Blog Post #11

Little Kids...Big Potential

Ms. Cassidy mention seven different types of technology that she uses in her classroom:

(1.)Kids writting on blogs.
Using blogs in the classroom allows the students to get instant feedback on their work. It also allows them to watch their spelling skills improve. It also allows them to keep an online portfolio of their work.
(2.)Learning how to safely use the internet
Ms. Cassidy has only allowed her children to put their first names on their blogs to ensure the safety of their indentities.
(3.)Class webpage
The class webpage in Ms. Cassidy's class offers multiple links so students have the chance to learn at home or in their free time. On this web page, they can also choose which program they would like to work with instead of being told which one to do.(4.)Wikis
Using Wikis in the classroom allows the students to post questions online and have them answered by people around the world.
(5.)Videos
The use of videos gives the children a broader sense of creativity. Making videos offers a multitude of options for assignments. They also learn how to post the videos they on the internet and embed them onto their blogs. They learn how to embed videos to their blogs
(6.)Skype
Skype allows Ms. Cassidy's classroom to visually communicate with other classrooms around the country.
(7.)Nintendo DS
The Nintendo allows to children to work with a device they are very familiar and comfortable with so it hardly feels like work. This allows them to play video games that are education so they can learn and have fun at the same time.

Skype Interview with Ms. Cassidy

Dr. Strange's interview with Ms. Cassidy covered many topics. How long has she been using technology in the classroom? How did she come across the idea? Do the parents and the students like it? And so on and so on.

I do agree with a lot of the methods that Ms. Cassidy is using. I am still a little hesitant about Wikis because I still do not fully understand them. I also do not know how I feel about using a Nintendo DS in the classroom. I feel that could take a sense of authority in the classroom, but I could be looking too far into it. I do, however, think that's a great tool for them to be able to take home and teach themselves with. I have made a complete 180 when it comes to blogs in the clasroom. At the beginning of the semester, I thought blogs were a waste of time. Now, I can see the progress I've made throughout the semester. Incorporating blogs into a classroom of younger students could benefit them even more. It turns into a portfolio of their work, just like Ms. Cassidy's children said. Students could go to their blog and review lessons they have already finished. They can read over past posts and even see how much their spelling and grammar has improved. It also helps keep students organized. I know when I was in school looking at some of the other kids' binders made my head hurt. Learning organizational skills in school is very important. All in all, I liked the way Ms. Cassidy runs her classroom. I plan on incorporating some of the aspects of her classroom into my own one day.