Integration of technology into the curriculum is currently in the infancy stage at my school. Not only do we lack sufficient computers and other tools, but our students have not yet had a keyboarding class. For this reason, I will have to carefully consider how to begin harnessing technology in a practical and beneficial way. One application to which I was introduced in another class this semester is Voicethreads. Using it, students and teachers can respond to a graphic or video using only their voices. I think it would be a highly motivating introduction for students who haven’t really communicated through technology before. I could use it in the library to get students to comment on different books. The book jacket could be displayed on the Voicethread and then students could make their comments into the microphone. Their recorded comment would be heard when their photo was clicked.
Another technology I would like to see our students learn is PowerPoint. This would require very little keyboarding while still providing a new and exciting way for them to communicate new knowledge to their classmates and teachers. Students could help create PowerPoints in the library to announce school news on the monitor that sits at the checkout counter. They could also create PowerPoints in their other classes to report findings from research. I know this isn’t anything new or exciting to most of you! We are just really behind, and I know that learning PowerPoint would be most exciting to our students.
Both Voicethreads and PowerPoint lend themselves to the Constructivist model of learning and require students to think critically. I’m looking forward to having more time next year to devote to helping teachers learn these skills in hopes that they’ll, in turn, teach their students.
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This is so sad to me! In the district that I live in, the kids start keyboarding class in kindergarten... it's crazy that there is so much discrepancy in resources (and priorities) across the state.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, Mandy. Our superintendent was talking to us this afternoon about that very thing. He said that there can be as much as $6,500 DIFFERENCE in money spent per child per year in Texas schools.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of blessings from teaching in a poor district, as well, though. We have very appreciative parents as opposed to demanding and critical ones. Our children are appreciative, too. If I show them a little new something on the Internet or whatever, they get excited and tell me that I have the best job in the world. It's really a pleasant place to work.
We have investigated Voicethreads for possible use in online courses...specifically courses in the disciplines of Counseling and Art. It has some wonderful possibilities for educational purposes. Would like you to present Voicethreads to our class this Thursday evening. Introduce it and its potential use.
ReplyDeleteWe certainly need to reduce the digital divide between schools within our own state.
"Another technology I would like to see our students learn is PowerPoint. This would require very little keyboarding while still providing a new and exciting way for them to communicate new knowledge to their classmates and teachers."
ReplyDeleteThat would be a wonderful achievement for the students. They will see that it is not only fun, but they can impart some wisdom along the way with their classmates.
excellent:)