Virtual Classroom

The website I found outlines ten benefits to a virtual classroom. As someone who takes and enjoys virtual classes, I found this website to be very interesting. One of the benefits the website gives is that the student will have access to the best teachers in the country without being hindered by their location or worrying about the reputation of the school. The website also states flexibility as one of the major benefits of a virtual classroom, which is what attracts me most to a virtual class. I would rather be able to do my work when I want and at my own pace, then be told when to be somewhere. Other benefits outline on this website are cost savings, the fact that thousands of students can learn from one teacher, and the fact that the income of the teachers will increase.

I think virtual classrooms are a very important new technology. As it is here at FGCU, I think that most schools, including high schools, should make at least one virtual class mandatory. It allows students to experience a new type of learning that is becoming more and more popular. It also provides students with new knowledge of the Internet and computers that they may not have access to outside of a virtual classroom. For example, I have never had any experience with blogging or creating my own website until I took this class. It is my belief that the younger the student is when he or she experiences and begins learning about the Internet, the better off they will be in the long run, especially in this era. Teachers especially should be required to take a virtual class, as they may one day be asked or want to instruct a virtual classroom.

There is a great deal of research that has been done on virtual classrooms, and much of the evidence is in support of them. As with any topic, more research could be done to determine more about the benefits and detriments to using virtual classrooms. Personally, the only knowledge I have about them is what I have experienced in the classes I have taken online, and before I were to instruct a virtual classroom, I would need to do more individual research.

Streaming Video

The website I reviewed on streaming video was very informative. I knew very little about streaming video before this assignment, and this website explained the basics. It explains that streaming video is a technique for transferring data so that it can be processed as a steady stream. It also explains two key technologies that make streaming video possible. Although there was a lot of information given in this website, many of the words were not defined or explained clearly, making it a little difficult to understand.

Although I did not fully grasp the concept of streaming video, I do think using streaming video in the classroom could be very beneficial to the students. It would allow the teacher to open up a whole world to his or her students that cannot be opened by simply sitting in the classroom. There could also be potential problems with using a video that is just found from a source of which you are unsure, as they may not be reliable. Aside from this, I think streaming video would be a benefit to any classroom, if the teacher uses this resource wisely.

Personally, I would need to do more research to understand the topic fully. I would also want to be taught in a seminar or a workshop how to best utilize this tool in my classroom.

http://www.networkdictionary.com/networking/VideoStreaming.php

Podcasting

The website I reviewed, entitled Learning in Hand: Podcasting, was very imformative to me. I am not very familiar with podcasting and it gave a brief background to help me understand what podcasting is all about. The website also discussed the role podcasting can play in the classroom. Not only can students listen to or watch podcasts, but they can also create their own podcasts that can be published online. The website also states that it is not necessary to have an iPod or a handheld device to listen to a podcast, which is something not a lot of people know.

In my personal opinion, podcasting should be used much more in the classroom. Throughout my educational career, podcasts were not used at all, and now that they are becoming increasingly popular in our world, I still know little about them, and this will hinder my ability to use podcasting in my classroom. I also think that the idea of students creating their own podcasts could be really beneficial, especially with older kids, or for those in a technology or news production class. It would allow the students to learn how to use modern technologies to their advantage and to further their education. There is so many things for students to learn out there and if using a podcast to clarify something I as the teacher am not very confident about, I think it is an excellent idea.

Personally, I would need to do even more research to fully understand how to incorporate podcasting into my classroom, especially since I am planning on teaching elementary school.

http://learninginhand.com/podcasting/