Since the beginning of the term, my thoughts on technology integration have changed a lot. I used to think it was important to integrate tech into the class, but not to the extent that I do now - mainly because I was not familiar with all the interesting and useful tools out there to use. I think it is important to use many different types of tech integration throughout the school year, as it not only provides differentiation for the students, but also introduces them to technology in real ways and provides essential life skills.
One program that I absolutely enjoyed using this term was Story Jumper. I think this would be a great tool to use in a 3rd grade classroom because it allows the kids to be creative, while also giving them opportunities to share. It can be used to cover lessons of any topic that're part of the curriculum, so it can meet various standards. Since you're able to actually order the books, I think it would be a great opportunity to find the funds (grant from a business, maybe) and be able to provide the students with their own hard copy of their published book - something that they can be very proud of. I think kids would really enjoy this.
Another program that I thought was a great tool to use in the classroom is Blogger. I was never even interested in blogs until I got into this class. I have learned that they can be very useful as a form of communication, a house for schoolwork and projects, a source for parents to go to learn about and actually see what their children are doing in class. Blogs can be fun for students when they can personalize them and feel a sense of ownership of them. Since their work is posted there, they can feel proud that it is being displayed so others can see. There are so many different ways to creatively use blogs in the classroom, and I think this is probably one of the tools I will definitely try to incorporate into the class curriculum.
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