There have been a number of good articles and discussions relating to trying new technology such as Dan Gordon's "Return to Sender". In summarizing that article, Janet wrote,
"It said that the US is not turning out students ready for the workforce. Primarily, we should be
producing students who can use technology to demonstrate 21st century skills, and secondary,
our students need to know core subject content. Besides the 3 R’s, students need the 4 C’s
(critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity) plus problem solving and
innovation."
Many of us have been trying new technology such as flip cameras that we used to film our classrooms earlier in the year. Another type of innovation that that promotes some of goals are book blogs. I used my teacherweb.com site to add a book blog and WWII page and Mary found a book blogging site http://kidblog/. These sites have helped kids talk about and think about books using technology.
Do you update your class website daily, weekly, or monthly? I like the idea of the kid blog. Have your students been using it often?
ReplyDeleteI update my class website at least twice a week. I always post lesson plans on Sundays and a usually a Weekly Progress Report on Thursdays. I also add links to other sites, homework updates and post blog entries.
ReplyDeleteThe book blog is great. I think some kids would be cool using it every day, but then it becomes less about books and more social. I don't post the "Happy Easters" and other comments that aren't related to the books.
Perhaps next year, I will try a writer's blog or just a social blog.