Tech Tools Week One

So far I have really enjoyed my tech tools class. We have been learning a lot about how to make technology a part of the student's construction of knowledge. I think the most valuable thing (although it may be the most obvious or simple) I learned in week one was that when it comes to using technology, students should be the designers. We should not merely use technology as a way to transmit information, but students should be able to use it as a tool to construct their knowledge and display their learning.

Also, I never knew about the RSS reader! Like I said, I'm new to blogging and I definitely haven't been an avid reader of any particular blogs... What a great way to "create your own newspaper" of blogs!

Blogging in the K-12 classroom

I think blogging could be a very useful tool in the K-12 classroom. As a Spanish teacher, I would have my students use a blog as a journal. Entries could be in English or Spanish depending on the topic or level. If you wanted to get really fancy you could even find an interface en español! (like http://es.blog.com/)

Students could be more motivated to write given a medium in which they feel "at home" or a novel way to share their thoughts with their classmates or teacher. However, some important things to keep in mind if incorporating a blog into curriculum would be safety issues of students using names or places, internet access (or lack thereof) at home, and the prevalence of instant messaging type language and acronyms in formal writing. Students feel comfortable writing in IM codes but they do need to learn how to write formally as well. Blogging would not be a venue for a formal writing curriculum goal.

Bienvenidos

I am starting this blog for my Technology Tools for Educators class at the University of Minnesota. Perhaps I will continue writing about my experience getting my Masters of Education degree. I have never owned a blog before and have never been much of a "journal-er" so we'll see...