Digital Badge #E

For Digital Badge #E, I decided to read chapter 7 and learn more about solving problems using software, apps, and games. The first concept I chose was "Steps in Solving Problems". I chose this concept because I feel it is important for students to understand the steps to properly solve a problem and how to good educational software.The second concept I chose was Visual-thinking and concept-mapping software. I chose this concept to further learn about because it talks about a software to help students organize their ideas. Wanting to become a teacher, learning about all the strategies and programs to help students learn is a huge help. It gives you tips on how to include graphs and symbols to express their creativity. Last, but certainly not least I decided to use "Computer Games as Learning Resources". I would like to further this concept because it explains how computer games, including action games have many ways to help the students with education. It explains how gamification is used to help motivate or influence behavior.

Digital Badge #D

After working with Chapter 5 for our previous assignment, I decided to choose three concepts that I would like to further explore from there. First off, I loved reading this chapter. Before reading it, I had no idea about rubrics, grading them, ect. My first concept I chose was "Search Engines and How They Work". Becoming a teacher and having to use different technology, it is important to know what a search engine is and how it works. Search engines are used to locate information, customize explorations from the web, and identify several key words. Another concept I wanted to learn more about was "Teaching Students About Internet Searching'. I was intrigued by this topic because I think it is important for students to understand the proper way how to safely use a search engine and how helpful they truly are. Lastly, the third concept I chose was "Evaluating Online Information". After working with this concept on our rubric assignment, I realized that I knew nothing about creating a rubric or how to properly judge a website for teachers and students to use. As a future educator, I plan on using multiple student/teacher friendly websites. Reading this concept has helped me understand what I need to look for in order for a website to be a great resource for my students.

Digital Badge C

This week we began Digital Badge #C. This week I explored chapter 4, "Designing Lessons and Developing Curriculum with Technology". This chapter talked about how to outline a lesson plan and which student is doing which assignment with which tools. Three concepts I would like to further learn about would be the approaches to lesson planning, using technology in lesson planning, and assessing and evaluating students. I believe these will impact me as a teacher because every teacher must make a proper lesson plan. In order to help your students do well, you have to make sure that they understand the material and the tools you are giving them. Through personal experiences, I have attempted to help make a lesson plan with the teacher I assist with, and reading further in this chapter will help me understand how to properly complete a great lesson plan.

Digital Badge B

For my second digital badge, badge #B, the three concepts I chose were "Developing Lessons and Engaging Students", "Using Technology to Enhance Teaching", and "Technology Use by Teachers"
For the first concept I chose "Developing Lessons and Engaging Students" because technology can be used as a learning tool. Studies show that when using technology, the students showed more interest. Now a days, students are so attached to their smart phones and computers, I bet they would show a huge grade improvement if teachers used more technology for certain projects or assignments.

For my second concept, I chose "Using Technology to Enhance Teaching". Using technology to enhance teaching would not only benefit you, but also your students. Many teacher's use email as a way to contact, email uses technology. Another benefit with learning more technology would make preparing for lesson plans a lot easier.

My third concept I chose was "Technology Use by Teachers". This being very similar to my previous concept. I would have no idea where to begin if I had to make my own lesson plans, send out a mass email through the school email address, or word processing. I myself would like to become the best teacher I can be and be up to date on the technology to improve my skills.

Digtial Badge A

For my Digital Badge A I decided to read chapter one and chose three concepts from that chapter. The first concept I chose was "Today's Student and Technologies" . I chose this concept because I do think it is important for teacher's to understand the background of each child and I believe it does help to be successful in the class room if you know what type of teaching style to use. Now a days, technology is taking over and who knows how much more advanced it will be when I become a teacher. I know that in my family, everyone has a smart phone, iPad, TV(s) , computer(s), etc. It is not uncommon for my two year old nephew to know how to work his educational games on the iPhone or to make a face time call.

For my second concept, I chose "Teaching 21st Century Learners with 21st Century Technologies". i decided to write my paragraph on this concept because it talked about even if you are up to date with technology, and even use it regularly, you still may not know how to have it benefit you as a teacher. I, myself am pretty technical savvy, but when it comes to web tools, advanced PowerPoint, and excel, I am completely confused.

Lastly, I wrote my third concept off of "Strategies for Learning New Technologies ". This concept was fascinating to me because it talked about how to broaden your technology experience. With personal experience, I learned that it takes time to perfect something. You don't just pick it up right away and completely understand. With my career, I was thrown in to managing the desk of an after school program which consisted of running a computer program called "Procare". I had no experience with it and was taught in one hour how to do the basic. Over the past few years I would say I know the program well and I now am able to teach the director's things they never knew to begin with.

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc. 

Procare