Chapter 4 talks about intergrating technology into every day lessons.
In my PreK3 classroom I use a projector. I use it to play educational clips, interactive games, and pictures. I have many educational DVD's and use the Internet to find clips associated with my lessons. We subscribe to Scholastic's Let's Find Out and Clifford's Big Idea magazines. Every flyer is accompanied with an online version with videos, games, and printable worksheets.
For lesson planning I use PlanbookEdu.com. I like it, because I can copy periods. During my day, many periods repeat daily, so with a click of a button I copy plans. I also like it because I can highlight text and use different backgroud color, to make some periods stand out.
Our school uses OptionC for grading and communication with parents. Each students gets a code to sign it to view information. It includes grades, future assignments, attendance history, and messages to and from parents.
For my assesment I use technology during clips. When I play an interactive games, I observe who is participating and answering questions. Students who do not participate (and by now I know who is shy or tired, and who need additional instruction) I meet later for some one-on-one instruction. I got new iPads, but haven't put them out yet. We are still learning rules.
I like all the websites and apps provided in the textbook. Although many are not age appropriate for my students, there are some that I find useful. I also appreciate all ideas from my classmates. Thank you for sharing!
Monday, September 29, 2014
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Summary of today's class
My take away message of today's class is to be creative and engage the audience. I loved the PowerPoint presentations demonstrated in the class. I had no idea how engaging they can be. I hope I can create a good piece myself.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Chapter 3 & 9
I like the question that opens chapter 3 -"What can you teach with technology that you cannot teach just as well without it?" I think we can teach without technology, but can we imagine a classroom without it in 21 st century classroom? Technology opens new possibilities for students across grade levels and the curriculum. Today's technologies "generate unique, powerful, and transformative learning experiences that do not happen in the same way or with the same impact when nonelectronic materials are used".
Current learning standards for educational technologies include five topics: critical thinking and problem solving, digital literacies, electronic communications and collaborations, creativity, and ditital citizenship. These standards applied in the classrooms enhance Student-Centered learning. The research conducted over 40 years period (Tamin et al., 2011)shows that "technology does produce gains in student learning when it is used to actively engage students, create communication among learners, and offer students opportunities to manipulate and interpret in a computer-based learning evvironment". As a teacher I felt needed and appreciated after reading the other part of their findings, that "[i]n contrast, technology as a sole provider of academic content does not result in student learning gains. Teachers are critically important in supporting learning by focusing student's attention on questions to investigate and by enabling students to process and reflect on what they are learning through conversing and writing".
A while ago my son's class visited a bank. One of the tellers explained to them how the bank works. She showed them how checks can be scanned and deposited. After the presentation they were asked to draw a picture of a bank from the future. My son drew a robot sitting behind the counter doing all the work. When we returned to their classroom, the teacher asked the students to draw a picture of a classroom from the future. There were computers, Smartboards, calculators, iPads, and projectors in their pictures, and every one of them had a teacher standing in the room! When the teacher asked them wether they would like a robot or computer to teach them, they all started laughing and said the teacher was silly.
Chapter 9 lists multimedia technologies used by teachers. They combine text, data, voice, picture, and video. PowerPoints are widely used in classrooms for presentations, however they are not engaging and often uninteresting. Digital projectors, document cameras, videos, webcasts are among many technological advances that engage students in learning. Because I teach PreK, I can not do any projects with them. Their participation is limited to using iPads and engaging in video clips. I can see how older students can participate in creating projects involving multimedia technologies.
I have a projector in my classroom, and I'm limited to playing "educational clips" for students. I try to make it interesting and engaging by pausing, rewinding, and asking questions. The fact that they watch a clip on a huge screen, gets their attention no matter what the theme is. I am very inetersted in Streamimg Video Resources for Teachers listed in the chapter and one day would like to learn Digital Storytelling.
Questions:
1. What kind of Multimedia Technologies can be used in Early Childhood classrooms?
2. What Multimedia Technologies do you see in the classrooms 50, 100 years from now?
I like the question that opens chapter 3 -"What can you teach with technology that you cannot teach just as well without it?" I think we can teach without technology, but can we imagine a classroom without it in 21 st century classroom? Technology opens new possibilities for students across grade levels and the curriculum. Today's technologies "generate unique, powerful, and transformative learning experiences that do not happen in the same way or with the same impact when nonelectronic materials are used".
Current learning standards for educational technologies include five topics: critical thinking and problem solving, digital literacies, electronic communications and collaborations, creativity, and ditital citizenship. These standards applied in the classrooms enhance Student-Centered learning. The research conducted over 40 years period (Tamin et al., 2011)shows that "technology does produce gains in student learning when it is used to actively engage students, create communication among learners, and offer students opportunities to manipulate and interpret in a computer-based learning evvironment". As a teacher I felt needed and appreciated after reading the other part of their findings, that "[i]n contrast, technology as a sole provider of academic content does not result in student learning gains. Teachers are critically important in supporting learning by focusing student's attention on questions to investigate and by enabling students to process and reflect on what they are learning through conversing and writing".
A while ago my son's class visited a bank. One of the tellers explained to them how the bank works. She showed them how checks can be scanned and deposited. After the presentation they were asked to draw a picture of a bank from the future. My son drew a robot sitting behind the counter doing all the work. When we returned to their classroom, the teacher asked the students to draw a picture of a classroom from the future. There were computers, Smartboards, calculators, iPads, and projectors in their pictures, and every one of them had a teacher standing in the room! When the teacher asked them wether they would like a robot or computer to teach them, they all started laughing and said the teacher was silly.
Chapter 9 lists multimedia technologies used by teachers. They combine text, data, voice, picture, and video. PowerPoints are widely used in classrooms for presentations, however they are not engaging and often uninteresting. Digital projectors, document cameras, videos, webcasts are among many technological advances that engage students in learning. Because I teach PreK, I can not do any projects with them. Their participation is limited to using iPads and engaging in video clips. I can see how older students can participate in creating projects involving multimedia technologies.
I have a projector in my classroom, and I'm limited to playing "educational clips" for students. I try to make it interesting and engaging by pausing, rewinding, and asking questions. The fact that they watch a clip on a huge screen, gets their attention no matter what the theme is. I am very inetersted in Streamimg Video Resources for Teachers listed in the chapter and one day would like to learn Digital Storytelling.
Questions:
1. What kind of Multimedia Technologies can be used in Early Childhood classrooms?
2. What Multimedia Technologies do you see in the classrooms 50, 100 years from now?
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Chapter 1 & 2
Technology plays an important role in the lives of students and teachers. The terms used in chapter one digital childhood and iGeneration describe well the influence of technology on our lives. Teachers use technology as instructional tools in the classroom, professional resources outside-the-classroom, and as learning resources inside- and outside-the-classroom.
The goal of the new Common Core Standars applied in today's classrooms is to get the students ready to succeed in the future. The technology will only develope, and we can only imagine what our children and their children will experience in the future. The National Council of Teachers of English issued a 21st century literacies (skills the students will need in the future). "To live and to work successfully in this new century, students must have the basic competencies of reading, writing, and computation, and an array of technology-based literacies, including proficiency with technology tools, the ability to build relationships and solve problems collaboratively, the capability to desigh and share information, the capacity to analyze and evaluate information from multiple sources, and the capability to handle information in ethical ways".
The great advantage of using technology in the classroom is to engage students by applying differentiated instruction and motivating those who lack interest. Students can "visit" the places they learn about without leaving their homes or classrooms. My older son had to create a movie trailer in his computer class. It was the best project ever. He was so excited to do it.
My PreK students play educational games on computers during Center Time. Recently we had replaced computers with iPods, because the students were losing interest. Almost all of the students kept touching the computer screen, having the experience with iPods or other touch screen devices at home.
I can not see the future in education without a teacher, but can not picture it without the technology either.
Questions:
1. Can the role of a techer be replaced with technology based learning?
2. What can be done for older teachers, who do not feel comfortable with technology, to ensure technology enhanced classrooms?
The goal of the new Common Core Standars applied in today's classrooms is to get the students ready to succeed in the future. The technology will only develope, and we can only imagine what our children and their children will experience in the future. The National Council of Teachers of English issued a 21st century literacies (skills the students will need in the future). "To live and to work successfully in this new century, students must have the basic competencies of reading, writing, and computation, and an array of technology-based literacies, including proficiency with technology tools, the ability to build relationships and solve problems collaboratively, the capability to desigh and share information, the capacity to analyze and evaluate information from multiple sources, and the capability to handle information in ethical ways".
The great advantage of using technology in the classroom is to engage students by applying differentiated instruction and motivating those who lack interest. Students can "visit" the places they learn about without leaving their homes or classrooms. My older son had to create a movie trailer in his computer class. It was the best project ever. He was so excited to do it.
My PreK students play educational games on computers during Center Time. Recently we had replaced computers with iPods, because the students were losing interest. Almost all of the students kept touching the computer screen, having the experience with iPods or other touch screen devices at home.
I can not see the future in education without a teacher, but can not picture it without the technology either.
Questions:
1. Can the role of a techer be replaced with technology based learning?
2. What can be done for older teachers, who do not feel comfortable with technology, to ensure technology enhanced classrooms?
Personal Learning Goals
My personal learning goal for this course is to succesfully complete it and to learn a lot. I have been teaching Preschool for 5 years, and I use technology in my daily lessons. The first few days of PreK are always challenging, and I have to say that the use of my projector saves me every time. I incorporate educational clips to enchance learning, and at time play something just for fun. Well, my students had a lot of fun the first week of school! I would like lo learn how to incorporate the use of technology at the higher level. I like the idea of blogging, (even though I prefer the face-to-face interactions), and hope I will not only learn from Dr. Chen, but also from my classmates.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)