My goal this year is to create a community of readers and writers through the development of an environment where all stakeholders feel supported and encouraged as they engage with technology to become 21st-century learners.
It is essential that students have access to technology as they learn how to learn. No longer do we need to spend all of our class time memorizing facts. Rather, students need to know why they know what they know. And yet, just having access to technology does not mean that students know how to use it efficiently. It is essential that classrooms give students explicit instruction, modeling, guided practice time, and ample opportunity to inquire with technology.
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| A Graphic that I created to illustrate the issue of the Digital Divide |
There are many options for integrating technology and embedding it within the curriculum and standards. One framework for technology integration is the substitution, augmentation, modification, redefinition model. Research shows that the higher SAMR task level, the higher the student achievement level (Israelson, 2015). Redefining a task with technology means that completely new things are possible for students with technology as a tool. This will require access to technology tools on a consistent basis.
Kindergarten is often the initial exposure for students in how to use technology as a tool for learning rather than just a method of entertainment. Technology standards for students will include an understanding of basic operations; good digital citizenship skills; how to use technology to produce; communicating with technology; inquiry with technology; and problem-solving with technology (Grabe & Grabe, 2007).
Technology in the language arts block might mean reading on an iPad. Students in my classroom will have access to books at their individual guided reading level through the Raz-Kids app. Students that participate in the BYOD program will have the opportunity to read books with this app and a companion website, both in school and at home. Many times, during listening center we use a QR code reader on our iPads. This is a great way for Kindergarten students to begin to use technology with a bit of scaffolding to help navigate the web without frustration.
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| Alternative Seating for Daily Listening Center and Inquiry with the iPad |
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| Students work at computers during Daily Centers and Inquiry |
Students in my classroom enjoy Fun Friday centers that are connected to our curriculum each week. We have many centers that students may choose to visit, including the inquiry center. Programs like DK Find Out! and Kiddle will help students answer questions and work collaboratively to build content knowledge.
21st-century writing is active and participatory. As students are planning and writing they might use Web 2.0 tools like Spider Scribe jr. and Google Drive. Illustrations can be created on apps like PicCollage and Doceri. Research shows that an authentic audience to share with increases student engagement and motivation throughout the writing process. Technology can also be used to redefine the writing process by using techniques such as oral rehearsals in planning prior to writing. Students might use an app such as QuickVoice on an iPad (Bogard & McMakin, 2012). Students can connect with an audience through blogging on our Canvas learning platform, or posting work on a private facebook type of app called SeeSaw.
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| Alternative Work Station for Daily Work on Writing Center with iPads |
Students will participate in activities and lessons that encourage them to use Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) to do things like understand, analyze, produce, plan, construct, and design. Lessons will be designed with a focus on the learner and the learning, rather than the tools used in the process, technology or otherwise. As students have the opportunity to use new tools they will begin to gain an understanding of how to use these tools efficiently.
Bibliography
Bogard, J. M., & Mcmackin, M. C. (2012). Combining Traditional And New Literacies In A 21st-Century Writing Workshop. The Reading Teacher, 65(5), 313-323. doi:10.1002/trtr.01048
Churches, A. (n.d.). Bloom's digital taxonomy. Retrieved June 13, 2017, from http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/About+Me
Coiro, J., Castek, J., & Quinn, D. J. (2016). Personal Inquiry and Online Research. The Reading Teacher, 69(5), 483-492. doi:10.1002/trtr.1450
Grabe, M., & Grabe, C. (2007). Integrating technology for meaningful learning. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin.
Israelson, M. H. (2015, November/December). The app map. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from literacyworldwide.org
Puentedura, R. R. (2010). SAMR and TPCK: Intro to advanced practice. Retrieved July 6, 2017, from http://hippasus.com/resources/sweden2010/SAMR_TPCK_IntroToAdvancedPractice.pdf
