Excel Basics

What did I do?
We were to open up excel, install the data tool pack, and then replace the data using specific numbers or codes to make it easier to see data.  I chose to focus on the number of discussion posts.  I did find it was a little skewed due to there being many more women in the class than there are men.  Otherwise, it is interesting to see.  I also tested the scores from the "fake quiz" with men vs. women.  Or 1 vs. 2.  After replacing numbers we were to blog about it.

What did I learn?
I know excel and luckily found it very handy during my wedding planning.  I used it for addresses, replies, food, money, you name it!  I had a bunch of spread sheets going.  I did not learn anything new from excel but I did learn the differences in statistics with our class.

How can I use it?
I use excel mostly for personal reasons, but I could take test scores, reading levels, and writing abilities and figure out averages or commonalities between girls and boys strengths.  I could also just see how the class is functioning in a whole.  Luckily we have a program at my school called OASIS that does all of that for you when you put your grades in.

How does it relate to the ISTE NETS T Standards?
evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.


This the perfect way to show that using excel will benefit your personal growth and the childrens.  It can show where you need to reteach certain things or also praise the children for their hard work!

Self Assessment Midterm

What did I do?  We were asked to take a self assessed midterm.  It was done using google docs.  It consisted of true/false, fill in the blank, and short answer.  Here is the link to the midterm.  Midterm  It was easy since a lot of it was fresh in my brain.

What did I learn?  I learned that I needed to review TPACK.  I am glad I did because if it were a real interview, I may have bombed.  Once I remember what each letter stood for it was easy to remember all of the main domains which break into the four domains.  I still can't say I love the word "pedagogical" but once I use it on my own, people will think I am super smart.

How can I use it?  I could use a midterm like this as a rubric for writing activities in the class.  I could simply have questions like "how many sentences did I right?"  Did i use interesting words?  Does my story have a clear beginning, middle and end?  Did I check for proof reading mistakes?  What grade would you give your paper?  I would find it interesting to see how my students would rate their own writing compared to others.  I tried to become a follower of everyone in the class and it was a good reference for when I didn't understand something.  It was nice to see others layouts and such and then apply bits and pieces to my own.

How does it relate to the ISTE NETS T Standards?

This is a major digital tool that will send results straight to the instructor to make grading easier.  It also promotes student learning by reviewing skills and asking them personally if they fulfilled all of the asked requirements.

Pew Millennial Test

Here are my results:

We were to take this test and blog about our findings.  You can take the test by clicking on this link.

PEW Research

or

http://pewresearch.org/millennials/quiz/index.php

I learned that I am quite the girl of the future!  Even though I don't have any crazy tattoos or any piercings at all I am still hip!  I am very into technology and online gaming so I knew this test was going to reflect that.  

You can use this to prove that you are cooler than your parents!  Just kidding.  It really proves that as our  age group changes so does our way of life.  You can use it for fun!

This relates to the ISTE NETS T by:

I am current and I can transfer information quickly through the use of technology and cell phones.  I am fluent and I love to teach others how to do these things.

Personality #2

And my results are...

How far off was it?  It seems pretty close to the other.  I went from an ESFP to an ESFJ!  All the same but one letter at the end.  I still think I am more of an ESFP than I am of the ESFJ but this one states I have a "distinctively expressed feeling personality"!  I love to express my feelings...my poor husband.  Ha!  

I could use this information to help understand my strengths and put it towards teaching.  Once again I am very extroverted and love to be the center of attention.  I find teaching to be the best job for that because all eyes are always on you.  I tell people I am not a struggling actress because I get paid to sing and dance everyday in front of a live audience!  It is so true.  I love to act out and dress up in front of the kids.  They may think I am crazy but I know they love it because they always ask for me to do it again.  I tell them I can't do it all the time or else they will get bored of it.  I try to do it 2 time a month!  Keep them guessing.  My main character I play is "Sally Hershberger".  She is a third grader who thinks she is hot stuff and knows everything.  I wear a blond wig with purple glasses and act all smart.  Then little does Sally know...she makes a ton of mistakes.  The kids are then called up to help Sally fix her mistakes and teach her how to correctly do the math.  It is a big deal for a kid to tell you what is wrong and spot the mistakes so I find it fun!  They don't even know they learning!  I love it! 

I have been approached just this year to help teach an inservice on smartboards for my elementary school.  I felt very proud and honored to be asked that.  I am the most tech savvy in the school and I love a crowd so I hope to really make the experience learning, entertaining, and fun for my colleagues.  

With this activity we were asked to take two different types of personality tests.  One was self given and the other one was computer generated.  I felt like I know myself better so my first results seemed to be more me and but it was neat to see that the computer agreed with me to some degree on what I thought I already knew about myself.

I can use these in a school setting to see who I would work best with within the school for a co-teaching experience.  I work in a small district so it is hard and limited on who to co-teach with but it would let the other teacher know my strengths and how we would mix together.

Humanmetrics

or

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes3.asp

It mostly relates to this ISTE NETS T Standard:

This definitely promotes student learning because then you are more aware of your strengths and weaknesses and where they can best be applied to student learning.

Personality #1

After ranking myself, it came up that I was an....


ESFPOutgoing, friendly, and accepting. Exuberant lovers of life, people, and material comforts. Enjoy working with others to make things happen. Bring common sense and a realistic approach to their work, and make work fun. Flexible and spontaneous, adapt readily to new people and environments. Learn best by trying a new skill with other people.


I don't mean to toot my own horn but it sure does sound like me!  Toot toot!  


Here is my hypothetical temperament.  Right off the bat it had the word "performer" and that is so true!


My Personal Temperament



or click this

http://www.keirsey.com/4temps/performer.asp

or check this out

Now on to the questions...

Do I agree or disagree?  I agree with most of it.  The hardest questions for me was if I worry more about the outside world or my own inner world.  Once I thought about things that bother me I came up with outer world.  I do worry too much about things I can't control.  I also agree with the "always look on the bright side".  People tell me often how happy I seem and how I am always having fun.  I do disagree with the whole "not giving enough thought to the consequences."  Back in college age days, sure that was true.  Nowadays, I think too much about the consequences of my silly actions.  I do love to perform and be the center of attention.  I am very into the performing arts and have been in over 18 shows.

Audacity Part 2

I just took the quiz on Audacity and realized that some of you might be in the same boat as me.  I did not use Audacity or Lame to make my podcast.  Luckily I think I got the two answers right just from reading other blogs and also following the instructions on the test.  I think there should have been two options of a quiz though.  One for Audacity users and another for Garageband (mac users) like myself.

Audacity and Podcasts are good for the inner disc jockey within you.  Those of you who really liked may start your own Podcast show.  You are now in charge of the content and the music you want to put on your show.  Once again though, don't become too popular or else the piracy police may come after you for not asking for the rights to use their song on your show.  Ha!  One can dream of becoming that popular.

I want to find a good educational (3rd grade) related podcast.  I want some weekly ideas and also words of wisdom.  Always like to learn new things for the classroom.  The search is on...if you find one for me...let me know!

Audacity Podcast Post 1

We were to create our own podcast using either the audacity software of the garageband software that all Mac's come with.  I am a mac user so I used garageband.  Using garageband we were to pick any topic and through sounds, songs, and word create a seamless story.  I chose to do a story of my husband and I's "firsts" seeing that it was my first podcast.  I hope many of you have a sense of humor while listening to it, because I sure do!  After creating the podcast we were to turn it into an MP3, join Podbean, and then post it to our blog for all to enjoy.

Here is my podcast:  http://kathrynpost.podbean.com/mf/web/7c734b/WeddingFirstDance4.m4a

or

Kathryn's Podcast

I luckily found this project to be easy because I have been using garageband since 2006 when I got my first Mac!  I used for fun and created my own songs about friends and family.  You might have heard my awesome (sarcasm) garageband skills being used when I rapped all about Ken Robinson in our Voicethread topic.  It was fun to do even though it may have been not so fun to listen to for others.  I did not learn much from using garageband because I had previously taught myself but I did learn about Podbean.  I was curious about this site and even played around and listened to some of the most popular podcasts on the site.  Not really for me but it was neat to see what other people are up to.

I could use podcasts if I made a listening center in my third grade class and then had the children listen to me explain a story, explain a new topic, give a brief description of an assignment or even used it for my fellow coworkers.

The ISTE NETS T Standard this most applies to is:

I find this to be a learning experience for most and also incorporated digital tools such as garageband, mp3's, converting, and podbean all in one.  It will promote student learning and creativity because it allows the teacher to be creative.  If the teacher is having fun so are the students!