Video In PE

After completing a PSA (public service announcement) for my graduate class, an idea sparked. I think that having children create videos is a great way for students to work collaboratively. I know that working in our group, it was essential for each member to contribute. This would also be a great way for students to voice their opinions about different topics.

Wiki wiki what..

I never truly thought about Wikis in the classroom until now. The first word that I thought of was collaboration. This is a wonderful tool. Teachers are always looking for ways to have their students work collaboratively. Using a Wiki allows students to work with each other as well as the entire web community. Teachers need to realize that (1) students are using Wikipedia already as one of their main sources of information and (2) it is actually a very credited source. Teachers must embrace this new tool and use it to their advantage. Using a Wiki allows for easy collaboration. One of the biggest challenges of using the web in education deals with ethics. Wikis will allow teachers to expand on their teaching of ethics and the Internet. Teachers are worried that students will look at content on the net that is inappropriate, a valid issue. If teachers use Wikis then they can also tie in the ethics of editing information and vandalizing work.

Using Wikis also inspires students. Now they are the "editors in chief." They can take true pride in what they are creating. Wikis also allow students to take responsibility and ownership to their work.

I think Wikis are a great tool that should be used by teachers. Yes it is a great challenge, but the rewards are endless. As a PE teacher, it would be great to create a Wiki about the rules of sports. This will allow students to analyze how sports are played in a different way. There is no way an elementary student can know and understand the many complicated rules related to sports. A Wiki would be a great way for students to build knowledge of sports.