How to use trading cards in the classroom?

Trading cardscould be used in the classroom as a great introductory activity. Students could make a trading card with their name and things about them. These could be posted on a class blog for all students to view. They also could be used in when talking about famous people. A card could have the picture of the noteworthy person with a description of what he or she did for society. These are just a few of the many possibilities in which trading cards can be used in the classroom.

Useful Tool for the Classroom

Using a tool that allows you to spell with photos from flickr may be useful in the classroom. It may be a creative way to introduce new vocabulary words. It could also be used to spell out the names for the first week of school. This could be shown to the class and the students could be given an assignment to create a word written with pictures that are related to a specific topic.  Each student could try to be creative to come up with a way picture in their name represents them. These are just a couple of ideas. I am sure the possibilities are endless.

How Flickr and other web 2.0 tools can be used in the classroom?

Web 2.0 applications such as Flickr could be used for communication in the classroom between the teacher and parents.  Pictures of projects and activities done with class could be put on Flickr to share with parents.  Flickr could also be used for instructional purposes.  Photos of subjects relevant to the lesson could be posted and then could be accessed from the classroom computer for discussion and for a visual.  Other web 2.o applications could be used in order to show videos for demonstration purposes.  For example, a teacher could create a video on how to solve a particular math problem and upload it to an application where students would be able to access it from home in order to assist with homework.  Web 2.0 applications could also help students who are absent be able to see what homework they missed and view videos about how to do specific work.  

Paradise

Roatan Beach - Perfect Day !!! 40000 + views and 250 + faves - Thank you - Janusz
Originally uploaded by janusz l

Wouldn't this be amazing right about now????

Social Networking

The only online community that I belong to is Facebook.  I created my Facebook account after I was invited to do so by my friends.  Being a part of Facebook allows me to keep in touch with friends from high school that are attending different colleges.  It lets me stay in touch with many people that otherwise I would have lost touch with.  I have also found that Facebook is useful for keeping in touch with new people I meet.  It is especially useful for communicating with group members for a group project.  I find Facebook to be a great way to communicate with friends.  Professionally Facebook is useful to keep in contact with other professionals.  In the classroom, Facebook could be used for students to keep in contact for a group project.

My First Blog

I have created this blog for Information Media 422 at St. Cloud State. This is my first blog and I will use it to display work for the class as well as ideas for using technology in the classroom.