After reading the two articles, "7 things you should know about Blogs" and "7 things you should know about Social Bookmarking," Ive learned a few tools that I feel would be beneficial in a classroom.
Blogging is the first tool that I found in the article. A blog is an online accumulation of personal experiences/reviews, and links, in the order that they were published. Blogs represent an alternative to mainstream media publications. Thousands of people are using blogging sites like: Blogger, WordPress, and MoveableType. There are a lot of different types of blogs too: WarBlogs, Library blogs, and EduBlogs. EduBlogs target education, and teachers are using these blogs as instructional tools in and out of the classroom.
Introducing a class wide blog would help strengthen each student's writing skills. As a teacher in PreK - First grade, I could use blogs to connect with parents, and share different topics learned in class. If I'm teaching Second or Third grade, then I could introduce a class wide blog. Allowing each student to post his or her experiences and information he or she has learned in class. A class wide blog would be much easier to monitor, and then I would name and train a few motivated student editors to proofread new entries. Parents and colleagues could even get involved in these topics by commenting and showing the children support.
Although, I would need parents permission to include their child or children in a blog; and they may object to it. Also, if a student doesn't have internet or a computer at home, then he or she would have to use the classroom computer, and his or her parents could miss out.
I believe that when students participate in a class wide blog, they would address the following ISTE student standards and elements:
1. Creativity and innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology
- Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
- Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
- Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues
- Identify trends and forecast possibilities.
2. Communication and collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
- Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
- Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats
- Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures
- Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems
5. Digital citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
- Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology
- Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity
- Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning
- Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship
6. Technology operations and concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations.
- Understand and use technology systems
- Select and use applications effectively and productively
- Troubleshoot systems and applications
Social Bookmarking is the second tool that I found. In the article, I learned that Social bookmarking is the process of saving bookmarks to a public website, and "tagging" the with keywords. Social Bookmarking is a new way to arrange information and group resources. It helps people find research information about a certain topic. Social Bookmarks are constantly changing, so this motivates people to keep going back to the sites.
For grades PreK-3, I could use Social bookmarking in many different ways. I could create a Pinterest board filled with educational "pins" and "tags" to sites like Math is Fun, Starfall, and ABC Mouse. I'm pretty sure it would have to be for older grades, like Second and Third grade, students could use Social Bookmarking to research information for a group project about how trees grow. Then they can store it on the class Bookmarking page. 
I strongly feel that students would possibly meet all of the ISTE Student standards when using Social Bookmarking in the classroom.
Technology is the most beneficial tool that I found in the two articles. According to Wikipedia: "Technology is the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, and methods of organization, in order to solve a problem, improve a pre-existing solution to a problem, achieve a goal, handle an applied input/output relation or perform a specific function." I feel that using technology in a classroom setting is essential for students to learn, grow, and thrive in the world today!
In a PreK-Kindergarten setting, I would try to have 2 class iPads filled with educational apps: such as 123-kids-fun-dots, Memory and Attention, Not like the others, Alphabet Memory, Sound-beginnings, Starfall, and the list goes on. (I could also put these type games on the SmartBoard) Talking about the SmartBoard, If I am teaching a PreK class, I could bring up paint on the SmartBoard and have the students take turns drawing pictures. I could then put the pictures on a class-wide blog for the parents to see what the kids are doing in class.
Parents could then comment on the children's work, and that would help motivate the kids.
For higher grades, I would have games that meet each students needs on 2 iPads. I would put games like: Numbers-Up, Spelling 1-2, Time-money-fractions, Starfall and so on.
The challenge with Technology is that it's always changing. Every time you turn around, some big company is coming out with the new and improved computer/tablet/phone/etc. I feel that keeping up with technology would be very expensive.
To conclude this post, using different types of technology in a classroom would help students address all of the ISTE student standards. So, go out and start downloading some apps for your classroom today! I hope everyone has a blessed day! Feel free to leave a comment!
AND REMEMBER:
