Collaboration/YouTube/Virtual World/Avatar:

Collaboration:

 

DEFINITION:
1. the act of working with another or others on a joint project
 2. something created by working jointly with another or others

(2011, May 01). Dictionary.com | free online dictionary for english definitions. website: http://dictionary.reference.com/

                                        

CONNECTION: 
Group projects and working with others in the early ed. classroom helps establish social skills that are needing to be strengthened in the young child. 


YouTube:      
 http://www.youtube.com/
DEFINITION:

one of many video sharing sites. It is currently the largest and owned by Google. “Like many Web 2.0 tools and resources; YouTube is a highly interesting social phenomenon. Created in mid-February 2005, it soon attracted millions of daily visitors.”

Bonk, C. J. (2009). The world open: How web technology is revolutionizing education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.pg. 208.

CONNECTION:
 Personal accounts can be created which will allow me as a teacher to generate content to my students see live action of lessons instead of simply reading about it in a textbook. 

Virtual World: 
http://secondlife.com/
DEFINITION: 

“there are virtual worlds that learners can enter to discover or share information, make new friends, discuss ideas, and conduct transactions.” Bonk, C. J. (2009). The world open: How web technology is revolutionizing education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.pg.277

CONNECTION:

Virtual Worlds represent a powerful new media for instruction and education. By using a virtual world in the classroom I can expose my children to real life experiences without ever leaving the 4 walls of my classroom.

  Avatar:   

DEFINITION: The visual (oftentimes cartoonish) representation of a person in a virtual world or virtual chat room. “An avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter or character. It may take either a three-dimensional form, as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities."

(2011, May 01). Avatar (computing). Retrieved from - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_(computing)

CONNECTION:
When participating in online communities or virtual worlds and/or chat rooms, may parents of students are concerned about safety while their child is on the Internet. Avatars help to create some sort of anonymity for my students.