Chapter 8 Journal

How can teachers use a website or blog to improve teaching and learning? Websites and blogs create many ways to improve teaching and learning, making both sources a productive in the education world. Blogging is one of the most popular tools available for the teenage society. Therefore, getting a student to be interested in using one wouldn't be difficult. In order to promote student learning, English teachers have started using blogs to promote literacy learning through writing and analysis of language. Also, for other subjects like science and social studies students are able to access news related blogs for research purposes and expand their learning. The best part about blogging for students is that all ages can find it useful, even elementary students learning how to read. Furthermore, teachers can use blogs to connect and network with other teacher for ideas to improve their teaching and receive support. Being connect as a teacher and teaching a student how to be connected is a great source for improving teaching and engaging the student to want to learn.

Tech Tool 8.1 Teacher Website and Blog-Building Resources Tech Tool 8.1 is something I've already began using in this class with this blogger site. I must admit when I first started to use blogger I had a lot of learning to do but now that I know how to use it I'm able to navigate through here much faster and get more use of the benefits is has to offer. Also, I've had some experience with godaddy.com as well because I had to help my step father build a website for his company. Therefore, I decided to explore the other sites and realized how easy it is to develop your own website and blogger through all the tools available on the internet. Also, I like the fact that many of these website are free and very user friendly.

Chapter 8 Summary Chapter 8 concentrates on ways teachers and students can utilize computers and other technology tools to share information in the classroom and online. This chapter offers great ways on how to build a class website to show students how to look up their assignments and how to create and use blogs in the learning and teaching world. As an educator you need to be proactive and engage the student. Therefore, if you are up to date with the latest technologies and know how to utilize them properly, you can succeed with your student. For example, I know that having a discussion board really engages the student. It helps the student voice their opinion without being humiliated by other students but also makes them more interested in participation because it's fun to comment and communicate online. In comparison to a student using these tools to communicate with their classmates, teachers can also use tools like instant messaging, emailing, and teacher discussion boards to better themselves as educators.

Computers, websites, and blogs really help teachers become more interactive with their students because they can provide information to the student beyond what a textbooks offers and helps the student learn even more by conducting their own research with a website provided by the information the teacher has gathered for the student to continue and expand their learning on a subject. Furthermore, I believe that students and teachers aren't the only ones who benefit from online learning. I think that websites and blogs are also a great way for parents to stay in tuned with what their child is learning and to what to expect for their homework as well.

Chapter 8 also gives information on how to collaborate Wikis as a learning strategy. Wiki are websites or blogspace that are edited and maintained by groups of people. Teachers could also build their own Wiki and use it in the classroom. This chapter provides strategies on how to use a Wiki with your students as well.