Videos

Videos have become a huge part of students lives. They watch music videos, movies, and entertaining clips online, so why shouldn't we use them in our classrooms. I think that students respond well to videos because it is something that they can relate to.  Youtube and Teachertube are two great sites that teachers can use to find videos to use in the classroom. With Youtube teachers need to make sure that they screen the videos before showing them to their students, because some videos may be inappropriate.  

Another great way to use videos in the classroom is to have students make their own! This can be done with students as young as second or third grade. They may not be able to tape it on their own but they can certainly put ideas together.  Students love to be creative and use their imaginations and making a video would be a great way to do that. Their are so many topics and subjects that you can use videos for and I think the students would really enjoy this activity.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a site that is relatively new to me but I find it so exciting! I signed up for it a while ago but never looked at it. A few weeks ago I started looking more at the site and what my friends pinned and now I am hooked.  I have found so many excellent ideas to use in classrooms of all levels. I don't have my own classroom but I pin ideas for different levels so that I will be able to use them in the future. Some ideas I have even been able to use with my after school care students.  I have found holiday crafts and ideas to keep them busy while they are in the program.  Pinterest has so many great ideas if you don't have account go out and sign up!!

Facebook in the Classroom

Facebook to most people is known as a social networking site to post pictures on and to talk with friends, but it can be used for so much more than that.  Facebook can be used for communicating with students and parents about what is going on in your classroom.  Teachers can post pictures of special events that have taken place. They can also post paperwork that would normally be sent home with the students. I think this would be very efficient because it is less likely that students would lose the paperwork because it has been posted. It also can keep parents involved in what is going on with their children. Homework assignments can be posted as well as what school work was done during the week.  Although their are many good reasons for using Facebook, there are definitely some challenges to using it. If students have their own personal Facebook accounts they are more likely to get distracted with that instead of using it for their educational purposes. It can also be difficult if not all of your students have access to a computer. The teacher needs to know the families they are working with so that they do not offend anyone and so that it is easy for all families to communicate back and forth. I think Facebook is a great idea to use in the classroom as long as the teacher can work through all of the details.

iPads

All educators have their own opinions about using iPads in their classrooms, some negative and some positive. I think that using them in the classroom is an excellent approach to using new technology with our students. I do not have my own classroom but I have seen them used at different age levels while I substitute teach.  I think I have seen the iPad be used most effectively in a three year old classroom.  The students were so excited to use the iPad and explore the apps. They not only learned how to use educational apps but they were learning to share also because there was only one iPad. After they had used them for a few weeks the students were basically working the iPad completely on their own, at only three years old. The iPad is one of the best tools to use with the young students!

Technology in the Classroom

Taking this course has taught me a lot about how to use modern technology in the classroom.  I have learned from being in classrooms that technology is important, but this class has opened my eyes to so much new technology. I have always considered myself to be in with the newest technology, but I am thinking twice about that now. I have learned that I can even use technology with some of my youngest students. I always associated it with older students, but am learning more ways to get the little ones involved. Since this class has begun I have been looking more into different types of technology and reading a lot of research on it! I can't wait until I will be able to use it someday in my own classroom.