Technology Tool 10: Inkscape

About:
     Inkscape is a vector image design program. It can be used to create images using shapes and drawing features.  The images can be skewed, manipulated, and transformed to create an innumerable amount of options. Although the program is a bit advanced for technology users, its application can be transferred over into the education realm nicely for older students who may have more experience with technology.

How This Tool Aligns to UDL Principles:

• It provides multiple means of engagement by facilitating personal coping skills and strategies as the students work to produce their own image.
• It provides multiple means of representation as it allows students to illustrate through multiple media and offers ways of customizing the display of information.
• It provides multiple means of action and expression by using multiple tools for construction and composition when creating individual images. 

Implementation:
     This program can be used for students to be producers of their own work by creating an image portraying what they have learned about a topic.  It is more complex than a simple hand drawing, and allows them to learn about a new program while they work. For example, right now in my classroom we are learning about animals and their habitats.  Instead of having them draw a picture of an animal in its habitat, they could create an image of it on this program.  I personally used this program to create a logo for my blog, and I have included a photo showing my logo within the program.
     Because this program requires some background in technology, I do not think this can be implemented into my preschool classroom.  I think a much simpler image creator, like Microsoft Paint, would suffice and serve the same purpose.

Technology Tool 9: TeacherTube

About:
     TeacherTube is a website geared toward educational videos and audio.  Similar to the popular site YouTube, this website allows other teachers and students to upload their learning resources to the  website for others to use.  Some resources are meant to be shown in the classroom, while others are meant as resources for teachers to learn how to better teach on certain topics.
     It is a collaborative community for teachers as producers and consumers, although I am weary about this website for student use for a few reasons:

1. There is a large amount of ads on the site.
2. Similar to YouTube, you can never be sure what the students may stumble upon.
3. If students upload their own work, it can be seen by anyone, and their personal security could be compromised.

     Below is a photo of a search for preschool appropriate videos.  There are hundreds of resources, so it can be taxing to sort through them without having a definitive topic you are searching for.  The website claims to monitor for offensive comments and commercials, but the amount of ads on the website is a lot, and it can be disruptive to see them all over the site.  I would also be nervous about allowing my students to search for their own videos on this website, due to the uncertainty of the types of ads that may pop up.

How This Tool Aligns to UDL Principles:

• It provides multiple means of engagement by optimizing relevance, value, and authenticity by reinforcing the topic being taught with a video resource.
• It provides multiple means of representation by illustrating through multiple media and by guiding information processing, visualization, and manipulation.
• It provides multiple means of action and expression by using multiple media for communication.  This website offers audio, video, and images as tools for learning.

Implementation:
   This website is an amazing resource for finding videos that you can show in the classroom.  They are mostly created by other teachers, so you can be sure that most videos have excellent content.  I would use this website in my classroom by showing videos previously screened as a supplement to my teaching.  Showing videos is always a great way for me to engage my class and for them to see a different perspective on the topic we are learning about.  Combining audio and visuals is a great way to address different types of learners.

Technology Tool 8: Google Docs

About:
     Google Docs is a collaborative alternative to traditional computer documents.  Google Docs allows multiple people to work together on a document simultaneously.  People working on the document can view who is online working, what they have added to the document, and they can chat with them in a chat box as they collaborate.
     As you can see below, it looks very similar to a traditional Word Document.  It is easy to use and everything is found within the top toolbar.  There is no need to save the document, as it is saved automatically to your Google Drive, which is included as part of your Google account.  The document is secure, and only those with the link and permission to view and/or edit can see the document.
     In addition to Docs, Google offers Sheets (similar to Excel) and Slides (similar to PowerPoint), which are also collaborative methods of presenting information.

How This Tool Aligns to UDL Principles:

• It provides multiple means of engagement by fostering collaboration and community through working with other learners.
• It provides multiple means of representation by offering ways to customize the display of information in their own way within the document elements.
• It provides multiple means of action and expression by supporting planning and strategy development through the collaborative element of working with others to accomplish a goal.

Implementation:
     As a student, I have used this tool as a resource for group work.  It is wonderful because you can work together simultaneously or separately, and everyone (including the instructor) can see what each person has contributed, making grading easy.  This program is very similar to a Word document, but the collaborative opportunities make this program align to UDL Principles.
     Students are able to be producers of their own work by creating a document showing what they know.  They are able to insert images, font art, tables, and graphics to reinforce what they write about.  This may not be the most creative technology tool, but it is a great resource for collaborative work.

Technology Tool 7: PowToon

About:
     PowToon is a website that aids in creating animated videos.  It offers an easy-to-use interface that appeals to technology users of all ages and abilities.  The simple selection tool features different templates you can add into your video, or you can build it from scratch if you'd like.  The layout is very similar to that of Microsoft PowerPoint in that you build the video using slides and then the website links the slides together when the video is played.
     PowToon features a variety of pre-made templates for video intros, specifics, image grids, situations, concepts, calls to action, and outros.  Many of the templates are listed as pro templates, meaning you can only use them if you pay a membership fee to access all content on the site. You can choose to utilize as many as you'd like, but the free version of this program only allows up to five minutes of video time, which would be plenty for a school project. 

How This Tool Aligns to UDL Principles:

• It provides multiple means of engagement by optimizing individual choice and autonomy when students are able to create their own unique animation.
• It provides multiple means of representation by allowing students to illustrate through multiple media.
• It provides multiple means of action and expression by supporting planning and strategic development of their video through the creation process. 

Implementation:
     This website would be such a fun way for students to present the information they have learned.  The students can be producers of their own learning and as the teacher, I would be able to view their learning processes as they create and piece their videos together.  I would utilize this program as a summative assessment, since it can be time consuming to create an animated video.  The students could then show their animations in class for others to see.
     This website is an excellent resource to promote strategic development and planning.  The students must first create an outline of the content they want to include in their video, then they can use the templates to piece together their visuals, and lastly they can add a voiceover to their work to complete it.  The steps involved in mastering this technology tool allow students to progressively monitor their progress and see how it all comes together in the end.

Technology Tool 6: Brainpop

About:
     Brainpop is an interactive website loaded with engaging videos that teach about various elementary topics.  Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts topics are all covered as well as many others.  Tim, Annie and their robot friend Moby take you through the various videos and accompanying quizzes and are essentially Brainpop's mascots.  Brainpop Jr. Is for the younger grades (k-3) and Brainpop is for grades 4 and up.
     This website is also full of age-appropriate online games and even has the capacity for the teacher to set up a class for her students and allows for the teacher to assign quizzes and assignments to them. The quizzes can be created and customized by the teacher or she can choose from quizzes that have been created and posted by other teachers to use freely.  For assignments, the teacher can assign videos for the students to watch and the website will provide notifications to the students that they must be completed.

How This Tool Aligns to UDL Principles:

• It provides multiple means of engagement by optimizing relevance, value, and authenticity in the animated videos of Tim, Annie, and Moby, and provides options for self-assessment when completing the quizzes. 
• It provides multiple means of representation by activating and supplying background knowledge within the animated videos while also highlighting patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships.
• It provides multiple means of action and expression by guiding appropriate goal setting through the assigned quizzes and activities, while also using multiple media to learn about the subject (videos, games, etc.).

Implementation:
     These engaging videos are a favorite for my students.  They absolutely love Tim, Annie, and Moby!  I use the videos as a supplement to what I am teaching and we take the easy quizzes as a class to check for understanding.  The website will read aloud the question and each of the answers as the computer mouse is placed over it, which helps my kids to be able to take the quizzes since they cannot read yet.  The questions really challenge my students and make them think about the video they watched.
     For an older classroom, I would definitely implement the classroom function and assign my students videos and quizzes to be completed either as homework or within the classroom during center rotations.
     I have included a screenshot showing a typical Brainpop Jr. webpage.  It shows the animated video, quizzes, games, and activities related to the video.

Technology Tool 5: GoNoodle

About:
     GoNoodle is a website geared toward getting kids active while they learn both in the classroom and at home.  By creating a free account, you can gain access to hundreds of videos that can be used to promote movement in learning. These videos can be used for brain breaks while also incorporating learning in a fun way.
     Each video on this website incorporates movement in some fashion.  You can filter video searches based on curricular, mindfulness, sensory and motor skills, school life, and movement type, which is helpful for narrowing down which video to show in the classroom.  Curricular searches choose the subject area you want the video to focus on. Mindfulness filters allow you to choose a video based upon behavior you want to focus on, such as stress relief, or confidence building.  The sensory and motor skills search allows you to filter videos on whether you want to focus on movement that targets gross or fine motor skills.  School life filters narrow down videos to those that pertain to school, such as holidays, class routines, and testing videos. You can even choose to search videos based upon the type of movement you are looking for, such as dancing, stretching, workouts, or partner movement.
     This website is an invaluable resource to use for those students who need to get their wiggles out!

How This Tool Aligns to UDL Principles:

• It provides multiple means of engagement by optimizing relevance, value, and authenticity through engaging videos that get students excited about learning. 
• It provides multiple means of representation by promoting understanding across all languages by using movement to explain certain topics. 
• It provides multiple means of action and expression by providing options for physical action in varying the methods for response and navigation with student movement. 

Implementation:
    GoNoodle is a great way to incorporate movement into learning.  It requires virtually no prep as a teacher and it is so easy to access and quickly show to your students.  This website allows students to be consumers of learning as they watch these videos and learn from them, rather than creating their own content as a producer. 
    I would the GoNoodle videos as brain break activities for my young students.  Because my current class is so silly, I do not think I could use these videos as a means for learning because they would definitely be more focused on the movement aspect of these videos rather than the content.  The content would most likely be retained through the remembrance of the catchy songs that are featured on this site, which a great way to learn!
     This screenshot is of a video on the website.  This particular video is about counting to 100.  It features a catchy song and dance moves to accompany the counting rhythm.

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Technology Tool 4: iMovie

About:
iMovie is a video editing software that allows you to piece together pictures and videos to create a movie.  It is equipped with optional transitions and allows you to insert text and special effects into your creation. You can also include audio voiceovers and music files to play in the background of your video.  This is a Mac-only program, but Windows Moviemaker is a very similar program that is available on PC.  iMovie can also be utilized on iPhone and iPad through the use of the mobile app.  Because a lot of schools have iPads available for their students, this would provide a great opportunity to use this software in the classroom.

How This Tool Aligns to UDL Principles:

• It provides multiple means of engagement by promoting expectations that optimize motivation while also optimizing individual choice and autonomy
• It provides multiple means of representation in that students are able to customize the display of information and highlight patterns, critical features, and relationships through the way they present their information on their video
• It provides options for expression and communication by allowing students to use multiple tools available in the program to create their movie.

Implementation:
This software can be used in a variety of ways.  As a teacher, I can allow my students to be the consumer of this technology by creating a video to show to my class that helps them learn about a concept or topic.  My students can also be the producers of this program by creating a video to present what they have learned or how they use what they have learned. Because I teach in a preschool classroom, I feel as though this software may be too advanced for my students to be the producers.  I chose to use this program to create a video of our alphabet song, and included pictures of letters that can be found around our classroom.  I feel as though that is a fun touch for the students to be able to recognize the photos in the video.