It has not just revolutionized the way we search on the Internet, but also made education more fun and relevant in today’s technology-dependent world. With Google Apps, teachers and students can set up their own account and use Gmail, Google’s instant messenger GTalk to chat with teachers and fellow students in real time, synchronize their calendars so that they’re able to keep up with educational events, lectures, tests and discussions, and use videos for real-time lessons or conference study sessions when they’re not able to get together in one room.
If teachers are apprehensive about providing students with their own email and chat ids, the administrator has the option of turning these off, as well as any other applications that they feel are not suitable. One particularly useful aspect of Google Apps is the document sharer Google Docs which lets you share documents. This is great for working on shared projects where each student has edit and/or read options depending on their status in the group.
Another good tool is Google Sites that allows you to create your own class site where you can upload all the latest information and news that can be read and accessed by students from within the application. Google Sites is also a great tool for developing your own wikis, mini knowledge databases that are filled with information and data relevant to your learning and education.
Google Apps is a great way to stay in touch even if your students are scattered over the country or across the world, as in a distance education class. They help keep track of assignments, lectures and discussions and encourage collaboration between students and teachers.
The best part of schools and other educational institutions using Google Apps is that there are new and innovative uses being thought of for this technology. Students are getting more and more creative and utilizing this tool to enhance the way they and their friends learn and develop on a personal level and as a group. And so we see how technology becomes a great asset in the hands of the right people who know how to harness its power and derive the maximum benefits from it.
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This article is written by Kat Sanders, who regularly blogs on the topic of top online engineering degree at her blog The Engineering A Better World Blog. She welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: katsanders25@gmail.com.
Using technology in the classroom is one of the best and easiest ways to engage students who have grown up in the information age. Most students in public schools these days have grown up with the internet and are far more technologically savvy than most of their teachers; it’s no wonder that infusing lessons with technology ultimately resonate more strongly than lessons using only textbooks and written assignments. What follows is a brief list of ways to enhance teaching and learning by using technology in the classroom.
Video Resources
With the popularity of YouTube, there are thousands upon thousands of video resources available for free that can enhance the educational experiences of students in classrooms. Take the time to locate the proper resources ahead of time and look for other sites that stream educational programming for students’ use. Allowing them to stream video in the context of a computer lab may resonate more deeply than simply watching in the classroom.
Get Students Connected
Another tool that can be used in collaboration with other teachers in your district is to use email or school websites to help connect students with one another. Perhaps you have a lesson that another teacher uses; have their students contact your students and they can create collaborative projects using the web or simply exchange ideas related to the unit of study. There are many way and applications for using internet communication in lessons.
Create Presentations
Students love the ability to show off their skills, whether it’s making a short film, slideshow, or Power Point. Allow them to find images, information, and let them create presentations to give in front of the class. Be sure to have them cite where they located images and information, then screen the presentations before they are given in front of a group.
Evaluate Sources
The internet is certainly full of information, and some sources are superior to others. Make a list of sites for students to evaluate and have them use their critical thinking skills to evaluate the credibility of the information. They can be taught how to do this with a simple checklist of things to look for. This can be a great activity for them to learn that they can’t always take everything on the web at face value.
Multimedia Group Projects
Students love being able to work together when they can showcase their work in front of a group. Similar to presentations, multimedia projects will use students’ knowledge of a variety of technological applications and contain several components. There should be a written element, a visual element, and an audio element to the final product at the very least. These projects can involve a wide variety of skills and will truly engage students in the task at hand.
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This post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of the best online schools. She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com
Tony Wagner, author of Global Achievement Gap, has an informative keynote speech about the Global Achievement Gap. He discusses 7
survival skills for thriving in the workforce and thriving:
Critical thinking
Collaboration and the ability to lead by influence through networks
Teaching in the information age requires that teachers stay ahead of the curve when it comes to technology, or they risk being left out of the loop. Using the internet and staying informed via the information superhighway should by now be a part of your daily routine. Email has long since replaced the paper memo in your mailbox, and every classroom should have at least one computer, if not many more.
Students in this day and age are more than likely far more technologically advanced than their predecessors, and therefore, it is of the utmost importance that we use a medium than they are familiar with in order to convey information. Rather than utilizing social media as a means to an end, however, creating a class blog allows you to be in control of the flow of information and stay in touch with students without invading their space.
Highlight Major Points of Lessons
In the form of a daily recap, teachers can use blogs to record the day’s events so that students can revisit the lesson or topics covered in class. This is not to say that you must write out the entire lesson by any means. Write out key points and objectives so that students can refresh their memories or see what they missed if they were absent.
Extra Credit Opportunities
Get students involved outside of class by offering extra credit to those who participate in online discussions. Perhaps hidden information or a trivia question of the day is a good way to keep student traffic flowing toward your site. Opening up discussion forums on your blog and monitoring what students are saying is a great way to get feedback on your lessons and subject matter as well.
Provide Presentations and Notes
If you regularly use technology in your lessons, posting these files for download on your blog is an excellent resource for students. Allowing students to access and download notes and Power Point presentations gives them an edge when it comes to studying for your class. Additionally, doing this helps cut down on copies and class time used for arbitrarily copying down notes.
Open Up Communication
In addition to providing a forum where students can communicate with one another regarding your course, you are also opening up valuable lines of communication between them and yourself. It is a great way to keep conversations going regarding assignments, grades, and tutoring opportunities as well.
Connect Students with Resources
You can enrich your students’ experience with your subject matter by providing them with links to other sites that reinforce the information they are receiving in your class. Virtual field trips, interactive games, and informational and instructional videos are among the things you can link your blog to. Let your students take ownership of their education by finding out more about a topic on their own with a little guidance from your blog.
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This article is contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who regularly writes on Become a teacher in California. She invites your questions at her personal email address: kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com.
There is a no greater gift that we can give our children than quality education. Education knocks down the barriers erected between the rich and the poor, it’s the catalyst that’s needed for the reaction that combines hard work and determination and converts it to success, and it’s wealth that we can never lose once we’ve gained it. With over 90 percent of American children being educated at public schools, improving the quality of education a student receives translates to improving the quality of these schools. To do this, city administrative officials must focus on:
·Hiring and retaining qualified teachers who are dedicated to the profession.
·Improving the standards at preschools so that kids enter K12 schools ready to learn. The potential in each child must be developed.
·Improving safety at schools, especially those in poor neighborhoods where the crime rate is high.
·Involving parents in the education process, with teachers providing regular feedback on how their children are performing at school and opening up channels of communication between parents, teachers and the school authorities.
·Improving facilities and infrastructure at schools.
·Putting funds to good use to further the development of the school, and hence its students.
·Holding quality after-school programs to help weaker kids with homework, assignments and lessons.
·Decreasing the number of drop outs.
·Taking a career-oriented approach with seniors or providing guidance and counseling to choose the right colleges and majors.
·Performance-based incentives for teachers to motivate them. An amount of accountability must also be factored in to ensure that they don’t help students cheat by leaking test papers or helping them with answers.
·Improving not just academic test scores at schools, but providing students with an all-round educational experience that will prepare them to face the life ahead.
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This post was contributed by Heather Johnson, who writes on the subject of New Jersey teaching certificate. She invites your feedback at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.
A friend and I are going to make an interactive whiteboard based on Johnny Lee’s video. For about $40 in parts you can make an interactive whiteboard. When I went to the Maker Faire I got to try it out. Very cool.
Here is a video on Instructables giving a little more explanation about how to make the pen. The software for the program is free to download on Johnny Lee’s site, but it’s only for PCs. I did find a link for Mac compatible software.
Teaching is considered a profession, yet many of us go around lacking some a basic tools of a professional - business cards. If you’re lucky, your school district will provide them. However, it’s time for teachers to step up to the plate and really claim our professionalism and the simple gesture of being able to give a business card to parents is gratefully received. Make sure you order then early in the year so that you have them for Back-to-School Night.
I’ve had business cards printed every year I’ve been teaching in the US and the company I recommend is Vista Print. They are very reasonably priced and have over a hundred pre-set designs to choose from or you can create your own design.
A few caveats:
Use a junk* email account because they will send you multiple offers afterwards.
They offer two types of business cards: premium and free (the free ones have the Vista Print logo on the back).
The way they make their money is by add ons. For example, you can get a special offer for 250 business cards for free but then you can get another 500 for a low rate or you can change the paper to glossy.
Business cards are such a great way to easily connect with parents and with students. It’s time for teachers to have business cards like any other professional.
Whether you’re a new teacher or a veteran, you probably find yourself honing your skills and reflecting on how you want to improve the learning of your students. I know for myself I was really frustrated by all of the conversation in grad school about cooperative learning, yet never had the opportunity to see any first-hand. Well, here is an article about that will help, “100 Awesome Classroom Videos to Learn New Teaching Techniques.”
Auspen has come out with a green whiteboard marker. They are refillable, xylene-free, and come in 6 different colors (orange, red, green, blue, purple & black). Although they cost a bit, since you can refill them, it averages to be about 30 cents a pen. If you live in in the US you can buy them through Ecostationary and if you live in Australia or elsewhere you can get them at auspen.com.
Walking down memory lane on the path that leads to my school days, I’m reminiscing about the teachers who remain evergreen in my thoughts even today. Each was as different as the flowers in a garden, but as a collective whole, they added value to my life in more ways than one.
A firm disciplinarian but an excellent teacher of mathematics, a kind and bubbly soul who even took delight in our childish pranks, a genius in the subject who infused enthusiasm by his very presence in the class – these were just a few who added to the potpourri of instructors who’ve been in and out of my life. What makes these particular teachers special? Why do I remember them fondly even after so many years? Probably because they lent that unique touch to a profession that touches lives; whatever the reason, they qualify as good teachers in my book. And opening the books of other students, I found that I was not alone in qualifying the best and worst of teachers. So here goes, a list of characteristics that every child wants in the ideal teacher:
· A thorough knowledge of and love for the subject.
· A love of and a tolerance for children.
· A tireless attitude when it comes to helping children who are at the bottom of the class.
· A good sense of humor that helps to take the occasional prank in his/her stride and the ability to turn a blind eye to minor infractions.
· Hands that offer help when needed, envelop in a hug in times of distress and guide when decisions are to be made.
· Supportive strength when children are going through a rough patch and need some time to get back on track academically.
· Sensitivity that tells him/her not to embarrass students in front of their peers.
· The ability to encourage when the going is touch, to push when that extra nudge is needed and to correct when on the wrong path.
· Forgiveness and kindness – qualities that rate higher than strictness in enforcing discipline.
· The ability to treat all students equally without showing favoritism.
· The ability to bring out hidden talents in students and encourage them to pursue their dreams.
· The ability to care for opinions even if they come from students who do not perform well academically.
· The ability to keep students’ secrets.
· Perseverance – even when the children are filled with self-doubts as to their own abilities.
· The ability to offer constructive criticism and honest feedback in a positive manner.
· The ability to correct without seeming to point out mistakes.
· The ability to get involved in student activities as an active participant.
A good teacher is not just one who’s well-versed in the subject; he/she should be able to adapt according to the environment and needs of the children in the picture. After all, teaching is much more than just mentoring young minds.
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This post was contributed by Heather Johnson, who is an industry critic on the subject of nursing degree grants. She invites your feedback at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.
