Integrating Technology into the Classroom Culture
Colette Klein
April 11, 2014
It seems that everyday something new is added to the plate of the classroom teacher. There are new tests, new standards, and new technologies that a teacher must learn. Often it feels overwhelming and there is little professional development given to accompany these new expectations. In the case of technology, teachers are often uncomfortable with their own ability to implement these tools and as a result are not sure how to use the tools effectively in the classroom. How do we overcome our own challenges of learning something new and allow technology to be used as a tool to advance learning in our classrooms rather than just another add on?
Two years ago I attended Vermont Fest and went to a workshop that helped me to see how this could be done. In this workshop, Sharon Davison, a Kindergarten teacher in Williston, VT, demonstrated how she used technology every day in her classroom. The workshop was titled “Blogging in Kindergarten.” While this may seem premature, it was very effectively done. The children blogged with their older reading buddies and as kindergarteners are just beginning to write, the initial blogs were pictures drawn by the children on an iPad app and then imported into KidBlog. From there, the children added little bits of text at a time introducing themselves to their buddies. The buddies commented and there was an instant audience making writing meaningful! She also had a classroom blog where she and the children shared the learning within the classroom each day. The children were very comfortable with the technologies used. It was clear from her presentation that technology had permeated the learning culture of her classroom. Technology was used to advance content knowledge and was not just something students did during “technology time.” I was convinced that I could do this in my classroom.
One way technology can advance learning is through advancing content knowledge. We are all aware of the traditional uses of the internet to research content area information, using internet resources as a digital encyclopedia. We can also use resources such as YouTube for students who would benefit from a more visual presentation of the information. Forums and blogs can be used to find information, ask questions, and have discussions, all in an effort to expand content area knowledge. Skype and Google hangouts can be a way to gain primary resources when the person needed is not someone a student can easily visit to interview. Students can then use YouTube and other tools, such as Glogster or GoAnimate, to present information they have learned in an engaging and creative way. In Sharon’s classroom, children and their parents participate in a summer reading blog where they share books they are reading with others in the class. This advances reading through summary and retellings. They also use Skype to connect with and learn from experts in content areas. In my classroom, we are currently working on a Flat Stanley unit. As part of this unit, we have been looking up the addresses of our mail recipients on Google Earth to see where they are in relation to ourselves. We have been watching YouTube videos about each of the different states our Stanley’s are visiting. I have also created GoAnimate and Captivate projects to teach children content related to mailing letters and community workers. All of these are examples of how content can be advanced meaningfully using technology.
Reflection, that is students thinking about how they did something, why information is important, and what they learned are all important pieces in creating meaning from the content students are interacting with. Technology can support reflection in many ways. For example, at the end of the day a teacher may bring the class together to think about what they learned that day. In Sharon Davison’s class, this is taken a step further by tweeting to the world about the learning. Sharon teaches her students that they can’t just tweet anything but that they need to reflect on what they did/learned that is meaningful and worthy of sharing with the world. This also requires synthesizing as tweets only allow for 140 characters. Blogs can also be a great way to reflect on learning. This can be done as a whole class or through individual student blogs. Students can be reflecting on their learning in a particular subject area which can also be used by the teacher as formative assessment to inform next steps in learning. As part of the Flat Stanley unit, my students and I are using a class blog to reflect on our learning. When a Stanley returns, we discuss what we learned about the state that Stanley visited and then we create a blog post of that learning. These tools, as well as many others, help to create meaningful learning opportunities where students can exercise ownership and feel empowered to share what they know.
Use of these technology tools provides students with a platform to share their learning with an authentic audience. The tools discussed (such as Twitter, blogs, and Skype) allow learners to gain knowledge and then share that knowledge with both their local and global communities. The power of these tools comes from the opportunity for students to get feedback from their audience and then continue the dialogue in order to deepen understanding. Students can also share learning using tools such as digital photography, video creation, and creative visual presentation programs. In Sharon’s room you may see the Skype student helpers of the day answering a call where they are sharing their learning with another class somewhere else in the country or the world. The class blog and twitter, discussed earlier, are examples of how the students share their learning. You will also see students walking around the room at any given time taking pictures (with an iPad) of work they have created to share with others. As part of the Flat Stanley unit, our log reflecting on our learning also serves as a way to share our learning. When a Stanley visits us from another location, the students are taking pictures (using pic collage) to share our school and town with others across the country and the world. We will also create a presentation to share what we have learned with the rest of our school community. This sharing adds to the strength of reflection and can aid teachers in the assessment of student learning.
As evidenced in Sharon Davison’s Kindergarten classroom and outlined in the Flat Stanley unit, when used effectively, technology can advance learning and expand community. Technology can be used in a way that allows teachers to prepare students to be problem solvers and thinkers, as well as active participants in learning (as required by Common Core State Standards). It can be integrated seamlessly into the curriculum to create meaningful and engaging units. In the end, technology supports us in creating students who are engaged members of the community and are ready for the 21st century workplace.
Colette Klein
April 11, 2014
It seems that everyday something new is added to the plate of the classroom teacher. There are new tests, new standards, and new technologies that a teacher must learn. Often it feels overwhelming and there is little professional development given to accompany these new expectations. In the case of technology, teachers are often uncomfortable with their own ability to implement these tools and as a result are not sure how to use the tools effectively in the classroom. How do we overcome our own challenges of learning something new and allow technology to be used as a tool to advance learning in our classrooms rather than just another add on?
Two years ago I attended Vermont Fest and went to a workshop that helped me to see how this could be done. In this workshop, Sharon Davison, a Kindergarten teacher in Williston, VT, demonstrated how she used technology every day in her classroom. The workshop was titled “Blogging in Kindergarten.” While this may seem premature, it was very effectively done. The children blogged with their older reading buddies and as kindergarteners are just beginning to write, the initial blogs were pictures drawn by the children on an iPad app and then imported into KidBlog. From there, the children added little bits of text at a time introducing themselves to their buddies. The buddies commented and there was an instant audience making writing meaningful! She also had a classroom blog where she and the children shared the learning within the classroom each day. The children were very comfortable with the technologies used. It was clear from her presentation that technology had permeated the learning culture of her classroom. Technology was used to advance content knowledge and was not just something students did during “technology time.” I was convinced that I could do this in my classroom.
One way technology can advance learning is through advancing content knowledge. We are all aware of the traditional uses of the internet to research content area information, using internet resources as a digital encyclopedia. We can also use resources such as YouTube for students who would benefit from a more visual presentation of the information. Forums and blogs can be used to find information, ask questions, and have discussions, all in an effort to expand content area knowledge. Skype and Google hangouts can be a way to gain primary resources when the person needed is not someone a student can easily visit to interview. Students can then use YouTube and other tools, such as Glogster or GoAnimate, to present information they have learned in an engaging and creative way. In Sharon’s classroom, children and their parents participate in a summer reading blog where they share books they are reading with others in the class. This advances reading through summary and retellings. They also use Skype to connect with and learn from experts in content areas. In my classroom, we are currently working on a Flat Stanley unit. As part of this unit, we have been looking up the addresses of our mail recipients on Google Earth to see where they are in relation to ourselves. We have been watching YouTube videos about each of the different states our Stanley’s are visiting. I have also created GoAnimate and Captivate projects to teach children content related to mailing letters and community workers. All of these are examples of how content can be advanced meaningfully using technology.
Reflection, that is students thinking about how they did something, why information is important, and what they learned are all important pieces in creating meaning from the content students are interacting with. Technology can support reflection in many ways. For example, at the end of the day a teacher may bring the class together to think about what they learned that day. In Sharon Davison’s class, this is taken a step further by tweeting to the world about the learning. Sharon teaches her students that they can’t just tweet anything but that they need to reflect on what they did/learned that is meaningful and worthy of sharing with the world. This also requires synthesizing as tweets only allow for 140 characters. Blogs can also be a great way to reflect on learning. This can be done as a whole class or through individual student blogs. Students can be reflecting on their learning in a particular subject area which can also be used by the teacher as formative assessment to inform next steps in learning. As part of the Flat Stanley unit, my students and I are using a class blog to reflect on our learning. When a Stanley returns, we discuss what we learned about the state that Stanley visited and then we create a blog post of that learning. These tools, as well as many others, help to create meaningful learning opportunities where students can exercise ownership and feel empowered to share what they know.
Use of these technology tools provides students with a platform to share their learning with an authentic audience. The tools discussed (such as Twitter, blogs, and Skype) allow learners to gain knowledge and then share that knowledge with both their local and global communities. The power of these tools comes from the opportunity for students to get feedback from their audience and then continue the dialogue in order to deepen understanding. Students can also share learning using tools such as digital photography, video creation, and creative visual presentation programs. In Sharon’s room you may see the Skype student helpers of the day answering a call where they are sharing their learning with another class somewhere else in the country or the world. The class blog and twitter, discussed earlier, are examples of how the students share their learning. You will also see students walking around the room at any given time taking pictures (with an iPad) of work they have created to share with others. As part of the Flat Stanley unit, our log reflecting on our learning also serves as a way to share our learning. When a Stanley visits us from another location, the students are taking pictures (using pic collage) to share our school and town with others across the country and the world. We will also create a presentation to share what we have learned with the rest of our school community. This sharing adds to the strength of reflection and can aid teachers in the assessment of student learning.
As evidenced in Sharon Davison’s Kindergarten classroom and outlined in the Flat Stanley unit, when used effectively, technology can advance learning and expand community. Technology can be used in a way that allows teachers to prepare students to be problem solvers and thinkers, as well as active participants in learning (as required by Common Core State Standards). It can be integrated seamlessly into the curriculum to create meaningful and engaging units. In the end, technology supports us in creating students who are engaged members of the community and are ready for the 21st century workplace.