Post #9

Post #9 Prompt

A 2-paragraph review of an interesting web-based tool or resource that you might use when teaching. Be sure to include a link to the tool or resource, and check out the ones that your classmates have shared as well.

A paragraph about how you think you will use Excel and similar programs as a teacher (see Chapter 13). Be specific about your subject matter area and the grade level.

A paragraph about your final course project -- plans, challenges, etc

http://www.wikispaces.com/

I think that wikis can be very useful in your classroom. They can allow for communication to thrive between you, your students, and the parents of your students. And while they may be a little extra work in the beginning. They can help to save you time time by making resources accessible to your students and their parents without them having to contact you. They would be able to easily see assignments they may have missed or check on homework assigned in class. You can place the responsibility for information on the parents instead of on the students. The parents would have no excuse for not knowing about projects or upcoming tests.

You can link with your fellow teachers and that may help to synchronize your work. And it could allow your students to easily access information which in turn will help them. Because we all know that the easier something is for the student the more likely they are to actually do it. Plus they might think it is col to have a class web-site.

Excel can be a very useful tool in the classroom. But I think the problem faced by many is that they overuse it. Or they make it too complicated by doing all kinds of different formulas. Also many schools have now gone to an internet based grading system which if used correctly can replace excel by doing all of the same features. Plus the online program is integrated into the County's grade submission system and as such is like one-stop shopping. In that you record grades, take attendance, and submit your grades all in the same place.

The final project in my opinion is practical because it something that you may very well be asked to do in your profession. A lot of the money spent on technology in schools comes from grants or special programs. These programs have to be applied for so it is a good exercise to learn how to do this research. And also how to present it in order to make the most out of the presentation.