eLearning

I am taking four online professional development classes. It's not that I need the hours - I always have plenty - but I am hoping to use more Web 2.0 tools in my classroom. Here are the four courses I am taking:

1. WebQuests, Treasure Hunts, and HotLists for Beginners
2. Designing a Virtual Field Trip (I can't find one I like, so I'm going to make my own)
3. Wikis and Blogs and Podcasts and Skype (I've never used Skype, and hopefully I will find more info I can use on the other three)
4. Becoming an Online Course Facilitator

I chose that last one because I have begun using Moodle to deliver information and tests to my students. Imagine an art teacher forced to shrink great works of art into tiny pictures and photocopy them in black and white to show students on their tests. That was me, only last year. Now, with Moodle, I can show my students large, full-color images of artworks for their tests. It is wonderful! I can even let them guess at an answer a second time for partial credit if they miss it the first time. I have uploaded projects and rubrics to Moodle, as well. And it grades the tests for you! Very nice and handy. I love it! And, best of all, it is free. Your school system just uploads it to their server and you can use it!

I think I will like the online classes. I just have to make time to do them!