In doing research for my broadcast presentation on The Case for the Virtual Classroom, I stumbled upon this site:
http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2010/05/100-inspiring-ways-to-use-social-media-in-the-classroom/
100 ways to use social media in the classroom. I find it so interesting that teachers are using these social media sites as a way to present and interpret information in the classroom. Why not let students use technology that they are so in tune with? It enables the teacher and the students to focus on the content rather than the mechanics of learning new technology. It also teaches the students to use social media sites more responsibly and constructively rather than using them to stalk their virtual friends or use the sites as an emotional vent.
Although I'm sure there are some downsides to using social media sites, such as credibility of information, and age-appropriateness, I think that if the teacher is doing her job and spending adequate preparation time with her lessons, she can find a way around these things and use the sites to make a very compelling lesson. That is, of course, provided that the school removes the firewall feature that blocks most of these sites...
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Tech Blog: Text Relief
On campus today a group of Japanese foreign exchange students handed me a slip of paper asking for donations to aid the earthquake and tsunami victims in their home country. To donate, one must text a number and then $10 would be donated to the Red Cross. I was skeptical at first, but after looking it up on the Red Cross's website, it checked out. It works by charging $10 to your wireless carrier, which then donates the money to the Red Cross.
There was also a text donation service for the victims in Haiti and so far over $22 million has been raised through the Red Cross. I found this new way of getting aid to victims of natural disasters very interesting and it seems to be a very effective way of using technology to give help to those who need it.
http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_nolnav_text2help
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/technology/2010/01/haiti_text_90999_american_red.html
There was also a text donation service for the victims in Haiti and so far over $22 million has been raised through the Red Cross. I found this new way of getting aid to victims of natural disasters very interesting and it seems to be a very effective way of using technology to give help to those who need it.
http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_nolnav_text2help
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/technology/2010/01/haiti_text_90999_american_red.html
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Tech Blog: A Touch of Technology
For my blog this week, I read an article about a school in South Dakota in which students in elementary classrooms use an iPod Touch as part of the educational process.
The article detalied how they used the iPod to first read a story, then wrote a summary, drew a picture, and then turned those into a podcast, all on the device. These are things that normally happen in an elementary classroom, but I think it is amazing that the students are able to do these mundane things in a way that makes it exciting, easy, and fun.
The kids interviewed in the article love using the iPods, and the teachers had nothing but rave reviews, but I see some problems with using this technology in every subject.
First of all, one of the teachers says that the iPods help first graders with handwriting skills. I would have to object and say that it does not adequately prepare children for writing properly. Using their fingers to write on a tiny iPod screen, while helping with fine motor skills, does not show first graders how to hold a pencil or use their hand to write.
Secondly, one of the students says "you can search anything you want". I, personally, would not want my child being able to have free reign of the internet, even if it is on an iPod. As an elementary education major, I feel that it is the teacher's responsibility to find appropriate sites that can enhance learning. Letting children, especially first graders, search for whatever they want does not sound like a good idea to me.
Another objection I have is that the students are using the iPods as personal dictionaries. If they can't figure out how to spell a word, they type it into their iPod and it corrects the word for them. Learning to sound out words and develop phonemic awareness is critical for students if they will ever be able to write and spell properly in the future. Giving them the easy way out is not benefiting them whatsoever.
So, even though I am a fan of incorporating technology into the classroom, I'm not sure this school is doing it in a way that will best help the students.
http://www.keloland.com/News/NewsDetail6373.cfm?Id=111852
The article detalied how they used the iPod to first read a story, then wrote a summary, drew a picture, and then turned those into a podcast, all on the device. These are things that normally happen in an elementary classroom, but I think it is amazing that the students are able to do these mundane things in a way that makes it exciting, easy, and fun.
The kids interviewed in the article love using the iPods, and the teachers had nothing but rave reviews, but I see some problems with using this technology in every subject.
First of all, one of the teachers says that the iPods help first graders with handwriting skills. I would have to object and say that it does not adequately prepare children for writing properly. Using their fingers to write on a tiny iPod screen, while helping with fine motor skills, does not show first graders how to hold a pencil or use their hand to write.
Secondly, one of the students says "you can search anything you want". I, personally, would not want my child being able to have free reign of the internet, even if it is on an iPod. As an elementary education major, I feel that it is the teacher's responsibility to find appropriate sites that can enhance learning. Letting children, especially first graders, search for whatever they want does not sound like a good idea to me.
Another objection I have is that the students are using the iPods as personal dictionaries. If they can't figure out how to spell a word, they type it into their iPod and it corrects the word for them. Learning to sound out words and develop phonemic awareness is critical for students if they will ever be able to write and spell properly in the future. Giving them the easy way out is not benefiting them whatsoever.
So, even though I am a fan of incorporating technology into the classroom, I'm not sure this school is doing it in a way that will best help the students.
http://www.keloland.com/News/NewsDetail6373.cfm?Id=111852
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