Scenario

I am very much looking forward to being a teacher in the environment of 21^st Century Learning, and I feel well-equipped with the knowledge of various technological resources to help my students achieve success in the classroom.

Some of my strongest attributes are that I am extremely motivated, creative, and organized. In my future classroom, I hope to use tools that play off of these attributes to help my students in the most effect way possible. I am especially interested in helping them use their own creativity to demonstrate knowledge and to have fun with learning. Using programs such as Glogster EDU, Animoto, and Voicethread are just three ways in which this can be accomplished. Challenges that I might face as an educator are dealing with time management and ensuring that all necessary information is covered in a short period of time. However, there are technology resources for helping with this, too, and I will definitely choose to utilize them.

In 3 to 5 years, I see myself in the classroom; although I will still be considered a “new teacher,” I hope that others will come to me for advice related to technology. I have learned a great amount of information through my coursework, and I will continue learning about the latest trends in technology. Through podcasts like Tech Chick Tips and K12 Online Conference, I hope to stay up-to-date on all the latest tools and programs and inform others about the benefits. Our society is moving so quickly with technology – the virtual landscape in 3 to 5 years will be even more different than what we are currently experiencing, and it is important to stay on top of things in order to teach our students in a way that will be most valuable to them. To learn a new software application, I could use online tutorials or even attend related professional development seminars…whatever it takes to get it going in the schools!

Technology has such an enormous impact on student learning. Various apps or special programs can help enhance learning for students of all needs and really help students make connections. More than anything, students are learning technology at a very early age and it is almost second-nature to them; it has become a style of learning. Therefore, we must continue that in the schools and use technology whenever possible.

Technology has also had an impact on my own learning. It makes a lot of things much easier and I appreciate how it connects all citizens on a global scale. I would most certainly encourage my colleagues to implement technology in their own classrooms, as well, by discussing the benefits of iPads, interactive white boards, ELMO, and other online programs like Prezi that can positively assist them in their instruction. I would also show my colleagues various resources they can use with their students, like making podcasts in Garage Band or doing book reports in Voicethread. No doubt, they will understand just how wonderful these things can be!

My Wow Moment

Although I was highly impressed by the many wonderful resources and opportunities in education technology (and can’t wait to use the programs more!), there really is only one “wow” moment that I had all semester. As silly as it may sound, my “wow” moment was how wonderful the Mac computer is! It was the very first time that I used a Mac for a decent amount of time, as I have a Dell at home and typically use a PC elsewhere. However, I soon became quite familiar with the Mac and am pleased to say that I really like its features, its tools (like Garage Band!) and find that it is much easier to use. I also feel like the picture quality is much better on the Mac and that it made viewing a computer screen much easier on the eyes. Unfortunately, I don’t know if I am able to get a new computer any time soon. The good news, however, is that I believe most schools have Apple computers in their labs (and 1:1 laptops for teachers and students!). Perhaps I will be blessed with the opportunity to use one more fully in the future. For now, I am glad to have been able to learn its intricacies and to reduce any “Mac fear” that may have overwhelmed me in the past. I’ll take a bite out of the Apple any day!

Podcast Favorites

I thought that listening to the podcasts was really helpful and it aided in my ability to make connections in and outside of class. My very favorite podcast was the Tech Chick Tips. I liked this because I felt that I could relate to the Tech Chicks and I liked the way that they presented the information. The episodes were always very straightforward, in language that I could understand, and humor was often interjected. I also felt like the Tech Chicks gave sound advice and had really researched the resources that they spoke of.

The other podcast that I really enjoyed was the K12 Online Conference, specifically the programs entitled “Fireside Chats.” I really liked how they did a spotlight on a teacher who is using 21st Century Learning in his or her classroom, and offered examples of different activities that can be used with students. I always like features of different people – whether it is news, magazines, etc. – so receiving this same type piece in the format of a podcast really interested me. I hope to use some of the ideas that were mentioned…they were very good!

Semester Favorites

Over the course of the semester, I was introduced to a number of fun, useful and interesting tools that are related to education technology. Many of these tools and programs were ones that I had heard of before, but really did not know much about. Similarly, I had never really taken the opportunity to explore their features. By experimenting with many of them in class and understanding their value as a professional resource, I feel much more confident about using such tools and programs in my future classroom and look forward to participating in 21st Century Learning!
The two programs that really intrigued me the most and that I would consider to be my favorites are Glogster EDU and Animoto. Glogster EDU offers students the opportunity to express their knowledge in a creative way, all while being very user-friendly. I especially like the fact that there are different designs from which to choose and that Glogster allows the user to adjust the layout as need be. It’s like creating a poster without the mess of glue and scraps of paper! Additionally, it’s nice that Glogster can accommodate videos from YouTube as well as other images found online or on one’s computer. I think that Glogster would be something that would really appeal to kids – they get to make their own decisions and actually have fun demonstrating what they know. It also serves as a unique – yet effective -- way to assess students’ knowledge and is something that would be fun (for the teacher) to grade!


What I like most about Animoto is that is an excellent tool for teachers to use to engage students or to help piece together nonlinguistic representations in order for students to make connections within a unit. Using a program such as Animoto is quite beneficial for lesson planning; creating videos is an excellent way to help introduce a lesson to students. I also believe that Animoto would serve as a wonderful program for students to use when creating group projects. The process of creating the videos is quite simple and, like Glogster EDU, is a fun way to apply knowledge rather than taking a test or completing another kind of project. Any time a student is able to use their creativity though assessment, I feel that it is a good thing. Having taken DED 318, I have learned that through technology, this can be achieved. I am thankful for learning about a number of excellent tools and programs!

Classroom 2.0 Reflection

Living in the world of 21^st Century Learning is so exciting, especially as a future teacher. There are so many wonderful resources to take advantage of! I really enjoyed taking a look at what Classroom 2.0 has to offer. First of all, I like that it has its own podcasts and special programs that offer tips and advice to other professional educators. The entire site seems to be a kind of “meeting place” for teachers and is a way to share ideas, gain perspective, and become equipped with tools to take back to your own classroom. I liked how easy it is to navigate the site and how they offer so many wonderful links to search. When I have my own classroom, I hope to communicate with a number of professionals, both in my school and in other states! Classroom 2.0 allows for the ability to do so. It will definitely be something that I explore further in the future and use for my own professional development. How nice to work with others in this type of online forum!

EduTecher Reflection

The links available on EduTecher are vast and quite useful to teachers and students alike. When searching for the links and various resources, I like being able to narrow things down by subject, grade level, as well as content area. When exploring EduTecher, I chose to take a look at some the links that they have listed under ESL, as that is my area of concentration.

The first site that I visited was ABC Ya! ABC Ya! is a free site that offers flash activities for elementary school students to use to enhance their learning. Although the main content areas given attention in ABC Ya! are math and reading, I can understand why it is helpful for students who are acquiring a new language. They are able to use nonlinguistic representations to better understand the material and extended learning through games helps to lower their affective filters.

The second site that I visited was aMap. This site is quite unique, as it allows people to communicate various sides of an idea. I thought that this could be used in a classroom to have two students of various cultures take a subject and use the program to further understand their similarities and differences in a meaningful way. Understanding different viewpoints and perspectives is an integral part of appreciating diversity and living in a multicultural society. Perhaps this program can help aid in that very goal.

The final site that I explored was Babbel. I like this site because it helps students learn a new language in a fun and easy way. Whether it is English practice for our CLD students, or allowing the native English speakers to learn another language, I think that this program could be very useful and very enjoyable in the classroom. It also appears very straightforward and easy to use, which is always a plus.

Overall, I found several excellent resources and tools on EduTecher and am certain that I will refer back to the site on many occasions in the future.

Kan-ed Reflection

In exploring the Kan-Ed website, I was amazed by all of the wonderful resources it has available to teachers, both current and future. The first site that I visited was the Kansas Digital Library. Because language arts are extremely important to me, I am always interested in finding out more about various ways to obtain books and other sources of useful information. The KDL is a cooperative partnership among the state’s archives, museums, historical societies, and libraries; however, they all incorporate the use of digital technologies to expand awareness and availability of their collections (which include materials that relate to Kansas in some way). I was really impressed with this site and plan to use it quite often in the future. Another site that I visited was Connect Kansas Kids. What a fantastic and extremely special site -- I love how it offers a technological infrastructure to extend the work of Kathy Davis to help reach kids with chronic illness, their classmates, and their friends and families in Kansas. A site like this shows that everything is possible with technology…and that it really helps bring us all together. The third site that I visited was World Book Student. I immediately thought that this would be so handy to use in the classroom, especially for students to take its quizzes or research various subjects. Having Kan-ed at our fingertips is such a wonderful resource…I am pleased to have come in contact with this site and know that I will use it regularly!

Reflection #13: Voicethread created for ESL class

I recently created the following Voicethread for one of my ESL classes. I taped a conversation with my friend Erika, who is a non-native English speaker, in the program Audacity, and then transferred the audio into Voicethread so that I could include pictures. I am quite pleased with the outcome and am so happy to use my skills with this program in another class. No doubt I will have a long future with Voicethread, and continue its use in my own classroom with my future students!

Podcast Reflection #12: Tech Chick Tips “Stuff we forgot to share…”

Once again, I head to Tech Chick Tips for sound advice. In this episode, they discuss several excellent resources for collaborative learning. One of these that they mentioned in Type with Me, which is an interactive learning document, much like Google Docs. However, Type with Me does not require that one log in to the system of have an email address to use. Additionally, the program can be exported in a number of different ways and also includes a chat window to communicate with others who may be working on the same project. Another great tool discussed is WeboWord, a site that offers a new vocabulary every day, and supplies special information about this word, as well as activities like crossword puzzles. The resource that I liked best in this episode, though, is the interactive Bloom’s Taxonomy Chart. How creative to have web 2.0 tools (links) that can be accessed next to each level of the Bloom’s pyramid. This would be especially great to use when planning a lesson…if you need something that corresponds with Understanding, or Creating, or whatever…head straight to this tool to find further resources! It’s simple and quite handy for teachers.

Podcast Reflection #11: K12 Online Conference “Fireside Chat: Rachel Boyd”

The “Fireside Chats” that K12 Online Conference offers are really enjoyable to listen to. The one that I heard showcased teacher Rachel Boyd, who teaches 6 and 7 year olds in New Zealand. Although Ms. Boyd has a “small, old-fashioned classroom” (three classroom computers and an interactive white board) her 26 students are engaged in true 21st Century learning. One of the things that I liked about her classroom is that that they have a class blog and the students are responsible for maintaining it. In the morning of each school day, students check the headcounter on the blog and graph this data. They also log on to the wiki hub and post a sticky note to suggest what new information they want to add to their blog. Ms. Boyd also mentioned that the students start each morning with an oral language activity – either hearing or speaking. One of the popular activities that is associated with this is sharing about their weekends. Students email photos from their weekends to Ms. Boyd and she displays them on the interactive white board for all to see. I really loved this idea and plan to do something similar in my own classroom. What a neat way to connect the class and get to know one another even better! I also liked how Ms. Boyd watches worldwide news with her students each day. They listen and ask questions about what they want to find out, and then go online to find answers. Ms. Boyd really engages her students in active learning, and technology is playing such a huge role in that. I hope to find more people like Ms. Boyd who can serve as models for my own way of instructing.

Podcast Reflection #10: Classroom 2.0 LIVE “Voicethread: What’s New and Exciting?”

Having learned more about Voicethread in DED 318, and creating our own Voicethreads, I was interested in hearing more about what professionals in the field think about Voicethread and how they have used it themselves. In this episode of Classroom 2.0 LIVE, I learned that many English teachers enjoy using the program, especially because it is an excellent way for students to give book reports. I really like this idea. The fact that the teacher, as well as other classmates, can then comment on the Voicethread is really nice, too. It makes the entire learning experience so interactive and everyone is able to take an active role. I feel that having students create Voicethreads allows them to say exactly what they want and include images that they find most meaningful. Moreover, this can be done in a way that is non-threatening to the student. For example, rather than presenting in front of the entire class, the student can create the Voicethread on their own and then share it online with their peers. The people involved in the podcast also pointed out that Voicethreads can be embedded in many places, are user-friendly, and also have a Flickr tool within the program for easy access to images that can be uploaded. Although there are a few pitfalls to using Voicethread, for instance, it is difficult to “edit” recordings, it is for the most part a very practical resource. I hope to use it often in my future classroom.

Podcast Reflection #9: Learning in Hand “#22 Educational Apps”

With so much talk about iPads, I was eager to listen to this podcast by Learning in Hand that discussed educational apps. I was shocked to hear that over 700 apps are being added every day! Most certainly, it is possible for teachers to find various apps that will help their students and make learning more accessible in their classrooms. This podcast suggested to search for apps by clicking “Power Search,” and to pay close attention to reviews, because they are not always written by educators. It is also good practice to look at the section devoted to what “Customers Also Bought.” Some of the apps that interested me most include those that allow students to perform math problems, such as long division (like the one from iDevBooks), digital story apps, and one entitled EnterState, a kind of game that challenges one to “tap” all 50 states in a minute or less. I also liked the description of the app Read Me Stories, which sends a picture book a day to read and enjoy. Apps are such handy tools – not only do they serve a good purpose in personal life, but professionally speaking, they can be used for so many different things, and are enjoyed by students and teachers alike.

Podcast Reflection #8: Tech Chick Tips “Happy New Year!”

This episode of the Tech Chicks Tips was really helpful, because they offered suggestions for resources to use in the New Year (2011). One of the things that they brought up was the plethora of free calendars and planner available online. This is definitely something that teachers should take advantage of – no need to go out and buy such items when you can get them at no cost! The Tech Chicks also talked about Tagxedo, which is a program that we explored in DED 318. It seems that they prefer Wordle, but do like the many different shapes and layout designs offered in Tagxedo. They also commented on how these types of programs are fun and promote working together. I agree with the Tech Chicks that programs such as Tagxedo and other special online resources are truly transforming education. They made the comment that learning is becoming more customized, and I would most definitely agree with this statement. However, I think that this is extremely beneficial. We as teachers can help find tools that will assist our students in the most meaningful ways and find programs that will specifically target the special needs of our different students. I think that in the coming year, we learn about even more programs that will impact education technology, and I am looking forward to discovering what those programs will be.

Podcast Reflection #7: Tech Chick Tips “Anna’s a bit of a klepto”

I enjoyed hearing about various resources – and handy suggestions – in this episode of the Tech Chick Tips. Broadcasted toward the end of the summer of 2010, this podcast offered ways to help teachers declutter their digital files before the beginning of the school year. As mentioned, there is a program/site called Lifehacker, which helps in the organization and purging of unnecessary files and other related items. I think that using a program such as this is especially beneficial to teachers, especially when they are preparing to teach a new class at the beginning of the school year. It’s important to archive work from previous years and to work with a clean slate going into the next. Given that teachers have multiple resources and loads of information at their fingertips, it is important to stay organized! The Tech Chicks also talk about the Top 10 Technology Tips for New Teachers, which helps to develop a personal learning network, offer ideas on student engagement, ways to involve parents, etc. This definitely seems like a good resource to investigate as I prepare to teach in the classroom. I want my students to be engaging in 21st Century Learning and want to stay up-to-date on the latest in technology trends. A site like this will offer the necessary information to me and keep me on the cutting edge. I appreciate that! Finally, I was really intrigued by the program/site “Rags to Riches,” from iLearn Technology. It offers interactive simulations for students to engage in, like putting on a concert or traveling. These types of activities are fun for students, but teach them through doing. I need to find more of these types of activities, as this is the type of learning that I want my students to experience.

Podcast Reflection #6: EdTechTalk “It's Elementary #43: Interactive White Boards”

I learned a great deal about interactive white boards through this podcast from EdTechTalk’s program “It’s Elementary.” Although I am somewhat familiar with the devices and the various tools associated with them, it was interesting to hear more about how they can be used in the classroom and for what specific purposes. First, I learned that smart boards are especially useful in elementary school classrooms, because students are able to touch the screen (they LOVE anything that they can touch!) and the boards’ wireless keyboards allow students to interact from various points in the classroom. Additionally, they are easy to use and can be quite handy for creating projects. As mentioned in the podcast, they are really the best way to teach math, because they eliminate the need for the (outdated) transparency, and there is just “no good way to do equation solving in a keyboard-based world.” I did find it interesting that those involved in the podcast said that it is really important that teachers know how to use these tools in an effective manner. Through professional development seminars, this type of training is possible. When smart boards and other interactive white boards are implemented properly, they really make teaching much easier. However, experts suggest that they should be turned on all day long and actually used all day long…and not just used for direct instruction. I hope that my future classroom is set up with these types of devices, as I believe they really help to engage students and make learning all the more fun and interesting!

Animoto in My Classroom

Before taking DED 318, I had never heard of the program/site Animoto. Now all I can say is, “I LOVE ANIMOTO!” What a wonderful program to use with students and for students! In considering how it can be used in the classroom, I can think of so many different, and highly effective ways. What first comes to mind is using it as a way to engage students, primarily at the beginning of a lesson. It would be so much fun to create a video to introduce a new lesson or to help link students’ prior knowledge to the knowledge that will be gained. Students always love watching videos, and using an Animoto video in the form of instruction would be such a unique and clever way to motivate students and to prepare them for learning. I can also imagine students using Animoto to create group projects. It would be a wonderful way to represent their thoughts, ideas and even opinions as a form of media to then share with the rest of the class. When I created videos using Animoto in DED 318, I was amazed at how simple it is to use the program. Uploading photos and choosing a song took only a few minutes, and the program itself was quick in producing the final video. The finished product is something to be proud of, and is something that can be saved for use again in the future. I find so many positive aspects related to Animoto, and I cannot wait to begin creating videos in my future classroom!

Podcast Reflection #5: Moving at the Speed of Creativity “Cartooning Around in Language Arts by Malia Triggs”

In this particular podcast of Moving at the Speed of Creativity, I learned all about the program/website Go Animate. Teacher Malia Triggs uses this program with her 5th grade language arts students, because they are able to use their creativity to demonstrate knowledge, and are engaged at a level than what is typical. Ms. Triggs also likes the fact that by embracing digital storytelling, she is also able to cover multiple standards at the same time. As Ms. Triggs informs us in the podcast, she firsts asks students to create a storyboard – a foundation for what they are going to create that incorporates many important aspects to consider: character, setting, purpose, plot, etc. Once this storyboard has been approved, the students are allowed to go online and begin making their own videos. Ms. Triggs commented that Go Animate is such a wonderful program for students to use either independently or in groups. Additionally, her experience has been that it engages the unengageable. I would definitely agree with Ms. Triggs. I feel that these types of programs interest students because they are somewhat out-of-the-ordinary. However, we as teachers find value in them because we are still able to measure students’ work. Students also learn how to compose and edit, just like they would in writing an essay. The other nice thing about Go Animate is that it is free – and that is always helpful! I will definitely consider using Go Animate with my future students after having heard this podcast.

Podcast Reflection #4: Tech Chick Tips “Building Your Capacity”

This episode of the Tech Chick Tips is devoted to building one’s capacity of tools to enhance teaching. The first site that they mention is 21foundation.com, whose mission it is to align 21st Century learners with 21st Century learning; raising awareness to support the learning and creativity of 21st Century learners. To achieve this, some of the ideas expressed include the use of blog writing or movie making. Similarly, they are advocates for understanding exactly what 21st Century learning is exactly, and offer suggestion on ways to conduct seminars on the topic through staff development. Another site that the Tech Chicks discuss is Sixty Symbols, which helps offer definitions (through YouTube clips) related to physics and other types of science, and is especially great for secondary students. The use of symbols makes understand the material much for fun and students can make connections much more easily. The site that I found most interesting, however, was TES Connect, which is a social networking site. It offers resources for the classroom (interactive white board resources, games, lesson plans, worksheets, etc.) and the ability to network with teachers from all over the world. I really like the idea of having something that connects all educators on a global scale. Although we may be living in different places, our jobs are still the same. I want to know how someone on the other side of the world is teaching his or her students; it will help me in my own profession. Isn’t it nice that technology allows us to collaborate in such a way?!

Podcast Reflection #3: Driving Questions 2011 “iPad in the Classroom”

This episode of Driving Questions includes Kevin Honeycutt speaking with two teachers – one new and one veteran – about their thoughts on the iPad and how it has helped them in their respective classrooms. Both teachers commented on how easy it is to use, no matter how tech-savvy one is, or how much experience they have had. They also discuss how beneficial the iPad is in terms of being able to engage students in immediate learning; kids are motivated by the technology and take great pleasure in using the device. Additionally, they mention how there are numerous apps that a teacher can get in order to assist the specific needs of his or her students. For example, apps can include spelling programs, math enrichment, word definitions, recording devices, etc. I like how the teachers said that the iPad is like a “digital worksheet” – students can start over as need be and teachers can easily assess by viewing immediate results. The one concern that the teachers did point out was the expense of the iPad. They suggest talking about its benefits in staff development meetings and trying to get all teachers to understand what a positive aspect they could be in the classroom…and getting administrators to pay for such tools. I agree that the implementation of the iPad in the classroom would be incredibly valuable. Although I do not own an iPad, I am quite familiar with their tools and firmly believe that they can enhance learning.

Fun with Text Reflection

I was recently introduced to the online program Wordle in my technology class, and I am so impressed with what it has to offer. First and foremost, the program is incredibly accessible and its pages easy to navigate. The steps to creating a wordle are very simple; it appeals to all ages and is easy for even the least tech-savvy individual. The final product, a beautiful jumble of imported words, can be fully customized by adjusting color, font, and even text direction. It allows for a lot of freedom to choose and to explore!

What I like about Wordle is that it is sure to be an effective tool to use in the classroom, both as something that teachers can create to share with students or something that students can create to facilitate learning (in a very fun way!). Some creative ways to incorporate worldes into the classroom might include using them to compile key vocabulary words from various lessons or units, recognizing weekly spelling words, creating class rules, breaking a broad idea into smaller components (for example, finding words that correspond with a topic like diversity), or even having students make wordles to express themselves and their interests. I think that students could have a lot of fun using this program and would certainly enhance their learning in doing so. Wordles can also be printed out and displayed in the classroom for both their artistic value as well as tools for memorization or fostering higher-levels of thinking.

Like Wordle, the program Tagxedo is another great tool for turning words into creative visual images. The unique aspect to Tagxedo is that it formats the imported words into a specific picture. For example, it is possible to use words related to the fifty states and fashion them into an outline of the United States. Although this program is a bit more time-intensive than Wordle, it offers very special features that students are most likely to enjoy. The final Tagxedo products would be especially useful to display in a classroom; forget spending money on posters for various units…create a Tagxedo instead! Anyway, it is something that you can manipulate and adjust specifically to meet your students’ needs. What else can you ask for?!

Reflection 2: CDK's Education Technology Place

In exploring the website CDK’s Education Technology Place, I became informed as well as inspired. I appreciate the fact that many YouTube videos related to technology and education have been posted to the homepage. As a future teacher, these videos help me get “pumped” about the field that I am entering, not to mention help me to understand what an important role technology is going to play in my daily life. It’s essential that I begin to think ahead – that I am one step ahead in technology – so that I am prepared to teach the kids (in the society!) of our future.

The website also has several links to helpful sites such as Delicious, Diigo, Technology Bits, Bytes & Nibbles, as well as to Kansas State University and the KSU Catalyst at the College of Education. The accessibility of these links is quite nice, especially if I am reading about something on CDK’s Education Technology Place and then want to explore something further or am reminded of a related area with which to connect. There is also a link to Twitter, which I had not previously considered as a professional tool. So often we think of Twitter as a means to share with the Internet – with the world, really – what we are up to and what we are thinking. However, I have learned that it can be a way to share more serious information, and in my case, information that pertains to education. Twitter can actually be more of a means for professional development, and that intrigues me.

While there is a lot to view on CDK’s Education Technology Place, it is above all a site that provides knowledge and stimulates my desire to know more about technology and its place in education. I look forward to keeping a close eye on what more I can discover to ultimately better my understanding and enhance my capabilities. I am happy that it is through this site that I am able to access my DED 318 class information, as well. This type of forum keeps me updated, no matter where I am.

Reflection 1: Technology Bits, Bytes & Nibbles

The blog Technology Bits, Bytes & Nibbles, written and maintained by Kansas State University instructor Cyndi Danner-Kuhn, offers a wide range of information, articles, and special features related to technology, most of which is specifically linked to its role in benefiting the field of education. It serves as an excellent resource for people (especially teachers) who want to stay up-to-date on technology news and to discover endless possibilities for professional improvement in the digital age.

What I like best about Technology Bits, Bytes & Nibbles is the wide range of information found among the blog posts. Just in the past few days, topics have included video software for kids (KidsMotion), programs for taking simple and easy to read notes (Quiklyst), the availability of polar fleece pullovers complete with a kangaroo pocket to “store” one’s iPad, and a professional development blog called The Teacher Challenges, among others. Each blog post is relevant to both teaching and to technology, and there is something for everyone’s interest or specialization.

Personally, I was intrigued by the blog post from January 31, 2011 entitled, “Is the iPad the textbook of the future?” This post focused on the Boston Globe article that discussed such ideas. Having worked in the publishing industry pre-iPad, news of this kind interests me greatly. While I am not surprised that such companies as Pearson Education and Houghton Mifflin are considering the iPad as a tool for their material, it amazes me that our society is entering this phase so quickly. The struggling world of publishing finds electronic options to be their friend, so to speak. It cuts the cost of book production, is often times more accessible, and is understandably the road to the future. If schools were able to supply iPads to their students – and students are able to take care of such expensive equipment in a respectful manner – I believe that iPads would be quite beneficial to promote learning and could be utilized effectively. Being able to read textbook material on the iPad, then switch to write papers based on key findings, create graphs or presentations, would be ideal. The iPad could become an all-in-one mechanism for students to review and apply knowledge. While part of me enjoys the classic, traditional aspects of education (i.e. books, paper, pencils), learning more about the iPad and its possibilities excites me. I’m totally on board with it.