Guest Tech PD Blog ~ My Tech PD Blog Reflection

By: Barb Canales

Taking my 2nd technology class in the past 6 months has help me to continue to grow and learn both professionally and personally.   If I had not taken the first tech class, I would have a problem simply figuring out how to write this blog in a google doc!  Google docs was something I had only heard of because some of my team members used in at the middle school.  I am feeling much more proficient at using google but there are still aspects of it that I have don’t remember because I do not use them on a regular basis.  One of my greatest aha moments was when I was taught how to find something I know I read but couldn’t seem to find in my docs; check your “shared with me” file!

After my 2nd technology class I am aware of things that are available that I had never even heard of prior to taking the class like blendspace, feedly, diigo,  There are also things that I had heard of like Twitter but had never used.  I must admit that while I tried using twitter for class, it is not something that I will keep up with.

I am excited to begin using Diigo!  For all of my years of finding websites that I liked, wanted to save or use again, I bookmarked them.  The biggest problem with bookmarking on a school computer is that at the end of each year the computers are wiped clean and I lose all the bookmarks.  I am very happy to have learned about the curation tool of Diigo.  I must admit I didn’t even know what it meant to “curate” in a technological sense.  I am also looking forward to using Diigo to curate my hundreds of bookmarked pages on my home computer.

I discovered that Diigo also had “groups” and I was able to find over 75 music related sites without even really trying!  I can’t wait to sit and really dig around in all of the educational sites that are hidden within the groups.

Other tools that I am excited to begin using are weebly and kahoot..  Weebly will serve as a tool that will store information for students and parents.  Students will be able to get assignments, links, forms and other information.  One of my first DOK level 4 projects will start off with students accessing a playlist from my weebly; two more firsts, using my weebly and using a playlist in my teaching.

I will use kahoot to to formatively assess learning in a fun way.  I have been successful at making my 1st kahoot and am excited to put it to the test with students.  I’m sure the students will love it.  I hope I am able to interpret and use the data I collect to enhance student learning.  

I am also excited to have found there are other kahoots already made that I could use and I am looking forward to spending more time checking them out.

Thanks to Sara Schoepke for being an awesome teacher!