Jenny Leclair

Module 5 Collaboration and BYOD

March 14, 2019

Collaboration Tools

I enjoyed exploring the web 2.0 tools on the ipad apps. I read the suggestions in
this module from Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything!

http://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html

This resource gives any teacher looking for apps a breakdown of interactive
icons using Bloom’s Taxonomy to hone in on specific skills. This is useful when
planning lessons for creating, analyzing, describing, and storytelling. This guide to
everything also gives android users apps for their devices. I am interested in the
story telling app called Animoto.

This ipad app brings memories to life by

creating a slideshow. Another 2.0 iPad app that I explored is skype.

Skype is one of my favorites! This one gives

students and teachers a way to collaborate. Skype can connect with field area
experts all over the world, search virtual field trips, and can be used with
different devices. This web 2.0 tool can be used to evaluate, interview,
connect, and chat in real time.

I explored thinglink on my smartphone, and I

made an interactive image of students working on a class project. The
interactive image had features to add text and audio. I was able to share it with
others. This app can be useful for analyzing the steps of a procedure or teaching
students to label parts of a picture. Students could use this tool to add phrases
to a picture by adding commentary.

I downloaded this 2.0 iPad app to

explore how I can use this to create videos. I am finding that the better-quality
videos and tools for editing enable users to be more creative with their videos.
When I first started making videos, I used YouTube because it is easy to share
with others. YouTube is convenient and the features of sharing a video to other
social media sites makes it appealing for any user. The more I explore apps and
try other video options, the quality of the message is highly improved with
editing features, music, and photos.

I have used Symbaloo on my class webpage for combining webpages together

for easy accessibility. Students can go to my blog and find the symbol to
navigate them immediately to the website that they are trying to find. Symbaloo
is useful for creating tiles and remembering the most often used websites. This
web 2.0 tools increases communication and collaboration with students and
other teachers who are interested in knowing which websites our class uses
daily.

There are advantages and disadvantages of using iPad 2.0 tools. One
major advantage is that the accessibility to these apps are for iPad devices and
smartphones and are free. Another advantage of using these technology tools
is to enrich bloom’s taxonomy and produces high level thinking and creativity.
Students can use these 2.0 technology tools to produce research- based
presentation in a variety of ways to fit every style learner. The technology tools
can increase collaboration by reaching out to peers and sharing evidence of
learning through a multitude of ways. There are some disadvantages to 2.0 tools
as well. These tools are designed for students, teachers, and professionals.
Students in upper grades middle and high school can learn to use these tools
rather easily. Elementary school students need guidance on how to use the
apps appropriately to be effective in the classroom. The tools that I explored are
ones that I think can be useful in the elementary school classroom.
 BYOD

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

BYOD or “bring your own device” is a huge trend in today’s schools. I do

not use BYOD in my kindergarten classroom, but our school supports BYOD in
upper grades classroom with teachers who want to do it with their students. I
have seen BYOD in a 3rd grade class where students bring devices from home. I
have seen different devices sent into school such as iPads, androids, tablets,
and laptops. The devices can be connected to join the school’s network but
accessing websites and apps can be restricted. I once tried to connect a
device, but the device had restrictions against our network. I needed to have
passwords that I just did not have at the time. The challenge with BYOD is that
students are coming to school with different technology backgrounds and the
teachers in class may not know how to support the device in terms of trouble
shooting these devices. In order for students to have equal access, students
should use a common device for learning. I would have a class set of iPads to
try out 2.0 tools for creating video, presentations, and sharing. I would manage
BYOD by having students and parents attend a training class to educate
parents on the iPad apps their child will be using during the school year. I would
have parents download these iPad apps, and have days designated during a
unit to use them. I would also set out expectations for digital citizenship and
have a contract outlining that they will be responsible for the device. I would
implement technologies by showing demonstrations, asking students to model
and share information with devices. BYOD works in classrooms where the
expectations of them are set in advance and students know how to use and
troubleshoot independently. The school’s technology technicians are not
available to work on these devices.

On the schoology website, A Beginner’s Guide to BYOD lists advantages

of BYOD, and disadvantages of it. The main advantage that I noted is that
BYOD encourages differentiation and personalization. When students can use
their own device, they are more engaged and take pride in their work. Teachers
can interact and send content online meeting their students just where they are.

https://www.schoology.com/blog/byod-in-schools-a-beginners-guide

Peer Comment Janee Glover

Hi Janee,

Your thinglink presentation is very engaging with how you connected all the
apps that you explored from this module. I also explored and downloaded
thinglink on my iphone and made a presentation. I teach Kindergarten students,
and I used thinglink by choosing a photo and thinglink enabled me to add
commentary and voice over to details in the picture. I liked the feature of
sharing it immediately to others as well. I agree with you that BYOD needs to
have a school wide policy to support devices brought from home. I noted that
BYOD could work with proper training for parents and students to understand
expectations. You mentioned that students could easily wander off from their
devices. I agree that the temptation of this would be likely since students would
want to share what they are doing with their friends. I am with you that students
are more mature in high school with using their own devices. With my littles, I
have designated days to bring devices.