Sunday, May 7

Introducing Technology Tools for Pre-Service Teachers



Pre-service teachers in the School of Education at the University of Guam are required to enroll and complete a one-semester course for learning how to integrate technology into their content areas. During the course of the Fall 2005 semester, my first semester as Assistant Professor, the students were introduced to MOODLE. I used the MOODLE software, hosted on a server on Hawaii, to manage the class and provide a small modicum of interaction. The MOODLE of choice for the Spring 2006 semester was hosted in Nebraska, I think.

Creating 2 new classes for the first time, called ‘new preps’ and moving 7,000 miles, required me to wear several different hats, besides just teacher and course administrator. So, I didn’t introduce the students to very many new options for viewing and assessing new technology tools.

However, during the Spring 2006 semester, both my secondary elementary and TESOL students were introduced to several technology tools to use and to review and assess for education purposes within their content areas. In addition to giving my .02 cents worth, I will also give my students’ assssments and feedback about the technology tools that they used for class assignments and those they viewed for possible adoption for themselves.

This BLOG will serve to communicate my ideas and those of my students about easily accessible tools, and especially those that are FREE or of low cost to educators.