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Today in class we discussed some interactive ways to use Power Point. I've been exposed to Power Point for a while now but today was the first time that I saw some cool ways to enhance your PP by using hyperlinks. We also discussed what to teach our students when writing an email. Some effective email ethnicity. There were some pros and cons about using email as a tool in a classroom, some pros were that it's convenient, direct, and always available to be used. Some cons were that there could be misunderstandings in a way a person reads the text, verbal communication is sometimes better than using an email to address things, and it might end up being quicker to just directly talk to the person.
Voice Thread can be used to cover topics, statements, current events. Students can interactively reply and comment on it. I would take a picture of something related to a topic we're learning in class and have students comment about what they think or anything they want to share. It'll be a very laid back assignment.

Blog #6- Ch 8 & 9

In chapter 8, it discusses how teachers and students use computers and other technologies to share ideas, facts, and knowledge in the classrooms and online. Teachers have a variety of choices of what  technologies to integrate into their lessons/curriculum. Some communication technologies teachers are using in classrooms are emails, teacher or classroom websites, blogs, online discussions, and wikis. Also, some teachers use social media like, Twitter, Facebook pages, and Instagram for educational purposes. There are five major ways of using electronic communications our classrooms; teaching interactively, sharing information, building learning communities, publishing student work, and energizing student writing. I think it's important to incorporate technology into our classrooms and lessons because it's a way for teachers to connect with their students. And it also promotes meaningful learning, and "extend academics beyond the confines of regular school time." Blogging is emerging as one of the most important ways for teachers and students to communicate it is even evident in our EDU 7266 class, we use it all the time in every class.
In chapter 9, it goes over multimedia technology and how teachers can use it effectively in classrooms. Teachers can get creative with their lessons and add visual information. In almost all classrooms now teachers are using power point as a tool to present their lessons. Teachers are also using videos and DVDs as a tool to convey important information to their students. When I was observing at a school the teacher would show short video clips in her lessons which explained the topic to their students but the students were more engaged because they were visually entertained, which I thought the video was an effective tool.




1. Why do you think blogging is more popular with girls than with boys?

2. What communication technologies, and multimedia would you use in your classroom, and why?

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Today in class we went over on how to start our digital portfolios. We discussed some of the advantages of using digital portfolios. Some of the advantages were that it's environmental friendly, unlimited storage and easy access, easy to change and edit, audience is bigger meaning that somebody from another country can see my portfolio if I were applying out of state. I learned how portfolios aren't static that its always on-going and you're always revising and adding and changing it. We also discussed how journals and portfolios are somewhat similar in that it tells a story in order. It's important when making a portfolio to reflect, select, and reflect again.

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Today in class we saw some examples of the group videos done in the past. Seeing the videos it allowed me to see what my group's video should have and also some tips. We also got into our groups and discussed some topics we could do our video on. Our group chose How to have manners but it's not definite yet. Videos are so powerful in conveying messages especially to digital natives since they're so interested and engaged in visuals so these how to videos will be very effective and teachers could use it in their classrooms.

Blog 5- Ch 7

Chapter 7 talks about how educational software's can support and promote problem solving and inquiry learning for grades K-12. Some of the educational software that teachers use for problem solving and inquiry learning are Kid Pix, Google Earth, Excel, and etc. We talked about Mine Craft in our last lecture and how schools are bringing in computer games as a resource to use for students to interact, go by rules, have a goal and objective and have strategies for the conflicts/challenges they encounter. Some other software that are used in schools for topics in math are Math blaster, Treasure Mathstorm, and Numbers undercover. I didn't know but many schools have a vast selection of educational software, including games, in their libraries or resource centers. So students have easy access to these educational software that have been evaluated. An effective tutoring system is tracking a student's performance in getting the correct answer and then adjusting their teaching approach based on the student's learning needs. A lot of feedback is good for inquiry learning and problem solving.


1. Would you use computer games in your classroom to promote and support problem solving and inquiry learning? Which software would you use?

2. How can educators assess the effectiveness of educational software?

Take away

Today we had a discussion on different types of educational tools that are available online; like Quizlet.com, Vocabulary.com, and Lexipedia.com. We discussed how to integrate non-educational sites such as google maps into our classrooms. Students will be able to collaborate and use problem solving skills when dealing with tools online. Students will have access to different educational sites that will allow them to practice, study, and improve in the areas where they need help in. It was the first time hearing about the game called Minecraft, I don't think I would ever use that site for students to engage in my classroom. I just think that there are other educational games that will be more useful. Minecraft just seems like a game to me...