Weekly Reflection

This week, we have worked on our Inspiration assignment to hopfully see how students can use Inspiration as a cognitive tool in the classroom. I believe this is s simple tool that students would quickly be able to learn how to use. Just click, click, and drag and viola! You'll have a concept map. I like how the concept map visually displays how things are connected. Students can picture their thoughts and make connections between ideas they may have had days before to ideas they have now. It helps them to organize their thoughts and yet can look as chaotic as ever to someone first taking a peek. After a quick analysis, the new viewer can pick up on the creator's train of thought...and even add new ideas to the "mess."
I enjoy using the asyncronous discussion to reflect on the thoughts of my classmates. It is great to be able to take the time to read their points and to digest them before responding. In a classroom discussion, if you missed out on a opportunity to respond, the class has aready moved on and you've missed out!
In regards to the Blog, I know that no one in the class will ever get back to mine to check out the changes...we have other things going on. Besides, they are responding to our asyncronous discussions and do not have any reason to check things out again. I only hope this isn't a wasted reflection. I suppose as long as I continue to visit my blog and play with things I may used this in real life. If I was a teacher, I would try to integrate a blog into my classroom; however, it would probably be at either the beginning of the year or mid-way through in order to give me time to figure out how.