Thing 1 and Thing 2

After reading about all the different technologies that can be used in the classroom, I felt a sense of awe. There are so many things we could be doing in the classroom if we just take steps in the right direction. I hope to learn how to use and implement what we already have access to, engaging our students and encouraging them to learn in an atmosphere that is better suited to their lifestyles. As a team, our school could make changes to incorporate many of the "things" we learn in these lessons. I look forward to it.

23 Things for Teachers Learning About Technology

Students can benefit from blogging for many reasons. First, many will give more sustained attention to reading comments offered by their teachers or peers, since the social atmosphere is different. Also, there is a chance it will peak their interest, since they can access a keyboard instead of locating a pencil. Second, the atmosphere, though different, is much more relaxed and students can be more open and truthful and less affected by peer pressure. Third, using it as a tool for test preparation or for classroom projects could open the door to better collaboration between students; for example, I could use the blog as a study forum before a Unit test or as a place where students can share information for a Jigsaw lesson plan. Lastly, it expands students' sense of the word "communication" and opens their minds up to greater possibilities.