674+Discussion+Questions

=Discussion Questions= ==**__Discussion Question 1- completed during Weekend One __** ==

**What do you know about using technology with students?** I feel pretty comfortable using technology with my students. In the past I have used many different multi-media tools with my students, whether they created the products or I created the product to share with them. My students use technology in some way or another throughout the day. They use EdModo, web games, word processing, and the Mimio many times throughout the week. If only we could have access to more computers, I would use technology even more. 
 * What do you want to know about using technology with students?** I would like to know more about recording, editing, and creating videos with my students. I am planning a unit in which my class will produce the "Revolutionary News". They will need to know how to film, edit, and produce videos for their projects and I would like to know more about this process myself before we get started. Also, I would love to know if there are any free and easy to use programs out there to help in the editing and creation phase of these student made videos.

==**__Discussion Question 2 - completed during Weekend One__ **==

**Look at the Essential 21st Century Skills List - Select one skill and discuss how you already meet this skill via your current instruction.** The 21st Century Skill that I feel I already meet is Information and Media Literacy. Ever since I began this graduate program I have been experimenting with different web 2.0 tools to incorporate in my classroom. One of our first classes required us to explore all that was out there on the World Wide Web. Given this time to experiment and explore has changed the ways that I teach. Instead of the stand by posters and Power Point, my students have used multimedia tools such as Animoto, PhotoStory, MovieMaker, Presi...just to name a few. We are in the process of changing our current social studies assessments to include these media tools to make them more appropriate for the 21st century learner. I am looking forward to trying more with my students in the coming school year.

The 21st Centry Skill that I feel I need to work on more is Accountability and Adaptability. I do have some systems in place for student accountability, but I feel that these are more teacher created and centered. I have done some goal setting in the past with my students, but do not have the students refer to them often enough. To change this I could have students do goal setting that is more individualized and have students refer to and reflect upon these goals. Also, students can keep track of the things that they are accountable for so that they feel more ownership. Adaptability could be reflected in referring to their goals and making adaptions/modifications. I read how important goal setting is for adults, and feel that students can benefit from this life long skill as well.
 * Select another Essential 21st Century Skill that you may NOT already touch upon and project how you might be able to meet that need in future instruction.**

==** __Discussion Question 3 - to be completed one week after the Weekend One__ ** ==

Find a TeacherTube/YouTube video that you could use for instructional purposes and copy and paste the address of the video for others to view. Explain how you would use this with your students.

media type="youtube" key="raSKiOhldrU" height="385" width="480" The above is a short video clip that highlights the different trades of colonial times. This clip includes authentic reenactments of each major trade. I would use this clip as a preview of the colonial trades unit in which they will be completing a research project. [] 

NOTE: Since there are so many videos to choose from, please avoid any repeats.

View two other students’ videos.

==**__Discussion Question 4 - to be completed Saturday/Weekend Two__ ** ==

During this class I have had the opportunity to learn new technologies, as well as, revisit and become more familiar with technologies I have seen in the past. What I found most useful is the time that we got to explore the technologies, especially the use of Audacity and Movie Maker. I loved the Claymation project and am excited about using this creative project with my class for collaboration activities. I will be sure to revisit the Wiki for this class to access the wealth of resources that has been collected and given to use to use. I am extremely appreciative for this since I know that it would take hours to put a collection like this together. I truly come from this class feeling more comfortable with these programs and enthused too use them in the to soon to be coming school year.