Visualizing With Technology

Visualizing with technology is a very important part of how our students today want to learn in the classroom. They want to use technology for fun as well as for education. A 6^th grade student in the video we watched is creating apps. This was hard for me to believe that a student so young was able to create an app. Watching the video made me realize that now more than ever is the time to help our students be successful by using the technology tools around us and that are available to us every day.  I hope to use visualizing technology in my future classroom. Technology is rapidly growing and it is very important for teachers to keep up with the latest technologies to help our student’s become successful.

Visualizing with technology will have a huge impact on the learning process. The chapter 9 reading discussed many different visualization tools. Some examples of visualization tools are: draw and paint programs, scientific tools, mathematical tools, sketching tools, and digital cameras. These tools are great ways to keep students involved, engaged, and interested in learning the lessons. The world today revolves around technology so why not use it in education? Visualizing with technology is going to play a very important role in education for many years to come. With the proper use, visualizing with technology can be a very fun, exciting, and useful way to learn. It gives the students the opportunity to be involved and helps prepare them for their futures.

Podcasting

I have heard of and knew about Podcasting before this assignment, but I was unaware of exactly how it worked. After watching the video “Podcasting in Plain English” I learned a lot about what podcasting is, how it works, and how it is so beneficial to use.  I learned that Podcasting comes from the words iPod and broadcasting combined together, but is not limited to just an iPod. I also learned about subscriptions.  I was unaware that you could hit “subscribe” on a website with a podcast and receive future shows automatically by having something called a pod catcher. The pod catcher allows you to access the shows and watch them when and where you want. Podcasting would be a great tool to use in the classroom. Podcast can allow you share information, upcoming assignments, lessons, and lectures with the students. Also, podcast keeps students from falling behind. If a student is absent, they can simply go listen to the lecture, lesson, and assignment they missed for that day. 

I think Podcasting is very similar to other Web 2.0 applications we have learned about. Web 2.0 tools such as Wikis, Social Bookmarking, and Voice Threads are all tools that can be used for online communication, information, and interaction. Web 2.0 tools we discussed in a previous assignment were tools to create easy ways to access and share information with others. Podcasting does the same thing. Both Podcasting and Web 2.0 tools we have talked about can be very beneficial when used in education for teachers and also for the students. One way Podcasting is a little different than the Web 2.0 tools we have discussed is that Podcasting allows you to subscribe to a favorite podcast website and receive future shows automatically. While Wikis, Social Bookmarking, and Voice Thread are not automatically transferred. Wikis, Social Bookmarking, Voice Threads, and Podcast are all useful tools that can benefit education when used properly. 

I have had an iPod for as long as I can remember. I use my iPod touch every single day. For the most part, I use it to play music when I exercise.  I also use it to play games, and also use it to get on the internet when I have Wi-Fi. I think using an iPod in the classroom is such a great idea and I would love to use it in my classroom one day. In my future classroom, I hope to use Podcasting for uploading classroom lessons online. This way, students can access lectures, lessons, and upcoming assignments. There are many advantages to online communication tools. Since all students learn differently and at different paces, podcasting is a great way for students to access the information they need and listen to it at their own pace. Another advantage for the students is that they can download the lessons onto devices that they can carry and use anywhere such as at home or on the bus. A disadvantage to online communication is that some students may not have access to a device such as an iPod. Another disadvantage of online communication is that students may not have access to the internet at home.