3D Printing

There are many different and interesting ways to incorporate 3D printing within the classroom! Below are some ways that 3D printing is effective:

1) 3D printing makes learning active – Students are said to learn best when they are interacting and applying their skills towards something. 3D printers give students this experience because it is a hands-on tool. These type of printers encourage teachers to create activities that can take concepts from theoretical to practical. For example, a great biology lesson would be for students to create an anatomical heart.

2) Encourage real-world understanding – According to this website, https://resourced.prometheanworld.com/use-3d-printers-classroom/, a trainee teacher developed a 3D bee prototype in hopes of increasing the bee population. 3D printers put learning into a student’s real-world environment, and students can see the importance behind lessons in real-world problem-solving!  

3) Boost digital engagement – Students become way more engaged in a lesson if they are interacting and involved. 3D printing allows this to happen when students are involved in a hands-on activity such as using and learning how to use a 3D printer.

Some examples of how 3D printers are being used are below:

1) Create interactive maps – Real-life cities and maps can be created by students with a 3D printer. Also, students can create historical locations with a 3D printer!

2) Create a human skeleton and/or internal organs – As previously mentioned, students are able to create anatomical models so that they can understand and teach others about the parts of the human body.

3) Create real-life structures – Students are able to build world-famous buildings such as the White House, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, etc.

As you can see, 3D printing is not only a great tool for students to use, but they are also an essential tool in order to unleash a student’s learning and creativity!

Scratch for the Curriculum

Below are five scratch lesson plans that I found for Middle School aged students.

1) Balloon Pop - This game has the user pop ballloons with your mouse. One point is added for each balloon, and one point is deducted if you miss a balloon. https://github.com/zleap/Scratch3_BalloonPop

2) Valentine’s Day Scratch Lesson: Hearts and Arrows - This lesson includes and introduction video and three short, step-by-step tutorials. This is considered a starter project and includes game design concepts that are built in. Students are able to add on their own features. https://www.createcodeload.com/valentines-scratch-lesson/

3) Create Your Own Haunted House Adventure Game - This lesson allows students to build their own haunted house with detailed instructions. http://blog.wecancodeit.org/download-haunted-house-materials-for-your-own-computer-workshop

4) Build Your Own Talking Tom - A complex lesson that involves building your own Talking Tom. The instructions provided allow you to add commands to the puppet and control the execution of Scratch codes based on sensory inputs of the doll. http://http://scratched.gse.harvard.edu/resources/magic-mazescratched.gse.harvard.edu/resources/build-your-own-talking-tom-toy-scratch-and-arduino

5) Magic Maze (Scratch 2) - This is a fun lesson plan created by a teacher that provides detailed instructions on how to build a maze in Scratch. http://scratched.gse.harvard.edu/resources/magic-maze

Below are two videos of myself building the Balloon Pop game. I faxed some challenges including navigating Scratch because I am not an expert yet and  a slow internet connection. Enjoy!

Gamification Delivery Systems

I have researched three different tools to gamify my future classroom. These three tools are: 3D GameLab (Rezzly), Socrative and Kahoot!

3D GameLab (Rezzly) is a tool that applies game thinking and mechanics. “Players” (students) complete “quests” (assignments). As the players complete their quests  they “level up” to reach their educational goals. They can also earn experience points, rank, rewards and badges.

Socrative is a “space race” which has students race spaceships across the screen by answering questions correctly. Students can compete with other students or by themselves. Students can also customize spaceship icons.

Kahoot! Features music and multiple choice questions. Students must answer the questions quickly and correctly on their devices. There is also a leaderboard that is updated after each question. Students get featured if they have a big score increase or impressive answer streaks.

Below is a pricing table for each of these classroom games:


Tool.                                            Pricing.                                                                      Link
3D GameLab (Rezzly).              Basic - Free.                                                           www.rezzly.com
                                                   Educator - $9.95/month
                                                   Legendary Educator - $20.45/month

Socrative.                                   Free - 50 students
                                                   $59.99/year for more features
                                                   $99.99/year for higher ed and corporate level.    
                                                                                                                                  www.socrative.com

Kahoot!
                                                   Kahoot! - Free
                                                   Kahoot! Plus - $1/month.                                       www.kahoot.com
                                                   Kahoot! Pro - $3/month

VR, AR, and MR with Intel

Virtual reality (also known as VR) brings your reality into a 3D world. Real Sense technology uses deep learning to train a computer to do the same. Real Sense technology also uses 18 million 3D points per second! This type of technology is embedded into all kinds of machines such as: drones, robots, 3D scanning devices, intelligent mirrors and VR handsets.

In the 1960's systems were set up in labs that gave people a taste of VR. In the mid-90's products hit the surface like Nintendo Virtual Boy. There was a big breakthrough in these past couple of years when high quality displays and sensors were coming out of the phone market. This started to be reproduced for doing high quality pull request at afforable prices.

VR transports a user to another artificial location, and AR (augmented reality) keeps them where they are and brings in stimulated objects/scenery to augment what they are seeing in the real world around them. There are three things that Real Sense is working on in the lab right now:

- Working with partners on state of the art products to drive them further.

- Partner products that are integration next-gen technologies that might be things like wireless head mounted displays or displays incorporating Real Sense technology.

- Proof-of-concept around ideas that they have of how they might improve the experience in the future and have not been proven yet.

VR is believed to evolve by higher quality, simulations will get more real and products will be less expensive.

A term that I have never heard of, and recently learned about is mixed reality (MR). This is sometimes referred to as hybrid reality. MR merges real and virtual worlds in order to produce new environment and visualization where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time.

Augmented Reality: AR Runner

The AR Runner app is definitely a phone tool to use on your smartphone. It encourages movement and cognition as you try to follow the lines to enter the circle in order to reach the finish destination!

When I first open the app I am presented with this image below. As you can see there are options for a single player, challenges, local multiplayer and to view the leader boards. I did not have anyone to play with, so instead of choosing the multiplayer option, I went with the single player option.

After I selected the single player option, I chose the 2x2 meters challenge.

I then chose to go with the, "Normal" game mode.

There were other options after this with shapes. I played both the triangle and hexagon option. The image below is from the hexagon option. I had to walk to each of these cylinder circle points.

This was my overall score near the end of the game.

I also wanted to add my numbers based on the leader boards when I played the hexagon game and triangle game.

Video Game Seduction Secrets

Throughout the article titled, “The Seduction Secrets of Video Game Designers…”, Keith Stuart (the author of the article), has outlined topics/considerations that are important to players and game designers. I jotted down a few of these topics while reading the article, and I will expand on them more below.

Autonomy – This term means to govern yourself or a person who wants to make independent decisions. Stuart suggest that this is an important element to players and game designers. For example, within the game, The Sims, the player has total control over the virtual humans. They can even decide to give a human life or death throughout this game.

Story – Compelling plot twists and shock used from movies are proving to be an important consideration to game designers/players. Narrative games are also a popular factor throughout games.

Disproportionate Feedback – Players are rewarded greatly for achieving small/simple tasks in a game. Stuart compared this to a popular game called, Call of Duty. When an enemy is shot, they explode into chunks versus just collapsing to the floor. Pixelated firework displays at the end of a puzzle game such as Peggle, is also something that is important to players/designers. Stuart said it best when he described disproportionate feedback as “an endorphin come-on”.

Failure – At first, this topic did not seem plausible to me. However, when I read more throughout the article, I understood what Stuart was stating. Researchers at Helsinki School of Economics’ Mind lab found that players received pleasure when they lost a life in the game. The design team of the game, Burnout, noticed that players enjoyed crashing the cars because of the realistic animation that happened.

Mentimeter

Mentimeter is a presentation software that allows you to create interactive presentations. Students will be able to actively participate in lectures through Mentimeter as a formative assessment tool. Students can see their answers to a quiz appear on a screen, and they can also provide answers anonymously throughout the presentation.

To use Mentimeter, you need to first sign up.


After that is done, you are presented with a "Your presentations" screen. You can choose to upload your own template or begin creating one. Throughout this screen you are able to also input quizzes, polls, open ended questions, etc.



If you want your students to be able to ask you a question through the app while you are presenting, the student simply presses a button that says, "Ask a question" and then types in the question.



As the creator of the presentation, you can choose to show results of a poll/quiz, or you can hide results.



Link: https://www.mentimeter.com/?utm_expid=.W_W3ZYfoTc2eTb2-Ghh6hQ.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theteachingspace.com%2Fblog%2Fbackchannels

Ryver

According to their website, https://ryver.com/, Ryver "set out to solve the world's email problem." They created a platform for individuals to communicate, manage tasks and automate business processes in one app. Ryver provides chat on a new level within the app. For example you can chat, post, comment, share files, etc. Posts in Ryver are similar to posts in Facebook. A post is a topic of discussion and can have comments included as well as attachments.

As a future educator, I would use Ryver for my classroom. I feel that this would be very helpful in sharing assignments, homework help, and reminders. I also think that I would share the app with parents as well, so that we could all collaborate together as a team and be on the same page. Currently, I work within a human resources department for Montgomery County. I could see this app being useful among my team as well. We often share ideas with one another through email. However, I feel that sharing ideas on an app collaboratively (such as this one) would be a lot more useful!

Etherpad

Etherpad is a website that allows you to edit documents in real-time with other users that you collaborate with. You are able to write articles, press releases, to-do lists, etc. with your friends, fellow students/colleagues all at the same time.  Etherpad has all instances accessed to all data through API and you are able to import/export data exchange formats. Etherpad, in my opinion, is very similar to Google Docs. They are both free and allow collaborative editing. However, Etherpad offers some more features than Google Docs such as: a built-in chatbox, import/export in various formats, multi-player editor, etc. Etherpad is a free website, and it supports integration with a lot of third-party apps like wordpress, mediawiki, dokuwiki, etc.


Link: https://etherpad.org/

Diversity, Cultural Understanding, and Global Awareness

In this day and age, I feel that there are several ways that a teacher can model and promote diversity, cultural understanding, and global awareness by using digital-age communication and collaboration tools to interact locally and globally with students, peers, parents, and the larger community. Throughout the blog posts that I have submitted, I have reflected back on some tools that I have studied that goes along with this particular post.

The first program/app that I feel would promote/model diversity, cultural understanding and global awareness is Nearpod. Nearpod is an interactive classroom tool for teachers that engage students with interactive lessons. I created a Nearpod lesson that taught students the history behind music that had a political message. The culture during the time that these songs were written was very different, and sharing a lesson on that topic promotes that.

Newsela is another tool that I learned about in this course. Newsela is a data base that includes various articles related to current events. There are many different themes included such as: Arts, Science, Health, Law, etc. A teacher can create a profile and add their students to the class. After this is done, they can assign articles for their students to read and take quizzes or submit a writing prompt. The reading level of the article can also be adjusted. Newslea, in my opinion, definitely promotes cultural understanding and global awareness.

VGo is also a great tool that promotes diversity. VGo is a tool that helps a person to replicate themselves in another location. This tool give the person the ability to move around as if they were physically there. An individual can see, hear, talk, go anywhere and interact. VGo is great for students that cannot physically go to school because of an illness, accident or medical condition.

Another program/app that can model diversity, cultural understand and global awareness is Seesaw. This app is a platform for student engagement. Teachers can upload photos, videos, drawings, text, PDFs, and links. Seesaw engages students, improves the quality of their work and teaches students key skills. Seesaw promotes 21st Century skills, and this is helping students to thrive in today's world.

I am sure there are many other apps and programs out there that can promote and model diversity, cultural understanding and global awareness. I am not a teacher presently. However, I do plan on using the tools that I have learned about in my future classroom!

Storybird

Storybird can be accessed by using the link https://storybird.com/ This program is considered a language arts tool. The website allows you to use illustrations that are already uploaded into the program. You can then use your own imagination and creativity to create your own story. There are many options to choose from as far as how you want to format your story. For example, you can use a comic book format, a picture book, a narrative, etc. This program is great for anyone including educators, students, artists, etc.

In order to use Storybird, you must first create an account. After this you will be showed a dashboard, and you should click on "Start your first writing challenge". By doing this, you will be able to choose from the "Free Trial" section. This shows different narratives, poetry, picture books. You can also click on the "Write" tab at the very top of the page, and this will give you other options to view. I chose the picture book option. I clicked on the picture that looked the most appealing to me, and I was presented with a work space with several images. I chose an image and formatted it into my space, and then I was able to write whatever came to mind. After you are done with your story, you can save the project and share it online.


Here is a link to a story that I created using Storybird:

https://storybird.com/picture-book/julie-jack-and-joe 

More Scratch!

Scratch is a program where you can create interactive stories, games and animations. After you have completed one of these, you can share your project to anyone online. Scratch is very useful for students because it promotes them to think creatively, reason systematically and work collaboratively.

You can access Scratch by clicking on this link: https://scratch.mit.edu/ If you have never joined scratch before, you will need to create an account. There are great tutorials included to help you along the way.

Check out my video below that shows one of the projects I worked on.

Digital Storytelling

According to www.digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu, digital storytelling is “the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories.” There are also other terms used to describe digital storytelling such as: digital documentaries, computer-based narratives, digital essays, electronic memoirs, interactive storytelling, etc. Digital stories focus on a specific topic that contain a point of view. Typically these stories last between 2 and 10 minutes. Digital storytelling is being practiced in community centers, schools, libraries, businesses and technology users.

Below are three links/examples to digital stories that I viewed on the website.

Galveston, Hurricanes and Oz

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/view_story.cfm?vid=465&otherid=featured&d_title=Featured%20Digital%20Stories

This digital story discusses the hurricane that occurred in Galveston, TX and how it relates to the movie, The Wizard of Oz

Behind the Lens

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/view_story.cfm?vid=467&otherid=featured&d_title=Featured%20Digital%20Stories

This digital story discusses the desire behind photography.

Thundery Fairy Tale

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/view_story.cfm?vid=455&otherid=featured&d_title=Featured%20Digital%20Stories

This digital story discusses memories of the sounds of thunder and how a lady escaped this fear.

BYOD

According to techradar.com, BYOD is an acronym that stands for Bring Your Own Device. This basically means a school (or company) can have employees and students bring and use their own personal laptops, tablets and/or smartphones. There are several pros and cons of implementing BYOD. Below is a chart I created to outline these pros and cons:

PROS	CONS
Increase in student participation	Devices clashing with security
Student-driven learning	Cost for school to integrate and support diverse range of devices
Personalized instruction	Distraction in the classroom

Based on these pros and cons, I feel that if smartphones are here to stay, the only way to manage BYOD in the classroom is if a BYOD policy is in place. The IT department within the school will need to secure the data of the devices and eliminate any way that a device can be a potential risk of unsecure data. For example, running a full risk assessment that included anti-malware, encryption, passcodes, remote wipe and preventing jailbreaking.

In the past, I have interned at a private school, and students were allowed to bring their own cell phones. However, the cell phones had to have the schools network installed on the phone so that the IT department could track every text message sent for safety and security reasons. There were rules as to when the students could use their cell phones during class time. I liked how that was set up at the school and I agreed with the way they did things there.

I strongly feel that if students do not use mobile devices for activities beyond entertainment (such as learning), they will not be prepared for the world of work in the future. Technology is expanding every day, and if we aren’t implementing new technology and ways to use it in the classroom now, then students will not be up-to-date when they are in the real world.

Unfortunately for lower performing schools, teachers are battling a persistent student culture of disengagement (according to kqed.org). Teachers have found great ways to use mobile devices and students have their own. However, this is not enough to have success with BYOD. Angela Crawford, and AP English teacher at BC Rain High School in Mobile, AL (a low income school) suggests teachers build a circle of trust with their students. Building respect in the classroom takes time, but when this is achieved students will be open to new ways of learning. Classroom management is also something that Crawford suggested.

Teachers can build their professional development by implementing BYOD. Staff training is an essential tool for this to happen. This can also encourage the teachers own personal interest in technology and using it in the classroom!

Technology Trends 2018-2019

In the whitepaper titled, Technology Trends in the Classroom, there are several technologies mentioned. These technologies are:

• Gamification
• Device Mesh
• Personalized Learning
• Coding
• AR/VR
• Data Mining

Game-based learning (also known as gamification). Gamification is described in the whitepaper as, “fundamentally applying game-like principles to a system in order to drive its interaction level and appeal to those using it.” Gamification provides students with a different framework and this helps students understanding and knowledge to grow.

Device mesh is, “the growing ways in which people access applications and information, as well as communicate with each other across the Internet on both a personal and organizational level.” As a society we have been introduced to device mesh through smartphones and computers. This has since expanded through watches, tablets, cars, etc. Device mesh has a student’s work cloud set up to where all of their work is saved and accessible through any device.

Personalized learning is used when face-to-face teaching, technology-assisted instruction and collaboration are combined in order to address a student’s learning style and interests. Personalized learning modifies instruction, expression of learning and assessment to a student’s needs and preferences.

Coding has become popular because of the maker movement and robotics. Activities are run by coding, and teachers can integrate coding activities for students at any age. Coding can also be used in various subject areas in order to encourage computational thinking.

AR/VR is also known as augmented reality and virtual reality. Students can access VR activities if they want to swim with sharks, visit outer space, walk through a museum, and other settings without leaving their classroom! AR/VR is transforming education and classrooms.

Data mining is described as, “collecting data to answer education research questions that shed light on the learning process.” The goal of data mining is to better support learners and develop data-driven understanding of the learning process in various contexts. These contexts include: learning management systems, interactive learning environments, intelligent tutoring systems, educational games and data-rich learning activities.

Plicker

Plicker is described as an assessment tool that was created by a teacher who was wanted to make a quick and easy way to check a student's understanding. This tool allows teachers to collect formative assessment information without having to get the students to use their devices or paper and pencil. Plicker can be used on the go, and it is free to use! The type of learning that takes place in Plicker is through games and lessons. Plicker is really easy for students to use. The teacher creates Plicker cards for the assessments, and the student just rotates a card to show their answer. The cards come in different sizes and larger size fonts for students as well.

Plickers can be used in many innovative and interesting ways within the classroom. I found a blog by a teacher named Laura Candler who provided lots of ways that she uses Plickers in her classroom!
One activity that she performs is called, "Team Plickers Showdown" The showdown is a strategic game for practicing and reviewing academic content in teams. Ms. Candler also uses Plickers for lunch count and attendance. She creates a generic lunch count question with up to 4 responses and changes the lunch choices each day. She uses the lunch count numbers for attendance as well after the tardy bell rings.

Here is a link to read more ways you can use Plicker in the classroom: https://www.lauracandler.com/innovative-strategies-for-plickers/

Animated Video

Chatterpix Kids is one of the many apps out there right now for children to use. This particular app is free and directed towards children ages 6-12.  Chatterpix Kids is very simple to use. You can make anything talk on the app including pets, friends and your own drawings! The app allows you to record your own voice, and you can make the mouth of the picture you choose move by simply drawing a line over the mouth. You can also add stickers to the picture as I did below with the butterflies, glasses, lips and crown.

Below is a video that I created using the app titled, Chatterpix Kids.

When it comes to using animated video in the classroom, the benefits are endless. Animated videos can make learning enjoyable and understandable. Animated videos can be used as support tools in the classroom because it can complement other ways of learning and dive deeper into the topic. A teacher can use animated videos to show live action. For example, historical events and biological processes can be great videos to show to students in the classroom.

In K-2 grade classrooms, students can relate to the animated characters. Animated videos can also teach empathy for students and the videos are a useful tool in order convey information, interact with students and create a powerful social emotional learning platform! Below is a link I found that describes in more detail about how animated videos are beneficial in the classroom.

http://inservice.ascd.org/10-reasons-to-use-animation-in-the-classroom/

VGo

VGo is best described as a tool that helps a person to replicate themselves in another location. This tool also gives the person the ability to move around as if they were physically there. An individual would be able to see, hear, talk, go anywhere and interact. VGo is 100% remote controlled. You don’t need to make a call, you just go to the location remotely. According to the website, www.vgo.com, some users describe VGo as their personal “avatar” and that the tool embodies the remote person.

VGo is being used in schools presently, and students can use the tool if they are not physically able to go to school because of illness, an accident or medical condition. VGo has the child go to the traditional classroom setting and it is operated by the student. Student are able to do the following with VGo:

• -          Receive the same instruction as their peers
• -          Move around/between classrooms independently
• -          Socialize with friends in the hallways and at lunch
• -          Participate in a full school day with their classmates.

The VGo is priced at $6,000 - $7,000, and there is a $100 annual service contract fee. If an individual needs additional charging pads for VGo, those are priced at $500. A 12-hour battery (which is an upgrade for the machine) is $200. VGo weight about 19 pounds and has a 6 hour battery. If one were to by the machine with the 12 hour battery, this would have the machine weighing at 26 pounds.

VGo is a useful tool to have in a school classroom. However, the price of the machine can be a lot depending on the funding of the school system. On the VGo website, teachers have expressed how practical the machine is in the classroom. One teacher stated how the home bound student in her classroom was able to be a part of school life again. She used to use the webcam on her laptop, but now with VGo she is able to have the student be a part of the classroom with the students. Instead of only interacting with the teacher.

Top Hat & Nearpod

Top Hat	Nearpod
Price: 1 semester = $26            1 year = $36            4 years = $75	Price: Silver Package = free            Gold Package = $120/year per teacher
Features: Free access to textbooks, free assignments, upload slides easily, add interactive questions, launch polls, mark attendance, BYOD to sync to app in class	Features: Polls, slide shows, interactive quizzes, virtual field trips, assign homework, add last minute activities
Notes: $10 for tests, fees are for students, professors are free	Notes: Fees are for the teachers to pay

Top Hat and Nearpod are both educational apps that are great to use in the classroom. Top Hat seems to appeal more towards a college or university class. Nearpod is geared towards elementary or secondary grades.

Top Hat has an interesting feature that allows the professor of a classroom to take a view of the class and the app will automatically take roll. The app also allows the students to use the discussion feature as the professor is going over notes. Students can also use the discussion feature anonymously, and the professor can sync your device with the lecture so that you can move along with the lecture as it is being taught. All tests and assignments can be integrated throughout the app. Another great feature is that textbooks are uploaded for free (with the exception of the app price), so that a student can access this material any time.

Nearpod allows a teacher to have access to thousands of lesson plans. This app is an interactive classroom tool that engages students with lessons. Teachers can create presentations, quizzes, polls, videos, images, drawing boards and web content.

Both apps seem fairly similar. However, they are geared toward different audiences.

RealSense Technology

RealSense technology feature 3D cameras that include three lenses, a 2D Camera for regular photos and videos, and an infrared camera/laser projector. The infrared part of the camera is use to see distance between objects. The infrared part also separates objects from the background layers so that there is better facial and gesture recognition. These cameras also feature front-facing, rear-facing and snapshot.

So, what does this mean for images, gesture control, video, scanning 3D images and collaborating?

RealSense is great at scanning faces and turning them into something else. There is an app called FaceShift that will scan and replace your real face with an avatar during a video chat. The app mimics all facial gestures. However, if you stick your tongue out, it will not detect this since it doesn’t scan the inside of your mouth.

Intel has also come out with a prototype tablet that can scan people’s torsos and then 3D print them on a crystal paperweight! See the picture below.

Another app named Personify, will automatically remove the background and replace it with a graphic or a white space. RealSense depth-sensors help with this feature.

The RealSense Snapshot camera adds depth information to any photo that it takes. For example, you can take a picture and measure the distance between two points by drawing a line with your finger. The software will also tell you the radius of objects in the picture. There are also features of photo layer editing and focusing.

RealSense has completely transformed the way we use cameras. This software is historical in a way because we are able to use technology more intimately now than we ever were in the past.

Nearpod

Link to Nearpod: https://nearpod.com/

According to the Nearpod website, this app is best described as, “An interactive classroom tool for teachers to engage students with interactive lessons”. The app allows teachers to create presentations that can include quiz’s, polls, videos, images, drawing boards, and web content. After a lesson is created, the app will generate a code that the teacher can share with students so that they can access the lesson on any mobile device as well.

I am not a teacher, but I created a presentation on this app titled, “Music and History”. Instead of using Microsoft Powerpoint, I utilized the presentation tools within Nearpod. Creating the presentation was very easy, and I felt that the tools were simple to use. I was able to input pictures from the web and audio clips. Below is a picture from my lesson.

Nearpod is not just a teacher driven app. Students can also utilize the app with the “Draw It” feature. This allows students to take control and draw their answer on a device such as their cell-phones or a school issued chrome book. Open-Ended Questions is another feature on the app that allows students to write their own answer after a teacher poses a question or sets up a scenario.

Nearpod is truly a great app to use if you are a teacher. There are so many tools and features within the app that can benefit the teacher and students.

Seesaw

The free educational app known as Seesaw is best described as, “a platform for student engagement.” Teachers are able to upload photos, videos, drawings, text, PDFs and links. Seesaw engages students, improves the quality of student work and teaches key tech skills. Seesaw created an efficacy study to assess student engagement and development of 21^st Century skills, classroom management and student assessment, parent engagement and involvement, and teacher satisfaction. The results displayed 98% of teachers felt that Seesaw helped them use technology effectively in their classroom. 94% of teachers state that Seesaw made it easier to show evidence of student learning at parent-teacher conferences and on progress reports.

Seesaw was made for students, teachers and family members to collaborate. By Seesaw promoting these 21^st Century skills, they are helping students thrive in today’s world. This app is easy to use when sharing student work and sharing with families. It is important to note that nothing is shared on the app without teacher approval. As previously mentioned, the app is free. However there are extra tools included if a teacher or school wanted to pay for the app.

Link to Seesaw: https://web.seesaw.me/

Top Technology Trends in 2018-19

Link to article: https://elearningindustry.com/educational-technology-trends-top-right-now

With technology’s ever growing process these days, there is no surprise on my end of the latest technology trends for the classroom! Below are six educational technology trends that is discussed in the article, “Top 6 Educational Technology Trends Right Now”.

1. Custom Learning Experiences – Accommodations for those who had limits to their education or were at a different level of education was not possible in the past (when it came to technology). Mobile apps development for education has created a new way for students to have need-based learning. The article even states that a junior surgeon can now seek guidance for a procedure during an operation!
2. Cloud Computing – We have all heard of “the cloud” ever since Apple came out with their products. Cloud computing has made it to where information can be accessed anytime, anywhere. For example, you can read a book and collaborate with your students/other teachers about homework through any device at any time.
3. Speech-To-Text Options – I’m sure we are all familiar with Apple’s Siri. This is the exact example of a speech-to-text option. Note taking and writing is easier and fast-paced with this function.
4. Virtual and Augmented Learning Experiences – Known as VR and AR, learners can literally immersive themselves into an app (without moving their entire body). There are a plethora of apps that makes learning fun and hands-on with these experiences.
5. 3D Printing – This is also known as prototyping. 3D printers give students the ability to learn with a physical experience. Students can shape their idea of a project with a 3D printer. This technological trend allows students to unleash their imagination and creativity.
6. Learning Analytics – The ever rising volume of education information and data created what is now known as learning analytics. This function makes it easier for teachers to assess and evaluate student involvement, traction and learning output.

Wearable Technology (WT)

The Smart Cane

This new WT was developed by researchers at the University of Malaga (UMA) in Spain. The smart cane is supposed to provide important information while the individual uses their cane. The information that the smart cane gathers is relevant to their rehabilitation process. While the individual is walking with the cane, the cane will monitor the weight-bearing while walking. The cane works by, “embedding pressure sensors placed at two different depths in the tip of a regular cane so that they don’t affect cane ergonomics” (Russey, 2019). The smart cane has a wireless charger and data can be collected by a mobile phone via Bluetooth. The smart cane is also low cost and promotes active ageing.

Video on Smart Cane for the Elderly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdF0nxXagZ8

Article about the Smart Cane: https://www.wearable-technologies.com/2019/03/this-smart-cane-can-double-as-an-activity-tracker-for-the-elderly/

Smart Fabric

Researchers at the University of Maryland (UMD) have constructed a fabric made from that can release heat and trap heat. The yarn used is from synthetic yarn and “includes a carbon nanotube coating that activates by temperature and humidity” (Russey, 2019). If the conditions outside are warm and/or humid, the fabric will release heat. When conditions are cool and dry, the fabric will trap heat. 

The base yarn has two different synthetic threads, one absorbs water and the other repels water. The strands are coated with a special type of lightweight, carbon-based, conductive metal called carbon nanotubes (Russey, 2019). At this time the fabric is not being sold. In order for the fabric to hit the stores, more work is needed.

Video discussing Smart Fabric: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o91f2wmpJRQ

Article about the Smart Fabric: https://www.wearable-technologies.com/2019/03/smart-fabric-automatically-cools-or-insulates-depending-on-conditions/

Newsela

Newsela is a data base that includes various articles related to current events. There are many different themes included such as: Arts, Science, Health, Law, etc. The best thing about Newsela, in my opinion, is that it is student friendly. As a teacher, you can create a profile on Newsela and add your students to the class. After this is done, you can assign articles for students to read and take quizzes on submit a writing prompt. You can also adjust the reading level of an article for your students. 

This website is a great tool for students to stay up to date on current events while reading at their grade level. This website also encourages researching and understanding news articles.

Link: https://newsela.com/

Below is a screenshot of the home page when you first log in to Newsela:

Games Can Make A Better World

TED Talk Video Link: https://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world 

This video was presented by Jane McGonigal, a game designer for 10 years. McGonigal stated that gamers feel empowered, confident and eager to conquer challenging situations when playing games. However, in real life, gamers don't feel this way. We are often faced with anxiety and fear when presented with a challenge in reality. A funny, yet interesting fact that McGonigal presented was, "that if we want to solve problems like hunger, poverty, climate change, global conflict and obesity...she feels that we need to play online games for at least 21 billion hours a week by the end of the next decade!"

McGonigal went on to state the following four things that games do to make us "virtuosos".

These four things are:

Urgent Optimism - a desire to act immediately, to tackle an obstacle, combined with the belief that we have a reasonable hope of success.

Social Fabric - McGonigal stated how there is research showing that we like people after we play a game with them. Trust is a big factor when playing a game with someone. If we trust that someone will take the time to play with us, follow rules and value a goal, we will trust this person until the game is over.

Blissful Productivity - Social fabric can become blissful productivity. Playing a game with someone builds up a bond, trust and cooperation.

Epic Meaning - Gamers like to be a part of a huge mission. McGonigal stated that World of Warcraft wiki has nearly 80,000 articles with five million people who use the website every month! Gamers are building an epic story based on the knowledge and resource about the World of Warcraft.

My inital thoughts of this video is this:

The gaming world is an odd obscure world to me. I have never been interested in it because I choose to live in reality instead of getting sucked into a game. However, the more I watch and learn about games throughout this course, I do see the many benefits of gaming. Gaming is a huge hobby among young people today, and if we can intertwine gaming with a positive activity, there could be endless opportunities to help certain aspects of the world. I'm not sure what these opportunities could be, but I do think this is an interesting factor to explore. McGonigal said something that I really liked, "Gamers are super-empowered hopeful individuals. They believe they can empower virtual worlds versus the real world."I would like to see more games created to help gamers feel that same empowerment in the real world.

Augmented Reality in Education

As a child, I can remember sitting in the planetarium on a field trip and being in awe at the constellations before me. I was excited to find an AR app called Star Walk – Explore the Sky. This app is an interactive guide to the night sky. You just point your phone up to the sky (or towards the ceiling of your living room, as I did) and you will see all of the constellations before you. The app covers celestial bodies, thousands of stars, the planets, and other sky objects. It’s almost like your own personal planetarium in your hand. The age recommended on the app states 4+. I feel to really grasp the information and read the description of the constellations, etc. third grade would be most suitable to use this app.

I feel that this app would be awesome in the classroom because the student would have their own control over their view of the night sky. Like I previously stated, it would be their own personal planetarium in their hands.

Below are two screenshots of me using the app.

Augmented Reality Exploration

I explored two augmented reality apps. I used my iPhone 6 Plus iOS 11.2.5

The first app I used was called AR Dragon. This app is basically an augmented reality virtual pet simulator. You can create your own unique dragon. This dragon will grow older and larger each day. You can feed, train and play with your dragon each day as well! Throughout the app you can collect rare food and toys. Below is the dragon I created. I named her Lilly.

The second app I used was called Stack AR. This app is addicting. You have many graphics involved, and you basically tap the phone and stack blocks. The blocks shave down the more you stack. The goal is to achieve a high score. Below is a screenshot of the stack I created.

What are Virtual and Augmented Realities?

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9MwaH6oGEY&feature=youtu.be

Virtual Reality – Also known as VR, virtual reality is best described as a computer generated simulation or replacement of one’s environment. VR in a nutshell is mental teleportation. The origins of VR trace back to 1962 and includes a filmmaker named Mort Heilig. Heilig created a 3D like machine that would show city streets with wind blowing in your face and smells of the city. This idea, although revolutionary, did not take off. Many feel the godfather of VR displays was a man named Ivan Sutherland, an MIT computer scientist. He created the first virtual headset. VR did not take off until presently, and it is used by gamers, 3D artists, architects and real estate agents, teachers, students and astronauts.

Augmented Reality – Also known as AR, augmented reality is best described as mixed reality. The main purpose of AR is to cut out the real world and transport you to another one. Your environment is supplemented or augmented, and it adds to your existing reality. You may be familiar with AR based on the apps Pokemon Go or Snapchat (the use of filters).  

In conclusion, VR tends to be immersive, and the user feels they are in another place. AR is an addition to the user’s world. AR and VR changes the perceptions and processes of the human mind in an obvious way. By 2025, AR and VR will be something that is common in our society.

My QR Code

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7 Ways Games Reward the Brain

My initial thoughts:

Honestly, I am not a video games fan. I never really have been. My brother, on the other hand, was the gamer in my household. So, I couldn’t relate at first to the whole video game perspective of this video. However, as the speaker, Tom Chatfield, went on to discuss the seven ways that games can reward the brain, I became intrigued. I knew of some games that were used in classrooms, and I have always tried to find educational apps for my stepdaughters to use to help them with certain subjects in school. I do feel that these seven ways help that Chatfield discuss are on point with assisting students in the classroom. I related a lot to the game we are playing in our classroom currently on the Rezzly website. I have noticed a totally different approach towards school work on my part. I can see how the rewards and short/long term activities help me achieve goals and prevent feeling burned out. This is something I would like to incorporate within my classroom (when I become a teacher).

Below is a list of the seven lessons he discussed as well as an explanation of how they will help in the classroom.

#1 – Experience bars measuring progress. This is a “simple idea” as Chatfield put it. He states that instead of an instructor grading a student in little bits, the instructor should create an avatar which grows in little bits. This is a way of building something of their own.

#2 – Multiple long and short-term aims. Basically, this action involves giving students long and short-term goals to keep the students engaged in the classroom.

 #3 – Reward effort. This lesson is great if you involve games in the classroom for students to achieve rewards. This also helps build confidence.

#4 – Feedback. Chatfield states that modeling things for people will give them a chance to feel a lesson. This, in turn, will help a student to understand a problem better.

#5 – The element of uncertainty. Rewards are great in the classroom when playing an educational game. However, a reward that a student isn’t sure about or was unaware of is even more exciting. This also gets the student even more engaged and excited about a subject.

#6 – Windows of enhanced attention. This lesson is considered those “Oh, now I get it!” moments that a student experiences. When a teacher has the opportunity to witness this moment, this is considered the window of enhanced attention in the classroom.

#7 – Other people. Engagement is a very important factor in the classroom (and within some of the lessons Chatfield pointed out). Students can learn from their peers and from their teacher when playing other games. Learning from one another and about a subject is a great way to truly grasp information.