Emma+D.

Hello Everyone, I am Emma, I originally hail from a small town just outside Boston, and before you ask, yes I do love all Boston sports teams! I graduated in May from Suffolk University where I majored in European history and secondary __education__. Currently I am enrolled in the adolescent literacy program here at Fordham, and yes this is also my first online class. I recently moved to New York, and do not have a classroom of my own yet. In the mean time I have been working as a substitute teacher covering grades K-12, ranging in subjects from gym to physics.Each day brings a new challenge, but I enjoy every minute of it. Outside of teaching I love to travel. I have been to many different places both in the US and abroad, but my favorite place I have visited so far is Sweden. I will hopefully be making my first trip to Spain this summer. When I'm not traveling I am an avid reader, and could spend all day engaged in a book. I look forward to collaborating with you all this semester!

My Life as a Technology User I am a person who loves technology, and perhaps a little too dependent on it. A few years ago my laptop, which housed my entire life, died. As a person who was addicted to their computer, this was a devastating event. I tried everything I could to save my computer, called tech support, took it to Bestbuy, had a friend look at it, but nothing worked. I eventually came to the realization that my laptop would never __work__ again and immediately began to panic. I had schoolwork I needed to hand in, personal pictures, my __ITunes library__ and a host of other items I could not be without. Losing all that information was horrible, but being without a computer seemed worse. While school and friends occupied much of my time, when I was home at my apartment I felt as though I had nothing to do. Much of my at home entertainment revolved around Netflix, Facebook, and other websites. Eventually instead of complaining that I had nothing to do, I found myself completing tasks that where on my to do list, but where not done because I my computer distracted me. In the four days that I was without a computer I was able to get all the tasks I kept saying I would get around to completed. Being without my laptop made me realized that while it was a great device for communication it was also a distraction. While I love my laptop I try not to let it be a way for me to avoid doing things. When I commit to doing something, I will now regularly shut my computer down so it is not a distraction and I get to what I need to done. This experience also taught me another valuable lesson, __back up__ everything. I lost a great deal of information when my computer died. While I was familiar with the idea of an __external hard drive__ I never thought it an important device to get. When I went to get my new computer, I was persuaded to buy one incase my computer ever had trouble again. Buying an external hard drive was the smartest purchase I ever made. I now __back up my computer__ regularly, and when I have had to take my computer in to get serviced I did not need to panic because I knew my files where protected. While this experienced taught me I may be a little too dependent on technology, it gave a device I cannot live without.

Here is a web of my life as a technology user, I used Bubbl.us to create it. (I [|LINK TO PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY BLOG]

[|My Copyright glog] For what ever reason my glog is not saving correctly here is my log in information Username dramanerd56544@yahoo.com password: suffolk. it can be viewed via going to my edit glogs. I will post the full link once its saves correctly!



** Technology Goals **


 * Standard One: **** Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity **

In my experiences in the classroom, I think I have done a great job with engaging students into learning, just not with technology. In the past I have mostly concentrated on how I could use manipulatives, collaboration, and movement to engage students. While I do not have my own classroom, I have been thinking about the best way to incorporate technology, to assist in the writing development for may case study student. This student is a struggling writer, who enjoys computers but doesn’t enjoy writing. For the case study I hope to use technology to help aid him in the writing process by using online tools to assist in the prewriting process. I think that by manipulating ideas and organizing them on the computer it will help him organize his ideas better and focus more on what he wants to write about.


 * Goal for the semester ** : Set up and help maintain an online brainstorming account to assist the student in prewriting and generating ideas.


 * Standard Two: **** Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments **

In my limited experience in the classroom I have used different types of online assessments with students. These mostly consist of websites with online activities I feel helped reinforce their learning. Throughout the semester I want to examine and look into different tools and experiences I can use with future students. For my case study I have been looking into how to utilize technology to help with my student’s writing development. Since this is a student who enjoys computers, I wanted to use technology software that assists in his practice of writing natives. This goal of this assessment would be to use his interest to engage him in his writing, which is an issue he has had throughout the school year. By creating his own online storybook, I think that he will be more engaged in the writing process, so that he has an end product he is proud of.

- Create an assessment that incorporates online digital storytelling, along side a writing project to help with the student’s writing skills. - Look into assessment ideas to use in my future classroom.
 * Goals for the semester ** :


 * Standard Three: **** Model Digital-Age Work and Learning **

As I have not had my own classroom yet I have had little experience modeling digital tools for students. The student I am working with is a student who gets very frustrated with writing. I think that if participate in the writing process using the brainstorming and publishing technology, I think it will help him realize that he is not alone in the process. By doing it along side him I think that, he will feel more support if he sees a teacher participating in the writing process as well. I also want use this semester as time to identify future lesson ideas and teaching practices. Throughout the semester I will research digital tools I can use in the classroom, and try practicing them in my own personal life. I already intend on using a blog this semester, but I will also look at how I can incorporate tools such as Twitter and flicker into the classroom.

- Model and use the online tools alongside the case study student to help support and facilitate engagement in his writing. - Research future lesson plan and teaching practices for my future classes, and attempt to use them in my personal life.
 * Goals for the semester ** :


 * Standard Four: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility **

I personally believe I have a decent understanding of digital citizenship and responsibility. As a member of the Internet community I understand the importance of using public domain items, citing sources, when needed, and understand the issues of Internet piracy. For my future students I want them to develop an understanding of the importance of digital citizenship and responsibility. For this semester I want to focus on looking into lesson plan ideas that will help reinforce digital citizenship in my future classes. I plan to post lesson ideas on my personal blog throughout the semester. While I understand the issues of piracy, new proposed legislation will undoubtedly change the definition of digital literacy. This semester I want to examine how new legislation will affect online citizenship. New forums, web chats, and other digital discussions are being held to examine the issue. This semester I will engage in online discussion about digital piracy, and use what I learn to help create lesson plan ideas for my future students.

- Investigate future lesson plan ideas that promote digital citizenship and post lesson plan ideas on my blog. - Participate in online discussion about digital piracy, to help shape a new understanding of digital citizenship.
 * Goals for the semester ** :


 * Standard Five: **** Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership **

I like to think of myself as an active participant on the Internet. I am a strong proponent for digital technology, and believe that it can be a powerful learning tool for students. I am always thinking about new and creative ways I can implement new technologies into the classroom. While I do not have a classroom of my own, I have always wanted to implement a blog for students to reflect on readings, communicate with one another about questions, and help create classroom community. Since I have never had the opportunity nor the knowledge of how a blog really works and its effectiveness I have always been curious if how I imagine the blog will be the same in reality. Since having a class blog is something I hope to implement in my future teaching practice, I decided to make my personal technology project learning the ins and outs of maintaining a blog. Throughout the semester I will regularly update my own personal blog, where I will share new tools I learn about with thinking partners, as well as reflect upon what I am learning throughout the semester.

-Create a personal blog, and regularly update it throughout the semester. - Share new technologies and ideas with thinking partners. - Reflect upon future teaching practices.
 * Goals for the semester ** :


 * Digital literacy statement: For my digital literacy statement I decided to develop a letter to use with students and parents to explain the use of technology in the classroom. **

PORTFOLIO