Assignment 12

This course has showed me just how important it is for me as an educator to embrace technology and go for it. I have always been very nervous about using resources in the classroom and avoided it. I think that now I know how important it is for our students and how easy many of these tools are. I love the blogging and have actually joined a few teacher blogs already and I have found tremendous amount of resources at my fingertips. I have blogged with teachers around the country and even joined a postcard exchange.

I also feel that I should be more willing to have students show me what they know. Gaming is so popular and I have always avoided that conversation with students and I shouldn't. I learned that many strategies they use through gaming are very important.

This year I am hoping to try a classroom blog and possibly try doing a podcast. I am excited to try new things and watch the younger students jump into the technology world! Laptops for everyone?????? Maybe someday!!!!

School 2.0 Assignment 11

WOW, the school 2.0 model was jammed packed with great things! There was so much throughout the model that it is hard to know where to begin. This model is a great way to show how far we have come and how far we need to go. It amazes me how it all works together. Everyone is part of a huge team. It blows my mind how all of these things work together.

It seems as though everyone in the community would have to be willing and able to participate to make it fully effective. However, slowly but surely I thing progress is being made and we as a community are well on our way to preparing students for this technology world. I like the way students can continue their learning at home independently and how we as teachers can give immediate feedback to parents and teachers are particulty great assets to this model.

I do not think I that would change too much. I think the model is a great thing to strive for and I think our district is well on the way!

Assignment 10

After listening to the Podcast, I think that it is a great idea to help educators to chance their view of how we teach technology. Instead of avoiding and keeping students away from it. We need to change how we think about it and embrace it. Students flock to the new tools and want to learn how to do things. The gaming theory and having students learn through gaming is an interesting thought. While using gaming people are developing decision making skills and cognitive skills that are probably far beyond what you could do while interacting with people face to face. Gaming also builds a sense of determination and competitiveness.

Resources are becoming more available however, I think that it will be very challenging for schools to keep up with the funding and resources to provide students with the appropriate tools.

Project- Assignment 9

While listening to the podcast, I kept wondering how could I use these ideas with first graders. A big part of our social studies units are communities. Growing up in one area can limit students' exposure to different parts of the world. This year I happen to be involved with a postcard exchange with teachers from around the country. One project we could do is share community aspects through the use of technology. Students could interact with each other and compare and contrast through blogs, web cams, pod casts, etc. After chatting with a variety of students and areas, students could develop their own community. Students could even send pictures to each other to make it more realistic. This could be very powerful with younger students who often need models to understand ideas and concepts.