Is this the end?

Hello TwoTwonians,

How are you? I've got a mix of feelings and my two neurons too 😒😊This is going to be my last post as a student, but I think that it's not going to be the last forever and ever. We have learnt quite about ICT and we are quite happy about that. The radio programme is a new project that we started because of the things that we have learnt. And we want more and more; maybe a news programme, maybe other crazy ideas 😜 (Google Classroom, Edmodo, eTwinning,...who knows?)

It wasn't easy to put the whole subject in a final artifact. First, my left neuron thought about using Genial.ly, but my right neuron disagreed (no surprises, as you can imagine). I suggested Powtoon; we never used it before on this blog and it's an amazing app. Both agreed. The problem was the time, but no pain no gain and we started to work on it.

We used these apps apart form Powtoon:

• Canva: we told you that we love it 💕. It's very easy to use and the results are amazing and it's free! What else do you want?
• Pixabay: the photos and logos are from Pixabay. Remember that it's a good resource when you need photos. 

Final artifact

It hasn't been simple to summarize four months in less than 5 minutes, but we tried it. In this moment, we are wiser about ICT and we are mad about creating new projects with students and enrolling in some courses. I wouldn't say that this is an easy job. No sorry. All the apps that I suggested are easy to use but they consume a lot of time and sometimes you need to watch and read a lot of tutorials to master them. Is it worthy? All my neurons, my creator and myself think that it's more than worthy.

If I have to choose my favourite activity is, without any doubt, the video project. Using the Chroma technique was quite fun, but the outcome was A M A Z I N G.

Maybe I am not the right person to give you any piece of advice, but teaching is one of the most wonderful professions that exist in this world and suggest new things for your students is fun and gratifying. Show them how Chroma works, record them like in a radio programme, search for photos and be legal with the authors, try a new app once a month (my next is going to be StikBot). And overall, don't be lazy. Don't be that teacher that everybody points our like the I-like-the-textbook-and-that's-the-only-thing-that-I'm-going-to-do teacher.

It has been a pleasure 😍

We will keep in touch!

TwoTwo 

Don't be behind the times

Hello again!

I hope you've already started with your content curation tools; I'll tell you a secret, move your ear closer...these tools are addictive. I created another  Pinterest board and it won't be the last time. You will see why I need emojis 😊

My two neurons and I agree that new technologies must be present in our daily lives, but we agree too, that we need to use them with common sense and with a real purpose in our lessons.

It doesn't matter if you are a nostalgic or an expert using PowerPoint, you do know that it's an out-dated platform to make presentations; sorry, I had to say it! Let's see which apps are useful for teachers and why we need to use them.

• Prezi: it appeared years ago, for this reason was a revolution. The movement of the "slides" in the main board is the attractive of this app. For some people, that movement is stressful. My neurons agree. 
• Powtoon: don't expect a slideshow because Powtoon doesn't offer it. It's an app to make videos. It's not an intuitive app, but I love challenges and I created some videos for my presentations. The main problem, or the challenge, is that if you want it to use for presentations, you must  coordinate your voice with the video; it seems easy, but it isn't. Here you have a video that I created for Instituto Cervantes in Manchester when I worked with them as a Spanish teacher. 
• Genial.ly: one of the newest ones. I am learning about it; but until now, I know that: it's got attractive templates for presentations, video presentations, lists, maps and a large etcetera. Add resources, change the interactivity, add your own background... and if you want more, upload your profile to the premium plan and enjoy.

I created a slideshow with Genial.ly. The main topic is food, the lesson will be for 4th graders and it would be in the English lesson. First you need to bear the learning objectives in mind. For me, these are: 

• The students can identify general food and classify it in different groups: diary, spices, fruits, sweets.
• The students can make sentences by their own with picture support.

Second, you need to discover; there are thousand of resources, games and applications that you can find with each topic. I recommend you ESLgames+ and ClassTools: jigsaws, board games, roulette wheel and videos are only some few games that you will find here. 

Third, enjoy and create material that you like it! If you believe in the things that you are doing, your students will love them.

This is my presentation: 

I will be honest; it takes some time to create new materials and to know how to use new applications. We think that when we have a job it's all done. But that is not true. Try new things, explore, take a risk, leave your comfort area. Your students will thank you and you will be happier 😍 (right neuron talking).

Here you have the presentation, the real one! I couldn't assist, then my creator, Soraya, had to do it. Don't be too strict with her, she did her best :-) 

That's all for today!

TwoTwo