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In this digital world, opportunities for education are available like never before. Though teachers using online tools are empowering students take part in their education, they may also expose them to inappropriate material, sexual predators, and bullying and harassment by peers. I am very interested in the concept of allowing Social Networking in the schools as a learning tool. This topic has interested me since becoming aware of all the tools I have utilised with the ICT and Pedagogy course. I found an article of the pros and cons of allowing this tool into the classroom. There seems to be a debate whether or not to utilise this type of learning tool into the curriculum. The types of questions raised where: What about predators? How do you stop explicit images filtering through? Will the students be distracted? I particularly liked the comments at the end of the article. It was quite interesting to learn how many people were fore the concept of implementing Social Networking into the curriculum. I'm still sitting on the fence with this topic. More research for me.

Accelerated Reader is a great way of assisting students with text selection as well as keeping track of comprehension by way of students completing a quiz on completion of a text.

I found this and thought it supported the previous article regarding tool belt theory

Aspen, did you find the info on the theory, the task or the environment?

Hi Colleen, If you open the link, you will find info on all three- theory, task and environment :) The snippets above are what I highlighted

A program where you can 'create and share your own interactive stories, games, music, and art'.

The first week at uni we started to use a program called Scratch. This program can be used for teachers and students at any level. It is also has free membership. The first activity that we were required to do was to use the motion button to create simple commands to move the script (the cat). The next part of the activity was to make a sequence of commands. This included the moving the script 10 step and then having the script turn around in a clockwise direction at 15 degrees. The number of steps and the degrees can be changed to suit the way you want the script to move. The next activity was to use the simple commands and have them repeat the commands over and over until you stop the command. We also learnt how to have the script change colour while the command sequence was going. The next activity was to draw regular polygons. The first polygon that was drawn was a square. The next challenge was to create other polygons. This program is great to work with. I had some time just to play, adding backgrounds, pictures and sounds. The goal for using this scratch program at uni is to explore options for introducing digital technologies and related concepts in the primary school classroom, as the Technology curriculum is being introduced sometime this year (2013). This program would fall under the Digital Technologies strand in the Australian curriculum: Technologies. This is where students will engage in the components of digital systems: software, hardware and networks.

Great site for children to create stories, games and animations.

The blog that I chose is run by 24 yo, Ashley Azzopardi, a Yr. 5 primary school teacher in Sydney, Australia. Her personal teaching philosophy centers on the notion of inclusive, constructivist-based, positive teaching and learning [more info in post]

Signed my kids up to reading eggs about two weeks ago and am already seeing an improvement with my 5 year old's reading and phonic understanding. Great website. I had to pay to join but worth the money.

Hi Reading eggs is a great resource which I have on my "Wish list'" for work. I have signed my youngest up and his interest in learning has grown as well as his improvement with reading and phonic understanding. Bec

Hi, Reading Eggs is fantastic. I have seen it used whilst I was on practicum and the students were in the computer lab and working at their own pace. It was engaging and levelled at their ability, which I found to be the best feature of the program. As they learn they progress to the next level. Great literacy program. Thanks, Gianna

This Blog argues against the need to teach 21st century skills. It's a little controversial, what do you think?

ICT and the Early Years

Hi, I liked reading your article about bringing ICT into the early years education and how it can work as another teacher. In Australian schools as most pre-service teachers and if you are a parent would probably know. The children are using Reading Eggs and Matheletics. My children are in years 1 and 3 and have found these programs easy to follow and navigate through the levels with a lot of success in their learning. They can also log-in on our home computer to extend their learning further. Programs such as these are a great tool in encouraging the skills of reading and learning maths without overloading them with too much computer time.

Article describing how on US-based 5th grade teacher is using technology to create a "blended" approach to learning that apparently allows more catering to the different capabilities of her students. Some linked to the approach used in EDC3100 as explained in the first (and last) Toowoomba lecture.

. The opening statement of this Education Technology Debate was titled "Is ICT in education a revolution or a fool's errand?". This is a puzzling question. Over the last decades, there have been many studies on the introduction of ICT in education. So why is it that we can still have a debate about the…

A perfect reminder about practical physical items in the classroom.

A great maths website, makes maths enjoyable and fun. Children are able to play against children from their own school, the other side of the country or even the other side of the world.

Great website