Digital Storytelling Tools

This week has been all about learning the many options for presenting and sharing information. I have really enjoyed learning what is available. I am so used to simply using PowerPoint and Smartboard to create and present my lessons. Now, both of those tools seem so boring. I am excited to get started using more eye-catching, attention-grabbing lessons. The two tools that I enjoyed the most are Blendspace and Thinglink.

Blendspace

This web tool is a game-changer for me. It is so simple to use! I was able to create a lesson in about 10 minutes on my very first attempt. I love how this tool allows the user to add pictures from your personal photos or Flicker images, videos, documents from your Google Drive or Dropbox, webpages, and more. Each lesson starts off with six boxes that you simply add whatever you choose. Each of these are linked together. The user can go through each section in chronological order or move back and forth between sections at will. This tool is a real time-saver for lessons. Instead of bouncing around from website, to document, to quiz, etc. all sources and links are conveniently placed together. The other feature that I liked was that when you select Youtube videos, only the video plays. No need to wait out the annoying advertisements at the beginning of each video.

Thinglink

This tool is similar to Blendspace in that the user can add several different links to the same presentation. However, this web tool requires the user to use a still photo rather than several separate pages. This tool would be excellent for use as a portfolio of student growth throughout the year. Students could add pictures and videos of their work. Parents, teachers, and students could then easily monitor progress over the school year. Students could also use this tool to create projects and presentations. It would be a wonderful way of presenting their progress as they work through STEM challenges, science experiments, book reviews, and more.

3D Printing, Coding, and Robots, Oh My!

Oh my, indeed! I am completely blown away by how things have changed in my lifetime. What was once pure science fiction is now becoming science fact. The thought of robots conjures memories of the robot from Lost In Space calling out “Danger Will Robinson” and Rosie, The Jetsons’ household robot. Back then, it all seemed so unrealistic and unbelievably impossible. But, now the advancements in technology have turned the impossible into reality.

Actually, this has been a challenging week of study, trial and error. I was definitely pushed far out of my comfort zone and experienced many difficult issues along with a laptop totally infected with malware, spyware, etc. Thank goodness for Geek Squad! But, in the end, I certainly gained a better understanding and appreciation for all these technological advancements.

I am especially fond of the coding programs available. I am currently teaching in a summer STEM program and one of our stations is coding using the website code.org. So, I was glad that I had the chance to research this site prior to using it with my students. This site offers tutorials for each section and it walks you through with step by step increments. My group of students are gaining confidence each day. They spend a great deal of time problem solving and thinking critically. They are also collaborating at a level that I have rarely seen with students.

I was also very impressed with the Google site madewithcode. I love that this is geared more towards girls as the ratio of females to males in the field of engineering and computer science is so slim. This site has so many options for creating things from fashion design, to animation, to avatars, to music and beats, and more. The creative possibilities are endless. I plan to sign up for An Hour of Code and start a coding club at my school this year.

I just loved the robots that are being developed. I would love to have my own Musio to talk to and interact with. He is just too adorable. His creation for interacting with students trying to learn a new language is such a wonderful idea. As someone who has tried for years to learn to speak Spanish, I know firsthand how difficult it is to try out your newly learned words and phrases with others. Musio reacts to what it hears and formulates conversation giving the person that much needed feedback without fear of judgement. The MEDi robots are also a wonderful invention. These robots provide much needed support and comfort to kids receiving scary medical procedures. Using robotics in the classroom is certainly increasing in popularity. With the focus on STEM related teaching, the study of robotics fits in perfectly.

My least favorite was the 3D design. I really struggled greatly with creating my project. I am not sure if that was the Tinkercad program itself or user-error. I felt completely out of my comfort zone on this. I can definitely see the benefits of 3D design and printing for classroom use. It would be so powerful for students to research, design, and then print artifacts of things that they would never have the opportunity to see in real life.

QR Codes

This week’s assignments were all about layered reality and its uses in the classroom. I have to say that I am totally stoked by this! I’ve seen QR codes in the past and have even used them with my students. Generally, it was simply basic information for school supplies or classroom routines. I have never actually created my own up until now. After completing my research this week, I have discovered just how easy it is to create my own QR codes. I enjoyed the blog post from The Daring Librarian. By the way, her blog is amazing. What an attention grabbing front page! After reading her blog and reviewing her infographic for creating QR codes, I simply dove right in. And just as she claimed, it was super easy. I used Google url shortener and then took the new url to I-nigma. Since I am teaching summer school again this year, I decided to do my QR codes to assist in my new students’ learning. I will meet my rising 4th graders tomorrow morning. Our STEM based theme for this group is creating and testing out a lunar rover prototype. So we will be spending the next 6 weeks researching our Solar System. The QR codes I created take the students directly to National Geographic video clips. I cannot wait to see the students’ reactions.


I will be sure to keep you posted.