technology and teaching

In my classroom I plan to use Educational Technology to improve teaching & learning. Technology changes the way teachers teach, offering educators effective ways to reach different types of learners and assess student understanding through multiple means. It also enhances the relationship between teacher and student.

I think technology will be used in my classroom in multiple ways. I plan to have a classroom blog where I can post things about our class and have students and parents reply. I think it will be a great way to connect with parents and also post what homework assignments are due and when given so all parents will know what homework the kids have. It will be a great additional way for parents, teachers and students to contact me.
I will also use power point, you tube examples, wiki, prezi and other forms of technology to help me teach my classroom.
I have already had some experience in using technology and feel quite comfortable using it in my future classroom. I have been a computer freak since middle school. I always kept up with the social networks and have had a sturdy personal blog since 2008 where I post about my life and feelings.

Although, the tech-world is always changing and it seems that kids now a days are far more technologically primed. I look at the kids in elementary schools now and I see that they are much more involved with technology that I was at there age. I want to keep up with the new tech ways of teaching and hope to learn more from this class that will better prepare me.

A few weeks ago in class we watched this video and after watching it, I felt that I really need to be better prepared and learn even more than I thought I knew. There is always more to learn in technology. I hope to get even more up to date with technology and find different tools that will help me in my future classroom.

Blogging in Education

BLOG. What is a BLOG? Blogs can be used in various ways for example, to comment on news, coupons, sharing recipes, personal diaries, inspirational blogs, shopping and are also used as an outlet for teachers. A typical blog includes text, images and links. Blogs are usually maintained by groups or individuals. Anyone can have a blog as long as they have internet access. I have a personal blog (www.nickandalysha.blogspot.com) where I write about activities, personal stories and whatever I want to. I love having a blog for personal journaling and for family and friends to see how I am doing.



What is web 2.0 and why should teachers know about it?
Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that include sharing information online through the world wide web. Web 2.0 includes social-networking sites, blogs, wikis, video-sharing sites,twitter, facebook, myspace.
Today's generation is very involved with web 2.0. I have this technology blog where I, an aspiring teacher, try and talk about how I can use this pretty sweet tool of technology to assist with instruction in my future classroom. If you are not into blogging, its time you get in the loop to keep up with all those technologically-savvy students.

What is a blog and why should teachers have it??

Blogging is important for everyone. I think that teachers can use blogging to their advantage through open communication with parents and students. Through blogging you strengthen relationships through posts and comments with the three parties. It will allow easy communication for parents and students to know what is going on in the classroom, maybe homework assignments and will be an easy outlet for parents to get a hold of the teacher. A teacher can set up their blog for whatever use they want. Blogging what goes on in the classroom, communicate with parents and students, share ideas and success through pictures, text, wiglets and web links. And everyone loves to learn with technology.


What are the pedagogical implications of student driven BLOGS in contrast to a teacher-created website?

Student driven blogs can become an effective teaching tool in a classroom. It allows students to voice their own thoughts and feelings about what went on during class and can even be further assistance if their opinion was not voiced in class. It allows students to leave comments or a personal note with the teacher. This helps students strengthen their communicating skills in a more personal environment. I know that through my personal blogging it allows me to voice what I feel and write what comes to me.

Teacher-created websites are a good way for teachers to encourage conversation that happens on the website. Teachers can give students a heads-up on what topics will be discussed in a future class and t is great for reviewing lessons.

So get out there and BLOG!(start my own blog)