CEdu 510

How has Cedu 510 impacted my teaching?

I have learned a lot in this class. I think the biggest impact on my teaching so far has been my experience with Google Docs. It is a great program that I am using with my classes right now. We are reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond, and I divided them into groups. Each group is creating a Google Docs presentation on a history topic related to the book (ex. witch trials). It is so neat that the members of the groups can all work on it at one time. They really like the fact they can access it from home as well. If they get behind, they can catch up without worrying about the compatibility issues.

Another good experience was my re-introduction to spreadsheets. I have used them in the past, but really hadn't done much with them recently. It was good to be exposed to them again, along with the idea websites. It motivated me to come up with some activities to use in my classroom. We are starting our "Christmas Shopping Spree" this week. We will put our info into a spreadsheet!

The graphics programs were an unexpected surprise. When I first started experimenting with them, I automatically wrote them off as "too young." Then I found Project Draw, and thought of many applications to my classroom! That program was even the springboard for the Math Academic Expo (our version of the science fair) project I created for my seventh and eighth graders to do this year. The students who choose to do a math project will be designing a dream room, creating a budget, and making a scale model of the room. I don't think I would have ever come up with that project if I hadn't been introduced to Project Draw.