Blogs, Wikis and Weebly x

"The world today relies on information communication technology or ICTs”.

The use of digital technologies is only suitable when there are clear learning benefits for your learners.

 

 

 

Blogs, Wikis and Weebly..

As teachers need to be lifelong learners, this week has certainly proven that statement very true! As I have read many blogs (mostly fashion and beauty blogs I must admit) creating one and keeping it interesting is quite a challenge!  I am no journalist, I cannot make things seem more interesting than what they really are, so for me after finding a more clear understanding of Blogs, Wikis and Weebly, I can most certainly see their effectiveness in the classroom, keeping the students engaged whilst also ensuring students success. In this post I have offered my views and understandings on each of the ICT’s and how they can be a useful resource I the classroom.

 

BLOGS

Blogs are the most interesting and most engaging interactive web page I find, they allow others to comment on your posts, contribute feedback and also share ideas. Since I am only a blog stalker not an illustrator (until this course)I have found it challenging to keep my posts interesting and inspiring. Blog pages have many positive features and allow people to be who they want to be, express their views and feelings and share their journey with a bunch of followers. Although my blog is purely for this course, it has opened my eyes up to a world of on line dear diary’s, for students in the classroom blogs can make a good way to interact with your students, find out more about who they really are as people not just students and allow teachers to truly profile and understand each student in their class to form positive relationships. They could also be used for checking progression of learning and their understandings to provide feedback on how students are learning and what may need to be revisited. Since starting this course I will strive to keep a blog diary throughout my studies to look back on some time down the track.

 

 

STATIC WEBSITES- THE WEEBLY

AHHH!! This is how I feel about ‘the weebly’! How does a website, or online space work? A question im sure we would all love to understand with great meaning. Before reading about static websites and engaging in the weeks activities I had NO idea what this was! But I told myself I can get through creating a blog, this should be a piece of cake right? (did you know you can add a blog to your weebly?). I had the feeling of success when I designed the site, managed to upload a picture and then realised that to publish the site I had to pay? Other than this mishap weebly I could see the benefits of it being a good tool to use in the classroom, having the ability to upload videos and photos, make weekly or daily contributions.

http://377529296636936318.weebly.com ( I couldn’t quite figure out how to change the site address).  

 

 

WIKIS

A Wiki? What have I gotten myself into? Since enrolling in E-Learning, I knew from week one this course was going to be a challenge, I may only be young but I think I’ve found that I have an old soul? I say that because technology and me just cannot seem to be friends, as much as I try for it to just ‘work’ I cannot seem to extend the relationship past Microsoft word and email. Nevertheless I remain to keep an open mind and surprised myself this week, I found that wikis (as challenging as they are!) could be a great teaching tool, engage students and some learning benefits from them. Since I merely only managed to upload a picture and some words, I feel that feeling of complete success, even following the step by step manual this task was a huge hurdle for me and I feel proud! Thank the web for beig ever so changeable, as a wiki is not static, you can change as you please. Wikis have the ability to promote higher order thinking a must in the classroom! My Wiki page (I am working on making it engaging and effective).

http://karablankenhagen.wikispaces.com/

 

 

After engaging in all three interactive web pages, I found that the most useful (and easiest for myself to navigate) is a Blog page. SMAR of blogging.

 

Substitution

Blogs can be used for many different outcomes, social, personal, learning, sharing information and I find this to be one of the best tools I would use in my classroom. Blogs can be used to keep a running record of student’s understandings and a way to interact with each and every student, allow for feedback and can be used to set goals for your students. This can allow students to take control of their own learning and feel part of the design of their outcomes.

 

Augmentation

Blogs can allow all students to feel a sense of achievement, blogs can cater for all different stages of learners as it has many different uses and the more you understand and engage in blogs there more effective you can make them. Blogs can enhance students’ comprehension skills and allow for different ways of analysing learning's.

 

Modification

A blog could be used as a class journal, or individual student use. Blogs allow students to engage in each other’s work, provide feedback and enhance peer review learning, the beauty of a blog is they can be accessed from home and at school, any time of the day. One of the many beauties of technology in today’s society.

 

Redefinition

As a cohort of a year level, all teachers could welcome the idea of a blog page for each student in their class, tis would allow a year level to feed of each other and mind meaning for learning from other students. Blogs can provide a way for socialising and sustaining peer relationships, and also more individual relationships with teachers and students. As blog pages are worldwide it is only the beginning for student’s success, which is our main goal as future teachers, to open their eyes to all the useful resources that we have available today.