Blog Post K

Interactive Videoconferencing:

• Interactive Videoconferencing is a powerful earning technology that offers real- time access to people and places that students are unable to visit.

Successful conferences make participants at each site feel involved and invested in the experience. Interactive videoconferencing requires at least one camera, two computer screens or large television monitors, and a digital projector that shows the near and far sites. Customizing presentations is a choice that is made by organizations. I have always thought it would be a great idea to have interactive videoconferencing because it extends the classroom outside of four walls and gives the students more knowledge than usual. I have not seen this done in the classroom but I am in aw that it is happening!

Online Learning and Virtual Schools

• Online learning & Distance learning: refers to the delivery of educational experiences through computers and other technologies.
• Virtual Schools: are educational organizations that teach students mainly though online learning.
• Blending or hybrid learning: model, a combination of "clicks and bricks: in which students; face- to- face interactions with teachers in a school classroom are combined with online coursework and testing.

I have always leaned towards online learning because I like to know what assignments I will have for the entire year. I also enjoy and benefit from being able to work at my own pace and get ahead in my classes. Online learning allows students to learn on their own in a comfortable setting and I believe it is beneficial to students with busy schedules.
Online schooling started for me in high school when I took three virtual school classes and was able to finish them in half of the time that it would have taken in the classroom. Blending learning is a great tool for students that enjoy doing both, in class and online work. I think seeing your teacher/ professor is important for some students and this learning style is perfect for these students.

Lesson Plan Websites

• Lesson Plan websites: are one of the most widely used types of educational websites.

Lesson plan websites are awesome for teachers who are struggling to make a lesson enjoyable. These websites give off step- by- step methods to lesson plans, interactive activities and additional resources and curriculum extensions.
 Some examples are:

1. Thinkfinity
2. ReadWriteThink
3. EDSITEment: The best of the humanities 
4. The New York Times Learning Network
5. The Futures Channel

Having resources that teachers can access make their jobs a lot easier and definitely gives them more ideas of what to do in an assignment. Sometimes using other peoples ideas will open your thought process and broaden your teaching styles.

Resources:

Maloy, R. W. (2013). Transforming learning with new technologies (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

 @. (2015). 5 Tips for IVS Students and Parents as you head back to IVS for fall. #IVScan. Retrieved November 13, 2016, from https://ilvirtualschoolblog.wordpress.com/2015/08/25/5-tips-for-ivs-students-and-parents-and-you-head-back-to-ivs-for-fall-ivscan/