Additional technology resources from Richard Byrne’s website …

I always like to visit Richard Byrne’s website to see what new resources he has found for teachers to use in their classrooms.  Over the Christmas holidays he reposted A Teacher’s Guide to Classroom Backchannels.  There is a great tool for classroom educators called Padlet.  Padlet is a free tool teachers can use to post just about anything, videos, course syllabi, and homework assignments.  The possibilities are endless.

Historic Map Resources from Richard Byrne

I was looking on Richard Byrne’s website to see what he thought of Prezi after our workshop presentation on Prezi.  Just interested to see what else might be out there.  Richard actually had a link to an online resource called Tools for 21st Century Teachers.  In it, Michael Zimmer lists several free online tools that teachers can use.  Prezi was included in that list, along with another type of online free presentation program called AHEAD.  The one feature of AHEAD that was different from Prezi that I liked was the ability to create layers like Adobe Photoshop.  That way you can work on one layer at a time, see what is on each layer, and move layers to the front or the back.

When I returned to the home page an Historic Map Resource caught my eye.  Richard Byrne noted that Google Earth has David Rumsey historical maps collection, but there is also Historic Maps Works which is an online collection of hundreds of historical maps.  I thought this would be a great resource for the social studies teachers in my cohort, along with those of us who provide historical literacy lessons.

Using the Ipad to Promote Communication

I just finished reading a post on Spotlight on Digital Media and Learning addressing the use of ipads with autistic children.  The post shares the 60 minutes story completed by Lesley Stahl on the use of the ipad to improve communication for students with autism.  Rhonda McEwen, an assistant professor of information at the University of Toronto is leading a study at Toronto’s Beverly School.  Her insight is also included in a 60 minutes interview.  She points out that they will not have any hard data to support the use of ipads promoting communication for several years.  The ipad is being used with kindergarten students in this school, and they will track their progress for the next several years to see if it makes a significant impact.

I have witnessed first-hand children in preschool who enter the preschool setting with limited vocabulary and a diagnosis of autism.  We have used vocabulary building activities on the computer to build vocabulary with these students, and have had success in that venture.  Our concerns were raised around the way the computer draws them in inclusively, so that they do not want to engage with other students or other activities.  Children with autism sometimes have difficulty engaging with their peers, so if we can find a technology like the ipad that helps them communicate, and engage with their peers at the same time, I think we really have something. 

I am also fascinated by the ongoing study at the University of Pittsburgh by Dr. Walter Schneider .  I am anxious to follow this study to see what insights in brain research are gained, and the implications for our understanding of helping children with autism communicate.

Teacher Technology Integration in Early Childhood

How do we increase technology integration in the early childhood classroom?

Teachers’ technology use in the classroom would increase if teachers felt confident in their technology pedagogy, school support, and the positive impact on student learning. 

I feel that the teachers that I work with would be open to using new technologies in their early childhood classrooms if they felt that the technologies were relevant for their learning objectives and developmental level, that they would have the support and resources they needed to implement the technology, and that the learning curve would not be overwhelming.  This blog post Learning, Digital Media and Creative Play in Early Childhood  provides examples of implementing developmentally appropriate applications of technology in an early childhood setting.

If I could model the implementation as an administrator, or pre-service professor,  that would provide them with a minimized learning curve, I think they would actually be excited about trying something new.  Especially if the technology engaged their students.  I have found when presenting new teaching methodologies, that teachers love to see their students engaged and enthusiastic about their learning.  That engagement becomes contagious.  When the students are excited, the teachers become excited about their teaching and their learning.

From Fear to Facebook

     I have just finished reading the first few chapters of From Fear to Facebook by Matt Levinson.  In this book, Matt Levinson shares the journey of the Nueva school as they establish their one-to-one laptop program.  I was really intrigued by many of his observations and insights.  He points out that adults use technology as a source for information and as a means of communication, while children use new technology as a tool for entertainment and socializing.  The school discovered, as many educators and parents have also discovered, that there is a great disconnect between how teachers and students use technology.  Sherry Turkle ,who was interviewed by the PBS Frontline -digital nation life on the virtual frontier investigation, also points out that as students use technology to socialize, we have a generation that would rather text than engage in a face-to-face encounter because texting is less risky.  And so the questions are raised, what communication skills are our children developing?  How do we maintain the ability to communicate in a professional environment while enjoying the plethora of information that is available through the new technologies?  And how do we bridge the gap between what our students think is important as far as technology use, and what educators see as possibilities?

     I thought he had an important insight as far as implementation about a new program such as the one-to-one laptop program, and that is the need to include students and parents both in any type of acceptable use policy for technology.  As we read through the research last weekend in class, that same concept was reinforced for encouraging implementation of technology in school.  Teachers need to see how the technology can improve their teaching.  Modeling of appropriate use must occur in the school setting, and just like at Nueva, the teachers must have a voice in implementation of technology integration.

     I also wanted to check and see if the one-to-one laptop program still existed at Nueva, and I found out it is alive and well.

Teachers and Blogging

I was following Kevin Washburn’s Clerestory e-mail and he talked about George Couros, a district administrator and former principal, and technology integrator who encourages his teaching staff to blog as part of their professional development.  George Couros encourages his teachers to blog as part of their “authentic reflection on their teaching.”  After reading his blog, I have to say I have a new level of understanding and appreciation for blogging.  As I started this process for a class assignment, I was not quite sure what I would talk about that might be significant to anyone else.  But Mr. Couros raises an interesting point.  Blogging is a perfect way for teachers to share all of the really great things they are doing in their classrooms.  As they reflect on their classroom activities, they spend time critically evaluating their practice.  They also provide an opportunity for someone else to benefit from their experiences.  He describes this transparent learning community where we share and learn from each other.  How cool is that.  And we don’t even have to leave our desks, or spend thousands of dollars on one day in-service trainings.

And, I just want you to know that I am very proud of myself for learning how to place a link in my blog, by myself.

Following the tweets…

As I try to grow in my knowledge of tweets, and feeds, and blogs I realize how easy it is to get pulled into all of the knowledge that is shared out there.  I followed a NAEYC tweet to an article on full day kindergarten in Chicago.  That led to a link to the Education Week blog that had a very interesting article by Nirvi Shah on the U.S. Department of Education’s finalized regulations that address how to work with infants and toddlers with disabilities (my dissertation is on early intervention).  I still need to learn how to embed the links to the articles and tweets, but as my technology knowledge grows, my ability to share the information that I find will also grow.

Just getting started…

This is one of those times in my life as a student that I secretly love (being in a state of cognitive dissonance), but at the same time find very frustrating.  I am trying to add a calendar to my blog page.  I am still trying.  I tried to reset the header picture to something I really liked, but it wouldn’t crop it correctly.

As educators, we need to remember that this is often how our students feel as they are faced with challenges.  Do we give them the time to work through those challenges?  That for me is the dilemma with this learning cuve, not having all of the time that I would like to have to explore and learn.  It is times like these that we look to those who have gone before, and seek advice from those who can bridge the gap between what we know and what we would like to know.