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Keeping
up to date with the latest technology jargon
I've assembled this list to help you better understand your students
and the technology jargon that might pop-up in your classroom.
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Blog:
Short for "Web Log," this term refers to a list of journal
entries posted on a Web page. Anybody who knows how to create
and publish a Web page can publish their own blog. Some Web
hosts have made it even easier by creating an interface where
users can simply type a text entry and hit "publish" to publish
their blog. Because of the simplicity of creating a blog, many
people (often young kids and adults) have found a new presence
on the Web. Blogs are typically updated daily, monthly, or
anywhere in between. "Blog" may also be used as a verb, as in
"Wow, Matt sure blogged a lot last week."
Source of definition:
http://www.techterms.org
For teachers, blogging can be an easy way to start the equivalent of
a class "website" where you can leave comments for students or even
open the blog up to dynamic discussions from your students. You
don't need to know any fancy web programming skills either!
Here is an example of an actual class using a blog:
http://camillestith.wordpress.com/
Here is where you can go to get started on making on your own (free)
blog:
http://www.wordpress.com
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MySpace:
MySpace
is an on-line community that allows friends to keep in touch and
meet new people as well. It started out as a website that bands
could use to promote their music, but has since grown into a
more general community of friends. Anyone who is at least 14
years old can sign up for a MySpace account at no cost. Once you
sign up, you can customize your profile by adding information
about yourself, listing your interests, hobbies and educational
background, and uploading photos of yourself and your friends.
You can also create your own blog for others to read.
Source of definition:
http://www.techterms.org
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Cell phone texting:
If you ever notice your students tapping away at their cell
phones, they are likely sending short text messages to each
other's cell phones. It's somewhat like on-line chatting, but on
a cell phone.
It is often referred to as "texting".
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Podcast:
A podcast is an audio broadcast that is downloaded from the
Internet. Podcasts are played back on portable MP3 players or a
home computer. The user subscribes to a Podcast broadcast which
contains audio content (talk, discussions, music, etc.) that
originates from a popular website or news outlet. The name "podcasting"
originated with a reference to iPods, but you do not need an
iPod to listen to them.
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YouTube:
YouTube
is a website that allows anyone with a free YouTube account to
upload digital video clips for people to see. There are
thousands of searchable videos available on all subjects.
YouTube is popular as you do not need to install any fancy
software to view videos.
Technology terms are forever changing. Check out
the techterms website
for the latest expressions and
their meaning. |
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