Introduction

Hello everyone! 

We are the Teachleaders' Group, and our members are: 

• Amelia Avilés Carrión.

• Andrea Bermúdez Sánchez.

• Laura Clemente Sánchez.

• Noelia Clemente Tolinos.

• Verónica Costa González.

• Nerea García Barceló.

• Gloria García Hortelano.

We are one of the groups in School Organization and Educational Resources. We named our group "The Teachleaders"  because we think that teachers are one of the main keys to motivate the children.

We cannot summarize all the moments that we have lived, but if we had to choose, they would be:

1- The first class presentation, the TPACK. We were very worried because we did not know how would it be, so we were very nervous.

2- The first time we met each other for making the first activity. We were very nervous because we didn't know exactly how to make the first activity. It wasn't the best moment for us at that time but now when we think about it  it makes us laugh.

3- Other one was the presentations in the class about a topic of primary education, when we felt like real teachers.

4- We have learned how is the Spanish Educational System in a different way thanks to "The Game".

5- Another good moment was the day of the Game. The didn't win anything but it was a great experience and a different way for learning things about the subject.

6- We had funny moments recording the advertisement for "The Dark Side of Textsbooks". For example, when we had to run in the playground as children, and for real, we were in the gate of the university. People looked at us as if we were crazy.

7- We enjoyed so much  Londones' visit. She showed us a completely amazing and different way of teaching children.

8- Also, we already know how to use a lot of web tools that we wouldn't have imagined that we would use, although in some tools, we have been working a lot for understanding them.

9- Moreover, other thing that we liked was the day in which our partners "do not wanted" to work with the rest of group, and later we figured out that they had to do that because Linda said them whatt kind of leadership they had to be.

10- In conclusion, all the times that we have had to met for making the activities because although we had to work we always managed to spend a good time all together and it is very important, "having fun" with your partners while you do what you have to do, work.

Here you can see our important URLs:

-Blog: THE TEACHLEADERS 
http://theteachleaderssoyer.blogspot.com.es/

-YouTube Channel: Teachleaders SOyER https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyXxFLeuqpJ8MHEcO3ZAX9Q

-Twitter Account: @teachleaders
https://twitter.com/teachleaders

First Activity: TPACK

We have chosen this activity fot the final portfolio because we think tha the TPACK is the base for being a good teacher.

Our teacher proposed us to read some documents about the TPACK Framework and later try 

to illustrate it in a poster. In this poster the three main components of this model (Content, Pedagogy and Technology ) were illustrated and also the connections between them.

Our final poster was this:

What have we learnt doing this activity, is that TPACK is very important when teaching. By putting into practice the three main parts of this model you can gather the main characteristic of a good teacher. With technology knowledge you can use different tools and applications and discover a new way to teach, with pedagogical knowledge you can learn how to treat with your students to make the educative process more effective, and through content knowledge, teachers can know all the content that is in their subject matter.

We have also learnt to work in group while doing this activity because we had to make some decisions about how to make a poster where we had to reflect the TPACK model.

The five more important concepts that we have considered are:

1. Content knowledge: Content Knowledge is knowledge about the actual subject matter that is to be learned or taught. The content to be covered in high school social studies or algebra is very different from the content to be covered in a graduate course on computer science or art history. Clearly, teachers must know and understand the subjects they teach, including: knowledge of central facts, concepts, theories and procedures within a given field; knowledge of explanatory frameworks that organize and connect ideas; and knowledge of the rules of evidence and proof. 

Shulman, 1986,Content knowledge-by Matthew Koehler, retrieved from http://mkoehler.educ.msu.edu/tpack/pedagogical-knowledge-pk/

2. Pedagogical knowledge: Pedagogical Knowledge is deep knowledge about the processes and practices or methods of teaching and learning and how it encompasses (among other things) overall educational purposes, values and aims. This is a generic form of knowledge that is involved in all issues of student learning, classroom management, lesson plan development and implementation, and student evaluation. It includes knowledge about techniques or methods to be used in the classroom; the nature of the target audience; and strategies for evaluating student understanding. 

 Shulman, 1986,Pedagogical knowledge-by Matthew Koehler, retrieved from http://mkoehler.educ.msu.edu/tpack/pedagogical-knowledge-pk/

3. Technology knowledge: Technology knowledge is knowledge about standard technologies such as books and chalk and blackboard, as well as more advanced technologies such as the Internet and digital video. This would involve the skills required to operate particular technologies. In the case of digital technologies this would include knowledge of operating systems, and computer hardware, as well as the ability to use standard set of software tools such as word processors, spreadsheets, browsers, email etc. TK would include knowledge of how to install and remove peripheral devices, install and remove software programs, create and archive documents. Most standard technology workshops and tutorials tend to focus on the acquisition of such skills. 

Shulman,1986,Technology knowledge-by Matthew Koehler, retrieved from http://mkoehler.educ.msu.edu/tpack/pedagogical-knowledge-pk/

4. Pedagogical content knowledge: This knowledge includes knowing what teaching approaches fit the content, and likewise, knowing how elements of the content can be arranged for better teaching. This knowledge is different from the knowledge of a disciplinary expert and also from the general pedagogical knowledge shared by teachers across disciplines. PCK is concerned with the representation and formulation of concepts, pedagogical techniques, knowledge of what makes concepts difficult or easy to learn, knowledge of students’ prior knowledge and theories of epistemology. It also involves knowledge of teaching strategies that incorporate appropriate conceptual representations, to address learner difficulties and misconceptions and foster meaningful understanding. It also includes knowledge of what the students bring to the learning situation, knowledge that might be either facilitative or dysfunctional for the particular learning task at hand. This knowledge of students includes their strategies, prior conceptions (both “naïve” and instructionally produced); misconceptions students are likely to have about a particular domain and potential misapplications of prior knowledge.

Shulman,1986, Pedagogical content knowledge-by Matthew Koehler, retrieved from http://mkoehler.educ.msu.edu/tpack/pedagogical-knowledge-pk/

5. TPACK: The TPACK framework argues that effective technology integration for teaching specific content or subject matter requires understanding and negotiating the relationships between these three components: Technology, Pedagogy, and Content. A teacher capable of negotiating these relationships represents a form of expertise different from, and (perhaps) broader than, the knowledge of a disciplinary expert (say a scientist or a musician or sociologist), a technology expert (a computer engineer) or an expert at teaching/pedagogy (an experienced educator). (Archambault & Crippen, 2009).

(Archambault & Crippen, 2009, Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge ,retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_Pedagogical_Content_Knowledge).

We think that as a group we deserve an 8 because our final result was more or less what we had waited for, although always can be better, so an eight it’s ok.

Individually, we think we deserve the following grades (from 1 to 10):

-Amelia Avilés Carrión: 8, because she always had the initiative to start the work and to create the blog (because this activity was one of the first developed).

-Andrea Bermúdez Sánchez: 7, because she has done what was necessary to do and also she contributed several ideas.

-Laura Clemente Sánchez: 7, because she helped was what necessary, she was always disposed to work! 

-Noelia Clemente Tolinos: 7, because,as same as Laura, was always offering help.

-Verónica Costa González: 7 because she always motívate us becaus she gave the positive part of the work. 

-Nerea García Barceló: 7, because, despite of the fact that she entered in the group later she adapted very well and always contributed positively with the rest of the members of the group.

-Gloria García Hortelano: 7, because she always did her work correctly and was the creativity soul of the group.

Second Activity: The Geoprojections

The geoprojections is one of the activities that we have chosen as the best of the course, because we have seen the different distortions and the different problems that we have exposed to.

In this activity what we did it, was make a presentation comparing the different map projections thus we could realize the big different between them. So, first of all we had to study the differentces between the three different geoprojections for comparing it.

With the help of Linda we coul do the comparison perfectly, because she offered us a table with different questions that we have to complete about the geoprojections, so thus it was easier because we already knew what we had to focus on.

Then, we have to chose two different countries and compare them with the different map projections to see the differences between them.

Once we examined the different geoprojections we decided that the best geoprojection to be learnt in class will be the Mercator projection because was the less distorted.

In this activity the roles of the members of the group were: Translator, by Andrea Bermúdez; Star I and II, by Noelia Clemente and Verónica Costa; Analyst, by Amelia Avilés; Facilitator, by Gloria García; Journalist, by Nerea García; and Curator-Farmer, by Laura Clemente.

The more important thing that we have learnt with this activity is that the media or the same teachers can determine or distort the vision of students and we could mitigate the effects of this resource with the explanation by the teachers or by the media about the things as they really are, and educating better to the children for they have their own judgment, because we cannot change some distortion in the real life, so the children and the people must to learnt that the things we learn maybe there are not like we think there are.

The most important concepts about this activity we think that are:

1. Map projection: A map projection is a representation of the Earth that can transform its surface, latitude, longitude or location, depending of the projection that we use. It is necessary to create maps. All map projections distort the surface in some fashion. Depending of the map projection, we can see a distortion or another. However, map projection refers to a cartographic projection.

Map projection, (2014, April 18) In wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Map_projection

2. Treasure hunt: "Treasure hunt" is a game (in this case for children of primary education) that consists in find some articles, locations, places or whatever hidden using clues. In addition, we can talk about “Scavenger Hunt” that is a game in which the organizers prepare a list defining specific items and the participants have to seek to gather all items on the list.

Treasure hunt, (2007, April 10) In wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_hunt_(game)

3. Azimuthal projection:The azimuthal projection is a map projection, which the main feature of this projection is that, depending from you look at the Earth, the distortion will be different. All points on the map are at proportionately correct distances from the center point, from which you look the map.

Azimuthal projection, (2013, December 22) In wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azimuthal_equidistant_projection

4. Mercator projection: The Mercator projection is the cartographic projection that we use at schools for learning geography. This projection distorts the size and shape of large objects and as we move from Ecuador to Poles, the distortion is greater. It converts the round surfaces in plane surfaces.

Mercator projection, (2014, Junio 1) In wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercator_projection

5. Robinson projection: Robinson created this map projection to show the world in a plane surface. There is a big distortion close to the poles. The range of acceptable distortion in this map is usually 45 degrees from north to south. In this map, we also can see that Ecuador is not in the center of the map, as it should be.

Robinson projection, (2014, March 28) In wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robinson_projection

Once seem all the work and all the effort that we put in this activity, we think that we deserve a 9, because we put a lot of time doing this activity all together and the result was very good, because at the beginning we do not understand anything about the geoprojection and we thought that we would not know how to do it, but finally all the efforts had their reward and we could do the entire activity in a good way.

And individually, we think that all of us deserve a 8, because all the member work very well and did the task that the facilitator said to each one. So all together manage a good activity and all with the help of all could present a good work.

Third Activity: The Dark Side of Textbooks

From our point of view, one of the best activities that we have done during this course in School Organization and Educational Resources and one that has opened our eyes has been the activity named “The dark side of textbooks”.

Basically, the task that we were supposed to do was making a presentation against the use of textbooks as basic resources in a classroom. And for doing it we had to decide which format we will use, we could choose a comic, an infographic, a fable, a twitter timeline or a series of TV advertisements. At the end, our group decided to make the presentation creating three different TV advertisements.
 

In order to make this activity we had to read a lot of information for having our ideas clear and for thinking in an appropriate way what we were going to say against the use of textbooks. After reading everything we thought in three different ideas for making the three advertisements. 

Here you can see the final result of our TV advertisements: 

 

As in every activity that we have done all the members of the group had a different role; Amelia was the first star, Andrea was the Facilitator, Noelia was the analyst, Laura was the journalist, Verónica was the translator, Nerea was curator-farmer and Gloria was the second star. 

Basically, what we have learnt with this activity is that textbooks are just tools that can help the teachers during their processes of teaching and also, the students when they have to study or when they didn’t understand something in class. But, it doesn’t mean that these have to be used at every moment, these are just supporting tools and teachers have to consider other resources for their classrooms. As future teachers we don’t want to limit ourselves to read the textbooks so, we have to be up-dated and know all the resources that are available for us. It will make our teaching classes more fun for our students and they won’t be so repetitious and bored. 

Here we are posting the more important concepts of this activity from our point of view:

1. Textbook: A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions. Although most textbooks are only published in printed format, many are now available as online electronic books.

Textbook. (2014, April 30). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:09, June 1, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Textbook&oldid=606508511

2. Publishing: Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature, music, or information, the activity of making information available to the general public. In some cases, authors may be their own publishers, meaning: originators and developers of content also provide media to deliver and display the content for the same.

Publishing. (2014, June 1). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:09, June 1, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Publishing&oldid=611001298

3. Advertising: Advertising or advertizing in business is a form of marketing communication used to encourage, persuade, or manipulate an audience (viewers, readers or listeners; sometimes a specific group) to take or continue to take some action. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common. This type of work belongs to a category called affective labor.

Advertising. (2014, May 28). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:10, June 1, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Advertising&oldid=610513533

4. Government: the system or form by which a community is ruled.

Government. In Wordreference, Online Language Dictionaries. Retrieved 19:50, June 1, 2014, from http://www.wordreference.com/definition/government 

5. De-professionalization: It is a process in which the range and professional competence are disqualified. It aims to gradually reduce and eliminate the quality and qualities that characterize a professional training and career university. De-professionalization provokes teachers to lose autonomy and creativity. In addition, this leads to a didactic immobility.

Give me 7 (Monday, 17 March 2014). I am the translator in "The Dark Side of Textbooks", from http://giveme7blog.blogspot.com.es/search/label/4.The%20Dark%20Side%20of%20Textbooks

About this activity, as a group we think that we deserve a 9 because, as we think, we put a lot of time, effort and dedication in making videos; making sure that everything was fine, even the smallest detail. And the final result of the advertisement was great and our partners enjoyed them as much as we did.

Individually, we think we deserve the following grades (from 1 to 10):

-Amelia Avilés Carrión: 8, because apart from the work that we have done all together she has worked at home by herself editing the videos.

-Andrea Bermúdez Sánchez: 7, because she has done what was necessary to do and also she contributed several ideas.

-Laura Clemente Sánchez: 7, because she is always available for work and gives her best.

-Noelia Clemente Tolinos: 8, because she has drawn a part that was necessary for the advertisements and also gave a lot of good ideas.

-Verónica Costa González: 7, because she recorded her-self at home and has given a lot of ideas to the group.

-Nerea García Barceló: 7, because she always does what she is supposed to do and has contributed many good ideas as the rest of the group.

-Gloria García Hortelano: 8, because she has worked very hard and also had to work at home editing a video.

Curation

Extras: Questions

- What we remember the most is…

When we had to do the activity about the dark side of textbooks because it was the funniest and it was an activity where we learnt and, at the same time, we enjoyed doing it.

- The hardest thing has been…

When we had to do the first projects of the subject. Because we didn’t know how to start, how we had to do the work or do the presentation and we were a bit lost. But finally, we understood how work together and how organize us for doing it in the best way.

- The easiest thing has been…

We think that all that we have done during this subject hasn’t been easy. Because almost all the activities done were new for us and we have never worked in the way that we had to do it.

- The funny thing was…

When we did the videos for doing the advertisements about the dark side of textbooks. We passed good moments when we had to record us and it was a funny way of teaching us another way of see the textbooks.

- The most boring has been…

We think that the most boring thing is when we have to learn how to use the new programmes that we have never seen before. For example, “Pinterest”, “Pearltrees”, “Slides Share” or “Moovly”.

- Something that will be useful for sure…

Although at the beginning, it was a bit boring to learn how to use all the new programmes, we think that they are very useful for our future projects.

- What we will no longer us… 

We think that all the things that we have worked on this subject can have an utility for the future, because we have known different programs and different topics in a interesting way and in a way that we can applied it in the real life, not only for the subject.

- The activity where we have learned the most has been...

We think that the activity that we have learnt the most is the activity about the TPACK. Because we had to do our own project about it and then we had to see all the presentations of the other groups. So, finally we learnt very well what the TPACK is.

- What we should improve in our work for other courses is… 

The next courses we should improve the communication among the members of the group, because somentimes we have had problems with it, for example: someone did not answer to WhatsApp, someone had not understood what we had to do, etc.

- What we need to keep for other course is... 

The ability of knowing how to work in group and do the projects as better as we can.

- If we pass it is because... 

Because we have made an effort and we have worked hard on this subject for doing our work well and, at the same time, we have tried to learn about what we had working.

- If we fall it is because...

We hope that we don’t fall it because we have been working on it and we think that if we have worked hard there is no reason to fall it.

Extras: Pictures

Here, you can see all the pictures about some moments in class and some preparing the activities.

As you see, this subject has been a really good experience for us and fun, through which we have learned new things in a different way to what we were accustomed.