Assignment #1

What technology do the students in the grade you want to teach use on a regular basis? Talk about two ways that you could use technology in your future classroom.

By the fifth grade, I assume kids would be using a phone on a daily basis, whether it’s a cell phone or a landline. I know a few kids with I-Pod Nanos or other MP3 players and many kids use video game systems such as PSP, Nintendo DS, X-Box, Wii, etc. A majority of, if not all, students use a computer every day for gaming, homework, and the internet.

One way I could use technology in my future classroom is to set up a web page that includes a blog, fun podcasts, links to educational websites (such as interactive math sites), and an interactive book review forum so students can rate the books we’ve read in class. A surprise guest could visit the site and post their opinion as well, such as a parent or the principal.

A second way I could use technology in my future classroom is through the use of web cams. I remember having a pen pal when I was in elementary school (and actually kept in touch with her up until high school), and with the technology now available, I don’t see why students couldn’t have an actual conversation with somebody on the other side of the world! I’d still have the students write letters, but I think it would be fun for students to meet their pen-pal “in person.”

Just for fun, I would like to have a camcorder to document the school year in a video for all the students to take home. Throughout the year, students can be in charge of filming events like musical performances, field trips, etc. and then a designated “video yearbook team” can combine all the footage into a movie at the end of the year.

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Use databases available from the library web page to find a full text article regarding the use of technology in the grade level or subject that you plan to teach. In your blog entry include the citation information, a summary of the article, and a reflection on what you learned from the article.

In the article I read, 5th grade teacher Brian Crosby of Nevada talks about how he incorporates technology into the classroom through the use of blogging, multimedia, and digital communication. He also describes his version of “show and tell,” or digital storytelling, in which students pair with other students in Long Island, New York, to write a story based on The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. Kids edit each other’s work in real time, and work together over video conference to brainstorm characters, plot, setting, and other elements of narrative.

In another classroom, a 5th grade teacher had students construct a story based on a meaningful experience they had at a recent 4-day environmental camp. When the students finished writing their stories, they imported pictures from their trip into Windows Movie Maker to produce their own short films.

One thing I took from this article is that children receive more than the practical benefits accompanying storytelling; with the added element of technology, children practice visual literacy and higher-order thinking. It is also a way for children to use a computer in a way that they will use in the real-world; it’s not just time at the computer lab to play games.

I am eager to allow students to use graphics and other multimedia to make their own stories. I’d like to use the multimedia software mentioned in the article to help my students create their own graphic novels during a unit on narrative writing.

Bolch, Matt. "Show and Tell." T H E Journal May 2008: pgs 28-30.

http://firma.northwestu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.firma.northwestu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=32023093&site=ehost-live

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Discuss the NETS standards for teachers (2008) and students (2007). Why are they important?

The National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers set the goals for teachers to effectively measure proficiency in skills and knowledge needed in this digital age. The first section, Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, means that teachers should use technology in order to increase the student’s learning. An example would be a class blog. An example of the second section, Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments, would be to use Adobe Photoshop to practice elements of art. In the third section, Model Digital-Age Work and Learning, the students could develop a website chronicling the current subject of study. The fourth section, Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility, includes the respect for copyright information. Teachers could encourage students to chat with other students around the world via webcam. The last section, Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership, simply means that teachers need to be growing in their career by promoting the use of digital tools and resources.

The Educational Technology Standards for Students are slightly different than the standards for teachers, but contain some similarities.

1) Creativity and Innovation (Example: Students can create a blog detailing their reflections during a particular unit.)
2) Communication and Collaboration (Example: Students can chat with other students around the world via webcam.)
3) Research and Information Fluency (Example: Students create a PowerPoint to display their research information.)
4) Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making (Example: Students can use the internet to do research on a local problem and collaboratively create a public awareness bulletin.)
5) Digital Citizenship (Example: Students show a respect for copyright information.)
6) Technology Operations and Concepts (Example: Students are able to maneuver the internet effectively.)

The standards for teachers and students are important because they give direction to lesson plans, facilitate learning among students, and help teachers improve professionally. I think the standards also hold teachers accountable by demanding excellence in the classroom. These standards are crucial because the classroom is moving rapidly towards technology, and teachers need to know how to keep up. If teachers can model these standards, they will be comfortable in the classroom, and the students will be more engaged in the activities.