Inspiration

Inspiration software can be an incredibly handy tool to use in any classroom. I would definitly want to invest in this for my classes in the future. It really helps organize ideas and topics. It could be used in any content area. One I find it most handy in is science. This is because in science there are a lot of classifications that would be easier uinderstood if they were broken down into a concept map or outline.
one web resource i especially enjoyed from class is ISTE. I think I would use it a lot because it really helps incorporate technology into everyday lessons. I feel students now need technology more than ever and as a teacher I should make it my goal to use technology as much as possible in my classroom. I feel that ISTE will be a great resource to help me accomplish this!

Social Bookmarking

Social bookmarking can be used in the classroom. One way it can be implemented is by creating a list of websites that your students may need to go to on a daily basis during class and out of class. By bookmarking these sites it makes it much easier to find the site. It also helps when there is a specific page on a site that is more important than the others, you can just bookmark that specific page so others do not have to search through an entire site for it. As an Albright student social bookmarking is very helpful for me. As an education major there are many resources on the web that I need to use on a daily basis for lesson plans, student activities, worksheets and so much more. By being able to bookmark pages that are helpful I save time by not having to search for them again. It also helps organize sites. If i wanted I could separate sites by lesson plans, activities, teacher resources etc. Social bookmarking is going to help me a great deal, as I find helpful resources now and save them they will be there for me when I am ready to have a real job and be working.

Websites in the Classroom

Just as blogs can be useful in the classroom, websites can be very great resources for teachers to use to help reinforce a lesson. Although as a teacher you may want to jump right in to the technology pool there are some things you need to consider before using a website as a resourceful tool in your class. It is very important to evaluate a website before using it. it would be better in the long run if you check the website out before you use it to make sure it is authentic, up to date, reliable etc. I do not think most people take this into consideration which is not good because as a teacher you must make sure the information you are giving your students is in fact true! In the classroom it is important to show your students that you have evaluated the websites you are using so they feel more inclined to do so when they need to use a online resource. By doing small exercises such as, having students fill out a handout about a website they have visited will help show them how to evaluate websites. After making sure all the websites you want to use are reliable sources there are many fun ways to use the internet to spice up your class.

Blogs in the classroom!

There are many different uses for blogs in the classroom. for one teachers could have their students keep a blog to publish their homework and writing assignments. this would be very beneficial because it will help students write to more than one audience (rather than just the teacher). Another way teachers can incorporate blogs into the classroom is by having students keep a daily blog on their class readings. This will help the teacher confirm who is doing the readings and who is not with out having to discus the reading in harsh detail in class. Although blogs can be very useful for teachers and students they can become a disadvantage. When writing a blog pretty much anyone can read the child's thoughts. This can make them feel less secure about their work because they know anyone can read and judge their work.

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