Why Wireless?

The post in the "Best of the Fischbowl 2007," from November is about incorporating technology in the schools. One of the points that was made was that we need to move from an isolated classroom to a connected classroom. There are three specific ways that technology is being incorporated into the classrooms. First, there is a way students can access their grades. Secondly, there are teacher web pages where teachers can put notes, presentations, assignments, and worksheets. Third, there are electronic databases which are online, subscription-based services such as Ebsco and ABC Clio.
Personally, I believe that incorporating technology into the classrooms is a great idea. I think that these services are very important. I know that that campus portal that allows students to look at their grades is extremely helpful not only for students, but also for parents. It was extremely beneficial for my parents and I in high school. I think it would also be helpful for teachers to have web pages where they can put their assignments and other notes. This can be helpful for when students are out of the class or even for parents to keep up with their children's assignments. While I think technology is important, I do not think it should completely replace the normal classroom settings. I think there should be a steady balance between the two.

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The Importance of Technology

I think it is extremely important for teachers to have some knowledge in regards to technology. Our world is constantly changing and technology is used more and more in our everyday lives. I know that for some older teachers this may be difficult to accept but because our world is changing, we have to change with it to a certain extent. Besides believing that it is an obligation to have some knowledge in regards to technology, I think it can be beneficial to use technology in the classroom.
I definitely do not believe that technology should replace all forms of teaching. Having relationships with your students and their parents is incredibly important. I do not think those relationships should change to email relationships or online teaching. However, I think integrating technology into teaching is important. Teachers must have some technological literacy.

International Bloggers

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The first site I found was a from a blogger in Sydney, Australia. The bloggers name is Chris Betcher and he teaches at a school in Australia. The site is primarily for personal posts but there are excellent links and other things to read and explore in this blog. There are also helpful ideas and for other teachers. I found his most recent post, "The Hour of (no) Power" very interesting. Here is a picture of Chris:

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The second blog I found is from Susan Sedro in Singapore. Susan was a teacher in Minnesota and has now moved back to Singapore to be a tech coordinator for a school there. This blog is used for her personal use. There are many links of other blogs and also other sites. This blog is a way for her to get advice from others and also a way for her to give her own advice and allow people to keep up with what she is doing. Here is a picture from her blog:

Other Bloggers in the U.S.

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I found a blog being used in a kindergarden classroom in Illinois. The teachers name is Cindy Blakely. In her blog she has post an abundance of helpful information for other teachers, parents, and her students. She makes posts that talk about what they are doing in their classroom and even has interactive videos to watch. She also has a calendar and other information that can be helpful for parents. There are many educational links on her blog that are also very helpful. I think this is great cause it goes to show how helpful blogging can be even if it is simply teaching kindergardeners how to use a blog. Here is a picture of Mrs. Blakely.



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Another blogger I found was for a sophomore english class in Branford, Connecticut. The bloggers name is Mr. Miller. He has created this blog for his english classes so that they can keep up with homework, assignments, classwork, and other information in general. He has many helpful links on his page. He also has a place where he lists due dates coming up for certain assignments. Once he has made posts the students can comment on the posts asking questions or simply expressing a thought about the blog. I think that blogging would be particularly helpful in a high school classroom and really prepare students for college when many classes are centered around technology. Here is a picture from Mr. Millers Blog.