About Me!

Hello! 

My name is Courtney Kasinger. Pictured above you will see some of the most important parts of my life. I love spending time with my family. I am a recent graduate of Jacksonville State University with my Bachelor's degree in Social Work. 


A digital collage can be a very useful tool in the classroom. Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences suggests that there are different types of learners in a classroom. It is the duty of teachers to make sure that all types of learners are represented in our lesson plans. A digital collage is helpful for students who are visual learners because it allows them to be presented information in a manner that isn't through lecture. I love that music and audio can be added to some of these collages as well because it helps keep the students attention on the collage and it allows musical learners to be included. The collages can be used in a variety of ways as instruction or as an assignment. For instance, we are doing a collage to introduce ourselves. This gives students who are interpersonal learners a chance to connect with fellow classmates. I also feel that digital collages could be a great way to introduce information to ESL learners. For example, having words or titles next to pictures helps students learn to correlate the pictures with the words.


I would love to one day work in a one-to-one school so I could effectively utilize technology in my future classroom by using applications like Nearpod, Prezi, and Kahoot. Currently, I enjoy using technology to share images with family and friends that I am unable to see on a daily. In the future, I hope to utilize technology in my classroom by using my professional Twitter account to share assignments with my students' parents and to post updates on what my students are currently working on. It is also a good idea to post helpful readings or links to helpful websites that the parents can use for learning in the home. I also plan on utilizing email to keep in contact with the students' parents. Video chats are also useful for parents with busy schedules, this way they have the opportunity to talk face-to-face with their child's teacher.


I aspire to be an elementary school teacher and would one day hope to combine my love for teaching and social work to become a school counselor.

Plagiarism and Ethics Module: Part 2- 21st Century Tools

Nearpod is a great digital tool that allows educators to engage with their students online in a safe and efficient way.


One of the great things about Nearpod, is that it can be accessed by both teachers and students simultaneously. While in the classroom, students can use the following link: https://nearpod.com/student/ to access the online classroom. When students visit the link, they are prompted to enter their classroom code. Once students have entered, teachers are able to view all of the students' work and receive an alert when students exit the application. This allows teachers to ensure that all students are remaining focused on the assignment.


Nearpod also makes learning fun and interactive. Students can take part in virtual field trips and see models close up. Teachers can make slideshow presentations with links to videos as well as educational games that help gauge and support learning. This website allows teachers to create quizzes and polls to check their students' understanding of the material. Teachers can ensure the class is ready to move on to the next assignment by evaluating their scores on quizzes made through Nearpod.


Instead of a simple presentation on one screen, this application allows students to have the presentation on their own device as well. Once students are entered into the lesson, the teachers device will notify them of how many students are following the presentation. If a student decides to back out of the lesson and visit another website, the teacher's device will be notified.


Nearpod is a very basic website. Teachers will put the URL up on the board as well as the specific code for their presentation. Very limited knowledge is needed for this tool to be successful in a classroom making it perfect for students that are beginners to using technology. Once the students are entered into the presentation, the teacher will control the presentation from their device. This allows the teacher to go as fast or as slow as they desire. The teacher can also determine how extensive the presentation is. For example, if this is the first time using Nearpod in the classroom, the teacher will need to give instructions on how to click on links, explore models, etc.


Nearpod aligns with the Grade 5 Alabama Digital Literacy Standards number 20: Collaborate locally and globally using online digital tools under teacher supervision. Nearpod allows students and teachers to simultaneously use the same application to communicate information while also allowing teachers the opportunity to oversee student responses and interactions with the site.


I discovered this tool through a recommendation from a colleague.


For more information on how to use Nearpod, click the following link:
https://nearpod.com/how-it-works/

Plagiarism and Ethics Presentation

Plagiarism and Ethics Group Presentation