Joe Zappa's Blog (7)

The skeptical teacher often looks at Internet integration in his or her classroom as just another way for students to find information.  The teacher wonders what is the purpose of another research tool that provides students with content that is often misunderstood or misrepresented in the student’s work.  In fact, I have felt that way myself at times when I’ve had students complete research projects.  But one of the greatest innovations in technology-infused education has…

There is much too admire in the concept of open source courses, or free, online college-level classes.  In its creation, university was developed by western society for the betterment of civilization through the promotion of ideas and creativity and passing that knowledge down to future generations.  Today’s usage of university feels much more like a business and the student’s needed footwork for obtaining a lucrative career (not that there is everything necessarily wrong…

Virtual Reality, Simulations, Video Games, all of these types of digital learning can change education permanently, and for the better.  I’ve been gung-ho about virtual reality’s place in the classroom for a long time, so it was beneficial for me to consider the arguments that some have made against their integration.  These have mostly been the same arguments people have made throughout the years against video gaming in general: children struggle with separating the virtual…

Social media and social networking do not have to be considered synonymous.  While in most aspects, these two types of sites are the same thing, their integration into classroom teaching can be completely different.  When a person thinks of social media, they will typically think first of sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  While these sites can have a place in education, I, as well as many other teachers, have been reluctant to integrate them in my classroom.…

The National Education Association made a suggested list of key elements for an effective Acceptable Use Policy.  The following is a breakdown of each element and how well my school district has enacted these guidelines.

1. Preamble: It is recommended that an AUP begin with an opening statement containing an explanation of why the policy is necessary, what its goals are, and how the policy was…

One of my favorite lessons in US History was the integration of blogging with my students.  I used a blog to create digital discussions amongst my students throughout the chapter.  Students were required to research and understand six topics from a chapter focused on the Age of Jackson (a time in our history including famous events such as the Trail of Tears and Nullification Crisis), then answer a blog question for at least three of the topics.  Students responded to…

Tried and true strategies -- Most teachers are familiar with Bloom and Marzano as they go through the training process of what they hope becomes a long and successful career as an educator.  However integrating these principles may not always be as successful as one might hope.  But successful integration is a goal that we, as teachers, should always be striving toward because this is how we can move from being a teacher to a challenger of student thinking.  Bloom’s Taxonomy…