Social Networking Tools

Throw away the stamps and envelopes!" and "Keeping in touch with emails and letters is pretty 'lame' ". Why not get a myspace or facebook? Today, many middle, high school and college students have done exactly this. Sites like Myspace, Facebook, Livejournal and Xanga are becoming a part of everyday life and terminology for many young people. However if you were to ask parents, teachers or school faculty many would have heard of these sites but never actually visited them or thought of how it might affect students. Through these sites people of all ages create profiles that provide personal information and photos to connect with old friend or meet new ones. The forms of communication and information sharing include personalizing your web page, blogs, discussion groups, comments and emails. Even though many of these sites have programs in place to help protect the users under the User Agreements or Terms, there are millions of people using the site. Due to the large number of members for each site, it becomes the responsibility of each individual to be smart about what information they are putting on their page. Unfortunately, many teens appear to have no understanding that what they post in those communities is public, potentially permanent, and accessible by anyone in the world.

Problems that exist from the sites include:

• The sites are attracting many teens, some of which are not making good choices


• Many parents are not paying attention to what their children are posting online


• Sexual Predators, and other dangerous strangers, are attracted to places where teens aren't making good choices, and adults aren't paying attention.


• Unsafe disclosure of personal information (potentially damaging or dangerous personal information).


• Some teens become addicted to being online, checking their profiles, etc. which becomes a lack of healthy engagement in other areas of life


• Risky sexual behavior; becoming seduced by a sexual predator or child pornographer, and posting sexually suggestive material.


• Negative impact on student’s well-being and quality of the schools environment.


• Posting material on the sites that harms other students, provides clues or direct threats about suicidal or violent intentions, or provides indications of hate group or gang involvement, or drug sales and use."

To help protect youth, teachers need to be aware of what is going on with online social networking. The “just say no” or “just block them” approach is no longer effective so students need to be taught new methods of protection. One thing that will not help the problem is banning these sites at home or at school. So instead get everyone involved from guidance counselors, parents, teachers, principals, and students. Schools should provide parent awareness for the student’s usage of computers and the Internet at home. Everyone should be taught the dangers of these sites as well as the responsible way to use them. Sites like myspace and facebook can negatively affect a student, but with education, proper use, and adult involvement these sites can truly be positive networking tools.

Some other ways schools can get involved:

• A clear policy with a strong focus on educationally valuable use of the Internet -- no "Internet recess."


• Effective technical monitoring.


• Appropriate consequence

Online safety and responsible use guidelines for students include:

• Be kind to others. Think how you would feel if someone posted similar things about you.


• Think before you post. Material posted in these communities is public, could damage your reputation, or could be used to harm you. It is not private!


• Take steps to protect yourself and others from bullying and harassment. Report concerns to the Web site and to a trusted adult.


• Report to an adult if someone posts threats of violence or self-harm. Such threats could be real threats. Don't post threats yourself. Someone might take you seriously.


• Develop "stranger danger" detection skills. People online might not be who they seem to be. Develop a safety plan for meeting online friends that are approved by your parent.


• Stop the predators. If someone you think might be a sexual predator has contacted you, report it to a trusted adult.

If used properly and securely social networking can be a positive networking tool for both students and teachers alike.


Comments:

Kamisha says, "I feel that social networks are indeed a great way to keep contact with friends. I do believe however, that you must take caution when using them. Don't give out too much information and don't become every one's friend. Stick to the ones you already know."

Kristen says, “I think social networking tools are great. People need to be smart and responsible about their actions while using them though."

Nicolette says, “Cyber bullying is a problem that many kids face because of online social networks. As a high school student, rumors were spread about me through the network of livejournal. I can say from personal experience that these sites should be monitored and positively used.”
Sarah says, “I enjoy keeping in touch with friends that I have who are literally all over the world. I used to live in Europe, and social networking is one of the only "quick and easy" ways to keep in touch with those people. However, I have also experienced the 'cyber bullying' side of these sites. In High School, our senior class joke was that "LiveJournal ruined our lives". Many things went on online that affected our school environment. It also destroyed many friendships. These tools need to be monitored, especially by parents or other influential people in a child’s' life.”

Jacob says, "Social Networking has transformed the internet as we know it into what many are calling 'web 2.0'. This is the next generation of communication and interactivity between people of all ages for years to come."

Jerrica say, "If used properly social networking can be a great for finding and meeting new friends."

Virtual Classrooms

In a world of technology

Once upon a time, the only way to attend class and learn your academics was to sit at a desk in a school building with paper, pencils, and books on hand. Nowadays, we have expanded our educational options from physical to physical and virtual. What is virtual? Well, due to rapidly advancing technology, a new way has been made for classes to be conducted via internet. At first, this method wasn't so popular. Many educators thought and said, 'How could a teacher monitor students and assess what they were learning and whether they were learning or not?'These questions danced around in little circles until it was put through a test drive. After proving to be successful, the popular demand made virtual classrooms a reality.

VCRs are now common in higher education courses. This option works for these group of students because they are more capable of handling their own work independently - compared to younger, grade school students, who need someone to physically monitor their work.

How does a VCR work?

Virtual Classrooms (VCR) enable learners to transcend the boundaries of time, space, and location. While physical classrooms require students to be in a certain place at a specific time, the asynchronous learning options of a VCR allow students to access lessons anywhere, anytime. All a student has to do is log on to a computer and access his or her class site. With the simple key of a username and password and a few clicks, the student is then connected with his or her classroom. This option is especially beneficial to students who cannot attend class because of a specific reason. The student may have an illness, they may work at the times a physical, or should we say traditional class is in session. Maybe they have children who need to be supervised at home. There are many reasons why virtual classrooms are popular and have become a favored option to many.

A Form of Asynchronous learning

In an asynchronous classroom, learning does not take place at the same time. Virtual Classrooms enable students to participate on their own times. Since VCRs take place on the internet, they are often accessible 7 days a week and 24 hours a day. The work is posted at one time by the Instructor, then left for the students to complete at a later time.

What does a Virtual Classroom consist of?

Virtual Classrooms have tons of features. Virtual Classrooms vary within content, structure, tools, navigation, and purpose. Depending on the class, this interactive form of classroom may include all or some of the features of technology listed below.

-E-mail
-Discussion boards
- Chat rooms
-Whiteboards
-Video/audio conferencing
-Instant messaging
-Podcasting
-Teleconferencing
-Weblogs
-Wikis

Not everything is all about technology in a VCR. Within these technological components, A VCR contains class activities and assignments. In addition, it may have wonderful options to keep organized.

virtual classrooms may contain:

-class activities
- group or individual activities
- discussions and chats - quizzes, tests, and surveys
- homework activities
- assessments
- virtual field trips

Class organization:

- important info for students and parents
- calendar/timetables
- unit overviews
- student grades
- student homepages

Virtual Reality in Educatio

Virtual Reality in Real Education

Desktop Virtual Reality is an instructional tool that can be used to deliver standards-based instruction while tapping students' interests. Virtual reality comes in many forms: interactive, three-dimensional, and stereographic computer images.
Virtual Reality can take students on a tour of a place that they would not be able to visit in real life. For example, the virtual solar system can put students adrift around the sun, giving them complete freedom to explore the solar system. A virtual reality tour of Chicago exposes students to the city's architecture, museums and other educational resources.

Not only can you bring a student to a place he or she might never physically see in their lifetime, students also learn a multitude of skills. Some of these include animation, electronic gaming, chemistry, surgery, flight simulation, marketing, engineering, military training, and robotics. Students can understand design processes, troubleshooting, and also maintain a technological system.

It Simply Makes Sense

Virtual reality educates, clarifies and reinforces better than a textbook because it allows the students to be "hands on". For example, while studying the Constitutional lawmaking process, some students don't grasp the actual idea just reading about it in a book. Virtual reality allows a student to pick up a bill outside of the virtual House of Representatives and take it over to the Senate for a vote. In addition to the textbook reading and lecture, virtual reality can cause students to have a crystal clear idea of the studied topic.

Why choose Virtual Reality?
70% of children in the US between the ages of 3 and 17 have access to a computer. (Child Trends 2003; DeBell and Chapman, 2003) Considering the vast amount of students with access and skill with computers, it is important to utilize these skills to learn in ways that the students are already familiar and comfortable with.

Standards-based Instruction:
Virtual reality, HMDs (Head Mounted Displays), and trackers can be easily and inexpensively integrated into the technology education laboratory to address ITEA's Standards for Technological Virtual reality.

When teaching the concept of virtual realities, students can be assessed in three categories:

1. Memorization - Recalling where menus and windows are in the virtual reality program
2. Application -Written worksheets, rubrics, and informal questioning
3. Synthesis- Assessing final projects, ability to collaborate with peers.

What software is needed for VR?
Alice, a freeware computer program from Carnegie-Mellon University, available for download from www.alice.org, may be used as the starting point for desktop VR.

The Virtual World
Computer games and virtual reality technology have created interesting and exciting prospects for education. Using these systems for experimentation, lessons, assessments, and more students can get hands-on experience in a non-traditional context while gaining technological literacy. No longer will children sit idly by in classrooms - the opportunity is here to provide them with an unprecedented chance to explore, engage, and visualize schoolwork like never before.

Streaming Video

What is streaming video?

Streaming video is new instructional technology that is used to deliver audio and video presentations using the internet. News feeds can be watched on the internet without downloading. Streaming video is also called Web-cast or Web-based video. It can be incorporated in distance education. Most distance education courses have the complaint of not having enough human interaction. Streaming video is a way to incorporate human interaction in distance education. Streaming videos are most commonly used in distance learning for live or prerecorded lectures. Pre-recorded lectures are usually referred to as asynchronous learning. Streaming video gives students control because they can rewind, replay, or pause the video. Streaming videos can reach a greater audience and are good to use for disabled students.

There was a study done with California middle school students. The students were given a post test. The experimental group were shown 20 streaming videos and the control group were taught "traditionally". The students that were shown the videos scored 3-5% higher than the other students.

These streaming videos can be accessed through providers such as QuickTime and Windows Media Player. Teachers can find streaming videos from providers such as Understreaming. This provider has more than 4,000 full length videos and 40,000 clips for students k-12. Evideo Online is another valuable resource for teachers as well as the ever popular PBS.

Types of streaming video:

Live - relates to real time events that are occurring at present time , and sometimes viewers can interact with the event. It is also known as video conferencing.

Archived - web casts that were previously recording. It allows students to access the video at their own convenience.

To create streaming video, you need:

1. Events should be under 90 minutes and structured around a few basic themes

2. Use good quality equipment and check wiring connections to ensure good audio quality

3. Use an external microphone to eliminate unwanted background noise

4. Use a simple backdrop

5. Close-up shots with minimal movement work better than distance shots

6. Avoid a lot of camera movement or zooming

7. Use simple, graphic visuals to accompany a video presentation.

Advantages:

Minimal Cost

Adds human element to distance learning

Downloads without adding a file to your computer

Convenient Allows for asynchronous lectures

Greater audience numbers can be reached

Videos keep students safe

Disadvantages:

Gaining permission for videos is sometimes difficult

Internet connectivity may pose a problem

Poor quality of videos can detract from lessons

Planning and time is needed to create streaming videos

Potential price of video equipment

Overall the reception of streaming videos in the education field has been very postive. This digital technology could change the way students learn.It has also been well received due to it various advantages. Streaming videos enhance learning for all students. It taps in the many diverse learning styles such as auditory, visual, and kinestethic.

Links to articles used:

http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/pqdweb?index=6&did=1270909891&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1192420960&clientId=8631

http://www.zardec.net.au/keith/digvideo.htm

Podcast or bust

What is a podcast?

A podcast is an audio file (usually in mp3 format) posted to a website so that others can listen to it. The word is created from broadcast and from iPod-the wildly popular MP3 player from Apple. Podcasts can reach a much wider audience outside the boundaries of the school day. With a video podcast, kids can watch as a teacher demonstrates an example of long division. Families can hear from home what students are working on at school. Other classrooms and other schools can listen in. The whole school district, the whole state and the whole world can become potential listeners.

Whenever a Podcast is updated, subscribers are automatically notified of the information.

Many podcasts are automatically delivered over the Internet using either RSS or Atom syndication. Subscription to podcasts is free and once subscribed to, it can be automatically downloaded over the Internet and accessed with an iPod, laptop, or desktop computer.

In education, teachers can make podcasts to implement all kinds of instruction. Teachers can also assign students to create their own recordings. This process takes on a written and verbal process as students are required to write scripts and then convert them into voice recordings.

Why use a podcast?

Podcasting allows teachers and students to go beyond the traditional learning experience. Teachers can use it deliver materials that the children learned in class. Teachers can also create foreign language lessons that students can review at their own pace.

Podcasting can be used to help students become stronger public speakers and presenters.

Types of podcast

• Audio
• Video

Examples of Podcasts in education

• A drama teacher can have cast-members podcast their description of their character and role they play in their upcoming production.
• High school students can write their own story and then podcast it for elementary students to listen to and follow along with in a printed book
• After a field trip, students can do research on a subject pertaining to the field trip and do a podcast to go along with it
• Students can turn interviews (with permission) into podcasts.
• Students work in teams to create a product and "market" it online.

The desired objectives:

• Students learn the technical skills needed to record a high-quality podcast.
• Students brainstorm, and design the themes and content of their Podcast with teacher guidance.
• Students complete pre-production, production, and post-production of their Podcast.
• Students ultimately learn project management skills, Podcasting technical skills, and actively use the Podcast as a medium for positive student expression.

Materials needed to make a Podcast

• A computer with a microphone (to record yourself or the students). The recording software “Audacity” works well for this activity. [See Link Below]
• Save your file in Audacity as an "mp3"
• Post your mp3 file on a web page, or on a blog that accepts mp3 files.

Things to remember when making a Podcast:

• A quiet room works best( Low ambient noise)
• A high quality(noise canceling) microphone [ See link below]

Links

Microphone

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-980186-0403-USB-Desktop-Microphone/dp/B00009EHJV

Podcasts for kids
http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/

Audio software
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/encoder/default.mspx

http://www.conversationsnetwork.org/levelator

Discovering Animation and Mult-media

When most of us think of animation, we normally think of our favorite Disney characters we liked when we were growing up. However, animation is much more than Mickey Mouse or Cinderella animation is exciting, interesting and full of learning opportunities for children. Animation allows children to have control and use their imagination. Using animation in the classroom gives children a strong sense of control and allows the students to create their own characters and make the characters do whatever they want them to. Animation is great for introducing students to the concept of artwork and storytelling. Producing animation may involve many processes such as storyboarding, scripting, developing characters, creating animated figures, and recording vocals. Animation helps capture a student's attention and makes a connection between visual and verbal learning. Because animation is fun and exciting, students get into their work becoming more creative, producing a more exciting end result. You can use animation in any classroom (art, graphics, history, English, reading, writing, math, psychology, biology, any sciences, and much more). There are many different ways to integrate it into the classrooms for example in diagrams of how to do something, an animation of an event (for history) and many other. The options are endless. Producing animation may involve many processes such as storyboarding, scripting, developing characters, creating animated figures, and recording vocals.


Guidelines for Animation:
1.The design must focus and guide the attention of the user to the relevant information.
2.Narration must occur simultaneously with the relevant animation.
3.Text within the animations should be used sparingly. (Don't cause information overload).
4.Create user controls.
5.Make the end of the animation clear
6. Use the appropriate level of abstraction
7. Use metaphor
8. Create user controls
9. Clearly mark the animation
10. The type of assessment or desired learning outcome is important to consider


Why use Animation and Multi-media?
Animation can be best used for information that is procedural and is difficult to observe in the real world. Sketch pads and drawing boards are almost non-existent these days. Almost all of the animation and multi-media is done a sketch pad connected to a computer or directly on the computer which saves a lot of time and aggravation.


Although Animation and Multi-media creation are extremely time consuming, it is a great way to incorporate group work and give the students a sense of control over their learning. As students continue to explore animation and multi-media they will broaden their creativity and strengthen their storytelling.

An Overview of Wikis

Aloha!

Welcome to the online world of Wikis. The name wiki comes from the Hawaiian word for “quick”. A wiki’s purpose is to bring quick answers, solutions or information on anything and everything. The wiki is attributed to Ward Cunningham who in 1995 wanted to create the “simplest database that would work”. What makes wikis so different from other websites, search engines and online dictionaries is that a wiki has numerous contributors. Since wikis have numerous editors, wikis may seem non-reliable. Anybody can edit the information so there may be people who will report false information or even change correct information. But there are page editors constantly checking the pages for accuracy. A contributor may be blocked from adding or editing information if needed. That being said, it is important to not only use wikis as a sole source. Especially for students, using another more “reliable” source is important.

Let’s talk about wikis in Education. Some teachers have reported that they have better success when wikis are narrowly focused for a definite period of time. Let’s take, for example, a group writing project with a deadline. It is also helpful to construct wiki problems that offer multiple solutions, which ensures continued dialog and collaborating to solve the problem among students. Other teachers state that they contribute to the wiki that the students are using, only to help guide when absolute necessary. An interesting example of students using a wiki is the “Sunflower” example, which can be found on this website.
On the same website there are also more examples of wikis for you to check out.

Here are some differences we have found between wikis and regular websites:

WIKIS
*open editing
*simple text formatting language
*earlier versions stored in database
*easy to create new pages
*low security
*equal user rules
*multiple anonymous authorship
*communal, collaborative
*pages considered always in progress


CONVENTIONAL WEBPAGES:
*limited editing
*conventiona HTML
*earlier versions are not automatically saved
*harder to create new pages
*high security
*hierarchial user roles
*limited known authorship
*individual
*pages considered finished


All in all, wikis are great for quick information on any topic. You will likely get similar facts and different opinions, but you will always find some form of answer. The most widely-known wiki is wikipedia.com, which many people use on a daily basis for information on various countries, wars, people, and terms. It is a good source to go to for getting ideas about a topic before researching it further.

Digital Cameras In The Classroom

What is the best way to use digital cameras? Today, digital cameras are used for a wide variety of tasks. Most of us probably have cameras to take pictures of our families and friends, but there is now a whole new educational purpose for this form of technology. Now, digital cameras are even being used in school. In the article "Quick! Get The (Digital) Camera!" in Education World, Craig Nansen, a real technology coordinator for a public school, shares his story about the use of digital photography in the classroom.

In the article, Craig shares how digital photography was used in his school. Teachers in his school use digital photography in the classroom by taking pictures of students, their projects, activities, events, and field trips. On a field trip a student can take multiple digital photos. Later, the digital photos can be combined to make a slide show or movie. Also, at Craig's school, students wanted to put a web page together about the area that they live in which was a very historical place. Students wanted to make a web page with some of the town's historical background so they got pictures from the past from newspapers, scanned them, and created the web page. The photos allowed the students to experience a brief flash back of the area that they live in.

*Other ways to use digital cameras in the classroom (both from the article and ideas that we came up with):

-Write a class novel and illustrate it with live-action photos of your students

-Take pictures of each child's eyes, nose, feet, or mouth only. It would be really fun for kids to do. To integrate this activity into the lesson plans, perhaps the students could photograph animals or other elements relevant to the topic in the same way they were photographed.

-Document the growth of classroom plants or animals with daily or weekly photos.

-Take a photograph of each student at the beginning and end of the school year. Kids would get a kick out of this as every kid waits for the day they are older.

-Have students go on a photographic scavenger hunt, taking pictures of the objects they find rather than retrieving the objects themselves. Maybe students could do something like this if they are on a field trip like a museum or at an arts complex.

-Turn "student of the week" into "employee of the week" by hanging the students picture on the wall in addition to special weekly privileges

-Take pictures of the children and post them on their cubby or desk, so they have an idea of where they sit or where their things are

-Take a picture of a few things (ie cake, pizza, hotdog, phone) then have the students relate and/or categorize the pictures -Capture events such as a fire department coming to school to teach about fire safety (one of our group members actually got to take the pictures for a teacher while doing evaluations)

*Quick digital camera tips:

-purchase inexpensive cameras for student use and a good more expensive camera for teacher use

-let students work with the images - - cropping, editing, ect.

-consider having pictures printed locally at a one hour photo center - - it's cheaper

-have at least one computer set up with Photoshop Elements

*Concerns when using digital cameras:

-Students must give permission to be photographed (privacy issue)

-Damage to the camera, so teach students how to handle the camera since digital cameras can be "relatively expensive"

-Make sure you discuss appropriate pictures, sometimes students get silly when in front of a camera

*Good things about digital cameras:

-Don't have to get film developed! or pay for film

-Can instantly delete pictures

-Instantly download them to the computer

-Can use them for observation and documentation (science fair projects)

-Not all students can draw or paint so photography is another way to be artistic with school projects

-Students love to take pictures!

-Digital cameras give another perspective on things: "Looking through the eye of a lens gives another perspective that is so important when looking for the 'big picture' or zooming in on a detail. Both viewpoints can be a starting point to draw conclusions, test a hypothesis, or creatively interpret what we see." Digital photography has not only opened more doors to activities, but it has also expanded the ways a teacher can evaluate students. Pictures allow a teacher to see how active or constructive a student was while working.

In addition to the article found in Education World, we found these articles interesting as well:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/heinrich/papers_6.htm

http://www.wacona.com/digicam/digicam.html

http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/2003/04/roll.php

Virtual Field Trips

Virtual Field Trips

Have you ever been sitting in a classroom full of disinterested students? Have you ever been bored by the drone of a teacher’s lecture? If you answered yes then you probably understand that sometimes students just wish they were somewhere else! Fortunately, virtual field trips make this wish a reality!

As we enter the twenty first century the world around us is changing rapidly. Luckily, technology now allows for diverse educational opportunities. One of these new opportunities comes in the form of virtual field trips. According to "Get Outta Class With Virtual Field Trips" published by Education World in 2006, virtual field trips are becoming more and more popular in our school system. It is not hard to see why! A virtual field trip has many benefits. Imagine allowing students at any moment to travel to Antarctica, Paris, or even through the Solar System!

Virtual Field Trips vs. Conventional Field Trips
Less Expensive / More Expensive
Less Planning / More Planning
Unlimited Destinations / Limited Destinations
Accessible at any time / Arrangements Needed
Weather is always Perfect / Weather can get in the way
Very little paperwork / Lots of paperwork

How to create a Virtual Field Trip
*Brainstorm your ideas *Develop a plan (include activities for the trip as well as equipment needed) *Connect the field trip to the curriculum *Prepare (be sure to take more pictures that actually needed) *Take your trip and collect the needed information *Build your field trip *Evaluate by testing your virtual trip for technical errors *Share your trip

Tools used to create a Virtual Field Trip
-diagrams, drawings/paintings, maps
-interviews & oral histories
-photographs
-digital camera, scan
-recordings: audio, video
-text: diaries, letters, newspapers

Awesome Virtual Field Trip Ideas
http://www.si.edu/
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/
http://www.exploratorium.edu/explore/exhibits.html

With new times comes new technology. In the education system we can learn, grow, and flourish from these changes. Virtual field trips can now bring students and teachers anywhere they want to go.

Information and links courtesy of Glencoe Online and Education World

Original Articles:

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech071.shtml

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/33

Why Use a Storyboard?

Have you ever wondered what kinds of tools you can use to make your lessons more lively and organized? One option can be using storyboards. “Planning for Learning: Why Use a Storyboard” gives a simple but thorough description of storyboarding. What is a storyboard? A storyboard is a plan that maps out ideas for teaching and learning activities. It basically is a rough draft of a future course or assignment. There are simple storyboards which include flowcharts, outlines, or tables and there are more complicated storyboards which are more detailed and include text, graphics, and/or videos usually referred to as multimedia storyboards. Storyboards can display a direction or sequence for a lesson.

The direction and organization that storyboards provide can be beneficial to use in the classroom for a variety of reasons. They can be used to help a teacher “think ahead” and lets the teacher fix any problems that may arise. This way a teacher knows what his/her job will be as well as the job of the students. They create structure, sequence, and direction for lessons. Storyboards allow lessons to go more smoothly causing less stress and demand. They also fit lessons into the course objective. Storyboards are able to give out information in a structured manner.

Teachers can use storyboards for almost everything in the classroom. They can be used to plan for student activities for each lesson, estimate the time spent on each lesson, and explain objectives to be attained from each lesson. Other information to be used on storyboards include course descriptions, requirements, objectives, general resources needed for the class, outlines of course structure and lesson components. Students can also benefit from using storyboards. They help the students to stay organized, keep on task, and on schedule.

The most beneficial aspect of the article were the pictures provided and the references posted at the bottom of the article. Storyboards can be very open and can be creative. They can expand thoughts on projects and assignments. Storyboarding is a great planning tool to get organized and stay on track in the classroom.


“Planning for Learning: Why Use a Storyboard”. 2 Sept. 2007. Teaching and Learning With Technology, The Pennsylvania State University. 2007 http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/research/storyboard.shtml.

Technology in the Classroom

"You've got mail!" Everyone has heard this famous phrase in which American Online users are greeted when signing on. Technology has become a huge variable in everyday life. It is used in the work place, entertainment industries, and even at home. Now technology is branching out even further and is coming to a class room near you! The article, "Using Blogs to Integrate Technology in the Classroom", published by Glencoe/McGraw Hill and written by Mollie Crie explains how technology can and will be used in the class room.The article begins by defining a blog as "a Web publishing tool that allows authors to quickly and easily self-publish text, artwork, links to other blogs or Web sites, and a whole array of other content.” The article conveys that the use of blogs in the classroom can enhance a student's education. Blogs, Crie explains, are fairly simple tools teachers can use to relay information to students. Blogs can be used by teachers to inform students, post homework, initiate discussions and answer any questions.Blogs improve classroom management and benefit students as well. This article explains how students can use blogs to "present, organize and protect their work". Through blogs students are motivated to read and write as well as participate in class. This ties in with the standpoint discussed in chapter one of our text that participation from otherwise shy students can be enhanced greatly through this technology. In addition to explaining the benefits of a blog this article exemplifies some risks to consider. One could argue that in today's world it might not be safe for students to post information for everyone to see. Blogs can be viewed by anyone and students can easily post inappropriate material. The article counters these points by stating that teachers will have to relay guidelines and explain the dangers of the internet. Although the article probably could have gone into more depth on preparing a blog, it effectively explained the basics of blogging.

Mollie Crie, Using Blogs to Integrate Technology in the Classroom, October 2006, August 29 2007,ttp://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/47