Here is a map showing regions of Australia that I created using comic life:
I used this in an online LAMS task and would probably use it online or as a worksheet in future teaching.
Creating the map with comic life showed me how useful this program is. I would most definitely use this program in the future!
I have been talking a fair bit about websites for children lately. I have been looking at a variety of sites and feel that parents and teachers need to be careful which sites they direct children to as well as monitoring sites.
Sites that may have great graphics and be bright and colourful may not be an appropriate site for the task at hand. Websites should be evaluated by teachers and parents before put to use by students.
Here are some sites I think are fantastic:
A net-nanny kind of program would be a useful investment for many home computers. Safe Eyes is a similar program which I have found is very effective.
It seems that everyone is going online!
I was reading an interview with Duncan Ball (Children’s author of books such as the Selby series) who said that he loved receiving fan mail and feedback from children about his books and that the children encourage him to keep writing. He then went on to say that it took him a while to realise where the fan mail was because his books were selling like hot-cakes but his letterbox remained steadfastly empty. Until he checked his inbox!
One soggy letter in his letterbox was nothing compared to the loads of emails he gets from children globally containing suggestions for Selby’s next adventure as well as feedback about Selby’s old adventures!
What a fantastic e-world we live in where almost everyone has their own website (most authors do!). Due to the accessibility of these authors children can now feel that they have some ownership or connection with authors which will in turn encourage them to become more avid reader-now there’s nothing wrong with that!
I was just flipping through the Primary English Teaching Association (PETA) catalogue and was surprised by a book available for purchase called Digital Guests in your Classroom by Michelle Williams. The book acknowledges that classroom guests are often used to enrich unit investigation and poses the question to teachers-have you considered meeting the guests in cyberspace?
The book guides teachers how to set up satisfying and enriching online interactions between students and community experts.
I was surprised by the forward-thinking Williams encouraging teachers to utilise the internet in the classroom for educational guests etc.
I think it is a fantastic idea! Why not use software such as Skype to talk to children authors around the world when studying them. Locally authors such as Duncan Ball, Emily Rodda and Morris Gleitzman all have websites and would probably be available for some kind of online interactions with students who are interested in their books.
For students who are not avid readers this would be an excellent oppourtunity to encourage interests in books and authors.
Online chat rooms with authors as well as children from other local and international schools would be a fantastic way for children to read in an interest based context that isn’t reading because they have to answer a maths problem or write an English story.
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Spending a lazy Sunday afternoon at work I stumbled across the following quote:
“As professionals we are constantly articulating our own practice and look for new and exciting ways to teach. Technology allows us to do that because there are always new things happening with technology.” Greerton Early Childhood Centre.
Definite food for thought there. The staff at the Greerton Early Childhoon Centre have put into words what use I feel technology has in the classroom.
(see UTS online learning’s literature to download article because link currently is invalid.)
Becta: the British Educational and communications and Technology Agency, undertook research in 2003 to provide evidence that ICT- Information Computer technology can motivate students to become committed and engaged in learning.
The research evidence instructs readers to be cautious of the idea that technology is “the bees knees” and but also reminds how useful ICT is for students. Basically, the article acknowledges that ICT has it’s benefits when used correctly and consistantly.
The article divides the positive effects of ICT for students, parents and teachers. It explains that ICT, if used correctly can enhance a sense of achievement, support self directed study, increase commitment to a task, increases self esteem and apparently improve overall behaviour. The article talked about a school where “problem children” go and the use of ICT in that school is slightly higher. The results from these students are amazing-all have improved from previous tests etc. The conclusion drawn from the article is that because students are encouraged to do a majority of their work with technology they take greater pride in it and are motivated to do a better job.
The article highlights that the reason the school achieved such great results is because the students consistenly used technology so they became confident enough to experiment and began to create masterpieces.
Overall, the article is reader friendly and set out in a logical manner. It is very thought provoking and put into words my general views on ICT in the classroom.
Very refreshing!
So I am on prac at the moment and yesterday sat in on a Year One computer class. I have to say that I think teaching technology to children requires SO much more patience than regular classroom teaching!
The students were learning to type their name in word and change the font size and colour. This took a long time!
I think as some of the concepts are so foreign to the students it takes a little longer to grasp the steps required. Also, the students do need a level of fine motor control to accomplish the use of the mouse.
I was also surprised that one child in the class did not have a computer. That meant that 22 out of the 23 students had a computer-amazing!
Just thought I’d share that!
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This is a really interesting post I found on TeacherTube. Quite inspirational. I especially liked the suggested ways to teach online (around 3 mins 40 sec). It just goes to show the possibilities really are endless.
