I decided to use Piktochart because it is a tool that I already use quite frequently and love using it to create different info graphics, presentations, posters, etc. Now I was able to use it create a logo! I do wish that once I established something that I liked that I could lock it into the another piece because if I decide I need to make something bigger or move it over a bit, then I have to move everything over. When designing my logo, I really wasn't sure how to start so I just decided to go through all the different graphics that were offered and kept adding them to the page until I had plenty to work with. I then decided that I needed a simple name that gave a clear picture of where my capstone project was heading, after that creating it was pretty simple. I love Piktochart because it's so user friendly and although I do have the pro version, the free version offers a lot of variety.
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I think I feel like many others where I initially thought that my capstone audience was supposed to be for my students but it makes a lot more sense that it is for fellow educators. My driving question surrounds academic conversations and while my students always like to know the why, the results of this research would not benefit them as much as it would help other educators. My districts focus at the moment is academic conversations and the district is trying to go 1:1 so I thought figuring how to make technology and academic conversations could be paired, I just did not know how ~ and still that is something I'm trying to see will work.
After looking at the other learn more pages, I think that including visuals will be necessary to keep it engaging but informative. I really like using Piktochart and I plan to create a few info-graphics that outline the project. I also plan to include my research paper so anyone who wants to explore it in depth can have that resource. The reason I joined this program was because I wanted to learn how I could best help my students utilize technology in a purposeful way. I think the advancement of technology has opened up so many more doors for us to teach but I think a lot of us teachers are lacking the skill to properly utilize that technology. I've seen firsthand how huge of a gap there is in education. On one hand, I have students thriving and soaking up the information like a sponge. On the other hand, I have 7th grade students reading at a 2nd grade level and who can barely write a simple sentence. There must be something that can bridge that gap and I think the answer lies with technology since it allows us to differentiate learning and make education more customizable.
So far, having my fellow cohort members has far exceeded what I hoped cohort members could do. I feel so much support from my fellow classmates and it's been great going with them from class to class as we have developed a bond that makes me feel a lot more comfortable to go out there and try new things or speak up in the class. Can the use of digital tools increase the quality of academic discourse?
My driving question sprouted from the need to use technology purposefully. My school site was in the process of becoming 1:1 and I always knew I wanted to use technology but didn't want to just use it to use it. Slowly, over time, I've been able to identify where I need to focus on meaningful technology. My district has put an emphasis on academic conversations and I have not seen much research surrounding this so from the start of the program, my driving question has finally blossomed. Growing up with technology and seeing firsthand how delivering and receiving information has evolved, I think has helped me understand the need to deliver content on all platforms to engage my students. Transliteracy is the "ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks." Being that these platforms have always interested me. I try to ensure that I try to use a little bit of every platform as all students have different interests.
In my own classroom, we jump from using songs to help us learn how to paraphrase to using social media to learn how to collaborate. The outcome of using these tools has allowed the students to stay engaged but still access the important content. I see students actually buying into education when we're not just using the boring textbooks. It's crazy to think about how so much has changed in the way we deliver content but Socrates said it best about written word, "an aid not to memory, but to reminiscence, and you give your disciples not truth, but only the semblance of truth; they will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing; they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing; they will be tiresome company, having the show of wisdom without the reality." Pluto, The Phaedrus |