Integration of online tools in the classroom is integral to keeping media savvy students engaged in and out of the classroom.
Wiki
Roblyer & Doering define a wiki as "a collection of web pages located in an online community that encourage collaboration and communication of ideas by having users contribute or modify content" (2013, p. 223). In thinking about creating your own wiki in the classroom, a good place to start is looking at what other teachers are doing with wikis. This 8th grade English wiki is representative of many of the wikis made by middle school teachers for their classes. While the site contains a lot of information that would be helpful for students, there is nothing collaborative or communicative about the site. This seems like a waste of potential. Though Roblyer and Doering make this assertion in reference to online courses, it can also apply to wikis, "a great web interface will not save a poor course, but a poor web interface will destroy a potentially great course" (2013, p. 227).
Google Calendar
Organization is one of the most important things to me in the classroom. As a student I often struggled to keep all of my classes organized. If students can go to one place for assignments and due dates, this would be ideal.
Countdown Clock
This countdown clock can be used to denote important due dates or even more important dates like spring break or the last day before summer break. As Roblyer and Doering point out, "sometimes the little extras go a long way" (2013, 227).
Google Lit Trips
When considering web based activities in the classroom Roblyer and Doering ask, "Does the Internet enhance the activity?" (2013, p. 238). In the case of Google Lit Trips, the Internet offers students and teachers varied useful information in one easy place. Using the Google Earth application, teachers can give their students global context to the literature they are learning. I would consider this type of resource to be what the text calls a "lesson enhancement"(Roblyer & Doering 2013, p. 238).
Reference
Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2012). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.
I like your use of Google Earth to enhance the lesson. I would also use this to supplement history lessons since geography is a large part of that subject. Other lesson enhancement tools that we may use are wikis, blogs, and discussion boards (Roblyer & Doering 2013, p. 238).
ReplyDeleteI never thought about using Google Earth in the classroom either! I love that idea.. especially considering we will be teaching literature from all over the world. Just like Roblyer & Doering, I think this type of application will be a way to deliver instruction and information on a topic to enhance student learning (245).
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