Technology for technology sake isn't always a good thing. In fact, I dare say there is some validity in not using them in every classroom setting. However, there is a time and place for technology. Throughout my life time as a student, teacher, homeschooling mom and tutor, I have seen technology evolve tremendously.
To give you an example of how things have changed, I give you Exhibit A: the term paper. The process we had to go through would startle those who grew up in a digital world. First, we had to use index cards. Not one pack, mind you, but three or four. We had to write one fact per card that we actually looked in BOOKS to find. Gasp! No internet! Do you even know how many facts go into a research paper? SO MANY INDEX CARDS! Each of these index cards then would be spread across your bedroom in an attempt to organize them into some sort of coherent paper which we then had to type on a TYPEWRITER! And once you finished your paper, you had to do your works cited page. I swear I have PTTPD (Post Traumatic Term Paper Disorder). This was an exercise in torture. The minutia that went in to a properly cited page was unbelievably painstaking and then to have to do it on a typewriter. Yikes! I am twitching just thinking about it.
Then we hit the modern age. Kids just don't know how lucky they have it! I am a firm believer of work smarter not harder especially since I never want my children to suffer as I did. So I give to you bibme or easybib. Both are excellent for creating fast and easy work cited pages. In some cases, all you need is the ISBN number to complete the citation. Cue the choirs of angels.
While I am on the subject of index cards, let's save some trees! Quizlet and Studyblue are two flashcard websites and apps that allow your child to create flashcards and quizzes to help them study. While there is value in handwriting flashcards, these two apps make studying on the go a snap. I love these for busy families. I recommend these to the kids that I tutor so they can study in the car on the way to soccer practice and school.
Another website I recommend is Hoopla. Hoopla is a free app that allows you to borrow all types of media through your local library. I ran across this app when my daughter was struggling with reading comprehension. She was able to download audio books and read along and highlight passages in her book. I have to admit that I am reintroducing myself to some of the classics via Hoopla. And for those that question the legitimacy of listening to books on tape, I ran across this article that defends its use.
Next up is a collection of websites that engage those who want to learn more. TedTalks, Great Courses and Khan Academy are excellent resources. TedTalks is a free resource with over 2000 videos on a myriad of subjects that last less than 20 minutes. Its purpose is to spread ideas and knowledge to whomever wants to learn it. Khan Academy is similar to Ted in the sense that they have 1000's of lessons, but it is more academic in nature and is for all ages. I love that if you are struggling in math, you can be taught by professionals. Or if you are wanting to move ahead in a subject, you can find classes that can accelerate you in a particular area. Finally, Great Courses is an unbelievable resource for those looking for advanced studies from science to philosophy. The downside to Great Courses is that it is paid site but access can be gained for free for a month and they often run really good sales.
I hope these apps and websites help your child this year. What tech do you like? We would love to hear from you. We are always on the look out for cool new ideas.
This blog was submitted by one of our ExploreMore! parents. She is a 7-12 teacher, homeschool parent and private tutor. If you would like to contribute to our blog on educational or parenting topics, email amy.darpel@covingtonlatin.org.
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