Week 10_ Research-Tools

So ...

I really thought that Google was my best option when looking for information…I was quite amazed by the three search engines. I hadn’t known about them before.

Noodletools:

The search engines in this site are classified according to categories of information needs: defining subject, the results of qualitative field research, real-time information, factual information, views and perspectives, and other media types.

Among search engines / directories offered: Academic Subject Guides includes a selection of links to various research areas, Google and Bing and the 'related' property for finding good results, SweetSearch - search engine for students, good for background on a specific subject…and more…

For my own purposes as a future English teacher, I searched for some 'Teacher Resources'. It was divided into three main subjects: 21st Century Literacies, Curriculum Collaboration Toolkit and The Ethical Researcher. I had chosen 21st Century Literacies and I got a very organized division related to language literacy. For example: Basic Language Literacy,   Visual Literacy, Historical Literacy and more…

Well, that could be very useful.

Google scholar:

Google Scholar is a freely accessible web search engine that indexes the full text or metadata of scholarly literature. it allows users to search for digital or physical copies of articles, whether online or in libraries.

For example I chose "teaching reading skills" and I got a few new books about teaching reading. It seems useful.

Simple English Wikipedia:

The Simple English Wikipedia is an English edition of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, primarily written in Basic English. The articles on the Simple English Wikipedia are usually shorter and present only basic information. It's great for beginners learning English.

For example: when I searched for the word 'grammar' I got a very short and clear definition: "Grammar means the rules about how to speak and write in a language"  

there was a bit more information about grammar sources but the first definition was enough for basic understanding for the word 'grammar'. In comparison, I checked the word 'grammar' in Wikipedia and this is what I got:

In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics, and pragmatics.

For nonnative speakers it's not easy to understand…

Week6

WOW!!

Those tools are just endless!! It's hard to keep up with all these amazing new tools!!

First of all, the Voice thread was really exciting for me, it was simply FUN!!

All the tools I have looked at are just great for improving either writing, reading and speaking skills. I am relating to 5 effective tools which are great for studying at school as well as at home.

1.    Skype: can be used as a platform to conduct lessons, share presentations, provide tutoring and support, and more. I am also a student of special education needs and I think Skype allows the special education classroom to incorporate students of all ages and abilities into the conversation, and it works equally well as both a remote and a local tool.

2.      http://www.learner.org/interactives/spelling/index.html spelling bee: Not only is it very useful for self –studying but in class students can work in pairs. Teacher decides what story all students work with, (after adjusting the right level), then students pair up, listen to the story together using earphones, write on their notebooks the missing word (try hard to spell it correctly) and then share and check together by typing the word inside the story (in the computer). The students practice listening comprehensive as well.

http://www.spellingcity.com/taking-a-spelling-test.html: amazing, amazing, amazing!!! What I loved the most is that it provides a full sentence for any word I type. Teacher can ask students to type any word they like and then spell the full sentence they hear (about the word they type) correctly.

3.      http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/10/free-customizable-e-books-from-make.html?m=1 it's excellent because kids (and adults) are very attractive about commix. In fact, students (all ages) will be excited creating their own story, using pictures they like and share with friends…I had an idea of preparing one long story by all students. Every two students prepare one part of the story and then all class can watch it together. I am sure that very funny pictures and writings will come out…

4.      http://www.protagonize.com/author/Ronit-Breslaw  I am a participant of a course called: "Creative Writing". The teacher Laura has created a group for all the participants in the group called:" Creative Writing Herzog 2015-2016". That way we can share our poems in a very nice site and still keep our group separated from the other members of this website. Same thing can be done for high school students for their creative writings, stories, poems...

5.      Printing press: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/Printing_Press/ unbelievable!!!! I love it for myself and it will be fun for students to create their own brochure, newspaper report or flier. What I like the most about it is that it's very clear… there are not too many options so it makes it easy to choose… in class, students can work in small groups creating a brochure for any event they like to share. Students practice writing, spelling and enriching vocabulary. I think that students will work hard to prepare a professional brochure since they share it with the whole class. http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp creating a newspaper is a very authentic way to encourage writing…. The fact that it's written in a newspaper format, makes the students feel important in a way that what they write is so important that it should be published!!

Week_4

To be honest, I am getting confused of the endless amazing tools…just don’t know where to start…

I had a gut feeling that we would all be a fan of http://photofunia.com/  . This tool can be used in the classroom and cause the students so much excitement! (I am a student and I am excitedJ ). Here are my gorgeous daughters: http://photofunia.com/results/563830b001640019bc8b458d.

 I thought of different ideas of how to use this tool. For example: pictures can be placed in different places for teaching how to describe where each family member is placed (on the very right/left  side is..., next to, above …) places can be changed and it's really fun for students to see themselves or others moving easily from place to place. In case you don’t understand what I mean: http://photofunia.com/categories/all_effects/five_paintings

I found other tools very effective too and immediately saved their links in my bookmark list. In fact, the site: https://pixabay.com/  for some reason couldn’t be placed in a chosen tile in Symbaloo….don't know why. Since I liked it very much, I saved it on my bookmark bars. It provides amazing pictures, illustrations and videos in various subjects. Worth checking out…

Week 3

Hi everyone,

I must say that I am starting to enjoy this course!

It was very hard in the beginning because I am not a very technological person. Truthfully, I thought I was but after revealing so many new tools (and I am sure that there are loads more…) I see that I don’t know much about technology.

The fact that we started creating activities, using those tools, makes me check more seriously and see what I can take from those tools as a teacher.  

I think that this course is very well organized and there are very clear instructions and I am thankful for that.

Keep in touch

Thoughts and Understandings

Hi everyone,

There is such a vast interest in new technological tools to help students succeed in learning. It's amazing how accessible and useful these tools can be.  

I have chosen three blogs to follow on a weekly basis.  

The first one called :Reading By Example. In this blog the writer- Matt Renwick, an elementary school principal in Wisconsin, suggests new iPad Apps for demonstrating learning for students. We can take advantage of the fact that iPad is so attractive to young learners (and adults)

The second one called: Class Tech Integrate. In this blog the writer - elementary school educator Mickey McFetridge, writes about how to use YouTube movies in the classroom in a useful way. He suggests adding comments to the movie in the middle. This way there is a much more effective learning.

The third one called: Cool Cat Teacher by the teacher Vicki Davis. She gives tips for helping students to be great students.

below is one of Vicki's tips:

Great deal or big deal??

Hi everybody,

My name is Ronit Breslaw.

As a student of 'Technology classroom' course, I would like to share with you my worries, thoughts and serious concerns regarding this course.

 First, I know the lecturer!! He has high expectations from us and from himself. This is one of the reasons why he is considered a great teacher.  

Secondly, before the course had officially started, the participants got a 'Week 0 assignment'.  Although there was no assignment to submit, it felt like a serious, demanding course. We got some responds of last year's participants of this course and they were not very encouraging. In fact, they caused some concern from this course.

On the other hand, I am happy to learn about such important technological tools which I am not so good at.

Although taking this course is a great deal, it seems to be also a big deal!!!