Intro to Web 2.0 tools
Integrating technology into the classroom is a great way to motivate and engage students. Technology can be used to convey messages, facilitate discussions, and make small tasks simpler when used properly. In the discipline of P.E/Health it could be used several ways; podcasts can be used to deliver different lifting programs or a section on healthy tips, Web pages can be used to guide discussions about Health or Physical Education matters, and a Ipad or Ipod could be used for attendance while walking in to the class. Students can effectively use these tools to do their own researching, and using their resources to create and communicate their findings.
Becoming a Blogger
My blog is named Teacher in Training, on this blog I will be posting reflections, and work that I create using the 23 things assignments.
Using Blogs to Support Teaching and Learning
This shows the ability to post a blog in response to questions. This is useful because the students and teachers can convey their opinions, and information on other blogs. Students in Physical Education classes could post their work-outs onto a blog, and other students can compare and encourage one another along the way.
RSS and Google Reader Account
With there being so many blogs out there google reader makes it easy to get new information. The RSS feed brings the new information to you as opposed to going out and finding the new information. To be able to sort all of this new information you can separate the information by folders. Also, if you come across something you want to read later you can tag the article to easily find later.
Digital Citizenship
This is a shot on my blog posted on digital citizenship. Digital citizenship can be a guideline of what you want your students to know about technology; its dangers, and uses.
Online Photo Sharing
This is a screen cast of a photo I saved off of flickr and posted to my blog. This shows I have the skills to navigate flickr and research different pictures, save them, and use them accordingly. This is helpful in Physical education and Health because teachers and students can share ideas through images.
Sharing Photos of Your Own
This screen cast shows I have the ability to upload pictures to a Flickr account. This will be helpful to post instructional pictures on how to perform skills, or other pictures I choose to convey a message to the students.
Mash-ups and Online Generators
This is a photo mash-up that I created using Big Huge Labs. This can be useful in physical education and health for creating photo mash-ups of their favorite sports teams, favorite foods, favorite activities to partake in, etc. This would be a cool tool to use as a teacher on the first day to use as an ice breaker activity to get to know your students, or to let your students get to know you.
Exploring Online Video Sharing Sites
This screen cast shows a comment I left on a video on YouTube. being able to comment on videos, know how to navigate videos, and post videos to YouTube can be very beneficial as a teacher. In my classroom I can use YouTube videos as an attention getter before lessons, or I could have the students create their own account and post a group project for the class to watch.
Embedding and Downloading Videos
This is a screen cast of my blog with a post that has a video embedded on it. Being able to embed videos is a good skill to have as a educator because if I were to post a article or information I want my students to see a video along with it will help the students in learning the content.
Connecting to a Learning Community
This is a screen cast of me commenting on somebodies blog. Being able to comment on blogs and express my thoughts is a valuable skill as an educator. I could use this as an assignment for my students in a Health course. For example, the students could find an educational blog about a current health issue and express their opinions on a comment or even summarize what they read and liked or disliked.
Add a Widget
This is a screen cast of my blog with a widget inserted. Being able to embed widgets into things can be beneficial as a teacher. If I can spice up my blog, or anything for that matter it can increase students interest, possibly resulting in an increased learning environment.
Social Networking
This is a screen cast of me searching for other people to connect with in the social networking site Linkedin. Social networks can be a useful tool for a teacher in a few ways. Teachers can use them as a way to discuss ideas with other professionals, or even to use within their lessons. Students will already be on these social networking sites, if a teacher can use them to their advantage they can be useful
Online Bookmarking and Tagging
This is a screen cast of my delicious account with two bookmarks and a tag. Knowing how to tag and bookmark is a good skill for teachers to know. With these skills a teacher can keep organized, and it can help teachers go from site to site quickly and decrease down time within the class.
Online Collaboration with Google Documents
This is a screen shot of my Google documents account. This allows me to privately link people to the documents I have created. This allows me to send documents out to multiple accounts, they can be edited and immediately changed on the document. This allows for an easier sharing of documents, and a way to connect with multiple contacts.
Online Productivity Tools
This is a screen shot of a tool called "30 Boxes". For this tool it is used as an online calender. This would be useful for me as a teacher because I can post all of homework and project due dates, tests, quizzes etc. and the kids can look at this online for reminders. I can also use one of these for my personal use to keep things organized and to keep myself on track.
Slideshare for Online Presentations
This is a screenshot of a Slideshare I embedded onto a blog of mine. This could be used as a way to give students a lesson through different forms of media. This could enhance student learning for the visual learners.
Podcasts
This is a screenshot of a podcast database where you can subscribe to podcasts called podcastalley.com. Podcasts can be used in a classroom in multiple ways. They can be used as a reinforcement of the previous lessons, lead up to a lesson, or as a source for projects and assignments.
Learn About Wiki's
This is a screenshot of a wiki doing a collaboration between schools in New York and Australia. They were comparing hemispheres and the way water is affected by it. This is a cool tool to use to get information from other sources, and to collaborate online with other people.
Create a Wiki
This is a screenshot of my first wiki. I like wiki's more than a blog because it seems easier to add links to them, and you can create a theme easier with a wiki. Also with a wiki other people can navigate it much easier and put their input on it.
Reflection of Web 2.0 Tools
Throughout this project of learning about the different web 2.0 tools I learned a lot about being productive, and working smarter and not harder. To me, a lot of the tools were ways to organize and present material in a much easier and more prepared manner than in a normal lesson. As well as helping strengthen my versatility as a teacher. When learning about these tools I thought of multiple of ways to present material that without knowing how to use these tools would not be imaginable. It has changed the way that I view technology and the classroom. Before I never used to really think about combining the two a whole lot. I knew there were ways to do that, but not to the extent I do now. With having completed the 23 things I have gained knowledge about the internet and its capabilities. The big “take away” for me is just the different ways technology can be utilized in the class, and if used correctly can be very effective. Students now are more technology savvy than they have ever been and will continue to be, as a teacher the best thing I can do is use that to my advantage and infuse it into some lessons.