Google Drive In Education

 Can Google drive fit into education? My answer is yes. Having to use this application for the first time to create a survey was a learning experience. I felt like a little kid when using it for the first time. I was amazed at all the various things you can use Google drive for. Creating the survey help me understand the perspective of students. Getting to know your students as a future educator is so essential in a classroom setting. To have the opportunity to create an open environment for the students, just by having them fill out a simple form is creative. Google drive form allows the students to interact with their peers based off common interest.

In becoming a future educator we need to keep in mind that not all students are social, or may want to participate in large group activities in order to get to know their classmates. This is where implementing Google drive into the education curriculum come into place. You can create a survey for students who are shy, nonverbal, or those whose disability prevents them from expressing themselves. Not only can surveys be created, but so can exams of all forms. This allows the teacher to attend to all students preferred learning style.

Another major thing about Google drive which is very beneficial in the classroom environment is the editing process. If students are put into groups, they can upload the assignment to Google doc, and revise and edit their work all from different locations at the same time. This prevents the emailing back and forth, and cuts down the time it will take to complete a group assignment. I would utilize Google docs for students with and without disabilities. For students with disabilities I would use Google doc as a form of communication or have work they missed uploaded and sent to them. I can also encourage parents who work a lot to have access to this so they can assist students with their homework even if they’re not at home.  Google doc is simple and free of cost. In the world we live in today I feel anything can be implemented into classrooms, as long as there being used properly. 

Is There Room for Facebook in The Classroom Setting?

Examining the world we live in today social media is all around us. Whether or not we implement it into our classrooms, students will still be exposed to it, so why not turn this into a positive thing. Society is so consumed with what educators use to teach students, instead of evaluating the benefits they will get from it. When using Facebook or any type of social media in the classroom we automatically think of all the negatives, without fully grasping how effective these tools can have on students education. If used and monitored properly I believe Facebook as well as any social media can have great effect on students education.

Bernie Poole states strong points as to why Internet in classrooms can be damaging not only to the child, but their education and overall life. However when reading this article something that over looked his arguments was the solutions he provides. To every problem isn't there always a solution, or some way of addressing the issue at hand. According to Poole solution he quotes Pleshette by stating "punishing a student by restricting digital access is like taking away the textbook in a math, social studies, or English lit class" (2011). This addresses families and teachers who believe that students shouldn't be expose to social media in classrooms. By preventing students access to technology we are restricting them from the real world around them. 

Some of the pros to consider when using Facebook are the interactions students can get from communicating with other peers in different parts of the world. Facebook can be used to open doors for students to experience how technology can be used as a resource in the classroom. If students can be educated in the classroom, why can't they be educated with the use of social media? In the article "5 Best Practices For Educators on Facebook " the author highlights how a teacher turned Facebook into a positive for his students by exposing them to ocean field research (2011). 

Facebook can also be used as an assistance for teachers to create learning beyond the classroom setting. It allow students to understand learning can happen everywhere, and through anything when used accordingly. You can even use Facebook as a way of showing what to expect when using the Internet, and show how to avoid situations they might encounter when using it. 

Although Facebook have some positives, it can also have a negative effect on students. Poole highlights key issues students may face such as young children being exposed to inappropriate material, are given inaccurate or bias information, online predators, and cyberbullying (2011). All these issues Poole state can't be avoided and this is what causes fear of social media in classroom settings. I think it's important to know as parents and future educators what information is being disclosed to students when using the Internet. 

As a future educator I will use Facebook for classroom trips,sharing links, and to relay information that may not have came up in class. On classroom trips students will be given a series of questions, and they will have to take a picture of the answer, and upload it to Facebook as if they are on a scavenger hunt. This allows fun and learning to continue to happen outside the class. Also if given a  lesson and I forget to mention something in class I will form a group using Facebook, to share notes and links with the class. Overall I think Facebook can be very effective in the classroom if teachers have knowledge of how to use it to foster learning. 

References 

Fog-Phillips L., Fog B., Baird D. Facebook for Educators (2011). Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/FBforEducators?sk=app_182667455607

Facebook in Education (2009). Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/education

Poole B. (2011, September 12). Education World: Integrating the Internet: Risks and Solutions Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/columnists/poole/poole018.shtml

Kessler S. (2011, December 5). 5 Best Practices for Educators on Facebook Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2011/12/05/educators-on-facebook/

Stewart S. (2011) Just to let you know Facebook does not have the ability to cure cancer, solve global warming or make you a better teacher Retrieved from 

http://sarah-stewart.blogspot.co.nz/2011/04/just-to-let-you-knowfacebook-does-not.html

Web 2.0 Tools for Students With Disabilties

When viewing Larry Ferlazzo blog for educators I found his web 2.0 tools for teachers to be different. I never really examined the various tools, or resources we can use as future educators, to assist our students in the classroom environment. Larry highlighted tools that would be beneficial in the classroom, but one in particular was Webklipper. I feel that Webklipper can work for students with and without disabilities. Whether or not the students with a disability is in a general education or inclusive classroom it can be used the same way. Webklipper caught my eye the most because it can support students with disabilities by allowing them to highlight, and create notes on what there reading. Students with disabilities encounter many problems with reading and Webklipper gives them room to create notes to hep memorize or understand what they just read. Being able to highlight and write at the same time helps children develop strong writing and reading strategies they will need to be successful in the classroom. Teachers can also used this as a guide for the whole class so, no child feels out of place.

Watching the "Did You Know" video was amazing. It depicts how society have been consumed so much by technology, that we forget how to do things the old fashion way. One point that was made which connected to Larry Ferlazzo blog post was over the years as technology became more advance it took less years for it to be market to the world. This relates to Larry Ferlazzo whole blog post because as various technologies are being invented his list of Web 2.0 tools change and become more advanced. As a future teacher Larry blog along with the video helped me understand technology can be used to teach or assist with anything in the school setting.

 http://webklipper.com/b/dSnODAop5ZgzHnXQIUXz - here is a example of how to use Webklipper. 

http://webklipper.com/webklipper- here is the tool website