530 wk 6

Well here we are, 15 credits down and I dont know how many to go. I am glad to see that we are at the half way point. 530 was a great class and I am glad we got to use tools like animoto, voicethread, and prezi. I have enjoyed seeing the work that I was able to create and I am looking forward to including these tools in my classroom. I may begin to use these tools as soon as next week and I will have my students using some of them soon. My only complaint seems to be a common theme for me during this program and that is that we cover too many of these tools too quickly and I don't feel like I get enough of a chance to master any of them. I am looking forward to the next class and I am glad that I can begin to see the fruits of my labors in the classroom.

530 wk 5

Things are starting to get crazy for me! I am busy coaching everyday and I don't have anytime to do anything. I feel like I am falling behind on my work, but as far as I can tell I am keeping my head above water. I had a bit of fun making the pecha ketcha, but it didnt turn out as cool as I hoped. When I started on it I lost some momentum and lacked a really good theme. I used a topic that I know would be useful to me and I am satisfied with how it came out. Its not quite as cool as my prezi (which I really enjoyed after I figured out how to use the program). The group work will be trouble for me as I will be out of town the next two weekends so I hope I can still do my part and be fair to my group members. Finding even an hour in my schedule can be pretty impossible!
I have enjoyed this class and I feel like we have learned some things that will be useful to me in the classroom and will develop into great learning experiences for my students. I am looking forward to starting our next class and I am glad Louis is teaching!

530 wk 4

I continue to be impressed by Gar and his presentations. I have really enjoyed watching the videos and even the book has proved useful and interesting. I was not quick to buy into his principles, but the more I listen and read, the more I like it. This week for once I felt like I was on the same level as Gar when it came to the dicussion about presenting. I agreed with his ideas of being a natural, understaning your time and place, and so on. I have always been a natural presenter, so at least this week I didnt feel blown away by his ideas.
I was also interested in Prezi. I have stated before that I don't feel like I get a chance to master any of the tools we use and that I wish we would experience less tools and go more in depth. Prezi took me a really long time to get through all of the instructions and for quite some time I was sure that I didnt get them all. Once I got the hang of it (and it took a long time) I kind of enjoyed it. I dont know that I will ever use Prezi to present an idea, but I could make an assignment for the kids and I am sure that they would enjoy it! I think it is a cool way to storyboard or share pictures to tell a story and I will keep it in mind in the future!