I am happy/sad to say this is my final Blog for Literacy and Technology! I am feeling a bunch of different emotions because I am so happy this semester is over but at the same time I have learned so much, I don't really want it to end! I can't believe the amount of information I have learned over the last 15 week...and the amount of information there is still left to learn!
First I just want to say I have grown so much throughout this semester. My blogs started out very plain and simple and I slowly started to get better and better! I have learned many Web 2.0 tools such as, Google, Smore, Prezi, Wordle, VoiceThread, Screen castomatic, Present Me and many more! I have learned how to mange my time very effectively. This course expected a lot from us and with working full time and going to school full time, I had to learn how to mange my time. Time management is a technique I hope I take with me for the rest of my life! I also learned how to be organized and how to create a separate folder on my computer specifically for this course, Literacy and Technology. I learned how to create my own online class through WizIQ and Google Hangouts. I learned how to turn documents into PDF files and how to create more motivating and engaging activities and lessons through Web 2.0 tools and the SMARTBOARD training. I can honestly say I am happy I took this class!
Below is a link to my final video blog and also my actual video blog! Final Video Blog
Unfortunately, I actually had a very difficult time with my Final Video Blog. I really wanted to create an actual video of myself. I tried to use Present Me to do this...I had the whole six minute video complete and it was 99% uploaded when my computer lost internet connection. I then tried again 5 times and Present Me wouldn't upload any of the videos. I was becoming very annoyed and overwhelmed when I just decided to use screencastomatic. Since most of my growth was seen through my blog, I decided to walk you guys through my actual blog! I started on my first blog entry and went though until the end. Once I completed the video, I then had to upload it onto YouTube...which also gave me a hard time. I was unaware that I had to create an account and network for the video to verify! Once I figured that all out, I was able to upload it and add it right here to my blog! Although I had a rather annoying time with this project, I actually learned a lot from it! I learned that as awesome as technology is, sometimes there are issues like internet connection! I learned how to be flexible and change my project at the last minute. Due to this, I was allowed the opportunity to explore one last tool before the semester was over, screencastomatic! I taught myself how to use it and how to upload the video onto YouTube. This tool is another tool I will take with me in my future teachings!
For my final WOW project, I decided on option number two, Literacy 2.0 Video Project. I created a Prezi Presentation that I then uploaded it onto Present Me. Present Me allowed for me to record my voice while I presented the Prezi. I designed this project for someone else. I created it to teach a SUNY New Paltz Undergraduate student and a fourth grade teacher at Putnam Valley Elementary School about Web 2.0 and a few of the tools it offers. I have used Prezi one other time throughout this semester. I used it to create my About Me project in the beginning of the semester. Although I have only used Prezi two times, it is very easy and simple to use. I like it better than a power point presentation because it is more interactive. It makes the presentation more interesting and exciting to watch. By creating this project, I was able to learn more about Prezi. For example, I learned how to add more slides to my path. I learned how to edit and change the direction of the path and change the order of my slides. I also learned how to download the Prezi as a PDF file! This was a little tricky at first. I actually had to Google "How to download a prezi to a PDF." Of course, Google helped tremendously and walked me through the steps! Once I downloaded the final Prezi to a PDF I was then able to upload it onto Present Me. I was actually very unhappy with the way it came out on Present Me. You cannot tell that it is a Prezi Presentation, it actually looks like a regular power point. I have used Present Me one other time throughout this semester, to create my digital footprints assignment. Present Me is very simple to use as well. It allows you to record your voice while presenting and it also allows you to video tape yourself. I chose the voice record because there was nothing I wanted to show to use the Video Recording. I am wondering if there is a way to upload a Prezi onto Present Me so it actually looks like a Prezi and not just a regular power point presentation.
I feel that my WOW project was creative, original and insightful. I talked amongst my group members and none of them chose this option as their project. I wanted to do something different so that lead me to want to do this one even more. I wanted to be creative and original. I loved the idea of presenting it to a student and teacher to see what responses I received from them. I was not surprised when the student said she never heard of Web 2.0 before. This did not surprise me because I also never heard of Web 2.0 and many of these tools before to took this class. I was a little surprised when the teacher told me she never heard of these tools. It was shocking to me because she is already a practicing teacher who should know about these. These tools can help make she lessons and teachings more exciting! I did feel a little relieved after the presentation when she told me she has seen some of the tools used before but did not know their names or how to use them. Both the student and teacher that I interviewed were excited to be learning new techniques to bring into their current and future teachings.
I feel that my project met the requirements of the assignment. I used Prezi and my design and Present Me as my visual effects. I took screen shots of each step of each website to show the student and teacher how to step by step create an account and create either a Wordle, Smore, or Prezi. The sequence of my project made sense. I showed the accurate order of creating each tool. I used the course content of Web 2.0 to help me create this project. I learned about and how to use these tools throughout this semester and wanted to share my learning with other teachers.
My project was very effective to the student and teacher. They both learned what Web 2.0 is and they learned how to create three of my favorite Web 2.0 tools. My project was also effective because both the student and the teacher said they were going to research more about Web 2.0 and about the other tools it has to offer. They were going to use these tools and others in their teaching to make learning more motivating and exciting for their students.
If I could change anything about my project it would be that Present Me allowed for my Prezi to actually look like a Prezi and not just a regular power point. I also would have loved to have the student and teacher interview on recording. I originally was planning on doing that but could not get the student and teacher together at the same time. Therefore, I was unable to have them record the interview with me. Instead, I took notes and added a slide for each interview into my presentation and talked about it over the recording.
