Final Post

I am here to post for the last time in this particular blog.
    
      This class has taught me a few things, particularly, all of the Google programs we used this semester, including Prezi. Google Drive was also something that was new to me. Other programs I have used in the past for other classes, such as Google Sites, MS Power Point and Excel, and Google Maps. Jing was new to me completely, as well as Voki.
     One Assignment that I felt was the most helpful of them all was RezScore.
My Resume looks a whole lot better than before, and I have a better idea on what it should look like, as well. I would say this class was a success, and even though I was skeptical about taking this class (even though it is required) I ended up learning a lot.
     As for the final assignment, My new Millennial Score is...

 

I believe my first score was something like 63. 

 Personally, I don't know how I feel about this new score, I feel like I leaped backward in maturity, but for the sake of this class, I guess I have a better understanding of the technology of this millenium.

So, I want to thank Mr. Pierce for the help and guidance through this class and the great curriculum he has going in this class, because I learned much more than I originally expected.

    

Excel Data

This^^^ is a scatter plot of the NAEP test scores, overall, for 2011, based on state. The points are organized alphabetically, with Washington DC and DoDEA included, West virginia scored an average of 214, with the highest state being Massachusetts earning a little more than 236 on average, and the lowest, Washington DC, earning an average score of a little over 200.

1. How well are we, WV, doing? Not so great, we are 44th out of 53 areas  in terms of overall scores.
2. How many states are below WV?In terms of on the chart? 43. In terms of scores? 9.
3. How many are above your state? Chart? 9. Scores? 43
4. Are you above or below average? Average: 221 WV Males: 210. Below average

Our state isn't doing so hot in terms of test scores.

     This project was done with MS Excel, with a spreadsheet and data from Naep Tests.
     I can fit this project under standards 1b. and 2a. It shows students the true data from an actual source of information that applies to them in a real-life scenario.

My new Website!

Hi my name is Michael Robinson.

     I am pretty proud of that website, considering it took me being late on the assignment to finish. This website looks a bit slicker, I think, than my first go at creating a website (in Music Technology class).
     I created this website using Google Sites. It is a tool for creating one's own website, using html, or pre-made templates. I began by picking a company website template, which ended up being more difficult than it needed to be, thinking I could edit some of the pictures in the editor. Nonetheless, I think it turned out pretty well. After rewriting much of the template text, it started taking shape, and I also added a few pages as part of the assignment. As for the pictures, many of them I found online, or on my own Facebook.
     I can use this as a way to get a job, because my resume is on it. I can also have students use this tool for learning how to create their own website easily, for free.
     This project goes with 1a. and all of standard 2. This project really opens up a lot of avenues for students to create, and learn as they go.

Rubric File

This is my rubric.

     This rubric was created using Rubistar, which is an intuitive program for easily and quickly creating rubrics. To use it you can start from scratch, or you can choose a template for different subjects and different kinds of assignments. You can then save it to the website permanently, or keep it for a week. Otherwise, you can save it to your own computer for your own records.
      My rubric was made for a music history paper for high schoolers, where they are required to pick a composer to write about (or be given a composer by me) and explain different aspects of that composers life, including analyzing a compostition.

     This assignment follows standards 1a, 1b, 2d, 3b, and 3d. Because it is creating a way for students to effectively write a research paper and learn about a composer in the process. It provides a way for me to base evaluation on, and something to communicate to parents what students need work on.

My first test (is still not a real test)!

Link to the spreadsheet of grades can be found HERE.

     This is a short simple musical test that involves musical concepts, music history, and the mechanics of instruments. I used the link provided by Prof. Pierce to the YouTube video he posted on the assignment page to get the initial idea for the correct use of the formula. I had a bit of trouble (since this computer I am borrowing from my mother has trouble with Google related products for whatever reason) with getting the formulas to work themselves out automatically. I then tried to refresh the page and it worked, but in my confusion I searched for other formulas to use, and found a nice Tutorial resource on the same project but with more features (Dr. Mark Wagner). He provided a "nested" IF formula that creates a Letter grade based on the percentage grades in the selected cells.

HERE is my Form with the test.

     I can use this self-grading spreadsheet on many assignments in the future, of course, not this particular one, since it was an example. It is an easy to do, DIY test feature, which makes me proud to use, since I would have developed the test myself, and created the testing page for students to use.

    This assignment follows standards 1a, 2a, 2c, and 3c. It is a great assessment tool and helps speed up the process of test grading. It demonstrates the act of students using programs like this for test taking.

Forms!

Here is a link to my SPREADSHEET.

     One might notice that it is a bit cluttered, and I am not a huge fan of that aspect (I wish there was a way to name cells in the spreadsheet without altering the questions on the form, for easier, less cluttered organization). Another thing you might notice is that the spread sheet has about seven entries on it, they are all fake survey takers I just answered several times to show a difference in students. There are students who are interested in musical ensembles and ones who aren't. There is also a difference in ability levels for different aspects of music judging by rhythm and melody test scores and how good they think they are. As for the "music listening" aspect, all subjects picked a '5' because I imagine middle schoolers (who this test is aimed toward) would think it means, "am I good at listening to my iPod? Yes, of course!" I also included my girlfriend's answers as well to the test, and how well she think she would do on the rhythm/melody test portion.

Here is a link to my FORM (music survey).

     This form is basically an "Entrance to Middle School Band" survey. It would take place during a band day where interested middle schoolers are taken to the gym of their school and are ushered around different tables to learn about and try out different instruments for band. This is sort of an audition type of day where students express their interests and take a variety of tests to learn their strengths and weaknesses.
     The form is NOT meant to be filled out by everyone, but rather, only the students attending "Band Day." (which is currently fictional, for the purposes of this assignment, but may one day come to fruition in my career) As a band director, much of this information is very helpful, and this form helps to make life a little easier, by having each student finish the form before leaving for the day.

     This activity follows 2b and 2d, which refer to students tracking progress and assessing themselves, since they have to think about how good they can do different activities. It also follows closely with 3d. which talks about using digital tools to document and assess students.

Prezi Assignment

    Here is my Prezi assignment.
     Prezi is a progam that is used for presentations. It is a new version of the ever so loathed Powerpoint. It is sleeker, more active, and it can do many of the things Powerpoint can, only I find those things easier with Prezi. This tool is different in that you create the presentation either online or offline, and can be easily shared, or used in presentation materials. It also has an intuitive control 'station' that appears in your top left corner of the editing screen. It is also different in that it doesn't use "slides" per se, but rather, one large picture that zooms in and out and scrolls around to the different bits of information, turning it into a presentation. Another cool feature is that you can zoom in and out by yourself, so if you download a presentation, you do not have to follow in order, and can learn more simply by dragging the screen and zooming in and out manually.
     This tool is similar in that it uses information and time to teach a concept. Both programs can be used efficiently, but with Prezi, it's overall a little better looking. I feel this program is much better than Powerpoint, and much easier to keep my interest when actually building the presentation, let alone when watching a presentation. One thing that might make it a bit less... linear, than PPT is that if you aren't careful, you can make an audience dizzy from all of the moving and spinning the screen will be doing.

     This project follows closely with standard 3a. "Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations" and 3c. "Communicate relevant information and idea effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats." This is because it is a program that is new and innovative and it is used to communicate information. It is a helpful tool that students as well as teachers can use in lectures and presentations, that helps to affirm the rising new technologies in society.

Powerpoint #1

Link to my Dropbox public page.
My browser is having trouble with anything Google related (especially docs and chrome), it's a miracle I can still post blogs.

Anyway, this project was difficult, as I am very used to the bulleted lists made with Powerpoint, it was hard to 'create' a 'story' to the presentation.
     The presentation is on how to create a major scale (and an incredibly brief history of scales). I would walk students through the steps by asking many questions outside of the presentation (although, theoretically, they SHOULD be able to figure it out without me talking through it). it starts with other kinds of scales and eventually makes its way to a short semi-tutorial on how to create your own major scale. Some prerequisite knowledge of music is needed, and this is assuming I have covered that material for the students. At the end I mention our next lesson, minor scales.

     This presentation meets standard 2a. "Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity." This is because it creates an experience children can use to further learn hard concepts in music. It also follows standards 3c. and 3d.

Michael

Google Earth

In this Assignment, I uploaded my map from my previous post to Google Earth, and eventually Screencast for your entertainment on here!

Here is a video to how I uploaded this beautiful map to Google Earth from Google Maps.

     What is a KML file? It is the primary file type that Google earth reads from Google maps. It is interpreted and spit out into the globe program Google Earth. If you watched my video, you might get an idea as to how to port a Google Map into Google earth, and that is simply by downloading and opening the KML file Maps creates for your custom map.
     On the Google in Education site, I found a lesson plan idea that I can adapt for music students. I can create a map on Google Earth and superimpose pictures of composers (rather than presidential candidates) over birthplaces, famous cities in their lives, deathplaces, etc. and show it to the students. Or I can attach genres of music over different muscial eras and do the same thing, even incorporating sound into the presentation.

      This assignment falls under pretty much all of standard 2 "design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments." it is a very well-worth-it project and can be used in multiple ways, I can even use it to test students knowledge of what they learned. They can listen to music and judge where it came from in the world using this program and a great use of what I can do with it.

Google Maps

     A one month trip to Italy for a College Honors class. Here is the original map site.
     So, this trip is meant to give students the opportunity to learn about Italian History, experience the Art, and witness the Music. The trip has several major and minor cities planned, starting in the north and heading south to the very tip of Italy, Reggio, where we will review and head home.
     Each stop but one includes a series of assignments that help the students learn, and interact with different parts of each city. they could include journal entries, pictures, scavenger hunts, activities, tours, and reports on different things they learn at each place.
     This is a summer trip, so no school is missed, but this is part of a special class that uses this as part of a grade, and this is the final for the class. In other words, you must take the class to go, and you must go to receive a final grade.
      The emphasis will be on art, and music. History will be learned nonetheless, and architecture will also be a big aspect.
     The tour leaves from NYC and stops first in Milan, which is much like NYC with the dense population and beautiful buildings. Next is Venice, the music center of the world. Next we stop in Forli, which is another center for the arts. We continue south to Florence, a huge parto f art and music history with the Uffizi Museum. Next, after a day long trip, is Rome, Capital of Italy and home to many famous Monuments. Next we head to Naples, which will be our relaxation day. Foggia is next, which is the Granary of Italy, it gives the students a chance to check out the farmland. Next, is Taranto, which is home to some more Greek ruins and a Naval base. The last real stop will be in  Catanzaro, which includes many more 11th-15th century buildings. Then Reggio, and a plane ride home.

     This trip is expensive, of course and includes a lot of traveling. Since this project isn't real, I can afford to host this trip. but otherwise it would be near impossible to fund.

Batchgeo project

View Instructional Technology students locations in a full screen map



     Above is my (as well as the rest of the class') Batchgeo map. Feel free to scroll around it to see where we all live!


     This makes me a 21st century educator because of what the teacher said. We have the ability to create this sort of thing for free and with such ease, that people in the 90s never imagined this sort of thing. With this sort of program, we can easily visualize where all students are in the world without pulling out a paper map and writing it down.
     One way I can incorporate this is by using the internet to figure out famous composers' birthplaces. I would then simply input them into the program and show this to the class as a reference as to what type of music we are talking about (German Romantic vs. French Baroque vs, Italian Opera vs American Patriotic music, etc.) 
     I think this project follows standard 1c. because it can be used as a review assignment, or visual for students to use when comparing different cultural music.

Jing Screencast

     Today I was to create a video using Jing. I did. If you can remember from my previous post about a certain image, then this video I created follows very closely to that image. In fact, it is the image in video form, plus a couple added moves. 

     Here is a link to my video. I know, short, sweet, and to the point. The concept, though is simple, and with a few of those moves at the end, I feel it is a helpful video to beginning players.

     This is another tool that is great for teaching students with, rather than students using this tool for assignments. This is the program to use for capturing quick video in programs, rather than a camera pointed on the screen. It can even be more helpful with audio. 

required outcomes answers

1. How to determine/ control viewing area? It can be controlled after one clicks on the "capture" button when Jing is opened. Then one should press either "capture image," "capture video," "redo selection" or "cancel."
2. Screen capture save options? You can save it on your computer somewhere on your hard drive, or using cloud computing by saving it on the internet using a website called screencast.
3. Where is your screen capture saved on your computer/how to retrieve it? Mine is saved under C:\Users\Doris\My Videos\Solitare_1vid. I typically retrieve my Jing Image or video using the "History" tool on the Jing home bar.
4. How to push to Internet/share? There is a button that asks if you would like to share onto screencast.com after the file has been captured.
5. File type? Shockwave Flash File (or .SWF)
6. Three Jing 'Sun' prongs? Capture: captures screen image or video, History: opens a window with all previously edited Jing files, and More: includes settings, exit Jing, help, etc.

    This program follows the same standards as the image version, 3c. and 3d.

Awesome program, Mr. Pierce, great download, I plan on using this in the future.

Michael

Jing Image

     For my Jing Image, and likely for my video, I have chosen how to begin a game of solitare on Windows. I used the program Jing by Techsmith. It is a free download for Windows and MACs. I downloaded the program and decided what I could use as a basis for the project. Solitare was on my mother's computer's desktop, so I decided to use it. The program is very easy and fool-proof, as the installation includes a short tutorial on how to use it.
     As you can see, Blogger really scaled the image down, if you would like to see a better (larger) picture of it, you can view it on Screencast.
     I like the program, as it is very sleek, and easy to understand both from the user and the audience's point of view. I can use this in so many situations, like how to show a concept, like I did here. I could also use it to edit pictures of famous composers, or a piece of music, and input commentary or captions to teach concepts to students. with the highlighting tool, I can highlight a part of music and add an explanation with the text tool, as well as with the arrow tool.
     This activity would go along with standards 3c. 'Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats.' and d. 'Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.' As such, I feel this program is more of a teacher's tool than a teaching tool for students to use.

     I really liked this program, with its sleek design and helpful, good looking websites.

Michael

How do I fair in Instructional Technology?

     That question won't be answered in this blog! ;)
     What will be answered is how I feel so far about my progress. so far I have been doing my best to keep up with my assignments. I am glad I did several assignments out of the gate to get ahead on my work, but I wish I had tried to find more time to work on my late assignments. most of my problems are finding time between work, my other online class, practicing, and going to rehearsals. I am also planning a vacation that is taking up time as well. I do have plenty of time to spare, I just need to push myself more to get into working on both this class and my other class' assignments when I have the time.
     And since I am not sure if i am supposed to discuss this or not, I will go ahead and do the rest of my blog.
    
     This assignment would be great as a general school work assignment for students in my classes. By having them keep progress of their own grades, it keeps them honest and gives me backup for parent complaints. There is trouble though, with keeping grades for ensemble classes, as many of those classes are graded more on participation, playing abilities, and extra practice time outside of rehearsal. a general music classroom would be a good place to incorporate this though.

     This activity is text book standard 2b. "Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress." Obviously, because it is right in the text, "assessing their own progress." Also, 3c is assessed with this activity "Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats." I can communicate the grades of their kids to parents using this graph with student input into it.

Michael

Diigo

     My experience with Web browser addons hasn't been great. Most of the addons I have experienced have been on others' computers, which include poorly downloaded "smiley toolbars" and other toolbars they barely use but do not know how to opt out of downloading. I have had a couple of Antivirus toolbars installed on my browsers, and they have helped me out a little, by providing safer searches. I had a video download thing once too, and it helped me out immensely with a lot of media I needed for research purposes. Overall, with the toolbars I have owned, they have been helpful, for the toolbars I have experienced as a whole, they have been more obtrusive with popups and whatnot.
     The Diigo addon works very well! I have, so far, highlighted, bookmarked, and sticky noted 3 websites with ease. It is non-obtrusive, and is only there when I need it to be.
     I use Mozilla Firefox, I have used Google Chrome in the past, and my girlfriend uses it, but I am used to Firefox, so I am alright with what I have. The addons tend to work in a sort of "App" system. There are many different things you can download from a sort of "marketplace" and many of them are required for some websites/ programs to work, but a lot of them are there to help, or hinder, your internet-going experience. I like this in some ways: it makes it easy to download what I need to work programs because they can be downloaded on the spot, restart browser and continue working where I left off. It also makes it easy for me to browse different options for toolbars, rather than being bombarded by popups.
     An Addon is a program that is downloaded and installed into the user's web browser that enhances the user's internet experience. The addons are typically search bars, or other helpful tools, such as Diigo, or Youtube helpers, or antivirus software. They can get in the way, though, as many programs from the internet install their own toolbars to the browser and can get in te way with ads, popups, and just generally taking up space. I tend to stay away from addons as toolbars for my browser, so currently I only have the Diigolet addon installed.

     I feel Standard 3d. "Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning." This is because this program helps facilitate learning and the outcomes of those learning since students can learn double of what they are researching using the annotations from people around the world on articles they are reading.

     My Diigo Library is posted under my favorite links tab on the right of this post and is open to the public, as far as I know.

Michael Robinson

Self-Portrait

     This is a portrait of myself I made with Picassohead.
Green is my favorite color, which is why my skin and hand are that color. I play four mallet keyboard percussion, which is what the black things in my hand are. I have blue eyes and blond hair. I didn't have really any issues with this project, except what I wanted the picture to look like. Here's a link to my portrait on the site itself.

    This is a great way for students to express themselves using the tools on the website. They can create a self portrait of themselves doing whatever they want, like I am doing here holding mallets. Some students might want more artistic parts added to the portrait because that's what they feel like, others might not. A good music lesson can be taught, using Picasso's cubism art, because of the music that came out of this time having many of the same ideas of this artist's ideas.

     This activity follows well with standard 2a. "Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that
incorporate digital tools and resources to promote
student learning and creativity" because it allows students to be creative and learn about how to work with this program and add their pictures to a gallery.

Snipping Tool + Total Revamp of my Resume!

     I pretty much spent my entire day working on my new resume. My first version was so bad that RezScore immediately gave it an 'F', it didn't even think my file was an actual resume. Well, I showed them, I used several sources (a Google Docs resume template and the A+ Resume Example at RezScore) As inspiration for my new resume. RezScore gave me a 'B' on my new resume, and I feel much better about it. It mentioned that I need to sell myself more persuasively which I will be able to do, once I get more experiences to add to it. It also said the resume was strong in the way of education and non-profit, which is perfect, as I am going to be a teacher.
Here is a snip of one of the charts on my new resume score:

Courtesy of RezScore.

     My old resume was made using a Google Docs template. I liked it at first, but after seeing RezScore score me an 'F,' I didn't like it anymore. So, I created my own on Microsoft Word. The new one, actually has some more decor on it, but that did not transfer through to Google Docs. Anyway, as you can see from the graph, my resume had very little specific aspects, and many more general aspects, and about equal in the extremities of aspects in demand or out of demand.
     These projects work well together, same with any of these projects, with the snipping tool. Since its is much easier to just snip a page rather than worrying about downloading pictures, it makes things move a little smoother, as well as gives me a chance to edit the snip I took. As for the RezScore assignment, it was a life saver, as I had decided my first resume would be my official one. Obviously, that was a bad idea, but my new one is very sleek and I am excited to use it.
     I would use the snipping tool in many ways in classes. I would have students work on a music game like Carnegie Hall's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra Game, and have them snip me the final page the game brings them to so I know they completed it, or some thing like that. I would have them do some sort of project, and have them use the snipping tool to add good pictures into the document.
     As for the RezScore project, I could continue from my resume project with the different scenarios for each student and have them rate their resumes and revise them.

     The RezScore projects follows Standard 1c. "Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes." because it helps the students look back on what they created and it evaluates automatically, so they can clarify their resumes. It also goes well with standard 1b. "Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources," because this was a problem I had even, so having students learn from their mistakes using an automated program can only help.

     The Snipping Tool project follows Standard 2a., 'Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.' This is because the students can use the snipping tool to create some sort of walkthrough in a computer program by snipping a page, then editing arrows, or directions into the picture.

Michael

Google Doc

Music Education Resume- Michael Robinson

     With this activity, I learned how to use a template on Google Docs. I established a template and filled in the blanks with my own information for my resume. I made the document public and shared the link. I will also add my resume to my links box.
     One way I can use an activity similar to this is that I can create several real-life situations for students. They can be music related or not, but if it were music related, I could give the different students a slip of paper that includes degree information, ensembles played in, and other information. They could read and use that information to create fake resumes as practice, but they would use Google Docs templates.
     This activity goes under NETS-T Standard 1b, because it uses real world situations that students use a digital tool (Google Docs). Standard 3b also matches, because it helps the students get a start with their own futures with their resumes, especially if given a homework assignment to start their own resume.

How "Millennial" am I?

     On a scale of 1 to 100, 100 being the most like a "Millennial," I scored a 63 on Pew Research Center's Millennial quiz. This is in between a "Generation X" and "Millennial." Basically, I do pose many of the qualities of a Millennial, but I would not be quite defined as a "Millennial," even though, chronologically, I am. My mother also took the quiz, and since she is a baby boomer, she received a lower score than me, a 43. Although she is still quite ahead of what I expected her to be.
     I feel, in the field of education, that this number means almost nothing. I say this because, yes students are going to show more "Millennial" characteristics the further in time I am, but I will continually grow, mature, and my score will move around the chart. Do I have a tattoo right now? Of course not, that doesn't mean I won't get one in the future. Do I read the newspaper every day right now? No, but as I grow and become more concerned with the world's daily happenings, I most likely will. All of these things and more will change my score as time goes by. So, at this stage in the game, is this score relevant? I would say no. As I grow I will learn to be more like the new generations just form experiences and going out of my way to keep up with styles.

     Frand's ten characteristics of the information-age mindset are "Computers aren't technology," "Internet better than TV," "Reality no longer real," "Doing rather than knowing," "Nintendo over logic," "Multitasking way of life," "Typing rather than handwriting," "Staying connected," "Zero tolerance for delays," and "Consumer/ Creator Blurring."
     In the computers aren't technology argument, I am to rational to not consider computers technology, the article even considers computers a technical form of technology, because technically, that's what it is. In the information-age mind set, though, people don't consider computers themselves a form of technology, but a requirement of it. I consider anything that is considered to be technology, technology. In the Internet better than TV argument, I am in it, because interacting and learning on the internet makes more sense than passively watching TV. With the reality is no longer real argument, I agree with it, and the article basically explains it in the best way, because no one can trust anyone on the internet. Doing rather than knowing, again, I agree with this, people are going out and doing things, not knowing what the consequences will be, sort of like risky decisions. Nintendo over logic explains that people live in a trial-error mindset and that the old way of experimentation is out the door. I believe many people live this way, even though I try to avoid it, I find this to be true for me as well.
     In a multitasking way of life, I feel that this is very common as well, because everyone is trying to do so many things at once, but only halfway. Typing rather than handwriting is again, true even to me, I much prefer typing, since I am a slow, sloppy writer.Staying connected is true for most everyone these days, just in different degrees. Zero tolerance for delays, I hate having to wait on things. Why? I don't know, but I hate when a plan doesn't come together and delays tend to do that. Finally, consumer/ creator blurring, these days the creators need the consumers input on products to grow into a better product and become more successful, and with so many ways to do that, it is all around us.

     What does all of this mean? For the most part, I would say I am in an information-age mindset, and that I follow along with most of the thinking in today's youth. Does not having the mindset spell doom for an educator? No, of course not, many people go through it every day. As the world grows though, and many old-fashioned teachers begin retiring and newer teachers with the mindset start in the workforce, then it will begin to spell doom. But until then, there is a mixed bag of old and new teachers doing both old and new things in their classrooms, and that is all right.

Voki Self Intro - Michael Robinson

 Original Google Document
 Original Voki page

   This is something new, I never knew something like this existed, or that people were even using this sort of program in the classrooms. I like it, the flexibility of using your own voice or text-to-speech, even the use of different characters, from toons, to actual sort-of-similar looking avatars of teachers.
     I created this using Voki which is an avatar/ audio generator, as well as Google docs (now Google Drive), and Microsoft word.  The process consisted of typing out what I wanted the avatar to say, and then creating and inputting my paragraph into the Voki program.
     I explored some of the lesson plans on the Voki website pertaining to music, many include having students create a Voki that talks about different composers or types of music. I like these, because it gets the kids writing something for more of a purpose. To the students, they know that the information they found out will be articulated using a neat avatar that they customized themselves. It takes the fear of presentations out of the equation and puts it into an easy to use, free application that is also fun for young people. I would personally use this in a classroom by recording the whole class singing a song. Each student would then create a Voki and learn how to upload their recording into the program to see their unique avatar singing the song they just sang back to them.

     The ISTE NET-T standard 1c. "Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes," would work well, as it can be a substitute to individual presentations that I would be able to grade, that the students can feel comfortable about. Standard 1a, "Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness," is also a standard that is covered, as this program is innovative.

Introductory Post

Welcome!

This will be my first official blog that I intend on actually keeping up with. I have blogged before, but that was in middle school, and it was just to complain about how terrible middle school life was.

    A little background information, I am enrolled at Fairmont State University for music education. I am a percussionist, which includes a wide array of instruments, including snare drum, drum set, timpani, marimba, and marching percussion instruments. I teach South Middle School's drum line in Morgantown, I perform in many on-campus ensembles. It has been a long experience here at Fairmont State, and so, I plan to audition for several graduate schools once I finish up my degree here, for a Masters in Percussion Performance.
   
     As far as technology goes, I have always been on a PC. My father works at the local power company and has always been great at fixing electronics, so I have had a lot of exposure to many experiences with the use of computers. I would never say I am great at working with computers, of course. I can not fix them, or troubleshoot by any stretch of the word, but I have had chances to explore a variety of programs from Photoshop to music editing software, as well as word processing and the like. I have taken a required course for my major: Intro to Music Technology, and I have learned about a variety of software and hardware that I can bring into my teaching.
     Like I said before, I have tried to blog in the past (outside of my middle school rants): mrobinson13.xanga.com/. I created this my freshman year of college and intended on blogging at least weekly. Obviously, that was to no avail (there is only 1 true post). So, I will have to really push myself to get into a rhythm of posting serious blogs for this class. I am excited, because maybe I'll be able to continue with my xanga blogs, or create a new blogger.

     Cheers to a new semester, and a new kind of class!

Michael