Online Tools That Really Shine

Title: Online Tools That Really Shine
Author: Gail Lovely

This article was about using different web based tools to further students learning. They are websites that students can go on to practice certain skills or websites for teachers to download lesson plans or stories to teach to their class. I thought these websites were an amazing idea. I think that with the way technology is becoming more of the "norm" that having students work on computers to practice skills will help them with those skills and will help them learn how to use certain technology. I also think that the kids would get a better knowledge of the subject matter because they are using a different method of learning rather than just listening to the teacher lecture. They get to put their skills to use in a more fun and interactive way than writing on paper. I also thought it was neat that the teachers have websites where they can buy subscriptions to. I think that with the decreasing education budget, there is not enough materials for teachers therefore they can go out and get it on their own now.

Q1: For which subjects would I as a teacher use online tools for?
A1: I think that math is a subject that students would benefit from greatly. I think that there are really efficient online games that help them with their skills but in a fun way. It can be an interactive game, puzzle, or quiz. I just think that being on a computer is already interesting enough but with the added colors and interactive component, it makes learning more fun and more effective than with an old fashioned pencil and paper. I think vocabulary and grammar would also be good subjects to learn on computers or to enhance the knowledge of.

Q2: What kinds of material would I want to download off the Internet?
A2: I think I would want to research and maybe use other peoples lesson plans. I know that creating lesson plans is extremely time consuming so for those days when time is of the essence, I can go online, read through a few and pick one I like. I also think that buying subscriptions to online reading material can help the kids knowledge because not every school has a fully stocked library or money to buy new books.