Thinglink

Hello all ! I wish you all a peaceful day.I want to start with a question.Can you imagine that your photographs, pictures are speaking or saying you something about them? If you do not meet with the app THINGLINK yet, probably your answer will be No I can't imagine; but do not worry thanks  the thinglink the think you call a product of imagination will become realized.Then let's have a look at what is thinglink and how we can use it:)
                     

First of all thinglink is an application that enables you design your pictures, videos, photograps by adding them links, photos, audios, texts and even urls.You can add your voice records to your visual items.The first thing you should do is to sign in thinglink and create a class for you.Then you can share your invitation code with your students.
     

Here I created my class and requested a code to be able to invite them to my class and see the thinglink products I prepared for them.Then you shoould decide your topics and the materials for teaching this subject via thinglink.

I decided to teach the animals in my thinglink.The first animal I will teach is penguins.I found a photograph of them and wrote a text about the features of the penguins as you can see above.
                   

After typing my text about the penguins I also added the voice of penguins to make my picture like speaking:) When you touch upon the picture, you will see two signs, one of them is for text and the other one is for the audio of the picture.Actually this version of your picture will be more interactive and didactic about itself:)

Why to use it in classroom context?
This tool encourages the student construct knowledge as they create, requiring them reserach for the relevant information with the tag.Thinglink also get the students' attentions and it helps to maintain our lessons in a more interactive, enjoyable, understandable and student centered way actually.
I want to share my thinglink experience with you.

Here is the link of my thinglink product:
https://www.thinglink.com/scene/1317093962065903619

I can say that with this tool you can experience a different perspective of teaching and learning:)
Check my link and let me know about your comments:)
For now that's all.Play the waiting game for my next post.See you soon:) Take care !..

                       

AUGMENTED REALITY

Hello all ! I salute you with much love:) First of all I want to ask a question: What a realistic picture isn't it ? It seems like the giraffe has come alive in our home via our phones:) Even I become excited with this image.Can you imagine how excited our students will become when seeing their teacher brings something like that to the class ? If you imagine and decide that this kind of activity  will make your lessons more understandable, authentic and make the learning of the students easier then let's start to talk about AUGMENTED REALITY:)

Augmented reality is abbreviated as AR and generally said in this way.It is like a combination of our real world with the virtual world via our technological tools like phones, pcs, ipads and etc.In very basic terms, it can be said that with Augmented Reality your pictures, videos, gifs, 3Ds, photographs any visual tool that you seen in leaflet, pamplet etc will become alive.I want to mention about two types of Augmented Reality which are MARKER-BASED and MARKERLESS ones.In marker based augmented reality we are supposed to use kind of pictures, flashcards, photographs that is any kind of visual material.Without using any helping tool like those I have mentioned about  we can not achieve marker-based augmented reality.On the other hand, in markerless augmented reality we don't need to use any kind of tools or images except for our GPS knowledge.With this GPS knowledge of you, it will send some maps or graphics to augment your videos or pictures.

The picture above is an example of marker based augmented reality.As you can see, there is a flashcard about the earth and with the use of AR technology we see the earth not only as a picture but also a visual with the 3D quality.

And the one which you see above is an example for markerless augmented reality.I think you are familiar with the game POKEMON.It is totally benefitted from Augmented Reality  in this game.There is no flascards, pictures or any other tools apart from your phone's GPS knowledge.Actually we are living with AR technology although we are not aware of it.

Why should we use the AR technology ? Let's talk about it:

It will increase our students' attention and interest in the lesson.They will feel themselves like playing a game while learning so the learning process will not be boring or difficult for them.It will increase the critical thinking of the students and thanks to the group projects prepared with AR they will become socially interactive.They will contribute to the lesson and so the lesson will get rid of being a teacher centered one.We will have student centered classes with this technology.

It will also help the students develop themselves in their hobies.They can use AR technology in their daily life, as well.This is not a technology that limited to classrooms.As an example I want to share the picture above with you.If our students are interested in legos for example they can develop this skill seeing the things they achieve.Surely for using this kind of technology you also become a really good teacher for them rather than traditional ones.

Lastly I want to share an example of Augmented Reality prepared with the app called ARIZE.It is a marker based one done with the picture of a flower:) I hope you also love flowers like me;)

Lastly I want to suggest you some platforms that you can benefit from the Augmented Reality technology.These are: HP REVEAL, BLIPPAR, QUIVER, DEVAR, LAYAL, ZAPPAR, UNITEAR, AUGMENT 3D and surely ARIZE.Btw skecthfab is a platform in which you can find materials for your augmented reality activity:) That's all for now:) Let's get involved in this amazing world of technology with AR:) Make me know about your experiences with AR:)

Play the waiting game for the next post.We will talk about another technological tool that I am sure you like it :)Details are in the next post ! See you soon ! Take care...

VIRTUAL REALITY

       

Hello all ! I hope you are all doing fine.As you know, I mentioned the topic of this blog post in the previous one.Today the new technology that we will cover  is VIRTUAL REALITY known as VR technology. Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of computer technology to create a simulated environment. Unlike traditional user interfaces, VR places the user inside an experience. Instead of viewing a screen in front of them, users are immersed and able to interact with 3D worlds. By simulating as many senses as possible, such as vision, hearing, touch, even smell, the computer is transformed into a gatekeeper to this artificial world.As you know we also mentioned about the augmented reality and you can say they resemble to each other.Actually as I said before they are sometimes confused with each other.The main difference between them is that while augmented reality use a screen to be able to augment your tools and you stay away from the virtual environment itself, in virtual reality you can even feel the environment by being in the environment itself.It is like being in the places we want without leaving our homes.While I am sitting in my home I can watch a film at cinema with VR technology.By using some tools like 3D glasses, headsets or any other virtual reality tool you can find yourselves inside of the films for example or you can play tennis with your friend not in the court but in your homes:)
     

 This is a scene from a virtual reality app.You can visit all of these places only using a glass without leaving even the home.I want to mention about the benefits of the Virtual Reality usage in classroom context. Firstly, VR technology in education allows taking a fresh look at educational processes. Virtual reality education apps help identify students’ specific learning needs, make a way of explaining confusing statements easier, enhance students’ engagement.
         

 
    Secondly, VR applications in education can guide students through historical events by traveling in time and space, uncovering the secrets of our future.In European countries there ia a project that allowing the students to visit the Mars with Virtual Reality.Thirdly, With, VR content creation it is possible to visualize what students learn from a different perspective.Tilt Brush allows painting in 3D space with virtual reality as well as sharing creations in animated GIFs.By using VR in education, students can expand their vocational guidance as well as determine their future careers.
     

 Lastly, Virtual reality in school education helps students and teachers overcome time, cities, continents. One can attend any lectures or interesting events in any place on Earth with just a few actions.These days are difficult for us so why do not we benefit from this amazing technology for not losing time lo learn:)
     

        This is scene from the 3D virtual reality glass.
         

 This is a scene from a zoo visit with Virtual Reality.How excellent thing isn't it ? While we are in our homes we can visit even a zoo like the one above:) We can say that Virtual Reality will make our classrooms real classrooms:) For now that's all.See you soon🖤 

SECOND LIFE

Hello all ! I welcome you with a picture from another world :D Actually, it is not another world but it is sure that this world is different from ours.Today I will talk about second life and my second life experience.First of all I want to talk about what second life is.Second Life is an online world in which users create virtual representations of themselves, called avatars, and interact with other avatars, places or objects. 
             

Your avatar can be any character you want.I tried a cat in my second life experience which is above.

Second Life isn't just a fancy chat room but, residents can do much more than communicating with one another. They can contribute to the world around them, creating buildings, objects or even animations. Resident additions to the virtual world are called user-generated content, and this content is one of the factors that makes Second Life such a unique online environment. In Second Life, users can go to social gatherings, live concerts, press conferences and even college classes. They can do a lot of things you can do in real life like buying land, shopping for clothes and gadgets or just visiting with friends. They can also do things that are impossible in the real world  for example avatars can fly or teleport to almost any location. Some users can design short programs, called scripts, which give avatars or objects new abilities, including special animations or the ability to generate copies of other objects.Surely we should have a look at the benefits of the second life in classroom context.It has some benefits for students and their learning processes.Thry can visit other countries without leaving the classroom and learn about other cultures.They can acquire new ways of solving problems – which you are unable to do so in the ‘real world’. They can connect with other online communities, forging new links and friendships.Second life suggests new opportunities for collaboration/social interaction.It helps to create self-paced learning to suit all learning styles.

I want to share a platform with which you can explore the second life. By clicking on this link which is https://secondlife.com you can have a second life experience.You should download the second life viewer and then sign in.In this website you can create and modify your avatar, you can enter the places you choose and design your environment, as well.I tried three different places in my second life experience.The first one I use a cat as my avatar in the home, in the second one you see above I modified a place fitting into the winter and took a photo there.Here is my third second life experience.
                 

Here I am at the square of a city:) What a nice pose isn't it :D After entering the place you can design or do anything you want including being able to fly.
You also can have such an experience.Only clicking the link I mentioned.Let me see your photographs in another world I mean the second life:)

For now that's all.Take care !...
Play the waiting game for the next post...See you soon🖤





                 



             

TPACK AND SAMR MODELS

Helloouu all ! I hope you are super healthy and doing fine.Today I welcome you with a different post.This time instead of technological tools or websites, we will cover the basic principle of using these tools in combination with our content and pedagogical  knowledge. I will mention about two different models of classroom procedure.These caught my attention actually.Because as you know the time is changing and we have to catch up with it.Then let's start learning about these two models:)

  I am gonna start with a venn diagram for the Tpack model which can be seen below.

The first model about which I will tell is the ine called TPACK model.Tpack is an abbreviation for technological pedagogical content knowledge.It is formed with the technology, pedagogy and content knowledge of the teachers and the usage of knowledge in a technology enhanced classrooms.As we know the content knowledge of the teacher is a criterion for describing her or him as a really good one; but what is more important is to be able use this knowledge and transfer this knowledge to our students.Here the Tpack model works.This model emphasizes the ideal overlap of these three parts of being teacher.For example, if we are teachers with enough content knowledge; but if we use the wrong pedagogical techniques there wont be any learning or teaching.Another aspect is that if we use the content and pedogogy knowledge appropriately but if do not catch up with the technology era again no learning will be achieved.Then these three parts are integrated each other and one of them can not be used in place of the others.They should be combined together for being a better teacher actually.I will suggest you a YouTube video to watch for better covering of this model.This video was suggested by my instructor.

Here is the link: 

https://youtu.be/yMQiHJsePOM

Then we can pass the other model of today:) Here I put a a kind of picture describing the SAMR model.

The second model that I will tell about is the one called SAMR model.It tells about the four processes' integration and covering in the lessons.These processes are "Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition."First of all in the substitution part of the model we see that technology is directly substitued for a more traditional one.In the augmentation level we again see that technology is substitued for a more traditional one but with significance to the learner's experience.In the augmentation stage we begin to move from enhancements to transformation of this model.Instead of replacement or enhancement this is an actual change to design the lesson or learning outputs.We ask a question in this stage: Does technology significantly alter the task ?

Then in the last stage which is the redefinition we see that it presents the pinnacle of how technology can transform a student's experience.I also want to share a video with you.You can get the details of SAMR model thanks to this video.

Here is the link:

https://youtu.be/SC5ARwUkVQg

I hope you also like and try to understand the principles of these models as I try to do.There is no doubt that thanks to these kind of models, tools and any other materials that I have mentioned about to you, we will become teachers catching up with the era, which will make us different from others as my instructor always says to us:))

Play the waiting game for the next post...Take care ! :)

Apps for language learning

Hi dear engwithtechno readers.I welcome you with great app suggestions for language learning.We will talk about four great apps today.Let's start !

The first app we will mention is MONDLY.This app is like an online classroom.It has short but frequent lessons.The app combines the augmented reality with chatbot and translation together.With daily lessons, you can cover the new structures and vocabulary of your target language.Also what I liked with this app is that it has a reminder that warns you about the time and topic you want.

The second app is BUSUU.It is a paid langugae learning app that helps you to enhance your speaking skill which is the feature that makes this app unique for me.Thanks to the speech recognition tool of the app, you can both learn the new structures and the speaking part of the target language.It also emphasizes the development of listening skill with listening texts.It works for one language; but if you want to learn more than one language you will have to pay money for that.

The third one is MEMRISE.I can suggest it for the beginners.It has lots of materials like flashcards, texts and activities.It provides us lots of downloadable lessons that can be watched offline.This was the thing I like with it.In the lessons of this app you will be offered lots of translation from the native speaker's sayings.You will see a video edit by a native speaker and you will try to translate his or her sayings with the help og the new vocabulary you have covered in the lesson.This one to one translation makes the learning easier for me.

The last application we will mention is DUOLINGO.It's working principle is kind of modular one.You can determine a target for your weekly learning and then start to learn.In each of the lesson you will see kind of modules as you see above and try to finish each modul to be able to finish the whole lesson.It has lots of repetitions and so learning becomes easier.After completing your modules, you can go on with other lesson and then finish your weekly learning challenge.

 These are my application suggestions for language learning.These work for any language you want to learn not only with English.I have started for the Spanish for example.I am sure your language learning process will become more enjoyable and easier.Do not lose time to go on an try these great apps.You will not need luck in this language learning process thanks yo these great apps but again have o good luck friends:)
    Play the waiting game.See you soon... Take care;)

Mindmeister, Edpuzzle, Nearpod

Hello all ! I hope you are all doing fine in these quarantine days.We hope these days will come to an end in a short time; but until that time let's go on discovering the magnificent world of the language and technology.In this post I will mention about three new apps that I am sure you like.Then let's start !..

The first one is MINDMEISTER.This app allows you to prepare mind maps which enhance the learning of our students.Of course in a lesson we may find some topics diffucult to cover but mindmeister is a professional tool for making this process easier.After having a brainstorming process ,which is the basic principle of the mindmeister, you can start to combine your outputs into meaningful mind maps and then grasb the topic.In terms of making you see the overall topic into a regular and short a kind list, I can say that it is one of my indispensable working and teaching strategies.Here is an example for a product of mindmeister, done for learning the animals in English.

The second app is the one called EDPUZZLE.As we know flipped classrooms are great ways of combining technology into our learning environment which is classroom most of the time.However, there is a problem in the videos prepared for flipped classrooms.Tge problem is that the videosare teacher centered rather than student centered ones.Thanks to the edpuzzle we can create student centered and more interactive videos.With this app we can search for many other flipped videos, create our videos, crop our videos; add quizzes, questions, audio notes and lots of other tools that will make our lessons more interactive.

The last amazing app I will mention today is NEARPOD.We can use Nearpod to support our student's learning in a variety of ways.Thanks to this app we give students opportunities for interaction and immediate feedback by having them draw on a map or diagram, respond to a poll question, post a note or image to a collaboration board, or take a multiple-choice quiz.We can bring the world to our classroom by taking kids on a virtual field trip to a national park or a different country.It helps students review key learning concepts by watching videos, reviewing notes, or taking their own notes.Travelling places while sitting in our learning environment is not a dream thanks to the Nearpod.

 These are my suggestions for a better language learning and surely teaching processes.I benefit from these amazing tools and badly suggest you to benefit from these apps.I guess you have become excited with these new apps, haven't you ?:) Then do not lose time to go on with these apps:)

                       Take care.See you soon:)

Quizlet

Hi friends ! I came back with an amazing technological tool for teaching amd learning called as QUIZLET.It is an app that can be used to prepare study sets and cards for our students.Again you should log in with an email adress.

Then the app will ask you to create a class and to give a name to it.Yiu should also type your school's name.I made a class called as 2/A in Atatürk Ilkokulu.After creating my class,It gives me a link and my students eill be able to participate my class via this link.I put it here for you.You can have a glance in my class.

Joining link for my 2/A class

    Then I started to prepare my studying cards for my students about the ANIMALS.

 Click on the button saying create new study and easily start to prepare yours.I tried to make 2 studies.In your quizlet study, you should choose a term and type a definition or a translation for it.

The app also permits you to add the images of your terms.You should also add sound but this is not supported in the basic membership.

Actually it was the thing I liked so much.You dont have to download any picture because the app already has it.

   When I finished my study, it looked like that picture above.

You can save your study and upload it to your class.You can also share it via the link in the classroom or remind, as well.
  What a nice and useful tool it is:) It was an easy app to use btw:)
   I put my quizlet's link below.Check it and let me know about your comments.Take care😍
Here is the link:
https://quizlet.com/_8bhcsn?x=1jqt&i=2swgx6
   

KAHOOT

Hello friends ! I hope you are all doing fine in your homes.Today the app I want to show you is one of my favorite ones.It is KAHOOT ! We constantly use it in our Lingulstics lesson.It is a quiz app that makes students feel like playing only a game. Firstly let me show you the home page of my Kahoot.

The very first step of you should be signing in the kahoot.It asks you do you want to enroll as student, tracher , socially or for working.I chose to sign in as a teacher.After that you will come across with this page asking you what are you looking for.To play a game or to create:)

In this page you can search for already prepared kahoot games, you can create yours, yiu can participate in a game that you have the code and you can see your own kahoot projects.I prepared one for you.It is a very basic simple past tense game that can be used in pre-lesson stage.

First of all, you write your questions and tyoe the answers for this questions.You can add as many questions as you want.

Then make the correct answer button on in the true answer of your questions.When students click on it they will see whether their answer is true or not.

You can choose the type of of your question.Is it a quiz type or true false one.I prefered to combine bith of them in mine.

After finishing typing your questions, your kahoot game is seen like that.You should become online to play this game because is an interactional one to which many participants can connect at the same time.

When you open your kahoot account to start the game in the class, you will see a code.This is code of your game.Your students will type this code and so the whole class will be able participate in your kahoot game.Actually I think it is a very enjoyable and useful app that makes the learning more permanent and enjoyable.Students write their nicknames and see their scores in the game.In the end the first three students' names are shown on the screen.Imagine! You are examining your students but they do it in a very deligted way.What a nice thing, isn't it ? Thank you Kahoot:)
  Guys, thats all for now.I put my kahoot game's link below.Try it with your friends.Have a good luck:))
  Just click the link and let me know about your scores.Take care😍

https://create.kahoot.it/share/simple-past-tense/0d9308b6-d4d2-4ed2-bca2-68216c95c11f

STORYBIRD

Click the link to reach to my storybird creation which is about the seasons. I called it "Little Jade's Dream"
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pOdVF_vk2Q8nQeowZuEzsu0HGAo-dtjZ/view?usp=drivesdk

  Hello dear engwithtechno readers ! I am back with an amazing app today.I am going to introduce the storybird app.It is an interactive storytelling app which can be used language learning in a very enjoyable way.Lets have a look at the preparation of a storybird.
  Firstly you should have an account in storybird.You will given a cover page that will be your cover of the book.You can choose a picture, a title and writer's name on this cover.

Then you will given a blank page on which you can write your story.In one part you write your text in the other side of the page you put a picture representing your text.I actually wrote a story but in this story my real aim is that teaching the seasons and the months belonging to each season, some information abut the the season.For example, what we wear, do, eat etc...

You can add pages as many as you want.After finishing your story you can publish it in storybird as publisly or privately.I chose the former one:) The experts will control it and they will make comments on your project.

  Then if you look at your profile you can see your published works and can get information about it saying how many views, comments, likes you get.

  You can also share your story's summary and give some information about the kind of the story you wrote.I can say that it made me feel excited because I have a published book now.Can you imagine how happy and proud will be the students when they achieve it ? In terms of motivation and taking attention to the lesson this is an amazing tool.Surely you want to try it.Then do not lose time to go on with yoir own stories via STORYBIRD:)
  Thats all for now guys, see you soon ! I put my link below,too.Check amd enjoy it.Make me know about your comments:) Take care !
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pOdVF_vk2Q8nQeowZuEzsu0HGAo-dtjZ/view?usp=drivesdk

Seesaw

Hello all ! I am fine to came back to see you.I am again here with a great thing for you.Today we will cover about SEESAW.You will remember from my previous posts I introduce the edmodo app which is like an online classroom.Here is the another for you.I started using the seesaw again thanks to my material design lesson.Firstly you should have an account.It will ask you whether you are a teacher, student or a family member.I chose the teacher:)
After I completed my choice and enrolled in I came across with a page asking for my class' name and the grade for it.I chose the 4th grade and call my class as WINNERS.     
         

  It has great functions including" post student work" "assign activity" and "send announcements".It has almost the same things we are subjected to in the class.What a great comfort for teachers and students isn't it?

  For example I sent an announcement to my class.The things I could not cover during the lesson can easily be instructed to my students thanks to the seesaw.I want them to practice the text I gave today:) I hope I will make it really one day:)

  Then I wanted to create an assignment for them.For preparing an activity firstly I click on the button saying assign activity.As you see above you can either benefit from the ready made ones or you can also create activities for your students.I chose the latter:)

 I wrote the instructions for my assignment.I made it clear so that each of my students can understand it easily but it would be a weak one if I only wrote the instructions and did not add any images.Right:)

To make it much more attractive I added a picture about the activity.It will ease my students' work in a great way.After attaching the picture I completed my activity and sent it to the class.I am able to determine a schedule for the activity as well.

  Finally it looks like as the picture above.I am very delighted with managing my class as online.They can reach to me whenever they want and the same is valid for me as well.I can say that it makes our education life much easier than the traditional ways:)
 You can see my activity just clicking on the the link below.I hope you like the seesaw.I liked it very much.
Take care guys.Thats all for now.See you soon:)))
Here is the link for you:)

https://app.seesaw.me/pages/shared_activity?share_token=zfo6j_hYT9yC-2hZJk4VAA&prompt_id=prompt.76c9d737-3807-4053-8f9e-ec2b1f211f3c