To brush up my
WebSkills Project, I chose to create a class blog and a Nicenet discussion. I
have been blogging with educational goals for a number of years already while
the Nicenet platform is new for me.
Why a blog?
Well, a class wiki or a Google site can be easily designed as an option. However,
the objective would be quite similar:
(C) Having
registered at an applicable web site, (A) a teacher (B) will construct, design,
plan, and maintain a class site (D) supplying it with relevant information,
updating it regularly, and controlling online discussions, if necessary.
OR:
(C) Having registered at an applicable web site, (A) a student (B) will design and maintain his / her personal blog (D) publishing new works, video- or podcasting, blog commenting, and collaborating according to the pre-set rules.
Nicenet transfers
discussions from a classroom to the online setting. Of course, it saves time
for more live collaboration and, moreover, it gives students a possibility to
practice:
-
reading,
-
critical thinking, and
-
writing skills.
Lots of theses
have been written on how to use online tools for the benefit of students. What
do we have to do? The answer is rather obvious – adapt them to our teaching
goals and never cease using them because they are truly helpful and advantageous. And there is no need to argue what is better - offline or online. Both aspects complement one another and we cannot imagine our offline classroom without online activities in the digital 21st century.
Hi Natalya,
ReplyDeleteI also find Nicenet a valuable tool that promotes collaboration. The new advances of the century require us to adapt our teaching methodology as you also mention in your week's reflection. We have all come out of this course with new ideas to be adapted in our teaching contexts. The resources of our schools is another issue that we will have to take carefully into consideration.
As teachers we are always prepared with a B plan.
Greetings,
Daniela
You are so right, Daniela!
DeleteWe really must have a back up plan. I remember when I started working in my Univerisity where every classroom is absolutely stuffed with tech tools and I was so excited about it that I forgot about everything! And ... there came one wonderful day when electricity died in the whole district... It was a cold shower. I had my lesson plan based on computer programs and I had to change it totally and fast! It was very stressful and since then I always try to have a B plan!