PADLET - A BLANK WALL FOR STUDENTS IDEAS

 

My task was to create a padlet in a group work (3) about a self-chosen topic. My group chose the topic ‘Migration‘. The teacher gave us the possibility to narrow down the topic to a local level, e.g. migration in Turkey, so some of the group members decided to find information for a region, others talked about the topic from a wider angle. Our teacher wanted us to create a KWL chart on our padlet including a list of ‘WHAT WE KNOW, so our basic knowledge about the topic without researching on the internet, ‘WANT TO KNOW‘, at least three questions we ask ourselves in the research process and we assume to answer and ‘WHAT WE LEARNED‘, the answers to our questions after we research on the internet. We were also able to support our topic and the given information with links to other websites, videos, visuals, or other sources we might find helpful in our research process.

The task was easy to understand and padlet is a great and easy manageable tool. It offers great templates to give your padlet a personal touch and gives you the possibility to change the whole set as well as upload your own pictures as a background or as topic support, divide the posts into different colors to connect related information, links and videos are easy to embed, which is great for me because I often struggle to link my sources according to the given instructions if the tool doesn’t show me an easy approach to it. In my opinion, padlet can be used with any age group and it is a great way to gather information about a specific topic especially when it comes to group or classwork.

I'm still in the process of learning how to learn and teach through and with websites and how to use them successfully. The course 'Educational Technologies' showed and shows us that technology should contribute to the lesson, especially because the technology century is growing and growing day by day. Technology shouldn't be seen as a threat or a distraction. We can use it as a support in our learning process to gain new information and to learn how to work with technology. It's important to use websites and tools like Padlet or creating podcasts and blog posts, digital stories, etc. in classes if we want to integrate technology in the right and most successful way.

And even if some people might not want to admit it, technology can make your life easier in many ways.

Here is the link to our padlet, if you would like to have a look: PADLET

Have you used ‚Padlet‘ before?  If yes, what are your thoughts about it? Let me know what you think about the tool in the comments below!

See you soon, 

VENI, VIDI, “WIKI”… ?

My task was to create a film review as a wiki page, including the movies trailer, pictures, overall background information about the film (actors/actresses, director, type of movie, etc.) as well as describing the main features and parts of the storyline (of course without any spoiler, nobody likes them) and lastly general comments and opinions about the acting, the music, the settings, animation, etc. including my opinion if I would recommend the movie or not and if, why. 

The film of my choice is called “Five feet apart”. A love drama about two teenagers, both suffering from cystic fibrosis, damned to stay away from each other at all costs, due to the high infection rate that could cost them their lives but still hit by Cupid’s arrow and madly in love with each other. Fits the sentence: “The heart wants what it wants”, or?

The task was easy to understand and fulfill. The wiki page is easily editable but doesn’t have enough creative features in my opinion (background, more fonts, colors…). For me it wasn’t hard to write the review due to the given example document by the teacher and because opinion-based writing is easier for me than theory-based writing. 

Yes, I would use wikis with my students in the future because of the variety of different theme-based wikis and because it’s an easily understandable tool. For the students, it is good to know how wikis work and if they should consider using information out of wikis or not, and why. 

So if you are interested in more information about my chosen movie, why don’t you take a look at my film review above? 

Let me know in the comment box below if you consider watching the movie after you read my film review or not and why? Or have you maybe seen the movie already? Then share your opinions about it with me in the comments! 

See you soon, 

ONE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

 What are you doing for others? 

My task was to create a 60-second podcast about an inspiring idea to make the world a better place to live in. The content of my podcast deals with the idea of a one-day per week voluntary day, showing examples of how and where to offer a helping hand and the advantages you gain for yourself, thanks to volunteering.

I had fun creating this assignment, even though I struggled to find an idea at first because the idea I chose now was the first one that came to my mind and I thought I had to find something more revolutionary but in the end, I said to myself: “Why it has to be more revolutionary than this?“ Sometimes the little things matter the most and can change the whole day of a person's life. Isn’t that revolutionary enough? Okay, to be honest, we could make it more interesting by saying the voluntary day is regulated through an app that shows anyone who uses the app with (maybe a radius of 10 km) where help is needed (e.g. animal shelter, homeless shelter, children’s home, etc.) so everyone can choose freely where to go and offer a helping hand (but that really didn’t fit into the 60-seconds limit 😋)

I liked the assignment idea a lot and I could see myself using it in my classes and lessons in the future (if I will ever be a teacher, of course). Students can spread their creativity in any direction they want with the help of technical devices and interesting ways to present their ideas and creations (e.g. singing in the podcast or 60-second time limit etc.)

And by saying so: A little creativity kick never hurt nobody right? ;-)

See you soon, 

#podcast #voluntaryday #helpingothers #sharingiscaring #work

 

WHAT IS COMING IS BETTER THAN WHAT IS GONE

 

 21st-Century Learning - What it is about?

Twenty-first-century learning is mostly based on a digital learning terrain. People connect and communicate with other people all around the globe through different kinds of digital devices. Students rely more and more on overall and context-based information from the internet through different kinds of search machines instead of using books for their researches (e.g. Google Scholar). 

They kind of create their own virtual classroom and deliver content with the help of their improving media and computer network skills and expertise. They develop and need more life and career - innovation - and technology skills to use the wide variety of sources hovering on the internet effectively and accurately. It is important to analyze and organize the media sources based on the context you are using them as support. 

Students should get used to being open to new developments and taking good advantage of them, as well as being able to adapt to new developments. This also includes improving multi-tasking and managing self-directed. It is always helpful to look at a problem from more than one angle which improves critical and innovative thinking by creating new approaches. All these skills, strategies, team works, etc. help students to maintain efficiency and network with others because as we all know - we have to prepare ourselves for the occurring real-life challenges of today’s world. 

After all, new ways and techniques of learning how to be successful will never stop arising. 

What are your opinions on this theme? Let us talk about it in the comments! 

See you soon, 

#21stcenturylearning #newpossibilities #digitallearning #communication #skills #network

FIRST BLOG POST

Hello friends!  Welcome to my first blog post! 

My Name is Anna Çavunmirza and I’m currently studying abroad at Marmara University in Istanbul. However, my roots are German. At my home university, I study in the field of Translation and international/intercultural communication but my dream is to be a language teacher for German and English.

Since I’m a little girl, my family visits turkey every year. We spent lovely summer and autumn months in this beautiful country. That’s also where I met my husband and a reason why this blog will be filled with travel -, culture -, food -, etc. inspirations and experiences. After 5 years in a long-distance relationship and many holidays later, I’m pretty sure I can show you some nice spots in turkey as well as other countries or places I visited. I will emigrate next year and turkey will then be my permanent home country, which leads to the question: 

What are you as readers can expect from this blog?

Simply said: my thoughts, feelings, good and critical experiences, travel inspirations, culture shocks, and comparisons, etc. In other words: You will be my travel buddies. 

The rest you will see if you follow this blog ;-)

… So what do I expect from you in return?

Simply that you enjoy scrolling through this blog. Maybe you find yourself smiling while reading some of my experiences or thoughts. Maybe you even encountered a similar situation in life and you agree or disagree with me. Of course, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section under each blog post as well as tips on how to improve my blog post skills or wishes about things and themes you would like me to include in any further blog post. Communication is the key!

So before I bombard you with travel inspirations in the further weeks and months, why do you not tell me what your favorite spot in this world has been so far and why?

Let me know in the comments below and maybe I will find my next travel destination there? ;-)

See you soon, 

#firstblogpost #traveling #holdiday #adventure #inspiration #culture #aboutme