Group+Wiki+-+annotated+references

Group Wiki (week 2) Annotated Reference

**__ Blogs __** Web Page: Teaching Today (The McGraw-Hill Companies) []

This website is a great explanation of what a blog is and how to utilize one within a classroom. It explains the relative ease of implementing one and the benefits for students. For example, they motivate students, encourage collaboration, provide opportunities for reading and writing, and enable scaffolding in learning. Not to mention they provide four specific ways in which you could implement blogs within your own classroom to accommodate all learners.

**__Video Blogs__** Web Page: Video Blogging for Teachers (About.com) []

This website is helpful for people who have never used video blogs before, like myself. It explains the necessary components for creating a video blog and what you need to look for when purchasing a camcorder for this type of project and then goes on to provide you with sites for video editing software. Next, the article provides ideas on how to incorporate video blogs within the classroom to enhance student interest in the material. Finally, it mentions the benefits to not only the students and making them more technologically savvy, but also the parents because they can see what is going on at their child’s school and within their classroom.

**__ Twitter __** Web Page: Marketing Pilgrim ( Twitter in the Classroom) []

This website is handy because right away the author talks about how a professor utilizes Twitter in his classroom and has a link to his blog site explaining these different ideas. From this site he mentions ways to utilize this technology within the class and ways to get the students involved. Finally, he mentions how Twitter can truly give insight into what’s going on in our student’s head (their thought process) to help us as educators realize how students are processing information and then arrange ways to teach the material to make it more relevant to the students.

**__ Screencasting __** Web Page: Screencasting in the Classroom (Wikispaces) http://eduscreencasting.wikispaces.com/

This website is creative in the fact that it explains what a screencast is. Then it goes on to why and how you could use screencasts with your students. It then gives you ideas on many different tools you could use to create a screen cast, and then finally provides some examples with demos included. It is a great site that is easy to navigate and learn from.

Group Wiki (week 3) Annotated References Web Page: How to Use Digital Storytelling in Your Classroom []
 * __ Digital Storytelling __**

This website is interesting in that it gives you tips as an educator on how to incorporate digital storytelling into your class. Also it discusses how to progress in the utilization of this tool in your class and also how to hold students accountable. This site gives good ideas on how to implement and make sure students get involved so that no one gets discouraged.

Web Page: Using Flickr in the Classroom []
 * __ Flickr __**

This website is wonderful in the fact that it metions the number one uses of utiliing Flickr in the classroom and how it can enhance a students understanding. It lists 16 different ways you can implement Flickr ideas into your lessons to generate student interest. Finally it is very helpful that it gives you a website to go to where additional Flickr resouces can be utilized if you get stuck.

Web Page: How to Use You Tube in the Classroom []
 * __ You Tube __**

This site is helpful in the fact that it presents a video to explain You Tube and its uses. Furthermore it discusses how to utilize this site from a teachers standpoint. Then it also talks about making sure you are giving age appropriate guidance to your kids which is key to successful use of this site.

Group Wiki (week 4) Annotated References Web Page: The case for Instant Messaging in the Classroom []
 * __IM__**

This site is unique in that it emphasizes the fact that IM and videogames could actually benefit the students if allowed to utilize them in the classroom. It states that students growing up nowadays relate playing to learning. They learn and are able to retain information in the way they play in order to build comprehension. Therefore, if these students are able to utilize IM in the classroom it is just emphasizing the fact of real life for them....so is it all that bad of an idea?

Web Page: Digital Gadgets: Podcasting in the Classroom []
 * __Podcasting__**

This is is always useful coming from Kathy Schrock's site with all of her outstanding classroom ideas. However, it mentions the fact of podcasts and how there are so many uses for them within the classroom setting. It gives multiple links to webpages where you can learn how to create one, listen to them, and also tips on how to utilize them within your class and lessons. It is a very helpful site with lots of different ideas.

Web Page: Presentation on Uses of RSS in the Classroom (personal weblog) []
 * __RSS__**

This site is helpful in the fact that it discusses what RSS is and then just jumps right into explaining how it is important in the classroom in aiding in reading and scanning along with synthesizing. It metions the benefits for students like easy to follow a particular topic and also aids in thinking differently about topics. Whereas, it also talks about the benefits for teachers including making announcements to students so you don't forget and students coming to you instead of you having to come to all of the students if they are struggling or have a question to ask.

Web Page: Using Skype in the Classroom []
 * __Skype__**

Using sykpe is a unique idea because you can utilize many different places and people with just a phone line and video camera. You can go on virtual field trips and have interviews with people without even leaving your classroom. Also, a huge added benefit for the school system is that this software is free. You can have guests speakers, presenters, lecturers, etc. without anyone having to leave their home...what a technological advance from just a few years ago, amazing. Then this site goes on to give other tips on how to use Skype within your room and project ideas as well.

Group Wiki (week 5) Annotated References Web Page: 5 Strategies for Using Wikis in the Classroom []
 * __Wikis__**

Wikis are an outstanding way for students to collaborate with others be within their classroom, school, or around the globe. Wikis also lend themselves to many cross curricular ideas which are included in this article. They give 5 great examples of how to utilize wikis in which students will get the most out of what they are working on in class. Finally the site dicusses how utilizing this type of technology is engaging to students and they want to learn when technology is involved and they can "chat" with others.

Web Page: Using Wikipedia in the Classroom: A Good Starting Point []
 * __Wikipedia__**

This site discusses how Wikipedia is a great source to start your research of an idea because it is normally up to the minute data. However it does warn about taking all of the information to heart since it may not be completely accurate. It is a great source though for yourself to contribute to the site after researching information or letting students research and contribute to the site so they are feeling in control of thier learning and have the sense that they are actually accomplishing something great which others could utilize. The self esteem value of this idea is huge!

Group Wiki (week 6) Annotated References Web Page: Momaroo "Rules and Reasons for Using Facebook in the Classroom []
 * __Facebook__**

This site is unique because it is written by a mom, and teacher and explains her view on why would should utilize Facebook in the classroom. She emphasizes the point that you need to keep you personal and professional life seperate; therefore, you need to have two facebook sites which is very true. Your professional site is the one students will look at, and like she mentioned almost all kids Facebook so they would have to see the posts you put up. Furthermore, why not do fun things on your website like contests, questionaires, quotes, and also homework and extra practice. It is an exceptional way to keep the kids informed.

Web Page: Ning in Education []
 * __Ning__**

This site is an actual Ning site that you could join. For utilizing Ning for a professional learning group that I am in I can see the benefits of teachers utilizing this resource but not students. This site is laid out for teachers to have discussions about certain topics they are struggling with and try and get ideas on how to change around something they are teaching to improve their delivery. Their are createive projectes listed for ideas on implementation in your classroom. Furthermore, there are lots of blogs and discussion boards that you can participate in or learn by through reading others posts and relating to them. This is a great resource for teachers because there are educators from all over who participate and have great ideas on similair issues that we all face...it is always good to know someone else feels the same way:)

Web Page: Teaching Today "Social Bookmarking" []
 * __Social Bookmarking__**

This site is helpful in that it is more of a how-to for the novice teachers, like myself, who would like to incorporate more technology inot their classrooms but just need a little help on how to accomplish that. Teachers and students can utilize social bookmarking to aid in finding information that they have previously used, becacuse the stie is easily navigatable or it is very reliable. Whatever the reason they enjoyed the site they can tag it with a specific word like "math", or "research", and whenenver they go back to their social bookmarking site like delicious and type in that word a list will appear that has all of those specific words tagged and then it should be easy to find that particular site. This saves you from having to search through hundreds and hundres of sites from Google because about 300-400 new sites are added each day. Finally when you save a site to "delicious" they then offer you other links to sites people found were valuable with similar ideas that yours included and many times these sites are much more valuable than continuing to search through "Google." Furthermore, by utilizing social bookmarking sites students are able to share their ideas with others and collaborate which is what we strive for in the educational world...collaboration!

Group Wiki (week 7) Annotated References Web Page: You Can Teach Writing []
 * __Collaborative Editing__**

This site is useful because it explains 5 diffferent ways collaborative editing helps our students achieve high results by working well with others. It mentions peer coaching, tutoring, review, editing, and collaborative writing. Where in each sections students are discussing ideas, help each other revise, and coming up with one outstanding final copy. Also this method of writing makes them comfortable with teamwork and gets them ready for the real world when they have to work with others to write a paper for a committee for example.

Web Page: Google Apps in the Classroom []
 * __Google Apps__**

This site is easy to navigate and explains all of the different types of Google Apps available. It discusses how you need to register for a site but that the resources are free to use. It is a great way for schools to save money and teachers and send documents to each other without having to attach files, they can just upload and then others can access and make changes if necessary, pretty handy. Also, this site links you to many of the Google Apps and walks you through how to get started. Great for people who are new to these types of applications available.

Web Page: Publishing Students Writing --and Your Own (Edutopia) []
 * __Lulu__**

This site is helpful based on the idea that it dicusses the importance of publishing in order for students to do their best work and have that feeling that it is their own work. Also this site talks about the process a teacher went through to publish his own book and how registering to use this site was free unless you wanted to purchase a hard copy of your book. Then it discussed how the editing process is so important, expecially when you know many other people will be reading your work so it is extremely important to check your work not only once and revise, but possibly two or three times and revise until it is just perfect. The sense of accomplishment for a project like this will just be outstanding, so why not try it?

Group Wiki (week 8) Annotated References Web Page: Enhancing Classroom and Distance Learning Through Augmented Reality []
 * __Augmented Reality__**

This site provides an abstract of what augmented reality is and then shows some pictures to help visualize what is happening when utilizing this type of technology. Then it discusses techniques they have used in their own classroom for implenting augmented reality so that you can see what has worked and how they have utilized this type of media. This article gives you a lot of information, but also overwhelems me. I understand what they have learned and how they are going to build on re-doing what might have been a problem, but I am leary of how I would be able to incorporate this type of material into my own classroom without extensive training.

__**Virtual Worlds**__ Web Page: Are Virtual Worlds the Future of the Classroom? []

This site is unique in the idea that it discussing how many students participate in these virtual worlds....we are talking millions, which is amazing to me. Through these virtual worlds students can explore the past and try and figure out why certain things happened all while being on a kind of virtual "field trip" because they can actually see what they are learning about. Through these virtual worlds educators are claiming that students are deepely involved in their education and are learning conceptullay and ethically about subject matter. So will virtual worlds be hte future of the classrom??

__**Second Life**__ Web Page: Teaching with Second Life []

This idea of Second Life is thought provoking. The first way to introduce this idea of Second Life in your classroom is to use it as an extension or supplement to what is being taught in the classrom. The ideas behind utilizing Second Life in the classroom are for student collaboration, role playing, and distance learning. This type of technology would allow for distance education within the classroom where students would not have to meet face-to-face and could potentially benefit many different groups of students in their education.