instant messenger

I think instant messenger has definite potential to be used in the classroom. I know that as a student, there have been many times in my academic career when I would be home and wished that I could somehow have immediate contact with my teacher. Instant messenger is capable of allowing this to happen. If teachers could set up a screenname and then log onto it at certain times, students could IM them with questions and suggestions. This could really enhance teacher/student relationships because many times, people feel more comfortable communicating online rather than communicating face to face.

Although instant messenger has its advantages, it can also be a deterrent to learning. Students tend to use improper grammar, spelling, and sentence structure while on instant messenger. Many of these habits are already finding their way into students' writing. If teachers are condoning the use of IM's, they may be setting the scene for errors to occur in formal writing more frequently. Instant messenger can also be a distraction for many students because instead of concentrating on what teachers have to say, they will be busy IMing friends and family members.

By teaching students how to use instant messenger in a responsible, productive fashion, it can become a vital tool in today's technologically advanced classroom.

Digital Photography

Yesterday in class, we talked about how a teacher can use digital photography in the classroom. KidPix isa really interesting program for younger students. Teacher-created documents can be used to demonstrate an important concept or idea. I saw people using the program to create examples of food chains, the water cycle, or story boards. I think these are great ideas to review important information with students. KidPix can also be used by students to create a finished product after learning about a topic. It's definitely a new and different way to provide an assessment for students.

Elluminate

Now that we've completed our first online class, I think it was really interesting. I didn't realize that online classrooms had so many capabilities. We were able to visit different websites and view presentations without doing anything. It was my first experience with an online class and it definitely held my attention.



I believe that there is definite potential for this to be used in a K-12 environment, probably more for a high school audience than an elementary school class. Because this is a new idea, it will hold their attention for a longer period of time. Students have the opportunity to use an instant message feature, similar to how they might use AIM. I think this could be a great idea when a class is assigned a long-term project over a school break because students could meet with teachers in a virtual way from anywhere they may be. Teachers could clear up any questions students may have, and students could talk with others about any problems they've been having and how best to solve them.

More Technology

I'm taking a class on the everday life in which we are currently working on a couple of technology projects. We already have to keep a blog for the class on which we can write anything we want. Recently, we have learned how to use the program Flash to create animations and presentations. It's a really interesting program because there is so much you can do. I know that when I was in high school, there was one boy who would always use it to create his projects. He always had the most interesting projects because they were full of animation and interesting pictures. Although I know that it is a difficult program to use, as a teacher, I would definitely encourage my students to learn to use it and create projects for class with it. I think everyone in the class would enjoy and benefit from these presentations because they are quite different from an ordinary Powerpoint presentation.