Thing 1: VoiceThread

Here is a a short VoiceThread that I have created to use with students while they work on their Relocation Guides in Social Studies.  We have used these revision techniques before, so this VoiceThread will work well as a reminder.

The VoiceThread program is a neat one, but I'm not sure how often I will use it.  The item I created is useful for students, but we often don't have access to computers.  In terms of actually creating the piece, it was fairly intuitive and simple.  However, one issue I had was having to upload text.  I couldn't find a simple way to create a "slide" with some words on it.  Instead, I had to convert it to a picture (I used PowerPoint) and then upload the image.  A slide functionality would help with the over all creation.  I can see myself using this if I really plan it out and my students have consistent computer access.  Otherwise, I can't see it being overly functional for me.  A flipped-classroom approach could make this tool more useable.

The Introduction

This blog will serve as an organizational tool for the course 11 Things on a Jeepney.  My name is Jeff Phillips, and I am an English and Social Studies teacher in Grade Six at International School Manila.  My wife and I moved here at the beginning of the school year, and we are both very excited to be here.  We haven't traveled extensively yet, but one of our favorite places has to be Legaspi Sunday Market.

I have always had an interest in technology, and since I became a teacher I have looked for ways to integrate tech tools into what I teach.  The most difficult part about integrating technology into the classroom is keeping up with what's new.  From Class Dojo and Edmodo to Explain Everything and Pages, I have tried to incorporate many tools to help students interact with their learning in a way they understand.