iEarn

International Education and Resource Network (iEarn) is a non-profit organization that encourages students and teachers to collaborate online throughout the world. The organization currently includes about 30,000 schools in over 130 countries. It's easy to participate! There are 150 projects that teachers can choose from to fit their specific curriculum and schedule needs. Then, using an online forum, your class can meet students from all over the world who are working on the same project. Every project must aim to improve the quality of life on the planet. The organization enables students to become "global citizens" by allowing students to collaborate accross the globe. iEarn offers face to face or online development courses for educators who want to participate in an online global project. Technology has enabled us to communicate worldwide and it's time for educators to take full advantage of the opportunity to take learning to the next level. To learn more about this organization, visit the iEarn website. The website has great stories from iEarn participants who have been impacted by the organization. It also contains contact information, news, and events.

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iLearn with iPods

You might be wondering how you could possibly incorporate iPods into your classroom. You are probably used to asking students to put away their iPods or take out their ear buds. I was skeptical at first too, but there are actually many ways to teach with iPods! You can have students create and download audio or video onto their iPods.  Students can even view text files using the notes feature. Students can also download reference books like encyclopedias or dictionaries onto their iPods. They could be used for quizzes, photos, and calendars. Interactive content can even be downloaded at a low cost. For more information and ideas, check out Learning in Hand. Make sure to look at the iPod Lesson Plans page! It has some fantastic plans for using iPods in a classroom.

Watch this video to find out how fourth grade students at Stowe Elementary in Des Moines, Iowa use iPods in their classroom!

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Kindle Craze

Will textbooks become a thing of the past? Some educators think so. Amazon's ebook readers, Kindles, have gained popularity, but not necessarily in the classroom. Teachers are discussing the potential advantages and disadvantages of purchasing Kindles for their students.

There are several advantages to incorporating the Kindle into the classroom. First of all, about 1,500 books can be stored in one small device. It is lightweight (only 10.2 ounces) and portable. Students can slip this device in their backpacks instead of hauling heavy textbooks back and forth to school. The Kindle also offers a text to speech function that could help students with reading fluency. In addition, this feature could benefit students with special needs. There are a countless variety of texts available for download so the Kindle acts as a handheld library for students and teachers.

On the other hand, there are numerous drawbacks to using Kindles in an educational setting. The biggest setback for teachers is the high cost. Kindles are about $300 each, not including the e-books which must be purchased at an additional cost. They are not extremely durable and could be damaged if not handled carefully. Another drawback is that text cannot be projected or transferred from Kindle to Kindle.

Clearly, the Kindle could be beneficial in a classroom setting. However, there are still too many drawbacks preventing most schools from taking the Kindle plunge. For more information, read the article entitled "Will the Kindle Change Education?"


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