Blog Assignment 7

First off, I was very impressed with this video. It was very informative and creatively put together. I liked that everything was hand drawn and the cutout websites and graph. It takes a lot of practice to make sure all the props are where they need to be and on time with the narrator. So, kudos to Wendy Drexler!

Now, I think using social networking in the classroom is a great idea. They mention the use of blogs to obtain information. I know, personally, that I have learned so much in this class from reading other peoples blogs, and so does the student in this video. He mentioned that blogs are filled with more opinions than facts, and it helps students understand the topic more by starting discussions—I agree. I am, also, a big fan of audio books. I listen to my books while I’m driving. The use of the bookmarking sites is a convenient way for others to find/share information about the same topics.

He asks the question: Why does he even need a teacher? Well, he also answers that question. His teacher teaches him how to build this network and take advantage of this learning opportunity. She is there for guidance and to teach him how to ask experts, respectfully, for their opinions. She is also there to motivate, encourage, and be excited for him when he finds the right content.

I will definitely use these different tactics in my classroom. I feel like this is something the kids will get excited about, rather than just staring at a text book all day. Granted, I’ll be in the classroom everyday and will be “lecturing”, but I would like to use the Internet, blogs, and the bookmarking sites to change the “scenery” in my classroom.