Students can use blogs to express themselves

• Explain how you might apply the blogging tool to your classroom or future classroom.

I would like to use blogs to offer students the opportunity to share their thoughts, suggestions and concerns anonymously. Blogs open up communication between teachers and students.  

For example, I will create a blog on cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a big treat to student safety. The blog can be a place where students can voice their issues, concerns and opinions with the teacher. 

Blogs can be also be used journal writing. Students can discuss activities and important events in their lives.  I can require that students devote time to blog entries that summarizes their daily or weekly experiences. Students can even use blogs for creative writing.

Wordpress.com is my favorite blog because it is professional, safe and easy to use. However it does not work on Baltimore City Schools Servers. I found kidblog.com and http://edublogs.org/. They were designed specially for educational purposes. These sites can potentially be great web 2.0 tools.

Technology offers endless possibilities

• Reflect and write about issues related to software and hardware in instruction. 

Technology has a lot to offer a classroom. However, misuse or overuse can influence how effective the tools are on student learning. Technology should support the teacher’s lesson; make the teacher’s life easier, engage students, assist student learning. I believe the best practices in technology integration does not take over the curriculum but is designed to enhance it, providing new ways for students to be creative, review information, practice, share, and present.

The Internet is a foundational tool. It is most ubiquitous tool of today. It is filled with educational resources for students. There are millions of accessible educational tools on the web, making it almost effortless to harness information and therefore learn. The web has been extremely transformative and it can help students’ access information quickly. The web offers key tools for student learning. Possibilities are infinite on the web and with teacher guidance; students can use the web to advance research, answer questions, view simulations and tutorials. The Web can be a great of assistance to teachers and offers endless ways impact a class. Technology, microcomputers, Internet and educational software provide flexible learning environment, limitless amount of activities and resources. Starfall.com is straightforward and not time consuming to navigate. It is so kid friendly that even 1st graders can begin their online practices on their own. Students can formulate ideas for stories and assignments using online concept mapping, character webs with tools such as Kidspiration, voicethread.com and debategraph.com. 

Technology is good for the classroom. It keeps class interesting and students involved. It can be a nice break from paper and pencil. Digital whiteboards, web tools, audio-visual technologies software such as Tutoring With Alphie, Mindplay, starfall.com gains student’s attention, help them visualize, perform group work, drill and practice.

BLOGGER ...so far, a drag!

Hey,



I have created blogs for classes in the past, however this is my first time using blogger. I was able to create an account through my gmail account. However, I wish I could have created an account using a less personal account. The link between blogger and my gmail can get a little complicated. Its not always good to make everything interconnected. It took me a little while to get familiar with the layout and where blogger places all their actions, like create "new post" and "follow"a new blog. Well, suprise suprise it does not have a follow option! Or did I not figure that part out yet? Only time will tell with blogger. The site is frustrating to deal with definitely. What a drag, I mean, how do you follow someone else’s blog? can you find someone elses blog? where are the visuals? whats is the mystery all about? Its doesnt flow! Should be much easier. I means thats website 101.

The new post setup has a similar format to google docs and microsoft word, which is cool. Very academic and reliable. So far, thats my favorite feature. 

Dont get me started on RSS. smh. I'm still working on that part. 

What a drag. Wordpress and tumblr are much easier to navigate through and way more 2.0 like. The visuals are much better and user is instantly connected to other blogs..Its more user friendly. I love user friendly.



Later

Denee