Blog Post #5 Part 2

My Personal Learning Network:

(Symbaloo)

Through the duration of this class, I've been able to build my very own PLN. Much to my surprise, I'm finding it to be quite helpful! I'm finding that I don't use Twitter as much as some other people do but that's because I always forget that it's a tool used for educational purposes. I've got bookmarks to many blogs that I'll be using as inspiration in my future classroom and they include:

1. Journey in Technology
2. Tearing Down Walls
3. Reflections of a Science Teacher
4. Using Blogs in a Science Classroom
5. The Art of Teaching Science

When I become stressed out or a bit frazzled, I'm going to definitely use these resources to help me out because I'm sure that I will have my share of troubles in the first year of teaching. When you've got the world at your finger tips, why not use it? It's such a resourceful tool! I'm grateful that this class has provided me with amazing tools for use in my future classroom! I'm thankful this was a required course because it's taught me a lot about how important technology use in the classroom is. 

Project #12 Part B

Project #12 Part B (Smartboard Lesson)

Blog Post #16

Final Reflection Video 

C4K April Comments

C4K #8 
Garett S.
Hi Garett! My name is Courtney and I'm a student at the University of South Alabama majoring in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Chemistry! For one of my education classes, I was sent to your blog to post a comment. When I was growing up, I LOVED watching Hannah Montana and I never missed an episode. However, I do agree that Miley's career went bad after the show went off. She truly can sing but her actions aren't what they need to be.-Courtney (:


C4K #9 
Deneen
Hi Deneen!My name is Courtney and I’m a student at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. I’m a Secondary Education major and for one of my classes, I was sent to your blog to read your posts! To me, it surely sounds like you’re an advocate for telling the truth. Let me tell you that telling the truth is something that you should ALWAYS do. When you tell the truth to people, that gives them a sense of trust in you and makes you an honest person. If you lie and you get caught lying, it’s a hard thing to get out of. After reading a few of your posts, I’d like to offer you some advice! First of all, you’re wording your sentences and all but breaking them up into two sentences and adding some punctuation might clear some confusion up! Also, I’d be careful not to use “u” or any type of “texting” talk! Thanks for letting me read your blog! Stay positive, always tell the truth, and keep on trucking through school because education is so important!

 C4K #10
April 19, 2015
Zariah-Jays
Hi Zariah! My name is Courtney Browning and I'm a student at the University of South Alabama! For one of my classes, I was sent to your blog to read some of your posts. School is very different over there than it is over here. This app looks like it's a lot of fun and it looks like you're learning a lot as well. These apps are very useful for your future so use them when you can! Thanks for letting my drop by!-Courtney

Blog Post #13

What Did I Leave Out? 

If I were to add anything to EDM 310, I would more than likely add a lesson in which students did their research on their specific subject area to find an app in the Apple App store OR the Google App store (I think that's what it's called, forgive me if it's not because I use only Apple products!) and make a video of them using the app to the best of their ability. With my subject area belonging to grades 7-12 in science, I'd find an app that's appropriate for my future classroom. I truly hope to be in either a Chemistry or Physics classroom because those are the subjects that I'm the most compassionate about! 

There are a few apps that I tested out that didn't work because they were either too little information or they wanted money in return for the use of it. In a perfect world, we'd be able to use the apps for little to no cost at all but sadly, there are apps that cost entirely too much money to use! Like I previously stated, Chemistry/Physics are the two subjects that I'm very interested in teaching one day. On the Apple app store, I found Chem Pro, Chemistry Tutor In Your Pocket an app that is extremely helpful to students who are in AP Chemistry or are in an Intro to Chemistry class in college. The app itself is free but there are hidden charges so just be aware if you plan on trying it out! There are many other useful apps when it comes to practicing Chemistry and Khan Academy is sure to help you out if you're struggling or just want some extra help. Many of the Physics apps do cost money but SimPhysics is an app full of games relating to the physics behind roller coasters, cannons, cars, lenses, mirrors, and so much more! If you're interested in Physics at all, give it a shot because it'll help you brush up on your skills and give you insight into what Physics really is.

Additionally, I did more research on which blogs, videos, and websites would be most useful in compiling an answer to the driving question that's provided (when it's related to science, that is). With many classrooms adopting a "flipped classroom," I found this video from a teacher that provides her students/parents of students with an introduction to how her flipped Chemistry classroom will work (Introduction to My Flipped Classroom); she's thorough and that's helpful because many videos are just a complete overview and forget to get a little in-depth. The website Science Fix provides science enthusiasts/teachers with videos about all things science. From what I can see, it's not specifically centered around one subject because it provides many videos that anyone can learn!

Teach, Brian. Teach belongs to a Physics teacher and he provides the internet world a way into his classroom so that they can know exactly what's going on and hopefully people can learn from his teaching styles! Another Physics teacher's blog, SuperFly Physics, is even more in-depth than the last teacher's blog that I provided a link for; ideally, this blog would be the blog that I would model after because it's super in-depth and has a ton of information that I could derive some inspiration from!

When pop culture is brought into a classroom, it can either be misleading or it can be helpful (obviously) and I stumbled across this teacher's lesson, One Direction Do Physics, and my mind is truly blown! If you watch any television or use any social media outlet, you'll see that One Direction is an internationally known band and if this lesson can get the attention of students, then so be it because I think it'd be fun to incorporate these kinds of things into lessons! When a student is familiar with the pop culture reference, it's more likely to 'stick' in their brain and they'll be able to apply it for future use.


For my questions, I'd probably ask:
1. What did you learn from these resources given and how will it apply for use in your future classroom?
2. What application did you find in the App store? How can you incorporate into your curriculum? 
3. Do you think it's important to use technology in a science classroom? Why or why not? 

I'm looking forward to having my own classroom and if I had to pick, I would definitely choose Chemistry because it's always been a favorite subject of mine! When you're passionate about something, it surely shows so go show the world what you're capable of! (:

Blog Post #12

What Are Assistive Technologies?

These are technologies that allow students with impairments to try to learn just as well as their peers who do not have these impairments. After viewing Assistive Technologies for Vision & Hearing Impaired Children, I see why having certain technologies are so vital to the learning experience. While these technologies are available for students with certain disabilities, these technologies can also advance the learning of those students who do not have disabilities. Through this video I learned that these technologies: 

1. Enhance learning 
2. Remove barriers
3. Push boundaries
4. Give HOPE and challenge the way we think

It doesn't matter if the child has a disability or not because we're all learners and we all deserve the same treatment when it comes to education! These technologies are groundbreaking and truly captivating and I hope to be able to use some of them in my future classroom. We can make the world a better place for those students with disabilities because they, like everyone, deserve a world that they can be functional in! 

C4T #3 Summary Post

C4T #3, Post #1 (March 29, 2015):
Blog: Breaking Education Barriers

"What Am I Supposed To Be Learning?"

Hello there, Mrs. Palmer!

My name is Courtney Browning and I'm a student at the University of South Alabama majoring in Secondary Education/Chemistry and for one of my education classes, I was sent to your blog to read it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this because it emphasized the importance of letting the student become a more efficient learner and also to help develop critical-thinking skills starting at a young age. "Work smarter, not harder," is something that I'll surely adopt in my thinking because although I'm not a teacher yet, I know what's ahead of me and although there's a lot to teach, teaching it in an effective way can not only help your students but you, as the teacher, as well because when you teach on a topic, we should make it easy to further their knowledge instead of confuse them. I truly enjoyed reading this and hope to be able to make my students as successful as yours!

-Courtney

C4T #3, Post #2 (April 11, 2015): 

Blog: Breaking Education Barriers

Impacting Students A Book At A Time

Ms. Palmer,

Your posts are truly inspiring! As an aspiring educator, I look forward to seeing the excitement on a student's face when they've discovered how much they like what they're studying or just that "AHA!" moment when they know that a concept has "clicked" in their mind and they fully understand what we're teaching. It doesn't matter what age we're teaching because whether the students realize it or not, they do love learning and each student is unique because their tastes are all different!

Thanks for a great read!

-Courtney