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?!