Blog Assignment #9

What can we learn from Ms. Cassidy?

Ms. Cassidy is an elementary teacher. Her class is very involved in using technology to learn. In "Little People...Big Potential", Ms. Cassidy's students talk about everything they do with technology to help them learn.  The students love posting to their blogs, and their favorite part about blogging is that they get comments from people they know and often people they do not know.  Their class blog is known as their online portfolio where they keep all assignments done in their class.  The key to writing a quality blog post, according to Ms. Cassidy's class is that you should never say "bad stuff."  You should always be positive when writing a blog post.  The students also use web pages to find things on the internet, practice sight words, and continue to help themselves learn.  The class also uses Wikis when they want to learn about traditions or rituals, for example.  They are able to ask people from around the world what a ritual is, and the others post different things they do to show how they practice rituals in their country as well as traditions. Videos are also made by the students about things they learn, as well as the use of Skype.  The students were able to talk to a geologist about rocks.  What an awesome lesson that is! Nintendo DS's are also used for the students to help them read words, problem solve, and practice sharing skills.

I really enjoyed listening to the interviews with Ms. Cassidy.  She has some great ways to incorporate technology into learning.  She said that her technological advancement started about 10 years ago when computers were introduced into her classroom.  She took this as an educational opportunity to teach the children through online learning and programs.  She began blogging, developing web pages, and establishing professional development.  Ms. Cassidy explains that she has had great support from the administration at her school, and they are excited at the way she has began teaching her students.

I agree with Ms. Cassidy when she said that technology is never going away.  We have to continue to change with the world today.  I believe blogging is the best way to get students involved for many reasons. Just like Ms. Cassidy said, students have an audience when they blog.  This really enhances their learning because they have someone who actually will read their blog that they do not even know rather than only the teacher reading their assignment.  I believe that this helps out with social emotions as well as school emotions.  I will try to use class blogs when I become a teacher because I think it is a great way for students to collaborate with others around the world and develop relationships.  It is really neat that the students have a cluster map on their class blog to actually see where the people are that comment on their posts.

I think privacy could be an issue with blogging, as well as students looking at non educational websites.  I would handle this aspect of it just like Ms. Cassidy does.  She said that she has to teach the children to only click on things in the middle of the website and not the things that are blinking and flashing on the sides. She said that she explains to them that we only look at educational things.  Also, I would explain to my children to only comment positively on blogs because we do not want anyone to have hurt feelings just like Ms. Cassidy said she always explains to her children.  We have to let the students experience the world because technology is always growing.  We also have to teach them the good and bad aspects of everything they do along with using the internet and blogs properly.  Some people may worry about cheating when giving students access to the internet.  Ms. Cassidy explains that it is called collaborating because we are using the resources available to add to our own ideas to create lessons.  Because of technology, we are have to switch the way in which we use information we find.  If we teach our students the importance of it, we will not have privacy issues or any issues relating to improper site searching and cheating.

I think I will try to develop my own online learning network when I become a teacher and use Ms. Cassidy's advice.  She said that to begin a positive technological environment, you must begin collaborating on your own personal learning network.  I will try to get more involved with Twitter and Blogger with teachers in hopes of piggy backing from what they have taught.  I can then use their ideas as well as my own to develop an educational lesson.