Glogster

I really liked the idea of Glogster. Having students create virtual posters were they could include videos and sounds with interactivity is a great tool for students. This site is something I would most definitely use in my future classroom. In the English classroom where I will eventually be teaching i could have students create Glogster posters that discuss literature or retell a story in form of a poster. My students could also do posters based on rules of writing. Overall, Glogster seems like a great tool for the classroom and I really love how students can all have accounts on the site and a teacher can keep track of the students unfinished work to monitor their progress.

My Poll

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Second Life

Using Second life in the classroom can be a useful tool for students and teachers alike. With having a virtual world a teacher can conduct a class totally online and have students come on and experience a virtual classroom of sorts. having a classroom online would allow for some of the more shy students to speak the minds by typing when they would not usually talk in class. Not only that but having a virtual classroom gives students an opportunity to interact outside of the classroom which in-turn would allow them to work on group projects and collaborate. Online worlds like Second life do have their problems however. Privacy and security can be a problem with online chat rooms and young children may not be as safe from other people. Using Second Life can be a great tool for the classroom, but in my opinion it is not the best.

The greatest thing I've learned in class.

The best thing that I have learned in my Computers in the Classroom class is the Smartboard and its companion software. Smartboards are truly the future of teaching and with the many features that one can do on it and the ways students can interact with it makes it one of the best learning tools imaginable. I plan on using the software in my future classroom many times and I can only imagine what it will be like in a couple more years the way technology evolves. It's an exciting time to become a teacher and I am glad I can take part of it and use some of the growing technology available for one.

Podcasts!

Podcasts are a rather new thing and a great tool for nearly anyone. Being a future teacher the ideas that can be made from podcasts are amazing. I already envision myself using them in my own future classroom in a variety of ways. First of all I found one named Grammar Girl who does a weekly show on tips about writing. Playing this for my students will give them lessons from another perspective/voice and help me backup my own lesson on writing. Besides using podcasts made from other I could also use my own podcasts in a variety of ways. One idea I have is to have summaries of classes in short 3 minute podcasts for my class can listen to at home to refresh them, help them study, or if absent help them catch up. I could also require for homework for my students to find a podcast they enjoy and write based on it. For example for someone who has a strong interest in music can pick a podcast based on music and then write about it and review it. Podcasts are still relatively new and with video podcasts starting to become popular its an exciting time to become a teacher and benefit from them!

Book Review Grading

With the book review project I think that each of us should be graded independently. Group projects are a really tricky thing and it can sometimes be full of problems due to lack of communion or someone in the group not pulling their own weight. This is why I believe this and all other group projects should be based on each person’s individual work on the project so everyone is treated fairly based on his or her own work and is not dragged down by others. GPAs are very important and it should never ever be harmed by anyone else but ourself.

Thinkfinity and Intel

Using the Thinkfinity Tools or the tools supplies by Intel in the classroom allows teachers to create new opportunities for the students. For example When I was looking through Intel's website I found a great worksheet that had to do with Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven. Using this worksheet the students can study Poe's work closely learning new vocabulary and understanding the meaning to Poe's poem. Not only do these websites provide worksheets but they also have interactive games and activities that students can use in the classroom. These activities keep things fun and fresh for the students, which is very important when trying to teach them. Using these websites can give me and other future teachers great ideas on how to work with the students and ensure they stay engaged and active in their learning process.