Our school doesn't allow interaction with the students via Facebook and other social media. I do use You tube videos for viewing and discussion and have, in the past, used the forum application on our portal system. It is amazing how many students don't know how to use the computer or internet well, even tho they are on their smart phones all the time!
Leigh,
Survey Monkey surveys are a great way to introduce students to market research in the hospitality arena- Thank you for sharing! I find many restaurants offer promotions on Facebook or directly through their website, some have interactive menus that help customers choose healthier options, some even develop games when they team-up with a production company to promote a movie.
I found this post I thought you may find interesting: http://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/16-handles-gets-innovative-latest-store-promo
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
Tina,
Publishing companies are a fantastic resource for educators, I am glad to hear your institution is taking advantage of all they have to offer.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
Becki,
Please share the various technologies used at your institution and the training provided. Many have commented that their school unfortunately does not have the budget for such updates, I am happy to hear this is not the case where you teach.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
Wendy,
Yes, computer literacy is a problem many of us face. I know many institutions of higher learning offer introduction to computer courses, though I have seen a trend lately to remove these classes from the curriculum because it is assumed students currently enrolling in programs are computer literate, which we all know is not the case.
How does your school prepare new students who many not have experience on computers?
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
Mainly participating in online educational classes that benefit me and future classes that I forsee teaching down the line.
I have learned and incorporated Power Points to aid the students in staying focused on the main points or concepts in the chapters that we cover weekly.
Still learning daily about Internet and the many functions that are available to all.
I am not computer savy, but getting there.
Bobbe,
You are taking step towards being more tech savvy by taking this course. Aside from PowerPoints, did you find anything in this course that you feel comfortable incorporating into your teaching routine? I suggest YouTube videos or perhaps a class message board to get the ball rolling.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
Being a technology teacher, I have no choice but to keep abreast of emerging technologies. Just encountering the textbooks that I use for soem of my courses helps be gain knowledge in many areas such as Web 2.0 technologies. I also find that in having discussions with my students I learn many things from them, because the social media is just a reglar part of their lives.
I teach Into to Computers, and I don't assume that students already know everything they need to know about technology when they walk in my classroom. Yes, some students are pretty computer savvy, however, working with adult students, some of the technology and the terms are new to them. Also, because technology changes so rapidly there is always something new on the horizon to learn.
Fortunately, the area that I teach in is IT, so I keep abreast of many of the new and emerging technologies by teaching about them, and using and demonstrating those that I can in my classroom. I also find that I learn a lot about the Web 2.0 technologies(especially social media) though class discussions with my students who have used them. I try to do has much research as possible on the topics that I have to teach before I talk about them in class as well.
Yes! As a “into to computers†instructor I believe that we also need to accept the fact that with MS Office there are also free open source alternatives that some students are using such as Open Office and Libra Office. These should be embraced as well since it is being adopted as a cost saving measure in many businesses. As well as the Linux OS.
Ruth,
I also have learned so much from my students over the years and it was at their urging that I began infusing social media into my arsenal of teaching tools. Students are very receptive to the idea because most are so active in the online community.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
As someone else said our school also does not allow faculty to communicate through FaceBook. But there are other technologies that are useful in the classroom such as Sand Timer an app for smartphones which is useful to keep students on track when taking quizzes. Also, eportfolios are great way to have students keep all their important documents together for future job interviews. To keep abreast of emerging technologies you just need to check out Edutopia and other sites, knowledge is power use it in your classroom.
Michael,
A fantastic point! Several years ago the open source alternatives really did not play well with MS Office, but in the past couple of years this has not been a problem for me. These applications have a 'Save as Word' feature that allow students to submit work created on these free applications without a hitch.
Thank you for sharing. This information can come in handy for many who have been told students cannot submit a paper electronically because they cannot afford the software.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
Janet,
Thank you very much for sharing! I have not used this app myself, I usually have a no phones policy when quizzing students, but for in-class timed group projects this looks like a good app to keep the class on task.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
Reading and attending conferences has helped. Also students are a good resource letting me know about the latest technology
This is a real area of weakness for me. I'm reasonably tech savvy, but when I go to training for something that I feel could be worthwhile, too much time elapses before I'm able to use it and the knowledge seems lost again. I've used things like blackboard, wikis, edmodo, and various things like that, but I have no meaningful approach to using technology in the classroom. I teach English/language arts in middle school and Comp classes in college and I have found a couple of interesting interactive things for the middle schoolers to do. For example, there is a website that allows the students to annotate online the Tell Tale Heart. I've used that; but I don't feel that I have enough to sustain a yearlong curriculum. Hoping to get some ideas in this course.
Mostly our school has embraced technology that enhances our communication- Facebook, twitter, instant messaging and posting things on Craig's List, etc. But creating an interactive game or getting our students to video tape their thoughts on projects and designs would be fantastic!
I find that the best way to stay on top of new technologies is to talk to students. Young adults are on top of the latest, greatest technologies, and they are more than willing to share their favorite new site. It saves a lot of time.
Lee,
Video diaries are a fun tool, and now that all modern smartphones have built in cameras, it makes this an affordable exercise. If you or your co-workers decide to give this a try, please share your outcomes with the group.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
