An Appreciation of Tech for Teachers

With this being my last blog post, I thought that I would write about how I benefitted from this course, and how I will apply what I have learned into my future classroom.  This will directly apply to my last post; in which I wrote about how the classroom has changed technologically over the years.  In this post, I will be writing about how I overcame some of my qualms about technology, and what I will put to use for my students in the future.

One piece of technology I really enjoyed was Edmodo.  I enjoy how it is in the simplest sense, Facebook for students.  It has all the same features as Facebooks, but without the negative aspects.  For example, there are no distracting posts or adds on the site.  Also, the only posts that students can directly comment on are the teacher’s.  In order to make a comment, students must create their own original post.  The site can be used to show videos, websites, pictures, etc.  I like that it is similar to Facebook because if students used the real thing, they would become distracted by their own accounts and pages that were unrelated to the work.  I want to use Edmodo to continue classroom discussion outside the classroom.  I can use this to post additional resources or get opinions from students on assignments, lectures, videos, etc.

Something else I learned in this course was how I can use my own voice for online materials.  I think there is something very personal about hearing your instructor’s voice when you are not in the classroom.  The familiarity makes it seem like your actual instructor is with you, giving you the confidence to learn what is being taught online.  If given a random link created by an unknown, it seems like the teacher did not put much effort into creating the supplemental material.  This is why I rely enjoyed the voicethread project.  It was easy to post pictures, links, and videos, and then comment on it with what I would say about it in person.

As I have expressed in class, Google Tools has been my favorite tool that I have learned about this year.  The usefulness of Google Docs and Google Sheets is evident in the way it is collaborative.  Gone are the days in which PowerPoint versions have to be emailed from group member to group member.  These tools offer automatic saving, online chat, and online publishing.  My favorite feature is the automatic citation service in MLA, APA, and Chicago Style.  It has already saved me hours of time since I have learned it from class.  Google Forms was also fun for me.  I loved creating quizzes that way.  I am just so thrilled that from now on, whenever I am told to present a project for class, I will not automatically resort to the tired, old PowerPoint presentation. 

Sources:

http://www.edison.k12.nj.us/Page/6419

https://cit.duke.edu/blog/2010/01/ddi-voicethread-pilot-open-to-duke-community-during-spring/

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2014257/10-great-google-tools-you-need-in-your-business-workflow.html