Topic1

=Discussion Topic #1 =


 * How might the technology tools (cell phones, iPods, online resources, etc.) you have access to be used for learning during the school day?**

Cell phones should be used for text messaging between students and teachers for convenient and fast communication Teachers can use cell phones to send messages to all the students reminding them about a test the next day, a project due, or any important update. Students might take notes on cell phones or record lectures on phones. Students should be able to use their cell phones in the hallways and to use cell phones to text fellow students when the teacher isn’t talking.  Use cell phones for internet research, if your cell phone has that capability (Smart Phones). Use cell phones in your math class for all of your papers that you need a calculator. You would be able to take out your phone and use the calculator on your phone instead of the school paying for a bunch of calculators. Students can easily text in our answers to a question or assignment. Homework assigned/completed/submitted via phone; auto-submit Take notes on cell phones. Record lectures on phones.   <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Textbooks should be capable of being downloaded onto student’s iPods, music players, portable ps2's, etc. All of the books are too heavy. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Students could use **iPods** to upload certain songs to help them study for a test or listen to foreign languages. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Download educational movies. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Students should be able use iPods when they are working (it helps some people to concentrate and do their work better). Listening to iPods or mp3s helps some people to remember things due to a soothing sound which is appealing to them. It’s a proven fact that listening to music can help to make grades go up. <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">In your Spanish, French, or any other foreign language class the teachers would have iPods connected to the desks so that instead of using books and other paper you would be using an iPod to learn. Also, at the end of that class the teacher would walk around and ask the students what they learned and based on the students answers the teachers would give them a grade. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">We can use our iPods to read books or download books and listen to them. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Teachers should make podcasts about the lesson, so that students could watch the podcast off of their IPod instead of reading over notes or for students who are absent. <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Use iPods for online research. <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Create a MySpace organized online study group. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Create a district wide forum for courses that have difficult questions. District forums sound very helpful! <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">As a reward after finishing work, we should be able to get on MySpace/Facebook or any other site! <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Have a Birdville High School MySpace - post notes, news, assignments. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Everyone should have a laptop so we could do all notes and homework on there and send them in to the teacher without using paper. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">If using laptops for note-taking, the teacher could have the Internet blocked for that time period (and during tests). <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Read books online using laptops. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Put lessons online for students who are absent. Then they can watch on their laptops. Teachers should <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">video recordings of lessons. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Play educational video games. We need more logic type games. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">We need distance learning labs for students who cannot travel off campus for a specific class. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">We need more online courses for more/extra credits. <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">There should be a podcast of what happened in a classroom each day for students who were absent or out of town, etc. <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Let the teacher use a webcam during teaching for kids who are absent that day. <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Who decides the criteria for blocking a site? Many sites that are blocked shouldn't be. A lot of them have huge educational value but are blocked for bad reasons. One bad reason a political site was blocked was "adult.lifestyles" - the newspaper staff needed to reach this site to fact-check an article. <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Unblock the internet more. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">We need to be able to use our cameras and video cameras to do projects in class for the teacher to grade. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Foreign languages probably need more technology, at least to learn pronunciation. GCISD high schools have "language labs" in which students can tape their own voices, analyze the teacher's pronunciation, and interact with various audio vocabulary and speaking programs. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Cell Phones: **
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">iPods: **
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Online Sites (MySpace/Facebook, etc): **
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 12pt; background: white; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Be **<span style="font-size: 12pt; background: white; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: white; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">able to send our homework or notes to our email or MySpace or whatever we have. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Laptops/Computers: **
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Online/Distance Learning: **
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Blocking Internet Sites: **
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; background: #fff5fc; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Other: **