Podcasting Potential

For the purpose of this entry I explored various podcasts to consider the value they hold for classroom use. I particularly enjoyed Absolutely Intercultural which included a podcast from a woman who went to a meeting with the Society for Intercultural Education Training and Research (SIETAR). She shared her experiences as well as clips from various presenters from the conference.

Podcasts such as this one are incredibly useful in the classroom because they allow students to access resources outside of the school environment. They can experience an abridged version of conferences, such as the SIETAR one, from their own computer. This is also the case for teachers looking for professional development opportunities. These podcasts contribute to a wealth of resources for teachers who want to learn more within their field. Because they are often highly specified they offer a great deal of insight into particular topics from a variety of perspectives. Utilizing this tool in the classroom is beneficial to students and teachers alike!

Using ePals to bridge classrooms around the world

     The website ePals is an excellent online resource for teachers looking to broaden the scope of their classroom instruction and connect with students across the globe. The primary goal of ePals is to help teachers find a classroom abroad with whom their own class can exchange messages, like pen pals. The site offers a very easy to navigate search engine that can be altered based on language, country, age, etc. It is also a wealth of information on other relevant materials, such as connecting the Common Core Learning Standards to support teaching and learning and offering numerous forums on anything from technology to mentoring.

     One resource I found to be particularly interesting is the online field trip option offered through the Smithsonian on ePals site. There are many topics from the museum that are covered in depth through a virtual "field trip" for students. The multimedia aspect of this resource is excellent for helping students build context through the use of visuals while simultaneously exercising aural comprehension skills. I know I will certainly be taking advantage of this website's wide array of invaluable information for use in my future classroom!

Photo Stories as Classroom Tools

When first asked to create a photo story for my classroom, I was concerned that my lack of technological skill would leave me struggling to create something I could use with students. As it turns out, this was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had in this course so far.

I chose to create a first day of school video about classroom rules using photos from my preschool class last year. Of course with this age group it would be important to read the captions aloud, but this is just meant to serve as an example of how this could be used as a fun introduction to school. It was simple to navigate the production process by using Stupeflix and allows for anyone to make a video either for instructional purposes or as a learning tool. This could be used for vocabulary review with visuals to add context or an end of year graduation type video. 

The Great Technology Takeover

It's that time of year again when kids go back to school. Students and parents alike flock to the stores to buy their crayons, markers, notebooks, pens, trapper keeper (for those of us 90's kids) and a myriad of other supplies to gear up for a year of hard work.

But wait! In the age of what I like to call "The Great Technology Takeover," or #TGTT for those Twitter taggers, it looks like the lengthy back-to-school shopping list has been replaced by a shorter one of higher priced items such as the iPad, iPhone, Kindle, and MacBook Pro. Pick your poison but make sure its compatible with the necessary apps and requirements of your school so you don't miss an assignment. Those silly folders we all used to color coordinate with the books that we had to wrap? They are a thing of the past when you can simply access a drop box with the touch of a screen. No need for a pencil sharpener when you can adjust the size of your font by a simple adjustment on Microsoft Word. It seems that all these tools are becoming an antiquated nuisance in today's modern classroom.

The question is, should we be worried? As the video Classroom of Tomorrow demonstrates, we are rapidly entering a world that relies so heavily on technology that we must start preparing now. Watching this video certainly reminded me how unprepared I am because I was completely lost when they showed most of the items that students are using in their classrooms. A more inspirational approach is shown in Social Media Revolution 2011 which uses catchy music paralleled by highly relevant facts to prove to viewers that social media is an inevitable part of our lives and we have no choice but to join the revolution. I will admit I enjoyed their approach because it was fresh and concise, convincing me that perhaps it is time for me to take the Twitter jump or to get LinkedIn to employers internationally.

However, what both of these videos lacks is a balanced review of the detriment of this technological shift. One fact stuck out in my mind from the Social Media Revolution film: "Kindergartens are learning on iPads, not chalkboards." In many ways, I understand how this is helpful. Lessons can be more interactive and visually stimulating. On the other hand, there is a certain value to one central point of learning that brings all students together as a community. When young children are playing games on an iPad rather than with one another, no matter how educational, it lacks the social interaction and acquisition of fine motor skills that is so vital to their stage of development.

I don't mean to sound out of date but I think this loss is one worth questioning. There are countless benefits to a technologically advanced classroom, yet as teachers we must also assess what is given up in exchange for this shift. Our challenge is to develop a classroom that not only introduces students to the technologies that will prepare them to be more successful online, but also promotes the inherent value of offline skills and physical engagement with tools beyond the screen of a computer.