Week5 - Web 2.0

This was probably some of the coolest stuff that I have looked at.  I don 't know if I am still in the dark ages but I need to wake up because there is some pretty cool sites out there that I think my students would jump on.  We no longer live with the chalk and chalk board.  It is time for all teachers to get out of their comfort zone and research some of the cool possiblities out there.  I didn't even know what web 2.0 was.  I had to google it to figure it out and I loved the first two sites that I found. 

The first site was called Schoology.  It is a social networking site combined with learning management.  It is like a digital classroom.  It provides students and teachers a way to create and share work.  I think one of the main reasons that I like it so much was that it provides a way for teachers to communicate and collaborate with students.  Everyone should know how much students are on the computer.  Is this not a great way to keep the communication going.  That is not the only part about the site.  I could create a group for just my classes.  I could also create assignments, quizes, tests, check attendance, and more.  THe possiblities seemed endless.  I am definitley going to look more into this for next year.

I also found another site called Buddy School.  I am a coach so sometimes it is difficult for me to stay after school to help students.  I have told them that I can always help before but sometimes they cannot make it or don't want to.  This site provides tutoring at the time that can best fit them.  They can search for tutors that can help them with different studying sessions.  The site allows different options and is really open is what is decided.  I am sure that this is not the only site available but I already want to tell my students about this one.

Finding these two sites just makes me want to search more.  There is so much out there and I need to change as the world is changing because my students sure are.

Week 4 - Multimedia

The multimedia that I would choose for my classroom is video and photo sharing communities.  I have recently read an article about a teacher who decided that he wanted to use class time for work time.  His students were not doing the work at home.  So he video taped or found lessons of what he was teaching and put them on YouTube.com.  He then asked his students every night to go and view the appropriate lesson.  They would then be able to have class at night and therefore be able to work on 'home' work during the day.  The students could ask questions during school.  He was very successful.  I have often thought about posting videos or something live that students can go back and refer to when they get stuck on their homework.  I was thinking that next year I would first create a website for my students and parents to view.  There would be a link for homework.  There would also be a link for questions or comments.  I would also like to add a link for videos of myself teaching or even links to where students and their parents can find extra help.