✨ Nat's Blog ✨

"Distance Learning"   by  Marina Shemesh  is licensed under  CC BY-SA 2.0 Experience as a Distance Learner  My experiences as a distance learner have been similar to that of an emotional rollercoaster. While I enjoy being able to be safe and do my schooling remotely, I deprived of face-to-face interactions. Those are special and necessary for a myriad of reasons.  In addition, I dislike not having the ability to get to know my classmates better. Many students oftentimes do not have their cameras on, so it is difficult to even see their faces. It is tremendously difficult to make meaningful connections in the virtual world we are currently living in.  When I am a teacher, one way I will improve the experience of distance learners is by encouraging my students to make (online) study groups. That way, they will not only be learning/reviewing course content, but they will also have an opportunity to acquaint themselves with each other. They...

  New Skills Acquired From Web Design Project  Prior to the Web Design assignment, I had never used Weebly. In fact, I was terribly unfamiliar with the site, which is why I struggled getting the hang of it. Even so, I love how the final product came out. My website looks unique, neat and appealing, which was my objective all along.  Some of the new skills I learned include how to insert hyperlinks, how to make an index (on the Home page), and how to add an embedded calendar (Google calendar).  I liked how much creative freedom the site gives users. It was nice to upload the images I wanted and distribute the information to my liking. I also liked how all edits were automatically saved. However, I did not like how difficult it was to add images. Whenever I added any pictures, it would completely throw off the text or information on the section I was working on. In addition, the site would often glitch.  Since I will be an educator in the future, the lessons I le...

  Teacher Pages on School Websites 💻 After browsing through the Italian IS program page (from International Studies Charter High School), I immediately noticed how vibrant it looks. There are images on display of students interacting with one another, as well as completing tasks. The basis and the objective of the "Italian Curriculum" is also addressed. Their main goal is to help students read, write, and speak the language fluently. That way, they will be proficient enough to not only pass the AP exam but also travel to Italy and communicate with people.  A "Memorandum of Understanding" is also shown. It details when the Italian IS program was established (14 years ago) and how (a collaboration effort alongside Miami Dade County and the Italian consulate).  Link to the site:  https://ischs.net/academics/italian-is-program/ How I Envision Myself Utilizing Technology in my Professional Career  As a future educator, I totally see myself using a variety of te...

"BLOG"   by  manoftaste.de  is licensed under  CC BY 2.0 My Experiences with Diigo  I had never heard of Diigo, prior to creating my account. I particularly like the set-up of the website - the content is presented in an organized fashion, which makes it easy to navigate the site. I also like that I can share interesting academic journals with my peers, as well as add commentary and/or descriptions.  I dislike the fact that it took me a while to Bookmark the academic journals. The instructions were somewhat  complicated, making the process very puzzling. I feel as though it should not have taken me so long to get the gist of it (Bookmarking).  "diigo"   by  David T Jones  is licensed under  CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 My Experiences with Blogging My experiences with blogging have been positive overall. I not only enjoy creating posts that are aesthetically pleasing, but I also find it comforting to articulate my thoughts on such a unique ...

  Early Experience with Twitter App   Prior to this course, I had never downloaded or used the Twitter app. I initially thought it would be more difficult to navigate; however, I quickly got the gist of it. I started following various education-related accounts, and I enjoy scrolling through the interesting and informative tweets posted by those accounts. In addition, I joined an #edchat last week and thought it was nice to see people engage in a dialogue about black culture (and Black History month in general).  These interactions have been beneficial in that they are helping to improve my online communication skills. Face-to-face interactions are vastly different from virtual ones, and it is important for me to understand that distinction.  In my future career, Twitter can help me build connections and also reach a large audience. I am passionate about education and political reform so, naturally, I aim to be very vocal about those issues. Twitter can help me deli...

  ELA Technology Standards  ELA technology standards are designed to improve the literacy of students across all subject areas. Furthermore, these standards focus on ways to help students build skills (and knowledge) that will be of great use beyond the walls of the classroom. They also aim to teach students how to navigate technology and how to make the most out of Internet access.  Technology can be used to refine reading and writing skills, as well as any skills related to thorough analysis and oration. Hence, it is incredibly important for students to become familiarized with these tools as early as possible.   I selected 8th grade. One of the standards that stood out to me was  LAFS.8.SL.2.5  because it pays special attention to visuals/multimedia. The purpose of this standard is to demonstrate to students that incorporating visuals can actually elevate the quality of presentations. Examples of technology that the standard provides include iMovie ...