I have found that the Integrating Technology and Literacy
course to be one of the most valuable and applicable learning experiences in
this program. Throughout the past seven
weeks we have been introduced to all the latest and greatest technological
tools that can be used in the classroom with students. Some examples include blogs, video makers
such as iMovie, Animoto, and VoiceThread, Digital Story creators like
Storybird, and collaborative tools such as Google Docs and Padlet. I have learned that by creating a class blog
and even having student blogs, students
will be able to write in a way that hones their skills authentically, and
parents will have a better understanding and appreciation for what their child
is working on at school on a day to day basis.
By integrating technology within the classroom, students are more
engaged and motivated to learn, and are given opportunities to see what is
going on in the world around them, and to collaborate with peers near and
far. Ultimately one of the biggest
reasons to use these tools in the classroom is because this is the way of the
world. By showing students how to use
the technology and teach them appropriate ways to do so, they are being
prepared to successfully live and work in the digital age.
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| Google App Launcher |
In my opinion, Google Apps offer some great tools for
collaboration and composing. When using
Google Docs, it is easy to collaborate with others without ever having to
actually meet. With Google Docs, anyone who has access to a document can work
on it anytime. There are so many Apps
including spreadsheets, surveys, and slideshow presentations that any tool you
could want to use individually, or with others, you can find in Google Apps. Although other collaborative tools such as
blogging offer ways to stay connected, and communicate, Google Apps offer the
best variety of collaborative tools.
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| Creating a Document in Google Drive |
Now that I know more about Google Apps, I certainly plan to
use them in my classroom. They get
parents involved, teach students about collaboration, and add a dimension of
entertainment to the classroom. The area
where I anticipate Google Apps having the most value is professionally. My district has already made the switch to
Google Drive and Google Apps, but now that I am more familiar with these tools
and all the ways to utilize them, I see greater possibilities for using them to
collaborate within our school. For these
reasons, I have and will continue to recommend Google Apps.
Please take a second to view my Voki, another cool digital
tool, for my final thoughts on using Google Apps.
