Unit 3: Practicing with Technology Tools and Examples
Target Objective
Learners will be able to view various examples of technology that is used in classrooms.
Unit Objective
- View and understand examples of various types of technology.
-Explore whether or not these tools would be useful in your own classroom.
Lesson One: PowerPoint
Benefits of using PowerPoint
Students today are so technologically savvy that teachers need to tap into their schemas in order to reach the maximum learning potential. PowerPoints hold student attention through the use of media, sound, and graphics.
Review the following PowerPoint that was designed for a 9th grade global class on Judaism that falls in the middle of a unit on Religions. Take notes on why you think this lesson using PowerPoint would be beneficial.
Lesson Two: Wiki
Benefits of using Wiki's
Many people do not have much experience using wiki. However, according to Boston College Instructional Design and eTeaching services, using a wiki in the classroom gives students the opportunity to author in a collaborative environment. The benefits of collaborative authoring include: learning from others, developing a higher level of critical thinking, developing skills for effective team work and facilitation, and building a digital classroom community.
The most common question is "what is a wiki?" Wiki allows students to blog or interact via the Internet from home, school, or virtually anywhere. Other examples, not educational, or blogging or interacting would be Facebook for example. Wikis, however are online computer programming that allows users to easily create, edit, link, and track changes to web pages. In education, wikis can be used to allow for safe colloborative environment on the Internet. This interaction allows for immediate responses from classmates and teachers thus allowing for more learning to take place. It also taps into the technologies that students are currently using outside the classroom.
Here is an example of a unit designed on the usefulness and development of wikis for you to review Educational Use of Wiki.
Let's Practice!!
Go to the Disucssion area for this page and take a look at some of the discussion topics for the 9th grade class currently using wiki space to review for the Religions Unit Exam. In this example the teacher is the facilitator posting questions for the 9th grade class to respond to and help one another study for the unit assessment.
Now think of how an on-line discussion and development of a wiki space would be beneficial in your class!
Lesson Three: Podcasts
Benefits of Using Podcasts
One of the most beneficial uses of podcasts is that this particular tool is useful for grades K-12. Some of the other tools we have discussed are primaruly useful for students who have computer experience and are old enough to know how to operate the tool. Podcasts on the other hand can be designed by the teacher and used within the classroom no matter what age level you teach. However, one of the most beneficial things about podcasts is that students are the teachers.Integrating Podcasting activities into the classroom can help students actively demonstrate content mastery through active learning and participation. The students are the ones who are developing the material that is to be used and demonstrated to the class. Making student work public motivates students to do the best they can - thus bringing out their most creative work.
Another benefit I have found in my classroom regarding podcasts is that when a students is out sick or suspended they can easily access the podcasts from home and use them to help stay up to date with class notes. For example this podcast was used to help in my class.Podcast Audio
For more information on incorperating podcasts in your class check this article out. This article helps explain how teachers can use podcasting in the class and strategies to integrate student use and development. [1]
Also please check out this Unit on Podcasting. Unit 2: Exploring Podcasting
How do you see yourself using podcasts in your classroom?
What are some drawbacks to use podcasts?
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