Week 3 Twitter and Youtube Adventure (ETEC 527)

     This week I continued with my Twitter and YouTube Adventure. Every time I get on Twitter, there is something new and exciting to explore. I ventured onto Tweet Deck, and the layout initially threw me off; so much was going on the screen at first. I took a moment to adjust my eyes and explore.  I found it a neat concept; Everything is on one screen, and there is no toggling between tabs. You just need to scroll to the right to see the different columns.  I can create additional columns and add topics. My Home, Profile, Notifications, #etec527, Explore, TEA, TAMUC, and UNESCO are shown. Initially, the background was too dark for my eyes, so I changed it to light. You can add multiple decks. I have one deck labeled Personal and The other Labeled School. 

    As the week progressed, I began working on my youtube exploration. In my Makerspace course, I created a Youtube page and posted Arduino projects I worked on weekly. I hadn't given much thought to making any lists until this week. Our assignment indicated that we needed to search Youtube for videos in the following areas and set up playlists for each category listed. Videos on using Twitter and Twitter tools, videos on Teaching and Learning with Technology, videos that speak to the use of web 2.0 tools for learning, and videos related to one area that you currently teach or might teach when you do get to the classroom and playlist of your choice

Videos on using Twitter and Twitter tools

    As I explored Youtube, I found numerous videos on how to use Twitter and Twitter tools. Many of the videos were about how to increase your Twitter base and generate income. I may look into that when I decide that the income I bring home from being a teacher is not enough. The Twitter videos are tutorials and show you how to manage posts, accounts, and the different Twitter tools. Since technology is constantly changing, I went with the most recent Twitters videos that helped me with the various aspects of Twitter. They were all very informative.

Videos on Teaching and Learning with Technology

    I have used several technology tools in my classroom, but this week I had to discuss technology that I had used in my classroom or would like to explore. I found a tutorial about everything I needed to know about teaching with technology, including How to use Nearpod, Screencasts, and Canva. I feel more confident about utilizing technology in my classroom than I did before looking up videos on YouTube.

Videos that speak to the use of web 2.0 tools for learning

    There were a considerable amount of Web 2.0  reference videos on YouTube. I wanted to find tools that would promote collaboration. I found Canva, Wakelet, and Screencastify tutorial videos. These types of web 2.0 technology encourage collaboration and communication with peers. We all know that communication and collaboration help the brain grow!

5th grade Math (TEK) Content

    For my 5th grade content, I found several content videos, videos about Math resources, how one teacher taught math (which was more about the materials she used), and what technology tools I could use to teach math, such as braining camp. Overall there were some great content instructional videos.

5th Grade Social Studies

    The one subject I need to really work on is Social Studies, so I searched and found some videos about making Social Studies more fun and engaging to teach using technology. This year has been a rough year for student behavior, and I found some videos for teaching students about self-regulation. I also found a video about planning engaging lessons for social studies and interesting material containing social studies content.

    This week was an eventful week filled with exploration and becoming more familiar with different types of technology. There were some new learning web 2.0 tools that I had never heard of and some that I had heard of but had yet to have the chance to explore. Making learning engaging and meaningful is critical for any student. I enjoyed expanding my knowledge regarding both Youtube and Twitter. They are both forms of technology and have a very active and impactful place in education.