Badge #1- Chatterpix |
For this badge, I used an app called Chatterpix to create this cute, little introduction to my Biology class. To make your own Chatterpix, you just have to download an app, and then you can add any pictures to create your own 30 second masterpiece. For this Chatterpix in particular, I decided that having a picture of the Earth would be perfect since Biology is the study of life. This resource is a wonderful tool for both teachers and students to utilize. For teachers, they can use it to create short, informative videos about a certain topic to make it more fun and entertaining. For students, they can use it in projects or presentations to express their creativity.
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Badge #2- Smore Newsletter |
For this badge, I created a Smore newsletter that I used as an open house flyer. You can click on the link above the picture to see the final masterpiece. In my Smore open house flyer, I was able to include pictures, locations, videos, and QR codes to help guide students and parents through my Open House. Those tools were also on my open house flyer to give students and parents resources they can utilize at later dates. Not only is Smore a wonderful tool for teachers to use to create an open house flyer, but teachers can also utilize this tool to create: a weekly newsletter, other types of flyers, etc. This tool isn't just limited to teachers, but it has educational value to students. They can use it to organize and present information they had to research over a certain topic.
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Badge #3- Edpuzzle |
For this badge, I created an Edpuzzle video over animal cells. To create your own Edpuzzle, you just have to upload a video of your own or a video from Youtube, and then you can add questions for your students to answer within the course of the video. You can even add comments as well. This website is a wonderful tool for teachers to use to help engage his or her students. Since it stops the video and asks questions, it helps keep students engaged. This ensures that the students are watching the video and answering the questions. Also, Edpuzzle is a wonderful tool because it lets students watch the educational video at their own pace and at their own time.
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Badge #4- Concept Map |
For this badge, I created a concept map over the structures found within an animal cell: nucleus, cell membrane, mitochondria, and smooth/rough ER. I used a website called Inspiration to create this concept map, and it was fast, free, and easy to navigate. You can easily add more bubbles, and you can import pictures as well. Concept maps are a wonderful educational tool to use in a classroom setting. Teachers can use concept maps to clearly explain ideas and show the students visually the main points of a topic. Concept maps allow for students to clearly follow through and learn those main points. Also, concept maps are a great way to test for student comprehension. As a teacher, ask your students to create a concept map over a certain subject, and if they can do it, then they fully understand what you taught them.
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Badge #5- Learning Management Systems |
For the Learning Management System badge, I created a fake Edmodo class. For this fake class, I posted important information such as announcements and my open house flyer to my "students." Through this badge, I was able to explore the possibilities that come along with using Edmodo as a tool. I discovered that there is a ton of educational value surrounding using a management system such as Edmodo. It allows for better communication between the teacher and his or her students. Teachers are able to post announcements to their students, and share pictures and videos. Also, students and teachers are allowed to communicate individually through a messaging tool on Edmodo. So, the educational value behind this tool is that it enables better communication, which allows for a smooth transition during and after school time.
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Badge #6- Screencasting |
For this badge, I created a short screencast video over the external anatomy of the eye. When you screencast something, it takes a video of the whole screen and it allows you to talk and go through what is on your current screen. Screencasting has a multitude of educational value. First off, it is a wonderful way to teach a lesson. It gives a little bit of variety to teaching instead of just doing a lecture in person. It also allows for students to work at their own pace. Especially if you are screencasting a powerpoint you created to teach your students about something, they are allowed to stop and start the video whenever they please. This allows them to be able to work at their own pace so they can take adequate notes. Finally, screencasting a lesson or powerpoint is a wonderful educational tool for absent students to use. All you have to do is send them the video of the lesson, and it is as if they never missed class.
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Badge #7- Google Edu |
For the Google Edu badge, I watched an hour long webinar over digital citizenship and how to incorporate it inside of the classroom. The Google Edu webinar had a multitude of educational value. During the webinar, they discussed a campaign called "Be Internet Awesome." This campaign is made specifically for kids. Teachers are supposed to introduce it to their students to teach them digital literacy skills. This campaign has a lot of educational value to students because this is the first time some students may be learning about how to be smart, alert, kind, and brave online.
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Badge #8- Production |
For the production badge, I used play-doh to recreate the steps of mitosis. For each step, I took a picture. Then, I used the pictures I took to create a video over those stages. So, the overall product I created was a video in iMovie with a voiceover over the steps of mitosis. By allowing your students to create/produce their own projects, it increases educational value of certain lessons. For example, let's take a look at the mitosis video I created. Let's hypothetically say I just got done teaching a lesson on mitosis. By having my students create a video, project, or presentation over mitosis, that would show me, their teacher, the student's level of understanding. Not only does it show their level of understanding, but it has even more educational value than that. Students can also create/produce things to teach other students about topics that they may or may not understand. Production tools should be utilized in the classroom because they are wonderful ways to increase the value of education.
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Badge #9- Hour of Code |
For this badge, I completed an hour of coding. My hour of coding activity involved playing a game with the Disney character Moana. I had to direct her and/or the boat on where to go. After playing the game, I realized coding is a wonderful tool for students to use so they can grow with the times. So, doing hour of code activities allows for a multitude of educational value. First off, coding teaches students how to multitask and use multiple steps to solve a problem. I know this for a fact because to make Moana move across the ship involved a step by step process. Also, coding teaches students how to think more critically. This not only will apply to more coding activities, but to other areas in school. Finally, coding sparks an interest in STEM at a young age.
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Badge #10-Educational Memes |
For this badge, I used a meme generator to create a variety of memes that I would use in my Biology classroom. The first and second meme I created would work perfectly in my future Biology because I created them specifically for my classroom whenever we would talk about the difference between plant and animal cells and evolution. The third meme is a basic studying meme I would show my future classroom whenever a Biology test would be coming up. Even though memes are silly and fun, they still have tons of educational value. First off, a meme generator can be used by teachers as a funny little introduction to the next topic of discussion. Teachers can also use memes to make learning about difficult or boring topics more fun. A meme generator also has educational value for students because it allows them to get their creative juices flowing because they have to come up with creative images and words.
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