Webquests

The concept of a Webquest is one that is relevant for both students and educators. I can examine the idea of webquests from both angles. As an educator I'm on the fence about webquests. When done correctly they are great asset to a teacher’s bag of tips and tricks. However, when done poorly I believe webquests do more harm than good for the student. I make this rather strong statement because more time than not the student will deviate from the intended assignment. Let's face it kids will be kids when given the opportunity. Webquests allow for a great deal of freedom on the Internet and more time than not students will wonder from the assignment and you will find them on the latest and greatest social media site (that’s if it isn’t blocked yet). Moreover, a poorly done webquest won’t truly engage the students’ critical thinking sills. Rather students will be scrolling through the website just looking for the answer just for the sake of getting the assignment done.

Now, when done correctly students can be fully engaged in the content and become experts. Students are able to answer those difficult crucial thinking questions and are pushed to analyze, synthesize and evaluate. Not to mention when done correctly students can learn more in a short period of time about a certain subject than they can from a PowerPoint or a textbook. Additionally, webquests are very versatile as well; it can be used to initially “teach” the content or used as a review tool when you have covered a lot of content in a short amount of time.

As a student, I always enjoyed a webquests that I was asked to complete. Maybe this is because they were always well thought out and very informative. They allowed me the freedom of the Internet and it was a nice change of pace from the PowerPoint or lecture. I’ve only completed a handful of webquests, because the concept of it is still relatively new in comparison to other teaching techniques. Looking back I now know how much work it takes to create a well thought out webquest that makes students answer critical thinking questions.

PowerPoint in the Classroom

As an educator I like PowerPoint, it’s a great way to present material and bring it alive in class with the ability to embed or hyperlink to YouTube videos. Also, the presentation can be saved and uploaded so students can refer back to it or the presentation can be printed off and be given out as handouts.

PowerPoint gives the creator a great deal of freedom, which is great but also, can be a downfall. The slides need text but not too much text; the background needs to be eye-catching but still readable. Moreover, the content displayed needs to be relevant. However, the ability to engage students lies solely on the shoulders of the presenter, as they need to be both enthusiastic and well informed on the content. Creating an engaging PowerPoint can be difficult and time consuming.

I first used PowerPoint over ten years ago in 7^th grade technology class. At that time I didn’t know much about the software or how it could impact my educational journey. For the better part of the last ten years every single presentation I’ve witnessed has been created on PowerPoint, I’ve seen some really good ones and some really bad ones along the way. With that being said, PowerPoint is slowly dying as other software is taking over. Software such as SMART Notebook and Prezi has started to make their way into the classroom as another way to engage students with technology.

Assistive Technology in the classroom

This post is going to shift away from social media and look at assistive technology in the classroom. I find this subject one of the main reasons to enroll in this program.

Not every person is gifted with the ability to use his or her voice. Currently, I’m working with two students who do not have the luxury of speaking; one student relies solely on the use of a DynaVox to communicate and the other student has a DynaVox but chooses not to bring it to school. Needless, to say it is much easier to communicate when a student who uses a piece of assistive technology like a DynaVox. For those who are not familiar with a DynaVox, it is a piece of equipment that gives a student a voice, which otherwise would not have the ability to speak. It is a computer-based system that allows a student to select a pre-programed text or symbol and speaks it out allowed.  

This past Friday, I had the great fortune to learn how to program one of my students’ devices. As a classroom team we generated a list of words and phrases that needed to be programed. This is a rather time-consuming process and it makes me wonder if it can be made more efficient to program. This one student in particular is well versed on how to use the device and uses it to be a contributing member in the classroom. The device it self can help support communicating, social skill development, and enforce positive behaviors. In effect, these students can continue to learn and progress in school without being inhibited by their disability, instead focusing on their ability.

If you would like more information about the products DynaVox offers here is the link to there website:http://www.dynavoxtech.com/default.aspx

DynaVox communicating device

Impact of Social Media and Web 2.0 in the Classroom

Social media and Web 2.0 have revolutionized the way the world uses the Internet. Social media by itself has the ability to connect people from around the world through its utilization. The ability to use social media is in abundance people can check their Facebook, Twitter and other platforms all with a few mouse clicks or swipes on their phone or tablet. I believe the ease of use of these sites is what has lead to the boom of social media.

This boom is evident in the classroom. Most of today’s students have access to social media with regular ease. Teachers have the ability to use social media to aide students in the classroom. I believe social media should be used to enhance a student’s educational experience but not become the entire means of which instruction is delivered. Therefore, a teacher making entire lessons and units utilizing social media is not out of the norm for today’s classroom. Additionally, teachers can provide extra help to their students via Facebook or Twitter when out of the classroom.

Web 2.0 has the ability to bring a classroom alive. Much like social media, I believe Web 2.0 can greatly enhance the experience students receive in the classroom. Last year, I had the great fortune of letting my students partake in a videoconference with an aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia. In the aquarium was a scuba diver with a cameraman equipped with a microphone. Students had the ability to see fishes and ask questions. Students loved this experience, after studying about the fishes it was great seeing some of them up close and personal through the video conference. Not only did this activity capture the students attention it enhanced the student’s educational experience overall by providing a not so normal way to learn about the creatures of the sea.

The classroom can become a dynamic place for learning when teachers utilize Web 2.0 and social media. I believe students like these sort of activities because they enhance their educational experience as they are partaking in new and exciting ways of learning instead of the typical lecture.