Blog Post 11

I really enjoyed watching the first video because it let me see the students in action.  It was a brief overview of Ms. Cassidy’s students at work from her previous class as well as her current class.  I thought it was interesting that she found so many ways to incorporate technology in her classroom.  She allows her students to do things from writing on blogs to using a Nintendo DS.  I thought it was interesting that she could use forms of technology that we have been learning about in EDM310, but I was curious to find out more about how she uses hand held gaming with classroom material.

I’m glad we got to watch the short video about her students before the Skype interview because it set the tone for the interview.  Ms. Cassidy firmly believes in using technology in the classroom because, like many of the educators we have been following, she knows that technology is advancing every day and we need to keep our students up to date with what is going on in the world around them.  She gave a great example of this as the reason she allows her students to blog.  She encourages her students to put their work online so that they can have people from all over the world reading their material.  I think that I would like to do this with my students.  Over this semester my own views about blogging keep changing.  At some points I fall in love with the idea and at others I just don’t want to.  I think what I have been on the fence about is the students’ safety.  Ms. Cassidy pointed out that she does not use last names and she does not match up faces with the correct names.  I think that this is a great idea.  I think that if I do set up a class blog I will allow pictures and video, but I will use her techniques to keep my students safe.

I was disappointed that no one asked Ms. Cassidy about how she using the gaming systems in her classroom.  I don’t know if I would be able to use them in mine anyways.  I think that may be too much of a distraction.  I know a lot of students in my high school math class downloaded games like Tetris and Mario Brothers to their graphing calculators.  I was never very good with technology, so I would have no idea how to find out if things like that were on my students’ calculators and similar devices.  I would love to learn more about this though.  I feel that she did something amazing by bringing something that her students could share with her and each other and turn it into a positive learning experience.

As far as other problems I may encounter, one of my biggest concerns regarding using technology is availability of technology.  Some schools have a few computers in the classroom or computer labs.  If my classroom has a few computers I can let the children take turns each week using it during centers.  If we have a computer lab then I would let me students use it at least once a week for their blogs.  Like I have said before, I have been very hesitant to allow my students to use technology but I feel like I am learning great tools to help me keep them safe and focused.

Blogging can be used to improve computer skills, teach them safety on the internet, and most importantly give them a way to show off their hard work.  They can go home and show their families, or meet other students from around the world that can help encourage them to keep up their hard work.  I think that blogging is a great way to keep students motivated and feel a sense of accomplishment for what they do.  Ms. Cassidy’s students showed me that.  I hope one day I can find new and inventive ways to engage my students in the classroom as well.