GAIN Spread-SHEETS

GAIN SpreadSHEETS

My Gradebook Link:

https://goo.gl/jfZ46N

   I found spreadsheet to be very challenging to use, however I do believe that this is because it is my first time using any type of spreadsheet in this way. Throughout High School, I was introduced to the very basic uses of Excel but I did not have the opportunity to make more complicated spreadsheets. I had a couple user situations where I had to figure out what my personal preference was to the creation of the document. It took my partner and I a while to figure out exactly how we wanted to portray the information and what way would work best. The next user situation I had to figure out was the fact that the grading aspect of being a teacher, I very much so struggle with. I do not fully understand how to use the grades and percentages. Having had the time to productively struggle with sheets, I feel much more equipped to use this as my grade book in my future classroom. Although I do think it will take me a while to fully learn how to use the formulas and all the tips that it offers, I think it will alleviate me having to use my calculator every evening to keep up with the grades. I enjoyed using the software when I fully understood what I was doing. The easiest part for me, which actually was the hardest as well, was the fact that I could enter in formulas to do the math for me. Anything that lets me off the hook for doing the actual math is a keeper to me. The hardest part was figuring out what the formulas were to create the equation that I needed. The formulas made it easy to check the grades as well, since I would get a very screwy number if I created the formulas the wrong way. This was a way to double check that the grades were entered in correctly.

    Using Google Sheets to match with common core can be very exciting for the students. They can incorporate all different types of math when using this software. This is a great tool to help students use math in a real world setting. Standards will ask the students to use collect data and create graphs. Using the sheets is a great tool to help the students build that data and create ways to present the information. Statistics was also something that I struggled with the understanding aspect throughout my math classes. If students use this software, it can help them understand, create, and present statistics that they have created themselves. A couple examples of using sheets in the classroom to match the common core standards would be: charting measurements, surveys, charts, drawing geometric shapes, and many other tools. It is also a great tool because it lets anyone get on to see the progress. The teacher can get on and check the progress of the students and make comments to help encourage their learning experience. Spreadsheets is a great tool to match along side of the common core standards and create an over all experience for the students to apply what they are learning to real life situations, which should be our ultimate goal as teachers. 

Tablets Literacy For Education

Tablets Literacy For Education 

Dictionary:

   I explored the Dictionary app further, although this is the App that I use on my phone. I always enjoy using this app because it has many fun options to it. It begins with a word of the day. This could be fun to use with the students, possibly making a game out of it. It of course has the easy to use search bar and gives all of the different translations of the words. It also enables the students to have a Thesaurus and a Translator as well. This could be easy for the ELL to use because it is all right there together for them to work on their language. Thesaurus' are great tools to use as well when learning the English language. It is important that the students know what a Thesaurus is and how to use it. They also have slideshow options on interesting language tools, such as "7 Ways to Say Thank You." This could be fun to begin a language lesson with the students and show them one of these power points, then have them create their own. 

Non-Dictionary App:

   I explored the My Spelling Test app on the iPad. This app enables the children to take a spelling test on the iPads instead of having to use paper. This app lets a teacher create a list of spelling words and then the teacher can record themselves saying the spelling words and a sentence (or however they conduct the test). The student can then individually the the spelling test, with just the iPad and head phones. The student will type the spelling words into the lines, and will have them listed out just like on paper. This is a great tool for the teacher to have because it gives the students the time that they need to work on the words on their own. They aren't embarrassed to ask the teacher to repeat because they can control the iPad themselves. They also have the opportunity to take as much time as they need. The teacher does not have to feel like they need to find the advanced student something to do while they wait. It is also a great tool for the students who are absent on spelling test days. The student can use their recess or free time to take their spelling test the next day without the teacher having to participate. I also like the fact that the iPad connects to the Smart Board. This is a great practice for the students, or even an introductory to the spelling words. This is a great tool for the teacher to spend time with the students in a bigger classroom setting, or it can be a center where the students are using the Smart Board on their own (which we all know they want to play with it). 

Visual Presentation App:

   I had the chance to play around with the Drawing Pad app. There are many different options of tools to use such as: marker, chalk, crayon, pencil, eraser, paint, etc. The user can also use movie reels or different stationary background to create something. This could be a great tool to use for creating posters or story telling maps for the students in the classroom. This could be a great tool for students to illustrate their own pictures for books that we read in the classroom, or give students something to do during the down time.

Story Apps:

   Puppet Pals was a lot of fun to play around with. You began creating your story by picking different characters to go into your fairy tale. Then you got to pick your backdrop of where the characters were. Then I had the opportunity to record a story that goes along with the characters and the backdrop. This could be a great way to work on visual story telling with the students. They can create their own presentation and then share it with the whole class. This is a creative way to work on story telling aspects such as plot, climax, etc. It also can be used as a group project that could help the students to learn to work in a group setting. This is a fun tool to use in the classroom, and help engage the kids while they are learning. 

GAIN Google Presentations

GAIN Google Presentations

Google Presentation Link:

https://goo.gl/6ME9xr

Microsoft Office vs. Google Presentations:

• Microsoft Office and Google Presentations are both user friendly and great for presenting information. Both have creative slide templates and great color schemes to choose from to present the information in any way they would like. Microsoft Office is a very developed program, with many more options than Google Presentations. Presentations is the lightweight version when comparing both softwares to each other. 
• Both Office and Presentations have similar set up to helping the user create a powerpoint full of information, pictures, graphs, etc. They have a slide set up to the left of the screen that helps the user choose which template they would like, what order they would like, what special effects the slide could have, and many other options. 
• Office is an older software, especially if the computer is still running Office 2007 software. Therefore, the creativity is limited when using Office. Presentations has more creative slide templates, but they have more basic themes and slides. 
• Office gives the user the ability to use charts, graphs, action buttons, and many other helpful tools when creating the powerpoint. Presentations does not give as many options to develop a creative powerpoint. The software creators wanted to create a software that made powerpoint quick and easy to create. 

Google Apps Meet Common Core:

• Presentations are something that students are going to have to do through out high school, college, and potentially throughout their lives. It is important to be able to public speak and know how to present information in a way that is understandable and receivable to an audience. Common Core standards have created many standards that require students to use digital media and visual displays to present information. Using either Powerpoint or Presentation can help the students to develop their skills.
• Writing standards for Literacy asks the student to use technology to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently. Using these softwares would be a great tool to help the students publish their writing in a creative way. Students can be creative with the way they present their stories, and could put illustrations, charts, pictures, etc. on the powerpoint and create their own virtual story book. 

GAIN Google Docs

Documents-Chapter 4

1) Comparison of Word and Docs.

           Google Docs has many features that Microsoft Word does not. The creators of Google Docs have upgraded the software to enable it's users to be more mobile. Google Docs is a word-processing software that is free and has practically unlimited storage for the Docs. Google Docs is used through the internet, which enables the document that is being created to be saved in Google Drive. This is something that is accessible to device that has internet. Computer, tablet, phone, etc. can be used to access these documents, as well as edit them.  Microsoft Word does not have the capability of using the internet for access. Google Docs has also enabled it's settings to have multiple users on at a time. Up to 50 people can have access to a document and be working on the document at the same time. This enables groups to work on their own computers, but all have access to working on the assignment. Sharing with different people can also enable to teacher to get onto the site and monitor the progress of the assignment. Microsoft Office has to be emailed or downloaded onto a hard drive in order to share the information with others. It also has made it where combining work between multiple people is difficult because of the changes that are made to the document without the others knowing. Immediate feedback is available with Google Docs because the teacher can comment on the post as the students are working, however because Office must be emailed to the teacher they have to wait for the feedback. Google Docs also has templates for the students to create different things with the documents. For example, they can put together an electronic portfolio that displays what they learned throughout the year. They can include pictures, documents, and other things to help display their knowledge. One of Google Docs weakness in its software is the fact that internet is required in order to use the software. If a device does not have internet, the user can not get onto the website to find the document. 

                  Throughout my time at Johnson, I have used Google Docs many times in my classes or in group projects. For one class, my group had a Google Docs note pages where we all took notes on the lecture and could share them with one another. This enabled me to read other people's notes and to understand what importance they got out of the lecture. I also used this site for my Capstone group presentation. A group of us were required to research a topic and then to present our arguments and our theological views on the subject. We utilized Google Docs to share the information and research that we had accomplished. This made researching the topic on my own better because I went to see what my cohorts had researched and what websites and books they used. Google Docs is a great tool to utilize in the classroom. 

2) Common Core and Google Docs

              Common Core has specific Anchor Standards for Writing which ask the students to develop and strengthen their writing. They are required to use planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach to develop their writing. These are easy to practice with the use of Google Docs for many reasons. Google Docs saves the work every two seconds, and then keeps a record of what was done to the document. This is a great tool for the teacher to use to read and see the progress of the students. It is also a great way to save the work and to work on each of these steps. Having to rewrite out the whole document can be a challenge, but it is important to have the original first copy. Using Google Docs, you have the ability to go back and see what the first draft was but yet make edits to the draft in order to perfect it. 

                 Common Core also gives the standard to use the internet to produce and publish writing. Using Google Docs enables students to use the internet through the software to write and then to share the document with whomever needs to see it. One of the last steps to writing is publishing the materials. Google Docs can be a way to publish the materials because they share the documents with others. Peer editing and review can be easily done through Google Docs, when shared with the students in the class. They can make comments about their thoughts, or suggestions to what the author has said without having to write all over a printed out copy. The teacher can also give easy feedback to the student as well. 

                 Common Core also wants students to be using information from print and digital sources, then to summarize the information by using a note form. Then the students should prepare a list of sources. Using Google Docs is a great way to enable students to have their work on front of them. They can use different tabs on the computers to do research and then create the Google Doc with the information that they found. 

3) As I said earlier, I had the opportunity to use Google Docs in a real classroom setting. I loved the easy access to collaborating with my teammates on the material that we were researching. Having the capability to comment in the document and have the changes immediate to the document made the assignments easier. We spent less time worrying about the actual document, and more time researching. It was much more convenient for each of us to work on it whenever we had time. We used the chat capability to meet together as a group and talk about the research that we had accomplished for that week. This lead to less travel times and things like that, making our group time be from our own homes. The comments capability was very helpful because we would make comments to each other as we found more information on our topic, or the specific idea that each of us were studying. I have really enjoyed using Google Docs for all types of projects and situations. It has helped make group projects much easier. 

Tablet: Keynote verses Powerpoint

Keynote Verses Powerpoint

Similarities:

1) Keynote and Powerpoint are both great tools to use with presentations. They both have the display settings in order to present information, pictures, videos, charts, etc. Both softwares have templates that help the user create slides with any information they need on them.

2) Both Keynote and Powerpoint have easy presentation features to enhance the information. There are many different aspects such as templates, transitions, animation, and other features that help the presenter make the presentation more memorable and entertaining. This can help keep the attention of the audience, but it is also something that could be distracting if it is overdone. In the classroom, it is important that the students know how to present information to an audience. Students need to practice picking out important information and teaching their audience about the information in a quick and easy to remember way. Using both of these softwares can help the student practice this idea. 

3) Keynote and Powerpoint both have sharing capabilities to send the presentation to anyone they want. Although the way that they can be shared is different, both softwares have a sharing capability in order to give the presentation to other people. When using iCloud, Keynote can be transferred to any device and enables the author to work on the presentation at any computer. Powerpoint can be downloaded onto the Microsoft server and can be accessed on any tablet or computer as well. This is also the way that the powerpoint can be shared with others as well. Keynote can be mailed or messaged to other people. The Microsoft server enables the sharing of the powerpoint with others as well. The sharing aspect is very important to creating a presentation with people, because it gives them the opportunity to go back and find the research that has been done. 

Differences:

1) Keynote's design and upgrade has given the user more access to be creative when using Keynote. It has also been seen as the most user friendly and has great tutorials to help the user. Keynote has more modern templates, and gives the user more avenues to be creative. 

2) Powerpoint has the capability to be downloaded onto the Microsoft server, and then others can access the powerpoint and comment on the presentation. The viewers can put the powerpoint on their own computers with the software and then can view and critique the powerpoint. This is a great tool to use in the classroom, in a business meeting/ setting, and in many other ways. Keynote does not have this capability, and has to use iChat to communicate about the presentation. 

Box

Box is a great resource to use instead of Drop Box. It enables the student to transfer documents, pictures, files, etc. without having to use a flash drive or iCloud. This is an app that can be downloaded onto any tablet and save the work of a student. This would be a great resource for students to work on larger projects where they may start in the library or the classroom, and then want to work on the assignment at home. They can save it to their Box and then pull it up at home on their computer. This makes accessibility easy for the student and for the teacher. This would be a great tool for the teacher to have accessibility to the information or assignments as well. 

iThought

I found iThought to be a great resource for any situation. Many times when I am writing a paper or doing a research project, my mind is racing when thinking about that topic. This could be a great tool to writing what thoughts I have down and organize them into a paper. We have always been taught to map out our thoughts before they go through with the actual first draft. Most of the time, I am thinking about my topic at a time when a computer is not accessible. Having this app on my phone or tablet could help me organize my thoughts and create a more fluid paper. In the classroom, this app could easily be used to help the students organize their thoughts and do a brain mapping. This could also be used for hypothesis' in Science or mapping out their process of how they are doing an experiment. I really enjoyed playing with this app because it puts the outlining and brain mapping onto something that is reliable and it is recorded.

Rover verses Safari 

Rover is a internet browser that has a security setting to filter out inappropriate content that is on the web. This goes for all inappropriate websites, as well as pop up adds that tend to find their way onto web pages. Safari internet browser needs protection to go along with it for students to not be able to find inappropriate content, whether on accident or not. In a school setting, it is a great idea to encourage students to use the Rover because it helps them stay on track and be looking at appropriate information from the websites. With today's world, if the students are doing research on a project you never know what they might accidentally stumble upon. You do not want to have to have those conversations with the students or have to explain to the parent about the situation. Safari and Rover are both web browsers, that enable all times of web pages for the user. As an adult, Safari is needed because of the research that is needed to be done. Although my eyes are not necessarily protected, some things that the Rover may deem inappropriate is essential to the research of a project. As a teacher of older grades, I would certainly encourage the students to use Rover as long as possible, however when doing some types of research the student may have to transition into using Safari. This is a teacher's call on what the topic is. 

Tablets Options/Uses

Tablet Options/ Uses

iOS Apple 

Pros:
1) iOS Apple products are very versatile. It is easy for the operator to transfer their work from any tablet with the use of iCloud and their apple ID. There are many different Apple products that the user can use, i.e. MacBook, iPad, iPhone, iPod, iWatch, etc. Many people tend to prefer one operating system over the other and so they end up with multiple devices of that operating system. Teacher's can easily use iOS Apple on one of their devices while at school and then be able to save it to their iCloud and find it when they get home. It makes homework easier to access and traveling lighter.
2) There are multiple size options for the operator to choose from. They can choose from the large Mac desk top computers where they are stationary. This would be good for a teacher to have access to in their classroom. Then they are the laptops (also with many different options) and iPads that are easier for travel purposes. Then they have the smaller iPhones and iPods that can easily be linked. Having these devices can help the teacher stay plugged in through all their devices. Using the calendars on your phone can easily be transferred to their desktop computer at school.
3) Apple creates brand new software updates every year, as well as updates of bugs and other problems that happen in the software. This is convenient for evolving times. Having these updates help the user to find new things to use with the tablets.

Cons:
1) A con to Apple products is the expense. Most Apple products are expensive because of what you get. If an Apple connoisseur, it is typically worth the price. But all products certainly are expensive. Within the school, buying Apple products for each student is expensive. Especially with the student use, kids are going to drop them or spill something on them. It is inevitable that they require some sort of protection, but in a warranty type deal and a case for the devices as well.

Android (Google)

Pros:

1) Along with the Kindle, Amazon Prime is available to stream videos. It is a one time fee a year, which could make it easier for a teacher to buy for her class. It also gives the free shipping aspect, which is very convenient for any user when buying of of Amazon. 

2) Android has different types of devices that are paired with Barnes and Noble and Amazon to promote reading. The Amazon book store and Barnes and Noble are both literature based devices, and have thousands of options of downloadable books. This has made buying books cheaper and has made them more accessible. This would be great to have in a classroom to use with reading. It is important for students to learn to love having actual hard copies of books, but students who struggle with their interest in reading may find reading on a tablet more appealing. 

3) There is a wide variety of devices for the user to pick the one that is best for them. Buyers have many options to pick which Android they would like and how it fits their lifestyles. This is appealing to the buyer because they have options as to what they want. This can be easy for a teacher to choose different types of the Android to have in their classroom. They can choose different styles of the device, which could make monitoring the students and give a way to implement classroom management. 

Cons:

1) Because there are so many different types of Android, the software updates from Google do not always work for every device. This can be a problem when the device gets older because not all will receive an updated software. 

2) The Barnes and Noble's Nook does not have music accessible to it. The basic Nook is specifically meant for reading. This can be a con because it does not give the opportunity to listen to music while reading like many of the other devices do. Music could be good for the students who are easily distracted while reading, therefore it is important for teachers to consider this before buying the Nook. 

Windows (Microsoft)

Pros:

1) Microsoft has the largest tablet, Surface Tablet. This is both a pro and a con. For the schools, it might be acceptable to need the bigger screens for the bigger students who handle them easily. This might also be a good exchange for a computer lab, or a classroom set. This could be easier for AR reading tests or practice tests for their state tests. Having the larger screen could be easier accessibility for the students to use. 

2) Windows software is something that is very familiar to most of us. I know that I grew up using Windows, Excel, and other software on Windows. I did many of my elementary school projects using these softwares, and so I feel like they are easy to use. Although the students may not be as tech savvy with these softwares, I feel like they are easy to explain to them. Pages (similar Apple software) is more complicated to use, therefore I feel as though 

3) The Microsoft Surface is the most like a computer in a tablet form possible. Microsoft wanted to create a tablet that was as close to a computer as possible. It has the slim keyboard built in the case, it swivels which makes it easy to watch movies or share the screen with friends. It also has many USB ports, which enable the user to plug things in and download them onto the tablet. 

Cons

1) Microsoft has one size tablet, which gives the operator only one choice of size. They do not have the options like the other two operating systems do. Young children will struggle holding these large tablets, because they have smaller hands. Although this is preference to the operator, having the larger tablet can cause the price to be more expensive as well. 

2) Windows is very susceptible to getting virus' and things through their software. This is something to consider when buying windows products. Virus' can be fatal to the life of the device and software, therefore it is something that requires protection which can be an added cost. 

Cellular Connectivity:

Cellular Connectivity enables the tablet to connect to a cellular tower in order for the tablet to connect to the internet without having Wifi. If the students are given iPads to take home with them and are given assignments to do on the iPad that require internet, it is important to understand that not all students have this at their homes. Having the Connectivity it enables the students to connect to a tower and gives them internet to do the assignments. However, having and using this connectivity is an expensive add on to all tablets. Most times it is a set limit to how much data can be used and if students are going over their data, then they are costing the school more money. This may be something to look into having a set number of the tablets to have this capability, instead of having it on all tablets. 

In Closing: 

In the changing times, many schools are using the tablets as a useful tool to make books and other necessities cheaper. Tablets enable students to carry their work with them where ever they go, and it encourages the students to want to do their homework because it is using technology. Teacher's and schools have a lot of choices as to which devices and softwares work for them and the level of students that they are teaching. Having tablets in the school is something that can be very helpful to the students because technology is something that they need to be very efficient when working with because they will be required to use it in their futures.