As I continue with my Walden courses, the amount of technology that I am able to bring to my students is quite over whelming. With that said, it is also very rewarding to know that my students will be on the edge of the forefront of technology. As I learn to use increasingly different types of technology, the more my students will be able to use in order to demonstrate what they have learned. I really liked what Vicki Davis said about blogging in our course DVD this week, “blogging is important because they can communicate with each other even thought they are not sitting next to each other or even in the same school, city or country” (Laureate, 2009). At this point, I am not really working towards any goals because school is in session, but I want to complete this GAME plan so that I can use it with my seventh grade students.
Based on the NETS-T I really do not have any new learning goals. Some standards that I implement into my classroom are already apart of my Hi-Tech classroom; I am just going to be adding them to my seventh grade class, which will be using more technology as opposed to last year.
Learning approaches that I would like to try this year will definitely to set up some type of social networking for my classroom. I want my students to learn how to reach out to other students who are not necessarily in the same building or even the same state. The world is at their fingertips, we just need to show them how to get there.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Program Ten. Spotlight on Technology: Social Networking and Online Collaboration, Part 1 [Motion Picture]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore: Author.
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Hi Erika
ReplyDeleteAs I complete my journey through the Walden Tech. courses it is overwhelming the number of tools that my students can use to enhance curriculum concepts. It is difficult to measure or adjust the Game plan over summer. I am enjoying testing the new tools presented in the course.
What type of social networking tool were you thinking about using with your students? I would like to set up something using E-Pals with my elementary students.
Take care,
Michele
Michele,
ReplyDeleteI am actually going to setup a school Facebook account. I believe that middle school students really understand all of the different technologies that are available to them. They are also at that median age of consumers that can literally make or break a new technology. For example, MySpace is dead and Facebook is the new social networking tool. So, I will join the kids and use a tool that they are accustomed to using.
Erika
Erika,
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. I would like to set up some sort of social networking in my classroom. I would even feel good to do it just once over the course of the new school year. Just knowing I can accomplish something will give me all the confidence to incorporate it again in the future. I'm going to go slow. I intend on trying new technologies this year. I may not go as fast I usually do on certain content. I think I will enjoy introducing new ways to get tasks done this year. I only have my students for 9 months. I want to give my students tools and activities that will help them be successful in the future.
Do you foresee any issues with creating a Facebook account? One of the conversations that we had at my school was about personal information being available to third parties if privacy options change (like they did). Is your school worried at all about this kind of issue? Would the account specifically be for your class or would it be for the whole school?
ReplyDeleteI decided to run a group on Facebook because it would be easier to control than simply creating a new account (I think). It might be something to look into.
Cheers!
Sean
Erika,
ReplyDeleteI look at where I started a little over a year ago and where I am now. It is amazing when I think about ALL the new technology we have been introduced to. As a current college student and life-long educator, I am able to provide my soon-to-be class (Sept. 7th) with resources and opportunities I could not provide to my students two years ago.
I remember you stating, in a prior course, that you could actually take your students on a virtual fieldtrip to a saw mill (I think). Have you incorporated this into a lesson plan yet? I could definitely see your students sharing ideas, photos of completed projects, and so forth while using a social-networking tool too. Good luck! It should be an exciting year for everyone:)
Suzie