Journal #6

Blog On: Building Communication and Collaboration among Staff and Students
by Catherine Poling (Learning and Leading with Technology Vol. 32 No. 6)

This article focuses on various ways to use blogs in the educational setting. According to Ms. Poling, individual blogs at the elementary level are not effective. However, classroom blogs can encourage deeper learning, and can promote good expression and community among classmates. I find this to be an exciting avenue to possibly look into for my own future classes. In this article, even third graders were critiquing and making suggestions about others' work. The writing examples were impressive! Blogging is definitely worth using as part of a total writing package. Ms. Poling also discusses how useful blogs can be among teachers at a school. Teachers can try various projects out at a workshop and then share/discuss in the school blog how the new information they learned worked for them in the class. In a profession where one spends most days isolated from colleagues, blogs can be especially useful to share information and ideas on a regular basis, instead of waiting for the next scheduled meeting.

1. How can educators ensure security for students who are keeping blogs? Security must be stressed before any online projects begin. Students should use initials for identifying eachother. Teachers must be constantly reviewing the projects.

2. How can I be instrumental in creating a blogging environment among my colleagues? Opportunity knocks when there is a workshop or project scheduled! Prepare a brief presentation and have the blog already set up for a quick start. Keep the momentum going by offering support to those new to blogging and comment on others' blogs.

Journal #4

Podcasting in the Classroom by Brian Flanagan and Brendan Calandra

I chose this journal article because I know nothing about this subject, and was intrigued about podcasting in the classroom after seeing it mentioned in Power of the Mashup. What an incredible tool this could be for doing certain class assignments! Written in 1995, Podcasting... mentions that "video" podcasting is in its infancy; two years later, it is fully out there! I was thinking that podcasting is great for those who are not audio-learners; one can listen to a lecture as many times over as needed. And talk about taking multi-tasking to the next level! One can work out, drive, etc., while listening to a lecture for a class.

1. How could a teacher use podcasting in her/his grade school classroom? One idea: As a Social Studies lesson, to explore the way we live around the country, students could record interesting facts specific to their part of the country and actually share it with classes in other parts of the country (or world!). They could gather the information shared from other classes and compare how things are similar and different (and therefore, very interesting) to their own experiences.

2. What are some cautions to take with podcasting? As with the world wide web, it is not regulated, and it is very important for teachers to review any broadcasts before letting students listen to them.

Journal #3

The New Gold Rush by Ferdi Serim

This article proposes ways to make the use of the new onslaught of online learning programs effective; it outlines important issues for both policy and teaching/learning. It suggests that the best way for online programs to be effective for students is to use a combination of classroom teachers and online teachers working together to get the most out of an online program.
To me, it only makes sense to have a highly qualified teacher in the classroom helping to guide students through online learning. It is also important to have a highly qualified online teacher who can address issues "on the other side". While policy makers, who are forever trying to save money, may wish to eliminate classroom teachers and have students educated increasingly online, research has shown that a combination of both types of teaching is best.

1. As an educator, how can I do my part to make online learning programs effective at my school? I think it is important to be vocal about the hybrid idea behind online learning. Expressing these kinds of ideas at all levels will increase awareness and help make online learning the most effective it can be.

2. What is the most exciting thing about online learning? The fact that students can be unrestrained by time and place to learn what they want at the pace they want to is very appealing. When incorporated with traditional classroom teaching, online learning is a powerful tool and supplement.