Cool Tools for Schools

This is a great website...something that can be put on my MHS website and there for the students to use all year. I could even introduce a class project and let them pick the "coolest tool" to allow them to present the material.

I really enjoyed the "Songza" tool. What a cool idea for kids to research songs about the 1960s protest movement and Vietnam. Also, "Hot Potatoes" was a neat idea to have the kids use games to help them present and review the material. "Quibblo" was also a good tool to have the kids use technology to interact and share material.

This is definitely something that can be used down the road.

Wordle

As is often the case with these new technology tools, I was at first intimidated by Wordle. However, when looking at the process and the finished product, what a cool idea. This can be used for brainstorming at the beginning of a unit or for a chapter/unit review. Perhaps we could even use it for the upcoming exam review as a class activity. It also outputs a nice fun thing to look at and keep and I think the kids would enjoy using it. Cool concept.

Movie Maker

I really enjoyed using the movie maker online tool. I think it can be great for kids or myself to use for class. What a great way to convey information to the kids (on progressbook or my blog) or have them use it for a presentation. The kids always enjoy making a movie rather than the live presentation anyhow. It would be time consuming for the students, but ultimately worth it. I'm not quite sure how to embed it in my blog, but I'm going to give it a try.

Diigo

This is probably the first technology tool that I am not sold on. While I think the post it note option is neat, it doesnt prove to be practical enough to use. The bookmarking option is fine but there are plenty of other options out there that are more user friendly. Perhaps I don't have the full story, but Diigo does not seem to be for me.

Wikis

I think the Wiki concept on paper is a very good one. What a great tool to have the kids collaborate together and make their own "webpage" on a certain topic. But, as often occurs with new technology, the idea in my brain of a Wiki and the end product was not the same.

Erik Vanags and I tried to incorporate Wikis earlier this year when teaching World History I to our freshmen. I had invisioned this great website that all the kids could edit and add to. What came out was a decent compilation of material, but it's aesthetic value was rather low. I would like to use Wikis later this year, perhaps through Wikispaces which seems easier than Moodle.

I love the idea...perhaps next time it will serve our purposes better.

Google Reader

Well at first I thought Google Reader was confusing and a waste of time. However, as is becoming the trend here, once I researched it further and played with it for a while, it turned out to be a helpful technological tool. What a great way for kids to see all the websites I would like them to read (in one convenient place). Also, what a great time saver for surfing the net...whether it be educational or not. You can simply "dump" all of your favorites into the reader and read it all in one place. Very cool...and also very useful for class.

PodCast and ITunes

I recently recorded a podcast on the New Deal programs to help the students study for their upcoming quiz and test. I found it relatively easy to do and I think the kids would benefit from the material, but also to have my voice in the background reading to them. It probably would simulate the classroom and make them feel more comfortable with the information (I hope!). Also, it would be easy to download to ITunes and make it available for all the kids. They are all addicted to ITunes and I have heard that Mike Becksfort is good at it and the kids enjoy listening to his podcasts. This is yet another tech tool that I thought would be more difficult than what it was!

VoiceThread

I really enjoyed the new technology of VoiceThread. It would be a great way to give the students information (an online PPT as some say) but also the narrative portion that adjoins it is also very helpful. What a great tool to have for kids that are sick and at home or on vacation.

I also think it would be a great group project to give to the students. They could take ownership of the material and some students would really enjoy narrating the process of information. Perhaps on a smaller topic like civil rights or the '60s, the kids could go indepth with the info.

Bloom's Digital Taxonomy

It was interesting to read the piece on digital taxonomy. First, it was a refresher on the different stages of knowledge and classroom comprehension. However, it also gave a good look into the world of technological understanding and application. As stated in the article, the combination of these two "worlds" are critical to future success in the classroom and the real world.

I like to think that I do a godo job of using the "regular" taxonomy in the classroom. While other history classes are focused upon "LOTS" such as rote memorization of dates, places etc., my message to my students and their parents is "big picture" understanding. If they can understand past history and then apply it to the real world today, they will have a greater appreciation for history and will be able to greater understand current events. (ex: Vietnam vs. Iraq/ 1920's vs. today)

The goal (and why I am taking this class) is to continue to learn/understand the vast amount of technological tools available to my students. I'm hoping that by understanding and applying these tools, the "HOTS" will be easier available to all of us. The question is how can we use all of these great tools to more easily facilitate HOTS. Perhaps a SKYPE assignment with the Holocaust Museum/Hebrew Union College to understand the impact of WWII on the Jews???

Going Global: Culture Shock, Convergence and the Future of Education

I enjoyed this keynote address from the k-12 online conference because of its relation to my world history class. Erik Vanags and I are constantly trying to open the eyes of our students and "take off the blinders". While most MHS students are exceptionally bright, sometimes they fail to realize what is going on (esp. culturally) in the rest of the world.

This presentation allowed for me to understand how teachers are using technology in classrooms around the world to try to globally connect these students and classrooms. While I am limited in my knowledge, any additional help would always aid my instruction of teaching these important world concepts.

Skype

I believe that Skype provides the best opportunity within the new technological "gadgets" for my classes. Erik Vanags and I have been working to become more "technologically savvy" and within the World History I curriculum, Skype allows us a great amount of learning activities. We have begun the process of "Skyping" with The History and Discovery Channel's Josh Bernstein to give the kids a one on one interview with him. They enjoy his work and this allows him to speak directly to the kids and tell them that if you study history, you can become more than a history teacher. Skype also gives us the opportunity to communicate with civilizations and other students/schools all across America and the world. The opportunites are endless.

I do need to learn more about Skype, but I'm very excited about it. Hopefully I can continue to learn and begin to use it in the classroom this Spring.