Podcasting
I just finished making my first podcast..:(
I may not understand how it works (so please correct me) but I think anyone can listen to my podcast. I don’t like that complete strangers can listen to me (I can barely listen to myself…).
As for using this in my classroom with elementary students, I think it would be cool to give them the opportunity to create their own radio shows. For example, I could assign groups to work together and pretend that they are giving the news during the Civil War. So, they would have to research the war to decide what to report, and have fun listening to themselves on the Internet! But as far my podcasting career goes… I think this is it. (Unless Teresa requires us to record ourselves again! Hehe!)
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (1)Screencasts
I just finished up my screencast and posted it on http://AriannePM.googlepages.com/. It was a lot of fun creating the screencast. I really wanted to narrate it, but I do all my class work at work, and so I am never really alone. I was afraid someone would walk into the room when I’m in the middle of it and start talking to me or worse stare and wonder why I’m explaining how to use excel to my computer! For my students, however, I think that I would include an explanation along with the screencast so that there isn’t any misunderstandings. I used the site: screencast-o-matic.com, and it was so easy to use. At first I had no clue as to how I was supposed to do the screencast, but this site lays it all out for you to understand in nice, easy steps!
As for my students, I can use screencasts as a center during cooperative groups. This allows me to work with a group, and whichever group is at the computer center can learn how to do an upcoming project. I’m not sure how well this would work as an “at home” project simply because some students do not have access to computers. But I really like the idea of using it in my classroom to avoid using class time to explain something that can be screencasted, and to take advantage of an easy way to incorporate technology into the classroom!
Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (2)TappedIn Tips and Tricks
So, I attended TappedIn Tips and Tricks yesterday, and boy was it informative! TappedIn offers so much to educators, and I learned that many colleges and universities use it as their distance learning server. There were a few times when I felt anxious about following the group. For example, we changed “rooms” quite often as the moderator explained how to attend different sessions and groups, and I got lost! All of a sudden people left the room, and I had no idea how to find them. Well, it turns out that U did know, I was just overreacting. They have a Help Desk that is there to guide you whenever you find yourself lost or unsure how to do something. They are awesome! TappedIn has so much that I will need to practice visiting all the different rooms, but now I know how to navigate it!
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (0)Students Emails
I like your idea about having students write emails to reflect their knowledge on a subject rather than their writing. I would have to give them a very specific topic to research, and this would probably work best in the older elementary grades in history or science. Nice comment!
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (0)Critical Thinking in an Elementary Classroom
What does critical thinking look like (or will look like) in your classroom?My students will be actively participating in learning. Sometimes students will work in groups to solve a problem; at other times, they will individually make predictions and test them out. Students should not always fill out worksheets at their desks. They need to have opportunities to manipulate the subject, walk around the classroom or outside as part of the project, and work in cooperative groups. By offering students some independence through choices in what to do or how to do it, they take ownership of their assignment and will usually try harder, and think critically so that they succeed.
How does technology play a role in getting your students to look critically at their own learning?Technology allows students another avenue to learn through. In today’s social world, most students are familiar with technology, in particular with the Internet. I know that e-mail and instant messaging is a popular way to students to keep their social network alive. So why not embrace that knowledge as teachers? By asking students to use the Internet for things such as research, their familiarity will allow them to easily navigate (Of course you first have to teach them how to recognize reputable websites!) through the “net” and focus on the higher level thinking required to answer the research question.You can also use technology as an assistance to get your students in gear. For example, PowerPoint is an easy way to creatively organize a lesson. This type of display is helpful for those students who are visual learners and those who are auditory. For all other types of learners, you can pass around physical objects that students can manipulate and figure out. You can end your presentation with a question for the students to reflect on or a challenge for them to solve. Now everyone should be excited and ready to go!
Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (3)
Woohoo!
This is the first time that I have ever blogged…
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (1)