Using Technology Via Blabber in the Classroom

Dear South Cobb High Parents,

We are off to a great start in World Literature this year. I am looking forward to getting to know more about your child as the semester progresses. My goal throughout the Fall 2009 semester is to find integrative ways for your child to use technology inside the classroom. Technology will allow students to become more engaged in classroom activities to make learning more fun and meaningful for students both inside and outside of the classroom.

One of the ways that I will be integrating technology into the classroom is through a web site called Blabber. This assignment will require the use of a computer, either at home or in a classroom computer lab.

Blabber allows students to upload a 30 second audio, similarly to a Podcast. Before uploading the audio portion, you have to create a picture. After uploading the picture, you can cut out the mouth, so that the picture will speak in addition to the audio recording.

This web site will function as an integrative tool because it is quick and easy for students to use. Furthermore, the web site can be used for various activities and assignments. In our World Literature classroom, I plan to use this web site for students to discuss how they feel about an assignment or to tell me about a specific character he or she read about.

Blabber can be used for any academic subjects in addition to being used outside of the classroom. Many students are already using Blabber just for fun, so why not integrate it into the classroom to make learning fun for students? Creating a Blabber is much more fun, quicker, and a more effective way for students to analyze a specific character within a reading. The Blabber will replace our Mini-Body Biographies that we are already completing, which takes up to an hour for students to complete. However, with Blabber, students can complete an interactive character analysis in less than 30 minutes.

The Blabber will adhere to the Georgia Performance Standards ELA9W3, which states that the student will use technology to support writing, and Georgia Performance Standard ELAALRL1. Standard ELAALRL1 says that the student will demonstrate understanding by identifying a character within a story as the basis for interpretation.

Finally, I am excited to be working with your child throughout the semester. Many students and parents have found that technology has contributed to their child's education. To find out more about what other parents and teachers have to say about using technology in the classroom, watch the You Tube video, titled "Technology in Schools." I am here for you and your child, so please contact me at anytime via email at megan.henley@gmail.com or you may respond to specific Blogs via comments.

Thank you for your support,

Ms. Henley

Your child's World Lit. Teacher