Blog assignment #2

1-2. So far in the presentations given, there have been many thing that I have liked. One of the tools that I thought was most helpful was the use of video clips. They are great because it not only holds the attention of those listening, but also provides a great visual aid. I also thought that some of the activities used were helpful. By utilizing short quizzes or other small activities, it actively engages the listener and helps them understand better. Lastly, I feel like the personal stories given by a few of the presenters were helpful. It not only broke the monotony of the presentation, but also brought the material down to a relatable level for most students.
3-4. One of the things that I felt was harmful to a presentation was when presenters would read their notes off the screen. By doing this, they sometimes would stumble over words, fall into a repetitive tone and also look unprepared. Another bad thing some presenters do is they rely too much on video clips to do the work for them. While they can sometimes be informational, I feel that some groups use videos as a crutch and also as a time filler. Lastly, I feel that groups that do now look at the crowd when they speak lose a portion of their potential audience. This makes it look like the presenters themselves are bored with their own topic and unprepared with their material.

About Me

Sean Helbig
Secondary Integrated Language Arts
2013

In a classroom setting, I would use a blog in many ways. I would post assignments for my students to view as their leisure outside of their classroom. This would be an effective way for students to never be out of the loop for an assignment, project or upcoming test. I would also add interesting articles, clips or other relevant media to the page that I find useful, but could not include within my classroom time.  Finally, I would incorporate blogs into my teaching by letting students ask questions on the open discussion board. Either other students could help answer them, or I could if need be. I feel that technology is good thing and has the potential to be extremely helpful to educators everywhere.