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.