Emerging Technology

The Personal Website

It may sound as if the personal website or a teachers website is not an emergent technology, however, according to Horizon Report 2009, we are still four to five years away from the average person having their own website. It is not necessarily a common form of communication between teachers, students, and parents. As we move forward in society and the digital age, the personal website makes sense as an ever increasingly form of creativity, innovation, and communication. I understand it may add additional work for a teacher to have to update a website, however, there are ways of including resources that can help students throughout the years at that particular age. Teachers have an abundance of information and what a way to enrich student's learning by providing them with resources that a teacher has accummulated through professional, college, and career experiences. My goal is to continue my blog and website and hopefully, be able to create classroom websites that will inspire students to love learning and find what they are good it in life!

Video Playlist

The number line has both positive and negative numbers. Mathematicians use the number line as a geometrical model. It is an excellent way to visualize integers, decimals, fractions and measurements!

I have included a few videos for you to view. The videos are entertaining and educational. After viewing the video, students will be expected to do the following:

1. Create your own numberline with both positive and negative numbers.
2. Write an equation and show your work on the number line. (Review video 4 for an example)
3. Create a word problem where you would start or end up with a negative number. (If you view one of my favorite videos "The Number Line Dance" you will find an example of how a boy starts off with a negative number. This video should give you some ideas for creating a word or story problem.)

By the way, Ms. T does not have a black eye, the lighting was not that great when I downloaded my video. Either way, stay positve or negative, depending on your day!
Keep focused on the number line!

Assistive Technology

IPOD's can be a valuable resource for the special education teacher. It can be used to enhance communication between parents, teachers and students. I provided a link of a You Tube video with teachers explaining how they use the IPOD's in their classrooms. It becomes a simple way to replace the mundane writing of procedures. It allows parents to view what the teacher is teaching in terms of vocabulary, sign language, and comprehension.

A video profile is an innovative idea that could show how a student, who does not complete a lot of worksheets, is still successful in the classroom.

I would use this technology in my own classroom if I had a student struggling with a concept or if they had a learning disability. The parents and I can utilize this tool as a communication device. Many students have IPOD's . It would be an engaging way to conduct a small group science experiment while incorporating their technology.

View the video to grasp the idea of using IPOD's in the classroom, particularly for students with disabilities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTSM0m6aT9M&feature=related