Online Communication Tools

I have always been well aware that online communication tools exist, and I even have extensive practice using the more common forms like email and instant messaging.  However, it never occurred to me just how valuable these tools could prove to be in a classroom, especially with elementary school children.  While I am not yet teaching in my own classroom, I can confidently say that I would not have been making use of most of the online communication tools available to me.

Before this course, I did not have a clear understanding of what a wiki, VoIP, or microblog was, much less how to use them in an educational setting.  Upon further research, I realized that I had already used these resources in my daily life without ever knowing what they were.  For example, I created a Twitter account for a marketing internship (microblog), looked up all kinds of things on Wikipedia (a wiki), and Skyped with my friend in Canada (VoIP).  These technologies are becoming more and more commonly used, and it is important for teachers to help their students understand and utilize popular technologies so they will be prepared to succeed as adults.

I was also hesitant to use online communication tools because I thought they would be more difficult to apply in an elementary school classroom.  Students are younger and have less developed reading, writing, and computer skills than older high school students would have.  In reality, this is when we most need to be incorporating technology into our lessons.  Young children learn unbelievably quickly, and they also crave attention and the opportunity to have their thoughts and opinions heard.

One of the easiest (and most effective ways) to utilize online tools is by creating a class blog.  Blogging can give students a more active role in their learning immediately.  I hope to teach fifth grade, and they are old enough at that age to be responsible for their own blog and its contents.  Many blogs even exist solely for use in an instructional setting, like 21classes.com and blogmeister.com.  To prepare students for this assignment, I will start off by making use of a classroom blog that I create.  I will show them how I enter information and allow them to start off by posting responses like questions about assignments.  They will be responsible for frequently checking the blog and sharing its contents with their parents.

After they feel comfortable with what a blog is and how it works, I will create accounts for each of them (using only first names or pseudonyms to avoid sharing their personal information online).  From that point, I will activate the setting that allows their information to post only after I have approved it.  Once I feel they have the hang of it and are being responsible, their blog will be their own.  I will monitor them, but overall, the blogs will be discussion facilitators and a project students can own and take pride in.  We can incorporate this tool in the class for keeping class journals, responding to critical thinking questions about novels we are reading, keep up on current events, and more!