So I am now a blogger...

I would of never of thought that I would have become a blogger until now!  I just started my first week of Master's classes and I was like a kid on the first day of school.  I was nervous about meeting the teacher, (even though my classes are online) I was anxious to see what the workload was like; I had butterflies in my stomach!  I finished the majority of one of my classes’ assignments in one day because I found them interesting and I told myself that I was going to be proactive about my assignments.  I didn't think it would be a problem because we were learning about technology and I thought I knew a fair amount!

My favorite assignment thus far was to take a screen of my computer screen, I didn't think that was possible!  I only thought you could take a screen shot on an iPhone, people really do learn something new everyday!  Taking a screen shot of the computer could be a good way to progress monitor students work on computers when they take reading tests or quizzes online.  There are endless ways taking a screenshot of the computer can help students and the environment.... less paper to use!  The first video is how to take a screen shot on Microsoft and the other is for a MAC computer! 

 I was sailing through the assignments until I saw the very last one; create a professional blog.  That is when my heart sank.  How in the world do I create a blog?  The only blogs I was familiar with were shopping blogs.  I definitely had that look you get when you don’t know how to do something or when you are unfamiliar with something.  I was so relieved to see that my professor posted some YouTube videos on how to create a blog.  This video without a doubt saved me!   

          As I was looking through different blogs yesterday I was amazed how many education blogs existed. As the wheels were turning in my head I got to thinking how blogs could be used in the classrooms. Students are already familiar with computers and the Internet, why not have students create their own blog?  If students did not know how to blog they could very easily learn, just like what I'm doing!  Students could blog about their day at school or even students blog about what they learned as an exit activity before leaving the classroom.   Why not have students working on the computer and working on their writing skills at the same time!   By having students create a blog teachers are able to communicate with students about their learning’s or help find where student is having the confusion.  Blogs can be a safe place where students can effectively communicate to the teacher.  I would love to be in a school where students and teachers can interact on a blog like this one! 

Blogging can not only be a good thing for students it could also be an educational tool for teachers as well.  I have found some terrific blogs that give ideas and examples on how to teach certain topics.  My absolutely favorite blog that I have discovered thus far is

Teaching Happily Ever After Creative Teaching With a Technology Twist 

 

                                             

                                                                                                             

I love how she incorporates so much whole class teaching!  I love how all of the students are engaged in the teacher!  The students know what is happening and they know what's coming next!  Watching her videos makes me think of how much training she did with her students at the beginning of the school year to get them at the point where they are!
I am surprised by how much I learned about blogging during my first week of class! I am so happy that I found the world of blogging!  Until next time my friends!