Week 12: Connecting with Professionals & Students

I learned that you can connect students with other students. You can Skype other classes and discuss things you’ve both done (like discussed books both classes have read), answer questions using Google Docs and Padlet. You can also use blogs to start conversation and foster an environment that is healthy and encourages learning and educational conversations. Technology can be used to easily organize and collaborate writing online. You can easily make suggestions and changes. I also learned about Kid Blog, which is a simple way for students to blog back and forth and respond in their own words. You can use programs like Kahoot to review and assess students. You can use Google Forms as formative assessments and also as a way for students to present. Students really catch on to the use of technology and start to be creative and make these technological tools ‘their own’.

Online tools are great for finding new non-fiction and fiction literature. These tools can be used it literature circles or be used by teachers to make a paper copy. This is a great way to differentiate and allow choices for students.

When speaking with your peers about new technology, it is important to be enthusiastic. You should show your peers what the tool is and how to use it. You should show them what you replaced with the technology and really encourage other teachers to jump on board. You can help your peers put lessons together to really build confidence if they are really unsure about using a particular tool.

I am not a connected educator—YET. I read different teacher blogs and read through different articles, but not with the purpose of being a connected educator. I read what other educator’s communicate, but I do not communicate back. When I get into the field, I believe that I will become more connected through Twitter and blogs, but until I am more knowledgeable about the field, I do not see myself connecting with other professional educators via the Internet. The day will come, though.