Tool 11 - Self Assessing and Reflecting

1. What are your favorite tools you now have in your personal technology toolbox? Briefly describe a particular activity that you will plan for your students using at least one of these new tools.
googledocs

dropbox

imovie

I anticipate using google docs for some self assessment before quizzes and tests. I would like to develop an automated method for students to make videos that demonstrate solving calculus problems. This would allow students to become contributors. 

2. How have you transformed your thinking about the learning that will take place in your classroom? How has your vision for your classroom changed? Are you going to need to make any changes to your classroom to accommodate the 21st Century learner?

My thinking has not changed. I have always been interested in technology and utilized new technologies in my classroom. Every year of my career, I have added technology components to student learning. 

3. Were there any unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

Not really. 

Tool 10 - Digital Citizenship

1. Discuss at least three things you would want to make sure your students understand about being good digital citizens. Not all sites and information on the internet is factual. Learning with technology is not superior to learning without it.

You are responsible for the affect that your postings may have on others.

2. Share at least one of the resources mentioned above or on the Ed Tech website that you plan to use instructionally. Discuss digital citizenship topics relating to plagiarism email, harassment.

3. Explain briefly how you would "teach" the idea of digital citizenship to your students. There should be a student contract for students and parents so that rules and guidelines are understood and followed.

4. Explain briefly how you plan to share the idea of digital citizenship with your parents.

There should be a student contract for students and parents so that rules and guidelines are understood and followed.

Too 9 - Incorporating Classroom-Based Devices as Tools for Learning

1. Why do you think it is important to tie the technology to the objective? Tying the technology to the objective will make the technology an integral part of the learning and something that enhances the objective. It hopefully, will make the lesson more memorable.
2. Why should we hold students accountable for the stations/centers? By holding the students accountable, the students are part of the lesson and the tools are not just "play time."
3. Visit 2 of the applicable links to interactive websites for your content/grade level. Which sites did you like. How could you use them as stations? How can you hold the students accountable for their time in these stations? I like the postcard creator at http://www.readwritethink.org/. This way students could be held accountable by having to make a grade-able project in the time allotted.
   The limits activity at  http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=153 clearly displays a complex concept of infinite geometric series. A short online googledocs quiz could hold students accountable for the concept. 
4. List two to three apps you found for the iPod Touch/iPad that you can use in your classroom. What do you see that station looking like? How can you hold the students accountable for their time in these stations? Educreations Interactive Whiteboard  Students could work in teams to use the interactive whiteboard to show others how to solve Calculus problems. iMovie Students could work in teams to make an imovie that would demonstrate solving a Calculus problem.
5. What about other ways to use the iPod Touch/iPad? Share another way you can see your students using the device as a station. I will not be certain about this until I get the watch the students work with the ipads.

Tool 8 - Taking a Look at the Tools

I have owned a ipad for the past 2 years. Below is a video that I made this year for my students using a wacom tablet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqDtQjzlJMQ&context=C3121eedADOEgsToPDskJ3Qjo6CsZAuAPEQQf3XtnT

Tool 7 - Reaching Outside your Classroom: Online Digital Projects

It is more difficult to utilize these techniques in math since opinions are not generally part of the math learning.

However, it may be possible to choose a Calculus objective and present problems and solutions to another class via skype. Students would then be able to see other students outside their own school learning the same concepts.

Tool 6 - Using Web Tools to Promote Discussion in and out of the Classroom

Twitter - I created a twitter account and posted an assignment and a question. Students could follow AP Calculus AB to get extra help, assignment information or reminders about upcoming quizzes and tests.

Polleverywhere.com - I created an account at Polleverywhere.com and made a sample quiz that could be used in class to assess learning. The quiz could be used before or after the lesson as a pre/post assessment.

Tool 5 - Producing with Web 2.0 Tools

Calculus Wordle.

Comix made using makebeliefscomix.com

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/?comix_id=24943458C632841

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/?comix_id=24943458C632841

Tool 4 - Moving to the Cloud

Google Aps is a great method for teachers to collaborate to make classroom materials and share materials with other teachers. I can see using the paperless quiz in the near future to reinforce classroom concepts.

Tool 3 - Online Video and Image Management

Below are embedded videos. The first is a MIT Calculus video. The second is a calculus video that I made a couple of years ago.

I have also included an image of a zombie from the open source images on Flickr.com. Everyone loves a good zombie.

Tool 2 - Building Online Community

Despite being a computer person, I have always had a strong preference for face to face discussions rather than email or blog posts. In general, people feel comfortable posting things that they would never say in person.

I do like to follow several blogs in my personal life: bleedcubbieblue (the official blog of the Chicago Cubs) and Illiniloyalty (the official sports blog of the University of Illinois). On both I have read thousands of posts, but never posted anything myself.

Calculus blogs that I visited are listed below. The best/most inspiring one is the first one by San Diego teacher Jonathan Winn.

http://www.edutopia.org/masterful-teacher-jonathan-winn-calculus-video

http://mathteachermambo.blogspot.com/

http://cougarcalculus.blogspot.com/

http://sbseminar.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/things-learned-today-in-calculus-class/

Tool 1 - making a blog, making an avatar

I made the google blog and an avatar. No problems. If this is ever going to be viewed in any professional way, I will remove the ridiculous looking avatar.