Week: 6 Project Task 5: Implementation of my Technology- Related Change: Blogging

Hi Dear Robert and the whole class mates!!!!

As the Internet becomes an increasingly pervasive and persistent influence in people's lives, the phenomenon of the blog stands out as a fine example of the way in which the Web enables individual participation in the marketplace of ideas. Teachers have picked up on the creative use of this Internet technology and put the blog to work in the classroom. The education blog can be a powerful and effective technology tool for students and teachers alike. Blogs work well for students because they can be worked on at virtually any time, in any place with an Internet-enabled computer.

As an educational tool, blogs may be integrated in a multi-faceted manner to accommodate all learners. Blogs can serve at least four basic functions; as, classroom management, collaboration, discussion, and students portfolios.

A class blog is recognized as gateway to foster a community of learners. As they are easy to create and update efficiently, they can be used to inform students of class requirements, post handouts, notices, and homework assignments, or act as a question and answer board. I found it very beneficial fir large classes; the idea is that students could utilize this class blog as online resource to practice any topic studied in class as independent work. Furthermore, student would be posting reflections on their own learning and progress in blogs.

Blogs provide a space where teachers and students can work to further develop writing or other skills with the advantage of an instant audience. For example, a class of older students can help a class of younger students develop more confidence in their writing skills. Students can also participate in cooperative learning activities that require them to relay research findings, ideas, or suggestions.

A class blog opens the opportunity for students to discuss topics outside of the classroom. With a blog, every person has an equal opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions. Students have time to be reactive to one another and reflective. Teachers can also bring together a group of knowledgeable individuals for a given unit of study for students to network and conference with on a blog.

Blogs present, organize, and protect student work as digital portfolios. As older entries are archived, developing skills and progress may be analyzed more conveniently. Additionally, as students realize their efforts will be published, they are typically more motivated to produce better writing. Teachers and peers may conference with a student individually on a developing work, and expert or peer mentoring advice can be easily kept for future reference.

Blogging is a fine technology that provides a sound learning atmosphere for students. This can be excellent opportunities for students to read and write.

Week 6 (Reflection) “Building Teaching Skills through the Interactive Web”

I am tremendously getting pleasure from Oregon’s course in these cold wintry days. Our course is fascinating and is a mine of information on the subject of building teaching skills through the interactive web. In sixth week, we majored in assorted favorable subject matters; as, technology tools for creating student-centered classes, creating an interactive PowerPoint document, and project task 5.

Technology Tools for Creating Student-Centered Classes, Including Large Classes

Technology tools play extremely vital role in large classes; it engages and motivates schoolchildren in their courses intelligently. In my personal opinion, Twitter and Blogging are the tools, which get large classes students engaged in their activities inside classes. It is an excellent place for students to connect, collaborate, share ideas, and struggles with educators around the world. Students tweet a summary of what they learned in class on a specific topic/concept. On other hand, Online Blog is also known as excellent opportunity for students to read and write, and it is effective forum for collaboration and discussion. It encourages students to learn and practice their prearranged activities efficiently. I like both Twitter and blogging very, very much.     

Creating an INTERACTIVE PowerPoint Document

Crating an interactive PowerPoint documents assist students to get know about their subject matters judiciously. PowerPoint is much more than a linear presentation tool; a PowerPoint show can include Web links, and a variety of files created in other programs. Databases, spreadsheets, and charts are a few examples. Now PowerPoint streamlines the process of designing for the Web, when presentations are saved as HTML files. In this week, I created an interactive PowerPoint quiz “Phrasal Verbs with Break” and “Causative Verbs” presentation, which actually made me follow this teaching approach. Crating an interactive PowerPoint documents are extremely straightforward, well-informed, motivating, and magnificent teaching methodology for small as well as for large classes.

Project Task 5: Blogging

Blogging is important for educators. It allows for reflection, stimulates opinion and provokes debate. One of the most significant concerns about using blogs in the classroom is that students often feel as if they are doing the same writing, just placing it on the web. I love blogging because it stimulates students to study more, and enjoy their writing. Finally, I am really grateful to my teacher who wants to let me learn more and more about how to use superior techniques in teaching according to the new era.

Thanking You!!!!

Warm regards,

Nazeer Ahmed