the students the opportunity to be flexible and exposed to different venues and lead to differentiation. For a teacher to create this type of DLC, they must be willing to do much research. They have to be constantly aware of new trends in technology and online; and they must be consistent in updating the DLC on a re...

     I chose to join the Twiducate site as my designated DLC. The reason why I chose this site because it allows students and teachers to create personalized social media sites for the classroom. I thought this was very different, because it brings that social aspect to the classroom that students need, but may not be able to have It makes it secure and aimed for optimal student and teacher interaction without it being inappropriate or questionable. It also is a great way to incorporate collaborative learning in the classroom by having students research and share through Twiducate, all the new information they have found about the topic of the lesson. It’s very easy to use and set up and with my Bookmarking site; it will be easy for the students to see exactly where to go to log in. Also, the fact that it’s social media will be a big plus for students and make them want to interact with the class. Whenever you give students a chance to learn through avenues that are r...

     Research Process: While looking for three words to help describe digital citizenship, I went and read several pieces from Common Sense Media as well as Sophie.com as well as analyze the standards provided by ISTE. Using a word cloud, I created the image of a mouse pointer with my characteristics being surrounded by their respective synonyms.      While researching different sites, I saw a consistent trend when it came to digital citizenship. I saw that the three characteristic traits that are best for being an exemplary example for digital citizenship would be Respectful, Thoughtful, and Protective. CommonsenseMedia.org states that it is important for users to be respectful of others by minding what they say online and what they share online. In addition of being respectful of themselves by representing themselves in a positive way they must remember the audience they are addressing and ensure that the tone of their message is being interpreted in th...

I have created websites for many classes over the years, yet it amazes me that this is my first blog. I’m a little nervous about the process, mainly because when I think about blogs, I see them as an online diary, and how could that possibly be professional. Also, I was nervous about how I wanted my blog to look. It needs to be efficient, but what I wanted in my head, took a very long time to get it right on this site. Either way, I think I have mastered the skill and am excited to see what happens with this experience. My goal with this blog is to create a professional, educational blog about teaching math and creating young mathematicians ready to take the world by storm. I hope that my blog will be fun and entertaining, yet enlightening and inspirational.