Website Smackdown #3

For my Website Smackdown I decided to address the website known as StudyBlue! StudyBlue is a similar website to quizlet but features more useful tools that can help flourish a students learning abilities. StudyBlue al and allows users to create flashcards to study from but also gives the option to review other flashcards created by other students. Teachers can also create study cards to encourage their students to study more. StudyBlue also allows users to create study guides and quizzes to take education to the next level. This Webtool is essential to students. It can really help the students increase their memorization ability as well as be extremely prepared for their upcoming quizzes or exams. Teachers can use this tool so much in the education system. Teachers can use the StudyBlue tool to help engage their students and challenge them. Teachers could really take the time to go over the app with their students and show them the many features it offers. teachers could create study guides or their own set of flashcards, and they can share it with their students. Students are more likely to use a tool a teachers provides when the student can actually see the teacher use it. The more comfortable the teacher is with the tool, the more confident students will be to use the tool. A little encouragement goes a long way! I have personally used StudyBlue in the past, but have unfortunately lost touch with this webtool. However, doing this Technology Blog has helped me come back in touch with this tool and I plan to use it in my many further endeavors. Remember, try to use StudyBlue for a change, you wont be disappointed!

Technology Blog 4

For this weeks Technology Blog, I decided to showcase the website known as inklewrite. inklewrite is a free interactive website to allow storytelling creativity. The website allows you to create paragraphs of your own story and create branches to be stemmed off them. The branch you pick will alter the story in that direction. This allows for the creative juices to flow and several options for alternate story endings. inklewrite allows the user to be as creative as possible. The website is free for anyone to use. They just have to create a login with an email and a password. The student doesn't have an email? No problem! inklewrite allows users to create logins by picking a distinctive username and add @inklewrite at the end. The stories are able to be shared with everyone. inklewrite can bring so much creativity to the sometimes (yes, I will say it) boring writing process. It allows for endless opportunities and also engages the reader because their choices they click will affect the outcome of the story. Teachers and students are able to both benefit from this website. Teachers can assign students a writing assignment that can be done both in class and at home for homework. Students will be able to organize their writing right there in the inklewrite dashboard. Students will exercise logical thinking, computer skills, and creative thinking. The students can share their work with anyone and even have access to converting it to the Kindle. This website is fun, interactive, and easy to use! If you haven't already, check out inklewrite!

Technology Blog 3

For this Technology Blog 3 I would like to talk about the smackdown Brett Presented on Amazon Prime.
I never usually shop online because I am Leary about the materials I am purchasing. However, after Brett's presentation this past week I became interested in possibly using some of the resources Amazon Prime has to offer.
First of all, I was unaware about the vast items amazon has to offer. I never realized how many things people can actually order through amazon. You can order high priced items like TVs or video game consoles all the way to Grocery items. You can literally  buy everything.... Even items that have been used or the packaging is damaged! Then I learned about the amazon prime options and even begun a free trial of the prime. I used it and my books that I ordered arrived in two days. My prime membership allows me to have free music streaming, free video and movie streaming, free photo and document storage, and thousands of free eBook options for me to read with my membership. I am so happy I have discovered this amazing site and I can not t to use it throughout my future shopping adventures!

App Smackdown!

This week, my the app smackdown I will be presenting is on Google Translate. Google Translate is an app that helps translate languages through different features. The app allows the user to type, draw, and take a photo in order to translate the desired text. Google Translate has revolutionized the language barrier between languages. It helps use basic translations to understand what the other person is saying. The translations tend to never be completely accurate, but they do come in handy. I have personally used the app for communicating with my Chinese relatives. Some of them live here in America, but their knowledge of English is not the best. The app allowed me to communicate with them in some way. Even though the translation is not 100% accurate, it does provide a general understanding on what was said.

The app could potentially have beneficial features that could be highlighted in and out of the classroom. Google Translate could be best used in classes pertaining to a foreign language. The app is not supposed to be used in order to do the homework for the student, but to assist in homework. If a student is struggling on translating, defining, speaking, or understanding a word or phrase, google translate could help. It will provide the student with a better foundation and understanding of the particular word or phrase they are translating.

The app is simple and free for anyone to use. The consumer just has to go to their phone, tablet, or computers app store and download the software. Then, Google Translate is ready to use! It's simple and easy just like that.

Technology Blog 2

For my tech blog 2 I want to introduce you to the app Group Me! This app has saved my life on more than one occasion. It has helped me to connect with my classmates for group projects. Sometimes, people have different phone carriers which can cause a dilemma when it comes to forming group chats. Iphones are able to create group chats with other Iphones to keep people connected. If someone in that group has an android phone while the other members have an Iphone, the messages may show up on the android phone as separate messages. This can cause a world of confusion to the person receiving the messages as separate messages. Group me eliminates this exact problem. Group me allows its users to add people via phone numbers. They then create a quick 3 second profile to set up their name and picture photo. The group members can now communicate freely without someone receiving each message as a separate chat. Users of group me can have multiple chats on the app. The chats can also be muted. That way if a group consists of 64 members who constantly talk in the chat, a person can mute it during class time so they can focus in class. After class, they can read the missed messages and then unmute it or keep it on mute.

This app can become very handy in the classroom. As I mentioned above, It allows users to connect with one each other through texting. If a teacher assigns group members for a project, the members can all download the Group Me app. They can then send messages in the chat to the multiple group members and not have to send the same message to each of the members separately. This can help when it comes to planning a meet up time for the group members to meet in person and work together. The app allows classmates to easily reach each other and stay connected. It eliminates miscommunication errors and makes group projects much easier!

Smackdown!

   Today on Smackdown! I am going to talk about a web 2.0 I refer to quite frequently during the school year. The tool I use is called Khan Academy. It is an online tool that offers educational exercises as well as learning videos. This tool not only engages the student, it can also engage the parents and the teachers. Khan Academy offers material ranging from kindergarten to college level courses. It even has material to help students review for test prep! Khan Academy provides a personalized learning dashboard for the student to monitor their progress. The Khan Academy web tool can be used on a daily basis, or can be used for students to reference something they may not have understood in class. I personally use it to help me better understand topics I learn in biology or chemistry. The best part is, Khan Academy is free for everyone to use!

   Since my career choice is geared towards education, this tool is something I would most certainly use to help engage my students in and out of the classroom. The Khan Academy web tool allows students to connect with their student. I could have my class create detailed learning profiles on the Khan Academy site. Then, I would have them do assignments from the web tool based on what assignments we are doing in class. This would allow me to see if my students did the assigned homework, as well as the progress my students are making in a particular study area. It will also allow me to see what areas need to be addressed so I can provide them with the best education possible.

   Khan Academy is a wonderful web tool that I encourage anyone studying any field to look into. I watch videos to better understand concepts that I do not know well. I have seen my grades rise since I discovered this tool. If you haven't already, Check out Khan Academy! You won't be disappointed!

Betty the Shark

I just made a new Voki. See it here:

Betty will explain what it is like being a Barbie girl.