Ana's Blog

Focus question: How can teachers use email or text messaging to foster information exchanges with and among students?

Teachers can exchange information with students not only by phone or meetings, but by emails and text messages. Emails are messages sent between people using the Internet. Text messaging are “real-time typed text interactions between people using computers or mobile devices like cell phones or personal digital assistants” (Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, 2011). Emails are mainly used for business networking, family talk, recreational pursuits, and workplace communication. Emails are used more among adults and text messaging is used among teens. Teachers have the opportunity to exchange information through text messages and get the student’s attention. They will be able to read about it, instead of just ignoring it when the teacher sends it through email.

Adolescents use textspeak or digitalk, which are abbreviated words for quick communication. Personally, I dislike when people use textspeak all the time. I find it unnecessary to shorten words such as for, together, you, today, great, and other ones. Researchers in England found that the use of textisms was positive, which was related to gains in reading proficiency among youngsters. According to the researchers, youngsters will develop phonological awareness, use of printed words, and standard literacy in English.

Teachers have a record of what they wrote and what was written back when they send out emails. Everyone will have a reason to respond with school-related questions and comments with standard spelling and appropriate language. Emails allow teachers to revise and compose a reply or message. Students have the opportunity to ask questions and get responses from experts using Ask a Historian and Ask an Earth Scientists. A teacher can hold online office hours where they respond to questions that the students have asked. They also use it to discuss homework or class assignments electronically. Teachers can use text messaging to teach about spelling. Instead of banning the use of cellphones, some educators see it as an opportunity to build better relationships, cooperative environment, and meaningful educational experiences.

Tech Tool link: Website and Blog-Building Resources for Teachers.

The article shares some approaches to begin your own teacher website or blog. Approach 1 is about website and blog-building software. You need to purchase and download this type of software. These programs enable teachers to build personal websites from basic to sophisticate. An example of a website and blog-building software is Dreamweaver. Approach 2 is the option of commercially available templates. TaskStream and eBlogger allow users to create many features and functions, but doesn’t produce the variety or quality of graphics. Approach 2 offers the user added features of being password protected and ready-made publication portal. The last approach is open-source software, which is a free online management system for educators.

Summary & Connection:

This chapter explores different ways teachers can communicate with students using technology. It shows how teachers can share ideas and information online and in the classroom. Teachers have the choice to use emails, text messaging, teacher or classroom websites, blogs, online discussions, and wikis to teach students. Teachers need to know the similarities and differences between synchronous and asynchronous electronic communication. Asynchronous communications have a time delay such as emails, online discussions, or blogs. Synchronous communications don’t have a time delay, but occur in real time. Two examples include cell phone conversations and text messages.

Most educators engage in educational networking, which is used for educational and professional development purposes. They can use this network in productive ways like teacher-to-teacher discussions about curriculum and instruction, book groups and literature circles, and group editing of projects and writing. This social network can be either public or private. Teachers can use electronic communications to engage students, share information with families, and publish student work.

I understand how blogs and websites work and how they are helpful. Class websites are focused mainly on student work. It gives them a chance to publish their work and pursue any interest they have in the subject. Class websites provides students with information about homework, dates for exams, and dates for school events. Teaching blogs or blogs in general provides users a way to post information and ideas as a journal.

The chapter further discusses on how to create your own blog and design decision in building a teaching blog. Schools use websites to show their mission statement, grade-level curriculum expectations and standards, the names and backgrounds of faculty and staff, and a schedule of academic and extracurricular events. Teaching blogs are used for students and their families about events and coursework. A wiki, on the other hand, is used by a group of people. They are allowed to read, revise, visit, and update the content and structure of the Wiki.

Resources:

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B.P. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.