Voicethread

Voicethread is a technique used on the Internet that allows many different people at many different places the ability to access and communicate together on one web page.
A picture is uploaded and each person wanting to comment on the page inserts a picture of themselves. Once their picture is on the site, they can begin talking. Others on the site can hear the other person speaking and then they may have a turn as well.
Go to http://voicethread.com to see this in action.
I would not use this in my high school class. If it were used for an actual learning purpose, it would be most useful on a college web based course. If I need to play a video, I will just get the video and allow my class to watch it. Discussion would take place afterwards.

Desktop Publishing

I found that Microsoft's Desktop Publishing will be very beneficial to me throughout the rest of my college education and as well when I become a teacher. It offers so much, from resume guidelines, business cards, post cards, banners, certificates, and the list continues.

I enjoyed this weeks assignments. Making a brochure to hand out to parents on teacher-parent night was fun and a good experience. Making the resume was a good experience as well. It was just a brief one which did not include all of my qualities and qualifications. It was a good starting point though.

The thing that I like most about the Desktop Publishing is that you can perfect it until it is perfect. You will have no problem jumping over the muddy waters!

All students like being acknowledged for their success and achievements. On the last day of class, I would use the publishing to create certificates to show them just how proud of them I am.

Technology in the Classroom

I believe that all teachers should incorporate some usage of technology into their lessons at least once a week. There is so much available to learn and grow from regarding the student and the teacher. They should not however, try to match the usage of their students. Students spend around 5 hours a day on the computer. This is too much for the classroom in any subject.

I don't think that instant messaging or chat lines should be used in the classroom. They are a distraction for both the teacher and the student. Imagine that the teacher is into a great discussion and all of a sudden their is this male voice overpowering hers saying, "You've got mail."

In my own college education, I have found that there are tremendous benefits to asynchronous class settings. Some classes are self-explanatory and you just don't need a teacher's instruction. On the other hand, some courses do need an instructor. In a basic class in teaching you the basics of teaching your subject matter, you don't need an instructor. You already know what to do because you were passionate enough of the subject to choose it as your major. In this case one would just need the teachers insight which they could send through an e-mail.

I don't think podcasts are by any means a better way of sending out information. It is just newer and more up to date.

My son is 5 years old and he has played some form of video game since he was 2. I started him out with Leapfrog. He advanced to the V-Smile. Now as family time, myself, my husband,and my son are actively involved with the PS3, XBOX 360, and the Wii and this is on a daily basis. My son's fine motor skills are well developed. He has learned patience and the idea of sharing and taking turns. He knows his ABC's, he can count to 100,and he is starting to read. I give credit to some of those games for getting him to this level. He will start kindergarten in the fall. He is well above those that will be entering with him. The article was well explained in proving that video games are not so bad.

Online Bookmarks

I have found that I don't need any need for online bookmarks at this present time. People who are constantly on the computer and have to communicate with many people via e-mail, this technique is wonderful.
The delicious site was a great tool to use for reference instructions. If I ever become the person that labors on a computer more than 10 hours a day, then I will invest some of that time to online bookmarks. But until then....I'm not that person!

Using Excel and Spreadsheet

I found that Excel would be very beneficial to me when it comes to keeping up with a gradebook. I can sit at the computer, input my students grades, then click the average button. No thinking at all for me. How easier could it get? Calculators can sometimes get complex. With the usage of Excel, I let the computer do all the work.

Excel and Spreadsheet can also add to the entertainment of knowledge in the English classroom. This is much better than the average graph that teachers used to make. I see why teachers have converted over to this method. They have so much other stuff to do and saving time is time well spent.

Inspiration in the Classroom

I found that the Inspiration website is useful for just about all subjects that are in a high school setting, including some extra curriculum activities. It helps the teacher to introduce the usage of Internet in his or her classroom assignment. It also helps the teacher to become more organized with their example of planners and such.I think that this product is both beneficial to the teacher and student. I found that this site would help me in the future when I have assigned my class a novel to read. When it comes time to dissect what we have read, I can use this site to layout my diagram.

Under the examples for language arts it gives a guide to writing a biography. This is beneficial to all involved. It gives the student the opportunity to research online about the individual they are researching.

When I was in high school, the English teacher always had a day set aside for peer editing review. Each student would get with a partner and exchange papers. The one reviewing would comment in red ink and highlight in yellow or green the mistakes that needed to be corrected. This was time consuming but I guess in the end it was easier on the teacher. This idea was always good for those students that were good readers and writers because they always partnered with someone with as much or more skill than themselves. For the others it wasn't a fun day. No one wanted to read their paper. Now with the usage of technology, students can spell and grammar check their work as well as their works cited pages before submitting them to the teacher. Students can use email to chat with classmates on revision of their papers. Teachers could have students set up a blog and communicate with one another one the progress of their work.

Blogs: Good or Bad?

This is my very first time using such a device. I don't have a myspace or a facebook. I have always thought stuff like that was a waste of time and dangerous. All the time, I see my younger brother and sister viewing theirs and friends myspaces. All I can say is, "KIDS." To me, this kind of stuff, if used improperly, which mostly it is, will come back to bite you on but when you are trying to get ahead in life. Think about going to a job interview and before you get there, the interviewer has googled you. Some of the pictures people post are horrible. End the end, you leave with not getting the job. That is scary to me!
After listening to Tim Tyson, I can agree that a blog would be good for a classroom setting. It would be beneficial to all involved: teachers, students, parents and paying concerned tax payers. If students have a question after class hours, they can post a comment or question. If everyone participates, the concerned student should become overwhelmed with responses. In the end he succeeds.
This by far would not be a waste of time. Children are constantly on the Internet anyway. Why not help them in making better use of that web time? They will have a great shot of improving their education.
If I can figure out how all this works, I would definitely be willing to use a blog in my classroom.

Jerrica's Story

My name is Jerrica Pruitt. I was born on September 11, 1985 at 9:11pm, weighing in at exactly 9lb 11oz. Isn't that cool??!! Anyway, I am a senior at Texas A&M Commerce majoring in English with a certification of 8-12. I plan to teach back at my graduating high school in Paris, TX. I attended ParisISD for all of my education. My favorite subject was always English so it is no surprise that that is how I want to spend my career. I enjoy teaching and helping others reach their goals. I also enjoy working with the public.
In fact I work for Radio Shack and Payless ShoeSource. I also work for the Writing Center at Paris Jr College and in my extra spare time, I go to the local high schools and speak on behalf of Project Save about teens and sex.
I am married with a 5-year old son. They are the center of my life.