For module 5, one of the tasks was to set up a technology to aid in connecting with students.

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My Growth:

 

At first, I was really interested in using Seesaw, as I saw it as a tool to connect teachers to students, students to students, and parents to students. Unfortunately, During my investigations, I found that Seesaw is not supported by my district. In my search for alternatives, I found Yammer.

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My 21st Century Classroom:

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While I have not used Yammer with students yet, I'm excited about having so many avenues to communicate with students and to give them so many ways to share their voices. Previously with Teams, I felt very restricted because I found that there was not an optimal discussion board. I could communicate in personal messages, on their assignments but there wasn't really a way to share voices together. 

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I look forward to using POLLS, to quickly gather student voices on a topic, and to using PRAISE which is a built-in badge system on Yammer.  

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I am already setting up my Teams to include a Yammer tab, for my classes that will be at Riverside Secondary School next year. 

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Mastery Mindset:

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Once again I went into an assignment thinking that one tool would work for me and came out learning about and loving an entirely different tool. 

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Inquiry / Critical Thinking:

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I see a theme occurring in my portfolio here. Most of the obstacles I faced in this course were barriers by my own mindset or preconceived notions about a tool. While I am excellent at researching and discovering how to use a tool, I need to work on opening my mind to more possibilities and let go of a tool more swiftly if it is not going to work in my situation. 

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