My high school uses Blackboard as our online "go to" program. It allows us to post assignments, attached documents, send podcasts, blog, and use wikis to name a few features. I took advantage of the wiki that was already there and used it for our root word lessons. Students were to study root words, give examples of words containing the words, and then go and find examples of the roots being used in their world. They were to take a picture of it, post it on the wiki, and explain the root and the meaning of the word they documented. Examples could have included the school "auditorium" or their "biology" teacher. They could have used instagram.com to assign url's to their picture and post them that way.
The bottom line: only a very few students participated. Why post the assignment/idea here? Because I learned a valuable lesson. I think it is a great lesson. It connected the roots to their real worlds, allowed them to practice using Instagram in an educational way instead of just a social one, and it gave them the experience of using a wiki.
What my research for my Masters class taught me was that other teachers have experienced similar outcomes when using technology: if we do not place a lap top or smart phone in their hands, they are not as likely to complete an assignment. They rely on the structure and appreciate someone walking them through the steps.
Another great website I used to follow up on the root word lesson was quizlet.com. There were plenty of ready made flashcards with examples of roots being used in order for students to see patterns and recognize meanings. This website is also available in an app.
Used in the lesson:
www.quizlet.com
www.instagram.com
app: Instagram
app: Quizlet
wiki from Blackboard
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