Blog Journal #4

    When I first started using social media tools like Pinterest, Instagram, and X, I used them mostly for fun. But over time, I realized how helpful they could be for learning and professional growth. I began following educators, content creators, and education-focused pages that shared lesson ideas, teaching strategies, and updates on educational trends. Pinterest was especially useful for finding creative classroom activities, while Instagram helped me join conversations about education and get inspired to teach. These platforms made it easy to stay informed and inspired. In the future, I see these tools helping me connect with other teachers, share ideas, and continue growing as an educator.

    Growing up, I was lucky to attend a school that was fairly digitally rich. I had my own iPad, and we had access to a technology lab. This early exposure to technology gave me a solid foundation and made the transition to using tech in college much easier. I was already comfortable using digital tools for research, writing, and collaboration. These experiences supported me by building my confidence and independence with technology. Looking back, I think it would have been even better if we had more opportunities to use technology for creative, project-based learning and not just for structured lessons or testing.

    In my future classroom, I would love to use tools like Google Docs for collaborative writing and platforms like Canva for creativity. These tools allow students to work together, give feedback, and share ideas in real time. I think this kind of collaboration can really help students learn from each other and feel more engaged. For example, I might have students read a short story and create a mind map to highlight and comment on parts they find interesting or confusing. Then, they could work in groups to write a response essay together in Google Docs. Before starting, I would walk them through how to use each tool and set clear expectations for respectful and helpful collaboration.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog Post #1

Image
      In this class, I hope to learn not only the technologies teachers use, but also how they use them. I think it is essential for teachers to keep up with new technologies to further engage their students, and I hope that is a takeaway I get from this class. I will apply this in the future if I become an English teacher, which is the career I am pursuing right now. If not, this class will be very useful for almost every job, especially marketing and design.     From my prior experience, I have used plenty of technologies, such as Canva, PowerPoint, Google Docs, and more. I used these apps to create posters, slides, and projects for my different classes. I also used it to create posts for my literacy program and school clubs' social media that I ran. I would always try to create the best and most engaging project I could because it was something I enjoyed doing and something others would enjoy too     I love to learn and do t...
Read more

Blog Post #2

 As a student, I’ve used Microsoft Word a lot, both in K-12 and at FSU. It’s been useful for writing essays, taking notes, and completing assignments. I like how organized everything is, and I’m familiar with all the tools now. However, I actually prefer using Google Docs most of the time. It’s just easier to access from any device, and I really like the automatic saving and how easy it is to share and collaborate with others. When I’m working on group projects or getting feedback, Google Docs is just more convenient. The ISTE Standards for Educators are designed to help teachers use technology in meaningful and effective ways. The standard that stands out most to me is the "Learner" standard. I think it’s really important that educators continue to grow and explore new technologies instead of sticking with what they already know. I’ve learned that this standard encourages teachers to engage in professional learning networks and to model lifelong learning. It made me realize ...
Read more