Blogging in the Classroom

Now that I have blogged a couple of times and thought about some of its benefits, I believe blogs should be integrated into the classroom. There are so many benefits to blogging.

For example, blogging can promote interactivity that may lead to increase relationships between students and the teacher. Teachers can understand students better and learn what students do outside of the classroom environment. It's a great opportunity for students to share and read diverse perspectives in any subject matter. Students become more computer literate. Students can share ideas for projects and assignments. It is a great way for students to practice their reading, writing, and grammar skills. It is an easy and convinient way for teachers to communicate with parents.

Teacher's can assign different students to blog about what they did and learn each day. Parents can check the blog to find out what their children are learning in the classroom. They can find out about upcoming events. Also, if a student is absent, they can check the blog to read about what they missed in class and even find out what homework was assigned. Teachers can post questions and have students respond. Teachers can assign a writing prompt for their students. Teachers can post a statement and have students look for facts to either support or refute the statement.

There are so many benefits in integrating blogging into the classroom. Of course, with anything, there are precautions that need to considered. Teachers and parents should talk about the risks of posting personal information on the internet. Teachers need to monitor carefully what is posted in the blog as well as who may read the blog.

Click on the link below to learn more about blogging in the classroom, ideas for posts, how to set up a blog, precautions that need to be considered and much more.

Teachers First: http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/blog/blogideas1.cfm

Classroom Blogging by Adrian Bruce: http://www.adrianbruce.com/blogging/blogging.htm

Teaching Today: http://teachingtoday.glencoe.com/howtoarticles/blog-basics

Image from Iowa AEA online iClipart for schools: http://www.iowaaeaonline.org/

Video Projects

A few weeks ago, I created a video as an assignment for my Ed Tech and Design class. When I first heard I had to create a video, I got nervous. I've never created a video before. It was a little intimidating because I knew I would have to edit the content and make the video interesting by adding transitions, effects, and music. I was incredibly surprised when my professor told us we were able to do all this by using Windows Movie Maker. The program made it so easy to create and edit a video by using actual video footage and/or pictures. As part of my assignment, I created a cooking segment in which I make a healthy snack. The video is an example of a project the students will create as part of the nutrition thematic unit.

While making the video, I started to think about different ways a teacher can use this media in the classroom. Teachers can create a video to introduce a unit or as an example of what the teacher would expect his/her students to create. Teachers can create an interactive video where he/she can ask questions after an explanation, pause, and have students answer. I think it's a great way for students to show what they know and have learned about a certain subject or unit. It's a great way for students to show their creative side and use their imagination. It definately beats writing a multiple page paper!

There are a couple of things to keep in mind while making a video, especially if it is going to be made public via internet. Make sure you are familiar with copyright laws when using music, sound effects, logos, pictures, images, and content. Familiarize yourself with Creative Commons and fair use. Below are some links to websites that will help you learn more about these topics.

Creative Commons: http://creativecommons.org/
U.S. Copyright Office: http://www.copyright.gov/
Fair Use: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html


Below is the video I made for my Ed Tech and Design class.




Image from Iowa AEA Online iclipart for schools http://www.iowaaeaonline.org/

WebQuests

This semester in my Ed Tech and Design class, I learned how to create a WebQuest. To be honest, I had never heard of a WebQuest or what a WebQuest was until now.

I created a WebQuest in which students apply what they have learned about the food guide pyramid and healthy snacks by creating a healthy menu for a school's cafeteria. The WebQuest includes the task, which I mentioned, a step-by-step process to complete the task with three roles and their responsibilities, a resource page to help guide the students in their research, an evaluation page that lists the grading scale, and a conclusion page with reflective questions about their journey in completing the task and how that information can be used outside the classroom.

It takes time to create a WebQuest, but it is well worth it. It may seem a little intimidating, but it's a great way to incorporate technology into the classroom. It is a great online learning tool to get students engaged in relevant, real world curriculum situations that help foster high critical and creative thinking skills and involve problem solving, analysis, and judgement of information. A well-created WebQuest helps students find meaning and make sense of the information they are looking at, evaluate it, and apply that it to a real-life situation or to answer a question beyond a yes or no answer. It also helps them learn how to work with other members of their team to solve problems, organize themselves to complete the task, and take into consideration eachother's opinions.

I will definately be using this learning tool in the future. To learn more about WebQuests, click on the link below.

http://www.webquest.org/

Kidspiration Software

I used the Kidspiration software for the first time two months ago and I will say it's a great program to create interactive activities for students grades K-5. In my Ed Tech and Design class, I created an interactive activity for kindergarten students to help them remember and identify which food items belong in each food group. Each student has to drag and drop food items into the labeled food group carts. I created written instructions both in Spanish and English. Each food item and cart is labeled in Spanish and English. I inserted a hyperlink available to students to use as a guide if they need any help. I also inserted audio in Spanish and English to the instructions and to each label for students that need help reading or don't know how to read. I really enjoyed using Kidspiration.

Teachers can use this software to create interactive activities and worksheets for their students. It certainly beats the traditional paper and pencil method! Teachers can also use Kidspiration to create demos and lesson plans. Kidspiration is easy to use for both the teacher and the students and it makes learning fun and interesting. Kidspiration helps students develop and strengthen reading, writing, thinking, and math skills.

Below is a link to the Kidspiration website to learn more about the software.

http://www.inspiration.com/Kidspiration/Details