"How to Use New-Media Tools in Your Classroom"

Based on Web Blog by Amy Erin Borovoy on 5/26/2009.

There are 7 video blogs presented about how teachers can use various technologies in their classrooms.  The Wii presentation video blog by David Brantley caught my eye because I wanted to see how this game could be used on a frequent basis as a learning tool.  I learned that Wii does allow you to both get internet access and there is an application for checking weather. Also, I learned that Wii will allow you to scan a global view of the world while checking for weather.  I think this is a great classroom tool to learn about the weather patterns of different parts of the world.  Another video blog by Jim Moulton was about the use of GPS in the classroom and the instructor says that GPS is to be used by students while doing work outside of the classroom to help identify landmarks for later reference.  I thought all 7 videos were interesting, and I think it is important for instructors to understand the limits and uses of technology in the classroom.  I think the example of how to use GPS in the perfect example.  It is a great technology, but is not really a tool to be used by students inside a classroom.  Now the Wii game system does have some practical applications for use in the classroom and can even be used for presenting videos off the internet.  I was a little leery of how the Wii game system could be used for practical applications in the classroom, but I have changed my mind after viewing this video blog.

Borovoy, A. (2009, May 26) How to Use New-Media Tools in Your Classroom.  [Web Log Message] Retrieved on http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-new-media-classroom-tips-video?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Goggle plus or minus?

Based on web blog by Audrey Walters written on July 26, 2011.

After recently learning about Google Plus, I thought this article about the Google hangouts provided with Google Plus was an interesting topic to learn more about. This article begins by emphasizing how the privacy options of Google Plus may be better suited for educators over other well established social networks of Facebook or Twitter.   It appears that Google Plus would support this by separating your group of students into its own network circle of friends.  In addition, Google hangout service allows up to 10 people to participate in a video chat, which is provided after downloading this free browser add on through Google Plus.  Comparisons to Skype are made, which appears to be similar to how this free hangout service can applied to educational situations.  I think this is a great social networking idea as you combine the services provided with Skype with the social networking aspects of Facebook and Twitter.  I can see the potential for having multiple services offered through one website, which I like this idea very much.  I have enjoyed using Google reader very much and now I hope to add Google plus to my list of Google websites I enjoy.  I was planning on getting into Skype more, but I think this website will provide me with one less website to reference for my technology needs.

Walters, A. (2011, July 26) How are Educators Using Google Plus Hangouts? [Web Log Message] Retrieved from http://mindshift.kqed.org/2011/07/how-are-educators-using-google-plus-hangouts/

"How To Use Google Plus"

Based on web blog by Dan Rowinski written on June 29, 2011.

I had a friend of mine recently invited me to Google Plus, so I thought this article was an interesting read, so I could evaluate whether this would be a good option for me.  The part that I like learning about Google Plus is that you are allowed to separate your circle of friends into different categories.   This allows you to make postings and select which circle grouping of friends you want to see your postings.    For instance, you can download your pictures and then select which circle of friends you want to view this picture.  I think this is a great idea because you can separate your work friends from your close family friends.  You can follow friends like you do on Twitter without having them follow your actions online.  This article gives great detail to how Google Plus works with explanations of Google circles and there are three YouTube videos that explain Google circles, hangouts, and sparks.  Hangouts is great because you can talk with video to your select circle of friends you want to invite and Sparks is also great because you get access to news  feeds of topics you may be interested in.  After reviewing this article, I definitely see the advantages of Google Plus over Facebook.  I will give Google Plus a try and I am glad my friend told me about this new social networking website.  I think an instructor could use Google Plus as a educational tool in similar ways you could use Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Skype.  I am not sure on how easy this new website is to navigate, but I will have ask my friend to send me a friend request to check it out.

Rowinski, D. (2011, June 29) How To Use Google Plus. [Web Log Message] Retrieved from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_to_start_with_google_plus.php

"Use Online Video in Your Classroom"

Based on Blog written by Jennifer Hillner, written on 8/31/09

I liked this article as it gives you options to use besides YouTube videos for use in your classroom and it tells you how you can save and download your YouTube videos when your school’s website is blocking access to YouTube.  I think this article provide you with very valuable information on how you can download these online videos.  The biggest benefit to downloading these videos is that if they are removed from YouTube, then you will always have a downloaded video to reference.  If you are a K-12 teacher, YouTube does have its own group and you can always use Teacher Tube to reference for you educational videos.  Copyright and fair use rules do apply, which is mentioned at the end of this blog.  I think videos are a valuable asset to teaching in a traditional and online classroom.  I plan to use online videos to supplement my lesson plans for future classes and I will save this website onto to my social bookmarking website. Respectable websites may be safest avenue to broadcast your videos right from the internet, but I think downloadable videos would be a great alternative, if it allows you to do so.

Hillner, J. (2009) Use Online Video in Your Classroom (Web Blog Message) Retrieved on http://www.edutopia.org/youtube-educational-videos-classroom

"So Delicious: A Must-Use Bookmarking Tool"

Based on Blog by Chris O’Neal written on 4/11/07.

This article explains what Delicious.com is all about.  A scenario is presented where you may have written down an URL website name on a post it note and how you no longer have to do because you are now using Delicious.  The sharing aspects of the Delicious website is explained because you ultimately are saving a name you associate with your saved website link and you can see what other websites people have tagged to the same website you saved.  Also, you can see what other websites are coming up under the same tagged name you wrote down for your saved link.  There is a website link to a YouTube video to explain how to use this social bookmarking website.  Also, you can even subscribe to other people’s bookmarks.  I think this shows you how RSS and social bookmarking technology can be combined.  I think these two technologies need to be explained to students to help them research the World Wide Web better and easier.  I plan to use these technologies myself.

      O’Neal, C. (2007) So Delicious: A Must-Use Bookmarking Tool (Web Log Message) Retrieved on http://www.edutopia.org/so-del-icio-us

"Personal Learning Networks Are Virtual Lockers for Schoolkids"

Based on Blog by Vicki Davis written on 1/7/2009

This article discusses how this teacher’s students are using their iGoogle reader as a personal locker for receiving their news with RSS technology.  These students are receiving their news from students who they have been partnered with other students from other places in the world.  I really liked the name of the teacher’s blog, which is “Cool Cat Teacher”.  A large part of this article discusses how a RSS reader works and how you can get various websites to feed to your reader.  Portaportal was mentioned as a website that teachers can use to direct or restrict their students to areas of the web that they can go to.  I think this would be an excellent avenue to take for high school students and younger students.  I liked reading this article because it summarizes the different readers that out there.  Also, the article talks about the pitfalls to using a reader, which can include getting Facebook notices and the fact that readers will allow students gaming and television feeds as well.  Anyway, I think that readers are great and I really think this form of technology can be used for any subject taught.  I plan on using a reader for many years to come and plan to teach my students how to use this technology.

Davis, V. (2009) Personal Learning Networks Are Virtual Lockers for Schoolkids. (Web log message) Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pln-web-pages

"Ideas for Engaging Reluctant Readers with Technology"

Based on blog question by jnase1 5/20/11 & Replies by Greg Powell, 5/31/11 and Hubert Yee, 6/11/11.

This blog discussion question caught my attention and it was about how to get boys interested in reading with technology. The author’s first thoughts were to find out what the boy interests were and to direct these interests into the using computer technology to read about them. I think you should allow your students to self direct their learning interests and allow them to use online resources to enhance their learning.  I think this could apply to any person, but I could see how younger boys may not have an interest in reading assignment topics assigned to them.  I think instructors should allow their students multiple options when handing out reading assignments and if you are able to let them pick a topic, then by all means do it.  Ebooks come in all topics, so let your students select a book to read or select an online article to read about their favorite hobby or sport.  Some of the suggestions or replies to this question were to have your students create a story with storybird.com or create a podcast to tell a story.  I think using these creative technologies in your classroom can make reading a creative process and interesting at the same time for a reluctant reader.

Powell, G. (2011) Ideas for Engaging Reluctant Readers with Technology (Web blog Message) Retrieved on http://www.edutopia.org/groups/technology-integration-k-5/54549

"Innovations on the cheap- skype office hours"

Based on blog by Whitney Hoffman, 3/2/11

I like to read about the various ways Skype can be used, but I thought this example was very applicable to online classroom environment.  This 7^th grade teacher offers 15 minute study sessions through Skype.  She pretty much offers this session as a mini tutoring session for her students.  Her students' test scores improved after she started offering this service.  I think the author’s point of this blog was to show us how we can use technology to communicate better with your students.  I think Skype is a great option for students to offer office hours for any level of school.  This blogger thinks you could use other forms of technology (online chat, twitter, texting) to assist your students with course questions as well.  I think it is definitely worth a try to see if works for you next class.  I know Skype can be used for many other education reasons, but I believe holding virtual office hours makes accessibility easier for almost all of your students who have online access.

Hoffman, W. (2011) Innovations on the cheap-skype office hours (Web log message) Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/groups/personalized-learning/40907

"Integrating Technology with Limited Resources"

Based on Blog by Mary Beth Hertz , 8/11/10

I thought this blog was interesting as the author tells you some basic ways to integrate technology on a fairly limited budget.   A class website/wiki was mentioned as a portal for your students to access links to websites that support your lesson plans for a topic.  Another option presented was to create storytelling podcasts with an inexpensive microphone to allow students to share short stories with other classmates.  A class can work collectively to create a story with each student rotating in to add to the piece to a story.  Another area I thought was interesting was using voicethread.com to add a recording to a photo to show everyone what kind of project you have been working on.  The last part of this article was useful as it gives you tips on how not only raise money for technology, but also how to possibly get free computers for your classroom.  All this requires is for you to call around to see if a company office is upgrading their computers.  I think that many school districts are strapped for money and having a limited budget does not have to limit your classroom from having some basic computer items.  I believe this article was centered more on younger classrooms, but that does not mean that you can’t be just as creative to integrate technology for older students as well.

Hertz, M. (2010) Integrating Technology with Limited Resources. (Web log message) Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/free-tech-integration-resources

“Debunking those Pesky Classroom Myths”

Based on a Blog by Ben Johnson, 6/29/11

 

Five classroom myths were presented in this blog.  The three myths that I would like to highlight are the ones that I think could apply to online learning.  These were “Teachers know best”, “Students aren’t interested in learning”, and “Students hate school.”   I will cover each myth in order. Teachers can learn from their students and this can be done by having your students provide valuable feedback for a teacher to improve upon.  Surveys are sent out at the end of an online course and I think your student’s feedback should be reviewed closely to make future improvements on a course.  Students can be interested in learning if they are actively engaged.  Teachers should make every attempt to make learning enjoyable for their students.  Not all class work is meant to be fun, but an instructor should try to create assignments that give your student options to choose from.  In my opinion, an educator should make every attempt to include the student’s interests as part of an assignment.  In the information age of the internet, this should not be too hard to accomplish.  If students are engaged in classroom activities that they are interested in, then I think students will no longer hate going to school or at least for that particular class.   The internet can be used as a great resource for learning and I am amazed that my fellow online students are rarely coming up the same online references when working together on a class wiki assignment.  This amazes me, but not when I look at the technology source, the internet, the information is coming from.  I do think that online courses will help more students engage in learning and I think it is the instructor’s responsibility to try to make the learning fun as well.   

Johnson, B. (2011, June 29) Debunking those Pesky Classroom Myths (Web Blog Message), Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/debunking-classroom-myths-ben-johnson?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

“Time Management: Fitting Studying in for a Crammed 24-hr Day” by JaynB

I was curious to read this article based on the title.  I think that both students and teachers are trying to complete schoolwork into shorter amounts of time.  This short article mainly talks about time management tips for the online student.  Some of the excellent tips presented in this article include multi-tasking your schoolwork with your workouts or doing your school work first before doing other activities.  Writing a to-do list was mentioned as means for students to plan ahead for the next day’s activities.  A website http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/ was mentioned in this article which helps students plan ahead for future assignments while completing a writing assignment and I agree that this would be a good resource for college students to have.  Online students definitely need to manage their time well to complete assignments on time and I am learning this from first-hand experience.  24 hours may seem like a lot of time, but spending time with your family can take away a large portion of that time.  Both students and teachers need to manage their time better while doing work in school and any tips that will help is much appreciated.  I don’t think many students realize what kind of time commitment is needed to do an online course and that should be explained by school counselors before a student signs up for an online course.  I believe instructors should help students the best way they can to help them plan ahead for due dates and reminders are a great way to do this for any kind of classroom.

JaynaB (2011, March 3)Time Management: Fitting Studying in for a Crammed 24-hr Day, Retrieved from http://community.elearners.com/all_blogs/academic_advice/b/enrollment_advice/archive/2011/04/16/time-management-fitting-studying-in-for-a-crammed-24-hr-day.aspx

"A Day in the Life of a Connected Classroom"

Based on a Blog by Andrew Marcinek 3/3/11.

I enjoyed reading this blog and it was written by an English professor who incorporates technology throughout his class.  The only piece of paper he hands out is the syllabus in the beginning of class.  I like how he initially uses the analogy of Wikipedia the use of a wiki.  He uses a classroom wiki to organize his classroom activities.  His class has Wi-Fi, so students are able to use their laptops during class and he even tweets during class.  “Information fluency” was the topic mainly covered in this blog and the embedded YouTube video is amazing watch on this topic.  This instructor even tweets and uses Google docs in his class to record the topic at hand.  Also, he also uses Face book to connect his students.  He lets students who do not have a laptop in class share a laptop computer with students that do.  I liked reading this blog as he really is using technology in numerous ways.  I do think that the English subject is one of best classes to incorporate technology because writing can be used with most technologies online.  I am a little taken back by the use of twitter as I do not believe proper sentences are used in this media.  In this context, I do think he is trying to engage his students with the use of twitter, but I think he needs to emphasize proper sentences when using this technology while in class.  I do think technology can be used in the classroom, but I am not totally set on using all these technology forms in a traditional classroom setting.  I can see how blended learning or online courses need to technology to its full advantage and I think this instructor was made to be an online instructor.

Marcinek, A. (2011, March 3) A Day in the Life of a Connected Classroom (Web Log Message). Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/connected-classroom-information-literacy