SMART Day 3: Teaching With The Tools Kids Really Use, Chapter 3

This chapter focused on the classroom implications of using MP3 players in the classroom as an instructional tool. In my personal opinion, the use of MP3 players has a placed in the educational atmosphere, but I believe it is not the classroom. There are other sources of media that can accomplish what the MP3 intends to do, and those are usually presented in a classroom friendly manner. As far as the advantages and disadvantages of using such technology in the classroom, the list seems to be pretty balanced. Some advantages include the ability to use the listening device any where in the classroom. Student are not confided to a desk or a learning center station, they can make themselves comfortable to learning environment of their choice. Also the ability to store several files on such a small device leads to the ability to expand a student's exposure to various types of listening information. The overall advantage would have to be that students can take classroom material home and listen to it as many times as need. This leads to the repetition for mastery concept. Some disadvantages I see would be cost and upkeep. Someone has to be in charge of making sure all the correct listening information is stored on all the devices being used in the classroom. That takes time and energy and with a packed classroom schedule, I do not see many teachers having time for that. Also user error. Students might know how to operate or have the correct equipment to use an MP3 as a learning tool. This leads me to think that though some could learn by this technology, it is not meant for everyone.

Chapter 3 of Teaching With The Tools Kids Really Use expose the reader to various websites that allow for free access to media files and videos. The goal of using these websites is that the teacher can find some type of classroom implication for what they find. Most of the websites focus on free mp3 files that can be used, but the one that I liked the best was Teachers Helping Teachers. This websites acts as an educational catalog of other professionals in the educational setting and what they are doing in their classrooms. One of the links I listened to discussed a particular garden project one class was working on. A website like this allows for teachers to share resouces and own the ever creative phrase teachers use of, "Why reinvent the wheel?" An advantage of a website like this is that it allows a teacher to multitask while planning for lessons, etc. Teachers are not bound to reading about ideas, but rather listen to them as they grade papers or prepare their classroom for the day.

Podcast are a great resource when the individual that creates and uses them has positive intent with them. There are many podcast available through iTunes that seem to serve no purpose of than the fact of allowing someone's voice to be heard. There are tons of educational podcast available, both on the student and teacher's perspective. Podcast can be used for professional enrichment in teachers and further lesson explanation in students. As far as useful suggestions from the chapter for me, I really like the idea of using such technology to enhance the learning of an English Language Learner in the everyday English classroom. This allows for extra practice and extra exposure to the English language that some ELL students might not have access to.