1:1 Devices and Educational Tools

With everything I have learned about incorporating technology into my classroom, teaching at a school that supports 1:1 devices would be so great.  Having students with their own devices would help me, the teacher, support and personalize their individual learning.

In my future classroom I would love to have my students:

• Blog
• Tweet
• Skype

These tools would enhance the learning of my students.  

http://pixabay.com/en/twitter-tweet-twitter-bird-312464/

Twitter will help my students connect with professionals and other students.  I have been in contact with a teacher who uses Twitter for educational purpose with her class to connect other classes.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blogger.svg

Blogging is a great way for my students reflect on what they are learning.  This also provides me, the teacher, a chance to provide formative feedback for my students.  This also allows my students to give peer feedback.  Due to the fact that we would have a class blog, to which each student would have their own link, students would be able to easily access their classmates accounts.  Having a class blog would allow parents access to what students are learning and creating in the classroom on a weekly basis.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Skype_t.png

Being able to Skype with other classrooms and experts helps provide students with information that as a teacher you might not be able to bring into the classroom otherwise.

So now, one issue I have been thinking about, is what do I do if these sites are blocked.  This is one topic that Kelli Boklaschuk from the Brandon School Division came to talk to our class about.  This is an issue I have come across in other divisions.  BSD expects teachers to use ONLY the tools they feel are appropriate to their students.  This is where I question WHY? Why only those specific sites when other divisions are supportive of those technologies? Teachers go to PD's where they learn new techniques and tools to bring into their classrooms.  It is very frustrating to be restricted.  Kelli did mention that if we feel a tool being blocked has educational value, to bring it forward and it will be considered.  I understand that blocking sites has to do with student safety, and I would never want to put my students at risk but to block sites like Google Drive just because of the ads that can be shown, is something that does bother me.  There are so many benefits of students using Google Drive and/or Google Community.  I personally believe that IF teachers take the time to teach their students about Digital Citizenship and online safety then why not allow students to expand their learning through these online tools.

~ Miss Laing