This week, I really enjoyed creating a Wiki space using PB Works. The one that I created I plan to use next year with my students as a way for them to use less “paper” and submit assignments to me electronically. One of my favorite things about the Wiki page that I created is the RSS feeds that I gave students access to as a way to hopefully be more current with world events and then comment on them for the rest of the class to see. I also plan to use this Wiki for review purposes and as a way to provide access to classroom materials/resources to my students, especially those who have been absent. For example, on my Wiki, I plan to post weekly class assignments and PowerPoint presentations of new material. Overall, I envision my Wiki space as a tool for me to create more interaction between myself and my students outside of the classroom.
The other thing that I really enjoyed getting experience with was podcasting, which I plan to integrate in a few projects that I will have my students complete next year. One that I wanted to do this year was a historical podcast. One that I plan to do next year with my students is to have them research the conditions that soldiers faced during the Vietnam War and then create a letter from a soldier or nurse to a loved one back home that contains factual information. Then, after writing the letter, students will record their reading of the letter, incorporating emotions and even sound effects into the letter to make it come alive. We will then play these for the whole class. I also like the idea of having students create a “how to” podcast because I always encourage my students to “think like historians,” so what I would do with this podcast is having students create a podcast that explains how to perform a task in the way that a historian would.
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Jenny, I think that it is a great idea to post the class handouts on your wiki. When I told parents about my wiki, they seemed excited that their students couldn't use "I forgot it at school" as an excuse. It will also help for when students are absent. When I had students present to class, I had them write critiques, and if they were missing, they could go to the wiki to see the other student's work.
ReplyDeleteAlso, your podcasting projects sound very interesting. You should blog next year on how well they worked in class (or what problems you came across and how you fixed them).
I am glad to here that you think the handouts were a good add to my wiki...I will keep you posted on my podcast success
ReplyDeleteYour podcast ideas sound great. I think history is a great subject to use podcasts for. The re-creation possibilities are endless. I like how Richardson discussed the idea of using oral histories as part of podcasting too. You sound very prepared in you use of your wiki for your class too. Submitting assignments electronically is easier for both the submitter and the submittee.
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