Looking Back

Looking back on my TPTE 486 Experience I am pleased that I took this class! I learned about so many useful tools that I never even knew existed. Even the tools that I did know about like Wikis and Google Docs I feel like I have a much greater grasp on how to use these tools. There were a couple tools that I feel will not be used by me in the classroom such as Glogster.

There were questions I had throughout the year that I placed on my blog that I wished had been answered. However, I didn't answer anyone else's questions on their blogs so I suppose it serves me right!

I am very pleased with this class and felt it was useful even in the situation where I already knew how to use the tool being taught. I felt the class was very organized and allowed us to truly work at our own pace. I cannot wait to implement what I have learned into my own classroom!!

Geometry Outside of the Classroom: A Digital Story

My Digital Story was on seeing geometry in places other than in the classroom. I used the program iMovie to create this story and found the program incredibly easy to use. Trying to get everything to zoom where I wanted and the transitions to be just right did take practice. I was however overall pleased with this tool and would use it again for personal use and even consider using it in my classroom. 

One question I have was how do you get a video imported into iMovie that was taken from your camera rather than created through your computer's webcam?

Excel Spreadsheet- Factoring

This spreadsheet seemed a little too difficult compared to other tools we have access too for practicing on the web. I like that it is problems I am creating and that way I know exactly what is happening on this quiz rather than using someone else's examples. However there has to be an easier way! Maybe it all comes with practice but this was a little too much for me.
Also I see how it works in excel but I don't think I quite understand how students are supposed to access it and use it. Also, how are these grades reported that they are getting? Do they have to be printed out or is there a certain code that sends their scores back to me?

FUNctions

Inspiration

Inspiration is a great tool for teachers! I feel that when I actually become a teacher I would consider purchasing this tool to map out unit plans for the students and that sort of thing. Right now though it is not something I would want to buy simply because I do not use enough graphic organizers. This tool could easily be used in a secondary class as a way for students to show me they understand the material and how it relates to one another by creating their own. My main question though is, is this a well known tool? Do most high schools have this application purchased and available for campus use or is this something that I would have to purchase on my own. I guess I would like to know, how popular is this is the education world?

Picture Scavenger Hunt- Opposites

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

This scavenger hunt was a very fun experience. Even better, I enjoyed creating a video using animoto because I have never used it before. I like that we had ideas given to us for what to hunt rather than thinking of our own theme. This was a fun exciting project!

Musical Photo Collection

This project was a probably my least favorite exercise only because I felt it was a little boring. I think we could have maybe used a cooler or new tool to present the project. It was good to see how to embed a slideshow from picasa but the gathering of photos was a tad boring..