Summary of Learning

For our last project, Summary of Learning, I wanted to do something easy but informative. I chose to create a Google Slides presentation, to show all about what I have learned this semester. I chose this tool because I wanted to learn a little bit more about it. All my life, I used PowerPoint. I only used this tool once or twice in a group project, but had some help, I wanted to create something, all on my own. 

My biggest take-aways from Ed Tech were what I learned about technology and teaching that I never knew before. I learned how to utilize technology and all the great things that it does for the classroom. It encourages students to become better learners and also allows students to help themselves to a lot more information. The internet can provide many answers and it can give learning minds more freedom. Teachers need to supervise however, and making sure that the students are doing what they need to. A lot of the cool tools benefited me because I never heard of a lot of them before this class. All of these assignments forced me to use something different and allowed me to use different materials that I have never used before. Ed Tech had a lot of work along with it. I liked all the PLN topics and found myself researching a few of them. I liked learning about different ways to be a good teacher and know that I will use some of the things that I learned in my future classroom. 

I believe that technology is slowly taking over our world. It provides such an engaging atmosphere and allows students to be better learners. I definitely plan on integrating technologies into my classroom. I would love to have laptop computers for each student so that each year we can use them and the students will each be provided the same treatment. If technology is in schools, students, parents and teachers all benefit. Parents can communicate faster and easier with educators and students can get immediate feedback on what they need to know, or fix. I plan on using google slides into my lessons and teaching my students the importance of being able to correctly work technology devices. 

Week 13: Major Project Progress #6 & Summary

My last baking project! I can actually say that I am sad to have to give up doing this every week. This week I wanted to go out with a bang so I decided to make this last bake, the most elaborate one yet! An Oreo cheesecake! Oreo is such a popular brand name in which all Americans know. They happen to me my favorite cookie as well. I was looking around the internet to see what kind of cheesecake would be the best, and I found Oreo and knew that was the one. I actually bought the baking kit at Giant Eagle, so I did not have to mess up such a great treat. Making the crust was the worst part for me during this session. Mixing it was easy and the Oreo's soaked up the butter to make it a nice creamy mixture. Once I pressed the crust with my fingers, it was easier to fill the bottom of the pan to make it thick. I used sprinkles on the top instead of Oreo's because I wanted to mix it up and I love sprinkles very very much. It has to refrigerate for an hour allowing it to get that cool, thick cheesecake. 

My family is going to miss my baking and will hopefully enjoy this fabulous Oreo cheesecake tonight. All of the baking that I have done so far for this course has lasted maybe two days in my house. This was a great way to end the major project! 

Summary of my Baking Experience 

I have to admit, once I heard that we had to complete a major project or task, I was not very excited. There was already a little to much work in this class to begin with and adding this to the list was something that I did not want to do. Pondering what topic I wanted to do was hard for me. I wanted to learn how to do pretty much everything. I want to learn as much as I can, whenever I can. Something that I have been putting off was learning how to bake. My mom usually bakes all the treats for my house, and I usually only help around the holidays. Lets face it, my baking skills were not all that. I always burned the bottom of cookies or mixed something incorrectly. With that being said, I was kinda nervous to start this project. I knew that I would be all alone in this task and I would have to make sure that I was doing everything right. I double checked a lot of my steps just to be sure. 

Once I chose my topic of learning how to bake, I started right away to start to get this thing over with. I started with something that I thought was pretty easy, cupcakes. My first experience went very well actually. I never missed a step and the treat came out perfect and moist. Before, I would have filled the baking cups to much and they might have overflowed all over the pan. After carefully measuring, I successfully filled them perfect! Next week was, brownies. I was very scared to try this because me and brownies never got along. Before they always were stuck to the bottom. I added some chocolate chips to them to be creative, and it worked! After they were done, they were the hit of the night. This was probably my most favorite bake. I knew my grandparents were coming over for dinner on one Sunday, so I decided to make blueberry muffins that week. They are my Nanas  favorite dessert. Those were the most simple bake that I had done, and again turned out delicious. Winding down in the semester I chose to finally think of myself and bake my all time favorite thing: chocolate chips cookies. I mean who does not like those right? I chose to make them a little on the smaller side so I could get more out of the batter. I actually made those cookies from scratch and so was proud of myself. I have never made anything with out having already mixed ingredients. Those were the most yummy treat that I baked throughout these weeks. The more I thought about it about what to make next, I realized that whatever you bake does not need to be purchased at the store, you can simply select things out of your cupboard and throw them together. So, that is what I did when I made my pancake cookies! I love breakfast and choosing pancakes was a must. But I wanted it to be sweet, so why not add some sprinkles and chocolate chips. They turned out great and were a much needed breakfast grab and go. Last but not least, was the Oreo cheesecake. I knew that my baking experience was about to come to an end so I wanted to go out with an elaborate dish. I saw Oreo cheesecake on the internet and bought the kit,the same day. This process was fun to me knowing that I could eat it later! My family has sweet tooth's so baking all of these treats were the highlight of the night after dinner. 

Before I learned how to bake, I would always burn things, or just messed them up by mixing incorrectly or not following the correct directions. This process was hard for me to learn to do by myself and I ran into some struggles along the way. However, I also had every many successes. All of the treats I made turned out edible and quite delicious if I say so myself. After learning how to bake, all of my treats tasted like they just came out of a bakery. They were enjoyed by everyone and almost all of them turned out perfectly. 

Overall, I was very happy that I learned how to master baking. I never knew the joy that it could bring to my family. They are all very upset that this was my last week in the major project. They have all been the biggest supporters pushing me to achieve this task just to have some more treats! My baking wont stop here! I will continue to bake in my house finally say that I am the one to supply the desserts! 

Week 12: Technology to Improve Teachers Productivity & Major Project Progress #5

Week 12 blog post! So crazy that the semester is quickly ending. This week wraps it up with the topic of technology. This video shows how technology could play a big role in the classrooms. Early childhood education is the most important and incorporating technology will help students later on in the real world and future careers. Technology can help me become a more productive teacher because it allows me to multi task and be able to do things for my students. I can get immediate feedback and also get involved with parents and other educators very easily. It can help me solve problems by giving me the options to have everything organized my way. I will know where all of my information is when it is needed and technology allows you to be able to be connected with the entire world. It benefits both parents, teachers and even students by allowing a better way of education.

                                  

I have never really explored the internet or used many tools to help me out with projects. PowerPoint and Word were about the farthest I went. This class has really helped me out in showing me the different types of tools and technology that I can use in my classroom. I really like Google tools just because of how simple they are to use. I will be teaching young children so getting them to be able to use the tools is important. Using those tools to get the children involved is good since they do not have to be face to face. They can communicate and share all online. 
The most striking thing that I had taken away from Jake's presentation was I liked how the whole thing was about problems and solutions. I learned that technology can be the solution to many problems and can be such a helpful aid when being used in the classroom. 


For this weeks major project progress blog, I wanted to create a treat all from my cupboards! I have learned throughout this process that baking can be anything! It does not always have to come from the store in a nice little package, but from your own home with an imagination. I love breakfast food and when I saw we had pancakes, I knew I wanted to use them. Whats the best thing to mix with pancakes? Chocolate chips of course. And of course I had to add some color in there, so rainbow sprinkles it was! Putting them on the pan was a little difficult for me. I made them a little thicker than I wanted to, so the inside took a little while to cook causing the outside to be a little dark. However, they are not burned enough to toss, which is a success in my book!

My sister and dad both were the first ones to try my homemade treat. They both said that they were delicious and needed a big glass of milk afterwards. The cookie pancakes can be a nice grab and go breakfast or they can be the dessert needed after dinner. I am loving having so many treats in my house and glad I am continually learning how to bake!  

Week 11: Blended Learning & Major Project Progress #4

This weeks blog post and weekly topic is about blended learning. Blended learning can also be called a mixed-mode course. A portion of the learning is done the traditional face to face ways of instruction then switching to a wed-based way of learning. With the rise of technology kids need to be able to know how to work a computer effectively and they can become more online independent and technologically literate. Their exposure to the internet helps them explore and learn new things all on their own. This type of learning can be effective for any kind of student. Some students need that face to face interaction while others like to work alone. It also helps teachers stay engaged with their students by getting immediate feedback and it shows where they fall with the rest of the class. Blended learning is new and is also now called 21st century learning! My philosophy on blended learning is very mixed. I like how different approaches to learning are taken, however, I feel like the whole online thing can be confusing for some children. But then again, with this day in age, children now how to use an IPhone by age 1. I will probably try to incorporate some technology in my future classroom, but keeping it simple is my specialty.  

                                                        

We have used blended learning effectively in Ed Tech by using our blogs to express our feeling and opinions. There was only a couple face to face interactions that I have personally attended, but they are always available for anyone who feels like they are struggling. It has also helped me when it came to other online classes. Now knowing how to use Blogger, and different sites, (like YellowDig) have really made me into a better student. I never knew how to use hyperlinks, upload photos, or input audio. The cool tools have also helped me by allowing me to remember which ones I can use for my major project. Feedback from my peers have pushed me to complete all of my assignments and I love to hear what they have to say. I also love looking at other peoples blog posts and especially their major project progress posts. I love to see what others have chosen to complete. Again, this class is mostly an online class, however blended learning is shown through and has really helped me get through this course. 

The most striking thing that I took away from Stacy's presentation was her definition of all of the models. There are six different models of blended learning. Face to face driver, rotation, flex, online lab, self-blend and online driver. Each of these is a different way that teachers can teach a course. Stacy says not to get hung up on these. There is always alternate ways to learning material. Choosing one may be effective but there is so many others. If teachers have their lesson plans already planned for the day, chances are they will not change them. Teachers need to understand that children are all different an need different models of teaching. This weeks topic was very interesting to me and I liked learning more about it very much. 

                                                  

For this weeks Major Project Progress treat, I chose to do everyone's (typical) favorite, chocolate chip cookies. These happen to be my favorite as well so I was extra excited to make these for myself. I live with a big family so, I should not just say myself. Anything people make is usually gone in a couple days. If you do not put your name on things around here, you'll never see them again. However, I did hide some in my special stash. They came out so good! Each week I get better and better with learning how to bake. I become more creative and like to show off to my family that I can actually do something! I was so proud of myself.

Getting the ingredients together for these cookies, were a little more troubling, just because I actually made them from scratch. Every other time I have baked something, I usually play it safe and use a boxed or bagged mix.I had to make sure that I had all of the ingredients before  actually starting the process. I must have been either very intrigued or very bored that day, but I managed to follow all directions and I accomplished yet another task of baking the perfect cookie. 

Week 10: Formative and Summative Assessments & Major Project Progress #3

                                    

This weeks topic is something I am sure, no one likes to talk about.. Assessments. I was, and still is a horrible test taker. I can study for hours straight and know the material, however, when I go to take the test, and show my knowledge, I completely freeze up and forget everything. I normally do not have anxiety but thinking of failing a test scares me so much. No one likes to fail, I know I don't. I think that assessments are important, don't get me wrong, but I think that they could be handled and given a different way. I remember taking tests in elementary school, where everyone had to be separated. You usually had something to cover up your answers,and had to raise your hand for anything that you needed. Being so young, I could not stay in my seat for that long and pay attention. It seemed like forever that we sat in silence and tried so hard to focus. Children usually learn better while doing, and while having distractions is never good, Sitting in silence forced to work alone is not the right choice either, in my opinion.

I have never heard or used PearDeck and EduCanon until now. Scott Kinkoph talks about these digital tools in this presentation, so I researched them a little more to figure out what they are all about. I think that using tools for assessments could be helpful in some areas, but with technology, you never know what might happen. Making sure that the data is downloading correctly and that students are getting full credit is so important. Always have a back up plan just in case plan A falls through. These tools are both interactive and the students will be able to have the information right on their laps. Not having the entire assessment online, and mixing instructions will help students stay more focused and motivated. 

The most striking thing that I had taken away from Scott's presentation was the learning cycle. Incorporating formative and summative assessments are both equally important to use in the classroom. Testing the students as they move along through material is important to see if they are learning at a good pace and if they understand what they are learning about. Testing students at the end of a week of material will help teachers in showing where students need more work and it show if the teacher needs to change her lessons into something better for her students to succeed. 

For this weeks major project progress, I chose to bake blueberry muffins! This pastry is my dads favorite late night snack. I saw that we had these in my pantry and knew right away that is what I wanted to try doing. The muffins called for simple ingredients but I doubled the recipe, so I am proud of myself for following the directions correctly, and not adding to much or to little of something. I now know that muffins are simple to bake and take very little time. I can now throw these in the oven before class or work and enjoy a delicious treat.

  

Baking them was easy but I was a little upset with the outcome. We had no baking cups to decorate the muffin, so I had to really spray the muffin tin. The edges were a little more brown then I wanted them to be, but it wasn't to big of an error. My family and I will still most definitely enjoy these muffins after dinner! You could say, I could get used to this baking thing.  

Week 9: Digital Learning Spaces & Cool Tool #5 & Major Project Progress #2

                                           

This weeks topic, was very interesting to me. I hope to one day work in a school that is built around flexible learning styles. Watching all the different videos and reading the material really got me thinking how important it is for students to be able to have space in the classroom. I remember in elementary school, feeling like I was stuck in one room all day. Having open spaces can encourage students to move around and meet new people. It will encourage learning and students will try harder since their work is usually out in the open more. Having glass walls and swivel chairs are just two things that schools can model in order to have a more flexible learning style. Google Apps for Education can give the students access to the information that the teacher has. Uploading the lessons can allow absent students to receive it faster than waiting until the next day or days after. The apps can be used in the classroom and they can be brought to the laps of students. Using IPads or laptops, gives students the freedom to search and navigate through different slides. 

Designing learning spaces for the future is important to think about. The future students will grow to be the future population and raising them right and educating them correctly is crucial. I believe that designing them how they look now, would be a great choice. Having movable furniture and an open space allows children to be able to have the freedom to work in which ever way is comfortable to them. Using an open space library lets students learn while also having fun.  

The University of Akron's campus only has a few things that I can think of right away that uses a flexible learning space. They have swivel chairs, movable furniture and glass walls in some areas. They have open access to internet and the campus covers a vast area. The library and student union are two places where students meet and study, so making sure that those building are up to date is important for our success. The spaces on UA campus align with my learning needs by providing me with a sense of motivation.

Having an open learning space is important for anyone, so they feel like they have the materials needed to succeed. You are in school for the first part of your life, and onto college, so having an open and flexible learning space gives freedom and brings success. 

                                                        

                                                                                  

For my final Cool Tool Review, I chose to do the tool, e-maze. E-maze is a presentation creation website. You can choose your own layout, which includes either a blank layout, or you can chose themed layouts where the colors and images are geared towards the theme. Adding other slides are super easy and it gives you recommendations on what sides you should choose. It allows you to insert images and video to your presentation. You can also add in your own text and edit your slides how ever you want. It has the option to download your PowerPoint and make it better with e-maze! Once you have created your e-maze presentation, you can save, send or share your finished presentation anywhere. I am always looking for different and fun sites to use for presentations and I think I finally found one! I created a short presentation, just to show how it's done! 

I would use this tool in my classroom as visuals for what we are learning about. Having bright colors, big words and child centered images, e-maze presentations would get my students involved and hopefully I can make them good enough, students will be excited to learn. This tool would be important for my students to remember so they can use it for themselves, when they have their own projects. It is easy to sign up and has very good step by step instructions.

Students can definitely make their own digital artifacts while using e-maze. They have the power to chose what they want it to look like, and their creativity can shine through their presentations. Figuring out how the website works at first can be challenging, however, I think with help and practice students will learn in know time. Overall, I think this is a great presentation creation website, and I will be using this for future presentations, in college and even after I graduate in my future classrooms.  

Interested?  https://www.emaze.com/

This week, I chose to make one of my favorite desserts, brownies! Every other time, I have baked brownies, I had to throw my pan away, since the brownies got burned! With that being said, I was very nervous to start this brownie baking process. I heard that using a glass pan for brownies, helps them not to stick. I decided to try it, and maybe even used to much Canola spray, but the after result was worth it, because the brownies came out a success! 

I started out stirring the ingredients to become a batter. The recipe did not call for chocolate chips, but I figured I would be brave to trying something new, and use them in my brownies. I poured them in a pan and anxiously waited to see my dessert. I could smell the brownies once they were done and knew that I had done something right. Checking them for perfection, I decided it was time for them to be done. Sprinkling powder sugar on top of them was the best part of the whole process. I just to do that when I was younger after my mom had baked her famous brownies. I feel very accomplished that I have once again, successfully followed all directions and produced such a great treat!   

Week 8: Global Publishing through EBooks & Cool Tool #4 & Major Project Progress #1

                                                             

This week, we listened to Jon Smith talk about e-books and how they are being integrated into the classroom. Jon is a special education teacher in middle school, who had his students each create an e-book about language arts, math or any other informative topics. Creating the e-books the students writing level increased and it caused them to work together. I think creating e-books could be a positive thing. Students would be able to use their creativity, and are more motivated because they are sharing their work with so many people. E-books might make the writing process become easier or more exciting for students. It will affect students and teachers by letting them have a better relationship through writing. This is important for teachers to know if using e-books in the classroom. 

Being an early childhood education major, I do not see my students creating to many e-books. They might be a little to young or immature when it comes to figuring it all out. If I would however, I would only have maybe two or three created. I see many benefits for using them though. It can help students become better writers and it also allows them to be able to read any e-books online. Using e-books gives students the responsibility for creating something great! Making sure that students use the e-books effectively is important if using them for reading. Reading at a early age will shape their reading skills for the rest of their lives. 

Jon's presentation was very fun to watch and I really enjoyed it. The most striking thing I took away from his presentation was the love that he had for his students and how he tried so many times to get his students to love writing. Eventually that was e-books. As a teacher I have now learned that it is important to stick with trying new lessons, even if I get, negative feedback from my students. Pushing kids to succeed, is basically my job, and I hope that I am really good at my future job.   

                                                          

                                                                           

For my Cool Tool #4, I chose to try out the tool "Canva."This is a graphic designers dream website. While using this tool, you are able to create flyers, presentations, blog graphics, business cards, posters and invitations. You can search any picture you would like and add it to your blank creation. From there you can type your own things, you want to say, on the page, and you can edit it however you like. Students or users are able to upload their own photos and are able to add any frames or icons they would like. There are many different events or icons present on Canva, along with the different font colors. This gives variety when it comes to what you can make. After your creation is done, you can save it, and eventually have multiple pieces art of art. This is a free and easy website to use in all classrooms. I love cheap but nice creation sites, like this one, and creating your own pieces can be so rewarding. I can use this tool in my classroom in many ways. Using it having students create silly work during free-time, or to use Canva, after reading a book to portray a scene that happened. 

Using this tool gives students the ability to express all of their ideas, on one piece of paper. They can have creativity when trying to make up their own creation. Again, there is so many things to make off of Canva. Check out my creation, of a poster, here!

Students can use Canva to create almost anything. It is a good all around website that gets the students involved and uses their creativity. The site is easy to navigate, however when uploading photos teachers or assists might need to help out. Some types of editing like creating your own texts, may be difficult for some students but the basis of photo creating is much simpler.

Try it out! (Canva)


This week is the first week, in the major project. I was so excited to start this, because I knew, I would have a good time. I chose to learn how to bake! I love sweets and thought it would be great if I could make them for myself. Usually, its my mom or grandma that always do the baking in my family, but I thought it was time for me to finally learn, and figured this was the perfect timing. Hopefully I have a family of my own one day, and being able to bake and cook, (which I believe I can do) is important to feed my future family. Following directions is crucial when baking if you want your treat to come out yummy. I was able to follow all directions and successfully baked my first  of many, desserts! 

I provided a picture here, of my steps that I had taken on the first day I baked cupcakes. I had a great experience and am happy that I get to do this many more times! Actually not burning or under baking them feels great! They were perfect! My whole family was very happy that we had dessert after dinner.