Internet Curriculum Projects and Productivity Tools

Curriculum projects can assist teachers in creating a more motivating and collaborative classroom. The projects can be standard based and can lead to higher scores on standardized test.   Projects that are student directed with guidance from the teacher can be more engaging and meaningful to the student.  Students can take responsibility for their own learning.    There are many technology tools out there to allow for this to be possible.  They can range from the easy accessible software already included on the school computers like Word, Excel, and Power Point, to the ones found on the internet like Glogster, Voicethread, and GoAnimate that sometime would require registration and payment to be used. (I suggest you look for free ones first)   The tough part is to know what to use and how to implement it correctly or effective into a classroom project. The tools are great to use but older students are becoming bored with some of the same software being used over and over in the same way. Teachers becoming familiar and comfortable with using the software they add a variety of different aspects of the software and it would decrease the boredom.  

Technology correctly used can be a wonderful tool.  There are many things that a teacher can use to create, simplify, and modified curriculum to make lessons more engaging for students.  Many of these technology tools can also help with ELL and special needs children. Voicethreads, Read alouds and Podcast can be used to create lessons that assist these students to better understand a concept they are learning.  It offers an alternative to the conventional learning of just giving worksheets and taking notes. It allows that student to participate in class with an instrument that is comfortable and less demanding so they can be productive learners. 

The website “The Next Step Projects” helps teachers by providing examples and tools that have already been created by other teachers.  The teachers can just add or modify the projects to match their curriculum. One “Cool Tool” was the Museum Box.  Students can research and create a virtual box of the information they collect about a topic.  They can place images, text, even attach files such as power point presentations.   It can be accessed by the students in many different places such as home, library, and school.    

One project that I liked while researching has to deal with Geocaching.  A school county in Richmond NC got the idea of creating a school Geocaching.  Since you couldn’t go on field trips everyday or in a big group the teachers brought it to school.  When the students found the Geocaching they had activities that pertained to things they are learning in school.  One example was a cache was that they had to identify state symbols of North Carolina such as a plastic squirrel, box turtle, picture of a cardinal, dogwood blossom.  This would be great to get your students active and engaged without having to leave the school.  I was thinking of using this to make a science treasure hunt at my school.  Another way of making the treasure hunt was using QR codes.  There are generators that a teacher can use to create links, text task such as tweets or messaging, or URL’s to assist in the Treasure Hunt. 

The trick is to add technology a little at a time.  Teachers shouldn’t add to much technology at first.  The teachers also should have knowledge and feel comfortable to add the technology.  They don’t have to wait to be experts.  If they do new technology will come out and their once knowledge becomes obsolete.  The teachers shouldn’t be scared to learn from the students.  Many students are more versed in technology.  They are growing up with it in their hands.  The students can help teachers and feel like they accomplished and are productive entities in a classroom.  Have fun.  If it doesn’t work put aside and try something else.  With all the technology out there you will find one (or more) that will fit.