Exploring Digital Resources

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Kami

Kami is an application that our school utilizes to enhance student learning through annotation. This digital tool is designed to allow our students to edit PDFs or Word Documents. When I assign a Kami assignment to my AP students, they usually must read a document and highlight the important points or vocabulary that they don’t understand. For my Spanish 1 students, I enjoy adding assignments in which they can record themselves reading or record themselves asking questions to their classmates. There are infinite things that students can do when annotating documents such as adding text boxes, shapes, highlights, images, and even coloring. I love being creative with my students’ assignments and try to make them utilize more than two annotation tools.

 

One advantage when using Kami is that it is eco-friendly. I don’t have the need to make copies every single day or worry about wasting paper. One of the disadvantages is that Kami is cloud-based and it requires internet access. During one school day I had a lesson planned for the day using Kami, but our internet decided not to work. I didn’t make any copies, so I had to improvise an assignment. I wish we never had technical problems so I wouldn’t have to worry if I’m going to need paper copies for the day. Overall Kami is a very useful tool that I will continue to utilize in my classroom and I wish to learn more about the collaboration that students can do using this tool.

 

Parent Square

Parent Square is an application that our School District started to use in replacement of Remind 101. This digital tool is used to foster communication between parents and teachers or teachers and students. It is effective because parents receive messages instantly in their emails or phone numbers if they have them registered. Whenever I need to message parents about low grades or upcoming deadlines for grades, I always send messages through Parent Square. I sometimes set up messages to be sent on certain dates or times. I love the fact that it is easy to use and very practical. Whenever my students need help with an assignment and I am out for training, they send me a message, and I automatically receive it in my email. I can easily help them with any doubt, and they have the confidence of reaching out to me. In Parent Square, I also share many important announcements such as school events.

 

There are many advantages to using Parent Square such as increased parent involvement and improved communication. Parent involvement is important because it fosters trust between parents and teachers for the better good of the student. As well as improved communication because it involves parents in their student’s education and school events. I love it when parents thank me for letting them know about their child’s games or music concerts. Students don’t communicate these events as much to the parents. One main disadvantage is that there are technological limitations on the side of the parents. Not all parents have access to smartphones or the internet. I often must call home to those parents that don’t have access to smartphones.

 

Magic School AI

Magic School AI is a technology that helps teachers personalize instructional lesson plans or other materials such as assessments or customization options. This tool powered by Artificial Intelligence, is a time saver and a stress-free ticket. Whenever my students need a reference letter, Magic School automatically writes one for me with the information I give about my students. Magic School AI also helps me with my lesson planning. I give it my TEKS, objectives, lesson days and grade level and automatically gives me ideas of how I can teach a certain chapter. Another thing I love is that it helps me create quizzes. I simply give it my vocabulary or grammar, and it creates the quiz.

 

A great advantage with Magic School AI is that it provides lesson plans that adapt to individual student needs. If I have students that have accommodation, I simply add the information, and it offers tailored guidance and resources to help progress at their pace. One disadvantage is that over dependence on Magic School AI could lead to a decrease in traditional teaching strategies. This is why I always customize the lessons that it gives me, but I keep what I like and add my traditional teaching methods. Magic School AI is very beneficial, but everything has a limit, and we just need to know where to put it. In my case, I always make sure that I have the capability to execute the lessons that it provides me for my Spanish classroom.

 

Blooket

Blooket is an online website that our school utilizes because it offers fun and engaging learning to our students. This online learning platform offers a variety of educational games for our students. I mainly use Blooket as chapter reviews, warm-ups, or exit-tickets. When my students come into the classroom, the first thing they do is check what type of warm-up they have. If they have a Blooket, they automatically search the website and put in the code. They always choose to play “Golf Quest”, but Blooket offers a variety of games such as Battle Royale, Café. Tower Defense, Factory and Crypto. I love that we have access to Blooket games that teachers have created because we don’t have to spend time creating games. I simply look for “Autentico Chapter 3A” and I have about 100 games that I can choose from.

 

One advantage that Blooket has is that it fosters student engagement. My students love the competition that it creates, and it also brings more interest and motivation to their learning. I also like the fact that Blooket gives my students immediate feedback on their scores and progress. One disadvantage with Blooket is that sometimes the system is down or e connectivity problems. I hate it when I have a review with Blooket, and my students can’t complete it because of technical issues. When this happens we usually play a Kahoot, but Blooket is always more engaging for my students. They like competition with their classmates and enjoy seeing their names on the winning board.

 

Light Speed System

Light Speed System is an application that our School District uses to help with classroom management and monitoring. This digital tool is used to help teachers and administrators manage and monitor students’ devices and internet usage. When my students are taking a test, I can easily monitor each computer screen in my laptop. I can see what application they are using and what other tabs they have open. When they are navigating on a website that is not part of their work, I close their tabs from my computers or simply block them from using that specific website. I can also send them a message directly to their computer as a reminder to stay on task. I enjoy freezing their computer screen so I can get their undivided attention.

 

There are many advantages, but the main one is that it helps with classroom management. It helps teachers easily control student devices, limit access to distracting websites, and we can monitor student activity in real time. This is why I enjoy using it in my classroom because it makes my day go by very smoothly, but of course I still walk around the classroom and monitor. One disadvantage is that some students and teachers worry about the level of monitoring and control that Light Speed System provides. This often leads to discussion with my students, but I manage to get them under control since it is for their benefit.