Journal #1

Professors adjust their teaching methods to reach technology-savvy generation

by Elanor Tang Su

In the article Elanor Tang Su points out how advances in technology have changed the way hat students and faculty interact with one another in the classroom. Professors have found that it has become increasingly difficult to engage students in the curriculum. But some professors have risen to the challenge by integrating websites that include discussion forums as well as having students have access to past lecture slides, grades and assignments. Some professors have also integrated the use of clickers during quizzes that when a student pushes a button transmits information through infrared rays. The results then appear on the screen and are evaluated by the professor. The article also describes the way that students are constantly multitasking. The author states that brain researchers such as Gordan Graftman with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has pointed out that research has shown that people who multi-task are at much higher risk of making mistakes and take longer to finish tasks.

1. In what way could some of the techniques described in the article have a positive impact in my classroom?
I think that it would enhance the curriculum in my classroom. Students now days are constantly exposed to different technologies that when they come to the class they find themselves bored or distracted. I think that if I used the clicker mentioned in the article on quizzes they would find it more interactive than writing the answers on a piece of paper. I also think that creating a website dedicated specifically to my classroom, students would be able to access material on lessons, grades and be able to post their best work on a special section created specifically for that purpose.

2. What resources are available to me that would keep me up to date with the latest educational tools to help my students engage more in the classroom?
The resources that are available can be accessed in several ways. First, I can ask other educators about what tools they use to engage students. Second, I can subscribe to periodicals such as ISTE's Learning and Leading with Technology that document the latest technology teaching tools for educators. Third, I would try to come up with my own creative way of making my teaching more effective and at the same time address the needs of my students.

Journal #2

Breathing Fire into Web 2.0.
Hardman and David Carpenter.

This article is about an online system called myDragonNet (htto://dragonet.hkis.edu.
hk)that was developed by The Hong Kong International School. This system provides administrators, teachers, and students with a new way to communicate and organized their work. Hartman and Carpenter go on to describe in detail the three key componets of myDragonNet: classroom and group management, curriculum development and electronic porfolios and their application in the school setting.

1. How would having this technology in my classroom benefit my students?
It would benefit students by allowing them access to information that I have posted about our class, sports teams and clubs. This information can come in the form of multimedia resources, calendars or e-mails. They also can have access to an e-porfolio that represents who they are and their achievements. In these portfolios, kids as young as kindergardeners can display their best work. They can also turn in work for their classes and at the same time store it in their portfolio. Another advantage is that students can share their work in the form of artifacts or work by themselves and they alone control who access to their portfolio.

2. In what way would having the curriculum development help me be a better teacher?
The curriculum development makes it easier for teachers to create, store, standard map and archieve curriculum. For example, it has curriculum libraries that can be applied to every grade level. If a teacher wants to write the curriculum that applies to her classroom, all he/she needs to do is go into these libraries and will find the benchmaks and standards he/she needs to meet.