Digital Discussion: Take Your Class to the Internet

This article discussed using blogs in the classroom. A blog is a personal journal where students can write down their personal thoughts, responses, or ideas. Students type their responses into their blogs, and it is published online for anyone to view.

The article discussed how to set up blogs in the classroom and gave five different approaches.
1. Use a blog as classroom management in which the teacher can post handouts, assignments, or summaries of the school day.
2. Use a blog as a learning journal in which the students will document things that they learned that day or things that they found exciting and interesting.
3. Use a blog as an online notebook in which the student can write about their progress or what he/she may need help with. This type of blog might want to be set up so only the teacher can view it because students may not feel comfortable sharing their weaknesses knowing other peers can view it.
4. Use a blog as a class discussion to spark conversation about a particular prompt or topic.
5. Use a blog as personal expression, which is what most people use blogs for. This approach allows the student to write about whatever they want (within reason).

These approaches offer a variety of ways that teachers can use blogs in the classroom. I personally think all of these are great approaches. I think that students may enjoy responding to articles or assignments or creating a journal if they are able to post their thoughts online. I think that if teachers use blogs rather than pencil and paper journals, the students are more likely to be engaged and may put forth more effort. Yay for blogs!!!

Digital Storytelling

“Today, digital cameras, editing software, and electronic media outlets allow more students than ever to tell their own stories more easily, and to share them more widely” (Standley, 2003, p.17) This quote really stuck out to me because so many students enjoy working with digital cameras and electronic media, and the idea of digital storytelling in the classroom seems to be a great concept that may really motivate students. Digital storytelling allows students to tell a story about any sort of topic using digital cameras and pictures to tell their story. The article discussed how digital storytelling can be tied into many of the content areas. Teachers can have students create digital stories rather than completing reports, and many students would probably enjoy it much more. The article talked about how students could work in cooperative groups or even alone, completing storyboards, shooting the pictures, and editing the overall project. I think that the different steps of digital storytelling resemble the writing process and could be easily integrated into the language arts curriculum.

I think that digital storytelling is a great way for students to use technology and their creative abilities to tell a story. So often teachers focus on the facts and worksheets and fun assignments like digital storytelling are forgotten. Students could share their work with their peers, and then even publish their digital stories online on various websites to share with others. I think that digital storytelling would be more motivating for students than a regular report or assignment and therefore they may put more effort into the final project. Digital storytelling is something that I think could be used with any grade level, and is definitely something that I would like to use in my classroom if the technology is available.

Virtual Libraries are Teaching Treasures

“As Woodruff has found, virtual libraries can be a teacher's greatest aid. They're convenient and current, they open the door to more resources than are locally available, and they appeal to tech-savvy kids” (Hillner, 2009, p1) Teachers and or students can access many library databases online by searching for digital books, e-books, podcasts, articles, music, books on tape, and many other forms of literacy. I personally use my local library’s website frequently. I have checked out e-books to read electronically and often request actual books to be sent to me. This makes the library more accessible for students. They can search online any day, any time. I think that teachers could use the podcasts with books on tape in the classroom with students. Using the podcasts would allow the students to hear fluent reading and just enjoy listening to stories. Virtual libraries also offer video clips and pictures that could supplement lessons. Students love using the computer and accessing the Internet, and I think that virtual libraries provide students with an educational experience with a variety of different forms of literacy to acess. I think that many students think that libraries are a dull and boring place full of old books, and a virtual library can offer them a variety of online technologies that may motivate them more. With the online resources, many students may not even realize that they are “reading” because they aren’t actually picking up a book. I think that virtual libraries are a good source to use in classrooms, and plan to continue using them as I plan my lessons.

Integrating the iPod Touch in K-12 Education: Visions and Vices

This article discussed the how to incorporate the iPod touch into classrooms today. An iPod touch is a handheld electronic device that has endless possibilities to use in the classroom. I really like all of the applications that can be added to the iPod touch for early childhood, which is what I am certified to teach. There are numerous sight word games, math games, books, science applications, and many other applications that can be used in a K-3 classroom. The sight word games would be great because as the child looks at the word, he/she can also hear how the word is pronounced. Books can also be viewed on the iPod touch and heard, which is a new and exciting way for students to read and be read to. I think that students would enjoy using the iPod touch because it is something new and different and can truly engage the students. With a wireless connection, students would be able to access the internet using the iPod touch. They can surf the web, play educational games, or do other various activities on the internet without having to go to the computer lab or wait their turn to use the classroom computer. The iPod touch is a new and different form of technology that I think that so many students would enjoy working with in the classroom. I would love to continue playing with the iPod touch to find even more applications that I would be able to use in the classroom, and would think that other teachers may enjoy it as well. I think that one of the only downfalls is the price of the iPod touch. If a school is low on funds, it would most likely be too expensive to purchase a classroom set of the iPod touch.

New research literacies for contemporary research into literacy and new media

“Young people, more than most age groups, are taking opportunities to videoconference and make telephone calls over the Web and to participate in text-based or graphics-based live chats with others across the globe. They are using the new media to participate in computer game culture; popular music culture; and forms of fan culture associated with sports, film, and television” (Nixon, 2003, p.407) Technology is becoming more prevalent in our students lives. I think that it is important for teachers to integrate these new forms of technology into their classrooms. This article discussed some of the ways students can improve their literacy skills from using media literacy as opposed to only print literacy. When using media literacy students can: make meaning from texts and images online, produce music, videos, and media presentations (such as PowerPoint or Imovie), they can communicate in untraditional ways through technology forms of email, chat rooms, instant messaging, or even text messaging. I think using these forms of technology integrated with traditional print will make lessons and activities more motivating for students. Students love using technology and do it on a daily basis, why not include it in our classrooms? I think that there are many literacy computer games that are available for teachers to use in the classroom that will motivate students to read and complete activities using technology. During my student teaching, I observed my third grade students and how excited they became when it was their turn to use the computer to do the “Reading Counts” activities. Using this activity motivated the students and engaged them in literacy tasks. Why not use it???

Using E-Books in Education

For this article, I am responding to the section on using E-Books in the classroom. Electronic Books, or E-Books, are becoming a common and popular in society today. I think that with the push of technology the use of E-Books will become more prevalent in today’s classroom. The article discussed how students may be more motivated because they are more engaged when using the computer and more comfortable. E-Books may even be more convenient for teachers because they are stored on the computer rather than mounds of books piling up in the classroom. I think that E-Books are something that could be used in all grade levels. Kindergarten classes could create their own alphabet or counting books whereas older students can create more detailed stories. I think that E-Books are a great way to integrate technology into reading curriculum. E-books often offer word searches, bookmarks, or other tools to enhance the reading experience. I think that these tools may make it seem more hands on for the students. E-books are also something that teachers can have their students create. I think that students really enjoy creating their own books, and that many of them may be even more motivated when they are creating their own E-Book. There are so many different topics that students could use to create an E-Book. They could do research projects or just their own stories. I think that students would enjoy publishing their own books, and sharing their E-Books with their peers. It would be neat to be able to save the books on the classroom computer and allow all students to read their peers work.

Programming: The New Literacy

This article began by asking what the definition of literacy actually is. Some people believe that literacy is the ability to read and write a spoken language. While other people expand the definition of literacy to include multimedia skills as well as the ability to read and write. I agree that literacy includes all of these things. With the impact and importance of technology in society today, it is important that students are able to use multimedia technologies. The author, Marc Prensky, takes the definition of literacy one step farther to include programming. He defines programming as.. “the ability to make digital technology do whatever, within the possible one wants it to do—to bend digital technology to one’s needs, purposes, and will, just as in the present we bend words and images” (Prensky,2008, 2). Programming is becoming more relevant today, and it is important that not only do the students realize its importance but teachers as well. You may not realize how much programming that you are actually doing. According to Prensky, whenever you search the web, check your Facebook, download a ringtone, or buy something on eBay, you are programming. These are things that I do regularly without much thought, and so will many of my students. Some students may be more "literate" than their teachers according to this article. Teachers need to be informed and up to date with the latest technology trends students are pursuing. Prensky ends the article with a question “If programming is indeed the key of literacy in this century, how do we, as educators, make our students literate?” (p.6). He states that the answer is not that clear yet but I think that there are several possibilities. Educators should make sure to come up with creative lessons incorporating these new programming skills. Include technology don’t avoid it. If using new forms of technology actually engages our students, why would we want to avoid it?