Today's Blogging Assignment

Believe it or not, this year we've barely scratched the surface of technological options for the classroom. We've learned and used things like Blogger; Google Mail, Sites and Documents; various games and sites like Spelling City and Primary Games; as well as many other different sites on different days. I've given and taught you how to do many of these options. Now it's your turn. Working with your partner(s), you take your chosen topic and will need to answer all of the following questions:

• What is it? Many of you will be given a topic as well as an example or two of what kind of website would fall under this category. Describe what the topic is and how it works. For instance, if you were talking about Spelling City, you would describe how it can be used to practice and test spelling words, as well as talk about how it works and what its overall purpose is.
• How can it be used in your daily lives? Why should someone your age use this tool? Give examples of ways you can use these sites, and, if you find some, link to some examples in your post using the "Link" option at the top of your editor, rather than putting the entire web address in your post. For example, if I wanted to link to our class homepage, I would give you a link like this instead of typing out the entire address like this: http://sites.google.com/site/stjohns8thgrade/home.
• How can this topic or website be used in the classroom? Some of the topics are things that we have already used, but many of them are not. You need to consider and/or find examples of ways these tools have been used for schools and classrooms. Sometimes a simple search of "_____ for education" or "_____ for teachers" will give you some ideas. Again, post links using the "Link" option at the top of your editor. 

For all of these points,  you and your partner(s) should come up with at least one solid (5 or more sentence) paragraph, if not more. Make sure that you have answered all the questions, followed all the directions and shown that you have spent time researching and looking at various options. Make the title of your post the topic you were given (ex: "Social Networking"). Also, make sure that you sign the post with the names of all the people in your group since you can only post as one person at a time.