The teacher in the classroom had a smart board and allows students to use it for cooperative learning and actively engaging students encouraging participation. Students integrate learning online with collaborative assignments with students from across the world. Teachers could reach out to experts in a particular field and integrated into the classroom. Virtual pen pals could be used to teach students
She posts a daily blog for her classroom so that students are always in touch with what is going on in the classroom. This blog creates an “open classroom” for parents to be involved with what is happening in the classroom. Parents always want open communication with what is going on in the classroom. Students are always in touch with what is going on in classroom. She also posted different assignments online which allows students to always be informed. The blogs were great for recognizing student success. Students are also blogging different current events and sharing views of world outside of the classroom. The students are able to share their perspective in and outside of class. Students are able to be a global citizen. They are writing for an audience outside of the teacher. This process engages the students even more.
The students all had Laptops in the classroom and they were all using them for daily tasks. We were wondering how many computers she really had access to in her classroom. Students having blogs means that students need to have access with computers.
Some things we could have done before technology was sending home assignments to the teacher with assignment notebooks. You could have collaborated with different grade levels or schools across the city. Collaboration is still available. Engagement was still possible and as long as you have an effective classroom management. Journaling could have taken place the online blog about current events.
There were some things that we couldn’t do before. Worldwide collaboration would take too long. Active blogging requires an active blog. The concept of being online is only fifteen years old; the ability to be online is a big change. SMART board and Laptops are new tools. The recognition of others besides the teacher is a big change because you are opening up difference audiences.
There are many things with technology that makes learning better. Technology can help increase engagement and make cooperative learning more easily. The open classroom concept makes things easier there are less trees cut. It’s easier to get on Skype than to jump on a bus and visit a different classroom. Current events are very current and we can know up to the minute when a certain event happened. If we maintain a blog it is easier to communicate with students.
If technology is doing what we already doing what we have been doing we shouldn’t use technology. We need to find a way to integrate technology to make learning better, efficient and easier. You need to find a balance between what technologies is out there and what do you want to do.
We read through the 7 most brilliant and dumb things about the internet. We discussed in a jigsaw and it was a good way to enhance learning by only being knowledgeable about one particular area.
Technology may make it easier to be distracted but students have always been distracted. Boundaries are always important. You should think twice about using personal technology at risk for students to use. Separate your two worlds. If the district gives you a laptop, the district can take it at any time.
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