Final Project

Is technology all it is cracked up to be? The perks of ease for educators and aesthetically pleasing images and fun for students. The twenty-first century is here to stay, at least for another 91 years.

Newsletter...Christmas...OH NO, not the antlers again!

My newsletter will once again follow my classroom teaching theme (FLVS), curriculum, news, and travel plans. The audience target will be students and parents.

Brochure

My brochure ideas include classroom activities and events, news for English class.

Poster Ideas

I have a few ideas, but decided most likely I will focus on the Ambassador Program with Florida Virtual School. This will advertise the program and focus on promoting virtual classes for acceleration, credit forgiveness, and homebound students.

Power Point Presentation

Listen Carefully...

My Staff Development Power Point will present nicenet.org, the educator's online classroom. I will teach faculty and staff how to utilize and benefit from the virtual user-friendly atmosphere. This will enable teachers to make better use of their time while using the Computer Lab, Media Center, assignment postings, URL links, and make-up work for homebound students.

My website

My Media Web site is at http://hstrial-LBushey.homestead.com

Live, love, laugh!

Lori

Education by Blogging

These are my buddies Zoe, Louis, and Lolly, and Blue...they are my blogging assistants.

After reading the articles about blogging, it just confirmed my belief about technology in general in the classroom. When I taught in the brick and mortar classroom I incorporated an online classroom (nicenet.org) and my students were encouraged to use technology for assignments and presentations in English. In the Media Center, my colleagues have blogs posted on the school web site and they are constantly updating and communicating with students, parents, faculty members, and community supporters. The teacher in the article "Collaborative Literacy" uses a unique and wonderful tool for students to communicate and learn about other cultures and geographical ares.

I have always given the VARK learning styles survey to my students and their results are sometimes surprising. Whether a student is a visual, aural, read/write, or kinesthetic learner, blogging appeals to all learning styles. The one teaching method I would like to use is blogging about novels. I assign my AP students a Dialectic Notebook and instead of using a hard copy notebook, a blog would be a perfect forum. Blogging opens a new realm of learning and thrusts education in to the Twenty-First century. Students who are shy or withdrawn can blossom in this area because it is so non intimidating.

In the book Raving Fans by Blanchard and Bowles this particular quote struck a chord with me, "Why would anyone stick with an out-of-date vision?" We are and should be moving forward in the Twenty-First century. Like all aspects of technology precautions must be taken for the safety of those blogging. It is the responsibility of educators to make sure we teach proper protocol when blogging.

I still have a lot to learn and hope to be able to add video clips, music, and emoticons. For now, "Ancora Imapro".