I love educational technology . . . NOT!

It is very difficult to have an online based class when technology is temperamental. In my online class for Anatomy and Physiology, there have been several occurrences when the technology has not worked properly. We have weekly lab assignments that are due every Sunday. One week the weekly lab assignment was not posted, probably due to an unchecked box on the professor's end. Another time I could not even log into the class. Fortunately, in both cases the professor provided an extension to the students. In History and Philosophy of Education, the Internet decided not to work on the day of the mid-term exam. However, our professor came up with a solution and allowed us to take the exam home. Although technology can be temperamental, teachers need to know how to come up with a backup plan, like these two professors did.

Importance of Blogging in the Classroom

Blogging can be a very beneficial tool in many classrooms. It can help students with their grammar, writing, communication skills, and even critical thinking. In my classroom I would use blogging to increase all of these skills.

While teaching biology, I would post new information, relative to what we covered in class, with one or more critical thinking questions. I would require that the students respond to the blog, using information we covered in class to make an educated post to the critical thinking questions. This would help the students create relevant connections about material we are covering and have covered in the past.

With this tool, I can also post links or videos about the current content of the course. My students/parents would be able to get on this site, view the additional links or videos for further information. If I was requiring a report or presentation I could post these links or additional resources to help the students get started with their topics. I think this could benefit the students by keeping them interested, because I post an idea and they share their thoughts with the entire class. They are engaging in a conversation with the rest of their peers, not just the teacher.