During the 1920s, cars weren't used for practical purposes like going to the grocery store or getting to work, they were used to give the driver pleasure. Car owners would take their car on a leisurely test drive Sunday afternoons. This type of recreational driving was created to enjoy the beauty of the landscape. There was no pre-established destination and therefore, no expected time of arrival.
The last few weeks of school is the perfect time to test drive technology. Don't create a project with a due date, just enjoy the beauty of the online landscape.
1. Year in Review: Ask students to pick their favorite topic or the subject in which they learned the most and display their thoughts by making a 30 second video with animoto.com. Animoto offers free accounts to educators (scroll down to the bottom of the home page and click on Education). All pictures, videos, and music can be accessed right from the site, no scanning, filming or downloading necessary. Click here to view a past blog about animoto.
2. Curriculum Notetaker: Why not create a classroom blog to keep parents informed of daily activities and hold students accountable for taking notes during class.There are wonderful classroom blogs already established to help you get started. Click here to see Miss McFatridge's 4th grade student led blog created on Blogger.com. Blogger.com offers free accounts but may be blocked by some schools. If it is, check out Edmodo.com which offers the same services as a blog with a facebook structure. I have two past blogs that will give you more information, just click on the blog type you are interested in using: Blogger or Edmodo
3. Recreate Reports: If you want to take the fear out of giving a report, require students to create their own Avatar. Voki.com is another free site for educators and offers detailed lesson plans for classroom use. Have fun exploring different voices and famous faces. Students type in their report and then sit back while their Avatar shares the information with the class. Vokis can be embedded into blogs and other online sites. For more information, click here for a past blog about avatars.
In 1903, Michigan Savings Bank said, "The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty – a fad." In 1977, Ken Olson said, "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home. " You can't afford to think like these naysayers. Be an innovative, creative educator by taking these technology tools on a leisurely test drive.
I would love to hear about your results. Pop over to my facebook page and tell me about your discoveries.
These are some awesome ideas. I usually consider myself to be fairly tech savvy, but you've certainly opened my eyes to more creative ways to use it and engage my students in the process. I tend to be overly practical, using technology in ways my students are already familiar with rather than bringing in new technology, which is a shame given all that's out there. Thanks for the ideas!
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