1. Computers in the classroom are vital for student learning
and they provide many aids for the teacher!

2.  Blogging
› Summary Continued
› Reflection
 Podcasting
› Summary Continued
› Reflection
 Academic Achievement
› Summary Continued
› Reflection
 Conclusion

3. Summary of “Using Blogs to Integrate Technology in the Classroom.”
A blog is a “Web publishing tool that allows authors to quickly and easily self-
publish text, artwork, links to other blogs or Web site, and a whole array of other
content” (Crie). A teacher can use a blog to keep students on task with
frequent reminders of when things are due and when tests are coming up. Blogs
are easy for classroom use, because as long as a student has access to the
Internet (which most schools have access) he or she can be involved in the blog.
Mollie Crie, author of this article, gives many benefits for using blogs in the
classroom:
• Highly motivating to students, especially those who otherwise might not
become participants in classrooms. (Since students are not face-to-face with their peers they may
feel more comfortable expressing their opinion about something.)
• Excellent opportunities for students to read and write. (A teacher can have students turn
assignments in on-line and let them create a portfolio for themselves so that all their work is in one place.)
• Effective forums for collaboration and discussion. (Teachers can create polls and discussion
forums for the students to reflect and contribute to conversation.)
• Powerful tools to enable scaffolded learning or mentoring to occur. (Students can
receive help from other students and different resources that the teacher may provide so that the student can better
understand the material.)
Crie, Mollie. (2006). Using blogs to integrate technology in the classroom. Education Up Close, Retrieved
from http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose

4. Mollie Crie gives four basic functions of blogs in the classroom:
Because blogs are easy to Blogs give the students
make and manage, teachers additional time and equal
can use blogs to “give out” opportunity to voice their
handouts, list class rules, post opinions about topics
a schedule for due dates discussed in the classroom
and tests, and have a place because they do not have to
for questions and answers. wait with their hands up.
Students and teachers can Blogs save work in the order it
use blogging as a place to was posted and it saves it
review work and offer forever, until the author
suggestions and tips for chooses to delete it. This is a
improvement. Students can great way for students to
also receive suggestions from reflect on their past work to
their peers as well. see their improvement.

5. Blogging is can become an important aspect in the classroom. They are easy to
make and manage and easy for students and parents to use.
Blogging can save paper and reduce waste. Instead of handing out articles or
worksheets in the classroom, teachers can post them on the blog for students to
view. Teachers can also have students turn in assignments on the blog as well.
Students can sometimes be stressed because of the workload. Teachers can
make a schedule so the students can prioritize their work so they can get it
turned in on time and stress free. Teachers can also give access to the
parents, so they can see the schedule and worksheets assigned.
When a student is absent from school he or she can log into the blog and
access the materials they need for make-up work. He or she can also turn them
in online so that they do not need to worry about leaving it at home.

6. Summary of “Instructor How-to-Tech Guide: Podcasts.”
A podcast is a downloadable audio file whose purpose is to inform. Teachers
can use podcasts as a means of letting students know what the schedule of
events will be for the day.
Another use is to give a lesson to the students. A teacher can explain where
students can find additional resources for the topic they are discussing and
browse through them while listening to the podcast.
Students can also use podcasts to express their opinions or turn in assignments.
For example, foreign language assignments are much more fun and interactive
if you can speak the language. So, students can practice their speaking by
doing a podcast.
Teachers can give the students a topic to discuss so that students can express
their own opinions and feel as if their opinion really does matter. They can also
hear what other students have to say, and really speak about something that
they are passionate about.
Kramer, S.E. (2009). Instructor how-to-tech guide: podcasts. Instructor, 119(1), Retrieved from http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.
com.proxy.ulib.iupui.edu/hww/results/external_link_maincontentframe.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results_common.jhtml.43

7. Microphones can pick up If you are new to
background noises in the podcasting, an editing
Many podcasts start and end
classroom, so a decent tutorial can help. It can show
with music. Also, to fill the
microphone is important so you all the cool thing you
dead space you can add
that it ignores the can do to your podcast to
music for the background. It
background noises and make it easier for the listener
makes the podcast much
focuses on the voices of the (adding music or deleting
easier to listen to and makes
author recorded material).
it seem more professional.
To get the word out that
there are podcasts available
for listening, you could post
on your classroom blog or a
Kramer suggests good
school website. Also, having
software for different
a file with good metadata Once you have recorded the
computer systems: Apple has
will get the word out on podcasts you need to post
GarageBand, Windows Vista
major search directories. them for your audience.
has Sound Recorder and
Windows Movie Maker. Each Kramer suggest websites such
of these are good for as: PodBean.com and
recording and/or editing a Podomatic.com. You could
podcast. also post them to your blog!

8. Podcasting can be important to students in the classroom. Some students
may be absent from school, and a podcast can help the student receive the
lesson they missed.
Voicing opinions is important because it builds self confidence and critical
thinking skills. If a student can argue his opinion correctly, he or she can build
confidence for conversations in other areas of life.
Assigning podcasts as homework can give more information to the
students, but it is outside the 8 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon time that
school is usually in session. The students who find a subject or topic
particularly interesting and teachers can provide that extra information for
them.
Podcasts can be posted to the blogs so that everything is available in one
place. It is also great for students with eye related disabilities, because they
can put on headphones and listen to an article or lesson rather than reading
it on the computer.

9. Research has shown that computers in the classroom positively affect academic
achievement. Because students can have access to unlimited resources (via
the internet) they can search for help and tips when studying or learning new
materials. Johnson uses political role models when proving that computers do
help with academic achievement:
 President Bill Clinton has proposed a $2 billion program to increase access to
computers and the Internet in low-income neighborhoods and schools. (Schools
with the money to afford computers have them, but they are so important that Clinton believes all schools need
them, and he’s offering a program to help them out.)
 Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) has proposed spending tens of millions of
dollars for computer-based instruction.
 Vice President Al Gore has made access to computers in the classroom a
major policy issue of the 2000 presidential campaign, calling for “[e]very
classroom and library [to be] wired to the Information Superhighway.”
 The President’s Panel on Educational Technology has argued that the
federal governement should spend between $6 billion and $8 billion each
year on an ambitious program of computer infrastructure development,
teacher training, and research. (6-8 billion dollars is a lot of money to focus on academic needs, so it
must be important and must have great positive outcomes.)
Johnson, Kirk A. (2000). Do computers in the classroom boost academic achievement?. Retrieved from http://www.
heritage.org/research/reports/2000/06/do-computers-in-the-classroom-boost-academic-achievement

10. This article concludes that computers do NOT play a significant role in
academic achievement, but there are other factors that go into academic
achievement (such as socioeconomic status, race, parental involvement
etc.). Computers are still important in the classroom, because there are
some lessons a computer can teach in a way that a teacher cannot. This
would then, in turn, help the academic achievement of a child, because
they will have learned something not from their teacher, but from the
computer. Also, games and activities are available on a computer that are
much easier to leave on the computer than to print off or collect materials
for in the classroom. So, in conclusion, computers have an indirect positive
affect on students’ achievement in the classroom. The results end up
concluding that children whose parents help them with their homework or
simply go over their homework with them, succeed the highest among
other groups. So, it is important for parents to involve the computer so that
students know their options when it comes to research and learning new
material. The internet is full of surprises and learning materials! The teacher
does not have enough time or resources to teach it all!

11. I was disappointed to find out that computers do not have that big of an
impact on the academic achievement in students. Computers and
technology have become so much a part of daily life, that it seems vital to be
used as help to success in the classroom.
I was also surprised about how many political figures believe computers and
technology are important for students to achieve. They were willing to come
up with programs that offered millions and billions of dollars to help out
students and teachers around the country.
Although computers are not proven to affect academic achievement, I still
believe they serve a purpose in the classroom. As I have said, they offer an
unlimited amount of resources, which no human can say they offer.

12. “Having a real audience is the “Blogs work well for students “In the same way that
biggest benefit… If everyone in because they can be worked computer technology has
the world can hear it, it ups the on at virtually any time, in any improved the operation of
ante.” place with an Internet-enabled automobiles, these proponents
computer. Hence, they can be believe computers will make
This is so true! For used by computer savvy the classroom a better
students, younger ones teachers to create a classroom environment in which to teach
especially, who do not feel that extends beyond the the difficult concepts that lead
they are heard by those older boundaries of the school to higher academic
than them, will love the fact yard.” achievement.”
that their podcast can be
heard by anyone, and that For teachers and students, the I think it’s funny how he
their opinion really does fact that blogs can be seen compares the use of
matter. Adding comments to and worked on anywhere at computers in automobiles and
the students podcasts will also any time can be important. the use of computers to help
help boost their Unexpected things happen all the brains and achievement of
confidence, and may the time so that fact that a students. Computers really are
encourage them to do more blog can be worked on taking over!
podcasts in the future. anywhere is really great!