Cathryn Ashbrook EDUC 538 - Reflection Blog Post #2

Briefly describe the website or tool and how it connects to the topic (TLC) in our course.

The learning tool I chose for this blog is BrainPOP. Brain Pop is a website for grades k - 8+ and it provides additional resources on numerous subjects taught in the classroom. Some subjects Brain Pop covers are science, math, social studies, and many more. This reference was found under the assessment category in our Teaching: Planning, Assessing, Instructing Tools PDF file. It connects to the teaching tools we have been discussing in TLC because it provides fun, interactive quizzes and games to assess students knowledge in a certain subject. I would also argue that this link could also apply in the instructing category as well. Every unit in Brain Pop has an informational video, vocabulary practice, and additional activities that enhances and dives deeper in a lesson. 

Discuss each of these criteria: ease of use, versatility, and overall likelihood of using it in your classroom or professional situation.

Brain Pop is an incredibly easy website to navigate. That is one of the reasons why I like it so much! I feel comfortable will the ease of use that I am not overwhelmed or confused. This web tool is also one that I would have no issues with providing the students and their families with my login to access it on their own time. None of my personal information would be revealed and my families would receive a wonderful resource. Brain Pop is also student friendly and safe so if the students wanted to do their own exploring and research they could. I will very much use this resource in my future classroom! It will be a fun way to introduce new topics and to review the content with the students. 

Ps: I tried to hyperlink the URL for Brain Pop but if it doesn't work here this the link! https://www.brainpop.com/

Cathryn Ashbrook EDUC 538 - Reflection Blog Post #1

 

Reflection Blog Post #1: Media Literacy

Explain your feelings after this first week of class and establish one learning goal for the course.

I am feeling a little overwhelmed after this first week of class. There are some aspects like making our own classroom website that I am still uncertain about. Luckily we have a check in with our professor later this week so I will be able to ask my questions! One learning goal I have for this course is to be more confident in my technology abilities. I have been fortunate and not had to experience online learning yet so any resources to make this transition easier, the better!

Describe your initial thoughts about the tool, Slack. Do you see how it could be used in your own teaching practice? How might you use it, or why might you not use it?

I like Slack! I find it a great way to get information out to everyone or to a certain group of people. I do not see myself using Slack in my teaching practice however at least not for this upcoming school year. The school that I will be teaching at is very "old school" and I do not see my fellow colleagues wanting to make this shift to a new resource. Everyone at this school seems to be set in their ways and I have a feeling I will be spending this year not trying to step on anyones toes. Even though I like all the features of Slack, it seems to me, everything I can do in Slack, I can do in an email. 

Share one question or concern you have about the class.

One concern I have about this class is the few times we met. I am afraid that I will not understand an assignment through reading the instructions but I know I will have the Slack access to ask any questions I have.