Beth’s Blog

I was a little overwhelmed when I began searching for information for my project.  The challenge is to focus on the best key words when using search engines like Google.  I found some good links when I used key words like “literacy”, “technology”.  But I found better links when I used quotations around important phrases.  I used phrases such as “using computers to support emergent readers” and “online books in the classroom” and “using computers to teach reading”.  As I searched, I felt more confident about using technology to support my young readers.  I felt like there are other teachers out there who are feeling the same way!  I am excited to set up my computer center in my room.  I realize that I need to see what others are already doing before I set up my new routine for the fall.  I appreciate the use of del.icio.us as I search for new ideas online.  It keeps me organized and helps me share links with my SIG.  I have shared links on my blog and also used some links that my SIG have shared with me.  This project has definitely improved my researching skills.  It will help me the next time I need to research a topic.

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/mediainfusion/2007/03/meeting_the_needs_of_emergent.html - This author captured my feelings almost exactly.  Author and teacher, Elizabeth Hubbell stated,  “I knew the practice that each child needed, but getting an adult or other helper to each child for daily help with reading was nearly impossible. Eventually, I started to look to technology to help students get the practice and feedback that they needed”  - WOW!  I knew that there must be others who feel the same way and are looking to technology to support their readers.  Hubbell commented on how her classroom was “a buzz with activity” after integrating technology into her room, but she still felt like a part of her students’ learning.  She also suggested that teachers can use a variety of technology to supplement and support their students’ learning.  She suggested taping shows like “Between the Lions” and “Sesame Street” for students to watch.  Hubbell also mentions that when you visit the computer lab with your children to have them visit your classroom del.icio.us page.  She also mentioned the site starfall, which is a great interactive website that I use during literacy with my class.  The author also extended an invitation for other teachers to share experiences with her.  I will email her my own experiences.  What a great networking opportunity!

http://www.techlearning.com/ - I used a quote from an article I found on this website in my previous blog.  The article stated that: “research has shown that video games can foster critical thinking and trial/error opportunities.”  I am seeking a solution to help my students improve literacy skills through online resources.  I am going to further research the links on this website.

The New Literacy- Authors: Sara Armstrong and David Warlick - This article discussed how the 3 R’s in education needs to be updated to include technology.  Students need to understand how technology is important for a well rounded education and the background knowledge for a future career.  I reflected and thought that using technology to teaching subjects in school can reinforce curriculum and increase our students’ technology skills.  This is 2 lessons in one! 

www.techlearning.com - this website helped me find other articles that related to my topic.  At the bottom of each article, the site listed 3 other websites that I might be interested in.  I really liked that feature.

http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/2003/06/readingsoftware.php  - This article, featured on techlearning.com,  suggested several kinds of tools and software that can be used to support early readers.  The article mentioned the well known “LeapFrogs.”  I hadn’t thought about using them in the classroom, but I am definitely going to think about that option.  The site also mentions Compass Learning. Our school district is planning to use the Compass Learning Program next year.  This program uses games, quizzes and more to let students practice various skills in a variety of subjects.  The teacher monitors their progress.  It is nice because you can put the students at different levels for different subjects.  You can also see what skills students are having difficulty with and set up students for review for skills that they struggle with.  There were many other software options listed on the site too.  I am glad that I found this article!

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Group’s SIG Focus: Differentiated Instruction- meeting the needs of all students in the classroom 

Group Members: 

• Beth- Differentiate Reading using internet resources and computer programs
• Arin- Meeting the Needs of Tech Savvy Students: Game Based Learning
• Jen- Fostering Enthusiasm for Writing
• Pam- Alternative Format Text 

Major Categories of Resources: Professional Organizations, such as: IRA, MITS, CAST, MRA, NAEYC, 

On-line sources: brains.org

Tech Help Forums: techlearning.com, edtechtalk.com, podcastingforteachers.com, techandyoungchildren.org, rtecexchange.edgateway.net

Websites: bookshare.org, rescue.wikispaces.com 
 

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With larger class sizes, diverse learners, and so much more curriculum to teach, it is difficult to meet the needs of each learner in my class.  Kindergarten students enters school with 2 years, 1 year or no schooling at all.  I want to provide another way to support the learning styles and levels in my class. 

Currently we do not have enough books to accomodate all needs of the learners in my class.  The school budget is so tight that we need to find an option that is both educational and economical.  In a class of 28 unique kindergarteners, I would like a resource that allows differentiation and stimulation for the “video game” generation. 

Items such as Online books and interactive games to support phonemic awareness will provide these extra opportunties for stimulation and differentiation in my classroom.  The online educational resources are current and benefit the needs of my highest and lowest readers.

Research has provided preliminary information on the implications of the computer’s effects on young children’s social, psychological, cognitive development, and academic learning. Din and Calao completed a literature review of current research and concluded “computer-related technology use plays a positive role in young children’s social, psychological, cognitive and academic development” (Din and Calao, 2001, p.98). In their search for understanding they decided to investigate whether kindergarten children who played Sony PlayStation educational video games learned better than peers who were not members of the experimental group. Din and Calao stated that playing Lightspan educational video games may play a facilitative role in their learning of verbal skills Source: http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.php?articleID=196604793

Online Reading Resource: coming soon!

 Teacher: Guide on the side

Learner: Kindergarten Students

Subject Matter: Literacy,

Setting: Kindergarten Classroom

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I have appreciated the value of being the guide on the side, especially when I let my students’ use the stair PowerPoint.  I do realize how many different strategies you can use when you are using technology in your lessons.  The options are endless and the ideas are exciting.  I can’t wait to reflect this summer and make plans to incorporate more web based games and to develop my classroom website. One of my goals is to continue to sharpen skills I have touched on during this class.  I want to improve my STAIR presentations and learn the ins and outs of Dreamweaver.  I like that I have learned the basics of blogging, web page creation using Dreamweaver, how to create a webquests and also how to use PowerPoint to create an interactive tool for my students.  I feel that I have improved my ability to use PowerPoint to improve my students’ educational experience.  I can now use Stairs to meet my kids’ individual needs. I felt that communicating with my classmates in class and online in discussion forums and via blogging has improved my teaching.  I have learned so many wonderful things about blogs, Web2.0, Zoho, Google, and much more.  I feel much more confident about using these web based programs. I am motivated to provide my students with a balanced education that includes technology.  I want to prepare my students and provide them with the technology that will improve the quality of their education.  I look forward to CEP 812 to see how I can continue to improve and learn! 

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If you have a basic understanding of PowerPoint you will have little or no difficulty using Zoho Show.  The templates/themes make it easy to create nice looking presentations.  You can email presentations to yourself or email them to friends.  You can share it online in a public network or may keep it private.  You can publish it to a website or put include it in your blog.  The buttons are right on the top and well labeled.  The menu is very user friendly.  You can use the menu of clipart, shapes, symbols and make flow charts too!  The nice part is that you do not have to pay to use Zoho and so you can create Presentations, as well as use them interdependently with the other Zoho tools.  I noticed that you are not given as many options to alter the timing, transitions and appearance of your presentation.  It would be difficult to create an interactive STair.  I feel that PowerPoint has more options for altering your presentation functions and to personalize it.Zoho could be used to create basic presentations in a classroom setting individually or in a group.  The teacher could pair up students who have computers at home and those who do not.  That way if they wanted to work at home they could.  Zoho is web based, so they could simply log on at any computer and have their presentation ready to work on!

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As I reflect on using Blogs and how a Blog could influence teaching strategies, I thought about oral language and the purpose for writing.  I ask my students to write during writing workshop.  I notice that when I give them a purpose for writing, (for example - a letter to a friend), they enjoy and seem to write more.  A blog could be used to communicate with other classrooms.  We could ideas or classroom rules with another clasroom in another state.  We could prepare our ideas on paper and then type them.  This would help my children understand how writing help us communicate and also how writing connects us to the real world.  The students could also show their families on their home computers. 

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Blogging can be valuable when communicating with Kindergarten parents.  I can communicate which websites I use when teaching and refer parents to web resources through my blog.  In addition, parents can comment on the different blogs I write.  It would be great to have parents respond to current issues in education as well!

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