Online Learning

Currently, I use a few online experiences in my classroom.  First, I use educational games as often as possible to enhance learning.  Often in math, I create centers where students are able to use the computers to play an educational game related to current learning topics such as fractions.  For spelling, students use the website spellingcity.com to type in their words and play games.  Also, I have a classroom blog that I utilize for student questions.   

It was difficult for me to choose one online experience to use with my students so I will discuss two that I think would benefit them.  First, I would love to have students create an electronic portfolio.  A portfolio could be used in all subjects.  As a new teacher, I worry about parents not getting feedback on student achievement throughout the course of the year.  Some papers never it make it home and parents are left in the dark on assignments and how their child is performing.  With an online portfolio, student achievement is documented electronically.  This allows parents to have online documentation of learning throughout their child’s schooling.  It also develops life long skills for students as they use the computer to upload assignments.

Secondly, I like the idea of an online field trip.  I have never implemented this in my classroom, but I believe it would be very effective in subjects like social studies and science.  Our school is not allowed to go on field trips so I think that this is a great interactive online tool for students to feel as though they are learning outside of the school building.

There are a few online technologies that would be difficult to use with my students.  Career planning tools seem as though they would be more useful in high school rather than in elementary school.  The test preparation tool also seems as though it is for high school students getting ready for college.