Wiki: A Cool New Way to Learn!

Who would have imagined students creating web pages in school? It is a reality! Students are creating and editing online encyclopedia's and discussing Mcbeth online. The aritlce "Educators Experiment with Student-Written Wiki's" talks about this new do-it-yourself website creation program. The article goes into discussing both the benefits and draw backs to this program. Besides fostering collaboration and communication, Wikis, "Is a Web site that allows anyone to add or change content anywhere." On the downside, Wiki is not techically difficult, but it can be conceptually hard to use. The safty of the program is not the best, and it is wide open to anyone and everyone.


This technology provides a visual for students. Students are able to make abstract ideas concrete when putting them into the web pages. For instance, in the article, it talks about how students at East Side Community High School shared and wrote their own versions of McBeth online and discussed them. Using information that students learn allows them to participate in group learning (a grouping strategy in which students work together to benifit each other's learning potentinal). In working together students can learn from one another.

I feel that Wikis are a great way for teaching students how to utalize technology. Wikis also provide an experience for students to take their education into their own hands. They are responisble for creating their web pages, and therfore they have stake in the outcome. It is just one of many great ways to make education more interesting and colorful for students.

The article talks about how Wikis are "flying under the radar in most schools". It would be useful to see how successful this program is in grades K-12. Is it helping to improve students grades and skills essential for passing standardized test s?. Also, what are the long term benefits? How much is this improving students technological literacy?.

If you would like to read the article "Educatos Experiments with Student-Written Wikis" follow this link: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/ehost/detail?vid=6&hid=112&sid=73a30033-fbef-482b-a6bf-8681164de99f%40sessionmgr103

Blogging: Can Be Found in a Science Class Near You

Communication of subject matter is extending far beyond the classroom walls. Advances in teachnolgy are opening doors for more efficient teacher-student communication. The article "Blogging to Improve Instruction in Differiental Science Classrooms" discusses how blogs are being used in science classrooms. The article talks about how blogs are being used to combat the severe science teacher shortages. "Blogs can help to expand instructional time blogs expand instructional time by providing teachers with a user friendly online format to reimforce stresses and introduce new topics". Students are able to access course notes outside of the classroom as well as discuss topics with other students in the class.


Blogging, utalizes asynchornous or distant learning. By definition, asynchornous means not at the same time. In using this blogging feature students are learning at different times and different places. The notes they read off of the internet are read at their own pace, and in their own time much like Independent Study.


I feel that the face-to-face teaching approach is still the most effective approach, but using blogs to communicate ideas allows students to communicate with teachers outside of the classroom. With the shortage of science teachers it makes it easier for teachers to help students. Blogging also allows students to work with technlogy and to get comfortable with using it. In this day and age technological literacy is extremly important.


It would be wise to investigate how practical this is with low income students before making blog responses and readings a requirements . Not all students have the luxery of owning a computer, and it can be very difficult for younger students to gain access to one. It would also be interesting to learn how much student-teacher interation has improved because of the use of blogs.

If you would like to read the article "Blogging to Improve Instruction in Differeinated Science Clasrooms follow this link: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=5&hid=16&sid=591dc06d-1c1e-4001-8279-8e7049210d97%40sessionmgr3

Virtual Field Trips: A Sea of Possibilites

Wouldn't it be cool to explore the icy wasteland of Antartica, travel to the Moon, or even Mars? In today's classroom, it is possible for the impossible to become possible. The article "No Permission Slip Needed" by Ken Fuson talks about just that. The article discusses how virtual field trips broaden students experiences. Students are able to travel to the Great Barrier Reef, survey hurricane damage, and go on fieldtrips with students in Mexico. The article talks about how the interest in virtual fieldtrips is growing. Now there are over 850 virtual fieldtrips. This is an eight fold increase from two short years ago. The article also discusses the expense of the technolgy it takes to condcut these virtual field trips.The article also mentions grants and organizations available to fund these technological endevours.

Virtual field trips take a Constructivist approach to teaching. Constructivism considers the engagement of students in meaningful experiences as the essence of experiential learning. In the article it talks about how highschool students in Stamford, Texas produced a course on cotton growing for other students. Virtual fieldtrips also provide a concrete learning experience for students as well as an abstract one. In one field trip students took a virtual tour of the Great Barrier Reef. In another instance, one student compared college placement scores with a student in Canada.

I feel that virtual fieldtrips engage students. It is not a passive learning experience. It is and active learning experience. They are learning so much about the World around them without the expense of traveling. In the article one teacher said, "It is really an oppurtunity to bring the World to our students, because our students can't go out to the world". It is important for students to be exposed to new cultures and the rapid growth of technology is enabeling it.

I think it would be very useful to research the effetcs that virtual fieldtrips have on students. Do virtual field trips help to make students more active learners and members of society? It would be good to see if these learning experiences help to raise critical thinking skills as well as grades in classes.

If you want to read the article "No Permission Slip Needed" by Ken Fuson follow this link:http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=13&sid=66567c67-8c73-4d73-9ff8-a2f2e8cc4cdd%40SRCSM2