Digital Badge # L – Chapter 6
Teaching in today’s technological society can be very
overwhelming if the teacher is not well organized and able to wisely choose
appropriate educational resources. An
educational website can be a great resource for teachers who are looking for
new ideas and topics. In the section Educational
Websites as Teacher Resources defines an educational website as
internet-based digital content which are created and maintained by colleges,
universities, organizations, museums, agencies, companies, and individuals. According to this section, there are six
types of educational websites. The first
being the lesson plan website, which are used mainly by teachers looking for
ideas for their lesson plan. The second
is the student-to-expert communication website, which offers students the
opportunity to exchange ideas with experts in various fields of study. The next type is real-time and recorded data
websites, which is an inquiry-based website which can offer the students a
simulated adventure. Archival and
primary source websites offer students a historical investigation
scenario. Skill practice websites can be
used by teachers for a collaborative group activity or for individual students
to practice skill and knowledge. And
finally exploration and discovery websites offers the student an online
interactive experience. These are all
great resources for teachers and students alike. It is necessary for teachers to use a variety
of techniques, resources, and practices in order to accommodate every students
learning style and to have their lessons be a successful experience for all
parties.
Technology and sharing are a big part of today's society. The following links are great resources for teachers and students who need to use technology and enjoy sharing.
DoodleToo is an interactive drawing tool that can be shared.
QuestGarden is a quest creating site where students can solve quests and learn new information at the same time. This particular quest was created by Crystal Wood on The American Symbols.
Technology and sharing are a big part of today's society. The following links are great resources for teachers and students who need to use technology and enjoy sharing.
DoodleToo is an interactive drawing tool that can be shared.
QuestGarden is a quest creating site where students can solve quests and learn new information at the same time. This particular quest was created by Crystal Wood on The American Symbols.
Using Educational Websites and Apps Interactively offers
various positive experiences to students and teachers. Interactivity, Exploration, and Engagement
are all positive outcomes of using educational websites and apps that are
interactive. Interactivity incorporates simulations, analyzing data, questions
and answers, and searching for answers, which are all skill building
activities. Exploration allows the
student to explore the website in random sequence and spend more time on areas
of interest while skimming through areas not so interesting, but allows the
student the opportunity to come away from the activity knowing more information
than they had previously known.
Engagement is so important, it is when the student is drawn to an
activity and is compelled to learn the information and embrace the activity,
without the students engagement all other aspects of a lesson can be lost and unsuccessful.
It is always a teacher’s goal to have
students completely immersed in the lesson contents and to have the student successfully
comprehend and retain the lessons objectives.
Online Learning and Virtual Schools refers to the delivery
of educational experiences through computers technology. There are three types of online learning,
Distance learning, Virtual Schools, and Blended Learning. Distance learning is the completing of
educational courses using an internet connection and computer. Virtual learning is the use of educational
organizations that teach students through online learning. And Blended learning
also known as Hybrid learning is the combination of face-to-face interactions
and online coursework and online assessment.
In today’s fast paces and technological society online learning is essential
and necessary for some people who are not able to or do not have the means to
attend a traditional educational environment but still wish to complete their
learning goals. According to this
section there is much debate about virtual schools and distance learning, it is
thought that isolation and lack of social interaction and lack of collaborative
learning can be a negative aspect of this type of learning. I believe that since we all have different
learning styles, indeed online learning is not for every individual, but it
should be an option for those who need and desire this type of learning
experience.
References:
Maloy, R. W., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S. A., &
Woolf, B. P. (2014). Transforming learning with new technologies (2nd ed.).
Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
So many websites, so little time! :) Indeed there are many in which to get lost and sometimes the really effective ones are 'lost' when you most need or want them. Thus, the reason for introducing you to Delicious early on in the semester as it is a way to not only organize and keep track of both personal and professional websites on any device, but it allows for sharing which can help you curate the best website resources more efficiently.
ReplyDeleteOnline classes definitely have their pros and cons, but I think they have value in some other ways such as helping students become more independent learners - something we often don't focus on in the traditional classroom...and, yet, once students leave school do they stop learning? Can they find content they need? Do they get the instruction and/or assistance they need for other learning? Naturally, some gravitate to it (and are often successful with it) more than others, but maybe one could argue the same of discussion versus multiple choice assessments....