Technology Tools Evaluation

         Before I took this course ED 609: Technology Applications for Educator, I only use technology when needed. I was never a technology savvy person. Perhaps, my humble beginnings in the rural farming area of the Philippines played a major role of my being aloof in using technology. When we were tasked to evaluate technology tools, my spine turned cold. I was left with no choice but to try and use as many technology tools as I can. I may not have explored everything that each technology tool offers but I was surprised that I enjoyed trying and learning. We were asked to evaluate four technology tools which include Moodle, Chrome, Google Apps, and LiveBinder. Out of the many tools I tried, I chose to review and evaluate additional four to complete eight technology tools. The tools I personally chose were emaze, wiggio, LiveText, and weebly. I rated this tool according to its usefulness, availability (free or costly), ease of use, and functionality in education. The tools that meet all these criteria were scored  5 (highest) and the tools that meet none of these criteria were scored 1 (lowest).

Moodle is the world's free learning platform. It creates an effective online teaching and learning experiences in a collaborative, private environment. This tool is available in 100 languages. It is also a big help in our Masters of Teaching (MAT) program because it provides details about or courses and allows us to prepare for upcoming activities and deadlines. This tool is easy to use but there are some features that are not functional and we were not able to try in most of our classes. The format is also a bit busy and allows student to scroll the past activities before getting into the desired schedule and activities. I graded Moodle 4.

 Google Chrome is a fast free web browser that works well for desktop computers, phone and tablet. It offers instant search option as the search and navigation area are on the same search box. This technology tool offers a feature which allows auto-fill for online forms and queries, thus allows user to type less. Syncing is another feature that I like with Chrome. It allows you to pick up where you left from your desktop to tablet to phone or vise versa. Google and Chrome works perfectly well. I am a Google search engine user using Chrome made my Google search experience, a lot easier. Using Chrome also allows me to keep search history and customization across different devices. Because of these benefits I acquire in using Google Chrome, I rated this tool 5.

Google Apps is one of my favorite technology tools. It is absolutely free, allows me to collaborate with my peers, and can be used using different electronic devices such as computer, phone, and tablet. Google docs and sheets are a few application of Google Apps that proved very helpful in this class (ED 609). It allowed us to share files in class, allows collaborative editing without making a specific time for all members of the group to meet online, auto-save our contributions, and provides editing history for the group members and the instructor to check the contribution of each member in a group. The files are also attached to our emails which makes it easier to access and to share. I graded Google Apps 5.

LiveBinders is a totally free and paperless tool to organize online resources. The organization tabs of the binder allows an engaging live content that appears on screen. It also provides options to categorize resources for ease of browsing. It makes resources easy to share with peers. One of the things I wanted to have in my live binder is an option to create my own file, presentation and sheets for easier filing and storing. LiveBinders does not have this feature yet. The rating of this technology tool is 4.

emaze is a user-friendly presentation tool. What stands out with emaze is the option to make presentations appear in 3D. It also provides various templates to choose from. The visual effects of the presentation is highlighted using emaze. You can also access this tool in any devices and works perfectly on any browser. It also allows automatic translation for slides that needs to be shared from different areas in the world. It also allows the audience and the presenter to be aware of the length of the presentation as it show slide location on screen as denoted by the bubble nodes at the lower end of the slide. All these "emazing" features comes free of charge. Thus, emaze evaluation score is 5.

LiveText is a learning tool that allows teachers, students and administrators to create, submit, and complete assignments for different courses. This tool is used to allow students to stay organized and receive feedback needed to improve learning. In our MAT courses, we were not able to exhaust the use of LiveText. We only used it to submit our key artifacts for the course. We were not able to use it as a formative assessment tool to improve our work as what this tool is suppose to be used for. This learning platform is very similar to Moodle but comes with a price. I feel that I was not able to get my money's worth in using this technology tool. I evaluated and graded LiveText 3.

Wiggio is a free online conferencing tool that allows for group meetings and presentations, manage events, create schedules and assignments, conduct polls, send emails, text and voice messages, and allows file sharing. Our group was able to try the features of wiggio and find the mute tool interesting. The host can actually ignore, mute and assign presenters in the group. The cons in using wiggio are the lack of features to assign groupings and the provision to record meetings. Wiggio's evaluation score is 4.

Weebly is technology tool that allows user to create websites, blog, and online stores. I was able to create my own website using weebly. It is user-friendly and provides users with multiple templates to work on. In the science classroom, tools like this can be a powerful medium to connect to students around the world and exchange information about new discoveries and interesting facts. Some pages will only take user a few minutes to finish. It will not cost a student anything to create their own websites. I evaluated and graded weebly 5.

 I created a video presentation below using wideo to capture the summary of my evaluation. I hope you will enjoy watching.

References

Website Icons:

http://www.rippedorange.co.nz/scheduled-courses/Moodlelogo.png/view
http://graftononline.co.uk/onlineportal/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Chrome
http://ains.com/google-apps-and-gadgets/
http://evscicats.com/blog/tools-for-curating-the-web-livebinders/
http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/20/emaze/
http://www.lmunet.edu/education/livetext/
https://wiggio.com/#tpl=home_0
http://partnerwith.weebly.com/referrals.html

Choosing Educational Games Relevant to Science

Spherox Game Introduction

       Bandura’s self-efficacy theory in 1997, highlights the learners’ capacity to perform specific behavior. It is in this belief that I feel I am capable of choosing an educational game based on my pre-disposed criteria. My way of evaluating a game is that there should be a rubric first that can capture what a perfect game should be to satisfy the needs of the learner in the classroom (see game rubric). What really happened in class was that, we chose our game first before making a rubric to evaluate it. It could have had saved us a lot of time if we were able to formulate a rubric first before choosing a game. Our group had a hard time prioritizing a game because we thought, the game we individually picked fits perfectly with our respective content area. As we shortlisted the best games that would capture all our content areas in a group, we ended up choosing Spherox- a game for Science, Math, and English learners. I was thinking of the top educational games I saw in the Internet (see video below) but I failed to present this in the group. When it was announced in class that we need not like a game to create a rubric, this made me feel better because one of the members of our group does not teach any of these content areas.

Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5s8cgd87O0

Spherox Navigation Tools

 I was excited in finalizing the rubric because we do not need to create a new one but build on the examples of other students and game developers. When we were about to finalize the criteria for our game rubric, I feel that there is a need for us to merge some closely related subcategories to make our rubric concise but accurate. Furthermore, there were some descriptions in rating the game that needs to be re-evaluated based on how we described the scores (3, 2, and 1) in the subcategories. It was hard to make a decision on deleting and merging subcategories in google spreadsheet because I was not sure if my group members would agree to the change. I know that there is a provision for chatting with other members of the group while editing the document, but to find a common time to sit down together and make that decision after class hours given a short time to work on the revisions, proved to be challenging. The use of other media such as calling, video chatting, and messaging can also be time-consuming and stressful in the last few hours of revision before the deadline. Technology indeed made communication exchange easier but there are circumstances when face-to-face interaction is irreplaceable.    

Emaze Presentation Introduction Slide

          

The game I personally chose to share in my group was Sperox- the educational game we all agreed to present and evaluate. This game is relevant in my Biology class because it does not only cover Science but also other content areas such as English and Math that are very important in the application of my content area. The layout and design of the game relates to Science. The background information is like an anticipatory set for learners where they can be part of Sperox’s adventure in space. The storyline of the game starts by asking the learner to help Sperox find his way home by solving content-related problems. Aside from the cognitive learning development aspect of the game, it also engages other distinct intelligences of the learners which may include but not limited to musical, kinesthetic, logical, linguistic, spatial, and naturalistic intelligence (Gardner, 1983). Sperox navigational tools engages kinesthetic and tactile learners.

            We were confronted with many bottlenecks when we started deciding what technology tool to use in presenting our game. We started with using Prezi but realized that it can make some of our classmates suffering from PTSD dizzy with the zooming in and out features. I for one was irritated with the complex and busy features of this tool. I guess I just need more time to explore about it. We then decided to transfer our presentation outline in Spicynodes. The tool is user-friendly and simple. The disadvantage of using Spicynodes is the limitation of background and graphic designs that you can use aside from the templates provided. We were briefed that our presentation must be excellent and we need to practice our part. We feel that it needs to be grand and eye-catching. Thus, we again explored other presentation tool options and decides to use Emaze. We were all “emazed” with Emaze. The format is similar to PowerPoint only that it can be very animated. It is also easy to use. One of our group members made an account for our Emaze presentation where we can help each other edit the slides. Given the time and the different challenges we had encountered in our group, we decided that Emaze is the tool that can bring the best in our presentation.

            It is interesting to note that we were able to use a lot of interactive tools (ICT) for this project. Nevertheless, majority of the time we shared and edited documents and spreadsheets using google apps. We were also able to use email, WhatsApp and Google hangouts aside from the calls and messages sent through our digital phones. After using these tools in class, it made me more confident in using more ICT in the classroom. The usage of ICT leads to more improved intentions to continue using these technologies in the future (Hernandez, Montaner, Sese, & Urquizu, 2011).

References

Bandura, A. (n.d.). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control.

Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.

Hernandez, B., Montaner, T., Sese, F., & Urquizu, P. (2011). The role of social motivations in e- learning: How do they affect usage and success of ICT interactive tools? Computers in Human Behavior, 27(6), 2224-2232. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2011.07.001

Assistive Technology in the Classroom

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIm2MuJUCTE

        Assistive Technology (AT) played a big role in advancing the learning experience of students with disabilities (Hall, Cohen, Vue, & Ganley, 2014). Despite the facilitating role of AT in creating opportunities for students with disabilities to exercise human rights, access to it is limited in many countries (Borg, Larsson, & Östergren, 2011) even in the US as shown in the video. However, AT inclusion becomes a necessity in public and private high schools as technology advances in a fast pacing rate.

The inclusion of AT in lesson planning strengthens the implementation of the most current revision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997. Planning a lesson is an important element in teaching. The planning stage is challenging when teaching students with diverse skills in the classroom. A diverse classroom may include but not limited to groups of high achievers, regular students, English language learners (ESL) and students with disability. Cannella-Malone, Konrad, & Pennington (2015) stressed the inclusion of accommodations and AT, concrete topics, critical skills, explicit instruction, strategy instruction, and systematic evaluation (ACCESS) in writing and planning instructions for intellectually disabled students in the U.S.   On the other hand, the use of ASSURE lesson plan was introduced by Heinich, Molenda, Russell, & Smaldino (2002) to highlight the inclusion of technology in the classroom. ASSURE stands for the different components of the lesson plan. “A” stands for Analyze Learners; “S” for  State Standards and Objectives; “S” for Strategies, Methods, Media, and Materials; “U” for Utilize Technology, Media, and Materials; “R” for Require Learner Participation; and “E” for Evaluate and Revise. When planning a lesson, it is important to know the audience- ESL, students with disabilities and regular classroom learners. The first part of the ASSURE lesson plan highlight the step in analyzing the learner, their skills, and their capacities. This also includes whether they are capable of doing certain tasks or they can do tasks in different ways such as with the use of AT. Another important part of a lesson plan highlights the strategies, methods, media, and materials used in the lesson. It is at this point where a teacher can specify the types of approaches used for different types of learners and what type of AT will be used by students with disabilities. Accommodation and modification for students with AT are specified in this part of the lesson plan. Strategies for differentiated instruction must also be included in this section. Another important aspect of the ASSURE lesson plan is the utilization of technology, media and materials. If a student with cerebral palsy happens to use a specialized computer in responding to classroom activities, it should also be specified in this section of the plan.

In the video, differentiated instruction and strategies (see video below) for disabled learners were identified. One of the strategies where a teacher enjoined a student with cerebral palsy (CP) in a sports activity shown in the video was to assign her as a referee. Another example shown was the use of voice activated software in completing assignment for that same student. Students with physical disabilities were also provided with laptops to help them in their assignments. Activities outside the classroom such as playing instruments in a band, is also doable with the use of AT as highlighted in the video.

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAWKxpCv1Fw

In my experience in the science classroom, the use of AT not only facilitate learning but also increases student engagement. During laboratory activities for instance, a visually impaired student may be aloof in using laboratory equipment and tools without AT. I had a visually impaired Pingelapese student last year. One of the strategies I used to involve her in our laboratory activities was to use a Magna-page magnifier (Appendix 1). The magnifier was issued by Guam Department of Education (GDOE) upon the request of the school. This allowed her to read fine prints and see in detail the laboratory procedures conducted in her group. She was also able to play her role as a critique in the cooperative learning group (CLG) she belonged with the use of this technology. Her worksheets for assessment were also modified to contain a font size of 75 or larger. I also gave her oral assessments in lieu of the written test. There are other AT used in the science classrooms specifically for students with visual impairments as highlighted in this video. Another example of how to use AT in the cla

Appendix 1. Magnifier for the blind. http://www.edb.utexas.edu/atlab/Labinventory/
Classroom/classroom-vi-main.php

ssroom is the use of free applications, educational games, and group chats that will involve students with disabilities. The AT used by CP students shown in the video which includes personalized computers based on the functional areas of the body is an amazing discovery. I cannot imagine how CP students learn and express their ideas without these devices.

Students with disabilities have Individualized Education Plan (IEP) stating the learning goals of the student. The end goal of modifying activities of the student with disability is to achieve these learning goals. In evaluating an activity designed for students with IEP, the main focus should be student interaction and engagement leading to the completion of his/her learning goals as stipulated in the IEP.

Appendix 2. FM Systems. http://jaivirdi.com/2013/02/15/the-fm-listening-system/

On a personal note, I had a student with hearing impairment during my first year of teaching. Since I was a new teacher, I was not very observant and sensitive to the needs of my students. I did not realize his disability but noticed his being drowsy in my class. It was only during the second quarter when all of his teachers in the Freshman Academy were called to talk about the provision of AT for this student. He was given FM systems (Appendix 2). All of us who had him took turns in using a small microphone connected to a transmitter. The student wore the receiver which was turned to a specific frequency or channel. I saw a tremendous change in the way this student behave and get involved in class activity after the FM system was provided. His being drowsy was lessened. He did his work with enthusiasm. He smiles a lot and react to class discussions and responded to his classmate’s jokes. It was a big turnaround. I was so amazed how AT can change lives. For students with disabilities, AT is indeed a lifeline-a major foundation of life.

References

Borg, J., Larsson, S., & Östergren, P. (2011). The right to assistive technology: For whom, for what, and by whom? Disability & Society, 26(2), 151-167. doi:10.1080/09687599.2011.543862

Heinich, R., Molenda, M., Russell, J.D., & Smaldino, S. (2002). Instructional media and technologies for learning (7th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Hall, T., Cohen, N., Vue, G., & Ganley, P. (2014). Addressing learning disabilities with UDL and technology: Strategic reader. Learning Disability Quarterly, 38(2), 72-83. doi:10.1177/0731948714544375

Cannella-Malone, H., Konrad, M., & Pennington, R. (2015). ACCESS! Teaching writing skills to students with intellectual disability. Teaching Exceptional Children, 47(5), 272-280. doi:10.1177/0040059915580032 

Learning Experience

I am redoing my blog because I was not smart enough to figure out that GDOE will put my gmail account inactive if I have everything cleared by the end of the school year. So please have pity on me Dr. Cyrus. This is now a new learning experience for me. I am redoing my blog because I was not smart enough to figure out that GDOE will put my gmail account inactive if I have everything cleared by the end of the school year. So please have pity on me Dr. Cyrus. This is now a new learning experience for me. I am redoing my blog because I was not smart enough to figure out that GDOE will put my gmail account inactive if I have everything cleared by the end of the school year. So please have pity on me Dr. Cyrus. This is now a new learning experience for me.