"Daddy, why do we have ten fingers if there are only two mouse buttons?!"

I think I might be in a technology coma.
Here's a look at what I've been learning educational-technology-wise. 

I've read many ideas on how to use blogs with students in my classroom to communicate information.  A few of my favorites include: 








Web 2.0 in the Classroom suggested:

• Creating a blog with classroom lessons and activities.  Each day, a different student will be the "scribe" and blog about what happened in class that day.  This blog will be particularly helpful when students are sick and have to be absent.
• Showcase student art work, writing, etc.
• Post class readings, ask questions, and provide material for students to comment on.

 According to Campbell, blogs would work well for ESL students in the following situations:

• to give daily reading practice to students.  (jokes, riddles, short passages, anything to get students to READ!)
• students can comment back on blogs posted by the teacher to work on their written communication skills
• blogs can give details of the class syllabus and remind students of pending assignments 

Since my last blog post, I have finished working on the basic premise of my web page, a digital story using Windows Movie Maker.  In addition, I have started working on Microsoft Excel to create a spreadsheet to record grades and on Microsoft Access to create a database to create mailing labels for my class.
  

Web Expressions 3: When I say I turned in the basic premise of my web page, I mean just that.  I found Web Expressions 3 a difficult program to use and feel like my web page will just have to be an on-going project.  I can be terribly OCD at times, so that being said, I'm not too impressed with the aesthetics of my page.  There is always room for improvement.  So, in all my free time, I'll have to hop to it.  In the future, I may be able to use my website for my classroom.  Links would include assignments, extra information, and access to the classroom blog.

Windows Movie Maker: The last post contained a video of my digital story, which I think turned out well.  I had a good time collaborating with my sisters on making the video entertaining for child around ten years old.  Students will see me standing up in the front of the classroom on a daily basis.  Introducing lessons with homemade videos lightens the mood and gives students a fresh face.

Excel & Access: While I think recording grades in Microsoft Excel is slightly redundant considering schools have specialized software for collecting grades, I understand the importance of keeping background records. Spreadsheets might be better utilized in the classroom during math units on data collection and graphing. And while creating mailing labels is handy for bulk-mailing, I'm not so sure of the relevance.  What could I possibly need to mail, that wouldn't get sent home directly with the student, or that couldn't be sent through e-mail?