Technology Article Summary

Do you ever wonder how and even if you should be using technology in your classroom?  Many of us love our computers, internet, cell phones, and blogs, but do we really know how to use technology appropriately in our classroom?

The article Teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and their planning and conduct of computer-mediated classroom lessons, discusses that teachers own beliefs on teaching affect how they use technology in the classroom (p.808). 

In one teachers words:

“I was like many new teachers last time ... always being excited about new ways of teaching. During my last twelve years, we have tried so many things ... group learning, problem-based learning, discovery learning, exploratory learning ... but they all didn’t work in the school system.  We need to understand the nature of the school system to be effective ... schools are still about doing well for the examinations” (p.823).

 A study by Gatzke and LeDrew, shows one school in Canada that found some great ways to implement the use of technology in classroom literacy learning with a physical education twist.

 Here is what they did:

First Step:  Two teachers (teaching 2/3 split and fourth grade) got together and picked two aboriginal games for the students to learn and play.  They picked the Screaming Game and the First Nations Foot Race.  Students were then taught how to play the game.

Second Step: The students then used procedural writing methods to explain to the reader the steps necessary to play the game and what materials were needed.

 Third Step:  The teachers modeled for the students how to use computers, how to access folders of pictures (using iphoto) of the students playing the games, and how to use spell check in wordprcessing.

 Fourth Step:  The students created “books” explaining the games in writing and with pictures.  Many students chose to add music as well .

 Fifth and Final Step:  The teachers printed out the books for each child and made an extra copy to keep in the classroom library (p.289).

 Don’t be afraid to implement technology into your classroom.  You might just be amazed with what your students are able to create!

Resources: 

Chai, C-S., Lim, C-P. (2008).  Teachers pedogical beliefs and their planning and conduct of computer mediated classroom lessons.  British Journal of Educational Technology. 39(5), 807-828.

 

Gatzke, L., LeDrew, J. (2008).  Liking physical education and technology to engage primary students in meaningful literacy experiences. The International Journal of Learning. 15(8), 287-294.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Online survey and quiz makers

I will be using the sight www.4teachers.org to create rubrics using their rubistar.  I will create a rubric to use during my photostory project with my students.  I found the online tool of rubistar to be very helpful in creating a rubric because the rubric design is pre-made.  All a teacher needs to do is type in the specific criteria they will use to grade the project.  

cyberbullying

As stated on wikipedia, cyberbullying "involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others."

I found two websites that were very child/student friendly for teaching students about cyberbullying.  The sites had kid friendly pictures and info. that could be tailored to different age groups.

www.stopcyberbullying.org

www.cyberbullying.info

Always use your best manners-netiquette

As found in Wikipedia, netiquette is defined as the "social conventions that facilitate interactions of networks."  Simply speaking, rules that govern the use of computers and the internet.  As with all behavior expectations, netiquette can vary depending on the community of people using it.

On www.albion.com, users can find a list of 10 rules taken from the book Netiquette written by Virginia Shea.  These are the basic rules of world wide web use in an easy to read format.

I also found a more detailed sight www.livinginternet.com with many tabs and links to find all the answers to netiquette questions.

My favorite sight was www.BPL.org.  This sight is the web page for the Boston Public Library.  This page was created for the use of children, listing eight rules that apply to internet usage with kids.

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

www.teachingteachers.com

Digital storytelling takes the art of telling a story and combines it with the use of technology.  Students are so excited about using computers, what a great way to encourage students to write and tell stories.  Digital storytelling can be used to tell a personal story, share educational learning, and to enhance writing curriculum.

"Human beings are naturally predisposed to hear, remember, and to tell stories.  The problem for teachers, parents, government leaders, friends and computers is to have more interesting stories to tell."

-Roger Schank

Here is another link I found showing different ways that digital storytelling has been used within education and out.

http://electronicportfolios.com/digistory

The use of blogs in the classroom

The use of blogs in the classroom.

As I began my research, I found many reasons teachers would use a blog for academic learning in the classroom. According to www.pembinatrails.ca/program/technology/uses_of_blog_in_education.htm, most teachers use blogs as a web page, link to internet research, to organize class discussions and for teachers and students to reflect about classroom learning and respond to topics. Teachers can also use blogs as a way to pass along class syllabi and for students to have a purpose for writing.
As I looked at these websites focused and ways to use blogs, and found other examples of teacher websites, I felt that many uses were created and more easily adapted in intermediate grades and certainly middle and high school. I then changed my search to look for uses of blogs in the primary grades, especially focusing on kindergarten. I was especially curious in looking at the use of blogs in a kindergarten classroom since most kindergarten students (especially at the beginning of the year) cannot write.
I found two wonderful blogs created by two teachers at the same community school, one kindergarten and one first grade (www.classblogmeister.com). The blogs were visually set up the same. The teachers organized the page and students had a chance to post comments and share class work. For the writing portion of the blog, the students used their best “sounding out” words and then the teacher added “adult” spelling at the bottom. One addition on the kindergarten teacher page that I found especially appealing was the video for parents on “how to blog with your child.” The teacher set up the video to encourage families to blog over the summer.
I have realized through my research that blogs can have a use in all grades and can be a successful tool even for students that are learning to write. Blogs can be used as a form of communication from teacher to student, student to teacher, and family to family.

educational journal

I decided to subscribe to www.earlychildhoodnews.com.  I decided to pick this journal because they listed many articles relating to developmentally appropriate practices for early childhood education teachers and primary school teachers.  In particular, I am interested in the articles that talk about early entry students to kindergarten and first grade.

PPT as an educational tool?

I have yet to use power point presentations in my own class.  I have heard about and seen other teachers use PPT in the primary grades with success.  Mostly, teachers I know have used PPT to display pictures in a story while they read the text or display the entire pages of a book so that students may practice using different types of reading and comprehension strategies.  I have also seen teachers turn classroom pictures into a powerpoint to display at the end of the year.  Parents and students alike enjoy that!

Brooke Morris-immigrants vs. natives

I think that there needs to be a balance between the old ways and the new.  I think that immigrants are always weary of the new because it is something unfamiliar and untried.  As educators, our job is to encourage students to be thinkers and inventors.  With that in mind, shouldn't we push students to be smarter and better than ourselves?

I do think there is a lot to be said about the "ways of the old."  I don't think that we should give up ways that we value from the past.  For me that means writing actual letters (mail) on paper and sending them.  I use email and text (most frequently) but I still take the time to send real letters/cards to my friends.

My Intro.

Hello,

I teach 1st grade in the Mukilteo School district.  This is my fourth year teaching.