Digital Blog Post #B

Chapter 2 goes over and introduces me to what is known as Web 2.0 tools.  "Web 2.0 technologies include blogs, wikis, podcasts, social bookmarking and social networking tools, inquiry based educational websites, photo-sharing websites virtual worlds and other highly interactive tools and services that are now becoming resources for teaching and learning in schools" (Maloy, 2013).  I have heard of most of these resources and have used them but never thought of it in a way where I could use it to teach others.  For example, podcasts I always knew were used for gossip or information, but I can see where it can be used for educational purposes, especially for those students whom are auditory learners.

A second concept that I want to further explore and want to be confident in once I graduate is my teaching philosophy.  Even though we are only in week 3 of the semester, I already have learned so much about who I am in terms of being a teacher.  I have found that I am fond of the classic teacher-centered method of teaching but also believe that students need to have learning experiences engaging with the outside "real" world.  Thinking ahead, I am excited to get through this teaching course with a great deal of new knowledge of who I will be as a teacher to confidently be able read students on who they are to teach them efficiently.  Here is an article titled "Six Questions That Will Bring Your Teaching Philosophy into Focus" that upon reading it helped me continue to answer questions to further build my personal teaching philosophy.

The third concept is about apps for teaching and learning.  So far I have learned of new programs and resources that can be used to enhance learning in a classroom with technology but what about the more simple types of technology that can be just as effective, such as apps?  Apps are so easy to access and are widely available on basically any hand held electronic, this means learning is available at any moment.  When I was taking Anatomy and Physiology last year there was two different apps I downloaded on my iPhone that helped me so much in learning the bones in the body, organs and system functions.  Having experienced these apps as a student, I hope in the future I can find ways to use them for teaching students as well.

Resources

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.