Content Objects

I choose to do the content objects assignment to give me more time to explore with tools I can use in my library and make it more tech savy.

I explored Storybird, and Dragon Dictation.  I am searching for ways to assist our 4^th grade ELAR teachers with the Reading and Writing component for STAAR.  When exploring Storybird, I found it to be fun. It is a program that motivates our students to read and write.   Teaching sequence can now be a fun thing to do if doing it with Storybird.  Using Storybird you can be as creative and imaginative as you want to be.  It ties art into the learning process.  Students can create stories based on the pictures they have chosen.  The pictures serve as a topic, just in art form. 

Dragon dictation is a wonderful easy to use voice recognition application.  This program allows students who have trouble putting their thoughts on paper, a chance to do just that.  When students can speak their thoughts and see it visually it helps them with reading and writing overall.  There are a few drawbacks when it comes to this program.  It will sometimes mistake what you are saying for other word, but overall this app is a great tool to assist struggling students.  

Creativity Tools

Creativity Tools

This week has been interesting because my library is in competition for a library makeover.  After working for the past week on how I would present to the committee that we were in need and how it would benefit our campus, I decided to include the students.  While reading tech play 3 I decided that I would play and let my students play around with tools given and create a video and the one with the best video pitch and idea would win.  I decided to keep it simple and pick 2 programs for time sake.  I chose IMovie and Movie Maker.  When researching the tools I found them both to be user friendly and easy to navigate.  From the students perspective they found IMovie a little more difficult to create than Movie Maker.  They both have pieces where you can add your own spin.  Per the students movie maker had more flexibility of what you could use and incorporate into your video, whereas IMovie did not.  We ended up going with the Movie Maker and the video ended up being beautiful. 

TPACK Model

Movie Maker and IMovie fits into the TPACK Model because it can use all three parts of the model, content, technical, and pedagogical.  With Movie Maker and IMovie students can plan and create clips that demonstrates points of learning.  Both programs can be utilized to show that the students understand the content, understand the technology they are using and what the overall objective is for them to learn. 

Ways of Learning

Both of these programs could be used in many content areas.  Students can benefit from teachers using this as a homework tool.  A teacher can record video of themselves working out a problem or answering a question and students can view this after school for homework to reinforce what was taught in the classroom.  These creativity tools offer the real world connection to content and technology.  When students see this they feel it’s important and the drive to want to learn is moved higher.