Media in my Classroom

On the website The Journal: Transforming Education through Technology, an article discusses how one can incorporate technology in the classroom. The article is entitled Enticing Teachers to Try Technology. Some teachers are hesitant when it comes to using new technology in the classroom, but this article shows how it can be done effectively and well.

One media I had never considered using in the classroom would be a blog for students to use to discuss homework or group projects. It could be set up where all the students know the user name and password, and they could collaborate as a whole. A blog would encourage learning and thinking without constant input from me, the teacher. I would, of course, step in when questions needed answered, but it would be about the students figuring out problems together. Another aspect of a blog would be for students to set up their own individual blog and use it as an online journal for which I would give points and check regularly.

Another aspect of media I had not considered also mentioned in the above article is storing students' work in an online portfolio. In my high school English class, we kept portfolios, but they were kept in bulky binders easy to mess up and get lost. Using an online portfolio would ensure the student would never lose his or her portfolio, and it would be kept neat and organized. Pieces from expository work to short stories would be kept organized. An online portfolio is an English teacher's dream.

Skype is now a growing trend across the nation, but the last place I would have ever considered using it is the classroom. But it makes sense. If an author of a book or a speaker would be ideal to have in class, but just not realistic, Skype makes the impossible possible. Using an Internet connection, a web cam, and hooking up a computer's screen to a larger television screen, the author or speaker would be right there in the classroom. Students would have the opportunity to ask him or her questions, and time is saved in the long run.

Most teachers usually just hand out assignments as the year progresses, and the students, especially if no syllabus is given, have no idea what is coming or what to expect. A class website could be set-up to house an online syllabus with upcoming assignments, test reviews, study guides, and extra practice for students if they did not understand a concept during class. Discussion boards for students and parents would also be located here. This ideal element works because so many times students don't know what to expect and with this, no one would be in the dark.

These technology developments would influence my method of teaching in a number of ways. Classroom time would be managed better. The students would learn how to work better in the classroom since they are already working together on the blog discussions hopefully making class discussions deeper and longer. I won't be limited to just the items I have in my classroom. I can use the Internet and give examples and ask the students to interact through the Smart Board and other programs.

Some media might not be conducive to an in-class structure. I would use considerations such as what will save the most time, explain the subject the best, and invite the most student interaction. The more hands on time the students have and more brainstorming together, the better they will remember the material.