Febuary 7, 2010 Blog Assignment

1.) Podcasting with First Graders (Landwitches Blog)
Before this class, I thought podcasting was for entertainment purposes only. However, I have come to realize that podcasting can be a good education, too. But this seems fun and educational, these first graders read a book; acting out the characters in the book on podcast. I never thought about podcasting like that. It seemed like a great idea for the classroom. Not only does that seem fun to do, but they can listen to it over and over again, also.
Also, I read on the Landwitches Blog about how podcasting builds skills. It is amazing how much these children are learning though the web. Not only just the skills on how to use the new technology and media literacy, but basic communication skills, presentation skills, and writing skills. These children are learning the use of these skills and applying them already like they are doing podcast in the classroom and learning to use them as a group project.
2.) Bobby Brooks: Keeping them Engaged
I was listening to Bobby Brooks talking about using games to keep the children engaged in education. They were taking about this use of game show quizzes to test students. My teacher in high school did this too. We used to use her version jeopardy to study for tests. It is amazing that he mentions this. It was a really good education tool, I think also.
Then, there is teaching in 3-D. Basically, he saying that when teachers teach that should show what they are teaching instead of just saying it out loud. He uses a dart board as an example of this my stepping towards it until he reaches the bulls eye. This shows the children what that the dart is the objectives and the bulls eye is the target and we need to take steps before reaching the goal. I understand teaching in 3-D also. One of my English teachers would put us in groups and act out scenes from the newspaper to keep us involved with current news. He also mentions that it would be a good idea if we acted out the text we were reading would help keep the children engaged. I completely agree. Teaching as a lecture gets pretty boring and puts most children to sleep, but teaching were the class is involved, that sounds like fun.