MU Web 2.0 Online Course

Nothing is foolproof, but I have yet to find anything as motivating and influential on students' self-expression as helping them tell stories about an important place.

Before I could expect them to write a story that had a clear beginning, middle, and end, students needed preparation.

visually representing their place by drawing, painting, creating a collage, or using KidPix on the computer to uncover more details about each place

Many people associate virtual reality and computer simulations with science fiction, high-tech industries, and computer games; few associate these technologies with education.

Computer simulations and virtual reality are potentially powerful learning technologies by themselves, offering teachers a means to concretize abstract concepts for students and provide them with opportunities to learn by doing what they might otherwise encounter only in a textbook.

Computer simulations are computer-generated versions of real-world objects (for example, a sky scraper or chemical molecules) or processes (for example, population growth or biological decay). They may be presented in 2-dimensional, text-driven formats, or, increasingly, 3-dimensional, multimedia formats. Computer simulations can take many different forms, ranging from computer renderings of 3-dimensional geometric shapes to highly interactive, computerized laboratory experiments.

On this site you will find a variety of resources including cool websites and tip sheets that support 21st century teaching strategies.

Wikijunior Animal Alphabet

According to the survey, students cited communication as their No. 1 use of technology. "They are very interested in not only communicating among themselves, but also with students all around the world," said Julie Evans, chief executive officer of Project Tomorrow (formerly NetDay), the survey's sponsor.

younger grades tell us there is not much access

digital storytelling

Kerpoof can be used to create original artwork, animated movies, and stories, among other things.