Share your ideas/plans for embedding technology tools in your classroom
instruction to help students communicate/collaborate globally. What would you
like your students to gain from technology usage? How do you envision the use of
these tools will enhance students' learning in your classes?
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ReplyDeleteI am not a classroom teacher, but I can definitely see the advantages of using technology tools such as Google Docs in a classroom. Students today are more technologically advanced than ever. We need to start using tools like Google Docs to help students grow in their learning paths. Students today learn different than students ten or twenty years ago. I think by using technology in a classroom it will help keep students entertained while learning. Google docs is also a great way of sharing information among other teachers or parents. It’s a quick way of updating what is going on in the classroom and the parents can have access to see these updates.
ReplyDeleteGoogle docs is just one of many technology tools being used in the classroom today to help students grow. I hope that students can look at their classroom experience as more interactive and fun with using technology.
I like Google Docs, but they have one big flaw for me. I use DragonDictate voice recognition software to write with. I love it. And it gets better and better with every single edition. It can do wonders with those physically unable to type, and for the ones who just cannot do it very well (like me). I wish this would be a problem they could address. I had to buy the new version of Microsoft Office just to use it with the newest Dragon. It is the biggest scam in the world.
DeleteOne thing I would like to do in my classroom is use Skype as a tool to learn about other cultures. I would love to pair my students up with a child in another part of the world to communicate with and learn from. The students would become more globally aware, while getting familiar with the growing technology at their fingertips. I could teach about a culture but it would be much more mearningful for the students to learn from each other. Then the students could do a presentation (a video, slideshow, etc) for the other students telling all they had learned. I feel this would be an experience the students wouldn't soon forget.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic idea! This could be pen pals for the 21st century. I can think of multiple social studies teachers who could use projects like this to show (rather than simply tell) what the people and cultures are like around the world. Neat neat neat.
DeleteI don't know how to use Skype but I am going to learn because I believe it is going to be the way of the future. Connecting students to the world will be the norm in future years. Not just to learn about other cultures but to possibly join their work force via internet and other technological means. Your idea is right one the money.
DeleteI would like for my students to see that technology has endless possibilities. I am working with my students on using Webtop and encouraging them to build a portfolio that will carry them through high school and on to college. I think students feel more independent when they can use the tools on their own and help each other, and the more they use them the more proficient they become!
ReplyDeleteIf I was a teacher I would incorporate digital video in my classroom. I believe this is a great way for students to have a better understanding of other cultures. We are connecting students from other parts of the world so they can learn together by sharing ideas with one another.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have never used any of these tools, I am eager to learn how to use wikis, podcasting, and skype to allow my students to communicate with students in French-speaking countries. From the little I know about these technology tools, I believe they would peak my students’ interests in ways that textbooks never could. I would be interested in hearing from other teachers who have used to communicate with students from other countries.
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DeleteThis would be an interesting to Skyoe in another country. I have gone as far as Florida, never have thought of another country. This would be so much fun and a great learning experiment. Thanks for your psot!!!
I am amazed by the tools available to travel the world such as Google Earth and Google Maps, to share ideas and talents with the world YouTube and collaboration Google Drive, Talk and Calendars. Any of these tools as well as camera's and other video equipment can be used to enrich about any lesson.
ReplyDeleteThe site lone-eagles.com gives guidance and examples of "a new way of learning" and discusses the Five R's of learning reading, writing, 'rithmetic, resources and relationships. It points out online learning opens access to "specialized libraries, develop relationships that dissolve barriers of age, race, and distance" and allows collaboration on projects around the globe and to publish the results. These are things I would like to see in a "classroom".
Great site, one of the things I am enjoying in this class is the sites and ideas i had no idea about. Lone eagles is a good one.
DeleteI like the idea of using technology to find facts or prove facts. The teacher credibility goes way up when students can use tools that reinforce what the teacher has taught. It also helps students to understand opinions that may not be exactly the same as theirs. The use of technology skills like xtranormal or other video making sites helps students to take ownership and pride in their work. Embedded lessons that give students choices to reach the same goal or CSO are more effective because the student has a say in how they are learning. The statement choose between these and complete assignment, is more powerful than DO THIS. Students like having a say and learn better when allowed to have a say.
ReplyDeleteGreat point Randy !
DeleteAbout half my students haul their IPads in to class. (Every once in a while I have to move to the back of the room and enjoy seeing screens change..) I've found it really handy when a student poeses a question and I ask another to research it. In seconds several sources to confirm. Or I'll answer and tell them not to believe me. Research it. Helps too when they would like more than I can pull out of the cobwebs...
DeleteI would like to use skype, google and wikis for students to learn about composers/professional musicians by interviewing them. They can learn first hand what a composer does or a professional member of an orchestra. Of course, this would only work for living composers. Beethoven may be difficult to get a hold of. He is what we call- decomposing. I envision students gaining a deeper understanding of what goes on behind the scenes of concerts.
ReplyDeleteThat's a wonderful idea! Music enhances learn greatly! Good luck with this! Let me know how it works for you! I am very curious to try this idea!
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ReplyDeleteI am a teacher who likes to incorporate as much new technology as possible. Even if it is for one assignment it allows the students the chance to see a variety. I really like using all of the different Google Applications especially Google Docs and Sites. I think for students having a working knowledge of a variety of technological resources will benefit them in today's flat world. They need to now there is more out there than just Social Media.
ReplyDeleteI would love for my students to learn to use Voki, as I have never heard of it before. Using Skype is another goal that I have for my students. I am hoping that I could reach out to other countries to learn cross culturally with this technology tool. Technology enhances student learning in so many different ways. Using these tools helps build skills that are pertinant to the real world. Skype could enhance their learning along the lines of learning different practices from different cultures. I plan to have my students create a powerpoint with multiplication and division facts using the voki, some of them are very shy, and some of them know exactly what to say but can't spit it out. With this practice, it will be sort of like the old fashioned repetition technique and perfecting it will help. I am very excited to use these many tools to enable my students to learn kinestetically as well!
ReplyDeleteSkyping is a wonderful and extremely easy way to let the students communicate with others. That way students that never leave their community can see that there is a whole different world for their life.
DeleteVoki, would be a lot of fun for the students, and me.
I really like the idea of skyping. It brings in many outside resources that would not be available in the old traditional classroom. The experts are endless in this area and it may take some research to get them in the class, but it would be well worth the work.
DeleteI agree! When I moved to WV to teach a lot of my kids didn't even know there was a world outside of it! This would be such a wonderful tool!
DeleteI currently do not have a classroom of my own right now, but a science class at Huntington high I frequently sub for does a great deal of their class work on computers that they post to a class blog. I find this is great for a lot of reasons. First, everyone can see it, second, there's no denying when and what they turned in. There is also the chance of losing assignments.
ReplyDeleteThere is one difficulty with this I see though. Unless there is a physical copy in their hands, some students were not treated as real work. It seems illusionary to them, like a game. How can we make students consider work that they cannot hold in their hands seem real to them.
I am going to focus on digital storytelling for now with my first graders as a way to make presentations for other people or other students. I would like to find a way to eventually share our stories with students from across the United States and around the world. One step at a time right?
ReplyDeleteI've done quite a bit of research for this class and I've found some amazing websites that I can envision using when I return to my langauge arts class. One is called Booklaroo, where students can read and publish their own book reports. I like this because they can read reviews written by their peers to hopefully get some suggestions for new reading material plus post their own reports and maybe get some feedback from someone across the country or even across the globe. I would have my kids handwrite a draft first, revise it in pairs, and then post a finished version.
ReplyDeleteAnother site I love is called StoryKit. In my dream classroom all the kids would have iPads and this software allows them to craft their own stories and publish them using ipads or iphones.
Overall I like it when students can see the broader scope of their assignments. It's one thing for a teacher to see your work; it adds a level of importance when it's published for anyone in the whole wide world to appreciate. By using technology to learn and communicate with others who are also academically inclined (not just randomly surfing or seeking to be entertained), I would hope that they would realize a higher purpose to their assignments. No more "busy work".
As I replied to someone above, I realized that Voki would be a fun way to engage srudents in the Flat Classroom. The kids would absolutely be engaged with Voki. I could see their faces laughing however, learning as well.
ReplyDeleteI also love to use Skype in my classroom. The students see that there is a whole different world other than school and home. I love to see their faces as they learn different cultures.
I enjoyed reading all the articles and watching the videos is session two.
I don't currently have a classroom, but I think Skype would be one thing I would love to use in a classroom once I have one of my own. I think it would be fun to maybe even find a program that would allow for pen pals from another country. It would let the kids communicate and learn about another country in a new and fun way!
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I think would be good is setting up a blog for my students. You could have one student a week be responsible for a new blog post. You can have them write about a news article. Or about something you are studying in class. Or about a book you are reading. The possibility's are endless on how you can set it up.
Embedding technology in the classroom has numerous benefits for our students and with many of the school systems preparing the classroom for the 21st century, it has allowed teachers to better equip our students in this area. We are living a society that relies tremendously on technolodgy. The "real world" job market requires its workers to be able to utilize technology daily. If the school systems are communicating with the employers, this will allow us to prepare our students for whatever tasks they feel are needed. There are so many tools that students have access to in the classroom, and many times, the students are more capable of using these tools than the teachers. Technology standards have helped us prepare students in this area over the past few years as well. Now, teachers MUST teach these concepts to their students.
ReplyDeleteUsing technology in the classroom has become a major concern for me this year. I have incorporated several different tools this year that I have never used before. This class is introducing me to several more. Students in my classroom this year will be well versed in the technology available to them.
ReplyDeleteAs an administrator I am trying to make sure that technology is incorporated in every classroom in my building. Our PE class is using technology and I am so excited to see this each day! We are charged with teaching our children for the jobs of the future, jobs that are not even developed. In the next few years I believe we will see a shift in education, not only the curriculum, we will see many baby boomers retire and a new group of educators emerge as the leaders for the next thirty years. I would like to use the information that I get from this course to help me better equip my staff and students be become successful for years to come. I envision great things to come with the technology I will learn from this course. I have already used the VOKI with my staff and they loved it!
ReplyDeleteWhat is your PE teacher doing to incorporate technology?
DeleteA technology tool I find very helpful in classrooms is the use of a learning management system such as D2L, Brain Honey and Blackboard. Students worldwide can be placed into one virtual classroom to share lessons and collaborate on projects.
ReplyDeleteBy using technology in the classroom as well as out of the classroom, it is my hope that technology becomes second nature to all students and teachers. There is a lot of research that indictes students learn more when using technology. West Virginia teachers want their students to learn as much as possible so they try to use as much technology as possible in their classrooms. At this point, I have seen several teachers focus more on the technology than the intended lesson. When it becomes second nature, teachers will be able to focus more on the learning.
The class I teach is called "computer repair and networking internship" and is a real-life class where students "work" for me as an employee. We have been using Google documents/forms to input work orders and to track the work (teachers have access to input requests to one of our forms too). I am wanting to move this work order system to a Microsoft Access Database so that we can do a better job with inventory and control of our hardware. This type of database is used in the industry and is a standard for any work environment where data needs to be stored and manipulated. So, but familiarizing my students with how to design, build, and maintain a database, I will be preparing them for employment with a skill that is most often missing.
ReplyDeleteI am also wanting to use some of 2.0 tools for my students to make training videos/presentations for the teachers and students here in teh county. One of these will be a video on the Acceptable Use of Computers and the Internet at school that teachers can show to classes at the beginning of the year.
I would really like to conduct a few Skype Video chats with students/teachers, heck, maybe even professionals such as museum curators, journalist, scientists, etc., from different countries. I would have students create a list of interview questions to ask these people. Through this type of modern "communication" we can learn so much about different cultures. As a World Geography teacher this seems like a perfect project that teaches both content and use of modern technology.
ReplyDeleteI love your idea of having your students Skype with professionals. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Love this!
DeleteI am not in a classroom right now but I can envision a classroom that uses Skype and Voki to enhance learning about other countries and cultures. They can also be used effectively for students to discover what other cultures value in the work force and other job oppertunities around the world. The world is truely growing smaller as the years pass and our next generation of students will have oppertunities that past generations never even dreamed possible.
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ReplyDeleteI have been researching how my students can digitally create stories with web 2.0 tools. I have looked up Kerpoof and decided that this is the direction I am going to take with teaching my students how to do a digital story. I am hoping to take it one step at a time until I can get all the students to create their own story and animate them. I plan on doing it in a whole group situation on the smartboard together, and then as we go to the computer lab let students create their own and download them to a zip drive. It is just a vision as of now, but hopefully in the near future it will be a reality. I think this is a wonderful set of skills that children need, and it goes along with a lot of standards that need to be taught in 2nd grade.
Self motivation for learning and using tech tools as a means for doing that is what I would love to see in my classroom. We're working on it. It is as important for students to understand their options when it comes to technology and what it can do for us, than it is for teachers. All the tools that have been mentioned thus far are all valuable in education for students and teachers. As teachers we must be their guides and models for using tech tools for a means to more / better information.
ReplyDeleteIt seems our bandwidth doesn't support Skype or Facetime. Therefore, I was thinking more in terms of collaborative voicethreads, podcasts, and / or Edmodo.
ReplyDeleteOK.... I put this session's post in session one. I was wondering how this would be as we get on with it and have to scroll a bazillion posts...
ReplyDeleteLong story short. I hope to put the speech students to YouTubing their practices and have the opportunity to learn to give and receive feedback all while improving their messages. I hope it will increase confidence in full class.
dave
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ReplyDeleteI am an advocate for technology. My husband’s job depends upon it and it provides a good living for us. I have used various forms of technology in my classroom for 10 of my 20 year teaching experience. But I feel technology has its place and should be used for its intrinsic value and not for the sake of technology itself. Some of the greatest creativity ever made is in paintings, music, sculpture etc… A virtual world is just that. With that said, I would like my students to explore other cultures via Skype sessions or Epal to enhance potential creativity. Understanding other cultures and their life stories can stimulate the imagination.
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