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.