Technology is moving quickly. It is revolutionizing our lives on a daily basis. It is also revolutionizing the way we educate the future doctors, lawyers and teachers of our country. In the last few years we have seen Podcasts, Blogs, Google and iTunes become apart of our culture. While many use these as entertainment and recreation, they may soon become important tools in education. It is vital that we as teachers never stop learning and always use new tools and technologies to help it endless quest to educate and inspire.
Podcast:
The first podcast I ever listened to was from one of my favorite shows. After watching an episode, I would go and download it and listen to it in my truck while I was on a run. It became a way to learn more about the show and what the creators were thinking when they developed that episode. Why cant the same be true in education? After a lesson on a subject, why cant a student download a podcast and learn more about a topic? I envision using podcasts as a supplement to the textbook. Lets say we discuss Dr. Martin Luther King in class. As an homework assignment or even extra credit, I would require my students to download and listen to one of his speeches and write a short essay on it. Quick and simple. This is just one example I can think of of the top of my head but the potential is limitless.
Another way I would use podcasts in my classrooms is as a class project. It would be nice to have students create their own podcasts at the end of the semester and discuss what they have learned about history.
iGoogle:
I have always used Microsoft Office to do all types of school and office work, but after this semester in school I believe that I have found a set of office tools to take its place. iGoogle has won a place in my heart because its simplicity. Here are some of the reasons why I believe iGoogle will be extremely useful in my classroom:
1. Students can create an iGoogle account and have access to a free word processing and spreadsheet program that is online. All work is saved online with the iGoogle account. The student doesn't have to worry about saving work on a flash drive or on a hard disk. Where the student has internet access, they have access to their work.
2. Students can share their work through iGoogle with myself and other students. No need to write an essay, print it up and take it to class. A student can simply do their work and share it. No more "The dog ate my homework" excuses.
Web Blogs:
This semester I have learned a lot about the potential of blogs in the classroom. Blogs are an easy way for teachers and instructors to post information online about class activities, assignments and progress. Parents and guardians will be able to quickly go on line and check to see whats going on in the class. Students who have missed days due to illness or emergencies can check the class blog to find out what was discussed in class. In the a nutshell the class blog will be the students and parents 24/7 access to my class.
GPS:
I was inspired by Dr. Alice Christie's GPS and Geocaching Guide for my next idea. My spin on GPS in education will be a little different. Mobile has a lot of interesting and historical locations. Just walking downtown there are historical markers everywhere. I will go around the city and find locations that have historical significance to my class, record the GPS corridnates and encourage the students in my class to find them and write a brief essay about what they found. This would probably be an extra credit assignment. I will have to work out all the little details and tweak the idea before I try it but hopefully it will encourage my students to get out and discover the history that is all around them.
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