11 Tools Reflections

My favorite tools I was introduced to are actually the blog itself and the Wiki. Both of which I could see using with my students. As mentioned with the tool earlier, a Wiki would be a great way for students to evaluate and provide insight to other students in the process of designing and writing their own labs. They could be working on this throughout the semester and have a much better written and more polished first draft that they hand in to me.

I think I see how the technology tools will allow me to step back even more in the process of their learning. I will of course continue to support and facilitate their forward progress, but more of it can be accomplished without me in the mix.

I think the most exciting and unexpected thing I learned was the multitude of applications and tools out there. I am probably an intermediate when it comes to tech savvy, but this course made me feel like a beginner he he.

Tool 11 Digital Citizenship

Digital Citizenship is really another way of saying that you will be a responsible, conscious user of technology and continue to explore the applications with boundaries and courtesy at all times. The three tenets I would really want my students to retain are: first evaluation of sources versus immediate acceptance. Critiquing and evaluating what you are reading is such a valuable skill in many aspects of daily living. If we were to believe everything we hear, read and see, then it would be extremely hard to tangle lies from truths. Students must carefully evaluate what they are reading and determine of the information is valid.

Second: I want students to be resourceful when researching topics. What I mean by that is, I want students to be aware of many places they can go to find information, and not use only one website (like Wikopedia, etc). Many sources may also have conflicting information, so they will have to learn how to evaluate which information is more supported, or perhaps see the value in the differences of opinions or facts.

Third: I want students to also be aware of the limits of technology. Although there is a multitude of applications, information and programs that allow us to virtually live in a techno world, interactions among people in the "living world" is also very important to the academic growth of our students.

Tool 10 Exploring Moble Technology and Apps

One of the apps I explored was the NASA App. It contains updated information about NASA's mission information, videos, images and news updates. Students will be able to access NASA countdown clocks, Images of the Day, and online videos. It even includes a Twitter capability. I think students, as well as teachers, would find it interesting and useful.

I also love the idea of Photoshop mobile. Students are constantly taking pictures with their phones. Now they would have the ability to touch-up, add color, or customize these pictures. Too cool!

Tool 9 Skype and Jing

Skype is a really cool tool that allows people to interact with one another in live fashion, while seeing their faces. Skype is great for family and friends that live far away from one another, but want to keep in touch. For a classroom, the benefits are endless. The mission of the IB program is to create World Citizens. One way to achieve this is to work with others in different cities, states and countries. Skype could be the springboard for this. Students could Skype with other students to work on a solution to a global problem, or even conduct a trans meridian lab. Data could be collected and analyzed together and students could continue conversations when convenient for all parties. Skype is a wonderful piece of technology.

Jing is the same type of thing, but I would be more interested in Skype because I have already used it with my family.

Tool 8 Video Resources

The following is a video I found doing a search on Google Videos that depicts the daily life of a white blood cell. I use it during the second semester, after students have learned about parts of a cell and cell processes such as transcription and translation. It was designed by several graduate students at Harvard University and it is brilliantly made with a complicated, but gorgeous animation to show the processes. The following is called Inner Life of a Cell and it is large file.

http://aimediaserver4.com/studiodaily/videoplayer/?src=ai4/harvard/harvard.swf&width=640&height=520

The video above is a short biography about a woman who believed she had a brain tumor and how her family and her had to prepare for surgery. However, the surprising discovering was made that during surgery it was not actually a tumor, but a worm, probably injested from contaminated food. It is a cool video for students to see, and it really sends a message home about how important washing hands are to human hygiene.

Tool 7 Digital Storytelling

Instead of using my district computer, I created an I-Movie on my I-Mac.


Digital Storytelling is a great way to share information with classmates and students through visualization and creativity. Students could take advantage of this technology to create presentations in a fun way, yet still chock full of great information. I look forward to students showing me their work through digital story telling.

Tool 6 Wikis

Wikis could be a great resource in my science classroom. One important skill my students must learn is how to design, perform, and write a laboratory experiment completely independently. This is not an easy task, and it takes many hours of consuming and critiquing. A Wiki could be an awesome tool for students to critique and help constructively edit a students work in progress as a training before they embark out on there own. This form of technology provides a more accessible and easy way for many students to have impact on the development of other students.