Week+5+-+Chapter+4


 * Communicating with New Tools**
 * Select an **//asynchronous//** tool and a **//synchronous//** tool discussed in this week's chapter.
 * Use each of them (preferably with a partner).
 * If possible, use one tool in both ways.

Google has emerged as an especially useful tool for both synchronous and asynchronous communication tools. My tool I have picked to share with you is Hangouts in Gmail. You can use gmail as an asynchronous tool with sharing emails back and fourth on topics or discussing a project. Then you can use gmail as a synchronous tool, because in your gmail account there is a link to start a hangout with your group online. In that hangout session you can communicate about things, you can share files, you can watch youtube videos at the same time, and you can even share your screen and go through a picture slide show or show a power point. This can be used great in a class room with teachers working together or students doing projects together or anything else you want to use it for in your classroom. Here is a video link on how to use hangout in your gmail account http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra8HG6MkOXY If you want to set up an gmail account go to www.gmail.com. Then just watch the video above and it shows you how this works.
 * Brittany Griffin**

** //Communicating with New Tools// **
 * //Select an ** asynchronous ** tool and a ** synchronous ** tool discussed in this week's chapter.//
 * //Use each of them (preferably with a partner).//
 * // If possible, use one tool in both ways. //

The synchronous tool I chose was Skype. It is a versatile tool that can be used to send instant messages or can be used to call another person. Also Skype does not limit you to a certain type of call. You can video chat someone as well as just a voice call. I discovered that this tool is very user friendly. However, connection issues can occur very often. When I have used this tool, it was easy to use but we did have issues with our connection. It was very slow at time and then it would freeze up as well. I do still believe that it is a very good technology to use for global collaboration. However, the users would need to be sure they have good internet connection in order for the video call to be of good quality. SKYPE

The asynchronous tool I chose were blogs. Personally, I love blogs. There are so many different blog sites out there and they all have a variety of different information. People can follow blogs that have to do with information that involves their career or their hobbies. An educational way that blogs are used, is much like this class and others that I have completed. In this class, each student has to complete a blog and then throughout the semester we will create posts about things we have learned. In this way were are bringing knowledge to other people through our experiences. There are a number of different websites to go to to create blogs. Blogger WordPress

Kaylee Hamelink




 * Go Mobile!**
 * Using your own mobile device, ﬁnd at least one educational way it may be used.

Reminder 101 - is a communication web 2.0 tool/mobile app from the web store. This tool allows teachers either online (website) or on their mobile device, to send instant texts to students/parents.This can be a great tool for a teacher to use. If I forget to tell my students something important they need to know in order to do their homework or something else, one text from Remind 101 texts all of them immediately. If I need for the parents to know of upcoming events or something, then I just send a message from Remind 101.Also,the students don't know your phone number in order for you to text them,and its easy to sign up: all they need to do is text a code that you give them to a phone number you give them. The tool provides you with all of this. Here is the website of the tool. https://www.remind101.com/learn-more

Betsy Griffin Google hangout is a great synchronous tool. It can be used for live video chat with people. Voice call any one on your contact list from your computer. Share pictures or emoji, and/or leave message for your friends even if they are not online at the time. It works on computers, Android phones or tablets, and Apple iPhone, Ipad, or Ipod touch devices so it makes it easy to connect with friends, family, or co-workers. Getting together over video and voice is easy from anywhere on your computer. Simply pick who you want to call, click or dial their number. It is that easy. They will know your calling from their device and if they can’t pick up, they will still know you tried. You can even call phones from your computer with Google Hangout and if you’re talking to one person and need to add others to the call for a conference call, it is easy plus calls in the US are free. You can stream your conferences and even have a panel discussion with someone. Record the whole thing and review or share it with others. The google hangout works from your gmail account. Just click on your profile picture at the top of your chat list and click on Try Hangouts. The gmail will refresh and you will be able to start using it. To start a hangout chat, pick who you want to talk to from your list and simply click the message or video button. []

Facebook is an asynchronous tool that is a great hit with people. It helps them stay connected to friends, family, and co-workers online. Facebook is a popular social networking website that was originally designed for college students back in 2004 which now has over a billion users. If a person joins facebook, they get to pick how they want to use it and how much about themselves they would like to share with people. Once they are joined, they can see updates and post, share pictures and videos, share information on their profile page, invite friends to join groups or events, chat and play games, connect with businesses and celebrities, use the social plug-ins from the web, post events on their friend’s calendars. It is easy to use and makes staying connected with everyone you know so much easier. To get started with facebook, a user’s must register before they can use the site. Once they have done so they create their personal profile and start looking for and adding friends to their list. Then start chatting and seeing what is happen in your friends, family, or co-workers lives. If they are not online at the time a message or notification is sent, they will see it once they connect. They may also join a common-interest user group, organized by workplace, school or college, or other characteristics, and categorize their friends into lists such as "People from Work" or "Close Friends". It is easy to stay connect to anyone you choose. []

I feel either of these tools will work get with staying in contact with students, parents, and/or other teachers. I have used google hangouts in my ED 408 class and enjoyed it very much. It was simple and easy. I use facebook every day and I’m able to see what all is going on in my friends and family life on a daily bases. The use of either one or both of these tools would be great for any class I think, especially for middle or high school. With Google hangout, you could have any student out for some illness join in class through video chat, or join with other classes without having to leave the school. Have a video chat with a parent while they are at home or work. Anything is possible. With Facebook, you can post events, assignments or notifications about the class for just your students to see. Chat with them when they need help and so much more. I think it is important to stay in contact with your students and their parents, get to know them and they you as well. These tools well help make that possible.

Emily Cummings My personal favorite, blogs, as not only are students discussing with one another, but they’re learning something about writing for a wider audience who may or may not be listening in. This is a great asynchronous tool that can be used among classmates in your class or with students around the world.

A blog is an on-line journal that can be made public or private. Students can use blogs to create an online portfolio, post reflections, turn in projects or assignments and receive feedback from the instructor or other students. Blogs promote collaboration and allow the instructor to invite experts, community leaders, and others to review student literary works and projects. The open nature of blogs also allows for communication between students in other classes at other institutions who are studying the same topics. You might have to make “comment on blogs” count for a grade in order for some students to do it, but such is the nature of the beast—those students probably wouldn’t talk in class, either. Here is a blog I posted for this wiki. http://aneducationinthe21stcenturyblog.blogspot.com

GO MOBILE! I found a free app called VideoScience, and I love it. Anyone with an iPhone or an Android can go to their app page and download it in seconds. Students can use it to do experiments and to learn science tools. Students can also use it to study more science in their free time. It is a free app and I would use this app in my science class as a future educator. I love it.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/videoscience/id333284085?mt=8

Of course I have to mention google + hangouts as a great synchronous tool. Julie Lindsey uses them and I loved getting to talk to her across the world for free.  Google Hangouts is a free video chat service from Google that enables both one-on-one chats and group chats with up to ten people at a time. Google Hangouts focuses more on “face-to-face-to-face” group interaction as opposed to one-on-one video chats, and utilizes sophisticated technology to seamlessly switch the focus to the person currently chatting. I have used google hangouts with my classmates and I love it, it is so easy and it works great!

** Go Mobile! **
 * Using your own mobile device, ﬁnd at least one educational way it may be used.

In a world that now have the majority of cell phones have internet access at all times. However, my cell phone doesn't not have internet; therefore, I had to get creative in searching for ways to use my mobile device in an educational way. I know that you can send messages to Facebook without have internet capabilities, it is just harder to use that in an educational way because you cannot start a private conversation that way only respond to one. I did, however, remember that I have used a text message polling service in past classes that I have taken. Poll Everywhere is one way that mobile devices can be used in an educational way and it also helps students feel more comfortable answering questions in class without be judged based on their answers.

Poll Everywhere

Kaylee Hamelink