Journal #1

I like the phasing that I read on other blogs about how to incorporate technology into the classroom. When using technology it should be intentionally planned and not the goal. It should be a way to reach a goal not the goal itself. When planning to use technology I think I really need to evaluate why I am using it. If it isn’t the goal and I have intentionally planned it then I could look into doing classroom research on it. So many times, I find a cool resource and just want to use it, but I don’t consider how it fits into the larger picture. I just think about the level of engagement it might provide. Engagement is important to consider, but it must be considered in the context of the goals of the class.

I have been contemplating using Twitter in my classes for a while now. When I was thinking about using it, I only thought about the engagement it might provide. Now I can see its purpose in promoting an understanding, and providing the real world connections that might motivate students just a little more. I had never considered that my students learning might be able to travel outside of the school. It could also be used simply to keep students informed. They are very connected to the online world, and a homework reminder might help them to get their work done on time.

I think in my classroom I could use Twitter to serve 2 purposes in my classroom at this point: homework reminders and exit tickets. I have a problem getting work turned in on time and I wonder if Twitter could help with this. I find it hard to do exit tickets because I don’t always get to the place I hope to stop. I also find it hard to collect more papers because I already have so many. Twitter would help solve the paper problem and it could help me to see if students learned what I had planned for them to learn. Instead of asking a question, I could simply ask students to write down what they think was the highlight of their learning for that class period. Then we could go over this to start class the next day.