I have always enjoyed technology and what it can do in the workplace. I had always thought of it as a tool for papers and presentations in the school venue. Having the opportunity to see some of the latest tools out there was eye opening. The variety of available technology is truly amazing. I can see how it can be exploited in the older grades to assist in learning. Once children can read, the opportunities are endless.
As far as the age I'm teaching - preschool - I'm not sure I see the full connection. I think the technology is still most useful as a reference during class and to show pictures and videos to the kids of current curriculum. I also believe that they enjoy seeing videos of themselves, and that the parents enjoy the videos too. I tried visiting some of the web sites with my three-year-olds and found that due to either the internet connection or slow computer, we were very frustrated at the multiple tries necessary. Also, a quiet classroom is a rare thing in preschool, so recording is difficult.
Most of the kids I'm teaching have exposure to technology in their homes, so what they need from me is more hands on experiential learning. Perhaps more of a robotics approach would work as we could integrate the hands on and a simple computer language based on blocks.
I will continue to use technology to supplement teaching and look forward to trying the site we saw on creating books. Perhaps as I continue to explore the resources presented I will see more sites to inspire me. Thank you for this tour and and opportunity to explore. You've set me on a fantastic journey.
Leslie, I think you're right about preschoolers needing more experiential learning. They are much more concrete than abstract, and need to get their hands on stuff.
ReplyDeleteBut you might be able to use some of this technology as a way to share the activities of your class and your students' work, to create a timeline of your year.
I did see some storyboard programs, some of which will let you make a few for free each week, that you might use to do some collaborative storytelling. You may wind up getting good use out of the video camera if you can get your students to help tell the stories. Good luck, and keep us posted!