July12TeacherTechIntro

=**Resources for tech inclusion in your classroom:**=


 * MassOne Portal** (especially useful for the lesson planner, which can automatically generate links to the Mass DESE curricular frameworks): click here


 * Examples of multimedia projects** from the recent New Literacies Institute/DESE Literacy and New Technologies initiatives: click here


 * Voice Thread**


 * Glogster**


 * Animoto**


 * Example of a Moodle site** (LHS Visual Arts): click here


 * Example of a personal WordPress site** (Miriam Morgenstern's Cambodia-related blog from last summer): click here


 * Example of a class-oriented Wikispaces site** (Lisa Menasian's AP USII site): click here

Advantages of using these tech tools:
 * student interest
 * allows "quiet" students equal access to discussion
 * archival
 * multi-modal and non-linear, which helps some students
 * easy to chunk information
 * allows for group work
 * doesn't require physical supplies (Glogster replaces poster board...)
 * reflects the ways in which students currently collaborate and communicate outside the classroom

Aspects of these tools that require careful consideration:
 * non-linear; requires different assessment standards
 * unclear what kind of retention will result
 * promotes non-contextual retention of "factoids" if not properly implemented and overseen
 * everything on the web is "printed": students must be carefully taught how to verify the information they find online
 * requires a computer lab with relatively modern equipment
 * you need to thoroughly test what is and isn't blocked within the school
 * many of our students have limited access to technology outside of school
 * these tools are outside the comfort zone for many of us both in terms of technology use and how communication differs when using them--we must "reframe" to effectively use them

If you try to use these tools, I recommend that you pre-test everything and find one or two students within the classroom who can be student leaders and help explain the technology.