Reflection #6 The Wires Growing Out of Our Children's Ears!!!

Does it seem to you like kids these days were born with wires coming out of their ears?

That is because they are so connected to the iPods that they seem to not be able to function in life without them.

So as teachers, why don’t we take advantage of that fact.  “The iPod Nano and iPod classic are more than just music and video players.  iPods have functionality that can be used in many different ways for teaching and learning.”

They have an amazing variety of uses of which include:  Lesson Plans, Audio, Video, Podcasting, Notes, Reference, Quizzes, As External Hard Drives

The following website has a vast collection of ideas and links to additional resources for how we can use these wires in the ears of our children to benefit them as well as our overall classroom experience.  I have followed the website link with comments from the blog in that I thought might spur your imagination and curiosity.

http://elementarytechteachers.ning.com/group/ipodsineducation

-          

• We use them for many activities, but the main emphasis has been on writing. I have taught students how to record and playback on the iPods.  They have recorded their story or writing ideas onto the iPods and then listened back to them when writing.  These little devises have been very motivating for reluctant writers!
• -          I’m having teachers around the building record stories to place on it (Art teacher reading a book with art theme, Music teacher reading on related to music, etc.)  We will create a listening center with a 5-way splinter so that a group can listen at one time.  We chose books that we have multiple copies of.  I am going to play around with creating epub books so that student original books can be placed there as well.
• -          I have been using Tar Heel Readers this year.  I downloaded stories in PowerPoint and then saved as JPEG’s and then they can be viewed on the iPod Touch.  I’ve also done word lists in PP and then uploaded it to Animoto.  I have the Animoto app on the iPod so those can be viewed as well…I need to get over to the IEAR Ning to check out recommendations there…
• -          One of my favorites is the Sesame Street podcasts.  There is a large variety of videos on different subject such as hibernation and metamorphosis.  The kids love them too!
• -          We are doing research with Pearl Driver and Word Magic and are seeing good results
• -          NCTM has Everyday Math apps available
• -          http://www.apple.com/itunes/education/  = App Store Volume Purchasing Program
• -          http://learninginhand.com   = Tony Vincent’s Learning in Hand explanation of the program
• -          …course on Google docs and created a Google site: https://sites.google.com/a/teacher.plymouth.k12.ma.us/elementary-ipads/

I want to further explore this – especially as not only a teacher, but a mom as well.

I wonder if there are classes that you can take that will teach you of all the educational benefits to iPods.

Hay – this is sure a wonderful argument for a kid to use on their parents for getting an iPod.

Reflection #5 Clickers are more useful than I thought

http://ctl.sri.com/publications/downloads/Teaching_with_Audience_Response_Systems_Brief_Report.pdf

I found this very informative study in regards to using “clickers” in the classroom.  The part that engaged me the most was the classifying of the teachers in regards to their usage of the technology in the classroom.  In our class, we were introduced to them, but I was unaware of the detail in which they can be used for.

So I went a little deeper in my research and found this resource from Vanderbilt:

http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/teaching-guides/technology/clickers/

This article not only give the gist of how to use the “clickers” in the classroom, but ways in which it can be used.  In addition, it provides multiple examples, videos of them in action, as well as suggestions and links to further resources and information.

I truly am intrigued by the extent of which these can be used in the class and hope that I have access to them when I am teaching.

Reflection #4 Keeping Up with Generation Technology

http://www.edutopia.org/synching-ikid

Here is an amazingly well written article about the struggles and benefits of teachers adjusting and accepting technology as a primary mode in which children learn.  In addition, it contains a list of wonderful resources for us to further look at and see how we can incorporate them into our daily lives as teachers. 

Teaching is not just what we will be doing for the kids.  All forms of educators need to realize that we not only need to keep abreast in the different models for educating children, but for educating ourselves and our peers as well.  We are a community that cannot become stagnant and still remain viable.  As this water that does not change, ebb and flow with the tides, we begin to lack oxygen necessary for life and growth.   

It is imperative that we all continue to keep up with the generations below us, as they will be much more technology savvy than us.  I believe that our main resource should always be the kids in which we come in contact to.  Let them educate you.  Ask them what types of technology they use and have them show you how to use it.  Then run with it.  You know that they already have an interest in it, so take that and make it an advantage for you.

My Glog

Reflection #3 Current Use of Technology in Classroom

My son attends Lakeview Elementary just down the road.  It is part of the Lake Washington School District which prides itself on the use of technology in the classroom. 

Over the last two years I have volunteered numerous hours in the classroom and never seen one of his teachers using the technology that they have at their fingertips, except for the microphone.

Even as the art docent I have used the Interactive Board and the Document Camera.  It is my question, who are they not using these tools?  I asked my son if his teachers used them, pointed directly to them and described what they did, he hesitated for a while and then said sometimes.  This says to me, that they don't use it very much if at all - otherwise he would have known what I was talking about.

According to their website (http://www.lwsd.org/Parents/Teaching-Curriculum/Pages/Classroom-Technology.aspx) all of the teachers have access to multiple modes of technology within each individual classroom. 

With the well documented benefits of technology in the classroom (http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/06/28/teachers-report-educational-benefits-of-frequent-technology-use.aspx) how can we get the "older" teachers to get on board and feel comfortable with it?

Reading Games

Hangman: http://www.hangman.no/
This can be used in order to teach reading.  It helps kids to formulate words through site and recognition.
Children use several diferrent pre-reading skills when they play hangman.  Including their initial phonitic awareness that they learned, being able to tie words in with culture and so forth.

Also, Hangman is just plain old fun!!!

Reflection #2 Classroom Technology Wish List: 101 Ways to Bring Technology into the Classroom

What: Check out this website.  It is a blog with a massive compilation of tech resources for classrooms.

Included topics are Laptops in the Classroom; Non-traditional Reading and Writing; Blogging; Computer Safety; Classroom Websites; Making Money Online; GPS and Mappig Tech; Internet as Global Village; Tech as Teaching Tool; Music and Tech; Class Projects; PE and Tech; Ipad in the Classroom.

So What: This site is a never ending maze of information.  It makes me realize just how little I am in this world and how ignorant I am about what is available in this world.  I hope that I always continue to grow, to become more aware of resources and to be able to continually learn from others experiences and developments.

Now What: This is now an addition to my resources list.  I look forward to further browsing through this website and discovering the wealth of information that it contains.

Comments Assignment

Stephanie: http://stephaniesneezes.blogspot.com/2011/10/reflection-2.html?showComment=1318223698596#c2027252523306302320

Angela: http://angelarunte.blogspot.com/2011/09/blog-5-promethean-active-board.html?showComment=1318224043390#c1980444555975251126

Cassie: http://cassietheduke.blogspot.com/2011/10/reflection-on-tech-2.html?showComment=1318224308482#c6082703012863322634

Jodie: http://jodiecastleberrythoughts.blogspot.com/2011/09/week-2-reflective-or-informative.html?showComment=1318224590421#c9011025139699986944

Peter: http://pruiznuteched.blogspot.com/2011/10/reflection-3.html?showComment=1318225100772#c161335606923620569

Drew: http://drewjensen08-drew.blogspot.com/2011/09/digital-natites-digital-immigrants.html?showComment=1318225399611#c6663898584421466034

Beth: http://bethhascalltech.blogspot.com/2011/10/reflection-3.html?showComment=1318225607660#c8967487156030534659

Tatro: http://tatro8.blogspot.com/2011/10/reflection-2-converting-classics-into.html?showComment=1318226009872#c6249624250908047435

Camille: http://camgasparini.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-first-blog.html?showComment=1318227188718#c1881818163117128966

Chelsie: http://chelseamarie731.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-do-i-feel-about-technology.html?showComment=1318236384590#c7382406232605694648

Does anybody know Chelsie's blog address?

I need to comment on her for our assignment!!!!

Found it: http://chelseamarie731.blogspot.com/

Generation IM

I found this article inlightening and informative.  I took notes of the various sites and am planning on going thru them with my kids.  In addition, brain thinking of the endless ways of incorporating technology into the classroom.  First and foremost, I might need the kids to teach me!!
For a science lesson, the kids can monitor space activity on the NASA website and have to blog about it or they may use the Google SketchIt program to make preliminary drawing of their projects prior to doing the actual hands on work.

JoDee