Bolton's Blog

       Using technology in the classroom can be daunting. You may think, “Where do I even start?”. Illuminate by Bethany J. Petty is the perfect place to start! There are such rich instructional technology tools presented in this book. While reading this book, I was presented with challenges at the end of each chapter. The challenge was labeled “ Try This Tomorrow”. I took those challenges to heart and actually tried many in my own third grade classroom! Below are three challenges I used in my own instruction. There were some failures, some learning moments, and some defiant do overs! I am going to talk about the three best technology enhanced resources I have found.  Challenge #1: Using EdPuzzle Although I have heard of EdPuzzle, I have never used it in my own instruction. I decided to use EdPuzzle in the form of a science lesson. Let’s face it teachers, science and social studies often get swept under the rug as other subjects take priority. I presented the E...

            Social interaction via social media has now become a staple in the environment around us. People are just a message a away from communicating to others across the street, town, state, or globe. Even though the word around us is emerged in the social media platform, some do not realize how it is changing them. Many users of social media are missing the "social" aspect of the device. They are forgetting that social media is formed by a collaboration of people. Whether it be viewers, consumers, or just day to day conversation. Social media takes anywhere from two to a body of people to make it "social".      Why is it important to realize that social media takes two? Many users of social media are forgetting that they are making content for others to watch and read. Turner and Hick's said that, "teenagers did not  view the writing they did in online spaces as " real  writing" (p.107). People (not just teenagers) are us...

      Using video can seem overwhelming to most people. Many cringe when they see themselves on a camera, or in a video. The task of making a video centered around them can be daunting.      The world today is centered around virtual meets, videos, and zooms. Students are mastering the digital world of video without us... Teachers, it is time we stop being afraid of the world of video and dive right in! Students need proper instruction in how to navigate video arguments. “[W]e teach students to “read like writers”, we need to help them “view like a videographer” (Hicks, 2013, p.108). Videos are a form of “visual literacy” (Hicks, 2013, p.105).  Providing students with opportunities to practice their video skills will help them make connections with their everyday life.      Like writing, making videos has a “writing process”. The writing process for visual literacy and written  literacy has similar character...

                                    picture is worth 1000 words        Infographics are, "graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present complex information quickly and clearly. (Turner and Hicks, 2016, p.60)" Infographics are commonly used to present data in a way that is easy to intemperate. Infographics can be great tools for teachers to use to present new information or ideas to students, as well as a great opportunity for students to explore others arguments, and create their own.  Even though infographics CAN be great tools to display information, they must be done correctly for them to work as intended.  Here are the Do's and Don'ts when creating your own infographics.  View my own infographic below for reference. https://venngage.net/ps/35qIuRzodic/benenefits-of-using-infographics-i...

While reading Argument in the Real World, my eyes were opened to the fact that arguments are all around us. The social media culture we live in has opened doors for voices to be expressed anywhere and everywhere. Television commercials, social media, Youtube, billboards, etc. All voice opinions, and we as the viewers also have a choice to make. Do we believe their argument, or do we make a counter argument of our own. Until reading Arguments in the Real World, I have always viewed an argument as a bad thing such as a heated conflict. It is imperative that we see the difference between an argument and judgement. You see, “[T]he Internet is full of arguments of judgement and policy where the authors have not articulated reasons or used relatively simple criteria for them” (p.33). As educators, it is imperative that we teach, “students to define (and identify) the criteria to evaluate a digital argument [this] may help temper a mass spewing of unsubstantiated judgements that can be dest...