Betty Blogger - winter school

Over the last few months I have been participating in:
http://bplsummerschool.blogspot.com/

What was the most important thing you learned in the Betty Blogger Winter School? Why?
The activities all emphasised new web 2.0 technology tools and how they can be used effectively in education. There are sooooo many new and great tools and the fact they are free ans easy to use is a real bonus. I realise that it is essential to be trying new methods and educational tools to keep students interested. i agree with many of the professionals in the technology area that as a teacher you have to be willing to try and test out items before you can expect the students to use them in the classroom. I believe in life long learning and the learning can never stop when you are talking technology and it's impact on every subject area.

What was most challenging? Why?
The biggest challenge is having to choose what tools you want to make a commitment to learning more about. Some tools I have just skimmed over and others I have used with my students this semester. There are lots that I want to go back and spend more time on. A second challenge is having access to technology in the classroom, and resistance from some traditional teachers.

What were some of the best ideas you had for ways web 2.0 applications could be used in schools?
The tools that I find most valuable are:
Wikis- easy to create web content for class projects, courses etc
Reader- having information come to you.
Google - docs and more. the more I use these programs the more I like the versatility and easy access to my work.

Are there any applications we didn’t cover that you think might be good to incorporate into school training? What were they and why?
There are new tools available every day, so I think the topic covered are a great starting point but the learning never stops. You can see more of my favourites here on this blog.

How successful was the “self-directed” learning model?
I think that self directed learning worked for me because I was already interested in the technology and subject areas. Just as we offer learning in a variety of formats and methods for students I think the same is true for adult learners- teachers.



Thanks Betty It's been fun!