ICT - I can use technology!

This was an extremely beneficial course and I just wanted to share a little acronym about what I thought that technology meant to me.

• T - TEACH

• E - EVERY

• C - CHILD

• H - HOW

• N - NEW

• O - ONLINE

• L - LEARNING

• O - OFFERS

• G - GREAT

• Y - YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE

Technology, the universal learning tool.

The course EDRL 6004 ICT in reading has finally come to an end and I must commend the lecturers for doing such a fantastic job on organizing and executing such a challenging course in a very short time. I have been informed about technology that I have always heard of but never really saw the need to use until now. The Web 2.0 tools are so beneficial for us as teachers, reading specialists and parents.

Wikis, podcasts and blogs can be used in a diverse number of ways to teach reading in our students. A wiki is a programme that is based on adding, deleting in essence editing information at any given time. Wikis are best used in the creative writing process but it can also be implemented in other reading areas as vocabulary, morphology, decoding, comprehension and fluency. Blogs on the other hand are used for adding comments to the topic of interest but the writer of the topic is the only one who can edit and others can only add comments. Blogs are not appropriate for writing but it can be used in the other areas of reading. According to Lewis (2010) “podcasts provide your students with excellent opportunities to access and create authentic digital audio and video material,” (p. 69). Students can therefore use podcasts to discuss their creative writing pieces, to discuss topics such as verbs in English Language and even narrate stories, or comment on a news-piece and present this as digital audio. Podcasts can be downloaded to mobile players therefore making it easily accessible that is to say you do not need to have a computer to view a podcast.

Digital story-telling and e-books are great ways to teach fluency, vocabulary, morphology and even comprehension. The concept mapping software is also beneficial to the classroom and us as developing reading specialists. All these forms of technology that I have learnt in this course are lifelong learning tools for my students, my children and me.

Podcasts in the classroom.

Podcasts are just another way in which one can record digital audio and video material. What makes podcasts different from other forms of technology is that they can be downloaded to other mobile devices so a computer is not always needed to view a podcast. Podcasts are also different since the recordings move away from reading scripts as outlined by Lewis (2010). Therefore there is a need to ensure that one notes his main ideas to be discussed on the podcasts. One needs to plan what he wishes to record as well as what format the podcast will be in, be it an interview, a commentary, a report or even a radio play as Lewis (2010) also discussed.

Digital audio recordings can also be edited numerous times until the final version is satisfactory and then it can be published. These recordings vary in lengths because of the number of participants during the recordings. Podcasts can be used by children to recite poems and broadcast it or even discuss topics of interest with their friends in particular reading topics. Podcasts encourage collaborative learning amongst children. It is a very simple recording to produce and can be accomplished in very little time.

Podcasts promotes individual creativity for the persons who speak for the digital recordings. I was a bit disappointed though that we were unable to fully engage in creating podcasts in the computer labs. I retain more knowledge when there is verbal guidance as was done with the other web 2.0 tools but time was insufficient and now we have to do some independent learning.

The Kindlemania

Kindle according to the dictionary means to stimulate. Stimulate your mind your brain with reading. The kindle is the radically novel way to enjoy reading a book. The ‘kindle’ is another noteworthy gadget to acquire for the avid reader. Reading a book is made easier and more accessible for this busy world but I wonder if Trinidadians are ready for this. At present I have not seen anyone using it but it’s not to say that the locals do not use it. The kindle is in its’ own way beneficial to man but will it eventually replace the age old tradition of relaxing and reading a book?

I honestly will not like to see this happen because people are depending too much on technology and one day it can all crash. With technology there is always need for backup because technology is unpredictable and you never know when it can fail you. Indeed technology is the way forward and the way for progress but as humans we must be aware that it is not always trustworthy. Is it possible to that in a few years time there will be no need for textbooks? You can have all your texts in the palm of your hands as well. The rate at which technology is changing this world nothing is impossible.

The kindle is a very creative piece of technology with boundless benefits. If our nation’s children have access to such a gadget I am quite sure that they too will be most interested and motivated to read. Children will be encouraged to read because of the new format that the reading material is presented in. Kindlemania is a universal trend with millions of people banking in on this gadget.

Bringing life to still pictures through - Digital Storytelling.

This style of moviemaking was the way of movie makers very long ago but the only difference is that there were no high tech computers as what exists today. I must say though that digital story telling is truly for me one of the most interesting pieces of software that I have tried since the inception of this course. I was amazed by what can be done to a picture and the way that you can move from a real life picture to one that looks like a drawing by simply clicking. As usual after this session on digital story telling I asked myself again, what will Mrs. Aisha Wood-Jackson amaze us with next.

Digital story telling can be used in other ways apart from telling a story. It can be used to teach children about life-cycles, to teach sequencing, to teach History, Language Arts and even Mathematics. Digital story telling can become the new teacher in the classroom. We as teachers can use it to prepare our lessons by getting the appropriate pictures and explanations to teach a concept. This will be a time-saver for most teachers and will pull teaching away from the traditional text to using the computer. By using digital story telling a teacher no longer relies on the overhead projector to show illustrations and neither does she have to lecture. Instead the lesson can already be prepared as a digital story and presented to the class. Such a teaching strategy will definitely motivate children to learn.

We as teachers can even use digital story to assist us in delivering reading workshops. As aspiring reading specialists this is an excellent way to conduct workshops in schools. The audience will be most interested since the mode of delivery for the workshop will not be a one man or woman lecture but rather a more interactive and fun approach.

Digital photography in the school.

Photographs encapsulate memories of a lifetime that one will forever treasure. However there is an art to photography that each must consider for it is not an inherited talent at least for me. I enjoy photography and sometimes wonder why this was not my profession. Despite this I still love my teaching career. In primary school we never had the opportunity to use cameras because back then photography in teaching students was non-existent. Today our children have enormous opportunities awaiting them to explore.

I have used digital photography in my Standard Five class in 2008-2009. I documented school activities, school festivals and school field trips in hopes of using it on a multimedia projector for their graduation in 2009. However this was not achieved because I was on sick leave at the time so I missed their graduation. This year though one of my fellow teachers did present a beautiful multimedia presentation on the graduates and I think that parents were most impressed. He also permitted students to bring in their digital cameras to take pictures of our teaching staff, ancillary staff, their friends and the school landscape so that they could create their very own school year book.

This was rather interesting because they were able to print and distribute it. By doing such a creative activity, students unleashed their hidden talents. For example they designed posters to inform teachers about a PHOTO DAY. That was the day when the members of staff had their photos taken by these students. I must say that I do intend to do these activities as well with my new Standard Five students after the 2011 exams. My plan hopefully will be for them to photograph and document their journey in Standard Five. The photographs from this activity can then be used by them to create a digital story.

The World of E-books

Electronic books, yet another super interactive way to teach reading and even writing to our students. I just wished that I was in school to implement this now and see the joys and enthusiasm from my second year class. They absolutely love computer time and I can see them having immense fun and learning in a session using e-books. E-books break the monotony of holding a book in your hand and flipping pages to read. It is just so fresh that children will surely not stop reading. E-books are like a mini-movie with words in it to tell the story and we all know how much our children love a television screen.

My plan although I am not in school is to create an E-book with my son. He is the only one that I know will truly benefit from such technology at this time. An e-book on numbers or the alphabet are simple ones to construct with him. He will definitely enjoy adding sounds and looking for pictures in the creation of this e-book. I can also see e-books being used as a format for a project instead of the traditional types of projects.

E-books can certainly be used with the de-motivated struggling reader. E-books present interactive learning so reading is fun and not a difficult task. Oldfather (1995) as cited in Tompkins (2010) stated that students were highly motivated when they had opportunities for self-expression as part of the literacy activities. When de-motivated readers are given the opportunity to create an e-book they will surely give their all into accomplishing this task since it is an opportunity for them to voice their opinions. I am certain that this is a valuable teaching and assessment tool that will promote reading and writing for our children. This is yet another simple ICT tool that makes learning enjoyable.

Benefits of using www.delicious.com

Delicious.com appears to provide the internet user with their favourite sites at the click of a button just as we enjoy our favourite delicacies. Indeed it is a remarkable site with boundless gateways to the internet superhighway with no stops, no traffic lights to slow down your browsing and linking to get to your favourite sites. I usually use the favourites I guess like everyone else to bookmark my frequently used pages. My websites are organized into folders so I just click the specific folder and I get quick access to my ICT sites or other reading sites.

I also have a list of sites stored for my son in a folder with his name on it. He absolutely loves construction equipment like cement mixers and excavators. By showing him these videos he learns to count to twenty by counting along with the video on naming twenty trucks as well as sees the numbers and their number name. He learns number songs and even big words like excavator. By using the favourites, it gives me quick access because with toddlers you have to since they grow impatient very quickly so when he knows he will be on the laptop he will start singing, “Mummy I want to see the mixers.”

Delicious.com offers even greater access to the web pages and I have already tagged some additional sites for him there as well. Indeed social bookmarking is rapidly growing. It is an essential asset for the reading specialist since reading involves so many areas and there is so much information out there to confuse us. We can organize our wikis and blogs so there is no need to type in addresses and even record our colleagues addresses as well. This is a great way to organize our information and research based articles. It is also beneficial to students since they will be taught study skills using the internet when they categorise their web sites to a particular topic when they are doing research. Just great and delicious things are offered in technology. Baird and Fisher (2005) stated that “social bookmarking is designed to act only as a facilitator providing learners with the tools to chunk, scaffold, organize information in a format that best suits the learner.”

Educating my family about the exciting world of web 2.0.

Since the inception of this course I was awakened by the variety of technology that exists out there. I have heard others speak of it but to really learn about it and see the many uses of web 2.0 is just incredible. I remember the first night after class I discussed with my husband some of the things we had scheduled to learn and he was just as eager to learn about web 2.0. My brother who is also a teacher was also intrigued by some of the things that I mentioned to him as well. Every week I inform them both about my newly acquired web 2.0 knowledge.

Technology is a teacher all by itself. At present, I am teaching my three year old son the letter sounds with a great interactive website that my dear friend Shasta revealed to me. It’s just so much fun we both have together. He has some trouble to move the cursor but with practice he will manage it quite well. My seven month old baby loves to hear the sounds as well. Technology is not just for adults but for all.

"It has become appallingly obvious that

our technology has exceeded our humanity."

Albert Einstein

Concept mapping technology is unleashing your hidden creativity.

Webspiration is an effective organizing tool. The persons who created this piece of software are very gifted individuals. The various activities that can be done with this web programme are truly unbelievable. Planning no longer needs paper and pencil, just a computer and an internet connection. I just have to say that we, the M. Ed. Students are quite fortunate to be exposed to such technology. This concept mapping software is time efficient since you brainstorm, draft, revise, edit and publish all in one.

It allows the individual to reflect and harness his creativity. The product is easy to read and interpret since it is a visual representation of one’s ideas. The colourful bubbles and linking words immediately indicate the person’s views on a particular topic. I love webspiration since you can even colour code and insert pictures, which makes the presented information interesting to read or even glimpse.

Semantic mapping is used from infants in creative writing, so that stories can be planned and written correctly. Children have fun looking at pictures or realia and completing such an activity. Imagine how much enjoyment using this type of programme will bring to the classroom. Concept mapping can also be used to teach topics in all subject areas. My principal has already asked me to conduct a mini-workshop on implementing the “Reading Inventory” in my school. I intend to use webspiration to introduce the concepts with this topic. This technology course is just so informative and mind blowing.

“With webspiration you focus on developing and connecting ideas.”

Retrieved from:
http://www.mind-mapping.org/mind-mapping-software/40

Why not use wikis at the administrative level?

I have always heard of the term wiki but never really understood it until now. The word wiki always hinted to me that it was some difficult web programme that I do not need to even use so why bother to comprehend it. However it’s one incredible piece of web design. The articles suggested many ways in which wikis can be used in the classroom and it also outlined the power that students possess in creating and subscribing to wikis. Wikis need not only be used in the classroom but I am sure that teachers will love to use it to discuss school business.

Staff meetings and memos are sometimes occur every week. Principals can design wikis for such a purpose. Can you imagine the time you will save, that time which is critical teaching- time. Teachers can have their laptops and wireless internet which makes life so simple. How great this will be? You sit at your desk and discuss school issues with your principal and fellow teachers and not even leave your classroom. It is easier to share and co-edit ideas. I think that this use of the wiki is very effective in the school system, be it in the classroom or at the administrative level. The role of a principal is an arduous task and with implementing wikis in a school, this task can be a bit less challenging. All things are possible if we all work together and support each other.

“Wikis are great for open ended collaboration.”

Miles Kimball (2006) Texas Teacher

Retrieved from: http://wikis.lib.ncsu.edu/index.php/Quotes_About_Wiki#November_30.2C_2006

Blogging...such a strange word but very powerful.

Our children are blessed with so many exciting things to do, things that we never ever dreamt about in our school days. Chatting was done by meeting with your friends at school or giving them a call once you got your parent’s permission to use a phone and that was a landline then. Technology is growing faster than ever. It’s our responsibility that we ensure we expose our children to it. Blogging takes so many forms for our youths; it can be in the form of texts, emails, chats and the ever famous facebook and twitter. What they discuss on these, oh well just look at the music and movie channels and that’s your answer. Imagine how effective blogs can be for teaching reading in school. I am sure the results will be amazing.

On reading the article on the adventures in blogsphere I was really intrigued by the variety of educational purposes for blogs. Honestly, I was clueless about using blogs to teach the reading components. However using blogs appear to be more feasible in the juniors and seniors. I guess it can be implemented in the infants with parental assistance. In my classroom I do not think that I will have the time do implement this since I am getting the Standard 5’s in September but I can see it working after their exams. Those children will be eager to use the computers to blog.

“Because blogs are connected they can foster

the development of a learning community.”

Botree, D.S. (2005)

Retrieved from:

http://halfanhour.blogspot.com/2009/04/blogs-in-education.html

~ Reading - The Life-Long Tool ~

As human beings we all have basic needs in life but I strongly believe that in order to survive in this technological world reading is another essential need, it's our life-long tool. Reading brings wisdom to an individual and that is what we all must strive to foster in our young students. Children nowadays seem to be at war with books and others are in love with books. So how then can we as teachers avoid this horrific war? It is not a fight that we alone can pursue but it involves the student and the support of his or her parents. I always remember my high-school principal’s words at every assembly, please read every-day for at least 30 minutes, it makes you a smarter person. I have passed on this message to all my students. I have no idea if they actually do it but when I ask them about it, I get credible responses.
We as teachers are exposed to a dynamic variety of reading strategies for our students and it is our strong belief that it will aid in improving literacy levels in our schools. One very interesting strategy though for me is the integration of technology in the classroom. It seems to be a daunting task to implement at the primary level since it is somewhat time consuming but that’s the challenge in trying it. I have intentions of implementing some of these in the future since at present I have infants. Technology makes reading fun and interesting, it makes reading interactive and that’s what we need to do, make reading enjoyable.

"The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you will go."

Dr. Seuss