After one day of CI 556, I'm really looking forward to learning what more I can do to enhance technology in my classroom. Today we were introduced to quite a few Web 2.0 tools. I wasn't familiar with any of these free resources available to me. There are so many opportunities that teachers and myself are not aware of. Students today are surrounded by technology. If used correctly, technology can do nothing but enhance students learning. Thinking back on my experiences in many different classrooms, I don't feel technology was used as much as it could have been. For the past 8 weeks I have been student teaching in New Zealand. The students wasn't any more advanced in technology than any school in the U.S.A. The one difference I did see was how much they encouraged technology. Each classroom had 3 or more new iMacs. Each day the students had a computer schedule, if it was the student's time for the computer, they knew their expectations and were allowed about 30 minutes to explore. I was amazed how the students worked independently because they knew they would loose their privileges. Many programs my teacher allowed them to use were programs that she was able to monitor their progress and see what exactly they were doing. It was interesting to see that the computers weren't just used as a time filler or for those that finished first like we had discussed in class.
Today I was introduced to Wordle. In New Zealand, I saw several projects that was used with Wordle but wasn't aware of the program. I really enjoyed playing around with this program and began thinking of many different ways to incorporate it into my special education classroom. I found myself coming home from class and messing around with the program. On our classes wiki page, Ms. Schmidt shared a powerpoint of different ways to use Wordle in the classroom, from there I started searching and found another site with 50+ ways to use Wordle.
Here is the link that I found, http://www.ideastoinspire.co.uk/wordle.htm. I know I will use this resource when hoping to use this program in the future.
I am looking forward to exploring more Web 2.0 tools over the next 2 weeks!
I too agree with you that technology isn't used effectively or as often as it should be used in the classroom. I found it surprising that New Zealand's technology wasn't more advanced. It was interesting to hear that the students knew the expectations of the computers because I felt that the computers in one of the classrooms that I taught in were used as fillers as well as only used during center time. Do you remember any of the programs your teacher used in her classroom? When I have my own classroom, I am going to think of 'innovative' ways that the computers can be used effectively in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link! I am going to keep this link in mind for the future!
I believe also that technology isn't used in an effective way in the classroom. In most of the classrooms I have been in it has been used as a time filler or as a reward for doing something good. It is interesting that New Zealand's technology isn't more advanced, but it is promising to hear of computer activities that were monitored by the teacher and not just an extra activity that students did. It is nice to hear that some schools are doing more with technology in schools that others have been in. I just haven't been able to see much of it.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of Wordle either, but I am excited about it now! I think that it can be used in many ways in the classroom. Thanks for the link, it will be useful!
We used Wordle in preschool to create a thank you card. We went on a fiel trip, and afterwards, we put all of the kids' names in Wordle as well as the teacher's names a couple of times (to make them bigger) then put the word cloud on the front of a card, and we wrote our thank you card. They were so cute!
ReplyDeleteI think it's an interesting idea to give students the freedom to experience using technology independently. Sometimes I think we are so obssessed with controlling every aspect of a student's day, and sometimes, the way that we learn best is by exploring. I think I'll be less afraid to give students an opportunity to try this in the future.
Thanks for sharing your experiences in NZ --- really appreciate that the teacher was monitoring students' use of the programs. Also, please post the wordle site you found on our class wiki!!
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