Smore

In this sample I have created a Smore news bulletin about a current event. Within this assignment I asked the students to “create a news bulletin by making an online flyer via Smore.com. First you must research a current event and then use that research and include it in your news bulletin. You will then present your bulletin and inform your classmates about this event. Please include the following: An introduction/background of this event, where this event is most prevalent, 3 important facts that include detail, and any other aspects of this event that you find important.” I made a bulletin about the Ebola virus outbreak and included facts about symptoms, U.S contact, new medicines, origins, etc.

This tool was very easy to use. After you choose your flyer theme, it allows you to add titles, pictures, text, and more simply by typing a dragging. I can definitely see this tool helping with student instruction. It is a great way for students to organize ideas and create a clear presentation. The teacher can also use this if they wish to create a flyer or organize their instruction or lessons. I could see myself using Smore in my classroom because it is a new and easy way to display ideas through technology. These flyers and bulletins are clean, organized, and will provoke higher-level thinking for the students. 

My Smore

ThingLink

In this sample assignment I have created a ThingLink about William Shakespeare. Within this assignment I have asked to students to “Create an interactive image using ThingLink about an author of your choice. Include links, images, videos, resources, etc. that you consider useful to the research of this author.” In my ThingLink I have included a YouTube video bio, a link to absoluteshakespeare.com, a link to all of Shakespeare’s works, a link to Amazon’s Shakespeare page, a link to a lexicon dictionary, a link to his birthplace page, a mock Shakespeare Twitter, and a link to a list of some of the best Shakespeare movie adaptions.

This tool was very easy to use. You simply find an image and create tags in which you copy and paste the links into. I can really see this tool helping student instruction. It is a great way to provide resources in a new way for the students; and it is also a unique way for students to create an interactive project to present to the class so they can learn off of each other. I would certainly use this tool in my classroom; students will love this interactive method of viewing important resources and to creating a visually appealing display. ThingLink is an excellent use of technology in the classroom as it allows students to view the subject in an attractive and organized fashion. 

My ThingLink

Blabberize

Within this sample I have created a Blabber of Robert Frost explaining upcoming assignment to the students. The assignment is “Create a Blabber by using Blabberize of any of the authors from the pieces you have read this year. Create a speech that you think they would present about the piece you have read.”

Using Blabberize was fairly easy. The only trouble I had was cutting out the mouth to make the image look like it was actually speaking. I had to redo it many times before it started to look right. It was very easy to record my voice off of the microphone on my laptop. Blabberize leads you through an easy step-by-step process to create your Blabber.

I think that this is a great tool to use with students. It is great for introducing topics or allowing the Blabber to explain an idea and speak for you.  It can also be used for an actual assignment, as the students would create their own blabber to present an idea. I can truly see this tool helping with student instruction because it grabs their attention in a unique way. Students will enjoy a new “character” presenting the teacher’s ideas and assignments for them. It is also a good tool for the students to use because they will get a chance to use technology in the classroom and speak from the perspective of their Blabber character. I would definitely use this tool in my classroom; it is a fun and new way to instruct and allow students to integrate technology. 
My Blabberize

Media Literacy

Media Literacy Discussion

I really enjoyed the media literacy discussion that we had today. It was very interesting to see how the media works to persuade and impact us through their advertisements and other various forms of media. This discussion was a great way to display how the media controls the message and the different tools that advertisers use that allow us to have a reaction to that message that they wish to give off.

The Media and Students

I believe that media literacy is something that students need to be taught throughout their education. People (and children especially) are very impressionable and can be easily persuaded. I believe that we must demonstrate how and why the media works to influence our society to do, buy, and believe something. If we are aware of how the media does this, we will then be prepared for what the media presents us and we can strive away from giving into ideas that are simply trying to convince us to side with them. Teaching media literacy will also allow for students to be able to question the media, and choose how they will react to it.

Shocking Ideas

I am very much aware that the media does attempt to persuade us to do, buy, or believe something, however; some concepts in today’s presentation surprised me. For example, I did not know about the Boston Marathon bomber who appeared on the Rolling Stones cover controversy. It is truly shocking that the media would allow him to be perceived as a rock star after the tragedy that he had caused. I also was shocked to hear about the Dove commercials and how they are essentially being hypocrites when considering the media. Dove has made many advertisements that provide the idea that the media gives off a skewed perception of women through their ads, however they are also owned by the same company who supplies AXE commercials that state that if men wear AXE women will chase after them. This shows how the media provides ideas that can be ultimately false or made just to influence you into giving in to the product or idea. Media literacy is a very important topic to discuss and teach all students. 

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