As I have been reading the text, Web 2.0, it has opened my eyes to a lot of new technology that could improve the classroom. 
For example podcasting lets the teacher upload lectures so the students can replay them for review or homework and it even includes the students by letting them create their own podcast as a way of sharing their ideas and opinions.
Another example are the electronic portfolios the students use to showcase ongoing work.  This allows them to see the intellectual growth they have made.
Some more examples that can be used in the classroom are the 3D modeling, spreadsheets, video showcasing and social bookmarking.

Getting the Hang of things!

Hello!
The last time I was here I was going on about my problems, I was overwhelmed with everthing! Now since I have stepped away for awhile and cleared my head I am much better.  I am really enjoying making the classroom website.( Even if I might be doing the whole thing wrong!) I feel like I would want to use this once I become a teacher.  It keeps the parents informed without having to call the teacher for everything. And it also keeps them up to date with the material that the kids are learning.

I have realized that technology can be our friend if we just have the patients to deal with it.  The next time I am (or even you) feeling overwhelmed and feel like throwing my computer I will just walk away and come back a few hours later or even the next day.  I feel like once I get calmed down I can figure out in my head how I want things to be laid out. Maybe this advice will help someone!

I hope everyone has an awesome day!

Overwhelmed!

In today's time everything is now done online.  What happend to the old days of going to the library to do research in books? Now we just go to the library to use the computers for reasearch.  Looking at the assignments for my college classes, so much of them consist of making something on the internet, I know technology is a good thing and I am all for new ways to improve our school systems, but at times I just feel so overwhelmed with all this technology! When it comes to using the computer I just know the basic things I need to know, so at times with all the assignments that we are doing I just feel like a fish out of water. I have to remind myself to just take baby steps and to breath. Like as I was doing my portaportal I felt like I knew what I was doing and I had it down, but seeing the grade I was so wrong! If I can get the hang of this technology stuff then I know I will try to use it in my classroom.

With all this talk about incorporating technology into the classrooms it seems to me teachers should have some kind of degree in technology so they will be prepared for anything that comes their way.

Hope everyone is having an awesome day!

The First Time.

I'm excited about learning new ways to incorporate technology into the classroom, but I do not know how well I will do at this blogging.  I am not all that great with communicating through writing, I am better with face to face, but I will try my best at this! I want to teach the young grades like kindergarten, first or second so the only reason I would use a blog is to communicate with other teachers to see what they have going on in their classroom and to share ideas with other teachers too. So maybe I will get better at this blogging thing through out this semester so I can use it once I become a teacher 8].  Hope everyone has an awesome day!