Learning Technologies in Primary School

I also value Banaszewski’s discussion about the importance of the teacher producing and sharing his or her own digital story, to set an example of the risks that can be taken through the process, including justifications of using particular images, tone of voice and background music in their digital story. Therefore, the teacher is modelling the quality of work that can be produced and that is expected.

I feel that it is also important that when producing these types of tasks, such as digital stories and podcasts, that the classroom needs to be a safe environment in which students feel that they can share their stories.

The process I went through to produce my own digital story and this article has informed me as to the process of making a digital story and ways in which to motivate and engage students in their learning.

I agree with Tom Banaszewski who said in his article Digital Storytelling Finds Its Place in the Classroom that he was ‘yet to find anything as motivating and influential on students’ self-expression as helping them tell stories’ through digital storytelling.

From my experience of constructing a digital story (to watch my digital story click here: My Passion), when you are producing a product that is directly related to your own experience and feelings and with knowledge that it will be published to a wide audience. Hence, I can see how students would be motivated and engaged in the digit story making process.

Similiarily, Banaszewski discusses in this article that his students became ‘committed to a topic’ because it related to their feelings. Furthermore, Banaszewski provides a variety of management tips for teachers who are constructing an iMovie with their class, from the importance of writing a clear story before the students commence the production of their iMovie, to the selecting of images that accurately represent the story, to recording voice overs.

There is so much to blog about in regards to this topic I will continue tomorrow.

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I would like to share the following online resource called Great Source iWrite. It was rated very highly in the journal review as it is a free internet website with an online database of writing resources for educators, parent and students. The resources relate to curriculum topics and provide online support which aims to improve students ability, accessibility and motivation to write. The beauty of this resource is that extra support can be readily available anytime to suit each individual student, whether it be a writing instruction of a text time or a grammar lesson. Furthermore, teachers and parents have access to a range of materials that, as a pre-service teacher I may not yet have access to.

As an educator I am always searching and scouting for authentic reliable and suitable resources to enrich and support the teaching and learning of my students and to keep my students parents informed regarding their childrens learning. This resource allows me as an educator to do this and therefore provides each student every opportunity to succeed and excell in their learning of writing.

So, if you are a pre-service teacher, take a look, as this website gives us access to a wealth of information including assessment rubics and mini lessons. A great resource for supporting teachers in building up resources that are easily to use and adequate support available.

I’m sold. Take a look.

Reference: Felix, K. (2007). Product Reviews. MultiMedia & Internet @ Schools, 14 (2), 41-48.

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This article (see reference below) caught my eye, as the class I am doing my upcoming practicum with will be focusing on the topic of farming, so I am looking for ways to enrich students learning about ‘agriculture practices, economies and the importance of farming’ (p. 17), this I feel could be achieved and aided through the use of learning technologies. Hence, the following resource brings farm life to the students in a virtual form (www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/virtualfarm/main.html). Where students can view videos, photos and games about a variety of different types of farms. This resource is a fantastic way to bring farms into the classroom, especially for those students who do not have the opportunity to visit a farm. Please check this out as it is a useful resource.

Journal Reference: Joseph, L. C. (2008). Cyberbee: seeds of change. MultiMedia & Internet @ Schools, 15 (2), 17-20.

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I read a journal article (see reference below) about e-scheduling, a fantastic way in which educators can reserve and view available library and computer lab times through multiple log ins and passwords, to access online calendars with accompanying email accounts. E-scheduling provides educators with a software application that provides the teacher freedom to view and access the calendar at anytime, so that the teacher can plan and schedule lessons as it suites them. Hence, the level of technology is not important here, rather collaboration and economy in teaching it provides.

Importantly, online applications do not mean that face to face interaction and collaboration is abandoned, instead should make the time consuming administrative duties easier and more efficient. Therefore, allowing more time for planning of learning time and to further support the needs of the students.

Journal Reference: Anderson, M. A. (2007). The Media Centre: E-Scheduling. MultiMedia & Internet @ Schools, 14 (2), 29-31.

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I read an article in MultiMedia & Internet @ Schools (see reference below) which discusses ways in which to educate students about the way social networks exist in society. Therefore, providing students with adequate social awareness to interact in the social networks which exist online, a place in which children are so prone.

The article suggests that from kindergarten to class eight educators should be integrating into their curriculum a focus on their students’ local and global community. The aim in the early years is to build awareness of the people that live and make up their community and then in the later years concentrate on the social networks that exist in the global community. Therefore, students will be aware of ‘their own place in the world’ and the different people that make up that world (p.23). This awareness about the relationships to people in their ‘world’ provides the students with the knowledge and skill to interact appropriately with different people that make up the society in which they live. Hence, becoming second nature that can be transferred into the virtual world of social networks and the appropriate ways in which to interact with the variety of people that the student may come in contact with.

Reference: Abram, S. (2008). The pipeline: scaffolding the new social literacies. MultiMedia & Internet @ Schools, 15 (2), 21-23.

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I read Sari’s posting on the use of interactive whiteboards in the classroom setting and I became very interested in the different strategies teachers use this technology to engage students in the content of the lesson, cater for all learning types and meet students with special needs. Mary Lehman discusses in her youtube commentary the various ways the whiteboard is used throughout the school day and in a variety of KLA’s. Teaching strategies include: scanning the students written text types and getting them to read them aloud to the class and use their writing to teach specific skills; the whiteboard can act as a workstation in literacy and mathematics lessons and focus on a specific skill; can be utilised during transition times; children can retell stories using pictures scanned from the book of focus; and narrate a movie about a field trip the class has undertaken.

When I am just about to venture out on prac, it was very helpful to focus on specific strategies in which interactive whiteboards can be used during the day, as I am fortunate enough to have an interactive whiteboard installed in my classroom. As Mary Lehman states, the interactive whiteboard is an ‘invaluable tool in the classroom.’

EDCompass is a newsletter that provides news and resources for educators using Smart Technologies products. The most common Smart Technologies product we as pre-service teachers will have access to is the SmartBoard interactive whiteboard. The newsletter provides teachers information about new software available through Smart Technologies; SmartBoard and other lesson ideas; professional development seminars and workshops available to teachers; success stories of educators and schools using Smart Technologies products; and features articles. This newsletter enables: educators to use and utilise Smart Technologies products in their teaching practice; educators to have access to and keep up to date with the wide range of products Smart Technologies; and most importantly, aids teachers to become competent users of Smart Technologies products in their classroom. It is vital as educators, throughout their teacher career, continue to perfect and develop their teaching practice, EDCompass is a great resource that will help teachers to do just that.

This is a very moving story about a beautiful 8 year old with Cerebral Palsy, Melissa. It is hard not to be distracted by this touching story about Melissa’s struggle to communicate with the world for the very first time. Though at the centre of Melissa’s struggle and for so many others with Cerebral Palsy, technology is the key to opening a whole new world for them, to enable them to ‘release what is in their mind’. Mouse stimulation, in this case enables Melissa to control the mouse of any computer software with her eyes. I wanted to share this story as it is reminds us, as pre-service teachers, the empowerment technology can bestow our students with special needs.

During this commentary, ed-tech experts debate the value of Interactive Whiteboards. While I believe, as Doug Brown mentions, that Whiteboards have revolutionised instruction by improving pace of lesson, student engagement and motivation and teacher preparation. I found the following issues insightful and reinforced for me that, as Bob Moore discusses, the danger of educational technology is that ‘the most incredible technological tools…even excellent professional development’ will not improve or ‘transform’ the educational practice of teacher. Furthermore, as Doug Brown identifies that not all teachers are using the WhiteBoard to there full potential and that this is ‘not about the technology, it is actually about the teaching’.