Virtual reality is a newer tool in the classroom that allows students to explore areas they might not be able to explore. By using VR (virtual reality) it also engages students through exploration, problem-solving, and simulation.

A good tool that has virtual reality included with it is NearPod. NearPod is a website that offers lessons on a variety of different topics and keeps students engaged. They offer slideshows, videos, discussion boards, and questions.

Nearpod is good for focusing on global collaboration because it incorporates VR and has interactive lessons that will engage students more and encourage them to virtually explore the world and different cultures. Nearpod’s tools for global learning are:

• Virtual field trips – visit other countries while not leaving the comfort of the classroom or home!
• Interactive collaboration – share different perspectives across countries!
• Cultural immersion – builds empathy and cultural awareness with custom lessons!

There are many different virtual field trip options; Click here to see a great lesson on exploring China!

The website WE.org has a lot of good tools for teachers who may need help thinking of ideas for lesson plans and keeping students engaged. In the “Sail of the Seven C’s” by Becky Keene and Kathi Kersznowski, they mention collaboration, critical thinking, and active citizenship in students which are skills often shown on WE.org.

The WE Virtual Learning Center has tools for teachers such as:

• Lesson Plans
• The Volunteer Now Campaign
• Virtual Workshops

These are helpful because then when trying to make a change in their communities teachers in school districts can use a grade-appropriate lesson plan or volunteer campaign to teach all their students the same lesson to make their change.

Above is an example of a tool I would use in my classroom in the future. This page is all about how to better the community by reducing waste and decreasing carbon emissions to limit global warming. The Link for the resource is https://weschools.we.org/we-go-green-campaign-page .

By Gabriella O’Neill

A recent influx in technology has brought a broad range of tools to better the classroom. Many students with disabilities struggle to do assignments because they have restrictions on what they can do. For example, a blind student would be unable to read a text for an assignment like other kids and would need assistance, but with newer tools, they won’t need as much help.

There are a variety of tools that can be used in the classroom to improve a student’s learning and increase accessibility. Tools consist of:

Audio/Speech tools:

• Speechify – creates audiobooks out of anything.
• SpeakIt! – speaks any text back.
• ListNote – takes notes as you speak.

Note-taking tools:

• AudioNote – notes can be taken during recording or after a recording is done.
• Evernote – organizes notes and can help visually prioritize tasks.
• WritePad – Transfers handwritten notes into digital text.

Reading Tools:

• Easy Reader – Makes reading easy for people with dyslexia, color blindness, and low vision.
• Learning Ally – Helps people with dyslexia and other reading deficits (requires subscription).

These are just a few of the countless examples provided to help students with disabilities do their work, many others are existing as well! With the use of tools, the learning of students with disabilities can improve greatly. There are a few issues with some of these tools; some tools may not translate things that well for students or require subscriptions.

Although I understand that companies need to make money to keep their websites/apps open, I feel that these should be a no-cost program for students who need it to learn. Some students might not be able to afford a program subscription each month or year. A good way to remedy this is that all schools should offer these programs through school accounts or the websites should do fundraisers to raise the money for their programs. This can help make it free for the students that need it.

By Gabriella O’Neill

I think that hyperdocs are a really great way to teach kids a lot of information and get them to retain the information. Hyperdocs can offer a lot of different ways to learn and can make it fun for the students. Many include videos, games, questions, and small interactive features that make learning interesting for students.

The kid in the image is using technology to learn.

The hyperdoc that I found offers a lot of different ways for the students to interact and learn. They have videos, questions, and an interactive game.

Some of the links that the teacher provided for this lesson are no longer working, so I wouldn’t be able to use this as an actual lesson, but I would use this as an example to make my own hyperdoc.

The link for this hyperdoc is https://docs.google.com/document/d/139sN5j0CYne4FJDA4VENWB6Kcdg4lJgb1HS532EBEGo/edit?tab=t.0

By Gabriella O’Neill

For my virtual field trip, I chose explore.org and focused on the under water manatee live video. This is a very interesting live video to watch because it shows their mannerisms and habits throughout the day and when they might eat or sleep. In certain parts of the livestream, there aren’t any manatees in frame but you can see the other species that inhabit the area as well. Some frames you can see species of feeder fish in large groups, larger fish, and some native birds. This is a good example of the species diversity in this certain area. Below is the link to the live stream!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rpkxcdM8rg : Virtual Field Trip

In this photo, you can see the many manatees all coexisting in this area.

It is important for this live stream to be active to observe the behaviors of the manatees and monitor their health. This live stream promotes an organization to save the manatees and their habitats from things like pollution and land development.

Communication is a useful tool that is used throughout life for multitudes of activities in everyday life. It is needed for things to run smoothly and efficiently. Many different things stood out throughout the chapter, but the focus on communicators stood out the most. A key component was the emphasis the author has on being mindful of the target group’s needs and preferences. To do so things might need to be adjusted like tone, language, and the medium to resonate and relate to them. This shifted my perspective on communication, making me realize that it is a skill that all people need to build on to create more meaningful relationships of all kinds.

The image depicts two people communicating with the use of technology.

The accompanying Wakelet had several inspiring resources on the different digital communication strategies. Watching the Wakelet it led me to make more connections and ways to be a better communicator. It offers a clearer understanding of the importance of emotional intelligence when communicating and emphasizing how communication is about empathy and active listening.

Many online tools can help students better understand the material they are taught and reduce stress. Teachers and parents can use various websites to help students when they are struggling while keeping them engaged in what they are learning. This gives teachers a way for students learn in different ways when their methods of teaching them are not working as well for that student.

An example of a good online tool that teachers can use is Discovery Education. This website has lots of good learning opportunities for students, such as virtual field trips and interactive lessons. Multimedia tools like VR trips bring subjects to life and make them more easily understandable. They also help provide real-life relevance so that students can see how what they are learning can be applied in their lives.

Discovery Education also offers customizable resources, so teachers can alter the resources to fit the needs of different students. They also offer standard-aligned content which means that the information can meet the state and national standards for benchmarks. This website also tracks student progress using quizzes and simulations to make sure the learning goals are being met.

I would use this tool in my classroom for many different assignments. With the use of virtual field trips, students will understand assignments better and be able to identify instances they can use in the future. This could also make kids remember the information better because they will have something to relate it to. In my class, I would probably use this tool as a follow-up assignment or pre-learning assignment so then the students can make connections from what they learned.

Discovery Education Website Link: https://www.discoveryeducation.com/community/virtual-field-trips/

Collaboration is an important and useful tool to be used in many different circumstances within many environments a person might be in. There are many ways that people collaborate in their everyday activities, such as in work environments (meetings, communicating, and helping each other), communities (church groups and support through adversities), and schools (study groups, group work, etc.). In the classroom, collaboration is important to help students gain knowledge about the material in different ways and help them understand the material better.

While working alone, students may only know limited information and form their ideas around that limited amount, but if they work with another student who may have different ideas and information, then they can include that in their work.

Collaboration offers a lot in school systems such as ways to:

• Teach students how to work productively with others for their lives after school.
• Reach out to other teachers and gain ideas for assignments.
• Provide students with a way to work with others with little issues.

A good example of collaboration in the world after school is the science community. Scientists from all over the world share and compare data every day to develop new theories and ideas and change old ones.

The book I found the most interesting was on the different AI projects for students at a secondary education level. This book interested me because I want to pursue a career in secondary education and would like to encourage the use of technology for students to learn. The start of the book defines AI, lists ways that AI can be useful, and explains why the use of AI can be useful in a class setting.

AI is a good tool for education because it can offer a lot of help, such as:

• support of productivity and learning
• increase students consumerism of medias
• encourage investigative skills

These are good tools for the classroom because students can use these skills to write informative essays or projects without relying on the instructor too heavily. This can give the instructor time to give feedback on assignments instead of constantly answering questions.