Ed Tech in Our Classrooms

  Using Twitter (now X) in the classroom can be surprisingly effective, but it depends a lot on how it is structured. What I mean by this is that one of its potential benefits is engagement. Students are already familiar with the platform, so it lowers the barrier to participation. When used in class discussions, such as live-tweeting during a lecture or responding to a prompt, it can help quieter students feel they have a voice and may be more willing to share their ideas. The character limit also forces people to be more concise and thoughtful about their response, which is a useful academic skill. Another strength, especially mentioned in the video above, is the real-world connection. Twitter exposes students to current events, experts, and public conversations in real time. It allows them to recognize that they are not stuck in this "classroom" but that there is a real world happening outside it, and they can be a part of that, too. Being able to follow careers in a field...

I have mixed feelings about using social media in the classroom. With each teaching level (elementary, middle, and high school), I have concerns about what social media exposure will do. In the video, they were elementary school students, and my worry is about the weirdos on social media, especially on Twitter (X). I know this video was taken a while ago, so maybe Twitter was safer then, but now, it's a cesspool for losers and weirdos. I would be terrified to post any child on that app. However, I don’t hate the idea of using social media in school because I believe it has some pros. I would like to post about what we are learning in class or the projects we do to share with parents, other teachers/staff/administrators. I think it would be cool to share and gather ideas from other schools. I think that is a fantastic way to gain insight into how useful or fun a project is, or if you see other people doing it. You can also get verbal feedback from others on how well they think the ...

 Blended learning offers a powerful way to enhance face-to-face instruction by incorporating digital tools that support diverse learning modalities. Before exploring this approach, I was most familiar with a hybrid model—one that combines in-person teaching with online or asynchronous activities. However, the blended learning model presented in the video is more nuanced and, importantly, more intentional. In the video, biology teacher Mickey MacDonald from Gainesville, Florida, explains: “Why I wanted to go to a more blended environment was so that I could figure out a way to differentiate instruction within the biology classroom… and work with students in small groups while others remain engaged in content learning.” This perspective is particularly compelling from a special education standpoint, where differentiation and inclusion are essential. Blended learning creates opportunities for targeted support. For example, small-group instruction paired with tools like iPads and ap...

Throughout my education, I’ve experienced two flipped classrooms—both in science courses. In CHEM 1 and Introduction to Microbiology, lectures were moved outside of class through videos and readings, while class time focused on problem-solving and discussion. Although the structure was similar, the execution differed significantly. In microbiology, we watched one or two short videos before class and completed guided questions. Class time was highly structured, with collaborative work that built toward increasingly complex applications. This format was effective, and I felt I learned a great deal. In contrast, the chemistry course was frustrating. Assigned lectures were outdated Zoom recordings, and we were expected to jump between timestamps to find relevant segments. Class time lacked structure, often reduced to the professor asking for questions without clear direction. As a result, the learning experience felt far less effective. Overall, flipped classrooms can be powerful when i...