Technology in the Classroom

1.)  Not only did I find Dr. Roberts’s presentation extremely entertaining, I also found it very relevant to my classroom.  From the data that he presented, it is clear that our students are growing up in a world where technology is ever-present and they need to be “stimulated” sometimes by more than one median in order to be engaged.  I think that this is relevant to my classroom because as an educator, I think that I need to effectively integrate the technology that my students use/ are exposed to on a daily basis in order to stay current and relevant.  In order to engage students so they are able to learn, you need to first gain their attention.  It is clear through the data that Dr. Roberts presented that student’s attention is gained through technology and media.  If we expect students to learn in our classroom, teachers should integrate these systems into their teaching.

2.)  After reading the NY times article about online learning, I did a little reflecting and thought about how online education could influence not only my school but also my teaching.  First off I do not agree with the trend of online education being the only way students who failed a class are able to make it up.  I believe that teaching and learning are done best when a TEACHER is in the classroom.  Additionally if the students who are taking online education are the ones who failed a course previously, I think that it is imperative that there be a teacher present in the classroom.  Furthermore, it is somewhat frightening that districts are using online education as a way to save money.  As a teacher in a low-income district, it forces me to question my own job security.  What would happen if my district started to offer online courses for students?  Would my job be at risk?

3.)  http://www.glogster.com/ This would be an amazing resource to use in my classroom. I often to group projects which involve posters and presentations.  If my students were able to make “virtual’ posters that included both text, music, and images, I think that they not only be engaged but create some amazing projects.

4.)  http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ As a teacher that makes her own rubrics for every project, this will be an amazing tool to help me save time and some sanity.

5.)  http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com I believe that this could be an amazing resource because crossword puzzles are a great way to introduce/ test vocabulary and definitions.  Additionally my students love puzzles so I think that my students would greatly benefit from these activities.

6.)  http://www.easybib.com/ Starting in the 6^th grade students start to write research papers, and they begin learning how to site sources.  This website would be a great resource for students who are struggling to format their bibliographies.