My Favorite Technology Tools Revisited

As I’ve discovered tools and sites through searching the web, reading blogs, sitting in on a class (eci831), and following others on Twitter, I have been able to try out and experiment with a number of web tools and sites. Some have proven more useful to my situation than others. Lately, I’ve been thinking about which of these tools or sites are my favorites and asking myself why I’ve found them to be a favorite.

So, in no particular order:

• Screencasting. The two services I have used are screenr and screencast-o-matic. A year ago I didn’t know screencasting was so easily possible. Currently, I’m using it to demonstrate math concepts, potentially making my teaching continually available for my students, and I suppose others. The next idea is for my students to create their own screencast demonstrations for each other to view.
• Diigo. I love the ability to highlight and annotate portions of websites. My next idea is for students to have an account and  join the class group. I can then guide research, point out interesting facts, ask for reactions, or give feedback.
• Google Custom Search Engine. This tool provides more focused search results and when combined with diigo bookmarks (I figured out one way to get diigo bookmarks to my search engine) it is possible to quickly get a large number of sites to the CSE. Preferences allow for including a single page of a site rather than the whole site, information not relevant to your immediate needs is then not included in the search results. A google marker tool can be added to the browser toolbar, making it easy to add future sites to your search engine. I embedded the search engine on my wiki for students to be able to easily access it.
• Wikispaces.  This site is really the only wiki that I have tried in any depth. It is good for easily organizing information in one location, delivering information, and allowing a group to collaborate on a project. The wiki can easily be managed so that some pages are only able to be edited by the organizer of the wiki. I have a wiki approved for educational use, which means it is ad free and I can also control who is able to view the wiki. The next step is to have a class/groups collaborate on a page within the wiki.
• Facebook and Twitter. These are two sites I had previously avoided, feeling that I had no use for them. With Facebook, I have enjoyed reconnecting with friends from high school and college. It has also made family living out of town seem closer. Twitter has been a professional development tool for me. By following other professionals I have found a lot of resources,  received great teaching ideas, and read interesting, relevant articles.
• Google docs. From a personal standpoint it has been convenient to have files available from any internet connected computer. I have uploaded numerous files that otherwise were stuck to a particular machine or had to be toted around on a flash drive. It has been nice to have some files readily available at school or home while working on lessons. I see enormous potential for sharing and collaborating among students.

These are the sites/tools that I use the most often and plan on being able to most quickly incorporate into my teaching. There certainly are many more useful and fun sites available that I have explored. Any thoughts or suggestions on potential tools/sites that I really should be using more would be appreciated.

First Year of More Intensive Tech Integration

One year ago I began exploring new ways to communicate, learn, and teach using the internet. One revelation was that although students may be perceived to be tech savvy and they certainly are adept in particular tech areas, it is wrong to assume that they will “automatically pick up” applications that are used during class. I need to spend more time preparing the students for how the applications work and for allowing some “play” time with the application. I also need to spend more time with applications I want to use in the classroom, which has been one of my late night tasks this summer.

I continue to struggle with formulating a plan for more effectively and efficiently using a wiki with my classes. My ideas are pretty jumbled on the topic, but I’m going to keep moving forward. Google Docs were one of my favorite and more successful implementations. It was nice to be able to comment on a group’s work as it was happening. I like to teach by asking questions and I could insert questions into their work in real time. I was immediately able to provide feedback that had students clarifying, being more complete with a response, and interacting more effectively.

I would like to go into the school year with a more complete plan on using my wiki as a resource and a place to display student products. I’m going to continue with Google Docs as a way for me to more immediately provide feedback to students and a way to cut down on paper use through putting quizzes on a Google Docs form.