Most of today's students either own or use iPods, iPod Touches, MP3 Players, and computers everyday. These digital tools provide a natural strategy to support student learning - Podcasts!
Strategies and techniques are provided for integrating podcasts lessons to promote the benefits of greater student engagement and alternative assessment.
New technology provides sexy alternatives to older methods of instruction and assessment. In the same conference, I spoke about my "podcast year" - when, as a first year teacher, I discovered the joy of digital microphones. Every piece of creative writing was recorded, an activity that ate up entire class periods. By the time I reached a unit where it actually made sense to capture student voice (speeches), the kids were ready to fight me. I too had allowed myself to be distracted.
Stimulating critical thinking using technology has the potential to create more in depth understanding of science and math content by students when engaged in learning activities which integrate in-class and on-line technology resources.
Technology tools support stimulation of both inquiry-based and critical thinking skills by engaging students in exploring, thinking, reading, writing, researching, inventing, problem-solving, and experiencing the world outside their classroom. This is accomplished through learning content through the lens of video to multimedia to the internet (Using Technology to Improve Student Achievement, NCREL, 2005).
"Integration of technology is an integral part of project based learning, because technology is an integral part of life outside the classroom as revealed in this part of the definition - "types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom.""
The following is a common question heard around teacher workrooms, teacher lunchrooms, faculty meetings, and science or math conferences.
"Why use web 2.0 tools when teaching science or math?"
The answer is both simple and complex at the same time.
Wikis are the most popular Web 2.0 tool being used in science and math classrooms. Based on a survey of readers - 43 percent use them to support their teaching and student learning.
A Wiki is appealing, encourages participation, supports collaboration, and promotes interaction by students who love to use technology.
By the way - this includes most students today!
Strategies and techniques are provided regarding the benefits of using digital tools to support teaching and learning in any content area or grade level.