Take Your Students on a Virtual Field Trip with Google Expeditions

I am so excited and amazed by this new application, Google Expeditions, I heard about from one of our High Point University online seminars. The seminar was called "Easy and Exciting Ways to Integrate Technology in the K-12 Classroom," conducted by Heidi Summey. I loved the seminar overall and learned so much about various web applications I can use in my future classroom. I decided to pick my favorite web application that she introduced to us and complete a blog post about it.

My favorite web application was Google Expeditions. I think Google has done an amazing job at creating so many different inventions that make learning, studying and education much more efficient, easy and technology based. I could go on and on about all their inventions that I use even in my college classes like Google Docs, Google Forms, Google Sheets, etc. Google Expeditions was one I was not aware of until I watched the seminar for class. This makes me wonder what other great applications Google has out there... I can't wait to start exploring more.

For now, I will delve into Google Expeditions and why I believe it is one of the coolest hands-on learning apps out there for students. So, this app allows teachers to bring students on virtual reality field trips and allows students to see 360 degree views of places around the world and even in outer space. As the Google Help Expeditions website explains, "These trips are collections of virtual reality panoramas — 360° panoramas and 3D images — annotated with details, points of interest, and questions that make them easy to integrate into curriculum already used in schools" (Google, 2017).

You can simply download the app on your phone, tablet or iPad and immerse yourself into the world of virtual technology. There is a search bar at the top of the page in which you can look for hundreds of topics, ones on nature, culture, government, careers, etc. The app will filter through its options and pull up guides that you can use virtual reality technology for. For example, you may search Mount Everest and find the guide to go with it. As a teacher, you can use this in your classroom to show your students 360 views of the mountain. There are eight different slides that present unique views of the area and descriptive writing with it that you can read to the class.

The only downside to this application is that the actual Google Expeditions kit, which provides a classroom with virtual viewers and devices for teachers and students, is extremely expensive. I am not sure how teachers would afford the entire kit, which can be upwards of $4,000. However, what I did learn from watching videos and reading blogs, is that you do not have to have the entire kit to use virtual reality in the classroom. One, you could use in class iPad's to use virtual technology for a lesson plan. It would be really helpful to have the Google cardboard goggles in which you can insert a phone and see the virtual reality through them. You can get a pair of goggles for as low as $5, however they are only compatible with phones not iPads. Therefore, I think the best and cheapest way would be to use iPad's, if your school provides them, for virtual technology in the classroom.

If you are not sure how to get started with Google Expeditions, watch this Expeditions tutorial. It will show you how to set up an expedition and get started in the classroom. I believe virtual reality is the future of our classroom - making it more accessible for students from all classes, backgrounds and races to experience places and things around the world. By using virtual reality in the classroom, I believe we can better our students lives and bring an experiential learning component to the classroom that will actually make them remember what they studied in school.

Overall, virtual reality (VR) will bring many positive benefits to the classroom like give students the opportunity to visually see what they are actually studying in their textbooks. VR is especially helpful for kinesthetic and visual learners. Even if you are an auditory or other type of learner, expeditions still show statistic improvement towards the learning process. As the article, "Key Benefits of Using VR in Education" explains, "The human brain can remember 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, and up to 90% of what we do or simulate. Virtual reality offers a new type of discovery and organic exploration. The engrossing interactive learning material can amplify this above mentioned 90% remarkably" (OpaqueGoggles, 2016).

Students will be able to take virtual field trips more often with the use of VR. They will be able to remember what they are studying because they virtually visited the location, place, historical site, outer space, etc. I can see the future of VR being very bright for our classrooms, as long as we can secure iPads and a good wifi network for schools. While there are still kinks to be worked out in the implementation of VR in schools, the future is promising.

References
Expeditions Pioneer Program [Google image], Retrieved from https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/home_us_live/misc/google-expeditions-large-og.png

Goggles for Google Expeditions [Online image], Retrieved from http://www.sagmart.com/news/Technology/free-virtual-reality-classroom-system-by-google

Google. (2017). What is Expeditions? - Expeditions Help. Retrieved April 24, 2017, from https://support.google.com/edu/expeditions/answer/6335093?hl=en&ref_topic=6334250

Loney, H. (Photographer). (2016). Classroom Using Google Expeditions [Online image], Retrieved from http://www.ugdsb.on.ca/news_article.aspx?id=63559&blogid=32405

OpaqueGoggles. (2016, February 24). Key Benefits of Using VR in Education | Affordable virtual reality in school. Retrieved April 24, 2017, from http://opaquegoggles.com/applied-vr/key-benefits-of-using-vr-in-education-affordable-virtual-reality-in-school/

How to Stay Active in the 21st Century Classroom: GoNoodle

One of my friends who is a teacher, posted a really cool snapchat video of his students doing indoor recess. I was so intrigued by the fun application he had his students doing, that I asked him what the app was. He told me about Go Noodle, a website that provides free videos to get kids moving in the classroom or at home. Go Noodle has become such a sensation throughout classrooms that "more than 12 million kids get active with GoNoodle every month to become their strongest, smartest, bravest, bestest selves" ("GoNoodle"). Go Noodle is a very reputable and respected company, 1 in 3 teachers use it in their classroom ("GoNoodle").

By using GoNoodle in the classroom, your students will be able to focus on their work and pay attention better to class material. By giving students time to play and be active, you are letting their minds have a break from constant study. Students will be able to return to their studies refreshed after these built in "brain-breaks."

Another positive about GoNoodle, is it connects the class as a whole. You perform group dances that are fun, challenging and rewarding. You can all appreciate the success of completing an activity together. By performing a GoNoodle video together, you help create a sense of cohesion and togetherness amongst your classroom. I have inserted a GoNoodle video below, so you can get an idea about what the videos look like.

One of the best benefits of GoNoodle is it benefits those who are kinesthetic learners. While, we each may have different learning styles like visual, auditory, etc., some students learn best through movement. As the GoNoodle blog points out, "The best classroom methods for these students include movement breaks, role play, hands on experimentation, writing, STEM, real life examples, field trips, and any other hands on approach to understand material" (Eccher, 2017). GoNoodle brain breaks fit right in with this learning style. They will be able to give their minds a break from learning and focus on movement for a little. Then after the GoNoodle video, they can return to their studies better able to focus.

Another great benefit of GoNoodle to kinesthetic learners is that they may remember material better if they are learning it while moving. They could practice their math or spelling skills through GoNoolde Plus, which can be customized to fit a specific lesson plan. Additionally, there are videos on social studies, science, and many other topics to help learners who are both kinesthetic, auditory or visual pick up class material. Having them watch a video and perform movements with it is beneficial to a classroom and can help your students learn more effectively.

Overall, GoNoodle offers many different types of videos based on various categories. For example, there are videos for curriculum like math, reading, etc. Then, there are videos to practice mindfulness for students. These videos help students better focus, curb anxiety, and gain confidence. These videos are so fun and engaging. I think they teach valuable lessons to students on how to manage their stress and stay calm. There are also other great websites like The Calm Classroom Initiative, which provides free mindfulness training to teachers throughout the world. 

Next, there are videos that actually focus on improving or practicing motor skills. For example, there are videos on balance, coordination, gross motor skills and fine motor skills. They have fun Zumba videos for kids which is always exciting to learn a new dance. They have a great array of videos that help students get active and focus on their body for a break from the constant mind work.

Lastly, one of the categories is "school life," which provides a great categorization for teachers to pick videos to use for their classroom. There are videos for class transitions like warm-ups to the day and cool downs as the day ends. There are holiday themed videos for teachers to use in the classroom to promote certain holiday themed lesson plans. There are separate categories for "test-prep" and "indoor recess" as well. This further helps teachers to be able to pick videos that are already in press assigned categories for them. They can choose from an array of indoor recess videos and test-prep ones to add much needed brain-breaks to the classroom.

References
Eccher, J. (2017, April 6). Understanding your Kinesthetic Learners. Retrieved April 12, 2017, from http://blog.gonoodle.com/2017/04/understanding-your-kinesthetic-learners/

GoNoodle. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2017, from https://www.gonoodle.com/

Healthy Body and Mind [Google image], Retrieved from https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/ca/aa/79/caaa79c035cb8811aa985e3ecc18ba35.png

Henry, D. (Times Free Press, Photographer). (2015). GoNoodle at Harrison Elementary School [Online image], Retrieved from http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2015/jan/16/gonoodle-lets-students-take-brabreaks/282981/

Classroom Management for the 21st Century: ClassDojo

Before I started graduate school, I shadowed a teacher in my local school district at home, to make sure teaching was the career for me. The teacher I shadowed was amazing and had a very effective and neat classroom discipline plan. It was one the whole school used but one that I was interested in to see if I could implement in my own classroom. I liked her method because it was a positive reward behavior management plan that worked through a quantifiable points system.

Come to find out, there is an online portal for what is called, Class Dojo. It is a super neat web application in which you can sign up for free. Then, you can add your school, your class, and each of your students. Then you add various character traits like, helping others, on task, participating, teamwork, etc. If students exhibit one of these traits while in class, then they can receive a positive, +1, Dojo point. Next, you can add the opposing character traits in which students would not be exhibiting appropriate behavior, such as, not listening, not following directions, off task, etc. If students are performing one of these behaviors, then they get minus a Dojo point.

Another very effective technique that this application uses, is you can actually add “class” or “group” Dojo points. These are very helpful because if a particular group is working very quietly for example, that whole group can earn Dojo points. Class Dojo points are a great option for whole classroom management as well. If the entire class is listening or doing well, then they can rack up points towards a class prize. The reverse happens as well, if they are not doing well as a class, then they will receive negative points.

Another great resource provided by the company’s website, is a full packet of Dojo materials to hang up around the classroom. There are classroom posters and accessories that you can use and hang up in the classroom, so that your students further understand, utilize, and become familiar with Class Dojo. There is also a Dojo introduction video that teachers can show to their classroom to get students excited about using the web application.

Dojo is a great application to implement the use of technology in the classroom. As the Dojo website describes, "Class Dojo connects teachers, parents, and students who use it to share photos, videos, and messages through the school day. They use ClassDojo to work together as a team, share in the classroom experience, and bring big ideas to life in their classrooms and homes" (ClassDojo). Below, I have explained the many ways in which this collaboration can occur through Class Dojo.

The web application has a tab called “Stories," in which the teacher can add photos, comments, and updates about their classroom so that parents can see them. The website also provides the teacher with a sheet of information for each individualized student that is sent home to the parents. The sheet provides the parent with a code in which they can sign up to DoJo to keep up with the classroom and their student’s success. They can also download it as an app on their phone if they want quicker and easier access to the information. Additionally, teachers can message parents through the application for quick updates about schedule changes, tests, field trips, etc.

Additionally, using a class iPad we can have students take pictures of their work and post it to their personal stories, so parents can keep up with what their students are doing in class. The application also provides the teacher with a timer to use, in which you can time transitions and give students points for doing them quickly. There is also a “random” feature in which the computer will randomly select a student so you can use this for classroom participation, classroom duties, random prizes, etc. Overall, Class Dojo does a great job of implementing the use of technology into a classroom management plan. 

Lastly, if the students rack up a certain amount of points, then they can receive a prize. By using DoJo as a rewards system, students will be motivated to earn points because they can receive an award.
I also wanted to make sure that the awards I provide to my students are intangible ones, not simply candy or a treasure box of prizes. Here is a great website with many ideas to give intangible rewards that students will be excited about.

In conclusion, I created a list of student and class awards, in which their DoJo points can be redeemed for.

Student Awards:

• Morning work or “warm-up” pass
• Free drawing/writing/computer/or outside time
• Teacher’s helper
• Lunch with teacher
• Time in the reading nook/bean bag chair
• Positive note sent home to parents/guardians

Class Awards:

• Dance party on Friday
• Pajama day
• Class kickball game
• Extra class recess/board games/reading time on Fridays
• Have a special guest come to visit us; custodian, principal, etc. but also outside guests like zookeeper, doctor, mayor, etc.
• Lunch Outside
• Show and tell for the class

Class Dojo provides us with an application to deal with one of the hardest parts of teaching: classroom management. One of the many reasons why teachers leave the workforce is because of a lack of classroom management (Wong, Wong, Jondahl, & Ferguson, 2014). By having a plan like Class Dojo in place, it will take a lot of the workload off the teachers plate and allow them to focus more on their lesson plans and teaching. I know for me, it was easy to get on board with this application because it already has the management plan in place; you just have to teach it to your classroom. You can customize and edit it as you wish, which allows each teacher to personalize their Dojo to fit their classroom needs and wants.

As the founder of Class Dojo, Chaudhary explains, "We had a very non-Silicon Valley thesis. It was not, here is the technology that is going to replace you, it was, how can we use technology to enable you to do all the good things you already want to do?" (Jackson, 2016). This is an important distinction because it shows that we are using technology to increase our classroom's effectiveness and productivity. It is an application that helps make classrooms more organized overall. It makes teachers' lives easier and allows them to have a classroom management plan that implements technology effectively.

As teachers, we want to make sure that we are modernizing our classrooms and moving with the gradient of technology and trends in education. As technology becomes more and more permeant in our way of life, we need to find positive ways to implement it into our classroom. Students will be more likely to catch on and follow our ideas if they are in tune with what they see throughout their lives - more and more technology. Through a system like Class DoJo, our students can see that technology can be used to help make our lives more organized and efficient.

There are many helpful websites out there to get a teacher on board with implementing Class DoJo in the classroom. For example, blog "Going Strong in 2nd Grade," gives teachers great ideas about how to actually make Class DoJo a reality in the classroom. A picture of one of her ideas is included on the right. She provided her class with a "Dojo Store," where the kids can pick up their prizes for the week. Another great tool is Class Dojo's website. They provide a list of ideas for teachers and they even have a DoJo blog in which they post anything and everything about Class DoJo.

Clearly Class Dojo has become very popular and is the "it" thing these days for classroom management procedures. As the Business Insider article points out, "The platform is used in two-thirds of all schools — public, private, and charter — across the nation and in 90% of school districts. It's also used in 180 countries globally, according to McKinley" (Jackson, 2016). Now, it is up to you to decide if you will jump aboard the bandwagon and implement Class Dojo in your classroom. I think I have made a reasonable case for why it would be a smart idea. It is definitely a program I will use in my classroom, and after reading this post I hope other teachers will consider Class Dojo too.

References 

ClassDojo. (n.d.). About Us: Class Dojo . Retrieved March 14, 2017, from https://www.classdojo.com/about/

DeAngelis, R. (Photographer). (2014). Screenshot of Classroom Dojo [Online image], Retrieved from https://literacycounts.wordpress.com/tag/class-dojo/

Dojo monsters [Google image], Retrieved from https://elementarylibrarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/class_dojo_logo.jpg

Jackson, A. (2016, July 08). A 'very non-Silicon Valley' startup is going viral among teachers and parents. Retrieved March 14, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/ed-tech-startup-classdojo-is-going-viral-2016-7

Sutton, A. (Photographer). (2015). Dojo Store [Online image]. Retrieved from http://www.goingstrongin2ndgrade.com/2015/07/class-dojo-update-q-and-giveaway.html

Wong, H. K., Wong, R. T., Jondahl, S. F., & Ferguson, O. F. (2014). The Classroom Management Book. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications.

Can We Actually Use Selfies to Teach a Lesson in the Classroom?

As I was scrolling through my Twitter feed, I came across an interesting article about how a teacher used selfies for a lesson in her classroom. This immediately reminded me of a lesson my writing class did last year with a group of third grade students. For my master's level writing course, we worked at a local public school to help improve the students' writing skills. We offered a free, after-school writing workshop where they could practice and improve their writing skills.

For my group's lesson, we ended up using a book called "The Best Part of Me" by Wendy Ewald. This book includes a picture of students' favorite part about themselves and then a poem or piece of writing describing why it is their favorite. We used this book as a model for a similar lesson we would use in the writing workshop. The writing workshops' focus was on using technology in some shape or form. We had the students take a photo of their favorite part about themselves on iPads provided to them. They loved this idea and really enjoyed getting to show off their favorite part about them, whether it was their hair, fingers, face, toes, arms, nose, etc.

I really enjoyed how we were able to use technology in this lesson plan and thought it helped transform the lesson into one that was relevant to our 21st century digital age. The students loved it as well, because they were able to showcase a part of themselves they really love in a fun and unusual way.

When I saw the recent New York Times article Twitter post about using selfies in the classroom, it brought me back to this lesson plan we used for the writing workshop. I believe using technology to intrigue students is a great way to get them interested in a lesson. In this day in age, technology is all around them, so using it in creative ways throughout the classroom helps teachers connect with their students and keep them focused.

Selfies in particular could be a great resource to use in the classroom as a writing assignment. Selfies are photos of oneself taken on a camera. You can change your facial expression to show your mood or show certain scenery in the background if you are showcasing your location. Additionally, you can take selfies with loved ones or pets to show how you feel with them. Selfies are a great way to show emotion and get to the heart of one's true feelings. While at first it may be awkward to take a photo of yourself, after time, you become more confident and realize it is just a way to communicate with your friends, family and loved ones. I love the way Jenna Wortham explains the true meaning of a selfie in her New York Times article "My Selfie, Myself",

"In other words, it is about showing your friends and family your elation when you’re having a good day or opening a dialogue or line of communication using an image the same way you might simply text “hi” or “what’s up?” (Wortham, 2013). 

What a great way to explain the true depths of what a "selfie" really is. While on the surface it may seem like any other picture, truthfully there lies a lot more underneath a simple picture of oneself. People are expressing themselves and feel comfortable doing it. They are willing to show their happiness, sadness, confidence, love, strength and courage.

Most interestingly, selfies allow for a wider range of communication via technology. When I was young, we would simply call up our friend from our home land-line. You could only hear their voice, and you could not see their face. Now, you can snapchat, send a photo, Facebook live, etc. in which you can send photos or videos of yourself to communicate with others. The great benefits of this updated form of communication is that you can really express your emotions when you are talking with friends, family, etc. They can visually see you and how you feel. What a cool way to stay connected!

So, the teacher who used selfies in the classroom allowed her students to use pictures of themselves and answer the prompt "Why Do We Take Selfies?". She was working with a high school classroom, so this topic may be a little too deep for fourth or fifth grade students (which are the grades I would like to teach!). However, I think I could still use selfies in the classroom to connect to a writing assignment.

For an assignment for upper elementary, I think I would stick to something like the lesson I presented above. I would have them talk about their positive qualities to promote positive self worth and acceptance. I would have them explain why they chose a specific facial expression, camera angle, setting, background, etc. in their photo. All of these features help express who they are and differentiate one student from another. No two photos will be the same and based off students' differing personalities, we will see there will be totally different types of pictures. Some will be artsy, some simple, some close up and some far away, some with smiles and some with frowns. All of these details tell a story and it's important to have students get in touch with and explore their emotions. A picture tells a thousand words...so now, it's up to them to write about it.

References
Connell, G. (Photographer). (2013). Best Part of Me [Online Image], Retrieved from https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/blog-posts/genia-connell/best-part-me-positive-self-image-poetry/

Network, T. L. (2017, February 21). Using Student Selfies for Writing Assessment and Classroom Connections. Retrieved February 25, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/21/learning/21RILN-Fogel-Shrive.html?_r=0&WT.mc_id=SmartBriefs-Newsletter&WT.mc_ev=click&ad-keywords=smartbriefsnl

Selfie collage [Google image]. Retrieved from http://www.clicktobuy.nl/image/data/selfie-collage-transparent.jpg

Wortham, J. (2013, October 19). My Selfie, Myself. Retrieved February 25, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/20/sunday-review/my-selfie-myself.html

What Is All The Rave About This Website, Pinterest?

As I was looking at some of the articles on technology integration, I came across one written by Edutopia about the benefits of using Pinterest in the classroom. I figured I would look into this topic more thoroughly. I have had many teachers tell me that they use Pinterest for ideas in the classroom. Personally, I use it mainly for finding quick, last-minute recipes so that I have the ingredient list on my phone when going food shopping. I also use it a lot for arts and crafts. The neat thing about Pinterest is you can actually pin your own crafts, recipes, etc. that you make up and you can also re-pin other people's ideas. A lot of educators use Pinterest to both (a) post their own ideas and (b) re-post other teacher's ideas.

Pinterest is a free website that requires a username to access. Once you create your account, a user can have access to all the ideas on the website. Here, users can manage ideas through different "boards" labeled by the category. For example, I would label one board "Education Ideas" or "Dinner-Time Recipes" or "Wedding Ideas," etc. Then you can enter what you are looking for in the search box. Ideas you come across that you like, you can press "Save" in the corner and then choose to add it to a particular board. It is a really neat site to collaborate with others about various ideas from travel, to time management techniques, to inspirational quotes.

Here is a picture of my Pinterest board so you can get an idea of what a board looks like. As you can see, I have different boards entitled, "My Style", "Fall is in the air...", and "Live Today...With A Little Help", etc. On each board I have pinned different ideas that fit into each category. You can create as many boards in as many diverse categories as you would like.

Educators in particular have joined the band-wagon and use Pinterest as a means to collaborate with other teachers and share ideas. The site is very user-friendly because you can search very specific topics like "5th grade math ideas" and the search engine will filter the pins you see to only those pertaining to your topic. Once you select, say, a picture that you like from your search, a user can then click on the actual picture and Pinterest will take you to the site for directions on how to do the lesson. This is a great opportunity for people who blog about education to be found. Say a blogger posts their lesson idea on Pinterest and another user sees their pin. In order to actually see the directions behind the lesson, a Pinterest user must be redirected to the blog to find the detailed lesson plan. Pinterest therefore gives great exposure to people who have their own webpages, blogs, etc.

Pinterest can be used for many different reasons in the classroom. Some of the best I have included below:

• Decorating your classroom before the exciting first day of school. There are ideas for helpful organizational techniques, ways to set up the desks in your classroom, wall decor, etc. Basically any topic you are looking for can be sought out through Pinterest. You can make your search very broad or very narrow, either way there are many pins to look at and get ideas from. 
• Classroom discipline techniques and classroom rules. One can simply search for specific ideas to see different ways teachers run their classroom. Searching for these ideas are particularly helpful to new teachers, who may not know what works best but can trust veteran or experienced teachers for advice. 
• Lesson plans or activities in the classroom. Say if you want to do a certain craft for the upcoming Saint Patrick's Day but are not sure what to do. Pinterest is full of various ideas for the classroom for different holidays. As I stated above, one can also click on the photo to be taken to the website where there is more information about the craft or activity and possibly the lesson plan to go with it. 
• Students can use Pinterest for projects of their own or to complete a lesson created by their teacher. You could have your students create their own Pinterest boards and pin ideas for their own projects. They could even create their own board for a specific project and post different pictures throughout their time working on it. For example, they could call one "My Autobiography" and search different ideas for how to complete a compelling autobiography project. Then, they could create their own board in which they post pictures of what they actually did. By doing this, students get to experience collaborating with others. They not only get to learn the process of searching for ideas from other people on Pinterest but also posting their own ideas and pictures to share.      

References:

Classroom Organization [Pinterest image]. Retrieved from https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/ac/27/0d/ac270d118b6083582f9c0cc0a80c86f1.jpg

Pinterest logo [Online image]. Retrieved from http://yakketyyakllc.com/whats-pinterest/  

Saint Patrick's Day Craft [Pinterest image]. Retrieved from https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/St-Patricks-Day-Clover-I-am-lucky-Craftivity-1067562?pp=1

Podcasts in the Classroom

I read a neat article on how to use podcasts in the classroom. I listen to podcasts on my commute to work or especially while taking long road trips. Serial, season two, was one of my most favorite podcasts, which followed the popular story of Bowe Bergdahl, an America solider who walked off his post in Afghanistan, and was captured and held by the Taliban for five years. Listening to each podcast was like watching an episode of CSI. His story is amazing, intriguing, exciting and entertaining. Podcasts can be fun and very much part of our modern tech infused world. They are an evolving part of our 21st century entertainment world, and I hope more people come to follow them.

Additionally, podcasts are great learning and studying tools for students who learn best by listening. For example, I remember things best when I either see a visual demonstration or kinesthetically am doing something, taking a field trip, moving, etc. For learners who are great listeners, podcasts would be a fun way for them to study for a test or learn something new. I think podcasts would also be great for retelling a story, doing a book report, or even interviewing classmates (Oswald, 2017).

I looked through many different podcasts aimed at elementary aged children and sifted through to find the best ones. Examples of quality podcasts for elementary aged children are:

• Brains On! Science podcast for kids
• This podcast answers those simple, yet unexplained scientific questions that kids always ask their parents... "How does the internet work?" or "Why do we hiccup and yawn?", etc. 
• Stories Podcast 
• Retelling of G-rated stories that are appropriate for children. The stories range from the tale of Saint Valentine, to The Cat Who Caught the Moon, and fairytales like Snow White. 
• Dream Big Podcast 
• A great character-building podcasts, perfect for schools that have a (PSD or something) implemented into their school discipline program. This podcast teaches kids how to pursue their dreams, through interviews with famous athletes, artists, writers, entrepreneurs, scientists, you name it!
• Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel 
• A middle grades, serial mystery story in which listeners follow along to find a missing friend. This one is more of a fun "read" for children. Could be used outside of the classroom, almost as if a kid is reading this as a book for fun.   
• Story Pirates 
• This podcast takes children's stories and adapts them into sketch comedies and musical theatre. These stories are delightful, funny, light-hearted, and educational!! A great way to make story-telling a fun time for children, especially those struggling to read or learn English. 
• The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd 
  
• This podcast is great for students who are science nerds and great for boys as well. It follows the adventures of a brilliant scientist, Dr. Floyd. The podcast incorporates history into its fun and adventurous tales. 
• TEDTalks Kids and Family
• I love TEDTalks and believe they really help viewers or listeners learn new things. These family and kids TEDTalks are just as great. A listener can learn so much from one episode, anything from science to technology to literature or art. These inspiring, informative and mind-blowing talks are available through iTunes for free and could be used both inside and outside the classroom. 
• Lastly, as a class you could create your own podcast!!! What a fun idea and lesson plan. You could listen to a couple of podcasts as a class and then have students break off into groups to create their own based on their interests. This lesson would test their listening skills as well as improve their technology skills.  

I hope you all can check out some of the podcasts above at your convenience. I have started listening to some of them now on my commute because of this blog post and my research. Regardless of one's age, a listener can enjoy these podcasts and the exciting twist they take on learning through listening. Now, on to the not as fun part, but just as critically important... the scholarly reasoning behind why podcasts are helpful in the classroom.

As Ki Sung points out in her article, "Listening Isn't Cheating: How Audio Books Can Help Us Learn," "Listening is a critical component of Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts, as is reading....listening to the story can encourage students to read more" (Sung, 2016). While Sung is discussing audiobooks here, the same listening tools are used when listening to a podcast. When students listen to podcasts, they gain key listening skills that help them become more familiar with the language they speak. They will learn how certain words are pronounced, which will also help them with their speaking skills. While listening is not a substitute for reading, I believe it can be a great supplementary tool for use inside and outside the classroom.

Listening skills are key components to the Common Core Standards and can be improved through the use of podcasts in the classroom. When a student has to listen to something verse read it on paper, one must still go through the process of language processing (Willingham, 2016). He or she must process the words through their brain to figure out the meaning of the text and sentences. Therefore, through the use of podcasts, one is still improving the language processing skills that are needed when reading. Podcasts can be especially useful for students who prefer listening as a way of learning, and subsequently can improve their reading.

Additionally, another great use for podcasts in the classroom is for students who may have trouble reading or are learning English as a second language. As "Why Listening to Podcasts Helps Kids Improve Reading Skills," points out, "The combination of audio and text allowed for reading breaks and helped students learning English as a second language connect the text to the sounds" (MindShift, 2016). Students can use podcasts to read through a book the first time if he or she is struggling or prefers listening to it read aloud. Then they can go back and re-read it. They will have a more firm grasp of the book and words they could not read or struggled with because they had the podcast read it aloud to them. It would be nice to say that I would have all day to read aloud to each and every child but unfortunately as a teacher of 20+ students, we just do not have that time on our hands. Having podcasts available to students is a great asset to teachers and can save time in the classroom. Students will be able to learn more efficiently, while also increasing their listening and reading skills. What a great tool to use in the classroom!

References
Brains On [Online image]. Retrieved from https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/144034449/brains-on-a-science-podcast-for-curious-kids-and-g

Girl with World [Online image]. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/podcasts/2005/07/slates_podcasting_guide.html

MindShift. (2016, March 18). Why Listening to Podcasts Helps Kids Improve Reading Skills. Retrieved February 07, 2017, from https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/03/18/why-listening-to-podcasts-helps-kids-improve-reading-skills/

Oswald, M. (2017, February 13). Podcasts and the Classroom. Retrieved February 06, 2017, from http://www.edudemic.com/podcasts-classroom/ utm_content=buffer0b318&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Podcast [Online image]. Retrieved from http://blogs.agu.org/geoedtrek/2015/03/18/women-stem-podcasts/

The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd [Online image]. Retrieved from http://www.mrgrant.com/projects/

Schiff, S. (2017, January 25). 15 Podcasts For Kids That Everyone Can Enjoy On The Commute To School. Retrieved February 06, 2017, from https://www.fatherly.com/activities/the-best-podcasts-for-kids/

Sung, K. (2016, August). Listening Isn't Cheating: How Audio Books Can Help Us Learn. Retrieved February 06, 2017, from https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/08/18/listening-isnt-cheating-how-audio-books-can-help-us-learn/

Willingham, D. (2016, July 24). Is Listening to an Audio book "Cheating?". Retrieved February 07, 2017, from http://www.danielwillingham.com/daniel-willingham-science-and-education-blog/is-listening-to-an-audio-book-cheating

To Tweet or Not to Tweet, That Is the Question???

As my semester in this educational technology course has continued, I have learned more and more about social media platforms from Dr. Bowser. She is very knowledgable about technology, computers, social media, etc. and their many functions. I have learned there is a lot more to Twitter than I first thought. Because of her lesson on Twitter, I now believe I may use it more often.

Scrolling through Instagram, one of my favorite social media applications, one will find posts from a variety of different entities: best friends, universities, celebrities, famous athletes, etc. I enjoy using this application, except for one major flaw: organization. Say I am on lunch break from work and I want to catch up on the latest news from the recent tennis tournament, the Australian Open. Instead of having to scroll through my entire feed of followers, it would be nice to be able to click on a "sports" icon within my Instagram account to find exactly what I am looking for.

While Instagram is lacking this key organizational tool, one social media application is not: Twitter. Twitter does a phenomenal job of decreasing search time through their application, TweetDeck. TweetDeck allows a user to organize his or her followers into different topics such as, sports, news, education, and so-forth. This allows users to better manage what they are seeing on their computer screen and not waste so much time looking at something they may not be interested in. If I am only looking to see what is going on in the sports world then I can go to my sports board to see what is being tweeted. This organizational tool is key to making Twitter a success and more user friendly.

So "To Tweet or Not to Tweet," I think I will go with "To Tweet." Because of their focus on making the application user friendly and more task oriented, I am all on board. After my professor's tutorial on how to use TweetDeck I will definitely join the bandwagon. Now, if only Instagram would jump on board too...then we would be talking.

References
TweetDeck [Online image]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/tweetdeck

Technology in the Classroom

We live in a day in age when one does not go a day without being connected to technology in some form or fashion. Weather watching one's favorite show on television, to checking Facebook or Snapchat to stay in touch with friends, to reading on your Kindle or Ebook, people are constantly connected via technology.
Now, we must ponder, is this a good thing or a bad thing? Well, ultimately technology and our connectedness to each other can be seen as a positive factor. While, yes, there are vices to every virtue, the positives tend to outweigh the negatives.

This same principle applies to technology in the classroom. As long as technology is used in the right manner, it can be extremely helpful to students. With our ever-increasing technological world, students not only should but need to be informed on how to use technology. Through many different devices, like iPads, computers, etc., students can learn new material about a diverse array of subjects.

I remember as a child taking computer class and learning how to type, while also learning Excel, PowerPoint, etc. These classes lead me to be informed about technology and to be able to type quickly and efficiently, unlike my parents trying to type with one finger. Overall, technology can lead students to learn new things or delve deeper into a certain subject matter.

Technology is definitely very good at engaging students. This day in age it is common to see a child watching a show or playing a game on their parent's phone while at the grocery store for example. When we were little, it wasn't until at least 13 years old that one received a phone (for calls only!). Boy, how times have changed!! This being said, technology is very enticing and intriguing and can easily engage students. Through many different applications, technology allows students to learn on a whole new sensory level. They can touch, see, feel, hear, etc. while learning, which was not possible with just hard-back books. One of my favorite applications is the digital picture book, Dragon Brush, in which a child can read, listen and draw on the story through an electronic device. Another one of my favorites is BrainPOP, which tests student's knowledge on anything from science, to social studies and math.

Educational applications allow students to increase their reading level, math skills, social studies and science knowledge, etc. Most applications are built to give students that multi-sensory experience, further engaging them into the learning process. They may be more likely to stick with the lesson because of the full sensory experience going on because their attention is thoroughly with the application. As the International Society for Technology in Education Standards says, we as teachers must "facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity" ("Standards for Teachers", 2017). I believe through applications like the ones I listed above and through technology in general, I can help students become excited about learning in new ways that they may have not imagined before.

References
Jake Smith. [Online image]. (2011). Central Florida school outfitting every student with an iPad [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://9to5mac.com/2011/07/28/central-florida-school-outfitting-every-student-with-an-ipad/

Klaus Vedfelt (Photographer). [Online image]. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nir-eyal/why-people-check-their-ph_b_9399364.html

Standards for Teachers [Online image]. (2017). Retrieved January 23, 2017, from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/standards-for-teachers