Journal 1

Journal 1
In the first article “Extreme Makeover…” I learned just how naive I am to the amount of technological resources there are available to teachers. There are a great number of tools such as collaborative web sites that can be used with in a classroom to help students learn and communicate with one another through the use of technology. These resources make it easy for teachers to allow their student to complete group work in a way that is valuable to each students learning style. There are a great number of technological resources available which allow teachers to use technology to meet many different types of learning needs of their students as well as meet different learning standards needing to be accomplished within the class room.
Question: Of the tools mentioned, in the article, what tools have you used and what seem most valuable?
I have used a classroom newsletter, a little bookmaking and I just started my own blog. I think that the blog would be a great tool for a class! This is a tool that the students, parents and teacher can use. Communication could stay constant between the parents and teachers, which is great since many parents work and aren’t able to come visit the classroom very often.

The second article talks about how valuable blogs can be in the classroom. It’s a great tool for different types of learners and an awesome way for a classroom to stay in constant communication. The blog is helpful for all people involved in the class: parents, students and teachers. It is really helpful for students who may be a little forgetful or who have missed and assignment. The blog, if used properly and updated regularly, helps students keep up with everything going on in their classroom.

Question 2: What do you think a class blog would help you as a teacher?
I think a class blog would help me stay in communication with my students as well as their guardians. I also think the blog would be a form of validation for me if I were to be questioned by a student or their guardians about anything that has happened or is going to happen in my classroom.



Sources:
Mader and Smith, Jared and Ben (2008,July). Blogging Right Along. Learning and Leading with Technology , Retrieved July 14, 2008, from
http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2html/pdf2html.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fj


Shifflet and Toledo, Rena and Cheri (2008, July). Extreme Makeover: Updating Class. Learning Connections, Retrieved July 14, 2008, from http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2html/pdf2html.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjheil65.googlepages.com%2FJournal1.pdf&images=yes