¡BIENVENIDOS!

Coding using HTML…I am so glad we got an introduction to this in Professor Rubal's class. For this assignment I used basic HTML code to make a templated website my own. Because I had already worked on some of this coding in my EDIT 5600 class, I was already familiar with some of the common taglines. When looking at the code template, it was very overwhelming at first, but taking it one section at a time made it a lot easier. One of the most challenging parts for sure is inserting images. Properly incorporating images was not only a struggle this time around, but also in my first HTML assignment for 5600. Although it was a challenge I was able to get it and continue to practice. I am hoping that eventually I will know the key to properly and quickly insert images into an HTML site. Overall, this assignment was a lot of fun and a much needed reinforcement of skills learned in EDIT 5600.

In our last assignment we learned about computational thinking and how to integrate it into our ISTE Technology integrated lesson plans. This week was a fun filled, detail oriented, “play” like week working with binary numbers. This assignment was a nice personal reminder of the work I used to do in 4th grade. Information Technologies is one of our fourth grade science standards and it took me back to those times. In these lessons with my students we would do much of the same things we did for this. Students would write secret messages using binary code and would have to solve each other's messages. Students would also create their own codes using shapes or  symbols. This was always one of the students favorite lessons and was definitely a nice way to ease into the end of the first semester.  

This week we learned about various computational skills. Last week I shared my dislike with lesson plans, and although we are creating a lesson plan once again, it is in a different format. In this case, I used a lesson plan that was already made as opposed to writing a lesson plan. With this lesson plan, we were integrating or calling out the computational skills we were practicing in that segment. In general, I think that using a pre-made lesson plan is more successful because you are able to practice the targeted skill rather than thinking about the specific content.

  Lesson planning…here we go again…or do we? This week we worked on creating ISTE integrated lesson plans. Previously we had made ISTE standards infographics in which we explored and learned about the ISTE standards. This week we created a lesson plan and aligned our lessons to the ISTE standards. I have to admit, writing lesson plans in this format is not my favorite. It really felt like a flash back to undergraduate work, writing pages long lesson plans for one lesson. Although writing the lesson plan out was tedious, it really pushed me to reflect on the ways that I am already practicing these skills with my students.

This week we learned about the evolution of the internet. Although I have lived through many changes to the internet and its accessibility, I don't think I have ever really taken the time to reflect on all of the changes that have occurred. We were tasked in thinking about the start of the internet, the present, and the future. We used Adobe Express to create short videos explaining Web 2.0 and Web 3.0. This was 1 of 2 assignments this year using Adobe Express and I have to say it is not my favorite program to use. I do enjoy the simplicity of the program and the available themes and templates, but sometimes the simplicity of the program can feel limiting. I found myself wishing I could more easily move things or arrange my  pictures, but the templates only allowed for so much. Overall, this assignment was a nice introduction into Adobe Express and I am hoping that I will get an opportunity to become more familiar with the program in the future.

 This week our focus was on using Google Sheets as a tool for collecting data in the classroom. Although I am familiar with Google Sheets, there was definitely a lot to learn through the guided lesson plans. Typically in my classes, I like to use a paper checklist to gather information, but after watching the tutorials and completing the assignment, it was great to see the ease at which you can gather information about the performance of your students using Google Sheets. I really enjoyed being able to customize and format the Google Sheet to include my school logo and school colors. After completing this assignment, I began using a Google Sheet Scoring rubric for one of my classes that tracks student performance on a weekly task all in one place. Students can click on each individual sheet and see the completed rubric for each assignment. Although this is different than gathering whole class data, it is a great to help students track their continued performance and potentially no...