Lesson Learned from Voice Thread

I enjoyed working with first grade students on completing this Voice Thread learning activity relating to weather. The Voice Thread learning activity provided me with a different experience and perspective of using technology with first grade students. For me this project presented a challenge for me because I wanted to have the experience of actually creating a technology integration learning activity to work with primary elementary students. This learning activity provided me with a real-life opportunity to experience my program focus, which is developing online resources and training for early childhood educators, students and their caregivers.

I thought that I had created a learning activity that would provide first grade students with the right amount of rigor to challenge them to seek additional knowledge about weather. I quickly realized that I had forgotten an important instructional strategy when developing any type of learning activity for young children it has to be developmental appropriate for their age range and their cognitive ability. The critical thinking aspect of the question I presented to first grade students was answered based on their prior knowledge, interaction with their environment and experience of how weather impacts their lives. This is a very important lesson to remember when developing learning activities that support technology integration for primary elementary students.

Time..

This post is late. Due to the fact I had to redo my Voice Thread project. Originally, I had collaborate and planned unit for fourth grade students with the fourth grade teacher on What is an ecosystem? But it did not work out. Lucky, for me I was able to collaborate with a first grade teacher to incorporate Voice Thread into her science unit on weather. It work out good for me because it allowed me to see the challenges and rewards of technology integration for young elementary students.

Comic Life Experience

I truly enjoyed collaborating and working with fifth grade students on Revenge of the Printed Journal Comic Life project. The excitement and enthusiasm that students displayed throughout the project reinforces the importance of using the right technology to create authentic learning activities to meet the needs of student learners. Students were involved in the planning, creating, writing, designing and implementing the storyline for the project. I felt lucky to receive support and encouragement for the project on a daily basis from co-worker, who teaches first grade. This support and encouragement gave me extra motivation for the project and feed my excitement about collaborating with fifth grade students.
Using the right technology to engage and motivate students with learning activities that supports real-life connections is one of the goals of technology integration. For technology integration to be successful on the student level it must build on prior knowledge that is formal and informal. The comic life project meet this goal of technology integration for fifth grade students by providing them with a deeper understanding of what is narrative writing and what motivates characters and their actions.
Overall, I really enjoyed working and collaborating with fifth grade students on this project.

Project-Based Learning Reflection

As I read and reflect on Project-Based Learning model that we are currently reviewing in class there are a couple ideas that stand out to me based on my previous experience. I previous taught in a school where all the learning and teaching was based on project-based learning model. It was one of the best teaching experience I ever had because I could see students make connections to their learning and their personal lives. As an educator it provided me with the freedom to teach the curriculum in a manner that allow students to meet the standards and at the same time address student's learning styles and needs. When I taught in a project-based learning school there was not any high-tech equipment or any of the technology that I currently use. The environment promoted students learning and I enjoyed the freedom it offered me as an educator.

The two concepts that stand out to me are: 1. Collaborative teaching is an invaluable component of project-based learning. Time limitation for planning effect the creativity of teachers. As well as impacting the learning opportunities for students and teachers to make new connections on which they can build and develop new knowledge. 2.Project-based learning offer more freedom to teachers to create authentic learning activities and assessments to meet the needs and learning styles of our increasing diverse student population that exist in our classrooms. It is not a cookie-cutter approach to education and it limits the amount of pressure that students and teachers feel towards mastering the state standards and curriculum to pass the test.

Blogging Experience So Far...

For me blogging has been interesting experience because of the responses to the blog reviews that were shared on the discussion board. A key element of the review was that everyone seem to share the opinion that format, background, layout and color are important to gaining insight into the blog creator. I think this is true statement about blogs. I think a challenge for me is how to turn this medium into a form for discussion as it currently relates to how I am using technology in the Media Center.

Right now, I am working with my fifth grade students to get them familiarized and assist them with setting-up to use their school email accounts. So far it going well with one exception. This student views the school email account like a Yahoo account for sending personal email. I have to make a decision about whether or not the student will be allowed to keep the account or lose it because this infraction. The purpose is to teach students how to submit their class assignments electronically. When the guidelines are broken how do I handle the situation. Do I give the student a second chance or not?

It is very important that for students are able to have access to their account not only for class assignment. It also provides access to the Media Center blog where they blog about the books they are currently reading. It is not an easy decision to make.

Wiki in the Classroom

I found the article on Wikis in the classroom to be a great article. Judging from the responses that I received that many of fellow classmates seemed willing to try to integrate Wikis in their classroom setting. This is a great first small and simple step start to integrating technology in the classroom.
The following is a summary to the article entitled:

A Wiki for Classroom Writing.

Writing for many students can be a means of communication that is personal, thoughtful and insightful process, which allows students to explore who they are as individual and as a person.
The challenge that teachers face is takes this form of interpersonal communication and turn into collaborative pursuit that allows students to express their ideas, opinions and points of view in medium that offers endless possibilities to mature as a writer and a content producer. Authors Brian Morgan and Richard Smith provide a general overview of what is a wiki and explains the difference between a wiki and blog.
The authors provides teachers with easy instructional tips on how incorporating a wiki into the writing process. In addition, the authors offer suggestions on the role of teacher as the facilitator, co-producer or conductor of the wiki. The key points are that wikis offer student writer many opportunities to engage in creating content and to collaborate with their fellow classmate and teachers to produce content that is meaningful and technology rich.
Reference:
Morgan, B and Smith,R.D.(2008). A Wiki for classroom writing. Reading Teacher, 62(1),80-82 doi:10.159B/RT.62.1.10

Reflection

I have included a link techteaching.net/teachers.html to an technology cartoon relating to integration. Scroll to the bottom of the page to view the cartoon. It sums up how important teacher's attitude towards technology integration and their skill level are the most important factors that determines the success or failure of technology integration. These factors are sometimes overlook or ignored when discussing technology integration. These two factors are critical for successful technology integration. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to view the cartoon.