Reflection over WebQuests

Upon completion of the Web Quest exercise, I feel that Web Quests are definitely something I could incorporate in my classroom in the future. However, I am going to be very selective on the ones I choose to use in my classroom. I was most impressed with those very clear, concise, and to the point. They are a great resource for those students who can work independently on the web to learn a particular concept or content. I look forward to looking at more examples.

Reflection over PB Works, Wikis, and Google Docs

As I reflect on my new knowledge of PB Works, Wikis, and Google Docs, I come away with very confident feelings about using these tools to collaborate with fellow teachers as well as with my students in my future classroom. In regards to PB Works, I really like how you are able to share information and useful resources with other teachers in your same field of study. As for the Wikis, the capability to share work with others without constantly e-mailing will save me large amounts of time once I get used to using them. I also like how other people can edit your work making it more professional and correct. Lastly, I was very excited to learn about Google Docs and how you can save documents on the computer, which definitely comes in handy when working off of several different computers. Overall, all three new tools will definitely save me time and help me collaborate with others in regards to teaching.

Reflection over Website Evaluation

The website evaluation activity was very beneficial and gave me great insight into how to properly assess whether a particular site is appropriate for the children in my classroom. I had never before considered how important researching an article or site is before allowing students to explore the site. Checking for the author, publishing body, and biasness of information is all very important. In addition, the design of the site such as the animated parts is important to consider. A site with a lot going on might interfere with a child's learning. Also, after completing this exercise, I realized how important it is to make sure the computer has the appropriate software installed to run certain applications. No doubt, evaluating websites before letting children view or use them is a great practice to develop.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog! This blog discusses my journey learning more about technology and how to utilize it in my future classroom. I am excited to learn how to integrate technology in the classroom and how to better meet the needs of my students who are advanced in using computers.