Blog 10

            For my Data Collection tool, I will create surveys for my fifth graders during math. A week before each exam, I will give the students a survey with a list of all the objectives from that unit and have them rate how comfortable they feel with each on a scale of 1 through 5. Then with the data I collect, I will look at which objectives have the most 1’s indicating the most students need help in this area and focus my review lesson plans on those objectives. This helps me ensure that my students are receiving a review that is beneficial to them and that I am not wasting class time teaching them something they already know. It is also beneficial to me in that I will not come into class with an unnecessary lesson plan made up.

            I found it interesting when looking at people’s blogs that most of them all felt pretty comfortable with power point except for the non-linear function. This is important because students are coming out of school expected to have a basic understanding of power point to do presentations for class and work. However, if most of us did not know how to create a nonlinear power point than the schools probably need to spend more time on technology related education. I also enjoyed seeing how many other classmates used Edmodo; this shows me that it is a thriving form of technology to get information out to students. I do not want to be using obsolete technology when working with my students because then I am hindering their learning. I also learned from reading a blog about Edmodo that students can direct message a teacher on Edmodo. I was unaware of this but it seems like a great tool. This is a much faster way for students to get their questions answer because teachers will see the notification unlike with email where you have to check it regularly.

            For my next technology related skill I want to work with Lynda.com. I saw a few of my classmates did this for their Independent learning project and it got me interested. If I were to be absent from class one day, I could make my power point and record myself speaking and have the substitute show it to the class. This keeps my students from falling behind due to me having to miss because they still get the notes. I will continue looking into Lynda.com by creating an account and practicing with it so I can become well trained in how to use before I use it in my classroom.