Module 13
Final Reflection of the Class
LSSL 5391 with Dr. Elizabeth Gross
Wait, y’all,
is it really the end of the semester already?! Wow, this has gone by so fast!
And, hey, I’m not looking or bonus points or, what do the kids say nowadays,
clout or an “A”.. but, can anyone else agree that this was one of the most
informative and interesting classes
they have taken yet? I’m serious when I say that this class has been more than
I could have imagined in the information that I am taking away from it.
This course
was not hard for me as I enjoy technology and have always been good at it. This
course did challenge me though. There were so many websites and applications
that I had never used, let alone heard of, that I had to involve myself with,
and learning each new one did come as a challenge at times. The biggest
challenge now is going to have to go through and unsubscribe from all the newsletters!
The best way
for me to give you all the information I can come up with is to take it module
by module, so join me as I break it down and share my pros and cons of the
websites, programs, and applications used within this course. I may not hit every single one from the course, but
feel free to check out my other individual blog posts for further information
and details!
Digital
Storytelling
Okay, come
on, Dr. Gross, I thought I had finally found all of the coolest, latest
programs to use, and then you slap me in the face with thirty different tools (https://www.techlearning.com/tl-advisor-blog/30-sites-and-apps-for-digital-storytelling)!?
Touché. It took me foreverrrr to figure out what program I wanted to use for
the final presentation. I would enter a site, create an account (because it is
so easy now with a one step log in using your Google or Facebook account), and
then play around for a few minutes before thinking of a way I could use that
program in the classroom. Next up! And, then repeat. This went on for, no joke,
a few hours, but in the end, I chose VoiceThread. Check it out below… enjoy!
VoiceThread
A Final Reflection Through Storytelling
Blogs
& RSS Blog Readers
I am not new to blogs in the
slightest. I have had a Blogger account for
years and a Wordpress account for a few years
now, one for graduate work and one for personal (you can figure out which is
which), and each of the sites have their pros and cons to them. For instance, I
don’t pay for Blogger but to get all of the features I like, I pay Wordpress
annually. Wordpress, when done well, comes off as much more professional and
looks cleaner in a sense. Blogger, on the other hand, is a get in and get out
type blog that allows you to get the work done without tons of thrills and
frills. Don’t get me wrong, Blogger has some amazing features, but Wordpress is
where it’s at.
I had no clue what a RSS reader was
before this course. Feedly, my reader of choice,
is free of charge, can be used on a computer or mobile device, and is super
easy to navigate and learn. If I had to recommend a reader to anyone new, this
is my go to choice. After looking at some of the other readers on my peers’
blogs, I was not upset that I didn’t choose another, rather I was impressed
with how many different platforms there were.
Now that the module, and class, are
over, I now have a plethora of blog posts and pages to look through for
inspiration and information in the library! A few of us used the same blogs,
but, overall, each one of us had five new blogs or websites to add our personal
blogs.
Check out the full details here: https://hiddendeepwithinthepages.blogspot.com/2019/06/blogs-blog-readers.html
Social
Media Platforms
This was the
one module that I finished in record time. Why? Because it is what I do in my
spare time.. scroll and search. I have had a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
for years, with Facebook being the longest. I
have always enjoyed Facebook because I travel often. After a trip is coming to
an end or if I run into someone I never wanted to lose contact with, we would
exchange Facebook names and keep up with one another. Sadly, I only have a
Facebook still for that reason. Facebook isn’t something I frequent as often.
While I think it is a good platform for some
things, I do not think the majority of people have a Facebook nor do they use
it for “pages”. When I go to Facebook, I am checking for birthdays and anything
an old friend, travel buddy, or family member has posted. The harsh reality is,
most of what is posted on Facebook has already been posted on Instagram.
I am a huge
fan of Instagram for many reasons. Instagram
gives you the ability to post one or multiple photos, tag individual photos
with unlimited tags, additions of hashtags to promote posts or find others like
it, as well as being able to set a location, and create a comment to your
length’s desire. Instagram is a one-stop shop for anything and everything you
need. A picture or video is at the tip of your fingers, all while allowing you
to read the comment, swipe to the next one, add your own comment, and connect
with others around you.
I did end up making a personal
Instagram for this class, but I want to incorporate it into my ELA class all
while adding information from my graduate classes. I want my students to see
that the two go hand in hand, no matter how old you get or what you are learning.
I initially thought I would delete the account, but I think it will stay around
a bit longer. I want to start using Instagram in the classroom as a means for
reminders, quick tips, and information for students and parents alike.
Instagram is the platform that, I personally believe, is used most by
individuals ages twelve to thirty. I guarantee you that more than half the
people in the room right now have an Instagram and check it at least twice a
day. If I can get my students to check out my Instagram page at least once a
week I would be happy!
Twitter is another front-runner for the social media
platforms. Twitter is used widely in my district as a means for conveying
information to a large-scale audience. Both adults and students alike have a
Twitter. I seemed to have noticed that the younger generation does not use
Twitter as much as the twenty somethings and up do. Twitter is great in the
quickness aspect because I know I am not going there to read a novel, though I
have the choice if I want to open up the link that follows those two-hundred
fifty characters. While Twitter would be great to use with students, I think
parents would get more use out of it than them. When it comes to promoting
library and classroom needs and wants, I would rather choose the platform that
the majority have.
I like the
idea of Tumblr, but, to me, it is an old school
Instagram. They do the exact same thing, but Tumblr has been around for much
longer. If I didn’t want to post an item to my feed on Instagram, I could post
it to my story, and they both are equally shared with my followers, just like
Tumblr. While I wouldn’t think that it would be obsolete any time soon, I can
see it becoming less and less popular over the years.
Check out the full details here: https://hiddendeepwithinthepages.blogspot.com/2019/06/instagram-facebook-twitter-oh-my.html
Infographics
Easelly was just that, easy. This program is my top
choice when it comes to infographics. The program was easy from start to
finish! The log in/account creation process was a breeze, finding graphics and
fonts I liked was immediate, and the overall flow of the site was perfect.
Plus, the fact that you can go from the free version to the pro version for
only $4/month.. it’s hard to pass up. Some of the other inforgraphic sites want
a kidney for you to be able to use a few extra graphics and fonts on their
page. Piktochart wasn’t far behind, but there
were just a few things that it didn’t have that Easelly gave you access to.
While it is used by some of the head hanchos, it is one of those guys that
wants your kidney for the pro version. Yeah, the perks are nice, but so is the
free version of Easelly. Infogram was my least
favorite simply because of the difficulty in use compared to the others. I don’t
give up very easily, but when I started an infographic here, I had to stop part
way through because the program was such a mess. All of the programs are easy
to sign up for, give you about the same amount of fonts and graphics to sort
through, and allow you to choose the template you are best suited for, but
Easelly was easily the best.
Check out the full details here: https://hiddendeepwithinthepages.blogspot.com/2019/06/module-7-infographics.html
Screencasts
I’ll say it
once and I’ll say it again, I LOVE screencasting! I had seen plenty of
professional development demonstrations over this, but I never had the chance
to play around and make my own. This was the most fun and exciting module when
it came to utilizing something in the classroom/library for me! I cannot wait
to incorporate this into the classroom and, soon enough, the library.
Hands down,
Screencast-O-Matic did the job and did it well. I tried both that and Screen Recorder and fancied the first one best. I
really wanted to try a few of the other options, but the thought of downloading
a million different screencast platforms didn’t sit well with me. I find it
difficult to choose a downloadable program that does the same thing an online
program does, simply because of the sheer amount of storage it takes up on a
computer.
Check out the full details here: https://hiddendeepwithinthepages.blogspot.com/2019/07/module-8-screencasts.html
Comics
& Cartoons
This was my
least favorite module, if I really had
to choose. I honestly cannot tell you the last time I actually sat down and
read a comic. A graphic novel, yes. A comic, not so much. I was hoping that was
what the lesson was going to lead into, graphic novels, but I was surprised to
see it stay. I consider myself a pretty creative person, but the platforms I
chose didn’t always give me the wiggle room I wanted to be as creative as I
wanted to be. I would much rather read a comic than create one.
With all that
aside, Pixton is my top choice for creating a
comic. The site was easy to navigate, the backgrounds and characters were
cohesive, and the program itself did most of the work. I really liked the fact
that I got to create an avatar of myself though! This is definitely something
students would enjoy creating! I will happily skip through the other comic
applications because they did not impress me in the slightest. Out of all of the
cartoon platforms I used and researched, I believe Pixton would be the most
beneficial to students.
Check out the full details here: https://hiddendeepwithinthepages.blogspot.com/2019/07/module-10-cartoons-comics.html
Podcasts
Podbean was my first platform to dabble with in
creating podcasts. When it comes down to it, Podbean is the easiest, while most
basic, of the platforms, and something I would have my students use for a
first-time podcast. WeVideo
was the second program I was introduced to, and I much preferred this
over Podbean due to the many ways you can edit the podcast within the same
application. I am just not really a podcast kind of
girl, to be honest. I don’t really listen to them, unless forced, and it is for
no purpose other than I prefer to read or watch a movie rather than listen to a
voice that reminds me of a talk show host. This was another module that was
difficult for me to complete due to the fact that podcasts don’t necessarily
float my boat.
Check out the full details here: https://hiddendeepwithinthepages.blogspot.com/2019/07/module-11-podcasts.html
Videos
& QR Codes
Animoto was one of the most fun programs I used in
this entire class. I try to promote books as much as I can in my classroom, but
sometimes words aren’t enough. So, cue Animoto! Animoto allowed me to use my
voice, still getting the point across, while adding in all kinds of fun
graphics, songs, and features to spruce it up. Plus, I could make a whole list
of them for the summer reading programs and students would have the chance to
re-watch them and find out which book to read. In the past, I created PowerPoints
to showcase the books on the summer reading list, and, while it worked, this is
definitely the new path I see myself going towards in the future.
YouTube is the best platform when it comes to finding
videos for the library or classroom. There are so many educational sites mixed
into silly cat videos and a simple how-to. YouTube has it all. The
application/program is so versatile and allows you to open it up wherever you
are. Computer, tablet, phone, Wi-Fi, or the use of data, YouTube is there in a
snap to help you find fun ideas and inspiration for the library.
QR readers..
ah, I was so hesitant of these at first. I would download the app and delete it
over and over again throughout the past years, never knowing if I would
actually use it or just have it because everyone else did. Personally, there
was never really a time where I really needed a QR code reader, so I never had
one full time. I will keep it for now and go forth knowing that the QR Reader application, from Apple, is available if
needed.
Check out the full details here: https://hiddendeepwithinthepages.blogspot.com/2019/07/module-9-videos-qr-codes-in-library.html
THE FINAL
VERDICT
The Best
of the Best
Wordpress for blogging
Feedly for RSS readers
Instagram for wide scale audiences (younger & older
generations)
Twitter for wide scale audiences (older generations)
Easelly for infographics
Piktochart for infographics
Pixton for comics
Tellagami for video comics
Screencast-O-Matic for screencasts
Podbean for Podcasts
WeVideo for podcasts with video editing capabilities
The Good,
Not Great
Blogger by Google for blogging
Facebook pages for wide scale audiences (older generations)
Tumblr for wide scale audiences
MakeBeliefsComix for comics
Screen Recorder for screencasts
Spotify for podcasts
The
Avoiders
Infogram for infographics
Toondoo for comics
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