Dropio

Dropio...wow this was fun. Dropio is a file sharing site where you can either collaborate via a unique conference call number or simply by forwarding your drop to anyone and asking them to leave comments. It allows users to create "drops". These drops can be documents, images, video, or audio.It is a very simple site and the learning curve is minimal. You can visit a recent drop created by me by clicking here. I could see this easily being integrated into my future professional developments. Teachers could use this as a podcasting alternative. Students could receive an invite to the drop via email, listen to the podcast, and then blog about material covered within the drop. This not only provides students with content, but it also requires them to access technologies that will reinforce their skills in this area. I think this will be very fun and exciting to investigate further.
I hope to introduce this mid-year in our district. I want to give as many options for technical use as possible. Giving students options for assignment production will give students the sense that their opinion counts. It will allow them to choose a medium that they feel can best meet the needs of the given assignment. It also helps get their buy in. Likewise giving teachers options does the same thing. Integrating technology can not only be used to better engage the student but to also re-engage the teachers. It gives them different avenues of providing instruction. They have options. It helps alleviate the boredom of doing the same thing year after year. While it is true that some are indeed resistant to learning new technologies, many are very excited about it. For the ones who are fearful it is important to find out exactly why this is and most cases it can be overcome.
A good way to introduce new technologies to teachers is to create the training in the technology that they are attempting to learn to use. Modeling will go a long way to ensure that teachers comprehend exactly what they are being asked to do. So not only are they able to see the technical aspect of what is being introduced they are better able to comprehend ways to integrate it. This is just one way that this tool could be used. The possibility for integrating this is endless. Like I said I really enjoyed working with this tool and all I was able to learn about it.