The first concept that I found interesting in the text was communicating with Skype. The reason I found this topic so interesting was mainly because I personally have never heard of this method of teaching. Skype’s popularity has increased tremendously since its initial release in the year of 2003. Since the 2011 purchase of Skype by Microsoft, Microsoft has made Skype possible for classroom teachers to obtain connections with other teachers, schools, and organizations across the world. Skyping has made it very beneficial for students to learn about cultures, languages, and communication skills.

Here are some creative ways you can use skype in the classroom:

1.         Use it to collaborate with other classrooms

2.         Use it to conduct expert interviews

3.         Use it for tutoring

    The second concept that I found interesting is teachers creating their own blog.  Blogs are another form of communication outside of the classroom, that allows students and parents to access it at anytime. Blogs are very popular among English teachers especially because it allows them to promote literacy through writing and analysis of language. This also allows teachers to post information online, such as recent announcements, links to other websites that could help a student with a better understanding of the lessons.

These are three basic types of education-related blogs:

1.         Organizational Blogs

2.         Subject Blogs

3.         Teaching and Learning Blogs

Example of a Teachers Blog!

    The last concept I found interesting is group work and collaboration. Group work and different forms of collaboration are very popular in school. The reason why I like these forms of teaching methods in classrooms is because it decreases the amount of teacher-centered whole group instructions, allowing students to perform different activities, and also allow them to be independent. “Group work does not let students do a task exclusively by themselves, but ask them to make use of the strengths that each student brings to the assignment.”

Listed below are some benefits on why group work and collaboration in classrooms are important to have:

•  Break complex tasks into parts and steps
•  Plan and manage time
•  Refine understanding through discussion and explanation
•  Give and receive feedback on performance
•  Challenge assumptions
• Develop stronger communication skills

Resources:

 Heinemann Publishing. (2012, September 14). Best Practice: Collaborative Small Groups. Retrieved May 29, 2016, from https://youtu.be/QLaS429LAJA

 Hicks, K. (2015, May 9). 6 Creative Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom. Retrieved May 29, 2016, from http://www.edudemic.com/skype-in-classroom/

 Preschool Ponderings. (2015, July 8). Retrieved May 29, 2016, from http://preschoolponderings.blogspot.com/2015/07/my-favorite-blogs-for-teachers.html

 Skype. (2013). Skype in the Classroom connects classes in California, South Korea and Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTnHAP19oAE

 What are the benefits of group work?-Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation - Carnegie Mellon University. (n.d.). Retrieved May 29, 2016, from https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies/groupprojects/benefits.html

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc