Journal 1

"The Power of the Mashup: Combining Essential Learning with New Technology Tools" by Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss

This article talks about how teachers utilize technology in new ways to get their tech-savvy students interested in learning. English teacher Jerome Burg created Google Lit Trips to allow students to visit websites and get visuals of the settings they were reading about in novels such as The Grapes of Wrath. History teacher David Fagg used MP3 player technology to have his students create videos about history topics such as the history of convicts in Australia. He named his creation iHistory Project, and students around the world view the website, collaborate with, and give feedback to his students.

I thought these were very creative ideas that connect students to learning by using their favorite gadgets . I think a lot of teachers are realizing that "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em," and instead of crusading against all the toys teachers bring into class, they have the students use them to enhance their learning. I would be interested to see these projects online to see how they are set up and how they function.

1. How are projects like Google Lit Trips better than/inferior to real field trips?
The great thing about this project is that it is virtually free (minus the cost of internet and other technology. A picture says a thousand words, and anything to get kids closer to the real world they are studying is a great asset. You can also visit dozens of different "places" in mere minutes, all related to your topic. Real field trips, however, take a person into the subject in a much deeper way. Instead of being a spectator, you are a participant when you actually visit a place. Kids rarely forget their trip to Washington D.C. with their 6th grade class, but they may easily forget that website about the Library of Congress because they were getting only a superficial view of the place. But not everyone can afford a real field trip, so virtual ones are better than nothing at all.

2. How could teachers use other technology that kids love, such as cell phones?
Teachers could use just about any such technology if they're creative. Cell phones are probably the biggest problem for teachers as far as electronics go, but they could use them to test skills or create challenges. For example, they could see how well students can spell using text messaging, time them on the fastest spelling of large words, study the effects that talking on a cell phone has on concentration on a quiz, or have students put on plays where cell phones are used. MP3 players could also be used to do presentations about different musical styles, such as a project I did on Musicals of the 1930s and 40s in high school.