Wikisapces or 'Wikis' are a great online tool for collaborative or individual use. When you set up your wiki you can allow yourself only or the public to edit. It could be used as an individual reflection tool or to collect information collaboratively from a group.
For educators this means an easily accessible form of communication with their students as well as a way for their students to collaboratively learn and discuss topics further outside of the classroom. It could also be a way to direct students to engaging activities on the internet or websites that link to their unit of work. Lots of information can be gathered and stored within the wiki; text, sites, videos, photos and podcasts. Also it allows teachers to see how their students are progressing and allows feedack from students. Wikis allow teachers to make learning fun and meaningful. This tool would be very useful in the secondary sector. Secondary students are very tech savvy and would probably rather this way of collecting and viewing information compared to the text book and writing notes version. It also allows them to learn from each other, look into deeper meanings and use complex thought porcesses.
Weebly is an online tool that allows you to create your own website free of charge. This could be an interactive way for teachers or students to display information. Again it could be used as an individual or collaborative tool. It can be used to show picture galleries or a series of information.
A weebly could also be an alternative way for assessment. Students do their unit of work and at the end create a web page on that topic. Weebly's are an interactive way to allow students to create their own presentation of information. Again this would be an effective tool to use within the secondary school not only beacuse of the technology but because it also allows them to construct their own learning on a topic that is most valuable to them.
Blogging is an online tool that is easy to use and has many benefits. A blog can be about any topic or it could be just a way to keep in contact. However for the purposes of learning it can be a very powerful tool for a teacher to have. Blogging allows teachers to see their students thought processes and what they are taking away from their lessons. It is a great reflection tool for both students and teachers. For students they can collate their thoughts about a particular topic, look at what peers think of the topic or even track a professional's (in that topic area) blog. This helps to generate deeper meaning and greater understanding of a topic. Collaborative learning will assist students, something they may have missed or not thought of in class may be posted in someone else's blog; this means students will get other opinions or ways of thinking. For a teacher it can be a great relfection tool, you can see from the student responses whether lesson was well recieved or not. It can also help teachers to understand where students are travelling.
Blogging would also work well in Secondary as it give students the oppurtunity to work with technology and work with their peers. Blogs could also be used to work with other classes within your school, other schools or even different countries.
You've really looked deeply into Blogging here, I think this is a tool that any classroom can incorporate and I like that you seem to have made a great connection with it.
ReplyDeleteHow would you like to use it in your classroom?
What do you think is the best apect of the tool?
Great post. =)
-Kyah
I would like to set up a blog with professionals of the topic i am teaching. I could also use it as a reflective tool. Or they could start communication with another group of students at their school or another school.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Kyah!