A New Jouney Begins

Today was the first classes in the Spring of 2014 semester. I am always curious what the students will be like, how well they are prepare for accepting the challenges, how tech savvy they are.

I always share with them the videos about the Net generation students in today's classrooms. I am surprised that in most cases, teacher candidates haven't see these videos and haven't heard about the term Web 2.0. 

Below is one of the videos I usually share with teacher candidates, "The Vision of Students of Today."

I enjoy seeing the change of students' face expressions, and love discussing why it was important for me to share the video with them. 

During the first week of classes, I use as an ice-breaker, an activity where each student is assigned a Web 2.0 tool that they have to learn about and use to introduce themselves. It is so exciting to see how quickly teacher candidates learn the tools, how creatively they use them to express themselves and then how proudly they share their new learning with the whole class.

I challenge them to use this activity as their first teaching experience to the whole class. It is much more challenging to teach to your own peers than to the elementary school children! Some teacher candidates confess that this presentation really breaks their fear, stage fright, and helps them develop confidence.

I am excited to learn about MoveNote and I have used it already to introduce myself and all Moodle classes to my students from the four courses.

Here it is, one of the introductions:

EDMedia Conference in June 2014 in Finland

I love attending the  EdMedia conferences. I have attended them probably four or five times. I enjoy the spirit, its friendly atmosphere, creative interaction and tracks it offers. I presented papers, co-presented a paper with my Russian colleague last year;  ran workshops two times, one with Dr. Nellie Deutsch, one (last year) by myself and have just submitted 3 proposals for the summer of 2014. A workshop on Moodle and WizIQ with and for Best Practices presentation with Nellie and one proposal with one of my research students who completed a summer research (SURE) project last summer about iPads.
I  posted a video-promotion about it on a new website called FipGrid. View it on the flipgrid site. I am there among four male educators who are planning to attend the conference and shared their experience with EdMedia. EdMedia 2014 org committee posted the links to EdMedia Facebook page, and added a hashtag for Twitter #edmedia on the main AACE conference website. That's how I found a FlipGrid greeting invitation.

But this blog is more about my collaboration with  one of my research students, Lindsay Bordonaro.
We worked during the summer of 2013 on the project titled "iPadagogy: The Expanding Use of iPads in the Elementary Classrooms."  She and Clarisa Rosario surveyed 50 teachers about how teachers use Web 2.0 and iPads in their classrooms. During May Lindsay and Clarisa created Google doc Survey of 43 questions and  offered it to teachers from different school districts in June and followed up the survey with face-to-face interviews with a few teachers. Of course, it was very hard to do because of the end of the semester. In July - August they both worked on the survey data, analyzing the results and designing the poster presentation for the college Symposium that was held in September.

I also encouraged both Lindsay and Clarisa to present at the virtual MoodleMoot conference in August. They both were brave enough to participate among experience educators and presenters.

I am excited about the possibility to bring a student to EdMedia conference. Lindsay's mother bought her a mini-iPad so that Lindsay could try the Apps out during her student teaching. Exciting!
More work if we are accepted. I am collecting the blogs of teachers who are using iPads in their classrooms. So much to analyze and learn from! Below is one:
iPads Improve Classroom Learning, Study Finds

Teaching to Common Core

More Resources on Teaching to Common Core. Be amazed by Symbaloo collection:



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More Google Products | Hapara

Greater visibility... Deeper Insights... More Impact with Google Products | Hapara. Effortlessly.

With HAPARA teachers collaborate among themselves, connected with students, their parents and interact with the content in the safe digital learning environment. A dream to come true!
I wonder if my college will support and implement this on our campus...



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ClassBadges

Implementing the principles of gamification and making the learning process engaging, teachers can create badges using ClassBadges site and award learners for their progress and achievements. Students LOVE games and overcome difficulties, complexity levels in video or digital games. They will be thrilled unwrapping the mysteries, complexity levels of learning and getting badges in the classrooms!

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Collecting News with Newsfeed - Newsle

A very interesting way to share your thinking and connections in the professional field with newsfeed - newsle. If you have facebook and LinkedIN accounts Newsle does it for you. Amazing!

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Create! Engage! and Assess! It is Epic!

I have just learned about the new iOS application and website called Newrpod. It is Phenomenal!
Just what teachers need in order to change the way traditional classrooms are run.

It is a multi-platform! You can connect your i-Devices (iPhone, iPad, android, PC/Mac), design engaging presentations with multi-media (videos, images, websites, etc.), integrate polls, quizzes, and assign interactive homework assignments expecting the answers coming to your e-mail box.
I was so excited about the program that immediately joined the site, created account, downloaded the Nearpod App to my iPad and attended the Webinear with Edward Zelarayan.
Create! Engage! Assess! with the mobile devices. Below is the certificate of participation in the webinear.

I cannot wait to try it out with my students and during the presentations at the conferences.
I also shared the link to the Nearpod on my sharedby website