Twitter in the Classroom...Good or Bad?

One social networking site that I never imagined I would join is Twitter. The thought of telling the world what I am doing in less that 140 characters was never that appealing. After reading about Twitter in the classroom in Will Richardson's book and researching on-line, my opinions are beginning to shift. I was never fully certain on the multitude of beneficial uses that Twitter could offer. While reading, my favorite example of how Twitter could be used in a classroom was the example of a history professor using it as a way to take questions during a large lecture. This seems like a very good use, in large lectures teachers are usually crunched for time and unwilling to take questions, this system allows for the lecture to run smoothly as well as questions to still be answered. Students who have questions but are too shy, or sit in the back row, or for whatever reason don't usually ask their questions will be able. I am still not completely sold on the idea of using this social networking site in the classroom. I feel that there are still going to be students who might try and abuse the system and use Twitter as a personal site in the classroom. There are also the students who do not have access to computers or the internet at home which could pose another problem for teachers. The more I research about the uses of Twitter in classrooms, the more I feel that it could actually be beneficial. Twitter in the classroom...Good or Bad? The Verdicts not out on this one...yet!

Google Docs

Google Docs has to be one of my favorite on-line resources. I have found that there are many useful resources that can be accessed through out Google. Google Docs can be especially helpful in the classroom. Through collaborative projects, on-line submission of assignments, and even on-line tests and quizzes. This site is an asset to any educational setting. I have come across a couple of minor setbacks, but nothing major enough to discourage my use of Google Docs. As I have experimented using Google Docs, the possibilities seem almost endless. I find myself coming up with new project ideas to use throughout the classroom. As a student myself, I have used Google Docs to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations and forms. My favorite aspect of Google Docs is by far the form. I have never come across a more user friendly way to gather information. It is especially nice that the data you receive from your surveys is entered right into a spreadsheet format, saving much needed time. Google Docs is a great tool that I think is very beneficial to both classroom and personal use. My favorite part of the class so far!

Using Wikis

Wikis were always a part of technology that was unknown to me. I had never used one in a research paper or edited one myself. After editing and working with a wiki, I have come to realize that they can be a useful classroom tool. For children, wikis can be used in a variety of different ways. Whether using them as a collaborative group paper, to teach them how to collaborate, or to teach them the values of constructive criticism I believe that wikis can be useful in a classroom setting. Personally, I believe that in order to be ready to use a blog in my classroom, I need more experience with managing and being the administrator, for lack of a better word. In my classroom, the first way that I plan to use a wiki would be to get a class welcome letter to the parents. It would be easier to answer questions in the discussion tab and it could prevent duplicate questions. Wikis are a piece of technology that are going to become more and more prevalent in the world, and I am glad that I have the basic knowledge to work with them.