Web Tools.

For the Web Tools assignment, there were four activities that we had to complete.  The first was creating a rubric.  The second thing we had to do was create a vocabulary set.  The vocabulary terms I chose to incorporate into this assignment fit into the frameworks of first grade life science.  The third thing we had to do for the Web Tools assignment was print a worksheet.  My four other teachers have been stressing this entire semester NOT to use worksheets, but--at some point--in education they are necessary in teaching.  Lastly, we had to create a crossword puzzle with our prior vocabulary terms.  I enjoyed this assignment.    Unfortunately, for me, I was absent the day that the class went over how to do the rubric, but I figured it out on my own, eventually.  It was very self explanatory and even had all of the options available to you in drop-down boxes.  By going to quizlet.com, we were able to create a digital set of our vocabulary words and use all sorts of awesome tools; some examples of these tools were flashcards, tests, glossaries, and tables.  I, definitely, see myself using this website in the future many times to come.  When choosing a worksheet, the website abcteach.com had many, many great worksheets to choose from.  Getting to the best part of the assignment, though, the crossword puzzle was a lot of fun to make.  Basically, all that was asked of the person creating it was to type in the terms and their clues.  The Eclipse Crossword program did all of the rest.  These are some very great and neat tools that I will be coming back to in my future teachings.

Turnitin.

Assignment number two was to write a report describing concerns pertaining to social, ethical, legal, and human issues of technology.  We were asked to include the answers to five questions including:  1) What is the definition of gender bias?  2) Is there evidence that a technology gender gap and gender bias exist?  3) Why are girls in their adolescent years losing interest in computers?  4) What are the differences and similarities between how males and females perceive and use technology?  5) What role do parents, educators, and manufacturers have in encouraging technology use among females?  I would say that this assignment could fall into any grade level in the MS Frameworks.  All of these questions are relevant when it comes to gender bias in technology.  I agree that these issues very well do exist and I also believe that they will begin to deteriorate sooner or later.  Technology is becoming such a constant and normal thing in every person's life now that software programs will not be made with strictly male aspects including: the rewards in games, the characters taking on the form of males, and only males being talked about in the technological world.  Completing this Turnitin assignment also helped me to realize how big of a problem plagiarism is in education and every day life today.  When I copied and pasted the information from the resources, my similarity percentage on the website was 97%.  However, when I revised my paper and, basically, rewrote it in my own words, I got the similarity percentage down to 6%.  One thing that I've learned over the years is that it is okay to quote from resources; just make sure that you cite your source!

https://www.turnitin.com

Concept Map.

     For my Concept Map assignment, I have chosen the parts of sentence structure from the MS Frameworks of first grade language arts.  I have been assigned concept maps in past assignments, but this was--by far--the most fun project I have ever had to do with one.  Being able to use the Kidspiration software and being exposed to such teaching through technology really opens my mind up to what can be possible in the classroom.  I know that technology in the classroom is only going to grow from this point on and I am excited to be a part of the generation that gets to experience this.  This is a great key in teaching children because it is animated and colorful.  There is so much that can be done with this program and we have only skimmed the top.  In my opinion, visual learning is extremely important.  I know that I learned best visually in elementary school.  On the rubric for our concept map, we had to be able to change the color of the hyperlinks; this was one thing that I had difficulty with and could not get it to work.  By delving deeper into the tutorial for Kidspiration, I could have figured out what I was doing wrong.  In such case, I will be downloading this program for future reference once I begin teaching.  I enjoyed this assignment very much!    

Standards for Teachers.

ISTE.NETS.T:  Advancing Digital Age Teaching

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning
and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter,
teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate
experiences that advance student learning,
creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face
and virtual environments.
a. Promote, support, and model creative
and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues
and solving authentic problems using digital tools
and resources
c. Promote student reflection using collaborative
tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual
understanding and thinking, planning, and
creative processes
d. Model collaborative knowledge construction by
engaging in learning with students, colleagues,
and others in face-to-face and virtual environments

2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning
Experiences and Assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic
learning experiences and assessment incorporating
contemporary tools and resources to maximize content
learning in context and to develop the knowledge,
skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS·S.
a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that
incorporate digital tools and resources to promote
student learning and creativity
b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments
that enable all students to pursue their individual
curiosities and become active participants in setting
their own educational goals, managing their own
learning, and assessing their own progress
c. Customize and personalize learning activities
to address students’ diverse learning styles,
working strategies, and abilities using digital tools
and resources
d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative
and summative assessments aligned with content
and technology standards and use resulting data
to inform learning and teaching

3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work
processes representative of an innovative professional
in a global and digital society.
a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the
transfer of current knowledge to new technologies
and situations
b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents,
and community members using digital tools
and resources to support student success
and innovation
c. Communicate relevant information and ideas
effectively to students, parents, and peers using
a variety of digital age media and formats
d. Model and facilitate effective use of current and
emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate,
and use information resources to support research
and learning

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship
and Responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal
issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital
culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in
their professional practices.
a. Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical
use of digital information and technology, including
respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the
appropriate documentation of sources
b. Address the diverse needs of all learners by using
learner-centered strategies providing equitable access
to appropriate digital tools and resources
c. Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible
social interactions related to the use of technology
and information
d. Develop and model cultural understanding and
global awareness by engaging with colleagues
and students of other cultures using digital age
communication and collaboration tools

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional
practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit
leadership in their school and professional
community by promoting and demonstrating
the effective use of digital tools and resources.
a. Participate in local and global learning communities
to explore creative applications of technology to
improve student learning
b. Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of
technology infusion, participating in shared decision
making and community building, and developing the
leadership and technology skills of others
c. Evaluate and reflect on current research and
professional practice on a regular basis to make
effective use of existing and emerging digital tools
and resources in support of student learning
d. Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-
renewal of the teaching profession and of their
school and community

Sources:
http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-t-standards.pdf?sfvrsn=2
clipartpal.com

Introduction.

     My name is Autumn Trahan.  I am twenty-six years young.  I was born and raised in Ocean Springs, Mississippi by my mother, Becky, and my father, Lance.  I am so proud to have been raised on the Gulf Coast and I have loved growing up around such beauty.  My parents raised me to DO and BE.  They taught me a way to accomplish things in order to be successful and happy in my own life, which brings me to the current point in my life.  Choosing to attend the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Campus for a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education is something that I know will make me happy long-term and give me everything I need to succeed.  Creating a Blogfolio as part of my first assignment for IT 365 has turned out to be quite exciting and fun.  I am looking forward to the rest of this semester, as far as this class goes.  I am also looking forward to getting to know my classmates and teacher, as well as getting the chance to be introduced to many new ways and techniques to incorporating technology into my future teaching.  Technology is a part of everyone's world, from this point on, in America and if one cannot adapt to change, one can never succeed.

Some helpful links for this semester:   http://www.abcteach.com/ http://busyteacher.org/ http://www.edhelper.com