We explored many teacher sites this evening. They are as follows:
This website allows users to create and manage their own cartoons. You have to create an account in order to access this technology. I think that this could be a great tool to use in my future classroom. For intance, I could possibly have my students create their own political cartoons when we discuss current issues.
This website is host to a simulated reality. Users create their own "avatars" that represent them throughout the site, on blogs, and in email. I probably would not use this particular technology in my future classroom; I really cannot see any forseeable benefits for incorporating it in a secondary environment.
This website allows those that access it the opportunity to digitally sketch a picture and save it to their computers when they're finished. I think that this is a cool technology, but I would not be able to use it in my future classroom. I feel that it is better suited for the younger children.
This website is a resource for teachers. It is host to lesson planning, professional development, and numerous other resources. This particular webpage opens up an article about being techno-constructivist teachers. The main focus of the article was the idea that teachers should be facilitators only; in this respect, they should provide their students with the tools and resources that they need and basically allow them to jump in, discover, and learn things for themselves.
This website is host to free photos. This will be a great resource in the classroom because it provides images for educational use that are free from the confines of copyright.
This is a blog that provides notice of various, free technologies available for teachers. When I opened the page, the most recent entry was actually about copies of a new History Channel program on DVD being offered for free to schools, so long as they have their principals apply through the History Channel website. I wish I was a teacher now, so that I could take advantage of this opportunity!
This website offers free music files. This is a great resource for the classroom, because it allows students to take advantage of incorporating music into their projects without the concern of copyright law.
POST CLASS
This week's readings focused on digital storytelling. There were a great deal of articles but not all of them successfully opened on my computer. I have taken notes on the readings that were able to open below:
- The Flip Ultra Video Recorder- David Pogue
This was a video showcased on the New York Times website that showed some individuals testing out the Flip Ultra video camera.
- How to Use Digital Storytelling in Your Classroom- Jennifer New
This article created a list of advice for teachers to effectively incorporate digital storytelling as an educational tool within their classrooms. The gist of the list is as follows: learn from your students' creations, use the technology as a tool NOT a goal, learn through trial and error, provide student liberty simultaneous with student accountability, be a behind the scenes facilitator, and praise your students' efforts.
- Digital Storytelling Finds Its Place into the Classroom- Tom Banaszewski
This article chronicled a project that a class of fourth and fifth graders did using iMovie. The students were able to express themselves in their own independent yet structured ways. I think this is a great practice for all students. I would love to have such a project in my future classroom.
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