Skype and Beyond!

Cell phones? Sure. Email? Sure. Fax machine? Sure. Written letter? Sure. Of course these could be used in an educational setting. But there are some drawbacks. One disadvantage that some of these options don't provide immediate feedback. There is a delay in information sent and received. Another disadvantage is that there is not always away to see facial expressions in these forms of communication. What would be the best is a way that you can speak to someone, just like if they were sitting right in front of you, even when they aren't. Well, I have found the answer. The answer is Skype! www.skype.com Skype is a great tool that can be used in the classroom. People can create an account and instant message with other people with an account. They can video chat with anyone around the world with a Skype account. All they have to do is share their username with the other people and then the communication can begin. There are so many ways to use it in the classroom! The students love when the little orange S at the bottom of the screen starts flashing! They know that someone has messaged our class. Many of our district directors are set up with a Skype account. I have had the science direction debrief a current unit of study with the students. They can ask questions about the curriculum and can make sure that they are using critical thinking skills. They are It is a great way to capture their attention and yet still have it be educational. I have also used it to communicate with my students while they are at home, in order to help them with their homework. I have also used it as a way to have guest speakers come int o my classroom, without actually having them come into. Here is some more information about Skype and how others have used it! http://www.howcast.com/videos/359908-How-To-Use-Skype http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4CVbIInVWo Skype. (2011). Introducing Skype in the Classroom. [Web based video] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4CVbIInVWo Trebach, W. (2010). How to Use Skype. [Web based video] Retrieved from http://www.howcast.com/videos/359908-How-To-Use-Skype.

Create A Graph

I recently found a Web 2.0 tool called Create A Graph. This is a great site where students can create different types of graphs and use them as learning tools. This is a great way to make a paper-and-pencil assignment into a computer-based skill. I encourage you to use it in your classroom! My kids love using it and "playing" with the different types of graphs. Sometimes just them exploring with this programs gives my students lots of prior knowledge that they need. So enjoy! http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createAgraph/

iPODS iN tHE cLASSROOM

The more and more I think about it, the more and more I realize that as helpful as technology is, sometimes it is not relevant to our students. For example, how many situations are our students going to run into a Smartboard or an eClicker. Probably not many when they go into the real world. Depending on their profession, they may never use this equipment again. But I think that the students need to learn the technology that is relevant to them and learn to use it in such a way that they can learn with it. An example of this would be iPods. Students are comfortable with iPods, but they aren't really used much in the classroom. Well, that should change. I think that iPods have a tremendous ability to be used in the classroom in a significant way. The students can use them to communicate with the teacher, submit assignments, research, etc. The possibilities are endless. I found a teacher who is using iPods in the classroom. Just from watching this video, I can already visualize an idea for a educational grant. Maybe you will envision the same!



ipods in the classroom from william seng on Vimeo.

Seng, W. (2009). Ipods in the Classroom. [Web Based] Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/7904069.

The Wonderful World of Wordle

Words….We use thousands if not millions of words each day! Some of those words are more important than others, and some words we use more than we do others. But when it all comes down to it, the words we use are all important. In the classroom, teachers talk about subjects using important vocabulary. Students read text where the important words show up many of times. Students need to know how the use of words can be connected; how they have importance and that they do have meaning. I believe Wordle is a tool that can do this. Using Wordle, you can create a visually aesthetic word wall. Students can use this to clump important vocabulary terms. They can turn their writing pieces into a main idea collage of words. This is a great tool and a fun tool! Just try it out for yourself! www.wordle.net

Mac or PC

When I was in school, Macs were the trend. Everyone had a Mac. They were in schools and in homes. But then the trend changed and PCs became the trend. Everyone had one, and now all schools have one too. But which one is really the best? Why is one better than the other? Well, after doing some research, I found some interesting results from Popular Mechanics. Prices, speeds, operating systems, they were all tested. I think you will see who came up on top, but I don't aggree. I may be that I am just used to my old ways, and am not really willing to change. But, you decide for yourself... but I'll stay with my PC. http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/tests/4258725 Derene, G. (2009) Mac vs PC. [Web based] http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/tests/4258725

Technology is Growing

Where were we 10 years ago with technology? Very far behind where we are today! Technology has taken over our lives and made them more complex but easier as well. The children of this time period are very comfortable with technology and use it every day. Everywhere we turn, technology is right there. But the question is, “How far have we really come?” Well, the statistics are astonishing! The following is what I found. • There were 100,000,000 new Twitter accounts opened in 2010 • 294 billion emails are sent daily • 20 million Facebook apps are downloaded each day • 2 billion videos are watched daily on YouTube • Only 4% of Americans do not have television service in their home • More than 70% of 4 year olds in the United States have used a computer • 21 year olds have played about 10,000 hours of video games • The number of text messages sent and received exceeds the population of the planet • 2.7 billion Google searches are performed each month • 10 million emails have been sent in the past 5 seconds These statistics make me feel much smaller and make me feel part of a world that is much larger than anything I can imagine. We are not going to escape technology so we must learn to embrace it. It may not always be easy, but we have no choice. Rosales, L. (2011). Internet, technology statistics and infographics. AGBeat. Retrieved from http://agbeat.com/real-estate-coaching-tutorials/tech/internet-technology-statistics-and-infographics/ Iannorris1954. (2010). Technology and the latest statistics. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvZoDRGHnxk.

Smart Technologies

I've been teaching in a district that is a big supporter of Smart Technologies. This company makes educational products that use technology as teaching aides. I have tried all the educational products and have fallen in love with each of them. If you have a chance to use one, or if you can write a grant for one of these, I highly suggest it. You will NOT be disappointed! Some teachers are scared to use them and scared to let their students use them. I find that this is mainly because the teacher doesn't know how to use them. Once they have seen how they can be used, and make up their mind to actually use the materials, then the rest is easy. There is so much that you can do with these products! I don't know how I have ever taught without them! It helps make learning more interesting. Here is a few of my favorites:

SMART Board® interactive whiteboards These whiteboards can be used as a virtual whiteboard. You can write, draw, erase and touch the screen to interact with it.

SMART Response™ interactive response systems Students can use the clickers to respond to questions. Data can be gathered immediately. Students have the choice to answer true and false or multiple choice questions. Students can also text the answer as well.

SMART Table™ interactive learning center This is similar to a horizontal interactive whiteboard.

SMART Document Camera™ This product can display an live video feed on to a whiteboard.

SMART Slate wireless slate This slate can be used to click and write on the interactive whiteboard without having to be next to the board. You can stand across the room and still be able to write on the whiteboard.