4.+Possible+Classroom+Uses+for+Technology

=Online Communication= When it comes to the Internet, there are many ways in which students can share and communicate information. There are two types of communication, asynchronous and synchronous. Asynchronous means it doesn’t have to happen at the same time. A person can post a message, blog, or send an e-mail, and the recipient can view the message at a later time. Synchronous means at the same time where all parties involved need to be present online in order to participate in the conversation. (Morrison, G.R., & Lowther, D.L., 2010)

= Asynchronous – Not at the same time = = **E-mail:** Each student has their own unique e-mail address and password to sign into their personal account. E-mail can be used to send and receive messages, computer files, and pictures. =
 * = Students should not share any of their personal information without permission from a parent **and** a teacher. =
 * = Make sure you know who is sending you messages. If you do not know the sender, do not open the e-mail. =
 * = E-mail messages can carry computer viruses. =

**Discussion Boards:**
 * Discussion boards are a good tool for a teacher to use to set up a classroom discussion and monitor what is going on.
 * Some discussion boards are by invite only, so only students that are in the class can take part in the discussion.

**Blogs:** Blogs are a series of posts by one user on a webpage. The public can view the blogs and even post comments to the author.
 * Blogs can be a good tool for teachers to use to post a main a subject that is being studied and ask for student opinions and thoughts.
 * It can be difficult to filter out all inappropriate blogs. There are a lot of blogs available and some are not always classroom appropriate. Use caution when letting students research and read different blogs.

**Podcasts:** A Podcast is a pre-recorded audio and video file that can be posted to the Internet, shared with other computers, or be downloaded to mobile devices. Podcasts are easy to create and share with other classmates and classroom.

= **Synchronous – At the same time:** = = **Chat Rooms:** Chat rooms can be a good source of live chatting, but they can also be dangerous. =
 * = Teachers can set up chat rooms for their students to use in a secure setting and even participate and monitor the conversation. =
 * = Students should not enter a chat room unless they receive teacher permission. =

**Video Chat:** If your computers are equipped with a webcam, video chat is an option. Video chat allows you to see the person and hear the person that you are chatting with.
 * Students need to have permission from a parent and a teacher before engaging in a video chat.
 * Teacher should be present when video conversations are happening to fully monitor the content.

**Instant Messaging:** Instant messaging is similar to a chat room. One or more parties may send electronic messages to each other as long as they are using the same messaging program (AIM, Facebook, MSN)
 * Teachers can have a tough time monitoring the messages since the dialogue is not recorded onto a space to view later.
 * It is a quick and easy way to share information between two or more parties.