Completing the ELMO project

I experienced some difficulty in completing this project because I could not decide what to do for my assignment. I had a lot of ideas and had tried many things with lessons using the ELMO but could not decide which one I liked best. I decided that since my advance students were review Photoshop skills I would use this as the basis of my project. I discovered a website titled “Worth1000” that holds different contest using the Adobe Photoshop application. I used one of their contest ideas to create a project for my students where they will compare and contrast the different outcomes of their projects. This was successful because I was able to demonstrate to my student the importance of making images clear and thinking outside of the box when designing problems happen.

Elmo in the Classroom

I love my Elmo!!! It is so easy to use and now a daily part of my lessons. What I am learning is that I have had apprehensions and fears related to the use of technology. It seems that in the past, my belief was that it would take so much for me learn a new type of software, application, or tool and then try to apply it on a mostly daily basis. The truth is that it may take time to learn the information, but in the long run it makes teaching far more efficient.

While I had some apprehensions about how to arrange the Elmo in the room and seeing how I could shift the classroom to make Elmo more accessible to my desk and computer, I made some decisions. The other teacher in my room had no problems with us locking the visualizer away and replacing it with the Elmo. It has been an easier transition than I thought. Now, I was not able to move my desk and computer closer to Elmo, I just have to use my co-teacher’s cords and move my computer closer to Elmo. It is a small adjustment, but one that is fine with me. I wish I had this last year; then again, I have to wonder would I have used it with the same frequency with which I am using it now? I am using Elmo daily and it seems to be an easier technological tool to use than the visualizer.

2 wikispaces

I actually have two wikispaces. I don't think that this is the best way to use the site, but I need to separate information for instruction and the STEP program. My classroom wiki, includes useful powerpoints, diagrams, notes, poems, and student comments. The hardest thing about the wikispace is adding frequent updates. As a Biology HSA teacher, there really is no room to add to the curriculum and updating the website does require a commitment. In the future, I would like to give my students more control over the website. I know that this will introduce other issues, but I would like to have student moderators.

Finding Elmo

I was very excited to use the ELMO document camera with the microscope. I was able to connect the microscope to the ELMO document camera and display the image in front of the class. This made the activity much more meaningful because I could project an image identical to the image that was viewed by the students. Students are often confused about the image that should be seen when using the microcope. Later, I was able to label and rotate the image, and I eventually included the image in an assessment that I designed for the class.

Using the ELMO

During out work session today we learned about and received Document Camera to use for instruction. The ELMO works similar to the Visualizer, however; it is ten times better.  After familiarizing myself with the machine I began to think of the different ways I could use it in my classroom. I wanted to use it for more than displaying different artwork or demonstrating instruction.  So I showed the ELMO to my students in an art criticism lesson and asked them to help me come up with different uses of the ELMO. My students were very insightful and came up with some great ideas. The one I liked the best was the compare and contrast of specific assignments, which I used in my ELMO project.

Goodbye Visualizers, Hello Elmo!

Throw away those overheads, toss out those visualizers! Make room for the document camera. The document camera is awesome. It’s like an “all in one” gadget! I learned how to us the document camera to display images and documents. I learned how to freeze frame documents so that you can edit using tools such as highlighting, underlining, circling, etc. Did you know that you could also have students do presentations and project them to the screen. There are so many things you can do with the “Elmo”(document camera). I can’t wait to use it in the classroom.

ELMO

I received my ELMO and learned how to effectively set it up and its uses within my classroom. It all is a bit overwhelming and I want to be able to use it right away. However, I have another teacher in my classroom and I don’t know how easy it will be use switch using the visualizer for the Elmo. Because I share my classroom, I am unable to place the Elmo in close proximity to my desk and my computer. The outlets for the computer and Elmo are on the other side of the classroom. This could be a problem as far as an easy transition as to its use within the classroom.

What I love about the Elmo is the ease and simplicity with which I am able to do the same, and more, as the visualizer- without the heavy weight and bulk. It is easier, lighter and does much more than my visualizer. I am able to take pictures and move easily between my computer and camera without many steps. I am also surprised as to the implications that it has for my classroom. I have to admit, I can see myself using this so much more than I use my visualizer. My, I have moved from an overhead projector, to a LCD projector, to a visualizer, to a document camera all within the span of seven years!!! Technology is not slowing down, and I am slowly realizing that I have to catch up to it- it is not going to wait for me to get over my apprehensions or anxieties related to technology.