Cool Tools In The Classroom

There are so many amazing tools out there that are offered to teachers and students that can really enhance a child's learning experience and the classrooms they are learning in.  I feel that most teachers have hit a plateau where they want to enhance their lessons and classrooms but they just don't know what tools to use besides the regular PowerPoints, Word Processors and Internet to help better themselves as teachers.  But teachers shouldn't feel "stuck" using just these tools because there are so many cool tools out there that are very beneficial to students.
One of the most interesting tools I found while searching for new tools was http://www.glogster.com/.  This tool is a website that allows teachers and students to create posters online that express their thoughts, ideas, and creativity in the classroom.  Students can use this to make posters that they would normally make on poster board.  This tool allows students to put text, images, sounds, videos and even their own images on a poster for projects and assignments.  Not only can students use this to complete projects and group work but teachers can also make posters for certain lessons and activities being done in the classroom.  Not only can you make these posters on this website but you can start your own "gallery" that allows other people to view the different projects you have worked on. 

Pros

• Enhances creativity
• Incorporates technology into the classroom
• Provides a new outlook to students on making posters for projects
• Will excite students about learning
• Integrate art and creativity into academic projects
• A private and safe enviornment for students

Cons

• You may have to take time out of your day to teach about this tool
• Must have computers in the classroom to work on
• Students could become distracted by all the special effects and loose the academic meaning of the project
• Must be an in classroom assignment because some students do not have access to Internet at home

Integration In the Classroom

• Math: Create visual pictures of math problems for students to complete instead of word problems (ex. fractions, measurements, time etc.)
• Reading and Writing: Have your students create visual stories through glogster to share with their peers
• Science: Use glogster to have students create predictions and explorations of science experiments

Check out glogster.com to see all the cool ways you can bring this new tool to your classroom!