Emerging_Teachnologies_and_Schools

Of the emerging technologies viewed- blogging, wikis, nings, social bookmarking, shared online documents, etc.; Which do you think will be the best fit for schools? Why? Which do you think will be the least suitable for schools? Why?

Initially, it is difficult to choose one of the above technologies as the "best fit for schools". They all have their benefits and can be extremely useful in the classroom. For example, blogging is a great way to pose an essential question to your students and facilitate an online discussion. Students would be able to research subject matter and consider findings when responding. In addition, it would bring different points of view from students that wouldn't normally participate in a classroom discussion. This tool can be used to extend conversations when time is limited in the classroom.

Shared online documents are also a great resource that could be used to enhance learning in the classroom. This allows students to create, store, and share documents with their classmates and teachers. Students assigned in a small group to work on a project would be able to work on their activities and save their work even though they're not together. This eliminates the need for external storage keys, extra time to work on projects in class, and the need for personal computers to be compatible. This would make it easier for sudents and teachers.

Although it could be a great tool for education, social bookmarking would probably be the least suitable for schools. Unfortunately, students are used to using social bookmarking sites for sharing gossip and meeting new friends. I feel as though it would be too difficulty for students to avoid the pitfalls that facebook and other sites offer. This would lead to students being off task and focused more on viewing posts and updating their walls instead of being focused on the assigned tasks.