I don't foresee myself using a website for any of my classes, but that is simply because of the type of school that I teach in. Just like all of the other assignments, it is good information for the future but not the present. If I ever move to a traditional school, I would love to have a class website. However, I am married to a computer programmer who laughs at the work I try to do for this class because of how computer illiterate I am. If I wanted a website for my class, that is who I would have make it.
Web communication tools open broad new opportunities for interaction among students across the globe. Of the communication tools you have learned about, which do you think holds the most promise? What are it's strengths and weaknesses? How might you use this type of tool in your classroom to develop and promote 21st century learning skills?
While I would love to keep it old school by saying that students should use snail mail to have a pen pal, it doesn't answer the question. I would love to have my students have a pen pal to learn about other parts of the world. There are websites that can connect people across the globe both with email and snail mail, such as http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/menu_penpals.php. I wouldn't see why once a connection is established, why the students couldn't use other forms of technology such as Skype or Google Hangouts. Snail mail takes time and the cost of a stamp, but seems more personal to me. Email is a cheaper and quicker form, but messages can sometimes be misunderstood with email and snail mail. Skype can sometimes cost money, but if done correctly, is free. Any of these manners of contact will help students to build a better worldview and make for a more rounded student.
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