Blog Assignment #5

2. Travis Allen's video The iSchool Initiative is a big eye opener to what could be in our future. He tells about how the iTouch can be used to keep up with class assignments, do research, calculate math problems, read a book, and so many other things we do in a classroom. If this was modified specifically for classroom use, every student could have a portable device that held everything they would ever need to learn. In the video he shows how this device could be used to keep the teacher, student, and his/her parents connected so everyone knows what is going on. Teachers could easily see who has done their assignments. Parents could see their child's assignments and see if they have done them.
I can tell there is a big difference in classrooms now from when I was in elementary school, I can only imagine what it will be like when I will be the teacher.

3. I personally loved the video Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir - 'Lux Aurumque'. I was in my church choir for 4 1/2 years and in showchoir in my high school one year. I know how tough it can be to get everyone to cooperate while standing together. I can't imagine how difficult it must have been to organize this video. I did hear some coughs and throats being cleared that you wouldn't hear as much if they were in person. Since they were recorded it did have a "technology" sound to it.
This would be a great way to get people from all over the world to come together. I would definitely encourage my students to get involved in something like this. They could learn to congregate with different kinds of people while doing something they love. Overall though this choir sounded amazing, and I would love to be a part of it!

5. The Reading Rockets website is a good source for teachers and parents alike. It gives some classroom strategies for teachers to try out in their classrooms. I saw there was an ad for a spring writing contest. This could be something to get the students to enter and have fun doing it. For parents, it has the same links as it has for teachers. It has the ABC's of teaching reading that can be used in the classroom or at home. It gives some ways to help the students who struggle in reading. Overall, this website could be very beneficial to a student.