Well, today has certainly shifted my outlook on teaching, especially Wikis. One, I know what it means- quick- in Hawaiian. Creating a Wiki is ANYTHING but quick! However, I guess it is much easier than learning the code to make a website. A big thank you to the wonderful HTML creators, who are infinitely more intelligent than I.I am still trying to figure out the differences between the uses for a blog and a Wiki, but I have successfully created both. I guess success is in the eyes of the beholder.
Also, today, we looked at podcasts and learned how to navigate itunes. For
those under twenty years old I am sure this is as natural as breathing. For me it was a lesson in patience and perseverance. I have never explored itunes personally. Since everyone in my family, with the exception of me, has downloaded something to his ipod or Blackberry, I usually invoke the helpless female role and persuade one of my children or my husband to do it for me.
As far as teaching goes, it seems that the need for teacher collaboration is even more crucial when working with content and technology. As I begin to imagine the uses of Wikis and blogs in the classroom, I see the need to involve the computer teacher and/or other teachers to help students learn to use these skills together to create and generate information that they have learned and make it meaningful to them. Tomorrow we are going to make our own podcasts. Now that is intimidating! Whatever happend to reading a book outloud?
image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamstanley/231628852
license:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
Might this mean we can "teach" our classes from our homes?
ReplyDeleteMore than ever, we need to be teaching students how to discern what is fact on the internet and how technology can be used to help them learn (not just games). Glad you are taking this class. I'd love to hear more.
ReplyDeleteI think what I am gathering from this class is not just how to use these "tools", but to realize that they may soon become our classroom materials and modes of student learning and collaboration.
ReplyDeleteNo longer will each student need a classroom text, but a computer to learn, create and collaborate.