My school has been extremely busy this year with piloting new technologies that will enhance student achievement and engagement. Currently, we are piloting eClass (digital Content, Learning, Assessment, and Support System) and next year we will pilot BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). The following resources will aide in integrating technology through videoconferencing both inside and outside school.
This project is hosted by TWICE (Two Way Interactive Connections in Education) and celebrates NEA’s “Read Across America” by reading interactively with other classrooms around the world using video. The project website gives teachers easy to follow steps that range from deciding if this project is for you to registering and “making it happen”. Since “Read Across America” is an event for K-12, this project could be easily implemented in the 6th grade classroom to engage students in reading.
I really like this idea for my classes and even our school. Every Monday morning we have 30 minutes set aside for reading. At this time, everyone in the school is expected to stop what they are doing to read. “Read Across the Planet” would take our morning reading time to the next level as well as demonstrating the importance of reading.
VideoConferencing Out on a Limb
This site provides many different resources for implementing videoconferencing in the classroom. Digitally Speaking provides tools and resources to help teachers structure meaningful learning experiences with videoconferences. Specifically, the site provides checklists, tipsheets, and activities to assist with telecommunications using Skype. I like that this site breaks down the idea of videoconferencing into manageable parts.
Since I have never participated in videoconferencing with my students, this guide would help me step-by-step in implementing this in my classroom. The resources provided would be beneficial to teachers that have varying experiences with using technology.
4 comments ↓
The Digitally Speaking site is great! I love that it breaks it down, step by step, and has so many resources. I think so many technologies are intimidating to teachers because they simply do not how to go about using them with their students. If more sites like this has the resources teachers need to be successful, I think we would see many more students having better access to technology in their schools.
These are both really great tools that you have found! You will have to let me know how the BYOT program works out. Although it sounds exciting, I am very worried about schools like mine who are very heavily Title I and free and reduced lunch populated.
We also participate in Read Across America, so the Read Around the World site would be very helpful to us as well! And I think that the Digitally Speaking site would be very beneficial to anyone. Very neat ideas you have found.
Read Across the Planet seems like a wonderful idea, and especially for your school (and others) that have that designated time for reading. Our school has DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) time at the end of each day, so that would be the perfect time for us to implememt it, too. The Digitally Speaking site seems great! I’ve never tried using Skype during a class, but I’m sure the students would thoroughly enjoy themselves speaking to people across the country or across the world. Great ideas!
Holly,
I am very sorry for the late feedback. I was out for the conference during all week and I did not have a chance to review the blog postings….
The second website seems to be very helpful for teachers! I wonder who created it. That is a good resource for teachers who consider using telecommunication technologies in their classrooms.