Diigo or Scoop.it, or both?

DIIGO is a bookmark website whose full name is “Digest of Internet Information, Groups and Other stuff”. Users can add websites as bookmarks, add description and tags and highlight contents of the websites very conveniently. Users can choose the bookmarks as public from private in order that others can comment in “My Network”. Users can follow others and be followed by their link of their library. You could find much information you need by exchanging with your followers. Diigo can also be downloaded at App Store, so I would continue to use it because even I don’t bring my laptop I could search for information through iPad or iPhone.

Scoop.it is a website on which users could create their own topics and add scoops. After a user creates a topic, there are many related suggestions coming immediately, which save some time in choosing the most suitable scoops. Description and tags could also be added to each scoop. But highlighting of the contents could not be done in each scoop. Users can follow others’ topics and scoops and share what they are interested on other websites like facebook or twitter. Scoop.it is also available at App Store, which attracts me to keep using it.

Both of them are effective and concentrated, users could make their choice according to their preference.

Believe it or not, the future starts now!

Thanks to the invention of the Internet, laptop, smart phone, and tablet, we’ve got faster access to online resources. Different systems, like iOS, android and windows phone, give us various operations and perspectives. More and more teaching buildings have been covered free wifi, which provides teachers and students chance to use online technology at school. We have to say technology in education has made a huge progress for human beings while it still has some problems.

Classroom of Tomorrow introduces us many advanced electronic devices and functions. It is so convenient for students in the 21^st century since they could read electronic books on iPad, search effective information quickly through siri or by scanning QR code. What’s more, teachers could use AirPlay to post information from their device to the projector and use AirDrop to send pictures instantly to the students. Those usages seem like separate steps, what we can do is to connect them into a network for learners. Combining the softwares introduced in The Networked Student with the devices mentioned above is really a practical way of using ICT (information and communication technology) smartly. More time is saved, less paper is used; students are tending to learn in an effective and environment-friendly way.

However, there are some problems to be solved for using ICT smartly. Firstly, how could school prevent students from overusing technology? Many a student might use their smart phones or tablets for entertainment during classes. How to guide and monitor them for proper usage of technology in classroom may play an important part in a student’s future. Secondly, compatibility of different systems should be considered. For instance, images, songs or applications cannot be sent between iOS and android devices. How to solve this hardware problem is also significant.

Generally, efforts from schools, teachers and students will lead ICT to a brighter direction. Believe it or not, The Future Starts Now ! 

How could we use blog for teaching

When students go back home and finish their homework, almost all of them will turn on the computer and surf the Internet and a large quantity among them are skillful bloggers. So why not use this vogue tool to improve their study?

1. Blog could make students more clear about the course content if I post links and documents of sources in my lesson plan. Those sources will assist them to be well prepared before class. For example, I’ll post a video clip about history and renovation of Statue of Liberty if our class is related to famous scenic spots in America. Specific choices depend on the proficiency of my students. Or I’ll let them do a survey for preview. In that way, students will be motivated and more active through multimedia instead of merely the textbooks.

2.Blog could be used as feedback receiver and free discussion facilitator, especially for those students who are shy to ask questions face to face after class. Although email can surely be used as a tool to interact with students, blog is more direct and instant than email because there are always lots of other contacts and information in our mailbox.  However, I could open up a Q& A section per week for students who have any doubts on their classes. When one student posts a question, all others could post their answers and I may leave some comments to each question.  What’s more, they could post any material, like helpful websites and interesting video, which may benefit their classmates in Sharing section. Any feedback about the lesson and me is welcomed in Feedback section to enhance my professional skill as well as intimate relationship with students.

We may find standards corresponding to this post through the link below:

 ACTFL Standards

Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions

Standard 5.1: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting