Kindle and Digital Textbooks

Dear Classmates:

“Shifting the Landscape: Learning and Leading with Technology” by Gen Bull and Marth Sites introduced Google’s mission to systematize books into a digital library, meanwhile shifting the way we learn and teach. The article emphasized strongly on the disadvantages and advantages of a Kindle to read digital textbooks. Companies such as Amazon and Sony also distribute the Kindle for readers to purchase. One of the key features in the Kindle is the text-to-speech option that allows readers to listen to the text while reading. The authors persuade their readers to use Kindle and digital textbooks by explaining the leisure, benefits, and efficiencies of Kindle and digital textbooks.

            Digital textbooks open many doors to future students and educators by expanding the resources available throughout the internet. It is amazing how students and educators can access to over 50,000 digital textbooks through Google digital library. I can utilize digital textbooks in my classroom via different types of technology such as laptops, Promethean Board, and projector.  One of my most favorite is the use of Promethean Board. Students can write digitally on any information displayed without permanently altering the content. They can easily erase mistakes and add shapes, colors, and lines to any area on the board. For example, when reading about science, students can easily circle or highlight the terms that are displayed on the digital textbook to share with the classroom.

            The article’s conclusion stated the benefit of digital textbooks through the use of technology in the classroom. Another benefit of having digital textbooks versus traditional books is the amount of saved space in the classroom. The author ended the article by describing the phase of digital textbooks using the word incunabula, the beginning of digital textbooks.

Using NET-S, the article fit into standard 3 section d: Teachers model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning. The reason why this article fit perfectly into NET-S standard 3, section d is because of the use of digital textbooks in the classroom. The most important aspect of digital textbooks towards learning is that teachers are able to model technology usage for students to follow and learn.

Nhu Y 

APA Reference:
Bull, G. & Sites, M. (2009). Digital Libraries: Shifting the Landscape. Learning and Leading with Technology , 37(1), 12-13. Retrieved from: http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/200908?pg=34&pm=2&fs=1#pg14

The Beginner's Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips

Greetings to classmates:

           ISTE article “The Beginner's Guide to Interactive Virtual Field Trips” by Jan Zanetis introduces readers to Virtual Field Trips (VFT). According to Zanetis, students can learn from experts all over the world via internet and/or videoconferencing equipment without having to leave their classrooms. VFTs allow schools with little or no field trips to engage in productive virtual online demonstrations without the expenses of traveling far. In the article, Zanetis wanted educators to engage in VFTs by first checking school systems and locate videoconferencing units. She even stated that there are grants and assistance programs to help pay for VFTs fees and/or equipments.

            For my future classrooms, I would like to explore VFTs and its components. I would use VFTs to limit the amount of spending on traditional traveling with my students. Also, VFTs eliminate the long periods of preparing for trips, sitting on bus rides, and less time waiting on students. When students are using VFTs, they have the opportunity to live chat with many experts on the focused topics. Whenever students get deep into discussions with experts, the walls of the classroom simply disappear. I will use the advantage of VFTs for my students to learn about their world in a much more innovative way than just YouTube or Wikipedia. Students are guaranteed to have answers from professionals on the field of their topic. They are less likely to encounter information that can be misleading through Wikipedia or YouTube. VFTs allow a more professional outlook on different spectrum of academic learning around the world.   

            ISTE’s article concludes with ways to get started on VFTs and answered the question of how the fees are compared to traditional field trips. Educators can get started with VFTs by looking at their own school and finding videoconferencing units. Some schools might already have equipments compatible with VFTs. When equipments are taken care of, educators will start registering for programs to access quality contents. One of the professional centers is the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration. VFTs fees are less expensive than traditional field trips. A great advantage is that some organization offer free programs such as NASA.

            Using NETS, the article fits into one of the standards by facilitating and inspiring student learning and creativity as stated in standard 1.0: Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. The reason why this article fits into NETS standard is because of the virtual environment of students learning via the internet. Students are exposed to advanced technology that can help them gained more knowledge and become more social individuals by participating in VFTs discussions and tours.

Nhu Y Nguyen

APA Citation:

Zanetis, J. (2010). The beginner's guide to interactive virtual field trips. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(6), 20-23.

Blogging is worth the risk!

Greetings to fellow classmates,

I believed students should have the freedom to blog about school related materials in my classroom. Our world is filled with innovative technologies and gadgets. We should expand on communication through the use of the online world by blogging. Most people communicate through email, Facebook, Yahoo messenger, AIM, MSN messenger, etc. How should blogging be different? One of the major differences of a blog page to that of a personal or professional website is that blog pages only display posts and comments. Professional or personal websites contain more features than blog sites, making it easier to access to a lot more information.

There are many risks in giving out information through the internet, but if students and educators are careful and are aware of what they are writing then it should be safe to do so. Students learn through share ideas and opinions. They become open-minded and unique individuals by expanding their knowledge with the world. Our ideas are only limited to what we can share. We should not allow risks to be a barrier to what we can do. 

Nhu Y Nguyen

This is Lake Tahoe, a place fill with beautiful scenery and awesome memories of me and my husband. This is also a place where he proposed :) Ta Da!