New tricks for an old dog.

I definitely intend to begin using some of the Web 2.0 tools in my classroom next year. One thing that will limit how effective some of these tools are will be whether or not my computers can support the programs and web sites that I would like to use. I have about nine computers dedicated for student use with two other laptops that I can have students use when needed. These computers range in age from about a year old to well over six years old. I also share the use of about nine iPads with other 7/8 grade teachers. I will have to see how the iPads and older computers do in supporting the sites I plan to use.

An option that I may try is allowing students to bring in their personal laptops, smart phones, tablets or iPods in to the classroom if some of these devices can support the sites. This would allow more students to use the technology at the same time in the classroom. This year is the first year that our school has had Wi-Fi available, and while I still worry about students being off-task if given to much freedom with technology, I see how useful of a tool it can be in engaging and motivating students. The skills that students learn from using technology effectively will benefit them in the future.

I want to have students create web sites next year using Google sites. Each of our students has a Google account that the language arts teacher at our school used this year to have them work with Google docs. I will have them use those accounts to create a site where they can post some of their projects. I will have them create Voki avatars to embed on their websites and projects. I also want to try some of the mini lessons that I have seen on Edmodo.

A specific activity that I was thinking about to encourage higher level thinking skills would be to use the Voki avatars to stage an online debate with students presenting and countering arguments with their avatars. I have found debates are great tools to push students to develop their critical thinking skills. A possible debate topic from a unit I just covered would be about Big Business during the Industrial Revolution. I will have students use their online avatars to debate the pros and cons of Big Business during this time period in US history. I will then have students draw parallels between the technological advancement of that time period to our world today. As the students will be creating their ideas and responses using some tools of this modern technology, this should be a powerful learning experience.

Avatar of Andrew Carnegie defending Big Business

I will first make sure that the students know how to use the technology by having them create avatars using topics that they choose. Then I will have them use avatars for simple introductions on projects or website. When they have mastered the technology skills, I will introduce the debate project. Once I see how well this works, I will modify the assignment, and eventually I would like to have them collaborate in two-person debate teams. By this step-by-step process, my goals for the students would be to master the new technology, learn about the history of the Industrial Revolution, and develop critical thinking skills by seeing how these themes apply to the modern world.