Google Accounts in the Classroom

Today during class a question was brought up about whether students should be required to have google accounts so we can have class activities using google docs etc. We thought about what age it is appropriate for students to have an account, or what we might do if parents are apprehensive about it. We learned that you can create an account called teacher@gmail.com. Then if you add "+" and then a number or students name before the "@" symbol then it will forward all emails to the original teacher account. This allows the teacher to screen all emails before the students can see them. I think this creates a level of security for parents and teachers who may be concerned about younger students having an email account.

If the I were to use this in my classroom, I would make the email for each student with a number. This would allow me to use if from year to year. Each student would change their password or I would create a password for each student every year. I love this idea of being able to create a class google email account to create collaborative documents. In class today we did an example of one by using google slides. During this activity we were required to take an image from a box and think outside of the 'box' (no pun intended) and create something new. I have attached the google slide show to see what our class created!





Genius Hour Update

This week I have really dived into my researching more about nut allergies. I have learned a lot more about nut allergies. I have learned more about my personal allergy too which is what I have found the most interesting.

Today while I was researching I was reading an article about peanuts particularly. The article discusses that people often misconceive that a peanuts is similar or the same as a tree nuts. But in fact, peanuts are grown under ground and are not really a nut but a legume. A legume is anything from a peanut, beans, soya, and peas. Ironically I was unaware about this until last summer when I discovered that I am allergic to peas and certain soya proteins that I have found in certain canned soup and gluten free crackers.

This week my goal is to find out more biology information, such as the type of proteins that are consistent throughout these foods. I also want to research more into the policy about schools and how they are trying to protect children. I have currently found a article and video describing one students experience of having to quit public school and become homeschooled because she had so many reactions at home. It's an interesting story, check out the video attached bellow.

Pow its Time to Be a Genius

This week in our tech class, we had the opportunity to make a video using Powtoon. We furthered our learning about Genius hour while making our Powtoon. This website is a great resource that can be used in many different situations. For example, another class I am taking this year we are required to create a personal literacy story using technology tell it. I was unsure about how I might go about doing this until today. Powtoon would be a great way to create a video while still hitting all the requirements of the assignment. Powtoon is also a good resource to implement into the classroom because it can allow students to put as much detail in as they would like. It provides them with freedom of expression, which I feel has been a big emphasis recently in our teacher education.

Here is the video I mad about Genius Hour on Powtoon:


Genius Hour Update:

This week to research on my own genius hour project about the emotional effects of nut allergies has gone pretty well this week. I wrote a research paper proposal for another class a couple years ago. I dug up that paper and reacquainted myself with the ideas and biology I found out about biology for the paper. I definitely think that the resources found for this previous paper will help provide background evidence for my genius hour project/ ted talk. This week my goal is to find some more resources online from school boards to provide information about their nut free zone policies. Can't wait to see what I'll find next!

"I Prefer to be called an Evil Genius" during Genius Hour

This week in our tech class we learned about Genius Hour. Genius Hour as we learned is a passion based learning activity for anyone to participate in. Google even has their employees participate in 'Genius Hour', which has proven to encourage productivity and more happiness in their employees. Check out this video that we watched in class that really helped my understanding, it's found also in the hyperlink above.

After learning about Genius Hour, and implementing it into our future classrooms, as teacher candidates we are going to engage in our own Genius Hour project. I'm so excited to research something that I am passionate about. As a class we spent sometime brainstorming and thinking about what topics we might be very interested in.

Throughout my entire life, I have dealt with having a sever nut allergy. This has been something I have struggled with both during school and outside of school. So I thought it would be interesting to find more information about the emotional affects of people with the allergies and those around that person. I'm going to research it throughout schools, and outside at restaurants.

Throughout the next 7 weeks, my goal is to gather information about the topic, and even gather some personal stories of experience and record my emotions. Then I will create a ted talk discussing the information I found.

Learning about Copyright with our Students

During my recent module for the technology class were were instructed to learn about copyright. This
has been a topic that has always been around, and present throughout my educational career. During high school was when I became more aware that there are proper ways to cite another person's work that we learned from. This was introduced to me by using MLA (Modern Language Association). Then when I started University, academic integrity was drilled into us. I remember the first week of classes every professor in all years would greatly emphasize the importance of citing another person's work when we are using. Even generalized statements needed to be cited from somewhere, that was a huge hurtle that threw a curve ball into my writing style.

Roberto, L. (2008, June 30). Children at school [Online Image]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/lupuca/8720604364/in/photolist-ehBnRE-pa1tU5-5JnWNz-o3wN4Z-e2QMS5-a91qfY-3mrXAe-5r6ss8-8Jzfg7-abfPT5-28rtGN-8Vy1nk-fvT5PN-5b495D-3oxYh-pyrM81-bqVQtj-6WtbrL-e2QMHQ-8vBVTe-8vEXjo-bFrCvg-4m5ojv-8vEXd9-9iEkhF-8vBWaH-euR54b-6Wp8Nk-8vEXtU-8vEXmG-6Wtc4J-8GmvbX-6naKtj-6WpcBi-68mS5h-CH3be-6wnx18-8vEXbY-6wo5vG-5bwe6M-8vEXpw-8vBVYn-sjCDK-jzmHbi-62Y6XP-7LRPcs-8vBVWt-5mP2XB-7QhLB-hcbzps 

After reading the module, I have learned even more about copyright. Even just writing my weekly blog posts there are copyright issues that I need to consider. It then got me thinking even more about teaching. The module mentioned copyright while teacher, and to consider if there is a proper license on youtube videos that are shown in class. My previous conception was that since youtube videos
were posted on an online platform for the public, that we would be allowed to show them in class. However, there are still creative common licenses on these videos. Creative commons dictates how the product or creation can be used by others (Figg, 2013). Therefore, teachers need to require the right permission, or find videos with 'CC' before they can show their class. Defiantly something to know while teaching in the classroom with an emphasis on technology!!

Randell, J. (2010, March 3). Creative commons logo [Online Image]. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Creative_commons.jpg#/media/File:Creative_commons.jpg

References

Figg, C. (2013). Copyright for tech-enhanced teaching. Retrieved from: http://www.handy4class.com/tpack-teacher-game/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Copyright-2013c1.pdf.