The Internet and the Early Childhood Classroom

As an early childhood preschool teacher I am always searching for new ways to keep the interests of my students. We use the high scope curriculum in our preschool so technology does not play a key role. However, this curriculum is based a lot on student interest. With the world and technology changing everyday I find my students being more interested in the computer and other forms of technology. This article confirmed my belief that technology can be integrated into the preschool classroom if it is used appropriately.


When using computers or the internet in the classroom you need to have an appropriate balance and make sure that students are using it to enhance their learning experiences. Using websites to enhance literacy and math activities are most helpful to students of this age. There are also many digital manipulatives that can enhance student learning.


As they state in the article you need to make sure that the website you are using is age appropriate as well. The article also states that when using websites with preschool children to make sure they are auditory. This will make it easier for students to use. Teacher support is also a big part of using the internet with such young children as the author states.


Another key part of using the internet with young children is to use real world experiences and models. As many preschool theories suggest, the article also says that you need to use real world models that are relevant and meaningful to children's lives.


I found this article very useful. It gave me a basis for reasons why I should include technology and the internet in my preschool classroom. The conclusion to this article really says it all:

"As with any technology, use of the Internet in the early childhood classroom is most effective when matched with appropriate teaching methods. The key to using the Internet with young children is to make sure their experiences are interactive and integrated into their other learning experiences."

The Internet and the Early Childhood Classroom, by Lisa K. Schanen

The 21st Century Learner

The 21st-Century Digital Learner

How tech-obsessed iKids would improve our schools.

BY MARC PRENSKY

http://www.edutopia.org/ikid-digital-learner-technology-2008

I read the article, the 21^st-Century Digital Learner: How tech-obsessed iKids would improve our schools. The title caught my attention right away. The author of the article, Mark Prensky, conducts panels about improving schools for other educators and administrators. What is unique is that he does a question/answer panel with students from area districts. He asks the students questions such as: What experiences in school really engaged you? How do you use technology in school as opposed to outside of school?

The article points out that our educational system does a poor job getting input from students about how their schools and teachers are doing. It is suggested that students hold the key as to what helps them learn the best while we as educators struggle in this area. The author suggests to us that technology has become a driving motivator and a daily activity for children today. Lectures and Power Points no longer keep students attention and many find themselves shutting down or not listening. A common statement that students shared in the panel was that they were bored in school and didn’t feel teachers were engaging enough. With today’s students being raised on computers and technology, teachers and those in the educational system need to realize that technology is a huge part of students lives and possibly a great way for students to stay engaged and learn while in school. One of the students on the panel stated that technology is a “foundation, and the basis of everything we do.”

I found this article to be very interesting and relevant to incorporating more technology into the educational system. I feel that there is a huge push for technology to be used in all classrooms and across all districts. I agreed with the author when he stated that we don’t listen to our students enough. Only the students know the key to what will motivate them to learn the best. We, as teachers cannot make those assumptions for them. Maybe this means we push to change up the curriculum to incorporate more technology as a means to engage the student’s better. The article points out that students today have been raised on computers and cell phones and incorporating technology maybe a much-needed change. Perhaps this may require more trainings or continuing education for teachers to keep up with times, but I for one am always interested in learning more about the advances in technology today.

We as educators need to step back and listen to the voices of our students. If technology is the key to better education and engagement then I think we need to do whatever we can as educators to take that step. Ultimately our goal is to get students to learn and students won’t learn if they are not engaged. Overall this article shed some new light on the issues and concerns of technology with the children raised in the 21^st century. I’m started to see that technology can be the key to helping our students enjoy education more, instead of them dreading going to school. I would recommend all people in the educational system to read this article and think about how technology can impact and change a student’s learning.

-Alissa Holland

The Digital Whiteboard: A Tool in Early Literacy Instruction

The Digital Whiteboard: A Tool in Early Literacy Instruction

I read an article called, "The Digital Whiteboard: A Tool in Early Literacy Instruction". I chose this website because I am using my whiteboard daily in my classroom and I wanted to see if the article had any new ideas to use the whiteboard. For those of you who do not know a digital whiteboard is an electronic version of a dry-erase board. It is a digital whiteboard connected to a computer. The whiteboard can be written on with regular dry-erase markers. The markers are virtual in that they contain no ink, and they function by responding to their movement on the surface of the board. The virtual markers are activated when you lifted the pen from the tray and then put on the digital whiteboard frame. Only one marker can be used at a time and there are different colors.

The whiteboard engages students through kinesthetics as they use markers or their hands to respond to the text, highlightning with color or drawing boxes and circles with the tips of their fingers or the palms of their hands. You can also write with your finger when you lift up one of the markers. This is also good for motor skills.

The digital whieboard works with other software on your computer by opening up a file and then being able to write on whatever is open. It also makes website more visible for students to see and interact with. This helps creates meaning, make connections, and develop understanding during literacy lessons.

Overall whiteboards are amazing and I cannot go a day without using mine. If you do not have one in your classroom or school building, apply for a great because they are wonderful!

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/29204/

Kati Larson - Technology in the Shakespeare Classroom

I read an article entitled "Technology in the Shakespeare Classroom." This article caught my attention right away because when I think of Shakespeare, I do not immediately think technology.

Throughout the article, the author gave valid examples of how technology could be integrated into the Shakespeare classroom to enhance both student learning as well as the curriculum itself. One positive point for using technology to teach Shakespeare is using it to reach all learner types. Not all students learn the same way and as a teacher, it is my job to try and teach to various learning styles. Using audio and visual clips as well as the various internet resources for historical backgrounds, reviews, and online dictionaries in helping with vocabulary, can all be helpful in enhancing Shakespeare for all learners. Students can choose different technological resources for research as well as video creation. Shakespeare is best understood through performance. Using different video creation sources is a great tool for students to perform, record, and present parts of Shakespeare's plays to their fellow students.

As in much of classic literature, hooking student interest is key to both teaching and student understanding of the material. Using various forms of technology to enhance the Shakespeare curriculum would allow me another way to get my students excited about literature.

Link to article.
http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/educators/technology/indepth.html

Virtual Fieldtrips

I read an article about virtual field trips. This article mentioned how easy it is for teachers to share science themes with students through the internet. A lot of national places are creating websites that have virtual field trips that share infomration with students. It allows for students to explore these places with out paying money to go visit them. What teacher would not be up for that, especially with all of the budget cuts we all face. They get to see photos, videos, interactive parts, listen to people talk, etc. Everything they would get if they actually visited the place.

By using this new type of technology students are able to just explore places and learn more then they would get out just reading a textbook. Teachers are also now having to always update their notes and information that they take from the textbook, because these virtual field trips are easy to update compared the the textbooks that always get out dated.

I think that this is a great new way to teacher students by using technology.

check out the link to the article and it also explains how teachers can modify these field trips for all ages.

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/42383/

Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?: The Reasons Are Many

I got this article from Edutopia. The article was written by Edutopia Staff. The website is http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction

I related to this article so much because it seemed to speak about my school. The article states that technology needs to be more than just teaching computer skills and software applications in a computer class. The article states that technology needs to be taught across the curriculum using projects. The projects keep the students more engaged and allow for students to collaborate on ideas, much the same as an active office. The integration of technology connects the students to real world learning as they meet the curriculum goals. As the students collaborate on these projects, they are using higher level problem solving skills.
In addition, the article states that the integration of technology across the curriculum helps teachers reach a diverse group of students. Teachers can use technology to meet the demands of a variety of learners. The teacher becomes more of a coach to the students as they are learning new meaningful information rapidly.
I relate to this article because my elementary is very blessed with some nice technology. The upside is that we have interactive whiteboards, the downside is that very few teachers know how useful they can be. The boards were installed, but the training has been pretty much on your own. The same goes with the computer labs. Now I am lucky that I teach fifth graders, and we do many projects using both. My students are not afraid to experiment, and I let them. The reciprocal learning is tremendous. I learn a great deal from them as we complete the projects. I design the projects based on my standards and benchmarks, but my students are always adding new things to the projects that I had not anticipated. I know some other teachers have more fear when doing projects. I think this fear stems from lack of knowledge and younger students. They seem to be overwhelmed just getting the students logged in. So the frustration takes over, and teachers go back to their old comfortable ways of teaching. I am often told that there is no way their students could do what my students do. That baffles me. Who knows what our students can do with technology unless we give them a chance. I know that integrating the technology into my curriculum with projects has decreased my behavior problems and increased engagement. That is a win, win situation!!!

EDU636 Fall 2011

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