Sunday, August 17, 2008
Time for Technology?
I love new technology, but I have to admit that I’m beginning to feel a little overwhelmed by the rate at which things are changing! I just don’t feel that I have time to explore all the new resources available to me, but I’m realizing that I need to find time to check things out. Our students are certainly jumping into Web 2.0 technology, and I’m intrigued by the possibilities that these applications open up for me and my students. So this is going to be the “year of technology” for me! One of my goals is to raise money for a Smartboard and learn to integrate it into my teaching. Another is to figure out the whole social networking scene. I’ve created a Facebook page, I’m on Twitter.com, and I’ve started this blog. Now what?! Maybe you can help! How can I find time to explore all the new technology and still teach kids? What's important to learn, and what's just interesting? Please share your thoughts with me by adding a comment to this blog post.
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Laura, blogs are certainly a good start. I have used blogs with my students as ways to get them reading, writing, and communicating online. They can share ideas and express themselves in a format that is much more familiar to them than composition notebooks or even word processing documents. Students can create their own blogs and use them as venues to present research, draft and workshop writing pieces, and so much more!
ReplyDeleteMelissa
www.melissamorris.wordpress.com
It's a brave new world out there, Laura.Welcome to it. I also encourage you to join discoveryeducation.com It's been a wonderful resource for me, and I've learned so much this summer from them and from people on www.plurk.com. Not that I am promoting these, but when I see a good thing I like to share, and that's what 2.0 is all about..collaboration.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, keep pushing yourself to learn more and do more with technology. We'll be here for you.
Stacy
I have used your online resources for a few years now and have told more than a few of my colleagues about it. I'm thrilled that you've joined the blog-o-sphere!
ReplyDeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the material you create with us. I am able to even use them with my gifted classes. I started blogging with my students a few years ago and I love to do it with literature discussions. This year I plan to do Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett (http://www.readingblogs.com/chasingvermeer/)
A great site to create blogs for class is edublogs.org.
My school district blocks blogger on the students login so we can't use it even though I use it personally.
Happy blogging!
Laura, I agree that it's daunting to start a blog. There are so many other things related to teaching through technology. However, finding ways for students to write by sharing a blog could be very beneficial. This part of the process is new to me, too. I'm looking forward to sharing.
ReplyDeleteHI Laura,
ReplyDeleteI've been watching your website for a few years now and have enjoyed your resources. I am also trying to find funding for an interactive white board. You might want to check out Activboard too. While Smartboards started in the business world, Activboards are totally for education. Their software website, Prometheanplanet.com is outstanding!
When I read your newsletter this month, I was wondering if I could put an Activboard into a project proposal? What are your thoughts?
I just discovered Prometheanplanet.com a few weeks ago. Their Activeboard is a product that really excites me. Our elementary school was recently (3 years ago) able to upgrade our technology to add a computer lab and provide every classroom with ceiling mounted projectors, document cameras, and pull down screens. That was a big step for my small community. Watching the demos on Prometheanplanet excited me enough to start encouraging our district to move on to a new level in technology with the Activeboard. I am just beginning a search for grant money. Any suggestions would be most helpful.
ReplyDeleteYou suck
ReplyDelete