post #3

Since I want to be a middle school history teacher it only makes sense that my lesson plan would revolve around these aspects. In the book it recommends that I should use presentation and instructional software which makes alot of sense because history is alot of memorizing facts. I think that technology could make this information alot easier for students to recall what I am trying to teach compared to just a plain lecture. I'm sure entertaining graphics and videos would help my students pay attention and maybe find some of the subject relatively entertaining. Powerpoints would allow me to present the information in a very organized and neat matter and I could also add videos in the presentations aswell.
The internet could also be a very useful tool for a student to learn but it also comes with various concerns. For the age group I am trying to reach it would be very common for a student to come across somehthing that is very unappropriate. The internet is also a tool that has other disadvantages aswell. For example students may be distracted from the topic at hand by other websites like facebook, myspace, addicting games, etc. These problems could be avoided with network blocks but it this would antagonize students to find ways around it and may cause more problems.
One web based tool that I would use is a personalized award creator. I think it is very important to let students know that every person has a something that is special about them and this would help increase a student's confidence. Confidence is very important because it allows a child/person to maximize their abilities. This webtool allows you to create an certicate for any character trait.
http://www.billybear4kids.com/show/awards/certificates.html