6 months using technology!!

A)Knowledge gained. 

Hello bloggers! After having finished this subject, I can say that there are plenty of things I have learned; however, I think I’m not able to say “Hey I learned this much”. These six months have been pretty cool for me. I love technology. I really liked to be knowing and trying new things; that’s what we need. A different class, different activities, different ways to reach a certain objective. Basically, it was nice for me the fact of changing things that might be boring in traditional way into attractive and meaningful ones. I think that there is a wide range of tools on the internet, but it is up to us to look for them and try something new.  I can say that the tools we’ve seen this cycle have been useful. If you chose them teacher, CONGRATS. I know you’re a pretty smart person. I think that the more the student acquires participation, the greater the learning experience. All the tools are nice. Voxopop, Voicethread, delicious and the rest that I don’t remember but I know that sooner or later I’m going to use them.

B) What attitude must be needed to work with online tools.

The attitude is almost everything in life. In this case, we must take first a positive attitude. I consider that if we have a good attitude, then we will have patience. First we learn to walk and in a couple of months we´re able to run. It is the same with technology. In order to work with technology, you have to be aware that you have to go step by step till you get to work well with any website or tool. Trying something new is always challenging, so if you don’t like challenges you will probably quit with trying some technologies. Also, perseverance is important. The fact of being trying something till you get it and perfect it is key.  I think that technology is sometimes a challenging but creative way to face today’s students. We have to know when, how to, and how much the use of technology is beneficial for us. We have to be careful when making use of it.

C) How these tools can be implemented in other subjects. Give specific examples, please.

There are many ways in which these tools can be implemented. For example; blogger can be used in any subject you want. If it is English, grammar, literature, or any other, you can perfectly tell your students to write an essay; use it for reflective learning, etc.

Voicethread can be implemented in a literature activity. The fact of giving your opinion about a certain book with images, videos or simply writing is cool. It gives that flexibility we sometimes need as students.

Also pandamian is a good tool if you want your students to create pieces of writing. It might be used in any subject but especially to develop the writing skill.

Edcanvas is good not only for students, but also for teachers. If you are a teacher then, here you can create a virtual class. It might be cool for making websites or any other activity that you think it would be meaningful for your students. I think with technology there are no limits.

Also, for literature, any level of English or grammar, Slide.ly is perfect to make students practice the writing or compositional skill.

Finally, I really liked delicious as it a nice tool for students to store only the websites that they might find useful and helpful. It would be nice to use it in an investigation which would require many information from the web, in that way, SS would be able to keep a register of every website they find meaningful.

D) What are some things that should be added or left out in a future course

Well, all of the tools that help to make the acquisition of any content easier, creative and attractive should be added.  I think if we look for meaningful and useful tools, there might be numerous; we will certainly find many tools; however, more than adding or leaving out, teachers should look for ways to incorporate those tools and technologies in the classroom, more specifically in the teaching learning process. We’re walking on a technological path, so teachers should be able to make use of it. They must be updated since students are modernized with many apps which day by day are emerging.

E) Suggestions

My suggestion is simple. Try to use technology as much as possible or at least try to mix it with traditional methods. Every day, people spend hours and hours in front of a processor, so teachers must know how to work with students who are totally in contact with many devices. They must take advantage of that orientating and focusing that time in something which can be pretty useful and helpful in learning anything. I consider that here in our country, we are sort of immature implementing technologies and it seems that humanity is acquiring all the right technology for all the wrong reasons. Let’s change bit by bit that.

Ideas

Try to include apps to develop certain contents. Technology tells you “the world is yours”. Transmit that to the students.

Try to look for ways to explain the use of e-tools easier; make your students go and look for tutorials or make them investigate even more at home so that they don’t remain with the knowledge gained in a classroom.

Make “technological sessions” in which your students show any app or software they know how to use. Make them associate those apps or tools with the fact of teaching anything.

Try to enhance motivation when using technology and try to be updated with what is happening around the world with the use of technology.