Friday, March 6, 2015

Prompt #10

Chapter nine discusses math concepts, but I feel the resources mentioned in this chapter can be used for any subject. The chapter went into a lot of detail about blogging. From a math stand point it suggested posting a math problem and having the students create a similar problem. Then the students would have to evaluate another student's post. Another example the chapter gave was posting a problem and asking why something is the way it is. This would allow the students to explain how they came to a particular conclusion. I think both of these are great ways to get students thinking and working with other students. I would definitely consider doing one if not both of these in my classroom. Blogging allows students to demonstrate their understanding of the material. Penzu was mentioned in this chapter and was said to be an online journal for the classroom. Blogger is always another great option. Podcasting was another subject matter in this chapter. I love podcasting and feel that it can be great for the classroom. Students are active learners, so this is a great non- traditional way of learning. It is also great to have a classroom website, so a Wiki would be perfect. This would allow students and parents to be very involved in the whole learning process.

Prompt #9

Issue #3: Podcasting- Should Podcasts Replace Lectures?
I do think that podcasts should replaces lectures. This would benefit the teacher and their students. Teachers are always looking for time in their classroom to have conversations, to cover interesting content, and to help students understand the material. Podcasting would provide more free time in the classroom to accomplish this.  With podcasting students have the option to watch the podcast at their leisure and can pause and rewind if they miss something. This allows each student to go at their own pace and fully understand what is being taught.  I am a daydreamer, so my mind is constantly wondering and I am always thinking about other things, which leads to me not paying attention. I know this is very common and causes students to not know what is going on or miss something very important. This is why I think podcasting is a great solution. Students can easily go back and listen and see something again if they are lost and/or confused. All of this time used at home allows for a deeper and more hands on approach in the classroom.