Technology of the Week Reflection

As a future elementary school teacher, I found the Google Earth program to be the most useful technology out of the three we have discussed so far. I feel as though it would be a very beneficial tool in the elementary classroom because it enables students to learn about the Earth, moon and solar system in depth. Students can zoom in to various countries and cities around the world as well as specific stars in the sky to study them. I can see myself using Google Earth for science to teach my students about aquatic diversity, as Professor Nillas demonstrated in class. I could also use this program for social studies to allow my students to explore various countries around the world.

I also thought the Podcasts were interesting because I never knew much about them before this class. They seem like they would be fun for students to use and a good way to maintain diversity in the types of lessons and activities used in class, which will hold the students' interest. I especially enjoyed the Great Books Audio podcast, because it seems like a good way to inspire students to read and enjoy the process.

As Jenna said, I enjoyed learning about Flickr, but I do not believe it will be as useful in the classroom as the other two technologies we learned about. However, the websites Katie included seem to be interesting and fun for students to use.

Overall, I have enjoyed the Technology of the Week presentations because I had never learned about any of these programs in depth before. I especially appreciate the websites that each person has included in their presentations because they are good resources and will likely be useful to me as a future educator.