Chapter 11

Audio Technologies in the Classroom

One traditional technology is the audio cassette. I would be able to use these in my classroom to create talking books, which could help to bring more difficult passages of a larger literary work to light and allow students to examine the passages in more detail and respond more thoroughly than if they were struggling through the work on their own.

One emerging technology is the use of Internet radio in the classroom. I could use these to allow students to learn more about a particular subtopic that interests them, or to introduce a topic that relates to the content we're studying.

Visual Technologies in the Classroom

Bulletin boards are a traditional visual technology used in the classroom. I could use a bulletin board or two to help keep students updated on tasks and assignments, and one which students are allowed to contribute to would let my students share things that interest them with both myself and the class.

Digital video editing is an emerging visual technology. I could use this technology to let my students do assignments such as skits or scenes with a greater amount of creativity than I would be able to otherwise.

Chapter 6 Response

I would prefer to work in a classroom with more access to digital technologies as opposed to less. This is because I want to be able to adapt my lessons to my students as easily as possible, and it seems to me that access to a variety of digital technologies would give me this flexibility. Technologies like touch screens, graphics tablets, and electronic whiteboards would also help me to better reach students who may learn in different ways than the more traditional methods of teaching would allow. It would also help me prepare students for working in a technology-heavy world.

All About Me!

Major: AYA Language Arts Education

1. I want my friends to describe me as: smart, interesting, and creative.
2. Memorable learning experience: helping the local Girl Scouts troop on their backstage tour of my high school's drama department and teaching them about theatre.
3. Favorite subject at school and why: English, because I love learning about stories and why they work or don't work.
4. Accomplishment I most cherish: getting a standing ovation for my role as "Mitzi" in A Murder is Announced.
5. My work habits can best be described as: a little bit obsessive, maybe? I'm not sure.
6. Three words that describe me: dramatic, geeky, untethered.
7. People may be surprised to know: that I can draw (sort of.)
8. What I hope to be doing in ten years: living in a city, teaching English, and maybe writing a book of my own.
9. What I do in my spare time: I write, I draw, I read. I'm not exciting.
10. Things I can do without: people who can't accept that others aren't exactly like them, willful ignorance, and pork.
11. My all time favorite movie: The Shawshank Redemption.
12. BG's best kept secret: ... we have secrets here?
13. Three things always found in my refrigerator: cheese, apples, and yogurt.
14. Person I would like to meet: Neil Gaiman.
15. What are your general expectations about this class? That it will teach me to effectively use technology to teach my students better.
16. How comfortable are you using Windows? How comfortable are you using Macs? Very comfortable -I've been using Windows since I was nine; fairly okay with it- still figuring some things out, but I think I'm getting it.
17. Which applications do you use the most? Safari/Google Chrome, Picasa, Microsoft Word.
18. Which applications do you want to learn how to use? Anything that will help make me a better teacher.
19. N/A
20. What is your attitude about using technology? It's wonderful, as long as you know what you're doing!