The internet is definitely not lacking in education web 2.0 tools that could be used in many classrooms. As I was browsing the web looking for any blogs on technology and education, I stumbled upon this great article, "The 100 Best Web 2.0 Classroom Tools Chosen By You" on the website Edudemic. One tool that really appealed to me as a future English teacher was Penzu. It's a private and secure online journal that I could have my students sign up and do some free writes on. Not only that though, there is also the Penzu Classroom app that teachers can use to manage students, create assignments, grade, and more. It looks like a very versatile app that I could easily see in an English language arts classroom.
Another web 2.0 tool that is very popular but I wish I saw more use of it in classrooms, is Skype. This awesome technology can be a great way to bring guest speakers into your classroom without having to travel. I am also a huge proponent of using Skype to collaborate with other classrooms in different countries. It's an excellent way to expose students to new cultures and ways of life, which is incredibly valuable and enriches critical thinking skills.
Also during my internet perusing, I came across this very useful aggregator, Spigot. It aggregates everything "at the intersection of learning, technology, and youth," from news, research, opinions, and info. For instance, under "research" I found a great little blog entry about the importance of Taking Risks by Steve Wheeler. I honestly could have spent hours upon hours on Spigot, and I already have it bookmarked for further investigation =)
Friday, May 16, 2014
The Many Uses of Google Drive
I myself only found out about Google Drive last semester, but man am I thankful that I did. Google Drive is a very versatile tool. With it, you can create documents, spreadsheets, and even slideshows, and the best part is that everything saves automatically and right to Google, so all of your stuff is accessible from any computer. This has saved me a couple times in the past.
I most certainly see myself incorporating Google Drive into my future classroom. I even got observe how effective it can be in the classroom during my field experience at Hellgate Elementary this semester. I worked with a very technologically progressive 5th grade class on writing realistic fiction stories, and each student had their own Ipad which they used to write their stories on Google Drive. This was awesome because I could work with the students on the stories right there in class and not have to worry about going to the computer lab or anything. They could also all share them with the teacher so that she can monitor their progress any time and help them with any questions from home.
An example of a lesson plan that I could create for a high school English class that utilizes Google Drive could be along these lines:
Let's imagine that my students will be reading John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath in class. As a possible introductory activity, I could have my students work collaboratively in groups of two or three to research the Great Depression, John Steinbeck, and/or the 1930's, and then, using Google Presentation, create a slideshow presentation. I would let the students work together on it in the classroom for only a little bit, just enough to brainstorm ideas, but then I would want them to practice their online collaboration skills by creating the actual presentation from their respective homes.
Then, as my students worked through the novel, I could use Google Documents to create chapter quizzes that my students could do from home. Not only would this save time, it would also eliminate a lot of paper waste.
I most certainly see myself incorporating Google Drive into my future classroom. I even got observe how effective it can be in the classroom during my field experience at Hellgate Elementary this semester. I worked with a very technologically progressive 5th grade class on writing realistic fiction stories, and each student had their own Ipad which they used to write their stories on Google Drive. This was awesome because I could work with the students on the stories right there in class and not have to worry about going to the computer lab or anything. They could also all share them with the teacher so that she can monitor their progress any time and help them with any questions from home.
An example of a lesson plan that I could create for a high school English class that utilizes Google Drive could be along these lines:
Let's imagine that my students will be reading John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath in class. As a possible introductory activity, I could have my students work collaboratively in groups of two or three to research the Great Depression, John Steinbeck, and/or the 1930's, and then, using Google Presentation, create a slideshow presentation. I would let the students work together on it in the classroom for only a little bit, just enough to brainstorm ideas, but then I would want them to practice their online collaboration skills by creating the actual presentation from their respective homes.
Then, as my students worked through the novel, I could use Google Documents to create chapter quizzes that my students could do from home. Not only would this save time, it would also eliminate a lot of paper waste.
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