Journal #10

Shein, Esther (October 2008). Making History. The Journal, Retrieved December 2, 2008, from http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23394

This article is about one teacher from a school in Pennsylvania using the technology of today to teach about the history of yesterday. She integrated the use of podcasts and other audio files to teach her students about WWII. The teacher gave her students days to utilize sources from the internet, library, and other outlets to create a newscast (or ‘oldcast’, as she called it), about events that actually took place in the past. Each group of students would play different roles reporting the information. She would implement these podcast lessons near the end of the school year so that while the students were worried about tests and finals in their other classes, in hers they could be creative and use different outlets to express themselves. This idea has encouraged other teachers to think outside the textbook and utilize new technological advancements that can help make learning fun again.

How effective will the use of technology in classrooms be?
What is so great about the advancements in technology being used in the classrooms are that teachers don’t have to strictly teach by the text book anymore, and can be creative themselves. Using podcasts, the internet, powerpoints, or other tools allows students to take control of their own products, progress and creativity.

How can technology in the classrooms help the classroom community?
By working together for podcasts and in groups for many of these assignments, students can learn from each other as well as individually, and grow as a community.