Blog Post 13

Jose Picardo’s blog is a fine example of what a blog should look like. It is well organized and well put together. I have now added him to my Google Reader. Jose Picardo has encouraged me to use all types of technology in my classroom. In his video, Top Ten Tips for Using Technology in the Classroom, he tells us of 10 things that we should incorporate into our classroom. Thanks to EDM 310, I have been exposed to most of these. Two months ago, I would not be prepared to use any of them. But luckily, after using these tools this summer, I am equipped with a better understanding of what it takes to run a 21st century classroom.

The first thing that Picardo has advised us to use is video streaming, such as YouTube or Teacher’s TV. I did visit Teacher’s TV and it appears that that site is closed, but all of the archive videos are still available. The second tip is to use more music. He states that teenagers and children are fanatical about music. It is most likely they are already using iTunes. We should find out what they are into and use it to our advantage. I love pop music, so I think that I would really enjoy this. Third, we should use teleconferencing tools such as Skype. After reading many blogs and seeing Skype used, I would definitely have to agree with him on this one. What a great way for students to connect “face-to-face” with other students! Another thing that we should do is tailor our interactive exercises to our students. We know them best and would be able to enhance their skills better by doing this. A few sites that he suggested are Hot Potatoes, which is a lesson generator with games, and Content Generator. I will be trying these sites out this upcoming school year with my kindergarten students. This should be fun!

Another tip he gives is for us to use our whiteboard more effectively. I strongly agree with him. Most of Mobile County’s schools have SMART boards, and we need to be willing to learn the basics to take advantage of this tool. I hope to learn more about it this upcoming school year. Using podcasts is also a great tool. Using Garage Band and Audacity are great tools in creating a podcast. He then goes on to tell us that we should use blogs and wikis. That will most likely be my first step in my classroom. I have found my blog to be useful and also visiting other blogs has been a wealth of information. Blogs and wikis are a great way to showcase our students’ work and achievements. He also suggests that we use social networking. By having closed groups, it will allow for us to communicate with our students. Google+ Circles would be very useful here. I had already thought about including my students in a circle so that we could stay connected with classroom activities. We should also take advantage of the wealth of tools that are found on the internet. There are so many tools that will motivate students. One site that I visited is Animoto. I created my own slideshow. It was simple and user friendly.


Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

We should also take advantage of the gadgets that our students have. Most of them already have mp3 players and mobile phones with video and Bluetooth. There is so much that they can be used for. I hope that one day our school system will allow them to be used in the classroom as a tool.
So with all of that information, I feel that with my knowledge of these tools, I will be able to incorporate them into my classroom. But we shouldn’t stop there; there are so many other tools being made available daily and we should continue to look for the latest and greatest in technology.