Digital Tools for Teaching

Book excerpt: In this Web 2.0 world, your students are communicating, customizing, and creating like never before. It's no surprise, therefore, that standards for the twenty-first century classroom recognize the value of teaching with digital tools. Knowing how to effectively teach with them is another matter altogether. In Digital Tools for Teaching, educator and self-proclaimed techno-geek Steve Johnson shows you how to transform 30 cutting-edge e-tools into powerful vehicles for teaching--and learning. You will find: An array of low-to-no-cost digital tools ranging in complexity and all focused on educational merit; Step-by-step instructions that take the mystery out of using each e-tool; Lesson connections and lists of classroom-proven ideas for applying each e-tool across the curriculum; Backdoor links to the special services and discounts available to teachers for many of the digital tools profiled in this book; Standards-based assessment rubrics and strategies (including how to implement digital portfolios) to help you meet twenty-first century classroom instructional goals; and Links to Steve Johnson's website and blog for news and updates on incorporating technology-based activities into your lessons. Complete and ready-to-use, Digital Tools for Teaching shows you how to connect your teaching to the e-tools that are relevant to your students' lives. Whether you're already an advanced e-tool user or a newbie, Digital Tools for Teaching will increase your confidence using digital tools, broaden your perspective, and give you new teaching strategies that you can use tomorrow.