Blog Assignment 2/21/10

Dr. Alice Christie, Digital Pencil
I have taken note of the Digital Pencil in my Portfolio I generated in Classroom Management for future use. This application enables the teacher to incorporate a lesson plan that will be completed by the students completely digitally. They have a worksheet to complete along with all research material needed for the lesson. This could be used for all grades K-12. It appears to have science, geography, social studies, economics and other subjects from basic to more advanced for your upper grades. I believe students are more excited about completing assignments on the computer rather than with pencil and paper. Click here for a sample overview of Digital Pencil.

Dr. Christie's site that explores art is a must have too so the students can have the opportunity to view art that otherwise they would not be able to see. Seeing art is inspiring and sparks one's creativity. Take a walk on the River, Then, Now and Future.

itunesu
I have been using itunesu for assignments in other classes. Of course, I still use Google for research but what I like about itunes is the information is more education specific and useful to me. It still takes me a little while to find what I am looking for but it is time well spent. This is still all a learning to curve for me.

The Smart Board podcasts that we commented on for class I haved shared with teachers that are just receiving Smart Boards in the classroom.

i Pods and Duke University
Duke University began distribution of i Pods to students in 2004. This was part of the DDI (Duke Digital Initiative). Any courses that required the device the students would receive an iPod from the Help Desk and of course the student would be held responsible. The number of Duke University students using iPods in the classroom has quadrupled and the number of courses incorporating the devices has doubled within the past two years. You may click here to review the article.

This is neat technology but where is this going to leave our professors? Where you have many professors to teach a required course you might only need one or two to generate online lectures and instruction. Class size will not be an issue.

Wiki, Hosted by John Strange, Who is a Technologically Literate Teacher?
Yes, every teacher must be technologically literate to a certain degree. The evolving classroom has gone from the Black Board, which is extinct, the White Board, which is on its way out, to the all mighty SMART BOARD. In a year or two the Smart Board will be all that is in the classroom.